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

Chapter 228 Returning to the Village, the Spirit Chicken Discusses the Dao

The clouds came heavy and gloomy, but left much lighter and more cheerful.

It seems that the black bear, having received some relief and been relieved of its burden, was eager to return home.

In less than half a day, the familiar sound of water from Eagle's Sorrow Stream could be heard again, booming loudly.

The clouds slowly descended, their breath as still as a whisper.

"Immortal Master, are you really not going to accept my help?"

The black bear spirit was still reluctant to part, his tone tinged with hesitation.

Jiang Yi simply smiled faintly, shook his head, and gently picked up the quiet green locust from his shoulder, tucking it into his sleeve.

Seeing this, the black bear spirit understood and said no more.

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying in a gruff voice, "I'm very grateful for your help on this trip, Immortal Master. If you ever need my help in the future, just set up a black flag by this stream, and Old Black will come immediately when he sees it."

Before he could finish speaking, the dark clouds changed direction, swirled around, and disappeared into the distant mountains in an instant.

Jiang Yi looked at the dark figure, nodded slightly, and then leaped across the ravine.

The sound of water remains the same, and the temple is still the same temple.

The ash from incense had accumulated thicker under the eaves, and a familiar memorial tablet was placed on the shrine.

Jiang Yi quietly took two sticks of sandalwood incense, lit them with the faint flame of the ever-burning lamp, and inserted them into the burner.

Smoke curled upwards, and a faint shadow emerged from it.

Gradually taking shape, it was Jiang Liang.

"Father, you're back."

Jiang Liang spoke, his voice carrying a hint of relief after a long wait.

"Was the trip successful? Did you manage to see that old immortal?"

Jiang Yi did not answer immediately, but simply nodded slightly.

With a flick of his sleeve, he took out the light, feather-like yellow paper and laid it flat on the old wooden table in front of the shrine.

The smoke of sandalwood lingered around the edge of the paper, and the vermilion characters shimmered faintly.

"You must set off immediately," Jiang Yi said, his voice low but carrying weight. "Send this prescription to the Western Sea and give it to Feng'er. Tell him to collect all the materials as soon as possible and refine them into pills."

Jiang Liang responded and stepped forward to take it.

Looking down, I saw that the yellow paper was covered with red ink, neither a scripture nor a picture, and there was not a single clue.

He hesitated for a moment, then casually asked:
"What kind of prescription is this? Could it be a magical technique bestowed by that old immortal?"

Jiang Yi remained calm, seemingly ignoring the question, and continued:
"While Feng'er is refining pills, don't be idle. Send a message to the Li family and the Western Sea..."

He paused, then looked up at the swirling smoke.

"Spread the word throughout the heavens and the earth."

"Tell them that a method to eradicate the locusts is in the works. Tell all the troops to relax."

Upon hearing this, the incense in the hall seemed to pause for a moment.

Jiang Liang's previously stable soul shadow suddenly flickered, like a lamp flame being blown by the wind.

He looked up at his resolute-looking father, then looked down at the yellow paper in his hand.
His voice held an barely suppressed shock:

"Father, do you mean... this prescription is the way to quell the locust plague across the land?"

Jiang Yi then raised his eyes and slowly nodded.

That one point was as heavy as a mountain.

Jiang Liang felt his fingertips burning.

That thin sheet of yellow paper, in his palm at that moment, seemed to have a thousand layers of burning embers dancing within it.

He dared not hold it with just two fingers any longer, and hurriedly used both hands to support it, even his breathing became lighter.

He immediately took out the brocade box, carefully put it away, and solemnly closed the lid before letting out a long sigh of relief.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yi's expression also became serious.

“That concludes the official business,” he said, his tone calm yet with a hint of change, “Now it’s time to talk about family matters.”

His gaze returned to that wisp of an illusory figure, and he slowly spoke:
"Has Rui'er been behaving himself these days? Has he still been in contact with the Taiping Dao...?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Liang's soul shadow paused slightly.

The lamplight seemed to tremble slightly, and his voice became hesitant:

"This one……"

Seeing his hesitant manner, Jiang Yi's expression gradually darkened.

The temple was already quiet, but now you could hear a pin drop.

His face darkened, and the swirling cigarette seemed to dare not move, hanging straight in mid-air.

A sense of gloom and oppression filled the air, like an impending mountain rain, with branches drooping before the wind even rises.

Under that intense gaze, Jiang Liang felt his soul tremble slightly, and quickly whispered:

"Father, don't worry. Rui'er is quite obedient. Heeding the advice from home, he returned to Liangqiang and never contacted the Taiping Dao again."

He paused again after saying that.

Jiang Yi's expression remained unchanged, but there was a silent chill in his eyes, as if urging him to continue.

"But..." Jiang Liang continued awkwardly.
"After Rui'er returned, he remained the same as always, wholeheartedly devoted to disaster relief. However, in this world, disasters have struck year after year, granaries are empty, and people have no food. Even mountains of silver cannot buy a single bushel of grain. Just when he was at his wit's end, who would have thought..."

He held his breath in his throat, hesitated for a long time, and finally, with no way to avoid it, he spat it out with a bitter smile:

"Who would have thought that Zhang Bao of the Taiping Dao would actually travel a long distance to transport a batch of grain for him."

Upon hearing this, a slight ripple appeared in Jiang Yi's eyes.

A single meeting, yet sharing similar interests, is enough for them to send grain a thousand miles away without asking for anything in return.

The Zhang brothers... are truly extraordinary.

Such a gesture, such a magnanimous spirit, would surely have moved me deeply even if I were young.

Unfortunately……

Different paths lead to different realms, and different hearts exist in different worlds.

Despite my admiration, we are ultimately not on the same path.

His mind raced, but his expression remained calm and composed.

"Tell him to return to Liangjie Village as soon as possible," Jiang Yi said calmly.

Jiang Liang's heart skipped a beat, and even his soul seemed to sway slightly. He opened his mouth to persuade him, but Jiang Yi raised his hand and pressed him down.

That press was extremely light, yet it felt like a thousand pounds pressing down, silencing all the words that were left unsaid.

"Don't worry," Jiang Yi said calmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"I have my own sense of proportion."

He paused for a moment, then slowly raised his eyes, looking through the thin smoke from the temple roof towards Liangqiang, a thousand miles away.

"Isn't he advocating for righteousness for the world?"

"I will then give him a sense of righteousness for the world."

The shadowy figure under the lamp flickered slightly, and as the light and shadow shifted, Jiang Liang's expression also became somewhat indifferent.

Looking into his father's calm, deep eyes, he felt a little uneasy, but he also understood that once those words were spoken, fate was sealed.

He simply responded with a soft "yes," his voice so soft it was as if he were afraid of startling someone.

Before the words were finished, the ghostly figure flickered like a candle flame in the wind, vanishing into thin air.

Jiang Yi watched the wisp of smoke quietly, his gaze unwavering, without a trace of sorrow.

Only after the last faint shadow had dissipated did I turn around and go to the Lishe Temple.

In front of the ancestral hall, Old Gui was yawning as he came out. When he saw him, he smiled and invited him in to sit down and have a cup of tea.

Jiang Yi simply cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said succinctly, "I still have matters to attend to at home."

The tone was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it rendered the speaker speechless.

He went around the back of the ancestral hall to the open space and called out Jiang Chao.

As always, with a wave of his hand, a cloud glides in from the horizon, as white as snow.

The grandfather and grandson ascended side by side, and as the clouds gently swirled, they headed back towards Liangjie Village.

The clouds move like the wind, and the sound of the wind is in our ears.

The light of day shifted several times, and the mountain scenery gradually became familiar.

Two days later, the familiar outline of the village appeared in the distant wisps of smoke.

The clouds gently descended, and the earth's energy welcomed them.

The old locust tree at the village entrance remains, its branches and leaves lush, and the sound of cicadas can be heard faintly.

The moment Jiang Yi's toes touched the ground, Jiang Chao landed first. The boy came alive the instant his feet touched the earth, disappearing in the blink of an eye like a runaway horse.

Clutching a few bright stones he had picked up from Yingchou Ravine, he beamed with delight and headed straight for the east end of the village to find his playmates. His laughter preceded his arrival.

Jiang Yi watched the small figure run away in a flash, a half-smile playing on his lips.

The kid is naturally carefree, which is good.

He ignored it, flicked his sleeves, and with a swift movement, transformed into a faint shadow, leaving no trace as he headed straight for Locust Valley.

After more than half a month away, the scene in the valley became increasingly desolate.

The wind was dry and cold, and the stone leaves were all yellow. The annoying rustling sound of the past had faded to the point of being almost inaudible.

Even that fishy, ​​sweet, restless feeling was swept away by the autumn chill.

Jiang Yi stood at the entrance of the valley, his gaze calm, but his divine sense had already quietly spread out.

Invisible and traceless, like an extremely fine and dense net hanging down from the mountain peak, covering the entire valley.

The wind rustles the grass, the locusts flutter their wings, and nothing escapes the thought of his.

A short while later, he slightly raised his fingertip and gently hooked it.

Several wisps of energy shot out swiftly, entering the valley silently.

Immediately afterwards, several muffled soft sounds came from deep within the mountain.

Those few most powerful demonic locusts didn't even have time to struggle before being killed on the spot by that invisible force.

The valley fell silent for a moment.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, carefully assessing the remaining traces of the enemy.

After a moment's thought, he nodded and withdrew his divine sense like a receding tide.

He looked up at the sky, exhaled slightly, and a clear, melodious cry escaped from his throat.

The sound wasn't very loud, yet it pierced straight through the clouds.

In an instant, the shadows in the valley swayed, and three beams of light rose from different directions, sweeping through the air.

Crimson feathers like fire, golden plumes dazzling, and blue feathers like smoke.

Three figures landed, their feathers swirling, their auras imposing.

It was the spirit rooster ancestor of the Red, Gold, and Green clans.

These three fed on locusts every day, and their feathers became increasingly bright and vibrant, their yang energy so strong it was almost overwhelming.

Standing there in the valley wind, the air was filled with a menacing aura; even the tigers in the mountains would give way.

"I've met the head of the family."

The three patriarchs bowed down in unison, their feathers trembling slightly, and the wind whistled through them.

Jiang Yi merely nodded slightly, his expression indifferent, his gaze sweeping over the three birds, his voice flat:
"The locust infestation in the valley has almost completely subsided. You no longer need to guard this place every day."

He paused briefly, a subtle softening in his tone:
“Starting tomorrow, we will rotate every three days. The other two can go back to the back of the courtyard to study on their own.”

Upon hearing this, the three patriarchs' eyes lit up, and they all agreed in unison.

These past few years, I've braved wind and miasma, guarding this lifeless valley. Now that I can finally breathe again, I'm naturally overjoyed.

Jiang Yi saw this and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

After the chorus of "Thank you, Patriarch" gradually subsided, he composed himself and slowly spoke:
"Over the years, you have guarded this place and made invaluable contributions."

His voice was calm, seemingly casual, but it actually contained a hint of approval.

"Those who have made contributions should be rewarded."

The three birds exchanged a glance, a hint of excitement flashing in their eyes.

The golden feather trembled slightly, the green feather whistled softly, and the red feather couldn't help but take half a step forward.

Jiang Yi looked at him, and without keeping him in suspense, simply said:
"During my trip, by a stroke of luck, I encountered the sacred spirits of the Feather Clan, the Azure Phoenix and the Colorful Phoenix."

His voice was neither hurried nor slow, and with each word he uttered, the three birds' breathing became heavier.

"I obtained an ancient manual from the two of them."

"It is called the 'Method of Refining Elixir with the Purple Qi of the Rising Sun'."

He paused for a moment, then slightly raised his fingertip and made a sweeping motion in the air, from which a pale purple light flowed out.

Amidst the rosy glow, the shadows of phoenixes danced, and the cries of phoenixes were faint and indistinct.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back and continued calmly:
"This method does not rely on external objects, but only on cultivating oneself. When cultivated to the extreme, it can cause life and nature to merge, bloodline to transform, and one to break free from the mortal realm."

These few words were spoken with a nonchalant air.

But to the three spirit rooster ancestors, it was like a thunderclap from the heavens, shaking the souls of the three birds.

The phrase "bloodline cage" may seem like a fantastical tale to ordinary people, but to them, it represents a shackle written into their very being.

Born with wings, yet unable to soar; having cultivated to the utmost, yet still confined within their feathers.

It's a lock born from the bones, a wall destined by fate; even a thousand years of arduous cultivation cannot cross it by an inch.

Now, some people say that it is possible to "break free from the mortal world and escape from the mundane world, how can it not turn their hearts upside down?"
The Crimson-Crowned Ancestor, with his fiery temper, immediately murmured in a low voice, "Shedding the feathers and transforming into the mortal realm..."

Two bright lights ignited in the chicken's eyes, crackling and popping, and even the feathers on its body trembled slightly.

The Golden Feather Ancestor was even more unruly, his wings taut, his throat making a "clucking" sound, so excited he almost jumped up.

However, the old ancestor Qingyu was more composed. After a moment of stunned silence, he finally took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the fire in his heart.

It stepped forward, suddenly bent down, braced its wings on the ground, and kowtowed deeply into the dust, raising a cloud of dust from its feathers.

"The patriarch's kindness is something I, Qingyu, could never repay even with my life!"

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried a resolute determination, like that of a knife or axe.

"From this day forward, the Qingyu clan is willing to serve the patriarch, even unto death!"

Before the words were finished, the other two chickens seemed to be awakened by something, and they knelt down in unison, their chests on the ground and their beaks tapping against the rocks.

The oath resounded through the valley, and even the remaining locusts seemed too frightened to move.

Suddenly, the once lifeless Locust Valley took on a solemn air.

For the next few days, Jiang Yi's days were indeed quite peaceful.

He went home briefly to let everyone know he was safe, and then turned back into Locust Valley.

The valley is still, and the grass rustles softly.

Jiang Yi did not set up an altar, nor did he set up an incense table, nor did he use bells, chimes, or chant incantations. Only a ray of morning sun fell obliquely on his shoulder.

The three spirit rooster ancestors knelt respectfully at the lower position.

They stood in neat rows, one on the left, one on the right, and one in the center, even their breathing was carefully controlled.

I was afraid of missing a single sentence and ruining the outcome.

Jiang Yi explained it in great detail.

He practically broke down the book "The Method of Alchemy with the Purple Qi of the Rising Sun" into powder to teach it.

He chewed over each sentence, analyzed each layer, and even carefully discerned the rhythm of breathing and the rise and fall of the pulse.

He then shared with them all the insights he had gained from his conversation with the Azure Phoenix and Colorful Phoenix on Mount Futu that day.

How to capture that purest wisp of purple aura at the first sunrise?
And how to draw qi into the body and refine the inner elixir at the point where all the meridians converge, below the crop.

The dangers, key points, and even possible deviations are all explained clearly.

The three birds listened with rapt attention, their feathers trembling slightly.

Occasionally, someone would ask, "Can this method be passed on to future generations of the clan?"

Jiang Yi simply smiled and said, "Now that this method has been taught, you can decide what to do next."

The three spirit birds were not the only ones who benefited from the teachings these past few days.

Jiang Yi himself seemed to have gone through an even bigger circle between speaking and listening.

This alchemy method, designed specifically for birds, was dissected and repeatedly deduced by him.

Many of the key points that were originally obscure and difficult to understand in the "Training Bird Method" suddenly became clearer during the explanation.

Those principles that I thought I had already understood, when revisited now, seem to sprout new branches, giving rise to several different layers of charm.

The so-called discussion of scriptures and doctrines is not merely "one person teaching and another receiving the teachings".

The interaction between giving and receiving is itself a higher form of spiritual practice.

Every word and every insight is a lesson to be learned; every gain and every loss is an opportunity.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yi couldn't help but smile to himself.

No wonder all the enlightened beings in the heavens always love to hold grand Dharma assemblies and invite immortals to discuss alchemical texts.

While it may seem like they are promoting morality and helping others, they may actually be using the light of the masses' thoughts to illuminate their own shortcomings.

(End of this chapter)