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

Chapter 177 The Miraculous Elixir Formula, Xiulian's Success

Since that day, the Jiang family's backyard has been given a few unique views.

Every morning when the thin mist first dissipates, or when the sun is half-set at sunset.

You can always see three nests of spirit chickens with different plumage colors, standing neatly on the top of a tall tree branch, breathing in the sunlight, led by the three patriarchs.

With each breath, the wind howled and thunder rumbled, creating a truly authentic scene.

When Jiang Yi had some free time, he would move a bamboo chair to sit on the veranda, teacup in hand, and slowly observe the scene.

After looking at it for a while, one can't help but have some fantasies.

These little creatures are still young now, but if they grow up and eventually form a massive army that sweeps across the land, what a sight that would be!

As for his own spiritual practice, it was naturally never neglected.

Not to mention the daily, unwavering practice of absorbing and refining turbid energy.

In his spare time, he often wanders in the mountains and forests.

When they returned, there would always be extra birds, sparrows, hawks, and kites in their sleeves or cloth bags.

Falcons, crows, sparrows, eagles—regardless of species—were all released and raised in the orchards and medicinal herb gardens at the foot of the mountain.

These ordinary birds and fowl are no match for the clever chickens in the backyard.

Its advantage lies in its large number and diverse habits.

It's perfect for gathering information or sending messages.

Moreover, even water droplets can wear away stone.

Over time, if fed with spiritual medicine and guided by intention, even ordinary birds, through generations of reproduction, may develop some spirituality in their bloodline.

A hundred years from now, a thousand years from now, who dares to say that a few real spirit birds won't fly out of this forest?
Time passed slowly, pushing people along at its own pace, and in the blink of an eye, another six months had gone by.

The pomegranate trees in the courtyard have bloomed once, and after the flowers faded, the fruit ripened, leaving a few unripe pomegranates hanging from the branches.

The roosters crowing in the backyard seemed to have a stronger, more resonant sound than before.

The ancient method of catching birds in Jiang Yi's hand was so well-worn that the pages were frayed. He had already mastered seven or eight parts of the intricacies recorded on it.

When he tried to control the chickens in the backyard, although he wasn't quite adept at it yet, he could at least respond to his commands, unlike before when they were completely unresponsive.

As for their daughter and son-in-law, there was still no sign of pregnancy, but they had both made progress in cultivating their two supernatural abilities.

The family already lived close by, and now they visit each other even more frequently.

Whenever they had free time, they would gather around the stone table, each sharing their insights from cultivation with one another.

The focus was less on everyday family matters and more on small, informal gatherings.

With this mutual confirmation, even Jiang Yi, who was relatively slow-witted, quickly grasped the basics of the "Pot Heaven" and "Earth Element" methods.

Only when you actually use it do you realize that there is a world of difference between supernatural powers and minor skills.

The "Pot Heaven" technique is worlds apart from the old minor art of storing objects; one is on earth, the other in heaven.

The void created within the sleeve was not just a few inches, but the size of half a room.

Let alone ordinary objects, even a cow could fit inside without any problem.

What's even better is that, unlike before, it doesn't require physical contact to cast spells.

With a mere thought, one can retrieve objects from a distance of several feet without being heard or noticed; it is truly wondrous.

The only drawback is that it still cannot collect living creatures, and it is still a step away from the "world within a sleeve" scene in my memory.

As for the "Earth Path" method, it completely surpasses the old "Earth Escape" method.

Even for beginners, once their bodies sink into the ground, it's like a fish entering water; the soil and rocks not only don't hinder them, but actually help them.

The underground routes are clear, and the escape is swift and agile, even faster than on the ground. Apart from consuming magical energy, there is almost no hindrance.

After each demonstration, Jiang Yi couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing feelings, emotions, and reflection).

With my current meager abilities, I'm afraid I've only managed to open the doors of these two great supernatural powers a crack.

The scene inside the door was still unclear, but even the glimpse of light peeking through the crack was already so mysterious and unpredictable.

Such a supreme and wondrous method is truly... unfathomable.

In the backyard, Jiang Yi was busy with his grand plan of "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," with chickens flying and birds chirping, creating a lively scene.

At the other end of the courtyard, Liu Xiulian, who was in charge of the household, was even busier, living a life even more fulfilling than Jiang Yi.

During the day, besides his own spiritual practice, he would sit quietly and study ancient books under the dim light.

Every now and then, he had to go to the school to lecture on the scriptures and doctrines for the disciples who had already entered the academy, so as to review his knowledge and also hone his own skills.

When the night was deep and quiet, Jiang Yi never forgot his wife. He often used the yin and yang energies to soothe her meridians and nourish her soul.

With such a combination of internal and external cultivation, and through persistent and meticulous effort, one can eventually accumulate knowledge and achieve success naturally.

On this day, Liu Xiulian was proofreading an ancient book under the lamp. Her pen had just reached half a page when she suddenly stopped.

A slightly tipsy, watery look appeared between her brows and eyes, as if her soul had touched some kind of thin barrier, faint yet firm as gauze.

The world is right before our eyes, yet it is separated by an impenetrable veil.

This was not the first time the Jiang family had encountered this situation.

Having prepared the spiritual medicines and fruits in advance, they carefully escorted the matriarch, who had worked tirelessly for the family for many years, into the treehouse in the backyard.

Jiang Yi wasn't particularly worried about his wife's seclusion.

The initial image of Liu Xiulian's soul was a gentle, rippling body of water.

Later, with the help of the granddaughter-in-law of the West Sea Dragon Clan, and by merging with the Ren Water Cloud Soul Pearl, it underwent a silent transformation, turning into the scene of "a hidden dragon in the abyss".

The water is still the same water, but the meaning it conveys is completely different.

The treehouse was originally built on the eye of the spiritual spring, which is why it is filled with water vapor and full of vitality;

Then, nourished by a few strands of dragon energy and a box of treasures sent from the Western Sea, it was nurtured into a treasure land.

Now, the "hidden dragon" resides peacefully within, just as a true dragon returns to the sea, perfectly natural and exquisitely beautiful.

If we only consider the compatibility with the spiritual inspiration within the house, even Jiang Xi would probably be slightly inferior.

After thinking it over, Jiang Yi felt that this seclusion would probably not go wrong.

Night had fallen, but a single lamp still shone in the ancestral hall.

Jiang Yi came to teach his son at night as usual.

He also told Jiang Liang the good news that Liu Xiulian had reached the bottleneck of divine cultivation, had entered the treehouse for seclusion, and was about to achieve perfect health and longevity.

Jiang Liang's illusory figure swayed slightly, and a genuine joy naturally emanated from the depths of his soul.

Jiang Yi observed this but said nothing, only asking casually, "How are those two boys outside doing lately?"

At this point, Jiang Liang's face softened.

"Father can rest assured about Feng'er. He went to the Western Sea from Crane Cry Mountain and is doing quite well now."

He paused briefly, his tone carrying a hint of fatherly pride:

"The title of Prince Consort of the Western Sea is truly useful. Many rare and precious materials that are priceless outside are easily obtained by him. Taking advantage of this, he has made rapid and steady progress in alchemy. The cultivation methods of the Celestial Masters sect are closely related to alchemy and talisman making. As he advances in alchemy, his cultivation level will also rise accordingly. He is not even twenty-five years old now, and he is probably even stronger than before my son died." "He also mentioned in his letter that when he returned home to visit, his uncle gave him a set of alchemical formulas, which contained many miraculous secret recipes that even Crane Cry Mountain did not have. However, the formulas were strange and had extremely high requirements for medicinal materials. He had been collecting them openly and secretly over the years, but he had not been able to gather them all. Now that he is in the Western Sea, he has managed to gather one or two of them. He said that once he has refined them, he will definitely bring my son home and present them to his parents in person."

As Jiang Yi listened, his expression remained unchanged, only the old wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to relax slightly.

He nodded slowly before asking, "What about Rui'er?"

Upon hearing the name, Jiang Liang's previous warmth vanished, and his expression hardened.

“Rui’er’s work in the Qiang region is not going very well.”

He said in a deep voice, "It's not just him; the envoys sent by the imperial court to pacify the major Qiang tribes have all made the same mistake. After half a day of effort, they have made no progress whatsoever."

"Especially after the plague we suffered two years ago, the imperial court was severely weakened and has yet to recover. In the short term, it is unable to wage war again. Those barbarians have also taken advantage of this, and they are all outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, showing no intention of cooperating at all."

The ancestral hall fell silent for a moment.

The scattered chirping of insects outside the window only served to accentuate the depth of the night.

Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment before speaking again: "Then... what about Dahei? Did Rui'er mention it? Is there any news about it?"

Jiang Liang's ethereal figure swayed slightly, a hint of helplessness creeping into his voice:
"Not yet. However, Rui'er does have a plan."

"Oh?"

"This mission is not going well. Those renowned tribes are all tough as nails, and they won't listen to reason. So Rui'er thought, why not go deeper into the region and find those tribes that have hidden themselves from the world? Along the way, we can also search for Dahei's whereabouts in those remote places."

Jiang Yi listened quietly without speaking immediately.

After a long while, he finally looked up at his son's unpredictable figure and asked in a low voice:
"What channels are you using to communicate with Rui'er these days? Are they secure? Is there any risk of the news leaking out?"

He knew in his heart that Jiang Rui's temper was like his father's; he was tough, but not very bright.

As for reading books, there's no hope for me.

Although he managed to enter the realm of "Intent Concentration" by relying on the secret techniques passed down by the Liu family, that was the end of it.

Without some extraordinary adventure, one may never even glimpse the threshold of "divine beings" in this lifetime.

Without a clear divine will, it would be impossible for them to communicate directly with Jiang Liang's soul like they do.

Seeing that he spoke with certainty, Jiang Yi then gave his instructions:

"If you do find Dahei's trail, send a letter to Rui'er. Include the section in the Bird Taming Method about how birds breathe and improve their bloodline, and have him pass it on to Dahei."

He paused here, slightly raised his eyelids, and added a hint of meaning to his tone:

"Firstly, it can be considered as repaying the favor it did for protecting my Jiang family back then."

"Secondly... perhaps this opportunity can help your child get closer to it."

Jiang Liang understood what he was saying.

Jiang Yi had long ago broken down and taught him the three spells tucked inside the old book, word by word.

Although he has now become a ghost or god, he can still perform magic within the territory of Chang'an City by relying on the incense offerings of the City God Temple.

But that is ultimately an external force, not something inherent to oneself.

With a solid foundation in one's own cultivation, one will naturally have more confidence and fewer constraints when using techniques.

Upon hearing his father's command, Jiang Liang's illusory figure swayed slightly, and the thoughts emanating from his soul were full of agreement.

In fact, he was the person in the Jiang family who had spent the most time with Dahei and had the closest relationship with him.

On the battlefield, it was he himself who received the life-saving grace from it.

If the opportunity truly arises, I would certainly be willing to offer my assistance.

After the story of Jiang Rui was told, the lights in the ancestral hall seemed to dim.

Jiang Yi seemed to be pondering something. After a long while, he casually offered a word of advice:

"Keep an eye out in the City God Temple and see if you can find a legitimate Taoist practice method."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang's illusory figure flickered, and a mischievous glint appeared in his mind:

"Father's ambition is truly undiminished."

Jiang Yi didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, only glancing sideways at his unruly son.

He didn't get angry, but simply recounted Liu Zian's words from that day about the foundation of offspring and the harmony of souls, word by word.

Upon learning that this matter concerned the quality of the bloodline of the Jiang family's descendants, Jiang Liang's mischievous thoughts vanished instantly, and his illusory face lost its frivolousness.

After a moment's hesitation, he replied in a low voice:

“I’ve noted it down. I’ll go and inquire now. If I can’t find a way, I’ll have Feng’er go back to Crane Cry Mountain. Although he’s temporarily away from his sect, he still has a good relationship with his teachers.”

Jiang Yi nodded lightly, which was considered as permission.

The matter was settled, and he said no more. He simply opened the scriptures on the table, his tone indifferent:

"Alright, let's continue with the scripture..."

The days passed by at a leisurely pace, slipping away amidst the sounds of reading and spiritual practice.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Yi had already mastered the three spells he possessed through repeated practice.

Whether it's bird-taming, pot-sky techniques, or earth-based arts, at his current level of cultivation, he's reached his limit and it's difficult for him to make any significant progress.

Just when life seemed as uneventful as still water, there was finally some movement in the treehouse on the old locust tree behind the house.

First, there was a sound like ripples on water, and then a clear and long dragon's roar was heard. It wasn't loud, but it touched people's hearts.

Jiang Yi gently put down the book in his hand, showing no surprise on his face. He slowly got up and walked to the treehouse to wait.

Before long, with a creak, the wooden door, which had not been opened for a long time, slowly opened by itself.

A figure in plain clothes landed gently before him, like a willow catkin.

It was Liu Xiulian.

At this moment, she couldn't be better.

The signs of hardship between her brows and eyes seemed to have been washed away by a spring rain, leaving her skin radiant and her spirits refreshed.

Since taking the youth-preserving pill sent by her grandson more than ten years ago, her appearance has aged very slowly.

Now that he has cultivated to the point of perfect health and vitality, his body has undergone a complete transformation, and he looks even younger than when he first took the elixir.

Jiang Yi stepped forward, naturally took his wife's hand, looked her up and down, and suddenly laughed:
"Madam looks even more beautiful this time she came out of the pass."

A faint blush rose on Liu Xiulian's face. She glanced at him and said reproachfully:
"She's already a great-grandmother, and she's still saying such nonsense."

Even so, the barely concealed smile in her eyes and brows betrayed her inner joy completely.

The couple looked at each other and smiled; there was no need to say anything more.

Passing this hurdle means both life and health are preserved, adding three or four hundred years to one's lifespan out of thin air.

In the future, we'll spend every day together, enjoying the company of our grandchildren, and watching the flowers bloom and fade in the courtyard...

How can we not be happy if we can enjoy such peaceful days for hundreds of years to come?

(End of this chapter)