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

Chapter 201 A Grandson's Blessing, A Perfect Harmony

A clear cry suddenly exploded in the hearts of everyone waiting in the courtyard.

The voice was clear and resonant, unlike the weak voice of an ordinary infant; it was like a crisp sound that pierced through the roof tiles and struck everyone's ears and hearts.

In an instant, the tension that had been building up all night in the courtyard was completely released.

The relatives who had previously found stone benches or thresholds to sit and wait for news now almost simultaneously stood up and crowded around the tightly closed door.

Although their expressions differed, they all exuded concern and joy.

A moment later, the door creaked open.

Liu Xiulian walked out carrying a tiny swaddled baby. Her brows and eyes showed some fatigue, but more than that, she couldn't suppress her joy. Her steps were steady and steady.

With Jiang Xi's current cultivation level, the fetus in her womb is naturally nourished by spiritual energy and is no longer of this worldly origin.

At the moment of childbirth, there is a surge of spiritual energy, making it impossible for any midwife to get close.

In and around the village, only someone like Liu Xiulian, who has already stepped into the threshold of cultivation, can handle things with ease.

Jiang Yi and Master Liu were the first to go forward to greet them.

The two old men approached side by side, but unlike ordinary people, they were not in a hurry to distinguish between men and women.

After all, Master Liu had said that since the Liu family had guarded the mountains, they had always had a single line of male heirs, so there was no need to doubt it.

The two men focused their attention on the baby in the swaddling clothes, scrutinizing it more closely than an accountant counting silver.

What I was looking at was not anything else, but the little boy's natural talent and aptitude.

Once you take one look, you can't take your eyes off it.

The infant in the swaddling clothes, the moment it was born, showed no trace of the usual frailty or weakness.

Her skin was as white and lustrous as if it had been soaked in mutton fat, with a subtle sheen.

A surge of primordial energy filled his small chest, perfectly round and full, without leaking out in the slightest.

In this spiritually rich environment, even breathing felt natural and effortless.

The baby's tiny hands and feet thrashed about incessantly in the swaddling clothes, full of energy, just like a lively and energetic young man.

Seeing this, how could the two old men not understand?

This person is clearly a natural-born cultivator. There is no need to worry about physical conditioning or breathing. In the future, they can simply focus on visualization, reading, and spiritual enlightenment, and they will be able to progress steadily.

The two exchanged a glance, their smiles barely concealed, and even the stubble at the corners of their mouths twitched slightly.

The joyous atmosphere in the courtyard instantly burst forth.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi stroked his long beard, his face crinkling with a smile, and his eyes were filled with satisfaction.

My heart is truly filled with immense joy.

I feel that all the good deeds I have done over the years have brought me a series of extraordinary descendants, as if Heaven has blessed my family.

In the blink of an eye, he unconsciously weighed the importance of his newborn grandson against that of his great-grandson, who was far away in Eagle's Sorrow Gorge.

It's not about determining which is better, but rather that the two have indeed taken two completely different paths.

The grandson before me is like a perfectly crafted piece of jade, with a harmonious and flawless aura.

From the moment they are born, they are already standing on a starting line that is much higher than others. Their cultivation will naturally be smooth and their progress will be rapid.

But his great-grandson Jiang Chao was a completely different story.

While their physical constitution and innate qualities may not be particularly robust, they are born with extraordinary spirit and are destined to be born with the essence of fire.

Like a dormant volcano, it needs to quietly accumulate power, and when the time is right, it will erupt in a spectacular burst.

One path leads to a broad and smooth road;
One route, however, is fraught with perilous peaks and unpredictable scenery.

It's really hard to say who will go the fastest and the furthest.

Jiang Yi was lost in thought when Master Liu chuckled and picked up the conversation, his voice filled with conviction:
“In terms of seniority, my Liu family generation is called ‘Cheng’, which means to carry on the legacy of the past and the future.”

He cleared his throat, his old face beaming like a blooming autumn chrysanthemum, both dignified and unable to hide a hint of smugness.

He carefully took the tiny swaddled baby from Liu Xiulian's arms, looked down at the baby's rosy face, his eyes filled with unwavering doting affection, and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Then he was named... Liu Chengming."

Inheriting the family business, and inscribing a name for eternity.

The name is simple, yet it carries great expectations.

Holding the tiny swaddled baby in his arms, Master Liu felt a heavy weight in his hands, as if he were holding not an infant, but the future of the entire Liu family.

His old face beamed with a wide smile, and he leaned close to that delicate, porcelain-like face, gently rubbing his slightly stubble-covered chin against it, muttering to himself:
“My good grandson, Chengming… Grow up quickly, so that one day you can take over the responsibilities of the Liu family and protect this mountain for your father and your grandfather…”

The words were cut off abruptly, as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat.

He stood there, holding the baby, his smile still frozen on his face, but his eyes revealed an unprecedented sense of bewilderment.

The people in the courtyard were all surprised by his appearance, and they looked at each other, wondering what he was up to.

Only Jiang Yi understood the situation perfectly.

He looked at his old in-law's distraught expression and chuckled to himself.

This kind of trouble is, in a way, a luxury.

Since their ancestors, the Liu family has been destined to guard the mountains and forests, exhausting their lifespans to accumulate merit so that their descendants may receive blessings.

But now, his son and daughter have already embarked on the path of cultivation and are destined for long lives.

With his current level of cultivation, he can easily maintain this position for three to five hundred years.

If further opportunities arise in the future, it could last for thousands of years.

This bowl of "merit rice" is probably not enough to finish in three to five hundred years, so how could it be the turn of this newly born little guy to take over?

It seems this family tradition will not be passed down.

Jiang Yi, however, did not offer a single word of comfort.

Some things, no matter how much others say, are not as thoroughly understood as they can be understood by oneself.

He simply smiled and shook his head, then stepped forward and naturally took his grandson from the somewhat stiff embrace of Master Liu.

When the baby was in his hands, he looked down and examined it carefully, holding it steadily with one hand while his other hand, seemingly casual, gently brushed over the tiny bib.

Between his fingers and palm, a faint wisp of Yin and Yang energy quietly seeped in, like a gentle spring breeze and soft rain, smoothing out the innate vital energy and making it more harmonious and smooth.

He held the baby, but glanced sideways at Master Liu out of the corner of his eye.

He thought to himself, "I wonder if this old relative has any way to get the old ancestor who works in the Tushita Palace to let a little more opportunity slip through his fingers?"

A few years ago, although Liujiazhuangzi and Liangjie Village were not far apart, they were separated by a wild forest, which effectively created a "boundary".

On ordinary days, apart from buying local products, they kept to themselves and didn't interfere with each other's affairs.

Zhuangzi is Zhuangzi, and the village is the village; they are clearly distinct.

The situation is different now.

As the village's able-bodied men grew stronger, their axe and hoe skills became increasingly nimble.

The wild forest was gradually eroded, like ants gnawing at it, and transformed into newly cultivated fields.

The path at the entrance of Liujiazhuang Village had long been worn smooth and straight, leading directly to the large locust tree in the village.

If this continues, it might not be long before the Liu family's compound is brazenly incorporated into the territory of Liangjie Village.

Not to mention that Master Liu now holds the title of martial arts instructor in the "Ancient and Modern Gang".

Every day, several young men would come to his door with wine and meat, calling him "Master" and asking him to give them some pointers. As they came and went, the relationship between them grew warmer and warmer.

This joyous occasion of the birth of a new member, coupled with such a close and affectionate occasion, naturally calls for a grand celebration and a large banquet.

Before long, it was the day of Chengming's full moon. The sky was barely light when Liu Family Village was already in an uproar.

It's probably never been this lively since the village was established.

Inside the kitchen, the rising steam mixed with the aroma of wine and meat almost lifted the roof off.

The village women rolled up their sleeves, working nimbly, but their mouths were always full of gossip about this and that.

In the courtyard, several large tables pieced together were already set up, and children were chasing and playing around the table legs.

The bolder ones even went so far as to tease the dozing black hunting dog in the corner of the yard, eliciting a few impatient barks in return for a burst of cheerful laughter.

The young men from the Ancient and Modern Gang naturally gathered in a group, shouting and laughing, having a great time.

At the head table in the main hall sat several elderly men from the village, all familiar faces.

Grandpa Yu, who lives at the east end of the village, has been growing fruit trees all his life, and his hands always smell of soil and fruit.
Uncle Niu is usually quiet, but he's the most genuine when it comes to drinking.

There was also Physician Li, an old friend who had frequented the Jiang and Liu families in his early years.

Li Langzhong's life in the village is no longer what it used to be.

His grandson inherited the family's skills, was quick-witted, and had always been close to the Jiang family.

Now, within the Gujin Gang, he has even taken on the job of managing the medicinal herb warehouse.

If a young man in the village suffers a bump or sprain, he must respectfully go to the village clinic for treatment.

In terms of power, he's probably only second to that little girl Jiang Jin.

After a few cups of warm rice wine, once the conversation started, it became difficult to stop.

Their words were clearly aimed at the host, Master Liu.

However, these compliments were not like the usual polite greetings between neighbors.

Grandpa Yu said he was very lucky, and that his descendants would prosper.
Grandpa Niu sighed that he had exceptional vision, unlike them, a bunch of old bones, who only knew how to guard a few acres of meager land;

Even the usually composed Physician Li stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly, saying that he had noticed Liu Zhuangzhu's extraordinary demeanor years ago, and now it had indeed come true.

That enthusiasm carried a hint of caution, yet also a touch of eagerness.

It didn't seem like they were there for a typical full moon celebration; it was more like they were there to pledge allegiance to a powerful figure.

Jiang Yi accompanied him from the side, a faint smile on his face, only helping to pour wine and exchange pleasantries, without saying much.

He knew perfectly well what his old buddies were plotting.

Ultimately, it's all for the sake of their own children.

Back then, Da Niu, Yu Xiaodong, and a few other little brats were still wearing open-crotch pants. They followed Da Lang Jiang Ming around every day, learning to do horse stance and practice martial arts.

In the blink of an eye, these young men have now become "old men" in their forties.

Although the skills he learned were rudimentary and his foundation was weak, he could not withstand decades of relentless dedication.

Moreover, over the years, with the Liu family's foundation-strengthening prescriptions and the Jiang family's spiritual medicinal herbs, even a stupid ox should have developed some steel-like bones.

In addition, the spiritual energy in Liangjie Village is growing stronger day by day. How could those of them who were born and raised here not benefit from it?
In recent years, several veterans of the Ancient and Modern Gang have also gradually reached the threshold of "full of energy and vitality".

In this life, who doesn't want to take one more step forward?
But even though they could touch the threshold, the road ahead was blocked.

The bottleneck in one's cultivation technique is like an insurmountable chasm, blocking one's way; if one cannot overcome it, one simply cannot overcome it.

When they encountered difficulties in their cultivation, they naturally went to the current leader of the Ancient and Modern Gang, namely that girl Jiang Jin, as soon as possible.

But Jiang Jin is a junior after all, how could he possibly make such a decision on the important matter of passing on the teachings?
After going around in circles, the matter still came to Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi knew in his heart that the essence of that visualization method was ultimately the Liu family's most treasured secret.

How could someone with a different surname make the decision to spread this information without authorization?

All we can do is offer a few subtle hints, and make it as clear as possible that the Liu family must agree before it will count.

That's why we're toasting so frequently and speaking so warmly at this dinner table today.

Ultimately, it's all about securing a better future.

Master Liu was a shrewd man, so how could he not understand the unspoken meaning in his old friends' words?

However, his face remained completely expressionless.

He neither made definitive statements nor readily agreed to anything, using the wine glass as a pretext.

After raising the cup to toast everyone, they casually uttered some polite phrases like "the child is still young" and "there's plenty of time in the future," and then lightly changed the subject.

The drinking session ended with unspoken understanding in their eyes and expressions.

The excitement of the full moon celebration faded like the tide, and life in Liangjie Village returned to its old, leisurely rhythm.

Jiang Yi continued to lecture and practice his spiritual cultivation every day, but now he also had the added task of taking care of children.

Fortunately, this job is much less troublesome than before.

His little grandson is really too easy to take care of.

Even though it cannot speak, and cannot even utter a mumbled "father" or "mother," its tiny nostrils already rise and fall with the surrounding spiritual energy, breathing in and out on their own.

Other people's children cry when they're hungry and fuss when they're sleepy; they can't be left alone for even a moment.

This little guy is easy to handle. All you need to do is put his swaddling clothes by the spring in the backyard and place him under the shade of the peach tree, and he can stay quietly for half a day.

She didn't cry or make a fuss; her bright black eyes were wide open, curiously observing the sunlight and shadows of the trees.

Let the pure spiritual energy cleanse his flawless body again and again.

Whenever Jiang Yi saw this scene, he felt as if he had drunk a warm winter wine, and his whole body felt comfortable.

This is no child; it is clearly a precious talent born for cultivation.

My daughter and that boy went through some detours and hardships back then before they got to where they are today.

But this little guy's path was probably paved smooth for him from the moment he was born.

We're just waiting for him to take the first step and move forward.

His future is likely to be even smoother and brighter than that of his parents.

A few more days passed, and life went on as usual.

As dawn broke and night fell, the darkness became so thick it was impossible to penetrate.

Even the dogs in the village had stopped barking, leaving only a few autumn insects chirping intermittently from somewhere hidden in the grass, which made the night seem even quieter.

Jiang Yi sat cross-legged under the peach tree behind the house as usual, practicing breathing exercises.

His usually calm and composed mind was suddenly stirred by a very subtle ripple.

An aura rose silently from the village.

The aura wasn't overwhelming, nor did it possess any trace of worldly warmth, yet it was extremely pure.

Jiang Yi slowly opened his slightly closed eyes.

His divine sense spread out silently like water, and in an instant, he locked onto the source of the aura.

It is perfectly aligned with the direction of the Lingsu Temple in the village.

(End of this chapter)