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

Chapter 174 Returning to the Western Sea Together, Minor Supernatural Techniques

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, and the exhilarating feeling of riding the wind in his heart quietly subsided.

Across from him, Jiang Liang's figure, formed from incense smoke, remained steady, but his voice carried a solemnity rarely seen in the ancestral hall.

“Father, although I did not experience it myself, I only overheard a few words when I was chatting with my colleagues in the City God Temple.”

“In our Southern Jambudvipa, the demonic aura has long been swept away. But in the Western Niuhe Continent, it is a completely different world.”

His voice was deep and solemn, devoid of any hint of human warmth, which truly gave him a divine air of authority.

"It's no exaggeration to say that the place is teeming with demons and monsters. It's not uncommon for people to occupy mountains and become kings, gathering their own forces in one area."

"Even worse, some openly occupied cities, gathered together to form a kingdom, and called themselves Demon Emperors and Demon Kings. They often fought with the nearby gods and land deities, and were extremely arrogant."

He paused slightly, his gaze falling on his father, his voice softening, and he reverted to his sonly tone:
"Although Father has now broken through to the Dao realm and has a solid foundation, he is still relatively new to the path. He still lacks the necessary skills in those supernatural methods for self-protection and survival. I dare not say whether a hasty journey to the west will bring fortune or misfortune."

Jiang Yi listened quietly without saying a word, his old eyes slightly lowered, as if he were examining the blue bricks under his feet.

After the boy mentioned it, some of his memories of his past life surfaced in his mind.

Yes, all the way west from this back mountain, who knows how many demon caves and monster dens are hidden.

Even the most inconspicuous little demons among them probably possess some cultivation at the half-step into human form, making them far more powerful than the three old demons on the mountain who were still insignificant.

Not to mention those demon kings.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yi immediately nodded, the thoughtful look on his face disappearing and replaced by complete understanding.

Looking at his youngest son, he said calmly, "What you said makes sense. I have been thinking too simply about this matter."

Thinking of the Third Prince of the Western Sea, who would have to suffer for hundreds of years in Eagle's Sorrow Gorge, Jiang Yi was not in a hurry.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he looked up at the faint figure in the ancestral hall, asking aloud:
"Any news from Feng'er and Rui'er lately?"

Jiang Liang seemed to have anticipated this question and answered directly:

"The military report from Luoyang says that Rui'er is currently pacifying the tribes in the Qiang region. Although he hasn't achieved any great feats yet, things are going smoothly."

He paused for a moment before continuing:
"As for Feng'er... life goes on as usual. Most of the time, he's either cultivating on Crane Cry Mountain or refining pills behind closed doors. He lives a peaceful life."

Jiang Liang spoke quite casually, his words revealing no emotion.

But Jiang Yi sensed a hint of helplessness and resentment in the word "tranquility".

The Celestial Masters sect, after all, is a Taoist temple left behind by Zhang Tianshi, and its approach is quite different from those ordinary mountain sects that only emphasize seclusion and quiet cultivation.

To stand out within the sect, cultivation level alone is not enough.

They must descend the mountain to gain experience, slay demons and monsters, and help the world and save people. Only in this way can they accumulate merit and make a name for themselves and their sect.

Those who have performed great deeds in life will have their souls remain clear after death. Only by relying on this legacy can they be guided by the elders of their sect to enter the pantheon of gods, be appointed as guardian deities of Taoism, and enjoy incense offerings for ten thousand years.

His grandson, Jiang Feng, was a direct disciple of the Celestial Master. At his age, he should be traveling around with his master, accumulating prestige.

When Jiang Ming handed him that stick and the five copper hoops, he had this very intention.

Who would have thought that he would end up spending his days cultivating and refining elixirs on the mountain?

To put it nicely, this kind of life is one of quiet contemplation.

To put it bluntly, it means leaving it idle and neglecting it.

Jiang Yi couldn't understand why his grandson was being neglected by Heming Mountain, and he had no good solutions.

Just as he was pondering, Jiang Liang continued:
"As for the West Sea, they sent a message a few days ago. They said that the Zhenhai Pearl and the West Sea Dragon Vein have been restored to about 70-80% after years of nurturing."

"Those dragon sons and grandsons who were sent to Crane Cry Mountain for cultivation can now choose whether to stay or leave."

He paused slightly, then added:
Feng'er and Ao Yu are also considering whether to send Xiao Hong'er back to the West Sea Dragon Palace first.

As Jiang Yi listened, his old eyes, which had already drooped, slowly narrowed again.

After a long pause, he suddenly spoke, his voice calm:

"Since they're not well-received at Crane Cry Mountain, why don't we let Feng'er go to the West Sea with his mother and daughter?"

The reason Jiang Feng was sent up the mountain in the first place was for the Taoist sect's alchemy skills.

Later, he gained the favor of the Celestial Master, which gave him the idea to fight for the future of the Dharma Protector.

Now it seems that, for some reason, this path is no longer viable.

Since that's the case, there's no need to be fixated on just one thing.

The cultivation methods of the Celestial Masters sect, in essence, are nothing more than alchemy and talismans.

Jiang Feng's skills in alchemy and talisman drawing have been almost perfected.

Not to mention those near the West Sea, they are never short of rare and precious natural treasures.

As the Dragon Palace's prince consort, he would have access to an inexhaustible supply of spiritual herbs and rare treasures. His cultivation would likely be much more stable than sitting on a cold bench on Crane Cry Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang pondered for a moment, and even the face of the deity revealed a rare expression of human contemplation.

"I understand what Father means."

He nodded slowly, "I will talk to Feng'er about it later and see what he thinks."

After a moment, he added:
"After all, according to Feng'er, all the masters on the mountain, including the current Celestial Master himself, have always taken good care of him and valued him highly. It's just that I don't know why..."

The words stopped there, the rest of the meaning conveyed in that barely audible sigh.

Jiang Yi vaguely felt that this matter might be related to Wenya's past ascension to Lao Jun Mountain and the cure of the world's plague.

But it's just speculation without any concrete evidence, so it's not wise to speak rashly at this moment.

He simply shook his head, setting the matter aside for the time being, and looked up at his son's increasingly solid figure, then changed the subject:
"Let's not talk about that. Liang'er, you've been a deity for quite some time now, do you have any way to acquire some proper magical arts and supernatural powers?"

“Our family has no shortage of cultivation methods, and we have enough medicinal herbs and spiritual energy. The only thing we lack is a means to truly fight enemies and protect ourselves.”

His voice was calm, yet every word hit the mark:
"Otherwise, even if you have a high level of cultivation, if you don't have any extraordinary skills when you encounter a real problem, you will eventually suffer losses."

The Jiang family nowadays has very few channels to access magical abilities.

The Celestial Masters sect is a large and powerful organization with strict rules. Their protective supernatural powers are the foundation of the sect and are not easily passed on to outsiders.

Granddaughter-in-law Ao Yu is a member of the West Sea Dragon Clan. Most of her skills are engraved in her bones and blood; they are innate talents that cannot be taught.

After much thought, he could only set his sights on his youngest son, who had become a deity.

When Jiang Liang saw his father's gaze fall upon him, the spirit formed from incense flickered for a moment, as if pondering something in his heart.

“My colleagues at the City God Temple and I usually perform rituals and conduct business by relying on divine seals and incense offerings.”

He spoke slowly and calmly, “These methods, in the end, are the authority of the gods, not the skills of cultivation. Ordinary people cannot learn them, nor can they use them.”

He then changed the subject, saying, "However... my underlings, those ghostly messengers, do have some tricks up their sleeves."

"Many of them were people who had seriously cultivated themselves in their lives, but because their cultivation was not deep enough and they did not have enough merit, they were chosen after death to serve in the underworld and have a peaceful life."

“I am fairly familiar with them. If I use some kindness or force, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get a few spells to learn from them.”

At this point, he first revealed something to Jiang Yi:
"However, with their meager skills, they probably don't possess any earth-shattering supernatural abilities. Father, don't have too high expectations."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi understood perfectly.

She nodded with a smile, completely unconcerned: "Whether it's good or bad, learning something to protect yourself is never a bad thing."

After giving his instructions, Jiang Liang's figure gradually faded away, turning into a wisp of green smoke that then dissipated back into the incense burner.

Jiang Yi then turned and left the ancestral hall. The night breeze was cool outside, and the courtyard was brightly lit. Laughter and chatter mingled with the steam rising from the stoves, creating a unique atmosphere of everyday life.

The whole family sat around the table, enjoying the celebratory feast; it was a lively occasion.

After that, life went on as usual, but things were different inside.

Jiang Yi simply changed his usual reading and studying habits to breathing exercises, absorbing that faint wisp of primordial energy to cleanse the impurities in his body.

This kind of slow, meticulous work is naturally slow.

Moreover, he was born in his twilight years. This body had been navigating the mortal world for decades, eating grains and experiencing countless thoughts. The accumulated impurities were naturally much heavier than those of a young person.

Refining it is even more difficult.

But the feeling is strangely pleasant.

With each wisp of turbid energy refined, the body felt lighter and the soul became clearer.

It's like an old tree sprouting new buds, radiating vitality from within, making you feel a few years younger from the inside out.

Each practice session brings progress and a pleasant aftertaste, so it's far from being boring or tedious.

It was precisely after personally experiencing the intricacies of refining essence into qi that Jiang Yi began to focus more of his attention on his wife.

He himself had a difficult time getting through this ordeal, and naturally he didn't want her to suffer the same torment in the future.

After all, the longer one delays on the path of cultivation, the more turbid energy accumulates in the body, and it will take ten or a hundred times more effort to cleanse it in the future.

A few days passed in this unhurried manner, and the incense in the ancestral hall was lit again.

Jiang Liang appeared as soon as he was told, first bringing news from his eldest grandson's side.

"Things are settled with Feng'er." He said calmly, "He has been granted permission by Heming Mountain to take his wife and children to the West Sea for a temporary stay under the pretext of going out for training."

After saying this, he paused, then continued, "I have also obtained a few of the spells that Father requested."

"As I expected, most of them are just talismans. After all, those underworld officials had limited cultivation in their previous lives, and without talismans as their means, they can't use any decent supernatural powers."

"However, there are two minor techniques that do not rely on external objects and are quite practical."

"One method is to store small items in a pocket or bag, which can save you a lot of burden."

"The other method is the art of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic that allows one to escape from the ground). Although it doesn't allow one to escape very far or very quickly, if one really encounters danger, burrowing into the ground can be a good way to save one's life."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi smiled and nodded, saying, "You did a good job."

Without saying much, he found paper and pen and spread them out on the incense table in the ancestral hall.

Jiang Liang dictated, and Jiang Yi recorded, writing down the methods of those talisman techniques and the two minor arts one by one.

After the child's divine shadow dissipated, he carefully folded the paper, tucked it into his bosom, and returned to the spirit pool behind the house, where he sat cross-legged.

This place is rich in spiritual energy, making it an ideal place to study profound mysteries.

These two minor techniques are merely introductory, foundational methods.

In his eyes, who was already familiar with the flow of Qi, it was not that complicated.

After carefully studying the matter for only a few hours, I had already figured out some of the details.

According to the method, the Yin and Yang energies within the body are circulated, following a mysterious trajectory as they circle within the sleeve.

In a short while, he felt a small patch of land, the size of a mustard seed, slowly opening up within his sleeve, enough to hold several ripe fruits.

However, opening and closing felt sluggish, and thoughts were slow to process, far less efficient than taking something out of a bag.

Furthermore, the spell can only be cast upon contact with the object being absorbed.

With a thought, Jiang Yi noticed a pheasant pecking at grass seeds in the woods not far away.

Suddenly seized by a playful impulse, he raised his hand and beckoned the creature over, cradling it in his arm and trying to point the cuff at it.

However, after the thought had passed through his mind several times, and the small space in his sleeve had opened and closed repeatedly, the spirit chicken in his arms remained completely unaware, still pecking at its food without even lifting its eyelids.

A hint of disappointment welled up in Jiang Yi's heart, but he quickly gave a self-deprecating laugh.

It's just a minor skill after all. It's good enough if it can hide some dead objects. Do you expect it to be able to capture objects from a distance?
I was overthinking it.

Whatever, whatever.

He secretly comforted himself, thinking that perhaps this little skill could be put to some other wonderful use when his cultivation deepened in the future.

When it was time for dinner, the whole family gathered at the table.

Without further ado, Jiang Yi took out the copy of the paper he had made during the day from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Qin, who was standing to the side.

"Qin'er, here is a list of items, take a look."

Jiang Qin took it, unfolded it and examined it closely. He saw that it contained cinnabar, wolf hair brush, yellow paper and other items.

However, the requirements noted at the end are quite different from those used in ordinary writing.

Jiang Yi waited until he had looked it over before slowly explaining:
"Following what's written here, go and buy some materials for making talisman paper and talisman pens. If you can find the seeds, clear a plot of land in the village and plant some yourself, so you can use them cheaply in the future."

He paused, his gaze falling on Jiang Qin, and added:
"Also, keep an eye out and see if there are any skilled and meticulous craftsmen in the Ancient and Modern Gang who can learn the techniques of making talisman paper and brushes."

"These are all the lowest grade talismans. As long as the materials are suitable, the method of making them is not complicated, and ordinary people can make them. The gang is now full of talented people, so finding a few who can handle it shouldn't be a problem."

Jiang Qin readily agreed, carefully folded the paper, and tucked it into his bosom.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the atmosphere in the hall was very lively.

Jiang Yi then slowly put down his chopsticks, leaned forward slightly, and approached his great-granddaughter, whose hair was tied in a topknot.

A smile flickered in his bright old eyes, and he lowered his voice, as if he were about to reveal a secret:
"Little Han'er, how about Great-Grandpa performs a magic trick for you?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl's bright black eyes immediately lit up.

Jiang Yi didn't say much. In front of everyone, he casually picked up his empty white porcelain wine cup from the table and gently swirled it in front of his wide sleeves.

When he opened his hand again, which was marked by the wrinkles of time, it was empty.

The noisy chatter at the table suddenly fell silent.

Immediately, the room erupted in exclamations of amazement.

The great-granddaughter, in particular, cried out and rushed into Jiang Yi's arms.

A pair of small hands tugged at his wide sleeves, turning them over and over, while exclaiming:

"Where did it hide? Great-Grandpa, what kind of magic is this?"

Jiang Yi simply laughed loudly, gently patted the little girl's back, glanced at the other grandchildren at the table who were also full of curiosity, and said slowly:
"What kind of immortal technique is this? It's just some beginner's tricks. As long as you cultivate diligently and don't slack off, you'll be able to have such agility and transformation skills in the future."

These words made the younger generation in the family's eyes light up, and even the way they ate their rice seemed to have gained more strength.

Jiang Yi's actions were certainly not just to show off his skills and amuse the younger generation.

Firstly, it was to show the younger generation in the family that the path of cultivation is not just about sitting in meditation and enduring hardship, but also about such profound mysteries, so as to inspire them to wholeheartedly pursue the Tao.

Secondly... it was made specifically for his little grandson.

He glanced at it subtly out of the corner of his eye, and sure enough, it was true.

In the corner, on the young face of his grandson Jiang Jun, there was a hint of longing, but his eyes lacked the astonishment of others who had just witnessed divine abilities; instead, they held a hint of... understanding.

(End of this chapter)