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

Chapter 229 Reflecting on the Past and Present, Heading to the Pagoda
And so, more than ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

The essence of the "Morning Sun Purple Qi Alchemy Method" was finally revealed by Jiang Yi layer by layer, and explained clearly as if it were a mirror.

The three ancestral spirit chickens were overjoyed to have received the true teachings.

From then on, every morning, it would face east and stand with its wings spread.

As dawn breaks, inhale the purest purple aura of the rising sun, nourish your spirit, and warm your body and blood.

Feathers fall like rosy clouds, their breath warm and gentle.

On this day, Jiang Yizheng stood at the entrance of the valley, watching the three spirit chickens exhale their vitality.

Suddenly, a wisp of divine thought came from afar; it was Jiang Xi's message.

Jiang Rui, summoned back by his family, finally returned to Liangjie Village.

Jiang Yi withdrew his divine sense, responded faintly, then bid farewell to the three chickens and returned home on a cloud.

Outside the courtyard gate, smoke was rising from the chimneys.

The young man had indeed arrived, alone, without any family members accompanying him.

They were in a hurry, their brows dusty from the journey, and though their steps were steady, they couldn't hide the weariness of their travels.

A large crowd gathered in front of the hall, with elders such as Liu Xiulian and Jiang Xi surrounding him, asking him all sorts of questions.

Jiang Rui also smiled, a gentle and considerate smile, and spoke appropriately.

To the ear, it sounded like a picture of filial piety and peace.

But Jiang Yi only glanced at him once, and he already knew what was going on.

Those young eyes held not the comfort of returning home, but a different kind of light.

It's like the composure before a battle, or the calculations made in the middle stages of a game of chess.

Jiang Yi was now clear-headed and had figured out seven or eight tenths of that thought in an instant.

It's likely that from the moment the child received the letter, he had already prepared his words on the way.

He traveled through wind and dust, pondering his words, thinking about how to present himself to himself, where to reason, how much to back down, and how to make his so-called "righteousness" sound flawless.

He looked at that smile, neither angry nor sighing.

The lively atmosphere in the courtyard gradually dissipated with Jiang Yi's unhurried footsteps.

The laughter continued, but the underlying confidence had waned.

Jiang Rui was still exchanging pleasantries with everyone, a smile on his lips, but his eyes had already wandered off.

He kept an eye on the door, and as soon as he heard the familiar footsteps, he immediately stopped talking, took two steps forward, and bowed with his hands clasped.

"Greetings, sir."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was deliberately kept steady.

His posture was upright, his expression calm, and also showed a degree of restraint after careful consideration.

They seem more like officials returning to their posts to seek advice in the imperial court, rather than juniors returning home after a long absence.

Jiang Yi glanced at it and simply gave a faint "hmm".

He saw through the little scheme behind that "composure," but he was too lazy to expose it.

He simply raised his hand to signal everyone to step back, and then, with Jiang Rui, slowly headed towards the ancestral hall.

A breeze stirs outside the corridor, causing the bamboo shadows to sway slightly.

The two walked one after the other, their footsteps echoing on the stone slabs.

Jiang Yi suddenly asked, "What do you think is the biggest hidden danger in the world today?"

The question came abruptly, but the tone of voice was extremely calm.

Jiang Rui had anticipated this, and almost without thinking, he answered, "Locust plague."

Although he was also dissatisfied with the officials and nobles who held their positions without doing anything, he could distinguish between primary and secondary matters and knew that the billions of locusts ravaging the world were the source of the disaster that was harming the people.

Jiang Yi turned his head and glanced at him.

After a moment, he nodded slightly and said, "It's not bad that you can still see this layer clearly."

This grandson, although influenced by some unorthodox and unorthodox practices.

But thankfully, they haven't let those vague and unrealistic principles cloud their judgment.

Upon entering the ancestral hall, the light dimmed, with only a single ever-burning lamp illuminating the memorial tablets, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Without waiting for Jiang Yi's instructions, Jiang Rui skillfully took three sticks of incense, lit them with the wick of the lamp, and respectfully bowed three times to the memorial tablet before inserting the incense into the burner.

The wisps of smoke rose straight up, circled around the beams, and slowly wove into a light mist under the eaves.

Jiang Yi stood to one side, his gaze following the wisps of smoke, but his voice remained calm:

"If there were a way to eradicate the locust plague in one fell swoop, it would require someone to make a huge sacrifice."

He paused, his tone calm, his gaze shifting from the mahjong table to his grandson's still vibrant face:
"Would you be willing to do this for someone?"

Upon hearing this, a chill instantly settled over the shrine.

Just then, the wisp of green smoke in the incense burner slowly swirled, turning into a phantom image. The phantom image gradually solidified, revealing Jiang Liang's soul.

He appeared at the perfect moment, taking in every word his father said.

Upon seeing his father's spirit appear before him, Jiang Rui bowed deeply and proclaimed, "Father."

After bowing, he straightened up, his gaze as steady as a rock, and looked back at his grandfather. His tone was no longer as immature as it had been the day before; instead, it was firm and powerful:
"Father, if such an opportunity truly exists and can save the world from its dire straits, I will not hesitate to do it!"

Jiang Yi glanced sideways at Jiang Liang, but his words were still directed at Jiang Rui:

"A while ago, I went on a long trip. By chance, I met an old immortal who lived in Wuchao."

"That deity has a special affinity with birds and is skilled in Taoist magic, specializing in subduing locusts and evil spirits. It is said that he possesses a formula to quell this calamity."

Jiang Rui's originally calm gaze suddenly brightened, and a hint of almost undisguised fervor flashed in his eyes.

Jiang Yi noticed this, but his expression remained indifferent. He merely sighed slightly and shook his head, saying:
"What a pity... that immortal was quite carefree. He preferred to cultivate in the mountains and disliked traveling far."

As soon as he finished speaking, the light in Jiang Rui's eyes dimmed, like a lamp extinguished by the wind.

Jiang Yi saw it clearly and already understood. He changed his tone slightly, and continued as if casually:

"I've only heard that the immortal has recently developed some worldly desires and wants to find a servant to attend to him in the mountains, taking care of small things like firewood and incense..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Rui stepped forward, bowed deeply, and his expression was resolute:

"Father! Your child is willing to go!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the ghostly figure under the lamp flickered slightly, like a wisp of smoke in the wind.

Jiang Liang saw through his father's thoughts, sighed, and spoke with a hint of persuasion and a touch of probing:

“Rui’er, you should think this through. Those old immortals who live in seclusion in the mountains are mostly very strange and unpredictable. If you go to serve them, you may be called servants, but in reality, you may not be able to return home for ten or even a hundred years.”

These words, though not spoken harshly, weighed heavily on my heart.

To everyone's surprise, Jiang Rui straightened his back upon hearing this, and the gleam in his eyes only intensified.

“Father, there is no need to worry,” he said calmly and firmly. “I am not afraid. If I can exchange my life for peace in the world, what does it matter if I spend my life in the mountains?”

Jiang Yi listened, simply gazing at him quietly.

After a long while, a barely perceptible look flashed across his eyes, neither pity nor joy.

He nodded slowly: "In that case, go and make some preparations. Say goodbye to your elders properly, and I will send you off in a few days."

"Yes, Grandpa."

Jiang Rui bowed again, then turned and left.

The light from the ever-burning lamp illuminated his back, making him appear tall and straight, until the ancestral hall door slowly closed, and the lamplight flickered gently.

Only Jiang Yi and that wisp of soul smoke remained in the hall.

Jiang Liang's illusory figure remained still for a moment before slowly raising his eyes to look at his father.

The lamplight flickered, and his expression revealed a complex mix of emotions—a mixture of doubt, fear, and sigh.

“Father,” he whispered, “you…thought of this all along?”

Jiang Yi simply shook his head.

"Not what I thought."

He spoke calmly, and as he spoke, he gently flipped his wrist.

A feather had appeared in his palm. The feather was as green as jade, with a faint shimmering light, and it gleamed gently in the dim lamplight.

With a slight sway, even the smoke in the hall seemed to be tinged with color.

Jiang Yi's gaze fell on the feather, his tone calm, yet carrying a hint of mystery:

“That Zen Master Wuchao has the ability to see the past and understand the present. He probably foresaw this matter as early as Mount Futu, and even to this day.”

As Jiang Liang listened, his expression grew increasingly solemn, his brows furrowed slightly, and even his spirit seemed to darken.

“If we follow Father’s advice,” he hesitated for a moment, then finally said in a low voice, “cultivating by the side of that old immortal might be a good opportunity for Rui’er.”

At this point, his expression faltered, and he sighed softly, uttering half a sentence:
"But... I have a feeling that this whole affair has been orchestrated by someone. Even we are just pawns."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi finally let out a soft sigh.

That sigh was so soft it was almost inaudible, yet it echoed far and wide in the silent ancestral hall.

"And how could I not feel the same way as you, my father?"

He put away the blue phoenix feather, put his hands behind his back, and slowly paced two steps in the hall.

Amidst the swirling smoke, his expression was solemn, and a hint of something indescribable appeared in his eyes.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

The voice was calm, yet carried a hint of suppressed helplessness:

"You've seen the situation now. Rui'er is desperately seeking food for disaster relief, but the family has already run out of food."

"But in the Taiping Road, there is grain in hand."

He paused, looked up at the lights, and the light and shadow swept across his face, revealing a hint of coldness.

"Right now, the family can still use their seniority to try and get him to change his mind."

"But if this goes on for a long time, with his family struggling to make ends meet while outsiders are generously helping him... sooner or later his heart will be drawn to the other side."

At this point, his tone shifted slightly.

"Rather than waiting for him to lose his mind, we should take this opportunity, under the guise of 'righteousness for the world,' to send him to Mount Futu. This will remove him from the turbid world and sever his connection with the Way of Peace."

As he spoke, Jiang Yi's expression softened, and his tone became warmer, almost compassionate.

"Besides, this matter may not necessarily be a bad thing."

"If he truly has that kind of comprehension, and is accepted as a disciple by the Zen master, receiving some of his true teachings... that would be a blessing for him."

Jiang Liang's illusory figure swayed slightly amidst the swirling smoke, clearly indicating that he was still unsettled.

"But..." he said softly, still hesitant, "what if Rui'er finds out the truth in the future..."

Before he finished speaking, Jiang Yi had already looked up at him.

That one glance, unhurried and indifferent, made Jiang Liang's heart clench, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

"the truth?"

Jiang Yi spoke very softly.

"Was anything I said just now false?"

His tone was calm, his expression was normal, and even his breathing remained steady.

Jiang Liang opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.

He knew, of course, that everything his father said was true.

Zen Master Wuchao was indeed a real person;

There are indeed effective methods to control locust plagues;
He truly disliked worldly troubles and was unwilling to leave the mountain gate.

only……

The most crucial link, the fact that "the secret recipe is already in hand," was easily erased by the father, and transformed into something entirely different.

Such a statement lies somewhere between truth and falsehood, without any flaws, yet seemingly concealing its sharpness.

Jiang Yi naturally knew that such a sophistical approach could not persuade the child in front of him.

But there are some things that are inconvenient to say, and cannot be said.

He couldn't very well tell his son that he already knew in advance that the Zen Master Wuchao possessed a scroll of the Heart Sutra, a supreme lineage.
If Rui'er truly possesses that comprehension, one day she might be able to gain some understanding from the Zen master.

They will understand the "good intentions" behind the family's actions today.

Jiang Yi stopped dwelling on the matter, dusted off the dust from his sleeves, and changed the subject, asking about the important matter in a casual tone:
"Has that secret recipe been delivered to the Western Sea? Has Feng'er replied?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang immediately composed himself and his voice became more serious.

"Reporting to Father, the secret recipe has been personally handed over to Feng'er by that boy Jiang Hong."

He spoke succinctly, then added, "Feng'er also sent a reply."

"He said that the ingredients in that prescription were extremely difficult to find, and many of the names were ones he had never even seen before. Even with the resources of the West Sea Dragon Palace, it would probably take a lot of effort to gather them all."

At this point, Jiang Liang paused slightly, his brow furrowing slightly, and a hint of hesitation crept into his voice:
"Feng'er also said that the formula is of extremely high quality and very profound. Even with his current level of alchemy cultivation, if all the materials are ready, it would take him years and days to repeatedly deduce and refine it before he would have a chance of successfully making the pill."

“So…” He looked up at his father, his voice even softer, “He asked me to inquire whether it is possible to ask some of the senior masters on Crane Cry Mountain for help? After all, once the elixir is completed, the calamities of the world will be resolved, and the people can be freed from their suffering as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi didn't even raise an eyebrow, only slightly gesturing with his hand.

"No."

There was no room for negotiation or compromise in his tone.

"When that old sage entrusted me with this matter, he made it clear that it could only be entrusted to someone he could trust."

He spoke slowly and calmly, but deep in his eyes, there seemed to be a layer of cold light wandering in the darkness.

"As for whether he was trying to prevent the formula from being leaked or simply didn't want to reveal his identity, that's none of our business."

Jiang Yi paused slightly, then lowered his voice, "In short, this matter must not be interfered with by outsiders."

His words were extremely clear.

Jiang Liang pondered for a moment, then understood and sighed, "I understand, I will reply to Feng'er now."

As soon as he finished speaking, his spirit faded a bit, as if it were about to dissipate.

Just as the smoke was about to dissipate, it gently condensed again. He couldn't help himself and said once more:
"father……"

His expression was hesitant, and his tone revealed a hint of unspoken concern.

“Rui’er is going to Mount Futu, and I’m afraid he won’t be back for a while. Shouldn’t we bring Han’er and Ji’er back to the village? Let them be cared for and raised at home, that would be a good thing…”

He paused slightly at this point, "It can be considered that I have not failed that lineage of incense."

That's a perfectly reasonable question.

It is only natural for a son to travel far away and for a grandchild to return to the family.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi pondered for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"No need."

His voice was flat and indifferent, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

"Their efforts in disaster relief over the years have been in vain."

He paused, then seemed to mention it casually:
“Didn’t Rui’er establish the ‘Tianshui Jiang Family’ in Tianshui? Let them go there. With his father-in-law protecting them, things shouldn’t be too bad.”

The words were spoken lightly, yet as clean and crisp as a knife cutting through water.

The ever-burning lamp in the hall flickered slightly, illuminating a layer of cold light in his eyes.

Both father and son understood that this was a clear line being drawn.

In the shadows, the Jiang family that walks the earthly path is quietly separated from the Jiang family of Liangjie Village, who lives in seclusion in the mountains and does not concern themselves with worldly affairs.

after all.

Rui'er's family has traveled with him all these years, met too many people, and been tainted by too much worldly dust. Moreover, many people know that they have had dealings with the Taiping Dao.

Jiang Liang's soul flickered slightly; though his features were faint, a hint of reluctance was clearly visible.

But in the end, he said nothing.

He understood that his father's decision to cut ties was not out of personal feelings, but solely for the long-term survival of the family business.

That lingering reluctance, though it reached the tip of my tongue, ultimately turned into a wisp of smoke, quietly dissipating under the ever-burning lamp.

(End of this chapter)