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

Chapter 77 It's Hard to Tell Who's Better
Days passed by like this, one after another, the leaves on the branches turned from light to dark, and when the spring breeze blew, the shadows of the branches swayed.

In the blink of an eye, more than three months have passed.

On this early morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten and the birds outside had not yet begun to sing, the world was completely still.

Jiang Yi woke up early, put on his clothes and got up. As usual, he took the small white porcelain bottle from beside the bed, took out a Qi-boosting pill, and put it to his little girl's lips.

He lightly touched the corner of his lips with his fingertip and then checked his breath.

But as he probed, his finger paused slightly, and his expression froze.

That aura... was not as fine as a wisp of silk, as ethereal and fleeting as before.

Now it is warm and smooth, round and not rough, flowing peacefully from within its veins, subtly revealing a sense of self-sufficiency.

It's as if a spring has just opened, and plants have entered the soil, silently taking root.

This kind of spirit is a sign of "abundant Qi".

A slight glint appeared in Jiang Yi's eyes, but a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

She was even one step ahead of her mother.

If you think about it carefully, it's only been six or seven years since the eldest son, Jiang Mingchu, first entered the mountains and forests until he reached the peak of his spiritual cultivation.

He was a little older than others, and although he had been practicing for a long time, he was only slightly late in starting.

This little girl was born with a wisp of innate energy, her natural talent was exceptional.

He had been nourished by that breathing method since childhood, and practiced it meticulously for five or six years.

With such a foundation and such skill, and now that the energy is sufficient, it's only natural that things are as they are.

He sat quietly, gazing at the sleepy little face, and sighed softly in his heart.

This breathing technique is indeed extraordinary.

As soon as Jiang Xi felt full of energy and her breath became smooth and harmonious, her spirit also became more lively.

She had only been awake for a few moments when she started clamoring to move to the new house.

Everything in the room had already been prepared, and the toys and clothes were neatly arranged.

Jiang Yi didn't stop her. He picked up the bundle and carried all her trivial matters to the foot of the mountain.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, the young man from the Liu family was still practicing his stakes in the open space, his body ramrod straight and his expression solemn.

Jiang Xi's eyes darted around, her gaze brightening, and she immediately raised her voice eight octaves, calling out in a clear and crisp voice:
"Liu Zian! Stop standing there! After school today, anyone who doesn't come to the open space behind the school is a dog!"

His words fell like hammer blows, their sound echoing through the eaves.

The young man from the Liu family heard everything clearly, but he remained calm and his steps were perfectly steady.

He merely raised his head slightly, nodded at her, and uttered a single word:

"it is good."

He agreed.

As the afternoon approached and the sun began to set, the western hills were tinged with gold, and it was time for the school to close.

Jiang Yi estimated the time, dusted himself off, and slowly walked towards the village school.

Firstly, to see how well my daughter has practiced, and secondly, to see how much skill that Liu family boy has.

The village school is no longer what it was when Jiang Ming first came.

In previous years, the only sound in the courtyard was the sound of reading aloud, and the writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones all exuded the air of serious scholarship.

Now, as you approach, the scent of ink is no longer that of ink, but rather a smell mixed with sweat and dust.

The courtyard was as chaotic as a marketplace.

Sharpened bamboo spears lay haphazardly against the wall, while rows of polished wooden knives were propped up.

The sandbags were tied crookedly, and one corner of the plum blossom stake had collapsed due to someone's practice.

Looking at the top of the wall and the corner of the door, every now and then, a boy would jump up and down, and his skills were not bad.

It has almost become a stronghold for the Ancient and Modern Gang.

Master Cen was getting old, and lecturing had long become a physically demanding task.

Over the past six months, I've done my best to get through half a day of elementary school lessons each day.

He couldn't be bothered with the rest of the trouble of scaling walls and driving piles; he simply turned a blind eye and pretended not to see it.

So they simply handed over the rules to Jiang Ming, letting him do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't cause trouble.

The open space behind the school was usually where the children would do somersaults and kick tiles.

But now it looked like a market, with people crowding around in layers, even sitting on the branches of trees.

The front was filled with schoolboys, but the back was mixed with a lot of idle men from the village, and some even stood on tiptoe and on stools to peek inside.

My daughter, with her two little braids, stood confidently in the center of the circle, hands on her hips. The boy from the Liu family opposite her, still stood upright with his hands at his sides, exuding the air of a little adult.

The two locked eyes, and their gazes almost sparked a flame.

The onlookers held their breath, waiting to see what would happen.

Jiang Ming stood to the side, coughed lightly, and put on a stern face, announcing in a pretentious manner, "The competition begins."

Before he finished speaking, the room suddenly came to a stop.

The two exchanged a few blows, their fists and feet flying like the wind, and they really did have some skill.

Jiang Xi was still slightly weaker in terms of strength, but now she had enough breath and could lift herself up smoothly like silk.

With light and agile feet, each step seemed to create a breeze, and as she darted and weaved, she possessed a nimbleness reminiscent of a swallow that glides across a branch without leaving a trace.

The small fists came flying in a barrage, but their force was immense. The wind from the punches whistled as the body darted around the arena, leaving afterimages in its wake.

On the other hand, the young man from the Liu family was surprisingly steady.

His feet were firmly planted on the ground, not faltering even for a moment. He would only shift slightly in place, his attacks neither hurried nor slow, deflecting whatever came from the same spot.

If a sudden attack comes close, he will gently push it away, using the opponent's force against them, like a still pond being stirred by the wind, but never truly turbulent.

One was active, the other still; they had two different stances, yet they managed to fight to a standstill, creating a protracted tug-of-war on the field.

The spectators watched with envy, their comments smacked incessantly.

Who would have thought that two little kids, only six or seven years old, could fight with such precision and rhythm that it makes you want to applaud.

Jiang Yi stood outside the crowd, his expression unwavering, taking in every detail of the two children's movements.

Although Xi'er's strength is still somewhat lacking, her breathing is smooth and her foundation is solid, making her superior in terms of endurance.

If we really keep going, we might be able to find a way out.

Unfortunately, that Liu family brat was not someone to be trifled with.

His eyes were as deep as an ancient well, seemingly unmoved and unyielding, but in reality, ripples had already stirred within his heart.

As Jiang Xi closed in again, her fist still flashing.

The boy actually took her punch head-on, his feet suddenly sinking, his back slightly bent, and his arms and wrists trembling.

With a single finger, gentle yet skillful, like a delicate orchid just beginning to bloom, it quietly touched three inches below her ribs.

It's lightweight, yet extremely accurate.

Just as raindrops pattered on the lotus leaves, the little girl paused for a moment, as if she had been tripped, and her steps slowed down by half a beat.

His expression changed from arrogant to astonished.

But he didn't cry or make a fuss. He just hummed softly, tightened his legs, and floated up to the old apricot tree by the field like a wisp of smoke.

She crouched on a branch, one hand covering her ribs, but her eyes were fixed on the ground below, clear and alert, refusing to relax for a moment.

Although the young man from the Liu family's face changed slightly after taking that punch, he did not lose his composure.

He simply stood rooted to the spot, looking up with a calm expression and no sign of disorder in his breathing.

And so the competition came to a standstill.

One person stands on a branch like a cloud resting in the wind, while the other stands on the ground like moss growing on a stone, as if they are facing each other in a painting.

Inside the school, Jiang Ming had already counted today's donations and distributed the medicinal herbs that Liu's son had brought.

He already knew what was going on.

This match was of high quality, but it was difficult to determine who was superior.

One was as swift as the wind sweeping away stones, the other as gentle as water flowing around a stake; their offense and defense were locked in a stalemate, a protracted tug-of-war that resulted in a stalemate.

Even if they fought all day, they might not be able to determine who "surrenders".

I looked up at the sky; the sun had already set in the west, and the afterglow was faint.

He still had to go up the mountain, so he didn't have time to waste with these little guys.

So he stepped out of the threshold, stood with his hands behind his back, and his voice floated down:

"Alright, it's getting late."

He spoke casually, then glanced at the two people in the arena, his tone unhurried:

"From now on, you two will both be deputy leaders. One will teach breathing exercises and the other will teach footwork and lightness skills, each in charge of one area."

After saying that, he ignored everyone's reaction and turned to leave.

Holding a bag of sweet cakes in his arms, he walked very lightly, as if he were stepping on the wind. In a few leaps, he had already turned out of the village road.

(End of this chapter)