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

Chapter 88 Victory Report and Rewards
Liangjie Village.

The warm sunlight slowly rose above the rooftops, bathing the Jiang family's courtyard in a cozy glow.

The small plot of land beside the house is just a small bend and hasn't been planted with any seedlings yet, but it's the place that Jiang Yi takes the most care of these days.

He was squatting by the mud, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, clearing away the roots of weeds from the edge of the field.

In ordinary fields, weeds can be used to fertilize the soil.

But in this sacred place, the goal is to have pure soil.

Liu Xiulian was busy at a small stone table by the courtyard, carefully chopping the fallen fruit she had picked up in the morning and mixing it into the chicken feed with practiced ease.

In the open space of the courtyard, two figures were exchanging blows, their fists and feet clashing, the wind whistling softly.

It's Jiang Xi and that kid from the Liu family, they're fighting again.

I don't know how many times they've fought, but they've gotten to know each other well.

The Liu family has a deep foundation.

The boy was only ten years old and had not yet grown tall, but his body was already full of essence, his blood and qi were like a furnace, his muscles and bones were like iron, and he had a calm and steady demeanor in his movements.

Jiang Xi, however, takes a different approach.

She had more energy, but her physique was still lacking, and her muscles weren't well-developed.

In terms of pure energy, the two are actually evenly matched.

But when it comes to a real fight, Jiang Xi is often a step behind.

The moves are slow to come out and slow to change, the moves are correct and the stance is good, but they are always difficult to execute.

Jiang Yi squatted at the edge of the field pulling weeds, hearing the whistling sound of fists.

Sometimes he would look up and glance at it, but he would remain silent.

Deep down, I know exactly what's going on.

The "mind-calming skill" that his maid practiced was just a little trick that Master Liu casually taught her.

If the roots are not upright, the source will not be far away.

The fact that she has achieved a state of "stillness" through practice is a testament to her clear-headedness and understanding.

However, compared to the Liu family's proper path of self-cultivation, it is ultimately far inferior.

Jiang Xi didn't feel any satisfaction after throwing a series of punches.

I felt like my moves and techniques had been figured out. Even though I executed each move skillfully, I felt frustrated as the fight went on.

She wrinkled her nose, withdrew her fist, snorted, and uttered two words: "Boring."

Ignoring Liu Zian, he turned around the small courtyard and went into the orchard at the back to find fruit to relieve his boredom.

A moment later, it came bouncing back, holding three or five pieces of fruit in its hands.

The fruit was green with a hint of red, and a few strands of morning dew still clung to its top. It looked pleasing, but it was still a little undercooked.

Jiang Xi didn't care; she was already used to this taste.

She knew from a young age that the fruit in her family's orchard could never ripen.

Today you see its skin red and juicy, but tomorrow morning you'll find only a dry, withered stem hanging on the branch.

At first, she was puzzled and asked her parents, but they just smiled and didn't answer.

When asked, Jiang Ming readily made up a story, saying, "The local earth god in the mountains got greedy and came to steal ripe fruit at night."

The little girl was initially skeptical, but secretly kept watch one night with her eyes half-open.

She even buried a few fruit pits in the ground, begging the Earth God not to steal hers.

But after several years, the fruit still wouldn't ripen, so she gave up asking anymore.

These days, everyone's busy, even gods get hungry, so let him eat.

Anyway, she learned it a long time ago, so she should try to reap the rewards as soon as possible.

Whether it's seven-tenths ripe or eight-tenths ripe, as long as the sweetness outweighs the sourness, pick it quickly.

At least it will end up in my stomach, so it won't be snatched away by that "local deity".

Jiang Xi went to the edge of the field, stuffed a fruit into her father's hand, and smiled with a hint of pride.

Jiang Yi, his hands covered in mud, picked up the fruit with his arm and took a bite.

The flesh is slightly cool, and the juice is refreshingly astringent, yet it exudes a vibrant energy.

One sip went down my throat and hit my head, like a ladle of water being poured over the top of my head.

The fatigue from a morning of activity in the spiritual land was mostly dispelled by this breath of spiritual energy. This Awakening Fruit is excellent material for refining the Heart-Clearing Pill, but there are rules and regulations for grinding it into a paste and boiling it before taking it.

It can be chewed directly and is a great way to relieve fatigue.

The orchard behind the courtyard, though small, was planted with all sorts of extraordinary plants.

Whether it's to invigorate the mind, nourish the vital energy, or calm the spirit and soothe the soul, there are certain methods to it all.

Some fruits ripen only once a year, and when the time comes, they are picked and eaten without any particular care.
Some only sprout up once every three to five years, which makes people impatient, but they are also the most intelligent and can be nurtured and waited for.

And then there are the strangest ones, which only bear fruit once, and the fruit never falls or withers. They grow more and more exquisite under the sun, and become more and more ferocious with each nurturing.

Jiang Yi had long ago instructed his family not to carelessly waste such a spiritual fruit tree.

Just then, a figure appeared in the distance at the end of the village road.

He walked briskly, his face beaming with undisguised joy, as if afraid no one would notice, and swayed all the way there.

Jiang Yi looked up and recognized his eldest son, Jiang Ming.

I glanced at the sky; the sun had only just climbed above the rooftops, and it was still a long way from noon.

This kid either came back for a free meal because he was starving, or he has something on his mind.

He wiped his hands on his trouser leg, shook off the dirt from between his fingers, and quickly stepped forward to meet them.

As Jiang Ming stepped into the yard, Liu Xiulian was carrying chicken feed toward the chicken coop when he stopped her.

Before he could even stand properly, his mouth had already popped out, his eyes were shining, and he was waving a vermilion official document in his hand.
Good news at home!

He took a deep breath, as if he wanted the whole village to hear it.

"The official document that just arrived says that my second brother has rendered meritorious service outside and has been awarded the title of Grand Master!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

The mud on Jiang Yi's face couldn't hide his smile; his brows relaxed and his eyes sparkled.

Upon hearing that her child was safe and sound, Liu Xiulian's previously tense face relaxed, as if half a burden had been lifted.

Her eyes were slightly red, but she didn't say a word.

Jiang Xi, clutching a handful of fruit tightly, stood to the side, blinking, not understanding for a moment. She tilted her head and asked softly:
"Doctor... is he an official?"

Jiang Ming chuckled, reached into her arms, picked out the biggest one, and munched on it while laughing:

"Upon obtaining the title of Grand Master, the entire family is exempt from corvée labor according to the law, and receives an annual salary of 250 shi of rice, 5 qing of official land, and 5 houses."

He spoke quickly, and bit even faster. The fruit wasn't fully ripe yet, and the sourness made him shiver, but he still couldn't bear to let go.

At this point, Jiang Ming suddenly paused, as if he had just snapped out of his reverie over the good news.

He turned to look at Jiang Yi, a hint of probing in his eyes, but his tone remained soft:

"Father... what's the current procedure for my second brother's household registration?"

The atmosphere in the courtyard paused for a moment after these words were spoken.

Although receiving a title is a joyous occasion, the origin of the title and the allocation of land and property all depend on this single household register.

But Liangjie Village is a place where people have been living in poverty, so where is there any household registration?

Jiang Yi listened and pondered for a moment:

"If I remember correctly, it was Instructor Lin who pulled some strings to get Erlang registered as a 'local resident' in Longshan County."

He spoke slowly and calmly, but a thoughtful look had already appeared in his eyes.

According to this theory, once the title is determined, the land and houses bestowed upon the person will most likely be located in the Longshan area.

That boy and the girl from the Li family of Longshan... had shown some signs of getting along earlier.

I was initially annoyed, thinking that getting married in this village would be quite inconvenient.

It's not that I'm afraid of the long distance.

The important thing is that my son has been working in the county command since he was young, and most of his superiors and colleagues have served in the military.

The Li family, being a prominent clan, mostly associated with officials and nobles who wore boots and armor and behaved in a proper manner.

These two villages are located at the border of Liang and Qiang, so it is inconvenient for officials and soldiers to settle here.

Now things have turned out much better.

The land and houses have all been acquired in Longshan. If this marriage is settled, and a new house is built for the wedding, it would be a double celebration.

(End of this chapter)