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

Chapter 80 Departure
Jiang Yi passed on this scroll of "Taishang Laojun Shuo Chang Qingjing Jing" to his eldest son three years ago.

When my youngest son returned home last year, his vital energy was already fully restored, and he had also passed on a legacy.

The original intention was to have the two brothers go ahead and pave the way.

Unexpectedly, both brothers found themselves stuck in the mire when it came to this path of divine will.

The more they learn, the slower they go; the more they learn, the more confused they become; every step is arduous, and they have yet to break through this impasse.

Now that Jiang Yi is full of energy and his vital energy is unified, his mind has also calmed down.

I must personally go through this process.

Silently holding the scriptures in my heart, the words and phrases spread like drops of spring water on a stone, rippling deep within my mind.

It flows gently and slowly, without fanfare, as if to wash away worldly thoughts and cleanse itself of vulgar desires.

Following the instructions in the scriptures, Jiang Yi tried to probe his elusive mind inch by inch into a deeper realm.

It is neither seen with the eyes nor heard with the ears; the blood vessels remain undisturbed, and breathing requires no effort.

It simply involves slowly unraveling that single thought, thread by thread, and sending it into the realm of the invisible.

What he was looking for was the shadow of that so-called "soul".

But that place, if you call it a place, is more like a void.

There was no light, no sound, no color, and no form. It was as if one had stepped into a cloud of mist, with nothing around, no roots underfoot, and no shadow even when one raised their hand.

When one probes with one's mind, it is like a stone sinking to the bottom of a pool, leaving no echo and no discernible depth.

Unable to touch or grasp, it felt as if the whole world had disappeared.

Occasionally, in moments of utter tranquility and extreme composure, one can faintly sense that extremely faint "existence."

It was unclear whether it was air or shadow, soul or light; it was like fire in the mist, or sound in the wind.

The moment I caught a glimpse of it, it vanished without a trace.

Jiang Yi knew that this path could not be taken with arrogance or ruthlessness.

It requires daily immersion and nightly refinement of the mind, like an old monk meditating, not for the sake of attaining the Dharma, but simply for enlightenment through stillness.

The most important thing in this kind of slow and steady progress is to "wait".

When the fog clears and the clouds part, and thoughts cease and arise, a glimmer of light will shine through from the depths.

I don't know how long it has been submerged.

Until that rooster crowed, suddenly breaking through the air, clear and sharp, like a knife cutting through still water, or like the gentle vibration of a gong, striking straight into my heart.

Jiang Yi suddenly opened his eyes. The window paper had turned slightly white, and the faint light quietly spread in from the eaves, making the dust on the corner of the table move slightly.

A slight stirring in my heart made me realize something.

I sat cross-legged from noon yesterday until dawn, for almost half a day and night, without feeling a thing.

It was as if the moment the scripture was recited, his body sank into a dark, deep pool, his soul silent and still, until the rooster crowed, at which point he slowly rose again.

This method of visualization has not yet been put into practice.

Perhaps when one enters a meditative state, the mind is focused and the breath is undisturbed.

This "calmness" alone far surpasses ordinary breathing and guiding exercises.

Jiang Yi slowly got up. His limbs were free of stagnation, his muscles and bones were unobstructed, and his breathing was gentle. On the contrary, he seemed to have been sleeping all night and was full of energy.

My mind is completely clear, like a still lake.

Turning around, I saw a bowl of Solomon's Seal porridge on a small table beside the bed.

It was completely cooled, with a thin, slightly whitish film floating on the surface.

Jiang Yi paused for a moment, then chuckled softly.

It must have been left quietly by someone last night, without disturbing his sitting still, just in case he was hungry from sitting for too long, so he could have some food ready for him.

Jiang Yi picked up the bowl and drank it all in a few gulps.

Although it had cooled down, it was still mild in the mouth, with a sweet taste that lingered on the tongue and went straight into the stomach, making one feel a slight jolt in the stomach and a refreshed mind.

He put down the empty bowl, stretched, his joints cracked slightly, and a warm feeling rose up his spine. He then pushed open the door and went out.

A morning breeze caressed my face, carrying the fresh scent of the forest, mingled with the fragrance of dew on the grass, making me feel refreshed. I walked around the front and back of the house, my gaze lingering briefly on the open space beside it.

At the foot of the mountain, the sacred trees are lined up in a row, with proper spacing between them, stretching for over a hundred feet as far as the eye can see.

The new house was built in a grand style, but it only occupied about ten feet of land.

The remaining open space, right next to the spirit forest, has been nourished day and night and has developed some spiritual energy.

Previously, since his own cultivation was not yet complete and he did not want to disturb Jiang Ming's studies, he had kept putting it aside.

Now that his fist energy has penetrated to his bones and his vital energy is at its peak, thoughts naturally began to stir in his mind.

As you get closer, the soil appears even darker and more lustrous.

I crouched down and touched it with my fingertip. A warm dampness seeped out from my fingertip, carrying a faint spiritual essence. Though shallow, it was not in vain.

Jiang Yi's heart stirred slightly.

In recent years, the family's foundation has become more and more solid, and their needs have also increased accordingly.

Although Dr. Li's shop had no shortage of good medicine, it was ultimately just common stuff, and the medicine was no longer very effective.

There are some good things in Liu Family Village.

But relying solely on that half-acre of Illusionary Yin Grass, the amount exchanged each time wasn't much, and it wasn't appropriate to constantly ask for favors.

Now that this land is permeated with spiritual energy, if we carefully cultivate it and plant a few medicinal herbs, it would be just right.

Time flowed by like a gentle stream, and before Jiang Yi could plant the medicinal herbs, the New Year was approaching again.

The stove in the Jiang family's house was still burning as usual, and the chickens and dogs were still there, but there was no one in sight.

My son, Jiang Liang, didn't come home this time.

He only asked someone to send a letter, along with some holiday gifts, to his door.

Once the paper envelope was torn open, the ink was still fresh, the brushstrokes were elegant, and the words were spoken with ease.

It is said that he went on an expedition with the military commander to suppress a detachment of the Faqiang tribe.

The letter was written in a flat tone, stating that the barbarians were nothing more than remnants of a defeated army and not worth worrying about.

It doesn't mention the iron-bloodedness of the army, nor the harshness of the frontier, but rather it's like a spring outing with the troops, a brief period of training.

Jiang Yi sat in the room and read the letter word by word. His eyelids didn't twitch and his lips didn't move, but his gaze became more serious.

This child will be fourteen next year, and fifteen, which will be the age for enlistment.

It just came too quickly and directly, which made people a little uneasy.

At the end of the letter, a few lines of hastily written characters were added, as if the writer's mind was in turmoil when he wrote them.

He said that if he were to achieve military merit this time, he would ask his parents to arrange for a matchmaker to visit the Li family in Longshan County as soon as possible to finalize the marriage.

He had brought this up once before, blushing, when he returned home for the Spring Festival the previous year.

It is said that he and the older sister from the Li family have long harbored feelings for each other.

He was ashamed of his humble origins and lacked anything of note.

He thought he would first make a name for himself in the army, and then come back and propose marriage in style.

Jiang Yi appreciated this ambition and didn't say no.

After reading the letter, Liu Xiulian gently put down the paper, sighed, and her brows furrowed slightly.

It's unclear whether her sigh stemmed from worry about the snowstorm on the frontier, fearing that his hands and feet might get frostbite.
I'm still afraid that with his straightforward and blunt nature, he'll only learn to restrain himself after getting hurt.

Jiang Yi could only offer words of comfort: "It's just a small battle, a test of courage... He's tough, he'll be fine."

But that concern couldn't be hidden; it remained in his eyes and in his heart.

Though the barbarians are small, they are ultimately a battlefield.

Swords and spears have no eyes, and weapons are merciless.

Although the child has some martial arts skills, he is still young and full of vigor. It would be difficult for him to know how to behave properly in public.

(End of this chapter)