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

Chapter 72 Collaborative Martial Arts
This kind of light-body skill is much more eye-catching than fist and foot techniques.

Flying around, their sleeves billowing in the wind, it's enough to make anyone's heart itch.

Before the school even opened, a few scattered groups of people had already arrived at the Jiang family's door.

They used the pretense of delivering eggs and firewood to ask questions indirectly.

"Where did this little girl learn this method from?"

"When recruiting members, do we have to pay some kind of 'gang fee'?"

“My son has a light frame, making him perfect for this kind of movement technique…”

Logically speaking, this lightness skill was originally a modified technique from outside, so it's not a problem for it to be passed on to outsiders.

But this thing isn't something you can master just by looking at the form; you have to put in the inner strength and grasp the essence and spirit to do it well.

Without that inner strength, all that's left is an outward appearance; it's like a monkey jumping a tree—pretty to look at but useless.

Having heard it so many times, Jiang Yi has also developed a flawless speaking style.

He just smiled and shook his head, looking like a father who believed "children have their own blessings."
"This is not something I, as the father, can control; it's the business of the 'Ancient and Modern Gang'."

He said it so easily and naturally that he almost believed it himself.

Upon hearing this, the villagers, knowing better, sheepishly withdrew.

They then turned around and started asking around the village, chattering about the preferences of the leader of the Ancient and Modern Gang.

Under the combined influence of the elixirs and the frigid environment, Jiang Liang's mind gradually calmed down, and the superficiality in his eyes faded away little by little.

He no longer speaks or acts rashly, and a sense of maturity has appeared between his brows.

The black and white pills, on the other hand, were used up very quickly. Before the bottles had even warmed up, the bottom was empty, with not even a few pills left to shake out.

Jiang Yi stood at the edge of the cold ground, looking at the child's straight back. After making a decision, he personally went to Liu Family Village again.

Upon entering and explaining their purpose, Master Liu nodded and smiled in agreement.

Without even exchanging a polite word, he simply waved for his servant to fetch medicine from the storeroom.

He then made way for a stone table under the eaves, where tea had been brewed long ago, clear and green as jade, with steam still rising from the rim of the cup.

After the two sat down, the aroma of tea wafted over, and they naturally drifted into discussing the Jiang family's various stance training and boxing techniques.

As soon as Master Liu opened his mouth, he uttered several "wonderful" words in a row, speaking with great enthusiasm and praising the mantle endlessly.

"That day, the little dog returned to the village and performed a few tricks, saying that he had laid some foundation in the ancient and modern gangs."

"When I looked at it, I realized that it was indeed different from the usual boxing style. The heavy force was hidden under the heel, not showing any emotion, but it was really effective in suppressing the opponent."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi simply waved his hand and smiled:

"You flatter me, Master. We country folk practice martial arts simply to improve our health."

The teacup wobbled, and the conversation shifted slightly:

“The stakes should be driven in firmly so that you won’t hurt your back when working in the fields. It’s not like the manor lord’s family, where the lineage is upright and the path has been refined generation after generation.”

Master Liu remained noncommittal, only smiling as he twirled his fingertip halfway around the rim of the cup.

But then the conversation shifted, slowly landing on Jiang Xi.

"I happened to see your daughter practicing that movement technique when I passed by the village a few days ago."

His tone was casual, but his words were clear: "She walks with a brisk pace, moves like a light swallow, and looks... she's a sight to behold."

Having said that, he took a sip of tea, as if it were just a casual remark, and said lightly, "I wonder if there's any taboo against sharing this information with outsiders?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's expression slightly changed. He slowly picked up the teacup in his hand, the steam rising from the rim of the cup, partially obscuring his gaze.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead lowered his head and took a sip of the tea. Only after the aroma filled his throat did he slowly speak:
“The manor lord is a wise man, so he naturally knows that lightness skill is not just about being fast and agile.”

His tone was calm, but every word he spoke was true: "Though the movement technique is skillful, if you don't hold your breath, you can only jump, and even if you jump higher and longer, it's not flying."

Master Liu listened attentively, but showed no sign of impatience. His smile remained unchanged, and a hint of unreadable composure appeared on his lips.

He gently twisted the lid of the cup and said, "It's quite a coincidence that there is indeed a breathing method in my manor."

The words may have sounded casual, but when they reached your ears, they had a different meaning.

"According to the elders, when my ancestor was in his prime, he rescued a lost Taoist priest in the mountains."

"The Taoist priest was grateful for the kindness, so he left behind a copy of the manual. He didn't mention any taboos, only instructing that it be passed on as the time was right."

The words were spoken lightly, but the look in his eyes was anything but.

Although she didn't explicitly say "I wish to share this with you," the meaning in her eyes was already clear to Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi was well aware of the situation.

That kid from the Liu family uses his reputation to sell medicine within the "Ancient and Modern Gang".

Now this manor lord is mentioning breathing techniques.

It was clearly a precautionary measure, to build up some strength for Liangjie Village at the entrance of this remote mountain village, in order to deal with any potential disturbances caused by evil spirits in the future.

As for why Master Liu, despite his impressive family background and abilities, chose to live in the mountains and stubbornly defend this mountain range, it remains to be seen why he chose to live in seclusion.

Moreover, judging from what he said, his family has always been like this since his ancestors.

Jiang Yi didn't ask any further questions.

All I know is that this is a good thing.

When the village is at peace, the home is at peace.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yi stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, neither too high nor too low, yet with a hint of solemnity, and said:

“The Lord of the Manor is kind and willing to pass on the Dharma. On behalf of the elders of Liangjie Village, I, Jiang, thank you for this great kindness.”

He spoke solemnly, intending to go along with it and let his son take on this "responsibility of inheritance".

But then he realized that ultimately, such a thing could only be accomplished with Jiang Ming's own approval.

So the promise remained unspoken, only a smile playing on his lips, a humble gesture that neither shirked responsibility nor interrupted.

At this moment, the tall servant brought out the pills, in two bottles, one black and one white, with a trace of icy air still lingering at the bottom.

As usual, the bill was recorded under the name of Huanyincao.

Jiang Yi accepted the medicine, and without lingering, he clasped his hands in a bow and took his leave from under the eaves.

As we descended the mountain, the mountain breeze brushed against our sleeves, and the bamboo shadows slanted obliquely.

A figure stepped down the stone, the hem of her clothes fluttering slightly, her steps light and graceful, exuding a calm and elegant air.

Back in the courtyard, Jiang Liang was indeed still rooted to the spot, not even raising an eyebrow.

Jiang Yi glanced at him and saw that his breathing was still steady. He didn't say anything, but simply placed the two bottles of new medicine on the edge of the Illusionary Yin Grass.

However, he kept a few calming pills in his hand, tucked in his sleeve, just in case.

He turned around and went to find his eldest son, and recounted in detail, from beginning to end, the meaning behind Master Liu's wish to pass on the breathing method.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming's eyes lit up, and his expression became more energetic; he readily agreed.

But before the "hearty" words could even land, the conversation took a turn for the worse.

He started muttering to himself:
"The Gujin Gang's current activities are becoming increasingly significant."

"The titles of Protector and Hall Master were sufficient before, but now they may not be enough to command respect... Should we establish a few more titles?"

"For example, the titles of 'Lightness Skill Instructor,' 'Qi Gathering Master,' and 'Alchemy Steward' cannot be left vacant..."

Jiang Yi chuckled to himself, offering no advice and letting him arrange the positions as he pleased.

He retreated to a corner of the courtyard and found a sheltered spot to sit down.

He still held an old book in his hand, but his eyes kept glancing at the figure in the cold ground.

(End of this chapter)