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

Chapter 64 The Qi is Sufficient
Time flies, and several months have passed. Autumn is in full swing, a time when the wind blows and leaves fall.

Jiang Ming, the eldest son of the Jiang family, had quietly turned twelve years old.

He had grown taller, and standing next to his father, his shadow was already up to his shoulders.

Upon closer inspection, his throat appeared slightly swollen, and his voice was lower than in previous years.

According to the village custom, at the age of twelve, one should no longer be spending time in a private school.

For ordinary people, knowing a few words and understanding basic principles of conduct is enough.

From this point on, they should carry hoes and baskets, and follow their parents to the fields, up the mountains, to feed pigs, and chop firewood.

If they were lucky enough to have a few bushels of grain stored up at home, enough to support them, they would send them to the county to attend a proper school and try their luck in the future.

But Jiang Ming, by chance, remained at the village school.

After his daily morning exercise, he would immerse himself in books, never putting them down.

Although the private school was dilapidated, it still had a strong scholarly atmosphere. He stayed there not to seek fame or fortune, but rather to find some peace and quiet.

Master Cen had taught him earnestly before, but after he figured out the tricks of the trade, he waved his hand and said frankly, "I can no longer guide you."

Several times they tried to persuade him to leave the mountains and go to the county to study, but seeing that he remained unmoved, they gave up.

After that, they simply stopped accepting even the Jiang family's food rations.

He was only allowed to look after some new children in his spare time, teaching them how to write characters and pronounce words, which was considered half the role of a tutor.

Jiang Ming, on the other hand, was quite happy to be at ease.

The title of "half a tutor" immediately gave him a legitimate basis for confidence.

He incorporated all the new little kids into his ancient and modern gang.

Fruits are collected on odd-numbered days, and snacks are collected on even-numbered days.

Once you join the gang, you'll naturally learn the rules.

Once you've paid your monthly dues, the headmaster will teach you a horse stance.

If one can continue this practice month after month for three years without interruption, then the Dharma protector will personally teach one style of boxing.

Further up the ranks, those who pay more and more can be recommended as hall masters or protectors, and have the opportunity to receive personal guidance from the gang leader.

These rules were so well-organized, one set after another, that even Master Cen secretly shook his head upon seeing them.

The children, however, were quite happy with their offerings, one after another.

Over time, someone wrote four characters on the outer wall of the academy:
"Ancient and modern methods of assistance".

The characters are crooked and the ink is light, yet they possess a certain imposing presence.

My little girl is six and a half years old and just lost her first tooth last month.

He smiled, revealing a small, dark gap, his smile silly, with a hint of smugness at the corners of his mouth.

Since the Jiang family planted that half-acre of Illusionary Yin Grass on their land, although they are not yet rolling in money, their lives have become much more comfortable.

The superior medicinal baths and medicinal meals at Li Langzhong's pharmacy have now become a regular occurrence, and the family's complexion is improving day by day.

Jiang Yi secretly struggled in his heart, hoping to soon have enough energy to take over the job of looking after the fruit seedlings so that his eldest son could concentrate on his studies and no longer be distracted.

If one could take it a step further and reach the realm of perfection, then one could not only manage fruit trees, but also personally cultivate some rare medicinal herbs.

At noon that day, the Jiang family sat around the table for lunch.

Jiang Xi couldn't sit still any longer. She picked up a bone with meat on it with her chopsticks and used it to tease the hunting dog that was dozing under the eaves.

From the day they met, the little girl took a liking to the dog, running around almost every three days and staying for a long time every five days, always going to Liu's village.

The young man from the Liu family originally intended to explore the mysteries of the back mountain with the dog, but after several failed attempts, he gradually lost interest.

Over time, this dog actually came to regard the Jiang family as its home, spending most of its time nestled under the stone slab in the corner of the yard, its ears sharp and alert, but its tail too lazy to wag.

After finishing my meal and wiping the table, I suddenly heard a noise coming from outside the courtyard.

Jiang Yi looked up and saw that it was the head of the Liu family manor who had come to visit him in person.

After exchanging pleasantries, Master Liu explained his purpose.

Recently, I've been thinking about taking my hunting dog deep into the mountains.

Jiang Yi beckoned Jiang Xi to bring the dog out and casually asked, "Did something happen in the mountains?"

Upon hearing this, Master Liu simply shook his head, but his brow furrowed slightly. "Nothing much has happened."

He paused as he spoke, then added, "But in the past few months, I haven't seen a single person moving around."

“Although it was quiet in previous years, there would still be a woodcutter, hunter, or traveling merchant passing by every ten days or half a month... Now, there has been no sign of anyone for several months, which is rather strange.”

Jiang Yi's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he asked in a calm tone, "Is it because of the tiger, bear, and ox?"

The rumor that these three beasts had attained Taoist cultivation had already caused quite a stir in Liangjie Village.

While others were merely enjoying the spectacle, he harbored deeper truths within himself.

Based on some memories from a past life.

Besides the three demons who gained power, they later gathered dozens of mountain spirits and monsters, took root in the mountains, and caused quite a stir.

Master Liu's gaze was deep and his eyes flickered slightly. He simply replied, "I'll have to see it with my own eyes to know if it's true or not."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Xi had already led the hunting dog over.

Master Liu's gaze followed the movement downwards, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

When the two servants returned earlier, they had already mentioned that the Jiang family's young man had a full and robust aura, but I thought it was just an exaggeration.

But seeing this girl in person now, she looked to be only six or seven years old. She was calm and composed, with bright eyes and sharp teeth, and even her steps had a natural breathing rhythm.

Such spirit and energy are probably not as clear and bright as those expensive servant boys in the city.

He immediately felt a pang of regret for his talent, but he quickly suppressed the thought.

Having dealt with the Jiang family for the past few years, I've learned a thing or two about how things work.

It may seem like an ordinary family, but in reality, it is extraordinary in every aspect.

The village was abuzz with news of that set of stances and boxing techniques, which contained hidden rules and principles, and were by no means crude rural skills.

In particular, the breathing techniques of the Jiang family were profound and far-reaching, which amazed him more than once. He tried to imitate them in private, but he couldn't even get 30% of them right.

The Jiang family members all possessed the skills and techniques passed down within their own family.

The remaining few ancestral teachings, however, cannot be easily passed on to outsiders.

The thought arose quickly and vanished just as fast; the idea of ​​taking on a disciple was quickly dismissed.

He didn't say anything more at the moment, but just smiled and praised, "Xi is a well-behaved girl, she'll definitely be a capable person in the future."

He patted her little head and said, "Come visit the manor often when you have time. There are plenty of delicious and fun things to do there."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xi immediately beamed with joy, nodding her head like a pecking chicken, her eyes shining so brightly they could reflect a person's image.

Several more days passed, and before the morning air had warmed up, Jiang Yi suddenly felt a surge of energy rising between his breaths.

Unhurried and unperturbed, it flows steadily and self-sufficiently, like a clear spring at the bottom of a well, gurgling endlessly.

His chest and abdomen heaved without the heavy, abrupt changes of the past, and without the slightest disturbance. It was as if a wisp of pure energy in the world was connecting with him.

He practiced this breathing technique early on, and over time it became second nature to him. He never stopped practicing it, whether he was getting up in the morning or going to bed at night, or walking or working.

The sudden success, though not like a bolt from the blue, still gave him a jolt.

He shook his sleeves, immediately got up, and headed straight for the foot of the mountain.

Standing among the newly planted fruit trees, one feels the gentle, refreshing air of the surrounding fields, like spring water caressing the skin.

The tips of the saplings trembled slightly, as if they were exhaling fragrance.

After just a few light breaths, I felt a warm sensation seep into my nose and spread throughout my body.

My muscles, bones, skin, and flesh felt as if I had drunk hot soup or soaked in a spiritual spring, an indescribable feeling of comfort and ease.

Jiang Yi was overjoyed, and his eyes and brows relaxed.

"Even if this orchard doesn't bear fruit, it's probably more nourishing than a regular medicinal bath."

Once the thought arises, it cannot be suppressed.

He immediately went back inside, changed his clothes, grabbed the account books, and headed straight for Liu's Village.

Before the market takes off, we should advance the money for the Illusionary Yin Grass and plant this spiritual seedling on the entire row of land next to the back mountain.

(End of this chapter)