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

Chapter 194 Auspicious Incense Offerings and a Basket of Exotic Fruits

The hoarse shout from the bottom of the well was like a boulder crashing into a stagnant pool, creating a tremendous upheaval.

Immediately, Yu Xiaodong used both his hands and feet to leap out of the well.

His trouser leg was already soaked through, water dripping down and spreading a wet patch on the cracked yellow earth.

The crowd fell into a deathly silence.

Countless gazes were fixed on that damp patch, as if it were not water, but a life-saving elixir.

In his eyes, there was first bewilderment, then disbelief, and then, from the depths of those lifeless pupils, a few sparks suddenly burst forth, which in an instant ignited into a sea of ​​fire!

Someone, seemingly the first to react, yelled at the top of their lungs, almost wailing:

"It's a miracle! The Goddess Lingsu has manifested! The Supreme Dao Ancestor has manifested!"

That sound was like a tinderbox igniting a powder keg.

"There's water! There really is water!"

The crowd went berserk, disregarding social hierarchy, and surged toward the Lingsu Temple.

The threshold was too narrow, so some people used both their hands and feet to squeeze through the window.

Just moments ago, their faces were lifeless, but now they were all filled with fervent devotion.

In the blink of an eye, a group of people knelt down in front of the offering table.

The sound of foreheads hitting the bluestone slabs echoed, along with tearful prayers of gratitude, reverberating endlessly in the small ancestral hall.

Their thoughts couldn't be simpler.

The plague that swept across the land back then was caused by the compassionate Lady Lingsu, who personally went to Laojun Mountain and tested hundreds of herbs on herself, which moved the Dao Ancestor to send down the antidote.

How similar this situation is!

The country is suffering from a severe drought; thousands of villages and wells have become barren wastelands, and not a drop of water can be seen.

Only the old well outside the Lingsu Temple first unearthed a statue of the Taoist ancestor, and then a life-saving spring gushed forth.

How can this be considered a coincidence?
It was clearly the Goddess Lingsu who took pity on the villagers once again and went to heaven to beg that old immortal, which is why she appeared and saved them from suffering!

The ancestral hall was filled with a cacophony of voices, a mixture of wailing and shouting.

Jiang Yi, who was the first to enter the ancestral hall, had already quietly retreated outside the door.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the shadow of the threshold, like a bystander, quietly watching the tumultuous human drama unfold inside.

His face seemed to show a sense of ease, as if he had done his job and left, but beneath that ease lay a faint trace of helplessness.

He originally only wanted to help his neighbors, but now he finally has the ability to do so.

But ironically, this simple act of kindness has to go through such a long and complicated process.

Only in this way can one truly absolve oneself of all responsibility and secure a sense of security.

It wasn't that the Liu family patriarch gave instructions on what to do.

The dignified Taoist ancestor, overlooking the Three Realms, has no time to concern himself with the incense offerings of the Two Realms Village.
But this is an attitude.

Being in this place, one has to put on an act; even the one from the back mountain can't escape this pretense.

Jiang Yi understood that since he had embarked on this path, he was now bound by the karma of this world, and therefore he had to abide by its rules.

Whether it's out of reverence or just going through the motions, we still have to go through this process.

Only in this way can we achieve stability and long-term success.

What followed was a natural progression.

The incense in the ancestral hall burned continuously for a single day.

The villagers brought out all the good things they had left in their homes—fruits, rice, flour, and even a few copper coins hidden under the bed—and respectfully placed them on the offering table.

After the initial fervor subsided slightly, Jiang Yi slowly strolled into the ancestral hall, and sighed, seemingly casually, yet also as if talking to himself:
"The Taoist Ancestor manifested his divine power, bestowing blessings upon the local people, yet he condescended to be in this small Lingsu Temple, sharing incense offerings with the Goddess... This is somewhat disrespectful."

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then someone suddenly slapped their thigh:
"Old Jiang is right! We need to build another palace!"

"Yes! Build a temple! Build a grand hall for Laozi!"

As soon as he said this, a flood of people responded.

The farmers, who had just been frowning with worry, were now all brimming with energy.

"I still have a few good beams at home, I'll bring them over tomorrow!"

“My family will provide men! All three of my sons, count them all!”

"I may not have money, but I have plenty of strength. You can't do without me when it comes to building this temple!"

In the blink of an eye, a cacophony of voices rang out as people, labor, and materials poured in, with every household patting their chests in agreement.

That intense heat seemed to have burned away the gloom accumulated from the prolonged drought.

Jiang Yi looked at all this, smiled slightly, and said nothing more.

Several elderly villagers moved benches and sat huddled together under the locust tree by the old well, discussing something for a few minutes.

There's really nothing to argue about.

The new hall is located to the right front of the ancestral hall.

One in front, one behind, one to the left, one to the right, placed horizontally or vertically, it's impossible to tell which is primary and which is secondary.

The shrine is also called Lingsu Shrine, which perfectly preserves the dignity of the goddess;
The right front is the place of honor, and the prestige of the Dao Ancestor was not diminished.

Once the flame of the human heart is ignited, even a mountain can be flattened.

Within a few days, the clanging and banging sounds, interspersed with shouts of "Heave-ho!", continued day after day.

Once the dust settled, a brand-new yet somewhat ancient-looking palace stood proudly at the entrance of the village.

In the main seat is the blue stone statue of Laozi riding an ox, which was obtained from the well;
On either side, the two attendants, Jinling and Yinling, still served.

In a corner of the side hall, there was an extra small clay sculpture with a kind face, holding a stone mill, unlike those in ordinary temples.

Only a few people could recognize that this was Huainanzi, the one who invented tofu.

It was probably added secretly by villagers from the tofu shop at the village entrance, remembering the kindness of their ancestors.

Although the palace was erected, the weather remained scorching.

The land outside the village still looked like it was about to be scorched.

Every day, when the villagers fetch water, they always wash their hands first, then enter the ancestral hall and kowtow to the blue stone ancestor.

Then he turned around and bowed three times to Lady Lingsu, muttering words of gratitude for the heavenly rain.

The incense burned ever brighter, the smoke curling and almost solidifying, shrouding both halls in a hazy mist.

Not to mention elsewhere, even the most bustling City God Temple in Chang'an City would pale in comparison in terms of the level of devotion and concentration.

As time went by, amidst the smoke and fire, the faces of the two statues softened somewhat, and a hint of life appeared on them.

Jiang Yi wasn't sure if the incense offerings from Liangjie Village would truly alarm the Dao Ancestor who sat high above the nine heavens.

But he could clearly see the changes in his granddaughter.

Jiang Jin, this girl, was originally supposed to be the chief deity in the shrine, bearing the title of "Medicine Goddess".

Later, because of her mother, the taboo was avoided, and she was renamed "Medicine Master Spirit Maiden," and worshipped one by one beside the Spirit Maiden.

Right now, however, the Lingsu Temple is thriving, to an unprecedented degree in the village.

As a secondary deity, she naturally also received tremendous benefits.

Jiang Yi clearly saw that the small spirit girl image in Sun's soul was much more solid than before, and its eyebrows and eyes had gained a touch of undeniable majesty.

When the spirit is strong, the soul is clear.

In practical terms, when reading and studying the classics, their eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

Scriptures that were once difficult to understand are now easily grasped without any hindrance.

Her aunt, Jiang Xi, was exceptionally talented back then, and she only attained godhood at the age of thirty-four, thus achieving both life and health.

In terms of aptitude, Jiang Jinguang is naturally inferior. However, with the help of incense offerings, his cultivation speed is now even faster than Jiang Xi's back then.

If things continue this way, there might really be a chance to achieve a fulfilling life and enter a realm beyond the mundane before the age of thirty.

In the path of cultivation, every step forward is a step forward.

Jiang Yi had a deep understanding of this.

He stumbled and struggled for forty or fifty years before he finally managed to enter this realm.

His body was deeply impure. If it weren't for the peach tree behind the house, even if he had four or five hundred years, he might not have been able to cleanse the impurities in his body.

If Jiang Jinruo can break through to the next realm before the age of thirty, then even if he encounters no more extraordinary events, he can still cleanse his body of impurities and achieve a clear and pure body by diligently cultivating for one or two hundred years, and then climb to even higher peaks.

Jiang Qin, who was worshipped alongside her, must have been in a similar situation.

Jiang Yi was naturally happy for his two grandchildren.

But beneath this joy, there was also a sense of melancholy.

Incense offerings and the power of prayers are truly a wonderful thing.

No wonder that gods and deities, both famous and unknown, in heaven and on earth are all scrambling to get a share.

As Jiang Yi was sighing to himself, he suddenly heard some noises outside.

It was Jiang Jun, that kid, who came down from the back mountain.

Strange to say.

The child used to come home every day, but ever since Jiang Ming sent that letter, he's been gone for three to five days at a time, often staying up on the mountain.

Each time he came down, Jiang Yi could tell that the aura emanating from him had become even stronger.

Whether it was the nourishment from the spiritual spring or some other breathing technique he had acquired, it is unknown.

In the courtyard, Xiao Han'er, who was following Jiang Yi and learning to breathe qi, immediately ran forward as soon as she saw Jiang Jun.

She was only four and a half years old, and her uncle was the closest person to her in the family.

When Jiang Jun saw the little one, he smiled and squatted down to tease him for a bit.

He then reached behind him and, as if by magic, produced a small woven rattan basket.

The basket contained several exotic fruits, some as red as fire, others as purple as jade, all with vibrant colors.

Even if the Jiang family had no fruit trees, Jiang Yi, who had seen and read countless books in his life, had never seen or heard of these fruits.

Xiao Han'er's eyes lit up, and she reached out with a smile to take it.

But a hand reached out from the side and snatched the basket away first.

It was Kim Soo-ah.

She lowered her eyes and examined them carefully before picking out two small ones, handing them to Han'er, and then gently patted her head, smiling as she said:

"Little kids, don't be greedy, or you'll wet the bed at night."

Having said that, he placed the fruit basket steadily on the stone table in the courtyard, his gentle smile still present.
"These are wild fruits that Jun'er found on the mountain. Children have weak stomachs, so it's not good for them to eat too many. Let's share them as a family."

Jiang Yi looked at the basket, a smile playing on his lips.

Over the years, we've only ever seen Jiang Ming and his son deliver fruit up the mountain; this is the first time we've seen them bring fruit back from the mountain themselves.

He secretly probed the fruit with his mind, and found that it did not have much spiritual energy, but it had an indescribable freshness that penetrated his lungs and made him feel slightly refreshed.

He didn't say much at the moment, but simply picked out a few of the best quality ones from the basket and instructed them:

“The new bride at Eagle Sorrow Stream is pregnant; send some over too, so she can have a taste.”

The family then divided the remaining fruit among themselves.

Jiang Yi casually picked up a strange-looking, unidentifiable object, took a bite, and found it refreshing and sweet with a pleasant taste.

There was very little spiritual energy in it, but after a few bites, I felt that the wisp of magical power in my body circulated more smoothly.

Like a spring breeze, fleeting and ephemeral.

Jiang Yi's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't take it to heart.

The next day, during his lecture, he handed over the few fruits he had collected the day before to Jiang Liang, letting him decide how to divide the spoils.

After all, apart from Jiang Ming, all the Jiang family members outside the region are now connected to his lineage.

Only his soul body could facilitate such communication.

Jiang Liang took the fruit and then brought one of them to his nose to sniff it.

Then a wisp of pure energy entered his soul, and his whole body seemed to become more transparent.

Then, with a flicker, he disappeared into the ancestral hall.

His shadow didn't solidify again until school ended.

However, there was a hint of strangeness in his expression.

After everyone had left, he approached Jiang Yi and whispered:

"Father, where did those fruits come from?"

Jiang Yi glanced at his youngest son and casually said:

"What happened to the boy Jun brought back from the back mountain yesterday?"

Jiang Liang's expression changed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke:
“I sent those few fruits to Eagle Sorrow Stream, thinking that everyone who sees them will have a share, and I want to share some with everyone.”

"As a result...it almost startled Elder Gui."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi became quite interested.

After all, they had examined the fruit for a long time yesterday but couldn't see anything special about it.

He hurriedly asked:

"So, Old Gui knows where they came from?"

Jiang Liang's strange expression deepened, and he slowly said:
"Old Gui said that he had tasted it once by chance in the past, and he remembered the taste for the rest of his life. He would never mistake it for something else."

"These fruits are all unique celestial fruits from the 'Ullambana Festival,' appearing only during the Ullambana Festival. They are absolutely impossible to find outside."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi was slightly startled.

Having studied the classics of the three religions over the years, he naturally knew the significance of the four characters "Yulanpen Festival".

That was an unparalleled grand gathering, personally hosted by the Buddha of the West, inviting all the gods and Buddhas of the heavens.

Jiang Liang's voice remained steady as he recounted Elder Gui's words in a gentle and detailed manner:
"Master Gui said that the hundreds of flowers and thousands of fruits in the Ullambana Festival each have their own wonderful uses."

"Most of them are related to vague things like lifespan, soul, and physical constitution, while spiritual energy is ordinary and not very noticeable."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi gradually understood.

Come to think of it, those who can attend the Ullambana Festival are all extraordinary people.

How could mere spiritual energy possibly catch their eye?
I can only blame my own ignorance; I thought that initial feeling of clarity was just an illusion.

Now it seems that the fruit was clearly a benefit that fell on one's very bones.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smack his lips, secretly regretting his actions.

At the time, I thought it was just an ordinary spiritual fruit and didn't savor it carefully. I don't even remember what it tasted like.

Jiang Liang's voice still lingers:
"But as Elder Gui also said, these fruits are similar to the one he tasted back then; they are all inferior products that are not old enough and have poor appearance. Such things are naturally not suitable for the main banquet of the Ghost Festival, and are mostly used to reward close confidants."

Upon hearing the words "confidant," Jiang Yi's eyebrows twitched, and he looked up towards the back mountain.

His expression seemed thoughtful.

Come to think of it.

The fact that he was sent to guard the back mountain, and later accompanied them almost the entire way on their westward journey...

Even disregarding his current status, he must have stood beneath the Buddha's throne back then, making him one of the most trusted confidants.

(End of this chapter)