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

Chapter 162 My son, Jiang Ming, possesses the potential of an immortal.
The night was as dark as ink that couldn't be dissolved, and when it was poured on people, it couldn't cool down the restlessness in their hearts.

Jiang Yi lightly touched the wet bluestone slab with his toes, and his whole body was like a night owl skimming the ground, silent and stealthy, only swirling up a few withered leaves covered with dew, which then fell down.

Before you even enter the village, a stench of blood mixed with the fragrance of post-rain earth assaults your nostrils, so thick it's nauseating.

The few acres of fine paddy fields at the entrance of the village, which had just sprouted ears of rice, now showed no trace of their pastoral beauty.

The paddy field ridges were trampled to pieces, and the heavy late-season rice lay flat and disheveled, soaking in the scarlet muddy water, its color changed.

Next to the stone pillars that are usually used to mark the boundary, a brother from the gang lies crookedly, his face indistinct, with a hole the size of a bowl in his chest, still emitting wisps of steam.

That stone pillar looks more like a hastily erected tombstone.

Several ferocious-looking wolf demons were locked in a fierce battle with about a dozen of their henchmen.

These men, driven by sheer courage and valor, brandished their knives and clubs, more to vent their anger than to kill the enemy.

In contrast, those beasts moved with strategy and coordination, in twos and threes, sometimes feigning attacks and sometimes swooping down to kill, subtly revealing a military formation.

Jiang Yi's gaze swept over them briefly, but his heart sank even further.

He kept moving, his figure darting through the ruins like a ghost. Occasionally, a foolish monster would pounce on him, and he would smash its skull with a single blow. Blood and brain matter splattered on the ridges of the fields, but he didn't bother to look at it. He headed straight for his old house.

Finally, in the training ground, which was only a hundred steps away from the old house, he saw the light.

No, that's not a light.

Two beams of light, one azure and the other emerald green, were locked in a fierce battle with a colossal creature amidst a pervasive mist.

That wild bull demon was entirely black, with thick, rough skin and flesh; just by looking at its physique, one could tell it possessed immense strength.

A layer of damp mist swirled around the two buffalo-horn-like curved horns, and with each heavy breath, a ring of mud appeared beneath their feet.

It would occasionally stand on its hind legs, stomping heavily on its two front hooves, and three or five jets of water would shoot out from the mud, cunning and ruthless, forcing people to scramble and panic.

But the two figures surrounding it were no ordinary people either.

The jujube wood staff in Liu Xiulian's hand had lost its original color. It was covered with a layer of light water, looking warm and smooth, but in fact, it was heavier than a river.

She didn't confront the bull demon head-on. Instead, she subdued the tip of her staff, causing the surrounding water vapor to condense into an undercurrent. She didn't aim to injure the enemy, but only to reduce the bull demon's momentum by a third.

It was precisely that defensive posture of "a dragon lurking in the abyss" that made it as stable as a reef in the heart of the river.

In contrast, Jiang Xi is much more agile.

A layer of vibrant green light swirled around the wooden stick in her hand; it was her innate wood-elemental aura.

The staff's shadow, like newly sprouted vines, sometimes entwined, sometimes lashed out, always finding a gap in the bull demon's defenses where its old strength was exhausted and its new strength had not yet arisen, pricking its flesh and causing it to roar incessantly.

The mother and daughter, one attacking and the other defending, one still and the other moving, cooperated perfectly and finally trapped the ferocious bull demon in place.

But that's all; you can't hurt it.

But Jiang Yi's gaze was firmly drawn to another figure beside the battle circle.

It was a tiger demon with piercing eyes and a white forehead. Its physique was only half a fraction smaller than the wild bull demon beside it.

Strangely, it did not join the battle at this moment.

It just crouched quietly in the shadows at the edge of the training ground, like a stone sculpture guarding the house.

Only those amber eyes constantly scanned the surrounding darkness, from the village entrance to the old house, and then to the distant mountains and forests, like the most loyal sentinel.

On the tiger demon's back, there was a newly added bloodstain with the flesh torn open and the bone exposed, clearly indicating that it had just suffered a loss.

Liu Xiulian's path was like a dragon lurking in the abyss, guarding it flawlessly, but her cultivation level was ultimately lacking.

After fighting the bull demon for a while, his internal energy was running low, and the warm, moist light on his hands dimmed slightly, causing his staff movements to slow down a bit.

In a battle between masters, victory or defeat, life or death, hinges on the slightest difference.

The tiger demon that had been crouching to the side suddenly lit up its eyes, like two bright yellow lanterns.

With a powerful push of its hind legs, its massive body, which had been poised for a long time, was about to pounce.

It's too late, but it's soon.

A sharp, cold arrow, accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the night wind, shot out from nowhere, aiming straight for the tiger demon's left eye socket.

The tiger demon seemed to have been on guard. Upon hearing the sound of the wind, it didn't even turn its head. Instead, it rolled on the spot, its nimble and agile appearance even more nimble than that of a lynx.

With a muffled "thud," the arrow struck the spot where it had been crouching, penetrating half a foot into the ground, leaving only the fletching buzzing outside.

The arrow shaft was heavy and cold, exuding the chill of an iron core, but the fletching was not bird feathers, but several fine, bluish scales that gleamed with a faint, cold light under the reflection of the water.

Black Scale Ironwood Arrow.

Jiang Yi immediately understood.

My own grandson's cultivation is still shallow, and he can't withstand a direct confrontation, but with such a treasure given to him by Ao Yu, he is enough to give this beast a hard time.

Judging from its wary appearance, it was clearly on guard against lurking arrows and dared not expose its back, much less join the battle.

Otherwise, how could Xiulian and Xi'er have survived until now under the combined attack of these two old demons?

Meanwhile, Jiang Xi, who was struggling to hold on, had already spotted him.

Those clear eyes suddenly gained a sparkle.

With a backhand flick, the long staff on his back was unsheathed, drawing a dark arc as it headed straight for Jiang Yi.

It was that "Yin-Yang Copper Cudgel".

Once he got the familiar weight in his hand, Jiang Yi's anxious heart finally settled down a bit.

Just then, they saw the tiger demon dodge the arrows, roll to its feet, just as it was about to lose its footing and was exhausted.

Without a second thought, Jiang Yi shifted his feet and followed the stick, delivering a ruthless and unparalleled groin-striking blow silently.

This strike is a low-level attack, designed to catch the opponent off guard.

The tiger demon was indeed unable to dodge in time and was about to be struck squarely by the club that would wipe out its offspring.

But just before the tip of the stick reached its body, a thick layer of golden-iron luster suddenly appeared on its body. It looked inconspicuous, but it was as solid as a piece of refined steel.

"clang!"

A dull thud, not like a blow to flesh, but more like a thud on a temple bell.

Jiang Yi felt a powerful force rebound from the stick, which made his wrist numb and almost split open his hand.

However, the metallic light emanating from the tiger demon showed no sign of dissipating.

Using the force of the recoil, he pulled back his staff and turned around, but his heart skipped a beat.

The son has tested the copper hoops on this stick over the years to see what they could do.

I had personally experienced this firsthand with the young master of the Qiang people; it was invincible in breaking through evil spirits and dispelling malevolent influences.

Now, it's completely useless against these evil supernatural powers?
That leaves only one possibility.

This beast... is not a demon formed by feeding on wind and dew or absorbing evil spirits.

Its cultivation and achievements were actually obtained through proper breathing exercises and the refinement of the golden elixir!

Jiang Yi felt a chill run down his spine, but he couldn't think too much about it at the moment and could only grit his teeth and persevere.

The staff in his hand moved like a millstone, with the yin and yang energies flowing around it. Sometimes it was as solid as a mountain, and sometimes as cunning as a snake.

In the shadows, the cold arrows appeared even more unpredictably, sometimes from the eaves, sometimes from the corner of the wall, always bringing a chilling gust of wind when the two evil spirits were most uncomfortable.

The tiger demon and the bull demon were quite annoyed by this open and covert fighting method, but they still couldn't find the exact whereabouts of the person who shot the arrow.

However, this stalemate is ultimately just a mirage.

The Jiang family relied on their exquisite teamwork and fierce courage.

The two beasts on the other side, however, relied on their genuine and profound Taoist skills.

Manpower is sometimes poor.

After another dozen or so rounds, Liu Xiulian's breathing became increasingly heavy, and Jiang Xi's forehead was covered in sweat. The mother and daughter's stick techniques were no longer as smooth and effortless as before.

Jiang Yi knew that if this dragged on, his team would be defeated in less than half an incense stick's time.

In the shadows, Jiang Qin's young heart pounded higher and higher with the situation unfolding on the field.

The youthful spirit ultimately lacks the composure honed through the trials of life.

Seeing his family members losing ground, his hand, which had been steady, lost its previous composure and became somewhat impatient. Several arrows came in succession, and as the wind of the arrows became disordered, the concealed aura was also revealed with a slight flaw.

The tiger demon was incredibly clever; with a flash of cunning in its eyes, it caught the fleeting moment of carelessness.

It roared suddenly, forcing Jiang Yi back half a step.

Instead of lunging forward, it stood upright, its front paws whistling as they tore through the night air, and made a vague slash towards the patch of illusory grass taller than a person next to the old house!
Several golden and iron claw-like beams, solidified as a substance, shot out from the claws and whistled as they flew forward.

As the first claw flashed, a sharp "rip" sound was heard from the grass—the sound of cloth tearing.

Immediately afterwards, a thin figure staggered into view, draped in a layer of pale white gauze, with a gash cut open in the chest.

It was Jiang Qin.

The garment he wore was a gift from Ao Yu, a treasured possession of Jiang Xi, known as the "Rainbow Silk."

It can change color to match the surrounding scenery and conceal its form and aura.

It was precisely because of this robe that he was able to hide under the noses of the two old demons until now, despite his meager cultivation.

But now, with his mind in disarray, he has suffered this great loss.

The silk ribbon blocked the fatal blow for him, but the immense force also sent him flying, crashing heavily into the tall grass, where he disappeared without a trace.

The light emanating from the gauze robe became disordered, temporarily losing its miraculous concealment effect.

The remaining claw strikes, like hungry wolves smelling blood, seemed to have eyes and howled as they slashed down into the grass!

"Qin'er!"

Jiang Yi and his two companions were furious, but they were tightly bound by their respective opponents and had no way to spare a move, not even to turn around and block.

Without the hindrance of that hidden arrow, the tiger demon had no more fear.

In an instant, the tiger roared like thunder, and its attack became like a raging torrent, each claw heavier than the last, forcing Jiang Yi to retreat three steps.

That metallic aura even made the Yin-Yang Copper Cudgel in his hand hum.

In an instant, Jiang Yi was completely at a disadvantage and could only rely on his exquisite staff skills to struggle against the storm of attacks.

Jiang Yi felt as if the copper cudgel in his hand was incredibly heavy.

Each block felt like trying to forcefully deflect a speeding carriage with his arm, the shock so intense it dislocated his internal organs.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw those deadly claw-like blades already slashing into the depths of the grass.

His heart had sunk to an unfathomable abyss.

At this critical moment, when all hope seemed lost, they were filled with despair.

"Buzz!"

A sharp twang of a bowstring suddenly exploded from that patch of illusory grass!

This sound was completely different from the crisp sound Jiang Qin had made when he shot the arrow earlier.

The sound was somber and powerful, unlike a bowstring, but rather like someone striking a centuries-old bronze bell with a giant hammer in an ancient temple deep in the mountains.

That deep hum carried an indescribable rhythm, as if it could keep in sync with people's heartbeats, causing everyone present, including the two evil spirits, to feel a sudden tightness in their chests.

Immediately afterwards, a streak of light shot into the sky from the bushes!

The arrow pierced the air without emitting a whistling sound, yet the surrounding air seemed to be sucked away by the arrow, creating a brief moment of deathly silence.

On the arrow shaft, the few blue scales were now standing upright, and a wisp of golden light was wrapped around the edge of each scale!

The tiger demon almost instinctively sensed the deadly danger. Every hair on its body stood on end, and the protective golden light of its body instantly reached its peak, shining blindingly bright.

But all of this seemed so futile in the face of that cyan lightning.

The light flashed and disappeared in an instant.

There was no earth-shattering collision, only a slight "sizzle" sound, like a hot knife cutting into butter.

The tiger demon's massive body stiffened abruptly, letting out a roar that was a mixture of shock and pain.

Its indestructible iron-clad protective barrier was easily pierced by this arrow.

A bloody hole, about the thickness of a chopstick, appeared on its thick shoulder blade, going right through.

At the edges of the wound, the skin and flesh were charred black, and fine, dense golden arcs of electricity, like maggots clinging to the bone, were still relentlessly drilling into the flesh, making a soft "sizzling" sound.

The tiger demon let out a painful roar, causing the leaves in the forest to fall in a rustling sound.

In the arena, whether human or demon, everyone stopped fighting for a moment.

Without needing to turn around, that figure standing with bow in hand was already etched into the hearts of everyone present like a stone statue.

Dressed in a blue robe, he still had that refined and scholarly appearance, looking gentle and clean.

But the bow in his hand, drawn as a full moon, remained perfectly still;

That straight spine, more like a javelin driven three feet into the ground, is deep and imposing, exuding a fierce power that can make a thousand armies retreat.

Behind him, Jiang Qin, whose mouth was bleeding and whose face was deathly pale, was protected tightly.

It's Jiang Ming.

The sliver of lifelessness in Jiang Yi's eyes suddenly lit up.

With the eldest son's cultivation level and the aid of such a precious arrow, his earth-shattering strike was no less powerful than that of the two old demons.

If there were ten or eight more arrows with such divine power as those just now, and I were to keep one of them pinned down, I might not be unable to kill that beast that has been causing trouble for many years right here tonight.

But the thought only flashed for a moment, and the spark that had finally ignited in his eyes quickly dimmed again, sinking deeper than the night.

He could clearly see that the quiver beside his eldest son was empty.

That box of black-scaled ironwood arrows contained only a dozen or so arrows in total.

In Qin'er's haste, most of it had been used up, and this last straw that was left had also been lost.

Make bricks without straw.

A bow without arrows is ultimately just a bent piece of wood.

In that instant of deathly silence, from behind, a heavy, earthy stench, mixed with a savage, demonic wind, swept over us like a tidal wave.

The ground beneath my feet began to tremble slightly and gently.

There's no need to look back.

Jiang Yi then knew that the big black bear had arrived.

With a slight dip of the stick, he retreated to his wife and daughter's side.

The three stood in a triangular formation, vests touching vests, entrusting their blind spots to the person they trusted most.

The night wind blew by, carrying the stench of blood from the ground. The three men's eyes met in mid-air, and they all saw the undisguised helplessness and determination deep in each other's eyes.

Jiang Yi was about to speak, wanting to take advantage of the fact that the black bear demon had not yet surrounded them, and lead his family to retreat to the back mountain.

Just then, a soft sigh suddenly came from the illusory grass not far away.

The sigh, neither too loud nor too soft, neither too high nor too low, was like a drop of water falling into a still lake, causing ripples to spread through the hearts of everyone present.

The tense, murderous aura was somewhat dissipated by that indifferent sigh.

The black bear spirit, which had just run to the edge of the field, abruptly stopped in its tracks. The ferocity and greed in its large, bell-like eyes were replaced by a deep confusion and astonishment.

Jiang Yi felt that the vibrant and surging aura emanating from his eldest son behind him had vanished into thin air as if gently wiped away by an invisible hand.

In his spiritual perception, Jiang Ming's once vibrant life force instantly turned into a dry well, a stubborn rock, and an ordinary person who had never cultivated.

And this "ordinary person" is now slowly rising from the deep grass.

He floated lightly in mid-air and "walked" towards us step by step.

Jiang Yi himself had cultivated for many years, so he could naturally tell that this was by no means some kind of lightness skill or agility technique.

The eldest son showed no sign of being focused or attentive; his blue robe was not even fluttering at the hem.

He was like... casually strolling around, but his feet weren't on solid ground, but on empty space.

(End of this chapter)