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

Chapter 199 The Method of Summoning Clouds, Making Rain Without an Imperial Decree

The road we came from, the journey we are going to, what we are measuring under our feet is nothing more than that same land.

After traveling for several days, when those familiar wisps of smoke lazily rose from the mountain valley, we had arrived at Liangjie Village.

The village entrance was quieter than when I left; even the dogs seemed less aggressive in their barking, which was quite peaceful.

However, along the mountain road to the east, there were more faces from other places.

They looked pale and listless, huddled together in twos and threes, too exhausted to even speak, their only remaining expressionless eyes staring blankly at the occasional passerby in the village.

Compared to the scale of the previous epidemic, there are far fewer refugees now.

Jiang Yi dusted off the corner of his clothes, his mind perfectly clear.

Those who contract the plague will die quickly, while those who are not infected can run away as fast as they can, and will always find a clean place.

But this severe drought... the land is barren for miles around, where can we run to?

It's just a matter of moving from one scorched land to another.

Upon entering the village, Liu Xiulian went straight back to her house. Having been away for several months, she wanted to tidy up a bit.

Jiang Yi, familiar with the area, circled around to the back of his house.

The peach tree looked the same as before, except that its branches and leaves were more glossy, which must have been thanks to Jiang Xi's hard work.

Looking again, the brood of chickens were buried in the soil, diligently tending to the orchard.

Perhaps hearing the footsteps, the leading ancestors looked up and saw that it was the family head. They became even busier and busier, showing no signs of estrangement.

Looking at this scene, they seem to be living a more comfortable life than most people.

With the belongings in the backyard properly taken care of, Jiang Yi tucked his sleeves in and strolled toward his daughter's treehouse.

Now that her family has returned home, there's no need to trouble her, a young woman, with the task of distributing water to help the people.

As I strolled over, before I even reached the tree, the wooden door that was usually tightly closed had already opened silently.

It must have been that girl who sensed her father's presence long ago.

Jiang Yi walked to the door, about to say something, but swallowed the words back, only raising his eyebrows slightly.

It doesn't suit my taste.

This girl was as pure as water, with a subtle, almost imperceptible connection beneath her calm demeanor, a hazy yet ever-flowing energy.

He paused for a moment, then whispered his suspicions, a tremor he himself was unaware of:
"Is she... pregnant?"

The voice was very soft.

A rare blush appeared on Jiang Xi's usually aloof face. She simply nodded slightly, which was considered her agreement.

Immediately, she took out the lotus pond ceramic bottle and presented it to her father with both hands.

Jiang Yi's joy was like spring water that had been released from its dam, and he could no longer contain it.

He quickly caught the bottle, and with a swift movement, he rushed back to the front yard to tell Liu Xiulian the good news.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiulian was first taken aback, then her eyes lit up with an astonishing brightness.

The sorrow that had just lingered on her brows and eyes was instantly washed away.

Without even taking a break, she immediately rolled up her sleeves, muttering about what other items she needed to buy, and rushed off to the backyard.

Judging from their posture, they were heading straight for the fattest chickens in the coop.

Jiang Yi looked at him, but just shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.

This wife is truly destined to never be idle.

With Jiang Xi's current cultivation level, let alone those few young spirit chickens, even if she killed the three ancient ancestors who had become spirits, she wouldn't be able to make up for any of the damage.

It's just for peace of mind and to bring good luck.

At this point, he naturally wouldn't stop them.

While she busied herself with errands, he turned and went back into the house to pack his bags.

As dusk fell and the lanterns were lit in the courtyard, the whole family was reunited.

The dishes on the table were hot, and the wine was warm. In the rising steam, every face looked friendly.

Firstly, it was to welcome the elderly couple back, and secondly, it was to bring good luck to Jiang Xi's happy occasion; after all, it was a family reunion dinner.

The guests clinked glasses lightly, laughed and chatted, and seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

But after talking about it for a long time, and going around in circles, the conversation eventually came down to the unborn child in Jiang Xi's womb.

As they got more excited, Jin Xiuer and Zhao Qiqi unconsciously slowed down their chopsticks when picking up food.

The smile remained in his eyes, but it didn't reach his gaze. Hidden within were a hint of envy that others might not easily perceive, and a touch of inexplicable loneliness.

Both of these women had married into the Jiang family not long before their husbands left early and have not yet returned.

Not to mention the unbearable longing, even the desire to have another child or two can only remain a pipe dream now.

Jiang Yi naturally noticed this state of mind.

He sighed inwardly, but had no better solution. He could only smoothly continue the conversation, praising his newborn great-grandson in a calm tone:

"That boy is in excellent spirits. When he was born, his cry could be heard throughout the entire mountain. Now he eats and sleeps well, and his little hands are clenched tightly. He is very lively."

Liu Xiulian chimed in, her eyes filled with genuine regret:
"Yes, it's a pity we can't see each other often. The road to Eagle's Sorrow Gorge is very far, and there's no way to bring it to you to see in such a short time."

With a single word, without leaving a trace, he subtly suppressed the thoughts of others.

At the other end of the table, Jiang Jun remained the same, focusing solely on the food in his bowl.

Occasionally, he would look up and use his chopsticks to tease his little niece, making the little girl giggle.

His eyes were clear and bright, as if he hadn't heard a word of the gossip at the table.

After that, the Jiang family's life returned to its old ways, neither fast nor slow, like the well in the courtyard, with its calm surface.

Most of the time, Jiang Yi still tended to the spiritual spring and the peach tree behind the house.

Cultivation is like going against the current; refining impurities into clarity requires a slow and steady process that cannot be rushed.

He would go to the ancestral hall to give lectures every morning.

Let's talk about the classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections, and listen to the children's ramblings, reporting news from heaven and earth.

On this day, as soon as Jiang Liang's illusory figure solidified, a new matter arose.

The severe drought, which had lasted for months, finally forced Heming Mountain to take action.

The Taoist priests of the Celestial Master's Mansion have now almost all left their homes and scattered throughout the world.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi simply gave a faint "Oh," and casually asked:

"Heming Mountain is a large and powerful family with a deep foundation and many methods. Surely they have some rules and regulations for helping people and relieving disasters?"

Deep down, he still held some affection for Heming Mountain.

Firstly, Heming Mountain did contribute to his son's current success.

Secondly, although Da Sun Jiang Feng was neglected under the tutelage, he still remembered the old friendship between his teacher and his elders and never said a bad word about it.

However, Jiang Liang's face remained pale and showed no sign of relaxation.

After a long pause, he said in a deep voice, "I hope so."

He paused, a hint of weariness in his voice:

"The country is suffering from a severe drought, and the people are in dire straits. Even the incense at the City God Temple in Chang'an has thinned. Wenya is at Laojun Mountain in Luoyang, and the number of people he sees who are injured or sick is increasing every day... He is also having a hard time."

After hearing this, Jiang Yi said no more.

After the lecture on the scriptures, which lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, everyone dispersed, and only then did he return to the courtyard.

Even though they were still at the foot of the mountain and some distance from the courtyard gate, they had already caught some subtle noises.

The commotion actually came from Jiang Jin's room.

Jiang Jin was just in the ancestral hall; she should have gone to the school by now.

Jiang Yi unconsciously slowed his pace.

Sure enough, after a short while, the curtain was lifted and a sneaky little figure slipped out; it was Jiang Han, that girl.

She looked around suspiciously, then, like a thief, darted to the back of the house.

Jiang Yi remained calm and composed, continuing his leisurely stroll as he followed. He had barely rounded the corner when he bumped right into the girl.

She had two bright red wild fruits tucked in her arms, their sweet fragrance wafting from afar.

As soon as the little girl saw her great-grandfather, she immediately became like a little animal guarding its food, quickly stuffing the fruit into her bosom.

Without saying goodbye, she turned and ran, as if afraid he would try to steal it.

Jiang Yi simply raised his eyes and looked in the direction she had come from.

On the mountain path behind the mountain, a few branches and leaves were still swaying gently, indicating that someone had just passed by.

Jiang Yi shook his head, smiled without saying a word, and turned to go to the spirit spring, where he sat down cross-legged and entered a meditative state.

And so, several more days passed.

As dinnertime approached, the aroma of pots and pans filled the courtyard.

The family sat around the table, chatting about mundane things, waiting for dinner to be served.

"Grandpa, look at this!"

Before she finished speaking, Jiang Jin had already run out of the house like a whirlwind.

Holding a yellowed medical book in one hand and a thin piece of silk in the other, his eyes were full of curiosity.

Jiang Yi shifted his gaze from the pickled vegetables in the dish and leaned closer.

The little maidservant quickly spread out the silk cloth and handed it over.

At a glance, you can see two delicate characters above.

Zhaoyun.

Jiang Yi's expression immediately became somewhat strange, and he quickly scanned downwards.

As expected, just like the previous Hutian and Tuxing, it was a method of controlling clouds and mist.

Jiang Yi's gaze swept subtly across the room.

The little granddaughter, Jiang Han, was sitting upright next to Jin Xiuer, her eyes fixed on the plate of green vegetables on the table, as if she wanted to see something out of it, without even glancing in their direction.

As for Jiang Jun, he was nowhere to be found, presumably still on the mountain and had not yet returned.

Jiang Yixin already understood somewhat, but he didn't bother to expose it.

He simply took the silk cloth and casually asked:
"Where did you find this?"

Jiang Jin answered honestly:

“A few days ago, my mother asked my father to bring back some old medical books. I was looking through them in my spare time, and today I found this piece of silk in them.”

"Hmm." Jiang Yi nodded seriously.

"It was probably tucked inside years ago. I'll keep it for now and take a closer look when I have time."

Jiang Jin still looked a little confused, but Jiang Han, sitting next to her at the table, had already buried half of her face in her rice bowl.

Its small body trembled slightly; it was unclear whether it was shoveling rice into its mouth or trying to suppress a laugh.

Although the origin of this technique is a mystery, Jiang Yi had no doubts whatsoever.

That very day, he found pen and ink and meticulously copied several copies of the Dharma teachings on the silk cloth, distributing them to his wife, daughter, and son-in-law.

The path of spiritual practice is long, but with many people, there are many ideas, which is much faster than struggling alone.

The next day, as soon as it was light, Jiang Yi went to the ancestral hall early as usual.

But as soon as he stepped inside, he saw Jiang Liang already waiting there.

The phantom was dimmer than usual, its face filled with sorrow and confusion that seemed impossible to dispel.

The rest of the family had not yet arrived. Jiang Yi quickly stepped forward and asked in a low voice:

"What happened?"

My heart skipped a beat, but I didn't panic.

After all, if there really was a calamity that wiped out the whole family, this child should have come straight home long ago. Why would he be alone, his soul grieving in the ancestral hall?

Jiang Liang looked up at him, as if he had a thousand words to say, but they all stuck in his throat.

After a long pause, it finally turned into a low sigh:
“There was a local landowner in my jurisdiction who was executed on the spot yesterday.”

The voice was hoarse, as if still carrying the aftershocks:

"The soul is destroyed. The accumulated good deeds and incense offerings of decades or even centuries are all dissipated in a single day, leaving no chance for reincarnation."

Jiang Yi's expression changed to one of surprise.

During this period, due to the severe drought, there have been frequent reports of temples being destroyed and gods being attacked.

But this is the first time I've ever seen someone so directly annihilate both soul and spirit.

He hurriedly pressed for an answer:
"What kind of demon are you? Have you suffered any harm?"

In his opinion, the courage and means of an ordinary evil spirit to take action within the jurisdiction of the City God Temple in Chang'an, even if it was just killing a minor local deity, was definitely not something an ordinary evil spirit could do.

Thinking of this, his worries about his young son deepened.

Jiang Liang's illusory figure simply shook his head slowly.

The bitterness and confusion on his face did not fade; instead, they added to his gloomy expression.

The sound was forced out from the bottom of his throat, so low it was almost inaudible:

"It was the Celestial Master's Mansion that did it."

After a pause, he added, his words tinged with a sense of desolation:

"The high-ranking official who led the group... turns out to be an old acquaintance of mine."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi couldn't help but be taken aback.

Celestial Master's Mansion...

For a moment, I didn't know what to say.

Jiang Liang, however, seemed lost in that moment, continuing to speak to himself:
"As the Commander of the Sensing Division, I will rush to the scene as soon as any disturbance occurs in my jurisdiction."

"But only the last wisp of his soul was seen, scattering in the wind."

His unreal eyes drooped, as if looking at the cold floor tiles of the ancestral hall.

“The high priest took out the incense book in front of the child and read out the charges.”

"The year, month, hour, and hour of any unauthorized incense offerings, cloud-summoning, rain-making, and rainfall amounts are all meticulously recorded. Anyone who commits the crimes of unauthorized incense offerings or rain-making without imperial decree shall be executed without pardon."

At this point, a very slight tremor appeared in his voice.

"That man also said that since such a terrible thing happened within his jurisdiction, the City God Temple of Chang'an is also responsible for its lax management and ineffective supervision."

"Let me go back and report to the Prefect, and await punishment from above."

Jiang Yi only then regained some of his senses, his brow furrowed deeply:

"So, the Celestial Master's Mansion came down the mountain not to relieve the drought and save the people, but to kill those earth immortals and deities who dared to send rain on their own?"

These words were spoken coldly, carrying a heavy meaning.

Jiang Liang's illusory figure grew even darker, as if even these few words had exhausted his concentration.

“I have also returned to the temple to ask the Lord. The decree from above is that the Celestial Masters sect must descend the mountain to slay demons and eliminate evil, without any doubt.”

He changed the subject, but his voice was full of helplessness:

"However... this time, for some reason, the gods who disobeyed the heavenly decrees and made rain on their own were also included in the list of 'demons and evil gods'."

As soon as he finished speaking, the ancestral hall fell into a deathly silence.

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback, the doubts in his heart dispelled by this cold sentence.

What was revealed, however, was an even deeper chill.

If we accept this view, let's examine it closely...

His own actions in these two villages, and even the actions of Dahei and Jiang Rui in the Qiang region.

In essence, how different is it from that land that was executed on the spot?
(End of this chapter)