Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 160 Jiang Mingcheng's Wedding, Unexpected Changes in the Mountains

Life on the mountain is like water dripping from the eaves, neither hurried nor slow.

One drop after another, the autumn colors were thoroughly absorbed.

The mountain breeze carried a chilly, desolate feel, and even the birdsong sounded unusually crisp.

The scene looks the same as always.

The clouds drift lazily as always, the trees remain stubbornly green, the gate opens and closes at dawn and dusk, and chickens and dogs roam the yard, scavenging for food or chasing each other—a scene of tranquility.

However, Jiang Ming has been spending more time at home lately than usual.

Previously, it was just an hour in the early morning, when I would talk about some scriptures in the ancestral hall, just to wake up the whole family.

As the sun rose and a golden ray of light shone into the courtyard, the morning lessons ended, and everyone went about their own business.

But now the charter has been changed.

As dawn broke, the family gathered in the ancestral hall, hastily grabbing a few bites of breakfast.

It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky, and Liu Xiulian was going to the kitchen to prepare lunch, that the matter was finally settled.

Jiang Yi sat cross-legged on the futon, and as he listened, he began to understand some of the intricacies of the teachings.

My eldest son has recently been showing an increasingly impatient air in his words and actions.

His words remained the same unhurried and measured tone;
The melody remains the same lukewarm and steady tune.

But the underlying meaning was that the message was being passed on layer by layer.

It's as if they're rushing to some crucial moment, determined to pour all their knowledge into these variously sized pockets at home as soon as possible.

What brings Jiang Yi the most comfort these days is his youngest son, Jiang Liang, whose soul has been reduced to a mere wisp.

This child was extremely intolerant of such things. Holding a book, he would start to droop his eyelids after less than three pages, and he couldn't even turn a single page in half an hour.

Now that he no longer has a physical body, he can sit peacefully in the ancestral hall surrounded by incense smoke.

At first, his spirit was adrift, like a candle flickering in the wind, and he listened in a daze.

But as time went on, the profound scriptures seemed to transform into stakes that stabilized his soul. As he repeatedly hammered them in, his ethereal soul gradually solidified.

Although he couldn't understand it as well as Jiang Xi and the others, it was a world of difference compared to his mischievous nature when he used to get a headache at the sight of words.

Since that time, Jiang Yi has personally witnessed Jin Xiuer walking out of that misty back mountain.

That place is so dangerous that if an ordinary person only takes half a step inside, their mind and spirit will be thrown into chaos.

She strolled leisurely, her clothes swaying slightly, without a trace of panic in her eyes.

From that day on, the scales in his heart began to tip slightly.

Once water has a direction, a gentle breeze will carry it downstream.

Liu Xiulian was that gust of wind.

Her thoughts are now completely undisguised.

Today, I summoned Jin Xiuer to deliver a freshly made pastry to Jiang Ming's desk.

Tomorrow, they'll say that the grass in a certain medicinal herb field is growing in a particularly difficult way, and they need to ask Jiang Ming to go and take a look. But they also want Jin Xiuer to go along and help out.

Over time, even a cold stone will become somewhat warm and smooth from being soaked in the mountain spring water.

Jiang Ming's Dao heart remained as firm as a rock.

He never slacked off in his daily studies and lectures.

But beyond the rock, some moss eventually grew.

Sometimes, when Jin Xiuer brought him tea, he would glance at her more than once;
Sometimes, when I listen to her rambling on about her interesting stories from her youth, a faint smile appears on my lips.

That expression was like the surface of a river at the end of winter, where the ice was still hard, but beneath the ice, spring waters were already quietly flowing.

Then, when the weather turned crisp and clear in autumn, things naturally fell into place, and the matter was settled.

There was no big celebration; we simply set up a few tables at the old house at the foot of the mountain and invited familiar neighbors and villagers to have a lively gathering.

The banquet was lavish, and Jiang Ming even prepared an extra table with the same dishes as the main table.

Taking advantage of the bustling noise in the front yard, he carried the food box alone and walked along the path leading to the back mountain.

He returned empty-handed after a while, his shoulders still damp with the dew from the mountains.

He thought he had handled this matter discreetly.

However, Jiang Yi saw it, but pretended not to see it.

As the moon rose high in the sky, the lively atmosphere in the courtyard subsided, leaving only the father and son, the aroma of tea mingling with the sounds of insects in the night.

Jiang Yi slowly twirled his teacup, speaking casually, but as his knuckles lightly tapped the stone table, he steered the conversation toward having children.

“Ming’er, you and Xiu’er are both quite skilled in cultivation. There’s no need to rush into having children. A solid foundation will be good for both of you and for the child.”

The voice, though somewhat scattered by the night wind, still carried the weight of someone who had been there.

The offspring of spiritual practitioners are different from those of ordinary people, and their relationships are far more complex.

Jiang Ming tilted his teacup slightly, moonlight shattering on the surface of the tea. He listened quietly, his expression serene.

He shook his head after his father finished speaking.

This was the first time in many years that he had so clearly rejected his father's words.

"Father, let nature take its course in this matter."

His tone remained gentle, yet carried an unyielding force: "I know what I'm doing, Father. I hope you'll trust me."

Jiang Yi looked up and saw that the eyes were as deep as an ancient well, without the slightest ripple.

He had never intended to force anyone, and now that he had heard this, he simply nodded and drank the slightly cool tea in one gulp.

"Fine, since you have your own plan, I won't say anything more."

Even so, for some reason, he still sensed a hint of... urgency in his son's calm voice.

The flavor was very subtle, like the fragrance of osmanthus carried on the wind—fleeting yet unforgettable.

Before the wind had swept away all the fallen leaves in the yard, the late autumn sky had already pressed down heavily.

Although Jiang Ming's current cultivation level has not yet reached the stage of refining essence into qi and cleansing marrow.

However, that wisp of spirit had long been tempered to be like the clearest moonlight on an autumn night.

Upon looking into the light, one could see clearly the inside and outside of one's own physical body.

The rise and fall of vital energy within the body is like the lines on the palm; manipulating it is easier than moving a finger.

Just over a month after the wedding, the subtle changes in Jin Xiuer could not escape the notice of the sharp-eyed people in the courtyard.

Within her womb, a faint yet tenacious life force flickered, like a tiny flame in the wind, undying yet unextinguished.

In this month, even a renowned doctor from outside, stroking his beard and taking the pulse for half a day, could only say "the qi and blood are slightly fluctuating," and would hardly be able to discern the underlying cause.

But in the Jiang family courtyard, among the group of people with clear and vigorous spirits, that new life force was as clear as a single light in the night.

The happiest of all was Liu Xiulian.

Ever since she realized this, the smile on her face has never faded, and she moves with incredible speed from morning till night.

Regardless of whether worldly methods for safe pregnancy are suitable for practitioners, they rushed to make arrangements.

The medicinal soup simmering on the stove emitted a continuous aroma from dawn till dusk;

Jin Xiuer changed all the bedding in her room, saying that it needed to be softer so she could sleep more soundly.

She even unconsciously walked and spoke softly, afraid of startling her precious eldest daughter-in-law.

This warmth made Jin Xiuer both amused and exasperated, but it also warmed her heart.

Jiang Yi didn't mention it, but his eyes would always involuntarily glance towards the east room while he practiced his skills. He still didn't understand why his eldest son's actions in recent years seemed so impatient.

But now, seeing the prospect of adding a new member to the family, a hint of barely suppressed joy finally appeared in his usually calm and deep eyes.

Living in the mountains, there's no concept of years passing by.

Layer upon layer of moss grew under the eaves, and the old locust tree in the courtyard quietly added three rings of growth. Before we knew it, three years had passed.

Inside the ancestral hall, the incense still burns.

Jiang Ming still sits cross-legged on a prayer mat every day without fail, explaining those profound and convoluted scriptures to his family.

His voice was still unhurried, as if he were never in a hurry, but his demeanor was no longer the same as before.

Three years ago, it was a deep well; now, it's more like a deep pool, its surface strangely still, but its depths unknown.

Listening from below, Jiang Yi felt that he could no longer understand his eldest son.

It seemed to have merged with the energy of the entire ancestral hall and the entire back mountain, becoming indistinguishable from each other.

On the offering table, Jiang Liang's spirit, after three years of being immersed in scriptures day and night, was no longer the fleeting shadow it once was.

The soul was so solidified that it seemed to contain three parts flesh and bone. When you reached out to "touch" it, you could feel a faint sense of solidity, but it still couldn't withstand much force.

The morning's lectures were over, and the sun was high overhead.

The family chatted and laughed as they went back inside for lunch.

As soon as he sat down at the table, a little boy with a pigtail toddled over, jumped onto Jiang Ming's lap, and called out in a childish voice:
"Dad! Ride a big horse!"

The Jiang family has never been strict about naming their descendants; they just name them whatever sounds good.

However, Jiang Ming followed his younger brother's naming path and gave his eldest son a single name, Jiang Jun.

Jun means a thousand jun, implying something very heavy.

Jiang Ming smiled and picked up the little one, placing him on his lap. The whole family sat around the table, enjoying a harmonious time together.

The cicadas were chirping loudly outside the window, and the shadow of the old locust tree in the yard fell on the dining table, swaying gently and bringing a sense of peace to one's heart.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Yi's smile lines deepened even further.

After lunch, the courtyard gradually quieted down.

Jiang Ming didn't rush back to his study. Instead, he hoisted Jiang Jun onto his shoulder and carried him like a pony towards the back of the mountain.

As he passed by the few spirit fruit trees behind the house, he casually picked a few bright red, juicy fruits and stuffed them into his son's arms for him to hold.

The little guy laughed so hard he almost fell over, juice dripping down his little hands. The laughter of the father and son was carried away by the mountain breeze and soon disappeared into the depths of the forest.

Jiang Yi, holding a teacup, stood on the stone steps in the courtyard, watching the father and son disappear into the greenery. Amidst the fragrant tea aroma, he found the scene quite pleasing to the eye.

Just then, a cloud of dust suddenly rose from the end of the village road, and a slender figure rushed out of the dust, his footsteps as fast as a whip.

Jiang Yi narrowed his eyes and recognized his grandson, Jiang Qin.

This child has a good bone structure and high talent. Now he is almost thirteen years old and has grown to be almost as tall as an adult's shoulder.

His muscles and bones are well-trained, and his steps are steady yet reveal a sharp edge.

She usually helps her aunt Jiang Xi manage the affairs of the Ancient and Modern Gang, and also trains with her twin sister Jiang Jin in the gang.

Relying on his own skills, and with the box of precious arrows given to him by his sister-in-law, he already had a great reputation among the young men in the gang.

What I enjoyed most was riding a horse and shooting arrows. The sound of the horse's hooves and the arrows flying like the wind gave me the air of a wandering knight-errant.

Just a few days ago, he and Jiang Jin led a group of young men from the gang into the depths of the front mountain to hunt beasts and gather herbs. Logically, they shouldn't be returning in such a hurry now.

But right now, Jiang Qin rushed into the courtyard, his face flushed, his forehead beaded with sweat, and before he could even catch his breath, he rushed to Jiang Yi.

"Grandpa, something terrible has happened!"

The voice cracked, as if forced out by some force. He took a breath and said urgently:

"I...I saved someone in the mountains...it was...it was that old man from the Liu family!"

As he spoke the last few words, his throat tightened, as if each sound had to be forced out from between his teeth.

"Grandpa Liu..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi paused slightly, his teacup still. A ripple finally appeared on his usually calm and composed face.

This is how Jiang Qin and Jiang Jin address Master Liu.

That person has been elusive these past few years, and the two younger ones have only been seen briefly a few times during holidays by their elders.

But with such magnanimity, how could they possibly admit their mistakes?

In Jiang Yi's heart, he always regarded this prospective in-law as the pillar of stability for the entire Liangjie Village.

With him suppressing the unclean things in the mountains, his family and its members can cultivate in peace and live a tranquil life.

Now, upon hearing that his own grandson, who is not quite grown up, had actually "rescued" him from the mountains...

The word "save" made Jiang Yi's heart sink and feel cold.

"Where are people?"

For the first time, Jiang Yi's usually steady voice carried a hint of anxiety.

"It's already...it's already been sent back to the estate!"

Jiang Qin replied, panting heavily.

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yi could no longer sit still.

He suddenly stood up, his toes barely touching the ground, and his figure seemed to be swept away by the wind from the courtyard, instantly turning into a wisp of afterimage as he rushed straight to Liu Family Village.

Before a cup of tea had been brewed, the grand gate of Zhuangzi was already before us.

Before even getting close, one could smell a stuffy, unsettling odor in the air.

People hurried by, their footsteps hurried, and the tranquility and order of the past had long been shattered.

Everyone in the village recognized him, and when they saw him barging in like this, they only gave him a startled look, and naturally no one stepped forward to stop him.

Jiang Yi knew the way well, so he went straight through the front yard and rushed to the main house in the back yard.

At a glance, he spotted the tall attendant who had known him for many years.

The man stood outside the door, looking utterly dejected. His once straight back had slumped, and his weathered face was ashen.

Jiang Yi's heart sank. He quickly stepped forward, grabbed the man's arm, and said urgently, "Brother, the Master of the Manor..."

The man seemed to be startled awake; his lips trembled, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence, choked with unease and trembling:

"The young master... is inside taking care of the master."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Zian's slightly tired voice came from inside the room: "Is that Uncle Jiang? Please invite him in."

The tall servant, as if granted a reprieve, pushed open the heavy door with trembling hands; the hinges groaned.

Jiang Yi stepped into the room, where the light and shadows were dim, and the aroma of medicine and the smell of blood rushed in like a tide.

Beside the bed, Liu Zian and his wife looked solemn, their eyes filled with worry and anxiety that made it hard to breathe.

As soon as Jiang Yi's gaze fell upon the person on the bed, he was firmly held by their hand.

The once powerful Liu Zhuangzhu, whose mere cough could silence the winds of the mountains and forests, now lay quietly on his bed, his face ashen and his breath faint, like a withered tree pierced to the bone by the autumn frost.

In Jiang Yi's heart, this person has always been someone to be admired from afar.

Now that his cultivation has improved and his horizons have broadened, he can finally make some sense of what's going on.

At a glance, it was clear that Master Liu had a naturally perfect physique and his tendons were as taut as strings, making him a rare talent for martial arts.

Unfortunately... he was trapped by the method he practiced for many years, making no progress whatsoever, and ultimately ended up in this state today.

(End of this chapter)