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

Chapter 206 Each Has Its Own Strengths, The Earth Dragon Stirs Again
The adults in the courtyard exchanged smiles and then followed them into the house.

Today is a welcome dinner for my great-grandson, so the table is naturally very lavish.

In the center of the earthenware pot, a five-year-old free-range chicken was stewing. The broth was golden, glistening with oil, steaming, and incredibly fragrant.

Just a whiff of it is enough to make your mouth water and your fingers itch.

Everyone sat down around the table, and the conversation naturally turned to the new little guy.

"Chao'er, come and try this chicken leg. Your great-grandmother stewed it until it was very tender."

Liu Xiulian smiled, picked up the largest chicken leg, and put it into his bowl.

Jiang Xi added a spoonful of hot soup and said softly, "Eat slowly, don't burn yourself."

Everyone showed great care and concern, but the little guy's mind was elsewhere.

He nibbled on the chicken leg, but his dark, bright eyes couldn't help but glance diagonally across the room.

Sitting opposite him was Liu Chengming, the chubby boy who had just knocked him over.

Despite being half a head shorter than me, he was surprisingly strong.

I had used all my strength, but I was still no match for him.

This question was swirling in Jiang Chao's little head.

Can't figure it out.

He frowned, then suddenly took a big bite of the chicken leg, chewing it very hard, as if he wanted to swallow all the frustration he had just felt.

The meal was a lively and enjoyable affair.

The cups and plates were cleared away, the adults dispersed, and the children chattered and huddled together to make a ruckus.

Jiang Yi didn't get involved, but instead strolled to the back of the house on his own.

The bubbling spring in the backyard still steams, nourishing the surrounding plants and trees with lush greenery.

The old peach tree by the spring is growing ever more lush, casting dappled sunlight and shadows under its dense shade, swaying quietly.

Having lived in this place for a long time, my body and mind have long been accustomed to the gentle flow of spiritual energy here.

I've been away from home for a few days now, and although it hasn't been long, I always feel that something is missing in the world.

Jiang Yi found a tree with gnarled roots and slowly sat down cross-legged.

As I took a deep breath, the peach tree seemed to sense it, and wisps of pure, ethereal energy emanated from its branches and leaves, flowing around me like a stream, gently enveloping me.

A delicate fragrance seeps into the pores through the nose and mouth.

The fatigue from the journey and the slight unease caused by the earth turning over gradually dissipated under the gentle caress of this warm water.

My limbs and bones feel relaxed and comfortable.

My heart was filled with turmoil, but it was as if the spring water had washed it away, gradually settling down and returning to clarity.

Jiang Yi slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his dantian, his whole being like a stubborn rock falling into a still lake, silently merging into the breath of heaven and earth.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, someone gently knocked on the courtyard gate.

Jiang Yizheng strolled back from the backyard and opened the door upon hearing the sound.

Standing outside the door was none other than Master Liu.

Overnight, his expression had become more serious and uneasy, and the composure he had shown on the training ground the day before was gone.

"My in-laws, so early in the morning?"

Jiang Yi was slightly surprised, but quickly smiled and stepped aside: "Perfect timing, breakfast has just been set out at home, why don't you come in and have some?"

"No, no."

Master Liu waved his hands repeatedly, but didn't budge an inch. A hint of embarrassment even appeared on his weathered face.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Jiang Yi, and said solemnly, "My dear in-law, I came here this morning specifically to say goodbye to what happened yesterday."

Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow slightly: "What is it?"

"It is... the matter of taking on disciples."

Master Liu gave a wry smile, his eyes full of earnestness:
“Last night, Zian came home and told me in detail about Chaowa’er’s situation. Brother, you’re not joking with me, you’re clearly trying to wear me out.”

He sighed deeply, his expression a mixture of awe and感慨:

“Those naturally born immortals have extraordinary potential. How could I, with my meager skills, teach them? If I were to take them in, it would not be nurturing, but rather a waste of their talents.”

His words were spoken with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation.

After hearing this, Jiang Yi knew exactly what was going on.

With Master Liu's cultivation level, he naturally couldn't see the mystery deep within the soul.

But Liu Zian was different; he was already alive and well, and he never judged people by their appearance alone.

Jiang Chao's very soul was probably seen through last night.

I only wanted the father and son to close the door and have a proper discussion, which led to this visit this morning to say goodbye.

Jiang Yi showed no surprise whatsoever, only a faint smile, and gestured for Master Liu to enter the courtyard, saying casually:

"My dear in-law, you're being too modest. In this tiny village of Liangjie, when it comes to teaching children, who else but you can do it?"

This statement was not merely a polite compliment.

Although our family has accumulated some resources, most of them are ethereal and illusory immortal techniques, which talk about breathing exercises and seeking spiritual transcendence.

When it comes to how to transform an ordinary person into someone with abundant energy and a calm mind, he is no match for the old manor lord who has trained his body his entire life.

As for Jiang Chao...

The vision within one's soul, though an innate gift, is something that comes after one has entered the inner sanctum.

But for now, he is just an ordinary little kid.

The path of spiritual practice is long, and one must begin with the most basic and solid step.

To put it simply, this small step is to first train this body to be full of energy and strength, so that the mind can move at will.

And in the entire Liangjie Village, only Master Liu truly possesses such skill.

Upon hearing this, the slight embarrassment on Master Liu's face faded, as if he had anticipated Jiang Yi's words and had already prepared a plan in his mind.

He wasn't surprised, and simply followed the conversation, saying in a deep voice:

“You’re right, my dear in-law. It’s always good for young people to grow up together and have each other’s company. I thought of a solution last night that would be perfect for both of us.”

At this point, the tone became even more solemn:

"In terms of title, my old bones are certainly not worthy of it. In my opinion, it would be better to let him recognize his great-uncle as his master. He can still practice his stance training and fist techniques with the others on my side, and I will take care of him. When Zian has free time, he can also help discipline those disciples. This way, it will be a natural arrangement."

At this point, a shrewd smile appeared on his lips:
"In that case, he and Chengming are each the eldest senior brother in their own sect, which means they are 'two eldest senior brothers'. They can keep each other in check and prevent one of them from slacking off."

This arrangement was both proper and realistic, and it placed the two boys on equal footing, leaving no room for error.

Upon hearing this, a hint of a smile flashed in Jiang Yi's eyes.

This old in-law may look simple and honest, but he's very shrewd.

He nodded without further ado, simply saying, "You're too kind, in-law."

Before the words were even finished, the man had already stepped forward, grabbed Master Liu's arm, and led him into the house with a smile:

"Alright, it's settled then. Breakfast is ready, let's eat first."

From that day on, life began to follow a set pattern.

As dawn broke and the rooster crowed once more, Jiang Chao, still rubbing his sleepy eyes, had to follow Master Liu to the yellow earthen field at the edge of the village.

A row of little kids of varying heights were already standing on the field.

There are no mysterious moves, just spread your legs apart, sit down, and stretch your arms out, assuming a stable horse stance.

It looks easy, but it's incredibly hard work when you actually put in the effort.

Before long, Jiang Chao felt his legs were no longer his own, trembling like sieves in the autumn wind. The tingling and numb sensation shot from the soles of his feet to his forehead, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, hitting the yellow earth and leaving damp spots that were quickly evaporated by the scorching sun.

Master Liu walked slowly through the ranks, his hands behind his back.

Whoever stumbled was given a light tap with the bamboo pipe, followed by a deep, resonant voice:
"Keep your back straight and calm your breath."

The pain in your muscles and bones during the day takes on a different form at night.

Outside, the night was deep and dark; inside, a solitary lamp burned.

Jiang Chao, along with his sister Han and cousin Ming, sat upright in front of his great-grandfather Jiang Yi's desk.

The air was filled with the scent of old paper and ink, carrying a touch of warm, aged aroma.

My great-grandfather held a yellowed primer and read a sentence in a low voice, and they would repeat it in unison.

As time went on, some differences did become apparent.

Jiang Chao possessed a natural talent for literature.

He possesses a profound spiritual foundation and a calm mind. What others see as dull strokes appear as living things under his brush, each with its own unique structure.

The teachings spoken by my great-grandfather were like a stream flowing into the sea; I could understand seven or eight parts of them without much difficulty.

However, the little guy's mind wasn't on that.

More than holding a pen, he was worried about his aching legs from the day;

He was more concerned with how fast he could throw a punch than with figuring out the meaning of the words.

He was single-mindedly thinking about when he could openly surpass that Uncle Ming.

Liu Chengming, however, did the exact opposite.

He was born with bones and muscles as strong as metal and stone, and his blood and energy were abundant. With this physique, he could easily achieve a state of perfect balance of vital energy simply by going with the flow.

For him, those two sessions of stance training each day were more like a gentle tap to prevent his foundation from weakening.

What truly torments him is the quiet practice of calligraphy at night, which lasts for the duration of an incense stick burning.

He could grit his teeth and stand in the horse stance until the sun was setting;

But once he picks up a pen, it's like he's stuck to the spot, constantly shifting his position and his eyes keep wandering out the window.

The croaking of frogs in the night breeze felt much more intimate to him than the square characters on his desk.

The adults in the family naturally hoped that these vast books would temper his excessive spirit and help him find a path to enlightenment amidst the fragrance of ink.

Thus, a person with the talent for tranquility was born with a restless heart.

One was born to be a martial arts prodigy, but was forced to sit at a desk and toughen up.

Every now and then, Jiang Jun would leisurely walk down the bluestone path behind the mountain to pick up some spiritual fruits and spend time with his family.

When he appeared, Jiang Chao and Liu Chengming, who usually each had their own "prodigies," both seemed somewhat overshadowed.

In terms of natural talent, Jiang Jun is not particularly outstanding.

His physique was not as robust as Liu Chengming's, and his spirit was far inferior to Jiang Chao's clarity and insight.

But the soil and water in the back mountains are the most nourishing, and with his own skillful grinding, he managed to create a unique and extraordinary aura.

At only twelve years old, he already exudes a maturity beyond his years.

His body was full of energy and vitality, and his once restless heart had been calmed down by the mountain winds and spring water.

However, he never neglected his studies.

Occasionally, he would stroll past the study and happen to see the two younger children arguing heatedly over a classical allusion.

He stood quietly to the side, listened for a while, and casually offered a few words of advice.

In just a few words, the meaning behind the words is clearly revealed, and another principle is also introduced.

The two little ones often scratched their heads in disbelief, only realizing what was going on after a long while.

Even Jiang Yi, who was stroking his beard and smiling, couldn't help but show a hint of approval in his eyes and nodded secretly, feeling that he had also benefited.

As soon as Jiang Jun's figure came down from the back mountain, Jiang Han would return to her nest like a swallow returning to its nest.

The usual airs of a young lady vanished in an instant, and she called out "Little Uncle" in a crisp voice, scurrying over to him and asking all sorts of questions, chattering away.

As a result, Jiang Chao and Liu Chengming, the two little guys who were originally quite popular, were immediately sidelined.

The four eyes stared at each other for a while, then all pursed their lips. One buried himself in practicing his martial arts, while the other continued to study his book. Each went their own way, and they managed to coexist peacefully.

Morning stance training, evening reading aloud, occasional arguments, but mostly peaceful moments...

The days passed by slowly and steadily in this noisy yet harmonious atmosphere.

Spring goes and autumn comes, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Beside the Lingquan Pool, the two peach trees on the left and right have already bloomed for the first time this year, and now they are laden with newly ripened fruit, swaying tenderly on the branches.

Only the central peach tree, having lost the nourishment of the willow branch and jade dew, has shown little progress in recent years, its branches and trunk growing old, leaving only some mottled leaf shadows.

Jiang Yi sat cross-legged in his usual spot in the backyard.

With each breath, one's mind becomes one with the grass, trees, springs, and rocks, as if one can hear the grass growing and insects chirping in the silence.

All was silent, and my mind was clear and serene.

Suddenly, an unusual ripple appeared in the smooth flow of spiritual energy.

The next moment, a dull throbbing came from the depths of the earth.

This time, the commotion was more intense and direct than before.

Water splashed from the spring, the old peach tree's branches and leaves fell in a rustling sound, the trunk swayed and made a muffled creaking sound, as if it were about to break.

Jiang Yi slowly opened his eyes.

There was no panic in his eyes, only a deep, scrutinizing gaze.

With a heavy heart, he began to explore along the earth's veins.

The last disturbance had a very deep origin, seemingly from the depths of the earth's core. It traveled through countless thick layers of rock, and by the time it reached the surface, it was already at its last gasp, causing alarm but no real danger.

But this time... that violence seemed to be much closer.

The tremors came quickly and went quickly, returning to calm in just a few breaths.

Jiang Yi did not close his eyes again.

He looked up at the sky, where the peach leaves that had been shaken off fluttered down one by one, landed on the spring water, spun around a few times, and then disappeared.

His brows furrowed slowly.

Only one whisper remained in my heart.

This earth dragon is probably getting more and more restless.

That night, the dew grew heavy and deep.

The village of Liangjie had long since fallen silent, save for a few distant barks of dogs, echoing intermittently.

The candlelight in the main room was dim and there was no wind, but the candle flame suddenly flickered on its own, casting a long shadow on the wall.

A faint, ethereal shadow appeared on the futon opposite Jiang Yi, gradually solidifying into the figure of Jiang Liang.

His brows bore the marks of travel, and his spirit seemed dimmer than usual, clearly indicating that he had recently expended a great deal of energy.

Jiang Yi did not get up, but merely raised his eyelids, his voice flat and indifferent:

"How's it outside?"

"The commotion is much greater than what we're experiencing here."

Jiang Liang's voice was weary, yet still steady:

"Last time, the tremors only affected the Luoyang area, which was already quite alarming. This time, Liangzhou, Bingzhou, and Yizhou will likely all be affected as well."

(End of this chapter)