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

Chapter 189 The Gui Family Girl Made the Wrong Meal

Life is like the water in that spring; it appears calm and still, but in the blink of an eye, it has quietly overflowed the stone bank.

Half a year passed quietly like that.

Jiang Yi spent most of his time by the pond.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and introspection are repeated over and over again.

A mountain breeze occasionally swept by, causing his robes to flutter, but he remained as still as a rock.

The three peach trees by the pond, nourished by the spiritual spring, have all grown a few feet taller.

Two of them, with their spreading branches and deep green leaves, already appeared full of vitality.

Based on his years of experience dealing with fruit trees, he believed that in three to five years, the first batch of fruit would be produced, which would surely surpass all the spirit trees behind the courtyard.

But the one in the middle is different from the others.

After a year, it had only grown half a foot, with sparse branches and a weak appearance.

If it were someone else, they would definitely shake their head and consider it a useless seedling.

However, upon closer inspection, Jiang Yi clearly perceived that the vitality hidden deep within those slender branches was the most domineering and unruly.

It looked not like a tree, but like a dormant young dragon.

When I sit beside it to cultivate, I can vaguely feel that the surrounding spiritual energy has been cleansed by it, and it is more gentle and pure when it enters my body.

The speed at which the turbid energy was refined also seemed to have increased slightly.

This thread, as thin as a spider's web, is like a pot of lukewarm medicine suddenly having a potent main ingredient added.

Jiang Yi knew in his heart that the origin of this peach tree was probably even more astonishing than he had imagined.

If it can grow into a towering tree, its wonders may lie not only beneath the treehouse beside it.

As for the future fruits of his labor, he didn't even dare to think about it.

Unfortunately, with my current level of perseverance, I'm afraid I might not live to see that day.

The desire for immortality and the thought of what will happen after death is, in retrospect, a joke.

Thinking of this, he would often laugh at himself, then get up and take even better care of the plants than he had when tending to the other two.

Weed it and then bring in a stream of the purest spiritual spring water to gently irrigate its roots.

So what if I can't see it myself?

If it can add some lasting heritage to the Jiang family, then it will not have been in vain to sit on these few blue stones until the moss grows green.

He stretched out his hands, which were once calloused but are now gradually becoming smooth, and gently brushed away the morning dew from the new leaves.

The movements were gentle, as if he were brushing not leaves, but an ancient treasure passed down through generations of his family.

The tranquility by the pond was gently disturbed by a rustling sound from the woods.

Jiang Yi didn't even lift his eyelids before he knew that his son had arrived.

Jiang Liang's current "divine" abilities are largely due to the incense offerings from Chang'an City.

Incense is the oil, and the altar is the lamp; only when the lamp is bright and the oil is plentiful can the deity manifest its power.

But once they leave Chang'an, without the continuous stream of incense offerings, they are like duckweed adrift on water, only able to rely on their own spiritual essence to survive.

Fortunately, all those years of hard work and studying have paid off.

Although his spirit had not yet reached the "bright and prosperous" stage, it was much more solid than before.

Now he can temporarily leave the temple and move freely within his own territory, from the spiritual fruit forest to the training ground at the foot of the mountain.

Sure enough, a moment later, Jiang Liang's figure emerged from the woods.

As was customary, he first picked a bag of ripe spiritual fruits for the white dragon under the old tree.

Just as he reached the edge of the spiritual spring pool, he respectfully called out to the old monk's meditative figure:

"father."

Jiang Yi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling flat on him, and he hummed in response.

Jiang Liang put the fruit into the pot and then whispered:

"Feng'er sent a message saying that the West Sea Dragon Palace had never heard of any 'Old Gui', let alone knew of any master with the surname Gui in the region."

The voice was soft, and Jiang Yi listened quietly.

Over the past six months, Jiang Liang has been investigating the origins of the local deity on Snake Coil Mountain, both openly and secretly.

He inquired about everything from old acquaintances at the City God Temple in Chang'an to the lineage of the Dragon Palace in the West Sea, but to no avail.

That local deity seemed to appear out of thin air, so clean that not a trace of his roots could be found.

Seeing his father remain silent, Jiang Liang assumed he was also pondering, so he lowered his voice and frowned, saying:
"Father, do you think that Old Gui might just be a decoy?"

"After all, Xiniu Hezhou is a mixed bag, and it is common for insignificant evil spirits to find a mountain, set up a shrine, and pretend to be gods to deceive fools into offering incense."

Jiang Yi's gaze remained fixed on the slowest-growing peach tree.

What came to mind, however, was the image of Lao Gui.

That calm and composed demeanor didn't seem fake.

Moreover, that person clearly didn't have a horse, yet he fiddled with the saddle, reins, and lining every day...

Such an action is by no means a coincidence.

Jiang Yi slowly shook his head, finally withdrawing his gaze. His voice was calm, yet carried a hint of certainty:
"I'd rather believe that his connections are so deep that even the City God and the Dragon Palace can't touch him."

He paused, a knowing glint in his eyes.

After all, even the West Sea Dragon Palace itself probably can't say for sure what will become of that Third Prince in the future.

But Old Gui was able to wait in advance at Eagle's Sorrow Stream.

The clues are clearly revealed here.

This person must have some secrets unknown to others; at the very least, he must have heard the wind from a very high place first.

Jiang Yi pondered for a moment, then spoke as if it were just a casual remark:
"Is Miss Gui fully recovered now?"

He paused, then added, as if this was the main point:
"How do Qin'er and she get along?"

Upon hearing this, a strange look flashed across Jiang Liang's face.

After a moment's hesitation, he said:
"It's strange, really. Our family's spiritual fruits and medicines, while we can't say they can bring the dead back to life, heal the wounded, or nourish the soul, are at least reliable. But that girl stayed in bed for months, and only recently was she able to get out of bed and walk around."

"Qin'er felt guilty, so she often went to visit and take care of him, and always asked the child to bring him some spiritual fruit."

At this point, his expression shifted slightly, and a deeper meaning crept into his tone:
"After my soul stabilized, I left the temple and looked up at the mountain from afar a few times. Every time Qin'er arrived, that old man Gui would smile and find an excuse to go out and patrol the mountain."

He raised an eyebrow, gave his father a knowing look, and then slowly finished:

"After a while, the two younger ones became even closer than before."

As soon as he finished speaking, the orchard fell silent.

Jiang Yi's expression was more composed than before.

If it was just speculation before, now it's as if Lao Gui has laid his thoughts out on the table.

But this incident, coupled with the mystery surrounding the Gui family's origins, left him somewhat uncertain.

After pondering for a long time, I still couldn't figure it out.

Whatever.

If you can't figure something out, just don't think about it.

If the other party truly intended this, then it is their family that should be anxious and need to explain.

If one cannot remain calm and instead presses for answers, one will only be at a disadvantage.

Thinking of this, the turmoil in my heart returned to calm.

He raised his hand and gestured for the boy to leave, saying no more.

Jiang Liang understood, bowed respectfully, and his figure transformed into a wisp of green smoke, quietly dissipating.

Life goes on, one day at a time.

Like the old stone mill at the village entrance, creaking and turning, no matter how slowly it turns, it still moves forward.

But on this day, the colors gradually changed.

In Liangjie Village, there hasn't been any decent rain for almost half a year.

The once babbling brook north of the village is now reduced to a shallow layer of water, shimmering faintly between the rocks. Fortunately, every household's well can still be emptied with buckets, bringing up a pool of clear, cool water.

So the villagers only complained sporadically at the edge of the fields and around the dinner table, saying that this year's autumn harvest was probably going to be poor again.

Jiang Yi, however, was not as optimistic as the others.

With Jiang Liang around, his information is always much more accurate than that of ordinary people.

Not only in this small Liangjie Village, but also in a vast area stretching from Chang'an to the Qiang region, thousands of miles away, the sound of rain has been absent for a long time.

When it doesn't rain, the ground dries up.

The principle couldn't be simpler.

Jiang Yi felt a vague, inexplicable worry, like a dark cloud that just wouldn't dissipate.

But how can a simple country bumpkin control the grand scheme of things?

All he could do was find an excuse to call Jin'er over and instruct her to arrange for people to keep a close watch on the Jiang family's large granaries.

Rats and ants should not take advantage of any loopholes, and people should not harbor evil thoughts.

These past few years have been relatively favorable, with good weather and abundant harvests. In addition, the Gujin Gang, following the instructions of the Jiang family, has been making great efforts to reclaim and cultivate wasteland.

The grain they grew, more than they could eat themselves, was brought here in exchange for some basic medicinal herbs.

Over time, those granaries that were originally built "for unforeseen circumstances" are now full and sturdy.

Now it seems that this "unexpected need" is indeed going to come true.

Jiang Yi stood alone in front of the warehouse, smelling the unique, comforting aroma of the grain, but the gloom in his heart did not dissipate; instead, it grew even heavier.

The grain they've accumulated is enough to last for several years, not just in Liangjie Village, but even in a few more villages.

If a famine really occurs, having Jin'er open the granaries and distribute grain would be a meritorious act for her, and it would also build her prestige.

But... if the great drought of my memories really comes, having food to eat won't be enough.

Humans, after all, need to drink water.

Grain can be stored, but water cannot be retained.

In the face of a real natural disaster, the water stored in those jars and pots is nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

Even if a family of cultivators were to move all their belongings in the pot-shaped heaven, how much could they possibly hold?

The spring in the back mountain may never dry up, but the water is undiluted. If the villagers drink it directly, it will not save them, but kill them.

Having thought this through, Jiang Yi had already made up his mind.

After returning from the barn, he went to the ancestral hall to find his youngest son.

Incense smoke curled and rose in the air.

His voice remained steady, neither hurried nor slow:
"Liang'er, you'll have to make a trip to the West Sea to ask."

Before the offering table, Jiang Liang's figure slowly appeared, his expression solemn, quietly waiting for what was to come.

"First, go and find out whether the lack of rain is due to the weather or something else."

Jiang Yi paused, his gaze falling on the increasingly solidified soul image of the child, and then said:
"Secondly, you should also take a look. The Xihai family is large and powerful. Do they have any treasures that can store water? You should find Feng'er and Ao Yu to discuss this matter carefully. Perhaps we can come up with a solution."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang nodded solemnly and responded in a low voice:
"I understand. I will go find Wenya and ask her to write a letter to the Western Sea as soon as possible."

Although Jiang Yi was anxious, he remained calm on the surface and simply hummed in agreement.

Ultimately, this matter cannot be rushed.

My son's supernatural abilities are quite mysterious; he can move freely between ancestral halls and city god temples using incense and memorial tablets. But there are definitely methods and rules involved.

In one's own ancestral hall, close relatives by blood can come and go as they please.

But if it were truly the immortal abode of Crane Cry Mountain, or a place like the Crystal Palace of the West Sea, how could it allow outsiders to come and go as they please?

This has always been the way of Heaven, and the immortals are even more particular about the laws and regulations.

Therefore, even if one is extremely anxious, one must still follow the rules of the world and proceed honestly.

As the days passed, the weather grew increasingly dry.

Even the little moisture in the air seemed to have been squeezed dry by the sun, leaving only the dry, dusty smell.

Jiang Yi patiently waited for a few more days.

On this day, after delivering the food from Yingchoujian, Jiang Liang did not follow the scent of incense back to Chang'an. Instead, he turned back and quietly landed in the orchard.

Jiang Yi was sitting next to the slowest-growing peach tree, meditating and breathing.

Sensing the movement, a thought struck him, and he assumed that a reply had been sent from the Western Sea. He quickly looked up.

He sensed something was wrong at first glance.

The light on his own son's face dimmed, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

It was an expression of wanting to say something but finding it difficult to speak, so heavy that it made one's heart tighten.

Jiang Yi's heart sank, and his previously relaxed brows involuntarily furrowed. He lowered his voice:

"What's wrong, making you look so worried?"

Jiang Liang seemed to be struggling with his thoughts, his lips twitching several times before he finally said in a deep voice:
"Something happened to Qin'er."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yi felt a chill run down his spine.

At Eagle's Sorrow Stream, the mountain is protected by Old Gui, the stream is sheltered by his Third Brother Ao, and even the day-roaming god on duty is a relative by marriage from the Liu family.

With connections both inside and outside the family, she was protected like an inescapable net.

If something still goes wrong despite all this meticulous planning, then it's no small matter.

Before he could ask further, Jiang Liang continued, his tone hesitant:

"It's not exactly a life-threatening disaster... no... perhaps it is still somewhat related to life and death."

His words were incoherent, but Jiang Yi did not press him. He simply watched quietly, waiting for him to vent his frustration.

After a long silence, Jiang Liang seemed to have finally hardened his heart, took a deep breath that wasn't even there, and then said:

"It was Qin'er... who almost ruined the Gui family's daughter's health."

"nonsense!"

Jiang Yi almost subconsciously snorted, the sound not loud, but as heavy as a stone thrown into a well.

"I know Qin'er's character better than anyone else; how could she do such a despicable thing!"

Jiang Qin grew up under his lap from the time he learned to speak, and every move he made was taught and nurtured by him personally.

He knew better than anyone else what kind of person that child was.

Let alone taking action, it's impossible for him to even entertain the slightest thought of doing so.

Seeing that his father was truly angry, Jiang Liang could only sigh, shake his head, and say:
"Father, I trust Qin'er. But don't forget, there's still a wicked dragon trapped in Eagle's Sorrow Gorge."

Even he himself felt that these words were abrupt.

In terms of seniority, he could barely surpass Ao Lie by half a head.

But even his father was on equal footing with that third prince, so how could he dare to be presumptuous?

In his anger, he blurted out the word "wickedness".

Jiang Yi frowned slightly, his eyes still showing a hint of confusion.

Jiang Liang had no choice but to continue:

"Qin'er said that his Third Brother Ao recently taught him a supernatural power. He said that this method of cultivation is quite noisy and must be practiced in a place protected by incense to ensure stability and avoid going astray."

At this point, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

That sigh welled up from the depths of his soul, carrying a sense of frustration and helplessness.

“Qin’er has been practicing by his side these days, so he has no doubts about him. He went to the village temple that day as instructed.”

"As usual, when he saw him coming, Gui Lao smiled and made an excuse to go out and patrol the mountains."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's eyes twitched slightly, and he had already made some guesses in his heart, but he still kept his expression to himself and did not reveal any of them.

Jiang Liang's voice grew increasingly somber:
"Unexpectedly, as soon as the procedure was performed, Qin'er felt confused and immediately lost consciousness. The Gui family girl, whose soul was still wounded, could barely move..."

He paused there, the meaning of which was self-evident.

After a long pause, he continued in a low voice, "...When he woke up again, the girl was already disheveled. If it weren't for Elder Gui's premonition and timely return, she might have already..."

(End of this chapter)