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

Chapter 210 Refining the Impure Wood, Clearing the Eyes and Dispelling Illusions

Several more months passed in the blink of an eye.

The two peach trees on either side of the Spirit Spring have long since lost their vibrant red blossoms in spring, leaving only a single green fruit, about the size of a finger, hidden among the dense leaves, imbued with the mist of the Spirit Spring, growing fuller day by day.

Jiang Yi, still wearing the same worn-out blue cloth shirt, sat cross-legged on the blue stone under the tree.

The stone surface is smooth, polished by time and clothing to a warm, jade-like luster.

He breathed very slowly, his breath almost imperceptible, as if the mountain mists were also in and out with his breath.

Jiang Yi's cultivation never seeks to leap a thousand miles; he only emphasizes the skill of "water grinding."

The stagnant energy that had accumulated in his body over the years was the stubborn stone he had to grind away every day.

This vital energy is as deep as a vine, intertwined within flesh, blood, spirit, and soul; it cannot be rushed.

It can only be like a silkworm eating leaves, inch by inch, line by line, using the pure and spiritual energy it has refined to grind and cleanse itself.

This period of time was not entirely fruitless.

That turbid air, like a river flowing into the sea, churns up silt and sand; some eventually settles, and some eventually dissipates.

Although it hasn't disappeared, it seems a bit more docile than usual.

But recently, in that chaos, he suddenly sensed something unusual.

Like a pool of murky water, with a few unseen stubborn rocks lying at the bottom.

In the past, he only felt that this turbid air was a chaotic mass, indistinguishable from one another.

Now that the divine will has sunk into the body, it can be faintly "seen".

There were five places where the aura was exceptionally strong and concentrated.

A place weighs heavily on my heart, like a raging fire pressing down on me, stirring up a restless unease.
One place is in the liver, like an old tree with gnarled roots, harboring vitality, but also harboring resentment;

One location is in the spleen; it is thick, sticky, and stagnant, like mud that can trap people.
One place is in the lungs, with a metallic astringency, and a cold gleam like a blade;

One place is in the kidneys, deep and cold, like a bottomless abyss.

At first, it was just a blur, like looking at flowers through fog.

But day after day, the shapes of those five wisps of turbid air gradually became clearer.

It seemed to be slowly solidifying into some kind of shape inside his body.

Jiang Yi slowly finished his practice and opened his eyes.

In a moment of confusion, he was unsure.

This scene is the beginning of the refinement of turbid energy, revealing the true nature of that stubborn rock.

Or perhaps... after my conversation with my daughter earlier, I had some lingering attachments in my mind, and my thoughts spontaneously "created" this phantom?
On the path of spiritual cultivation, the most dangerous thing is the inability to distinguish between reality and illusion.

A single misstep can lead one astray, causing inner turmoil and making it difficult to turn back.

As he was deep in thought, he suddenly heard a very faint rustling sound of branches and leaves outside the woods.

The sound was so low that it was almost inaudible. If it weren't for the clear spiritual energy and utter silence of this place, an ordinary person would have thought it was just the wind rustling through the pine branches.

Jiang Yi didn't even open his eyes, but just by discerning the aura, he knew who it was.

Jiang Xi and Liu Zi'an.

Since the spiritual energy behind the house has gradually increased, these two little guys often come here to cultivate when they are not patrolling the mountain.

He was too lazy to interfere, only thinking that it was a good thing that young people were willing to make progress.

But today is a little different.

When they arrive, they always go to the spring first and greet it respectfully.

This time, however, his footsteps were so light they felt like stepping on cat fur, and his aura was completely concealed.

Jiang Yi's mind shifted slightly, his thoughts becoming hazy, and he "saw" the two people sneaking around the spirit spring pool, avoiding the wooden house, and disappearing into the depths of the spirit fruit forest.

They were acting cautiously, like thieves breaking into their own yard.

He paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.

This girl has always had a sweet tooth.

He could always pull out a few wild fruits hidden in his pockets and sleeves.

I suspect he was tempted by food again today and secretly went to pick some spiritual fruit while he was meditating.

Once the thought crossed my mind, I couldn't be bothered to pay it any more attention.

The wisp of divine intent that had been probing out was withdrawn as easily as a silk thread entering water, leaving not even a trace.

The mind returns to the dantian, and the breath becomes long and deep.

Five wisps of turbid energy lay dormant within the body, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Once you enter a meditative state, you lose track of time.

As the sun moved from its zenith to the western mountains, the clouds were dyed a fiery, brocade-like color by the afterglow.

The shadows in the woods grew longer, blending with the twilight, and the wind carried a touch of coolness.

Jiang Yi then slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of white air, which dispersed into a light mist in the air.

As I stood up and stretched, my muscles and bones crackled and popped, a soft and pleasant sound.

After this period of training, he would go home for meals and then teach the little ones to read and write, which became his daily routine.

As Fang took a step, his expression shifted involuntarily, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Liu Zian's presence is still lingering in the forest.

Jiang Yi paused briefly, turned around, his clothes fluttered slightly, and his figure silently disappeared into the depths of the forest.

After passing a few apricot and plum trees, I saw the boy standing at the edge of the woods, looking anxious, pacing back and forth.

He was completely unaware of the rustling leaves in the wind.

What are you doing here?

His voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

Liu Zian was startled and turned around abruptly.

Upon seeing that it was his father-in-law, his face immediately filled with embarrassment and panic, like a schoolchild who had secretly written a wrong character and was called out by the teacher in class.

Jiang Yi's expression remained unchanged as he asked again, "Where is Xi'er?"

Liu Zian opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and finally whispered:

"Father, Xi'er...she went up the back mountain."

Just as he finished speaking, a mountain breeze blew by.

The rustling of leaves swept away the panic in his voice, but could not conceal the deep-seated worry within.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi paused slightly.

He turned around, his gaze calm, yet more somber than before.

"How long have you been in there?"

Liu Zian's face was deathly pale, his throat felt like it had been rubbed with grit, and his voice was dry: "It must have been... four or five hours."

He lowered his eyes and added, "They haven't come out yet."

Four or five hours.

Jiang Yi's brows slowly furrowed, like a horizontal line written in the depths of his heart.

Although this back mountain is strange, it can't be described as an ominous place.

Even an ordinary person who accidentally wanders in there should be able to figure out how to get out after a few turns and two or three hours.

The current silence is somewhat unusual.

His gaze swept across the mountains and landed on the winding Lingquan Canal.

The spring water is still flowing gently, carrying a sense of tranquility.

The tension in my heart eased a little as a result.

After a moment, he looked at Liu Zi'an again, his tone not harsh, but with a hint of deeper meaning:

"Why are you two thinking of sneaking into the back mountain again?"

Jiang Yi knew his daughter and son-in-law's temperaments.

This back mountain had been a source of longing for them since they were young.

Having failed to grasp the underlying principles several times, it's time to let it go.

Today's sudden return to the mountains must have a different reason.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zian quickly said, "This matter is actually a good thing."

His tone carried a hint of urgency, but also an undisguised joy.

“Xi’er… has made further progress in her cultivation these past few days, and has already purified the turbid wood in her liver.”

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback, and the wrinkles on his brows finally relaxed.

A hint of sadness in his eyes transformed into genuine joy.

Xi'er and Zi'an are equally talented, but she feels more at ease in this woodland.

The precious tree in my soul is now thriving here;

With the new growth of the immortal peach tree, the wood energy becomes stronger and the spiritual essence becomes clearer.

With the help of the local energy, her cultivation progressed faster than Zi'an's, which was to be expected.

Seeing that his father-in-law's expression had softened somewhat, Liu Zi'an quickly added:

“Father, as you know, once the turbid wood in the liver is completely purified, one can see clearly and understand the source. One can see even the smallest speck of dust, recognize the flow of qi, break through illusions and see the truth, and no more illusions can deceive one.”

At this point, his expression brightened, and his tone revealed a hint of pride:

"That's why Xi'er had that idea. She thought that with her extraordinary eyesight, she might be able to see through the maze in the back mountain and find out what's inside."

Jiang Yi looked at the young man in front of him, a helpless smile flashing in his eyes.

One of them is straightforward and honest, while the other is naive and bold; they're truly a couple in the same boat.

He sighed inwardly, but remained silent.

The restrictions in those mountains are far beyond what ordinary formations can match.
No matter how much more is said, it's too late.

He looked up and saw that the mountain shadows had blended into the twilight, a dark blue-green expanse, as if shrouded in a silent mist.

The mist stirred slightly, and a faint light flickered within it, like breathing, or perhaps watching over him.

Jiang Yi took a deep breath and finally said calmly:
"Let's wait and see. If it still hasn't come out by tomorrow morning, then we'll make further plans."

His voice was calm, showing no sign of panic.

Liu Zian nodded in response, answering readily, but his heart was still uneasy.

He was quite familiar with the back mountain, having explored it countless times since he was a boy and is now a husband and father.

In the past, though I had gotten lost, I always managed to find my way back. But to go in and then disappear without a trace like this is truly a first.

Jiang Yi took in his expression, and the faint line between his brows twitched slightly before slowly smoothing out.

He sighed inwardly, thinking, "If it really comes to that..."

The only option left is to go find Jin Xiuer.

Let's see if this eldest daughter-in-law, whose origins and methods are even more unpredictable, can "rescue" him from the misty mountains.

Just as he was pondering this, Jiang Yi suddenly turned his gaze back to Liu Zi'an.

That single glance was ordinary, yet it seemed to see right into the depths of one's heart.

"You wouldn't be planning to use the earth-elemental burrowing technique to explore this back mountain after you've refined all the earth turbidity in your spleen, would you?"

The voice was soft, yet it sounded like a light hammer blow in the forest breeze.

Liu Zian's face stiffened, and he almost choked.

The embarrassment of being exposed was written all over his face.

He coughed twice: "No... I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

Jiang Yi looked at him, about to say a few more words of advice, but suddenly stopped himself.

He looked up at the deep, seemingly bottomless path in the back mountains, shrouded in twilight.

His expression hardened slightly.

Liu Zian noticed something was wrong and quickly turned around.

The forest was silent, and the mist hung low.

Suddenly, a series of faint sounds came from the depths of the night.

It wasn't the wind whipping up branches and leaves, nor was it a beast trampling through the grass.

Instead, it was the sound of extremely light, yet extremely steady footsteps.

Stepping on pebbles and fallen leaves, one step at a time, they slowly approached from afar.

A moment later, the figure emerged from the darkness.

The moonlight shone down just right, outlining a line of cool light.

The newcomer was only thirteen or fourteen years old, thin and upright, with a childlike face and expression as calm as an ancient well.

It was Jiang Jun.

There was someone lying on his back.

Liu Zian recognized him almost instantly and exclaimed:
"Xi'er!"

Before he finished speaking, he quickly stepped forward to meet him.

Jiang Yi followed closely behind.

Under the dim moonlight, Jiang Xi lay on her nephew's back, her face serene and her breath long and even.

It was as if the mountain breeze had simply lulled me to sleep, and I even had a smile in my dream.

Jiang Yi reached out and placed his fingertips on her pulse point.

His pulse was steady as a thread, and his blood and qi flowed smoothly.

There was no sign of disorder or damage whatsoever.

He exhaled softly, and the tightness between his brows relaxed.

Liu Zian watched from the side while simultaneously reaching out to test the breath.

Only after confirming that his wife was safe and sound did he finally feel relieved, a weight that had been hanging in the air all night.

Jiang Yi looked at his grandson and already understood, so he didn't ask any more questions.

Liu Zian, however, was not as calm as him.

With his wife safe and sound, the weight on his heart had just been lifted, and his gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Jun.

He looked at the child, who was usually quiet and composed, and rarely showed any signs of panic, even though he was young.

The moonlight shone on his face, and his still-childish face remained calm, but deep in his eyes, something indescribable seemed to be hidden.

Liu Zian's heart stirred slightly.

Jiang Yi took in that moment of confusion and inquiry.

He saw it all, but only smiled faintly to himself.

Many things in this world become mundane when explained, so it's better not to explain them at all.

He raised his hand, and the yin and yang energies circulated in his palm, as smooth as silk or mist, warm and gentle as water.

With a gentle lift, Jiang Xi was pulled off Jiang Jun's back.

The movement was so subtle that it didn't even disturb the night.

"go home."

After saying this, Jiang Yi turned and left, his steps unhurried and his breathing normal.

Liu Zian hurriedly followed.

After taking a few steps, he couldn't suppress his curiosity any longer and couldn't help but turn back.
He lowered his voice and asked:

"Jun'er, how did you meet your aunt in the back mountain?"

Although the tone was soft, it conveyed a sense of caution and probing.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Jun, who was walking behind, trembled slightly.

It was as if they had been startled by something unseen.

He paused for a moment, then slowly raised his head.

Those eyes were clear and bright, yet they carried a strange sense of bewilderment.

He looked around, as if trying to make out his surroundings.

After a long while, he finally looked at Liu Zian, his expression serious yet puzzled:
"aunt?"

His tone carried a childlike sincerity and bewilderment.

"What aunt?"

"...Which family's aunt?"

Liu Zian felt a tightness in his chest after being asked three questions in a row.

After a while, I decided to cut to the chase:
"Jun'er, what...did you see in the mountains?"

Jiang Jun paused, his bewilderment deepening.

He scratched his head and said in a flat tone, "I don't know."

He paused, then added, "As soon as I entered the mountains, I was in a daze, wandering aimlessly all over the place. I can't remember what I saw."

This statement sounds innocent at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it seems even more inappropriate.

Liu Zian felt a tightening in his chest, and he stopped walking.

"Then why do you spend all your time running around these mountains?"

He stared at the boy before him, his voice slightly raised.

There has to be a reason, right?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jun's expression suddenly relaxed, and he smiled.

The smile was clean and natural, with a hint of shy slyness.

"So that's what my uncle was asking about."

He cupped his hands in a slight bow, his tone light and cheerful, as if he were talking about everyday matters.

"I learned a technique from my mother called the 'Sleeping Arhat Technique'."

"This method is a bit strange. You can only truly understand it when you are half-asleep and in a daze."

He spoke with such seriousness that he seemed to believe it himself.

"The hazy, confused atmosphere in the back mountain formation suits me perfectly. It makes practicing my skills much faster than indoors."

He shrugged and then laughed:

"It's just a pity that this is a closely guarded secret of my mother's family. Even if you, Uncle, wanted to learn it, I wouldn't dare to teach it to you."

His tone was three parts sincerity and seven parts playfulness, making it difficult to tell whether he was telling the truth or not.

Looking at him, Liu Zian felt that this kid was as slippery as an eel.

After a long pause, he sighed, a mixture of amusement and exasperation on his face.

"You..."

He reached out and patted Jiang Jun's shoulder, the force was light, but it carried a hint of helplessness.

"Let's go home and have dinner."

Pushing open the door, I found the lights already on.

The room was bathed in warm light, and the aroma of food, along with the smell of cooking, wafted over, seemingly dispelling some of the coolness of the mountains.

Jiang Xi had already woken up and was leaning against the table, holding a bowl of hot tea in her hands.

The tea steamed gently, but her expression remained somewhat dazed, as if she hadn't yet woken from a dream.

Upon seeing him return, everyone in the family naturally gathered around him.

No matter how many times I asked, I couldn't get a clear answer.

She only knew that as soon as she entered the mountain, everything was shrouded in mist, and the "Eyes of Insight" she had just cultivated lost their power, making it impossible to see clearly.

As for what happened afterward, it's a complete blank.

Seeing that she looked natural and her breathing was steady, everyone relaxed.

Regardless, the person returned home safely, the impurities in the wood were completely removed, and progress was made, which is ultimately a joyous occasion.

Liu Xiulian was delighted to hear this and hurriedly went into the kitchen to cook a few more side dishes.

As the wok was turned over, the aroma of oil filled the air, and wisps of smoke rose, making the lamplight under the eaves appear even brighter.

A group of people sat around a table, clinking glasses and chatting happily.

Jiang Yiju ate slowly with his chopsticks, his expression calm.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, his gaze shifted and landed on his own daughter.

"Your eyes..."

His tone was calm, as if it were just a casual question.
Have you ever looked deep underground?

(End of this chapter)