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

Chapter 226 The Future, The Method to Avert Disaster

The clouds move like arrows, covering a thousand miles in half a day.

Suddenly, the atmosphere beneath my feet changed; the clouds became clear and the wind carried a hint of coolness.

The fragrance of grass and trees in the mountains rises with the air currents, faint and accompanied by the faint cry of a phoenix, as if in a dream.

Jiang Yi slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within the sea of ​​clouds, a celestial mountain hangs silently in the sky.

The mountain is not very high, but it is unusually beautiful.

Pine roots hang upside down, like dragon claws reaching into the sky; the waterfall cascades down, its sound like shattered jade falling onto a plate.

A thin mist wove together the rosy clouds, as if radiant light lingered among the mountains, and even the sky seemed to quiet down.

When they were several miles away from the mountain, the black bear spirit wisely descended from the clouds.

He first shook out his clothes, tidying up his slightly worn fur coat meticulously, before respectfully leaping down.

A mountain breeze swept across his face. He clasped his hands in a respectful bow, his voice like a bronze bell, resounding throughout the valley:
"Black Wind Mountain, Black Wind, I have fulfilled my mission and, together with Immortal Master Jiang, have found the locusts for the old immortal!"

The sound rolled across the mountain stream, clear and melodious, yet it did not startle a single bird or stir a single leaf.

The world fell into a profound stillness, as if listening.

A moment later, the thorny vines that had formed a dense net on the mountain wall ahead seemed to receive a command, rustling as they slowly separated.

A narrow, winding stone path leads into the depths of the mountains and forests.

The mist rose from between the rocks, as thin as gauze.

The interplay of light and shadow at the mountain pass makes it impossible to tell whether it's a fairyland or part of a game.

Upon seeing this, the black bear spirit was overjoyed and quickly turned around to respectfully invite Jiang Yi to descend from the clouds.

The two walked up the mountain along the bluestone path, one after the other.

The mountain breeze is refreshing, and the plants and trees carry their own fragrance.

Only the sounds of birdsong and the murmur of springs could be heard, but not a single person could be seen.

After winding through three times, the road suddenly ended halfway up the mountain.

At that far end, there grows a towering Chinese cypress, its roots deep in the cracks of the rocks, its branches and leaves lush and verdant, its canopy like clouds.

The black bear spirit paused, its expression immediately becoming solemn, and bowed deeply towards the tree.

Jiang Yi looked up and saw it clearly.

Nestled among the layers of branches was a bird's nest made of firewood.

Despite being called a bird's nest, it is surprisingly large, big enough to accommodate several people sitting cross-legged.

Its nest may be humble, but it is extraordinary.

On the left, a deer stands with a flower in its mouth, the petals glistening with dew, its fragrance faintly discernible.
On the right stands an old mountain monkey, its expression respectful, holding a plate of juicy, delicious fruit in its hands.

Higher up, azure phoenixes and colorful dragons circled, while black cranes and golden pheasants perched among them, surrounded by rosy clouds and auspicious mist.

The world seems to exude an indescribable purity beneath this fragrant cypress.

The black bear spirit hurriedly picked up the bamboo baskets at his feet, took small steps forward, and bowed again under the tree, his forehead almost sinking into the mud.

"By the venerable immortal!" His voice was deep and trembling slightly. "I have not failed in my mission and have finally found a few decent specimens!"

Having said that, he wisely offered only a few baskets of ordinary locusts, leaving the bamboo basket containing the green locust at Jiang Yi's feet.

A mountain breeze blows, and the branches and leaves sway gently.

An invisible gaze seemed to descend slowly from the depths of the bird's nest.

After a while, the canopy-like tree swayed slightly, and the branches and leaves rustled softly, as if the wind had given it a sign.

A figure emerged from the clouds, landing silently at the edge of the simple bird's nest.

The newcomer was thin and frail, wearing a faded linen robe, barefoot, with his eyes downcast.

Judging from his appearance, he didn't look like some immortal sitting high in the clouds, but more like an old woodcutter you could see anywhere in the mountains.

He glanced indifferently at the bamboo baskets through several layers of bamboo strips.

Upon meeting the person in question, Jiang Yi immediately understood the situation.

Without waiting for the other party to speak, he picked up the bamboo basket at his feet, took two steps forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with the black bear spirit, and bowed slightly.

"Jiang Yi from Liangzhou greets the old immortal."

His tone was calm, and his expression was as usual, as if he were visiting an old friend in his humble abode.

"Having heard that immortals are searching for spirit locusts, I was fortunate enough to obtain one of decent quality. I dare not keep it to myself, so I have come to offer it to you."

After saying this, he lifted the bamboo basket containing the green locusts with both hands and raised it above his eyebrows.

The old man in hemp clothing looked down at them, his expression calm.

After a moment, he nodded slightly, as if acknowledging the spiritual energy of the green locust.

Immediately, the gaze slowly moved upwards along Jiang Yi's hands holding the basket.

Until he met Jiang Yi's calm face.

In an instant, a hint of...confusion appeared in those eyes that had been as calm as a still well. He stared at Jiang Yi, his expression shifting slightly, as if he were weighing something or reminiscing.

His expression held a mixture of curiosity, surprise, and something else that was hard to decipher.

Like a Zen master who has read countless scriptures, suddenly discovering a tattered page of heavenly scripture, the words and phrases familiar, yet the logic completely different.

The wind stopped, and the mountain birds ceased their chirping.

The entire top of the Chinese cypress tree was so quiet that you could almost hear the veins in the leaves.

After a long while, the monk in hemp robes finally spoke slowly.

The voice was extremely soft, yet each word was clear and penetrating in the mountain breeze.

"I wonder who this Layman Jiang is?"

He raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Jiang Yi's face.
"In that future time, what have you seen?"

This question came out of nowhere, without any context.

The black bear spirit felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but shrink back. His eyes darted around, but he didn't dare to interrupt.

Jiang Yi, however, remained calm.

The bamboo basket in his hand was as steady as a rock, and not even his fingertips trembled.

"The old immortal is joking."

His voice was gentle, with a hint of a smile.
"The future is like clouds in the sky, rising without cause and gathering and dispersing unpredictably. Who can see it clearly?"

Those few words were half a polite reply, and half a soliloquy.

The wind blew through the mountain crevices, causing his sleeves to flutter slightly, but his expression grew even more serene.

Upon hearing this, the Zen master paused for a moment, then smiled.

"The layman may not know, but this old monk does."

After he finished speaking, he made no move.

With a soft rustling in the treetops, a blue phoenix fluttered down, its tail feathers shimmering, graceful as a dream.

It hovered in mid-air and pulled a feather from under its wing.

It was bluish-green with a hint of light, as if the light itself was breathing.

The phoenix gently placed its feathers in front of Jiang Yi, then flapped its wings and returned to its nest.

"Layman,"

The Zen master's voice remained calm.
"If you ever climb Mount Futu again in the future, or if any of your descendants wish to come, just blow this whistle, and I will greet you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mountain breeze seemed to quiet down.

Jiang Yi's thoughts raced through his mind, but he didn't show them on his face.

He didn't know what the old sage meant, but he couldn't refuse this kindness.

He then extended two fingers and gently picked up the blue feather.

Its feathers are warm and smooth, with a subtle shimmering light.

He smiled and bowed slightly, his tone calm.

"Then I'll thank you in advance, old immortal."

The Zen Master Ma Yi then stopped talking about the word "future".

He lowered his eyes, his expression indifferent, and his gaze returned to the bamboo baskets.

"With these,"

He pointed to a few restless locusts in the basket, his tone not loud, but the echo was endless.

"Perhaps this can avert this catastrophe."

Jiang Yi's heart tightened.

Although I had some suspicions, hearing him say it out loud still made my chest tremble slightly.

The black bear spirit standing to the side was stunned at first, its bear eyes wide open, and then its rough face turned red, and its breathing became heavier.

The Zen master seemed not to notice, but simply stood with his hands behind his back in the shadow of the branches, his voice as calm as ever:

"This matter will take some time. If you two do not mind the tranquility of the mountains, you may stay here for the time being."

He paused slightly at this point, then said, "This old monk is lazy and not used to traveling far. At that time, I may still need to rely on the two of you for help."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi remained expressionless and simply bowed deeply.

"For the sake of all living beings, I am willing to serve like a dog or a horse. If you, venerable immortal, have any command, I will gladly die for you."

His voice was calm and steady, without any exaggeration.

Upon seeing this, the black bear spirit hurriedly followed suit, bowing and crossing his arms over his chest. He then imitated Jiang Yi's tone and roared loudly:

"Me too!"

The mountain wind swept through the valley, making his shout echo endlessly, startling several birds in the mountains into taking flight.

(End of this chapter)