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

Chapter 237: Heaven Burns and Refines Fire, Jiang Feng Mingshen

Jiang Yi's gaze slowly fell on Jin Xiuer:
"Where to go?"

Upon hearing this, Kim Soo-ah also stood up.

She performed the curtsy with perfect composure, her expression both respectful and resolute, her voice clear and resonant, carrying an air of unquestionable authority:
"I'm thinking of going to Dongsheng Shenzhou, to Aolai Kingdom, to find Amin."

"Eastern Continent of Divine Victory?"

Jiang Yi was slightly taken aback.

Even though he had weathered many storms, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when he heard those four words.

"Will you know about this tomorrow? It's a long journey, the road is uncertain, do you know the direction?"

Kim Soo-ah simply smiled faintly.

"Father, do you still remember the letter that Amin sent home through someone a few years ago?"

“The letter already indicated the location. He said at the time that once I had achieved some success in my cultivation, I could follow the directions in the letter to find him.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's expression softened slightly.

He remembered that when the Dongsheng Shenzhou delegation passed through that year, Jiang Ming did indeed send back two letters through someone.

A letter to the whole family, just a few words of peace and quiet, with a few details of what I've seen and heard outside.

The other letter, however, was reserved solely for Kim Soo-ah.

It seems this matter was buried in those private conversations.

He didn't ask any further questions.

Since it was the eldest son's arrangement, there must be his reasons.

Although Jiang Yi felt a little worried, he could only sigh.

He took out several talismans from the pot-shaped container, and also picked out two protective items that the Gui family relatives had given him when he got married, and handed them over together.

"The journey is long," he said, his tone indifferent.
"Stability should be the priority in all things."

Since they were all family, Jin Xiuer didn't bother with formalities.

She carefully put away the talismans and ritual implements, and then solemnly instructed her father and mother to take good care of Jun'er.

That night, Liu Xiulian was busy non-stop.

The courtyard was dimly lit, with shadows flickering. From newly made clothes for all four seasons to soft, air-dried quilts, and even the eggs and fruits laid by the spirit chickens, everything was gathered up in one go.

By the time the rooster crowed, the pile had already formed a small mountain.

She stuffed the items into Jin Xiuer's hands one by one, muttering, "Although Aolai Kingdom is nice, it is still a foreign land. You should bring some of the taste of home with you."

They urged her to collect everything into the pot, fearing that not a single one would be left out.

Jiang Yi saw this and thought to himself, "Huaguo Mountain is a blessed land, how could it lack such mundane food?"

Seeing his wife's worries hidden beneath her busy schedule, and feeling a pang of pity, he simply stood silently under the eaves with his hands behind his back, saying nothing.

It wasn't until dawn the next day.

Jin Xiuer then tidied her clothes, bid farewell to the family, and without lingering, gave a graceful bow in the courtyard.

A moment later, auspicious clouds rolled in, and her figure soared into the air.

The rosy glow swept across the rooftops, and with a sway of her green skirt, she was reduced to a sliver of light against the sky, gradually fading into the distance.

After the eldest daughter-in-law left, the courtyard was quiet for a while.

Jiang Yi stood in front of the door for a long time without saying a word before finally walking towards the ancestral hall.

I was thinking of going to check on those little ones and see how they fared through the night.

Fang Yi went around to the back of the shrine and stepped into the formation. The scene before him made him nod slightly.

In just one night, the framework of the house was almost completely erected.

Forty or fifty spirit chickens were lined up at different heights, their golden feathers shimmering, their red plumage like fire, and their blue feathers turning into smoke.

Having attained mastery, they became strong and vigorous, each one comparable to a skilled martial artist.

Moreover, he was agile and could fly and leap, passing wood and stones with ease as he soared up and down, even more nimble than those capable young men from the Ancient and Modern Gang.

With a slight thought, Jiang Yi clearly visualized the entire newly built building in his mind.

It was a round building, neither too big nor too small, perfectly positioned with the light wall of the fire-gathering array as the boundary, completely protecting the burial mound in the middle.

Layer upon layer, like the spiral pattern of a millstone, from the inside out, circle after circle.

The innermost floor, the smallest in size, is divided into only four quiet rooms. The atmosphere there is the most intense, and you can almost smell the faint aroma of burning in the air.

The further out you go, the more cubicles there are, but the atmosphere gradually becomes more peaceful. The fire element becomes thinner, which also brings a sense of stability.

Jiang Yi looked at the arrangement and was quite satisfied.

This place looks just like a training room, with rules and regulations, and within those rules lies the skill and technique.

After a moment's thought, he suddenly felt a surge of interest.

He turned and left the formation, walked towards the edge of the herb field, and found an old tree that was so big it took two people to hug it.

With fingers folded like a knife, a light stroke is made.

With a muffled thud, the tree trunk didn't break; instead, it exploded from the inside, turning into a shower of wood chips.

After the sawdust settled, dozens of identical wooden plaques were neatly stacked on the ground, square in shape, as if they had been prepared in advance for this event.

Jiang Yixin stepped forward and pointed his finger in the air.

Black and white energies intertwine at the fingertips, like ink and smoke, condensing and not dispersing.

He used it as a pen to carve inscriptions on the wooden plaques one by one.

The brushstrokes flow like clouds, and the characters resemble dragons.

The four innermost rooms are inscribed with "Tian Yi", "Tian Er", "Tian San", and "Tian Si".

Further outwards, they are engraved with "Earth One", "Earth Two", and so on...

"Xuan Yi", "Xuan Er"...

"Huang Yi", "Huang Er"...

As he finished the last stroke, he flicked his sleeve, and the wooden plaques flew up one after another, landing on the door frame with a sharp crack, embedded in the wood perfectly.

From a distance, the wooden signs form a circle, their black and white hues subtly complementing each other, the firelight reflecting off the characters, making them appear and disappear.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze slowly sweeping over the new house, a smile playing on his lips.

Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Yellow – four levels and four realms – this is what a training room should look like!

After finishing his work, Jiang Yi patted the sawdust off his hands, took two steps back, and stood with his hands behind his back.

As dawn broke, the fire pit glowed faintly with red light. The newly erected eaves, the scent of wood and the warmth of the fire created a sense of novelty.

He looked at the layout he had created and felt quite pleased with himself.

The sacred spring and the immortal peach tree behind my house are both of great significance and should not be easily set foot in by others.

The kitchen, however, was much cleaner.

However, having benefited from the residual heat of the mountain god's remains, the essence is clear and it doesn't bother anyone.

After Gu Jin helps those kids hone their skills for a few more years and they develop some real abilities, we can let them come here to borrow fire for cultivation.

It was a matter of chance, and also a matter of family tradition.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yi suddenly had some other thoughts.

Thinking about it, perhaps we should let Jin'er and the others consider establishing a "merit book" or "contribution level" system within the gang.

Disciples earn rewards through their labor; there are miraculous medicines to seek and places to cultivate to enter.
This way, we can avoid people spending all day talking about principles without putting in the effort.

Thinking this, Jiang Yi couldn't help but smirk slightly.

He then casually picked out the largest piece of wood from the remaining timber.

With a flick of the wrist, the wood grain split open, and in a few breaths, it became a heavy plaque.

With a flick of his fingertips, black and white energy flowed like silk, and he wrote two large characters with a flourish.

"Heavenly Fire..."

The characters were initially sharp and imposing, exuding a domineering aura.

But as soon as he put pen to paper, the image of Zen Master Wuchao suddenly flashed through his mind.

The old monk, dressed in a simple gray robe, smiled as he held a flower, yet his eyes seemed to reflect countless ages and eons.

Jiang Yi felt a chill run down his spine, thinking to himself that this name was too overpowering and might offend the will of Heaven.

With a flick of his finger, the two characters vanished like ripples on water, and the wooden plaque returned to its pristine state. After a moment of silence, he smiled faintly, gathered his energy again, and re-engraved three simple, large characters:
"Fire Refining Room".

The brushstrokes are steady and unassuming, yet they exude a sense of tranquility.

After writing it, he raised his hand and tossed it, and the wooden plaque soared into the air.

With a "snap," it hung steadily on the main entrance of the round house.

After finishing all that work, Jiang Chao and Liu Chengming, the two little ones, were already waiting at the entrance of the ancestral hall with Jiang Jin.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the copper bells under the eaves tinkled in the wind. A few rays of light slanted onto the stone steps, making the still-childish figures appear even more solemn.

Now, Zhao Qiqi and Jiang Han have both gone to Tianshui, Jin Xiuer has achieved success and moved far away to Aolai, and Jiang Liang holds an important position in Chang'an, with incense burning around him every day.

Thus, the morning lessons at the Jiang family ancestral hall were left to Jiang Jin and the two little ones.

Although there were fewer people, Jiang Yi did not relax his efforts in the slightest.

On the contrary, because of the small number of people, the management became even stricter.

There was no other reason than that the two children went to extremes.

Liu Chengming was born with a robust physique and abundant energy, his foundation was so solid it was astonishing.

With such talent, there's no need to put too much effort into physical training.

As long as one reads a lot, has a clear mind, and a pure spirit, one can naturally pass through the three gates, transform qi into spirit, and follow the path of "great virtue carries all things".

Jiang Chao, on the other hand, did the exact opposite.

That child was born with a clear and pure soul, and his three souls and seven spirits were concentrated and did not disperse, which was a rare "divine gift".

Such innate qualities lie not in the body but in the spirit. One must cultivate one's mind and consciousness early on, refine one's spiritual awareness, and polish one's spiritual platform in order to gradually reveal this innate talent.

Therefore, in one corner of this ancestral hall, one can often see an old man and two children, one still and one moving.

Jiang Chao sat on the futon, closed his eyes and concentrated, surrounded by a faint light.
Liu Chengming, meanwhile, was copying scriptures at his desk, reciting them softly with steady breathing.

Jiang Yi stood with his hands behind his back by the window, his gaze gentle and his expression calm.

For him now, preaching and discussing doctrines is no longer a burden, but rather a pleasure.

Watching the incense of his own lineage gradually take root and sprout in the two little ones, the peace of mind he felt was even more comforting than gaining a new level of cultivation.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

After class, Liu Chengming, clutching the scriptures, hurried off to the village school.

His parents now go to the Gujinbang school every few days to talk about the scriptures.

Even the Liu family, the head of the manor, would occasionally go and listen in.

This kid can't escape, of course.

Jiang Jin went to the training ground to handle miscellaneous affairs of the gang and make arrangements for the disciples.

The courtyard gradually quieted down, with only the morning breeze gently rustling the bamboo shadows.

Jiang Yi then withdrew his gaze, called out "Chao'er," and led the child around the ancestral hall, heading towards the back mountain.

Those clever chickens were really quite efficient at their work.

This fire-making room is not intended for human habitation; it doesn't need elaborate carvings or painted beams, only a sturdy and reliable structure.

In just one day, the basic structure was formed, the walls were solid, and it already looked quite impressive.

Jiang Yi looked at the rows of wooden doors and the circular roof, and nodded to himself.

After achieving success, he did not forget to reward his meritorious officials.

They immediately distributed several bottles of the finest spiritual medicine to the three patriarchs, sending the chickens back to their respective forests to cultivate.

In a short while, the sky behind the courtyard flashed, and colorful "clouds" rose up and flew away.

The rooster's crow faded into the distance, and the world returned to silence.

Jiang Yi led Jiang Chao through the invisible shielding array and into the fire-refining room.

The heat inside the house, having been brewing for a day, was no longer comparable to yesterday's.

The heatwave rolled like a tide, and the air seemed to be slightly distorted by the heat. Fire spirits flickered and wandered in the void, like a group of small red snakes.

If an ordinary person were to step into this place, they would probably not last even half a moment before their internal organs would be burning and their blood would run wild.

But as soon as Jiang Chaofang entered, his small face showed no fear at all, but instead a pleasant smile, like a fish returning to a clear spring.

Jiang Yi saw this and felt gratified, but dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

This child possesses extraordinary spiritual qualities and exceptional talent, yet his physical body remains ordinary. He is most vulnerable to excessive fire element, which could damage his foundation.

He led his great-grandson straight to the innermost room, "Tianyi".

As soon as you push open the door, an even more intense heat wave hits you, almost scorching your skin.

The room was filled with the smell of fire, and even the stone walls were glowing red, as if iron was being smelted in a furnace.

Jiang Yi stood at the door, his sleeves fluttering slightly, and with a flick of his wrist, he blocked the wave of fire in front of him.

He turned his head and asked gently, "Chao'er, can you still hold on?"

The little guy tilted his head back, his forehead slightly damp from the steam, but he still smiled broadly:

"It's so comfortable, great-grandfather. It's warm and cozy, like basking in the sun."

Jiang Yi's gaze sharpened.

Although the smile was sweet, a few strands of baby hair on her forehead had been slightly curled by the heat.

The redness on her face didn't seem like she was full of blood; it was more like the flush of heat.

He felt a chill run down his spine, realizing something was wrong.

This is precisely a sign that the spirit has gone first, while the physical body has not yet arrived.

That little fellow's soul was exceptionally sharp, and he craved the fire element as if it were sweet dew;

However, being of mortal constitution and lacking physical refinement, one can only struggle to maintain the physical condition.

When the body and soul are out of sync, a sudden tension or relaxation leads to a business trip.

Jiang Yi slightly raised his palm from his sleeve, his five fingers secretly forming a hand seal. A wisp of yin and yang energy flowed from his palm, using the energy to protect the soul and stabilize the fiery current within the child's body.

This protective layer is just right.

It can both shield him from seven-tenths of the scorching heat and prevent the fire element from entering his body.

His anger subsided somewhat, the flush on Jiang Chao's face gradually faded, his breathing became even, but his soul still gently undulated in the firelight, like a spiritual leaf floating on a flowing spring.

Seeing this, Jiang Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He then let the little guy sit down right under his nose and said no more.

The grandfather and grandson, amidst the raging fire, each sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state.

Outside, the wind howled fiercely, but inside, it was so quiet that only the sound of a beating heart could be heard.

The days that followed flowed slowly by in the firelight and in peace of mind.

Every day, Jiang Yi used the pure fire energy in the fire-refining room to steadily refine the wisp of turbid flame in his heart.

When fire enters the body, the spirit is refined accordingly.

Like an ancient mirror covered in dust, it is wiped clean inch by inch;

Day after day, my divine light shines brighter, and my mind becomes calmer.

Meanwhile, good news from outside also arrived one after another, carried by the autumn wind.

First it was his eldest grandson, Jiang Feng.

Having returned to Heming Mountain for only a few months, he had already "borrowed talismans to enlighten the gods" and attained both physical and spiritual perfection.

When this news came, Jiang Yi showed no surprise, but he felt quite pleased.

That child's foundation was solid, and his Daoist mind was clear.

Unfortunately, he was neglected by his sect back then, his lineage was broken, and he had no talisman to rely on, which is why he was stuck at the bottleneck.

Now that he has returned to the mountains after achieving his goal, he not only regained the name personally passed down by the Celestial Master, but also had a temple built for his meritorious service in eliminating locusts. The incense and the power of his vows nourish him every day, and his spirit is in perfect harmony.

This breakthrough was simply a natural progression.

With favorable timing, advantageous location, and popular support, its foundation is as solid as a rock.

Just as the family was celebrating Jiang Feng's success, good news also came from across Eagle Sorrow Gorge.

At the age of thirty-two, Jiang Qin had also achieved perfect enlightenment, possessing both life and health, and had transcended the mortal realm.

(End of this chapter)