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

Chapter 224 The Black Bear Makes a Request, Mount Futu Appears

The night was as dark as ink, washing over the trees in the courtyard and soaking into the desk under the window.

The lamplight flickered in the breeze, casting Jiang Yi's shadow long and short, as if he were walking silently on the wall.

All the items on the table are simple offerings.

A sandalwood pen holder lay across the room, the cinnabar already ground, its color a deep red, like freshly congealed blood.

The inkstone contains Huizhou pine soot ink, its blackness deep and still, without the slightest ripple.

The talisman paper was laid flat, its patterns delicate, gleaming faintly under the lamp, ready to startle heaven and earth with a single stroke of the brush.

Jiang Yi's hand holding the pen was firm and steady, with distinct knuckles and faintly visible veins.

The wolf-hair brush hung about an inch above the talisman paper, remaining there for a long time.

The lamplight flickered gently, but his expression remained even calmer.

But this stillness is not a peace of mind.

He was originally troubled by the matter of Jiang Rui and Taiping Dao, which made it difficult for him to enter a state of tranquility during his cultivation, so he thought of making a trip to Locust Valley.

Unexpectedly, they learned from the green locust that the reason the locusts broke through the soil was to find the Golden Cicada.

With a change of heart, my thoughts became even more chaotic.

After returning, I sat cross-legged in meditation several times, but my heart remained restless.

After much thought, he decided to take the talisman brush and try to calm his mind through the Taoist sect.

The art of drawing talismans emphasizes the unity of mind and spirit, with the intention preceding the brushstroke.

With each stroke of the brush, the mind must be as clear as a mirror.

One wrong thought, and the talisman is rendered useless.

But whenever Jiang Yi picked up the talisman brush today, the image of his grandson Jiang Feng involuntarily came to mind.

That child had exceptional talent and had also received opportunities from the Dragon Palace and the Celestial Masters Sect. He should have soared to great heights, leaving others far behind.

Unexpectedly, the Celestial Master's Mansion suddenly changed its tune and began to avoid him like the plague.

Since then, there have been no superior talisman techniques to cultivate, and his cultivation has been stuck in a limbo.

Although one's physical cultivation is complete, one's spiritual cultivation is stagnant. One clearly sees the Great Dao ahead, but always falls short of that final step.

A promising talent wasted away by time.

The more Jiang Yi thought about it, the heavier the feeling of frustration became.

He couldn't sit still any longer, so he got up, pushed open the door, and went out.

The moonlight was cold and clear under the eaves, and an old hoe leaned against the corner of the eaves.

The hoe handle was made of jujube wood, and over the years, it had become smooth and lustrous from being held by people, with a layer of patina that gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

Jiang Yi walked over and picked up the hoe.

The weight in my hand is familiar, heavy.

He didn't go back into the house; instead, he carried his hoe and went around to the back of the yard.

That grove of spirit trees was lush and verdant, with moonlight filtering through the layers of leaves and casting dappled shadows.

Jiang Yi walked to the tree and rolled up his sleeves.

He neither used magic nor exerted his internal energy, and even completely concealed his protective aura.

He simply bent down, like an ordinary old farmer, picked up his hoe, and dug heavily into the hardened soil under the tree roots.

"puff!"

With a muffled thud, the hoe sank into the mud, bringing with it a damp scent, a mixture of grass roots and old leaves, both fishy and warm.

As he smelled the scent, he felt a long-lost sense of peace.

One stroke of the hoe, a pause, and another.

The rhythm of the hoe rising and falling was slow and deep.

The hard soil was turned over, revealing the moist new mud underneath.

The confusion in my mind persists.

Luoyang, Huanggu Valley, two grandsons...

One thing after another, like a tangled mess of hemp, are knotted in my heart.

But with each strike of the hoe, those thoughts were dulled and shattered, crumbling into dust and sinking into the earth, never to return.

When it's about to rain, prepare a raincoat;
When insects appeared in the ground, he reached out to catch them.

Having been a farmer my whole life, I've learned that the truth is actually quite simple.

As dawn broke, a sliver of pale white appeared on the clouds in the east.

After a day of hard work and a night of deep thought, the veins on Jiang Yi's forehead had faded, and the irritability in his eyes had subsided.

He shook his sleeves, washed his hands by the spring, changed into an ordinary blue cloth robe, and his expression was as peaceful as the mountain scenery before the morning mist dissipated, calm and serene.

Although my mind is settled, the matter is not yet settled.

He walked with his hands behind his back, his steps slow but steady, treading on the morning dew as he headed towards the ancestral hall.

There needs to be an explanation for Rui'er's situation.

If we can persuade them to come back, that would be the best outcome.
If he couldn't persuade him otherwise, he would have no choice but to make the trip to Luoyang himself.

Once the mind is made up, a sense of certainty appears in every step.

However, just as they walked a few feet in front of the ancestral hall, a gentle breeze suddenly blew past their ears.

The wind came very gently, yet it seemed to have risen just for him.

With a flick of his sleeve, not even a speck of dust was disturbed.

Jiang Yi paused, too lazy to even lift his eyelids.

The next instant, a familiar soul shadow solidified beside him.

Before dawn, the sky was gray and pale, and a thin mist, carrying a hint of coolness, clung to the two of them.

Jiang Yi glanced at the increasingly solidified soul shadow, his expression remaining calm and his tone even:

"How is Rui'er doing?"

Jiang Liang bowed slightly, his expression somewhat complicated.

“The child has already spoken with him.”

He spoke slowly, as if carefully choosing his words.

"That kid... though somewhat reluctant, he eventually agreed. Right now, he's packing his things, preparing to set off back to the Liangqiang border region."

Hearing this, it was a somewhat comforting result.

But Jiang Liang paused here, a hint of hesitation rising in the mist.

"only……"

"Speak your mind."

Jiang Yi's voice was not loud, but it was as steady as a mountain.

There was not a trace of impatience, but rather a weight that made one dare not keep anything to themselves.

Jiang Liang's soul trembled slightly, as if he had taken a deep breath.

"But Rui'er... asked about the grain at home again."

As soon as the words were spoken, the morning mist seemed to freeze for a moment.

Jiang Liang lowered his gaze, his voice even softer, tinged with a hint of hesitation:
"He said that every year his family used so much grain to feed livestock and to support that evil dragon..."

"But they refused to give any of it to help even one or two of the suffering disaster victims."

He glanced at his father, then lowered his head again, his voice even softer:

"He couldn't understand it."

"I don't know how to refute this for the time being."

After he finished speaking, the area outside the ancestral hall fell into complete silence.

Only the morning breeze from the distant mountains gently brushes against the bamboo leaves, like someone sighing.

Jiang Yi finally frowned.

He could almost picture his grandson's expression when he asked that question, especially the clarity and confusion in his eyes.

However, some truths cannot be explained.

Even if I explain it, he might not understand.

Understanding it might actually cause problems.

This kind of womanly kindness, seemingly compassionate, can become a deadly weapon when it comes to real-life situations.

The pent-up frustration in Jiang Yi's heart slowly rose, and the wrinkles between his brows deepened.

Jiang Liang's heart skipped a beat when he saw his father's expression.

He knew from that expression that if he didn't stop him, he might really follow that anger, grab a stick and go to Luoyang, break his grandson's legs first, and then reason with him.

He dared not delay and quickly seized the opportunity to speak, as if he had suddenly remembered something important:
"Father, there's one more thing."

This sentence came at the perfect moment, cutting off Jiang Yi's cold words.

"When I went to Eagle's Sorrow Stream to deliver the blood offerings today, Qin'er asked me to pass on a message."

"They say it's a big black bear from the other side of the ravine, named 'Black Wind,' that has been coming to the ravine a lot lately, saying he wants to ask for a favor."

"Qin'er wasn't sure herself, so she sent me back to ask you what you think."

He changed the subject abruptly, though it sounded abrupt, but he managed to regain his composure.

"Black Wind?"

Jiang Yi repeated it softly, his voice tinged with contemplation. The scene from that day then surfaced in his mind.

The large, jet-black bear, with its endearing, clumsy appearance, was being ridden by his grandson Jiang Chao, who strutted arrogantly along the mountain stream.

To outsiders, the bear spirit seemed to possess some spirituality, relying on brute force without restraint.

But Jiang Yi knew the truth in his heart.

Let alone Jiang Qin, even if the entire Jiang family were tied together, they probably wouldn't be enough to withstand the power of a single palm strike from that black bear demon.

With Qin'er's limited cultivation, what merit or ability could she possibly be of helping such a powerful demon?
With this thought in mind, Jiang Yi raised his eyes.

"That black bear," he said slowly, his voice as hard as stone, "what do you want with him?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang felt a sense of relief.

His soul seemed to have calmed down a bit, no longer trembling and on the verge of dissipating as before.

"Qin'er said that the black bear asked him for a favor..."

Jiang Liang paused for a moment before continuing:

"Have him help catch some locusts that have grown too large."

"Locusts?" Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Jiang Liang said in a low voice. “Black Bear said that the higher the cultivation level, the better, preferably one that has already developed intelligence and can understand human speech.”

"It is of great use to them. After the matter is accomplished, there will be a generous reward."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's somber expression was indeed somewhat softened by surprise.

His fingertips paused slightly, and his eyes wandered for a moment.

The locust plague has caused unrest throughout the land, and the great demon in Eagle Sorrow Gorge actually went out of his way to find the locusts.
This sounds rather strange.

"Aren't they having a locust plague over there?"

Jiang Yi asked bluntly.

Jiang Liang shook his head, and the ghostly figure swayed slightly.

"No."

"Over the years, whether it's earth dragons turning over or locust plagues raging, they've all been causing trouble within the territory of Jambudvipa."

"On the other side of Eagle's Sorrow Gorge, perhaps separated by countless mountains, it is surprisingly calm and peaceful."

Jiang Yi listened quietly, the wrinkles between his brows gradually tightening.

Although I didn't fully understand, I had a vague idea of ​​what was going on.

In the Southern Continent, the Nine Heavens Demon-Subduing Ancestor resides.

Demons with even a little bit of power all know the rules of this place and dare not easily cross the line.

Given the black bear's cultivation level and temperament, it would naturally not commit such a taboo.

Thinking of this, the fog in Jiang Yi's heart not only did not dissipate, but instead grew thicker and thicker.

That Xuanhuangzi, known as the Lord of Locusts, drives billions of locusts to break through the soil and rampage, making the world feel as if it were facing its end.

Logically speaking, such a dramatic turn of events should have alarmed the patriarch long ago.

But now, the mountains and rivers are shaking, and there is unease day and night.

The Demon-Subduing Ancestor, who sat high in the heavens, remained silent and unmoved.

Is it because these locusts that have surfaced are not yet powerful enough to catch the eye of that patriarch?
Or……

There's more to this than meets the eye, so it's best not to act rashly.

Jiang Yi's eyebrows have uneven lines, one deep and one shallow.

My thoughts are a jumbled mess, a thousand threads running through my mind, yet I can't seem to come to any conclusion.

However, he also understood in his heart.

The thoughts of such divine beings are beyond the comprehension of mortals, nor should they be attempted to be.

The most urgent task is still the matter at hand.

He paused for a moment, then asked in a low, steady voice:
"Has Qin'er asked what the black bear intends to do with these locusts?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang gave a wry smile.

"Of course I asked."

"But that black bear spirit is very tight-lipped, and he won't reveal a single truth. He just keeps stuffing things into Qin'er's hands."

He paused, seemingly also finding the scene somewhat absurd.

"What ginseng that is 9,900 years old, what warm jade marrow... these are rare and precious materials that ordinary people would never see in their entire lives. We just throw them out like this, hoping that Qin'er will nod and agree."

At this point, his expression turned serious, and his tone became somewhat somber.

"That's why Qin'er felt something was wrong. This matter was probably no small thing. He didn't dare to make the decision himself, so he asked me to come back and ask you to decide."

A gentle morning breeze rises, carrying a coolness that has washed over the mountains and forests.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his sleeves twitching slightly, but his mind had already turned several times.

This matter is suspicious; the black bear spirit's ambitions are far from small.

If it is truly related to the locust plague, there is probably something even deeper going on behind the scenes.

Instead of guessing, we might as well investigate.

Once he made up his mind, he turned to look at the ethereal figure beside him, his expression composed, his voice steady:
"You must immediately make another trip to Eagle's Sorrow Gorge."

"Have Qin'er tell that black bear spirit that I happen to have a locust in my possession that is intelligent and can speak human language, a rare find in the world."

“If he really has a request, he must first state his purpose before I will consider whether the deal is feasible.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the wind in the courtyard seemed to stop for a moment.

Jiang Liang was slightly taken aback. Although the features on that soul shadow were faint, one could still see the astonishment on its face.

"Father, our family... has such a treasure?"

Jiang Yi didn't answer, but only glanced at him indifferently.

That single glance, though seemingly insignificant, caused Jiang Liang's soul to suddenly freeze.

He quickly bowed and said "Yes," his voice even lowering a few decibels.

Before he could finish speaking, his soul flickered slightly, turning into a wisp of green smoke and dissipating into the still-damp morning air.

After seeing his son off, Jiang Yi turned and went to the ancestral hall.

The daily sermons continued as usual.

Morning light slanted in through the lattice window, and dust motes floated gently in the light and shadow.

The sound was calm and quiet, the scroll was spread out on the bluestone table, and incense smoke curled upwards, just as always.

Until the incense ash in the bronze incense burner suddenly swirled slightly.

A wisp of faint, almost dissipating smoke rose from the incense ash, instantly transforming into Jiang Liang's ghostly figure.

Jiang Yi's voice stopped abruptly at that moment.

He closed the book, his expression unchanged, and simply raised his hand to gently wave at the two children in front of him.

That's all for today.

Jiang Chao and Liu Chengming felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They didn't even bother to roll up their books and ran out in a flurry, creating a gentle breeze.

Jin Xiuer, on the other hand, was much more sensible. She first bowed deeply to Jiang Yi and Jiang Liang, then turned and left without saying a word.

Before leaving, he very discreetly and quietly closed the heavy wooden door of the ancestral hall.

With a soft creak, the heavy wooden door slowly closed, and the hall fell silent instantly.

The incense smoke curled and swirled, with wisps of smoke floating and sinking in the air.

In the vast ancestral hall, only Jiang Yi and his son Jiang Liang remained, one real and one virtual, both standing under the incense smoke.

Jiang Liang's soul shadow stepped forward slightly, his expression solemn, and said in a low voice:
"Qin'er has relayed Father's words to the black bear verbatim."

"When the black bear heard that we had such intelligent locusts, it was indeed very excited, but..."

He paused, a strange look appearing on his face, as if his very soul was swaying slightly.

"But the implication behind his words was rather strange."

He said... he didn't know what the locusts were trying to do.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi frowned slightly.

They didn't even know the purpose of it, yet they were willing to exchange it for such rare and precious natural treasures.
This deal was done too decisively, which made people uneasy.

Incense smoke swirled in the hall, casting flickering light and shadow.

Jiang Liang glanced at his father, and seeing his expression grow increasingly somber, he dared not pause and quickly continued:

"When Qin'er saw that the black bear was stammering, he followed his father's instructions and kept chasing after it."

"The black bear was forced into a corner, and that's when it told the truth."

At this point, he lowered his voice as if he were telling a secret that should not be revealed to the world.

He said he was acting on someone else's behalf.

"He entrusted it to a place called 'Futu Mountain' more than a thousand miles west of Yingchoujian. In that mountain, an old immortal lives."

Upon hearing the words "Futu Mountain," Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing more.

Jiang Liang continued:
"Black Bear said that he had long known that there was a master hidden in the mountains and had gone to pay his respects many times, but had never been able to meet him."

"But this time, when he was just passing by the foot of the mountain, the old immortal actually showed up and asked him to do this favor."

"The black bear felt that it had been blessed by heaven and dared not be negligent."

"But he dared not venture into Jambudvipa, so he thought of asking around to catch some locusts with magical powers so he could report back to that old immortal."

(End of this chapter)