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

Chapter 230 Water Element Perfection, Peaceful Plan

To avoid any unforeseen complications, Jiang Yi woke Jiang Rui and set off the next day as soon as the sky began to lighten.

Using the same hand seals to summon clouds, the old man and the young man transformed into two wisps of light and disappeared into the thin mist of Liangjie Village.

Deep in the morning mist, the rooster's crow still echoed in the distance, the wooden gate remained unopened, and everything was as quiet as if no one had ever been there.

The journey was uneventful.

Jiang Rui had his own plans in mind, remaining calm and restrained;
Jiang Yi was too lazy to say anything more. He simply stood with his hands behind his back on the cloud, letting the wind blow into his sleeves and make his clothes flutter.

The clouds moved extremely fast; in just one day, the mountain scenery had changed.

The familiar sound of the Eagle's Sorrow Stream faintly echoed in my ears once more.

When they landed in front of the Water God Temple, Jiang Qin had already received the news and was waiting at the door.

The brothers, having been separated for a long time, naturally exchanged pleasantries upon reunion.

Jiang Qin was a steady and reliable person. He simply patted his second brother on the shoulder and asked a few questions about his recent situation.

Jiang Rui, with a respectful expression, briefly explained the reason for his trip.

Jiang Yi did not get involved.

He only escorted the person to his destination before turning around, flicking his sleeve, and leaping into the air.

With a few leaps, it crossed the rushing stream and landed on the cliff on the opposite bank.

The cliffs are smooth, and the wind is strong and clear.

He found a protruding rock to sit on and took a small flag from his sleeve.

It was about half a person's height, with a jet-black flag, without any words or patterns, just a deep, dark black.

Jiang Yi inserted the flagpole into the crevice in the stone and pressed it down gently.

The mountain wind howled, and the black flag fluttered in the wind, standing out conspicuously amidst the green hills and clear waters, like a drop of ink on a painting.

The flag was raised for no more than half a day.

Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the sky, and a sliver of dark cloud came from afar, pressing down on the mountain peaks and darkening their color.

Before long, the clouds drew near, the wind howled, and thunder lurked in the air.

A moment later, a dark shadow broke through the clouds and crashed in front of the cliff, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The clouds descended, revealing the black bear spirit.

As soon as the black bear spirit landed, he bowed respectfully, his attitude as humble as ever.

Jiang Yi simply nodded slightly, saying nothing more, and then waved to the opposite bank.

Jiang Rui understood immediately, bid farewell to his third brother, and with a few leaps, as light as a monkey, landed on this side of the cliff.

"Take it."

Jiang Yi took out the Azure Phoenix Feather from his sleeve. The feather was as white as jade, and its light shimmered slightly, as if even a gentle breeze could shatter it.

"When you reach the foot of Mount Futu, gently blow this feather, and the old immortal in the mountain will come to receive you."

His words were concise yet unquestionable.

Jiang Rui solemnly accepted it, presented it with both hands, and bowed deeply.

This bow was both an expression of gratitude and a farewell.

Jiang Yi nodded slightly, flicked his sleeves, and turned to the Black Bear Spirit.

"Good work."

His tone was flat, almost like a casual greeting.

"No, no!" The black bear spirit hurriedly waved his hands, bowed repeatedly, and said in a rough voice, "It is my honor to serve the immortal master."

Before he finished speaking, he made a hand seal and summoned clouds, a gust of wind swirled, and black energy surged.

In a short while, the dark cloud, carrying Jiang Rui, rose from the ground and gradually disappeared into the distance.

The shadow of the clouds swept across the mountain peak, turning into a faint ink mark that disappeared into the boundless sky.

Jiang Yi stood on the cliff top, hands behind his back, letting the mountain wind brush against his sleeves.

After watching the dark figure completely disappear, he turned and descended the cliff to return to the other side.

After whispering a few more words to Jiang Qin, he set off on his journey home alone.

Back in Liangjie Village, life returned to normal.

Jiang Yi continued to preach and practice, burning incense in the morning and meditating at night.

The old locust tree in the courtyard, its leaves turn green and then yellow, fall with the wind, and then grow back.

Life goes on silently, like water in a mountain spring, clear and gentle, yet never ceasing.

The locust valley outside the village has long lost its terrifying, swarming appearance it once had.

The valley floor was cleaned up so thoroughly that a breeze carried a fresh scent of grass and trees.

Thanks to this windfall, the villagers, both their chickens and their people, became richer.

The pheasants' plumage became increasingly bright and vibrant, and they looked quite majestic as they walked.

The group of teenagers from the Ancient and Modern Gang, thanks to this spiritual energy and the aroma of the meat, all became strong and robust, their blood and qi surging.

Before we knew it, we had gained several more skilled fighters.

Occasionally, when Jiang Yi sat on the edge of the field, looking at the increasingly desolate Locust Valley, a thought that didn't quite seem like that of a cultivator would pop into his mind.

If another wave of locusts were to arrive, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

The thought had barely formed when the green locust in his sleeve fluttered its wings and transmitted its thoughts:

"I'm afraid your wish, Immortal Master, will be in vain."

The voice was soft, yet carried a hint of helpless rigidity.

“Our clan came to the surface to search for the whereabouts of Jin Chanzi. Now, this area within a thousand miles has been thoroughly explored. Since there is no trace of Jin Chanzi, there is no reason for us to come back.”

His tone was flat and his words were clear and concise.

Having abandoned the idea of ​​making another fortune from the locust plague, Jiang Yi put his mind back on his business.

Honestly practicing the Qi-refining ritual remains my daily, unwavering task.

One can draw the pure energy of two incense sticks a day and refine the turbid water in the kidney palace three times a day. Over time, that effort will not be in vain.

Now, when I sit quietly and look inward, the area in my kidney palace is no longer as chaotic as it used to be.

The water was slightly clear, revealing glimpses of its underlying color, like the first inch of blue stone emerging from a muddy pool.

As his kidney essence gradually cleared, he found it increasingly easier to practice the Gui family's joint cultivation method with Liu Xiulian.

The flow of true energy is like the merging of water, the interplay of yin and yang; the subtle meaning within is beyond the comprehension of outsiders.

The world outside seems to be gradually settling down a bit.

At least, the locust plague that swept across the world was not as massive as before.

Back in Chang'an's underworld, Jiang Liang's workload had lightened somewhat.

These days, Jiang Yi often receives messages from his youngest son amidst the smoke of incense in the ancestral hall.

The most widely circulated doctrine today is naturally the Way of Peace.

Jiang Liang's voice slowly emerged from the wisp of smoke, carrying a hint of emotion and unease.

"I heard that the great teacher has come up with a strange method to use the corpses of locusts as fertilizer to promote grain growth. It may be strange, but it works."

"That year, the world was in dire straits, and starving corpses littered the land elsewhere. Only under the rule of the Way of Peace were there rice in the pots and porridge in the bowls. Once word of this goodness spread, it naturally won the hearts of the people."

Jiang Yi listened quietly without saying a word.

The incense sticks flickered, and the shadows swayed along with them.

“The eight provinces of Ji, Qing, Xu, You, Jing, Yang, Yan and Yu,” Jiang Liang continued, “almost all of them followed the Way of Peace. The number of believers was in the millions, and their influence was overwhelming.”

"Moreover, in Luoyang, from high-ranking officials to commoners, there are people who have secretly converted to Buddhism. This trend is likely to grow even stronger."

As he said this, his voice suddenly lowered a few decibels.

"Rumors have already spread among the people. It is said that some important officials in the court are secretly conspiring to follow the old precedent of the previous dynasty and request the imperial decree to officially recognize the Way of Peace as the state religion, and to establish it under the name of 'pacifying the people with the Way'."

Jiang Yi remained silent for a moment.

After a long pause, he spoke again:
"How are things going with the Li family lately?"

But as soon as the cigarette flickered, Jiang Liang's ghostly figure swayed, answering in great detail.

"Ever since the emergence of the elegant 'Master Lingsu' and the subsequent promotion by the Taoist sect, the Li family's influence in Luoyang has been changing every day."

His words carried a smile, yet also a hint of wistfulness.

"Now, not only dominating the Imperial Hospital, but also using the name of elegance, members of the family have risen to prominence. The Li family can be seen in various government offices."

At this point, Jiang Liang paused slightly, and the smoke from his cigarette swayed gently.

“Wenya is now the only one who can have any say in the Li family. She has given a death order that no one in the clan is allowed to have anything to do with the Taiping Dao.”

"With Wenxuan mediating, the Li family outwardly kept to the rules, neither currying favor with the powerful nor making enemies."

The shadowy figure flickered subtly within the cigarette smoke, as if letting out a sigh.

“It’s just that this kind of ‘out of touch with reality’ aloofness,” he said in a low voice, “is bound to make people dislike him in the current political climate.” “Although the Li family hasn’t run into any bad luck yet, they are still being hampered at every turn, and their lives are not as comfortable as before. Some people in the collateral branches of the family are restless. Seeing others climb the social ladder and rise to prominence, they naturally feel resentful.”

He paused, his tone softening slightly.
"However, with Wenya in charge, no one dared to really cause trouble. At most, they would mutter a few words behind the scenes and grumble a bit."

Jiang Yi listened quietly for a long time before finally speaking:
"Please pass on a message to Wenya for me."

"The storms in the court may seem turbulent, but they're all just illusions. Tell her not to take them too seriously. Cultivation is the foundation, worldly affairs are just dust. If you can remain untainted, then do so."

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

Some doubts naturally arose in my mind.

Back then, wasn't it Father himself who instructed us to use Wenya's identity to keep the Li family in check and prevent them from having any connection with Taiping Dao?

How come you're now uttering such detached words?
But he didn't ask the question in the end.

He simply replied "Yes," bowed, and left.

The ghostly figure flickered in the cigarette smoke for a few moments before slowly dissipating, leaving only a wisp of smoke.

Jiang Yi watched the wisp of smoke dissipate, his brows showing no emotion.
But a sense of helplessness already lingered in my heart.

Ever since that day he met Zen Master Wuchao, he knew that his worldly scheming and calculations were nothing more than a leaf obscuring his vision in the eyes of a true master, which could be seen through at a glance.

Even so, we cannot simply sit idly by and wait to be trapped because we fear the secrets of Heaven.

Ultimately, this "calculation" must be done wisely and strategically.

To outsiders, the Li family's petty struggles for fame and fortune might seem like a huge deal.

But in Jiang Yi's eyes now, these are insignificant details.

As long as Wenya can concentrate on her cultivation and maintain this level of spiritual attainment.

The turmoil in the imperial court, the rise and fall of worldly fortunes, are all but fleeting moments...

From that day on, Jiang Yi stopped thinking about it.

He was unconcerned with worldly affairs, letting them rise and fall, but he only held onto his breath, his heart devoted to a single thread.

The sun rises and sets, and the seasons change.

The old locust tree in the courtyard has blossomed twice and shed its leaves twice.

Two years have passed by quietly.

He remained as usual, sitting quietly under the peach tree.

A gentle breeze caresses the face, flower shadows sway, and even the sound of the spring water carries a sense of leisure.

More than a year ago, he had already purified the remaining water in his kidneys.

That day, there was no thunder, no lightning, and no rosy dawn.

Suddenly, I felt a lightness all over my body, as if an invisible shackle that had been shackled for many years had been removed.

As the breath flowed, the person's soul also became more clear and transparent.

When the kidney uterus is clear, the water element flows smoothly.

The clear, spring-like kidney water naturally nourishes the liver's wood element, following the principle of mutual generation among the five elements.

A new chapter of spiritual practice begins silently.

This time, refining the turbid wood in the liver was much easier than when refining water.

Firstly, Jiang Yi's cultivation has improved significantly, his spirit is calm and focused, and he can now control the true energy within his body at will.
Secondly, they also benefited from the "favorable timing and location".

The peach tree grew stronger and stronger, its leaves glossy green, and with each breath it exhaled a rich, woody aroma.

Jiang Yi sat upright under the tree, drawing qi into his body.

The pure vitality of the peach tree was like the best medicine, guiding the true energy within his body to slowly nourish his liver.

The wood energy flows and circulates, like a spring flowing into a ravine.

The turbid air melts away, like ice meeting spring.

In this advance and retreat, the agonizing, relentless effort of refining water back then was gone.

It's more like a natural progression, a result of following the natural course of events.

Jiang Yi is making steady progress, and his younger family members are also becoming more and more successful.

The eldest daughter-in-law, Jin Xiuer, has seemed docile and quiet all these years, but she has a calm and composed nature.

A few months ago, things suddenly fell into place, and in one fell swoop, I stepped into the threshold of life and death.

That day, she came to the ancestral hall to kowtow, her expression was peaceful, and she didn't say much, only saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Father."

And then there's the eldest grandson, Jiang Jun. This child has been quiet since childhood and spends most of his time guarding the back mountain.

He is only nineteen years old now, but his aura is surprisingly strong.

Occasionally, when he comes down from the mountain and stands motionless in the courtyard, it seems as if the entire world gives way to him.

In Jiang Yi's view, that solid spirit was even greater than Jin Xiuer's.

It's as if we could break through that thin layer of paper anytime, anywhere.

Yet it's as if there's something hidden in their heart, something they're deliberately suppressing, preventing themselves from achieving perfection.

Even Jiang Chao and Liu Chengming, those two kids, are quite promising.

Perhaps it was because he was nourished by the spirit chicken meat from a young age and had the guidance of a famous teacher that he was already extraordinary in spirit and energy at such a young age, and his foundation was extremely solid.

Liu Chengming, in particular, was naturally full of energy.

While others were still struggling to cultivate their bodies and absorb qi, he was able to devote most of his attention to reading and understanding principles.

Although he is only a little over ten years old, his progress is already astonishing.

Jiang Yi watched the two boys improve day by day, and although he didn't show it, he was very happy.

Occasionally, during a casual chat after a meal, I would casually mention:
"When you are both alive and well, and can ride the wind and transform into qi, you can go to Tianshui to see your sister Han."

Upon hearing this, the two children's eyes lit up.

Spiritual practice can be tedious, but once you have something to look forward to, you're like a completely different person. You never miss a morning exercise or an evening class.

As for Tianshui, in the past two years, Jiang Yi only asked the Li family to send some medicinal materials to strengthen the body and nourish the vital energy every now and then under the guise of visiting that Protector of the Qiang.

They gave very little, but were very careful not to attract attention.

Apart from that, there have been no other overt interactions.

Life in Liangjie Village was relatively peaceful.

But the world outside the village is becoming increasingly turbulent.

Rumors of earth dragons turning over circulate every now and then.

Mountains collapsed and rivers changed course, prefectures and counties were lost, and before the living could be properly buried, locusts swarmed in from all directions.

Although the locust plague was not as severe as in the past, it was still like a stubborn disease that could not be eradicated.

After a long period of chaos, people naturally seek something to rely on.

As a result, the Taiping Dao developed even more smoothly and rapidly.

From the imperial court to the countryside, from high-ranking officials to commoners, the number of believers grew, and the prestige increased.

Zhang Jiao, the great teacher, is almost considered a deity in the eyes of the people, and he has the power to command a hundred followers.

For the Taiping Dao, which is currently enjoying great momentum, the only thing that can be described as "unfavorable" recently is probably the few rumors that have been circulating among its practitioners.

I don't know where it started, but the story has become quite convincing.

It is said that in a remote place in the Western Sea, a strange person was born who possessed extraordinary abilities and could completely quell the locust plague.

It is said that the man refined a batch of pills, and as soon as the fragrance of the medicine spread, all insects fled, and the world became clear.

Some believed, some laughed, and some remained silent with their heads down.

But the news eventually spread.

Inside the Jiang Family Ancestral Hall, incense smoke curled upwards.

As the lamplight flickered, Jiang Liang's ghostly figure stood below the hall, his expression subtly tense.

"Father, the news we've spread has already reached the cultivation world. The Taiping Dao seems to be in a bit of a hurry."

He paused, his tone betraying a hint of contemplation:
"On the one hand, they used their accumulated prestige over the years to suppress the news, both openly and covertly, and denounced it as gossip and misleading the public."

"On the other hand, they are secretly mobilizing manpower, making quite a commotion. But for now, we still don't know what they're up to."

After hearing this, Jiang Yi simply leaned back in his chair quietly, but his eyes seemed unfocused.

He knew better than anyone what the Taiping Dao was doing.

In my past life, the Yellow Turban Rebellion that swept across the land was forced to begin ahead of schedule due to various reasons.

The hasty deployment of troops and insufficient preparation may also be one of the reasons for the ultimate failure.

But Jiang Yi had never thought of that.

The trigger that forced them to act hastily was actually related to the batch of pills their grandson was refining in the Western Sea.

(End of this chapter)