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

Chapter 33 Leave a toll

The two children faced off on the path, the mountain wind rustling the grass, and the scene remained tense for a moment.

The boy looked at the little "garden guardian" in front of him, whose round and chubby posture was clearly defined, and felt a little helpless.

He frowned, his voice low but earnest:
"I'm not here to steal fruit, I just want to cross this garden and go up the mountain behind it."

Jiang Xi, however, wasn't buying it. She pouted and puffed out her cheeks.

The area behind the mountain is very desolate, with crooked roads, steep slopes, tall grass, and many insects; it doesn't look like a place where people should go at all.

Apart from her slightly dim-witted older brother, who would occasionally sneak inside, no one else paid much attention to her.

She had once followed her brother, but she lost him after only a few steps into the woods.

After wandering around for ages, I somehow managed to find my way out, only to be bitten by mosquitoes and scratched so badly that I couldn't sleep.

From then on, the back mountain in her mind was almost the same as the "forbidden land of demons".

She didn't believe the young man in front of her when he said he came to the garden to go up the mountain.

Seeing that he couldn't reason with him, the boy didn't want to force his way in.

Whether or not we can win is another matter.

The mere fact that he was caught stealing fruit was enough to make him lose face.

His eyes darted around, and he had an idea:
"How about this, I'll trade you some fruit from my own orchard to make a path for you, something you've never tasted before, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xi hesitated.

Looking back at my own garden, those green fruits are still hanging there, so sour they could clean the roots of my teeth.

Looking at the boy's serious expression, he didn't seem like he was just fooling people.

"Changing it isn't out of the question."

She nodded her head slightly, looking like she was seriously discussing a deal.

"You have to choose ones I haven't tried before; anything sour, bitter, or astringent is out of the question!"

The boy's eyes crinkled into a smile upon hearing this:

"That's natural."

The next morning, before the mountain mist had dissipated, figures were already gathering near the orchard.

The two little children stood facing each other, just like yesterday, as if they had made a prior arrangement.

The boy held a fist-sized fruit in his hands, its green skin tinged with yellow, and its shape was crooked.

It doesn't look fully ripe, which is rather peculiar.

Jiang Xi moved closer and took a sniff. There was no fruity fragrance, but rather a cool sensation, as if a mountain breeze was blowing into her nostrils.

She immediately pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

She has simple tastes; she likes things that are cloyingly sweet.

But one must keep one's word. Although he was dissatisfied, he didn't go back on his word.

With a wave of his hand, he displayed a certain managerial air:

"Fine, go your way."

The boy nodded to her, slipped on his foot, turned around, and disappeared into the morning mist of the mountain path.

Jiang Xi looked down at the strange fruit and slowly walked home, holding it in her hands.

When I entered, Jiang Yi was squatting in the yard picking out medicinal herbs. There were some freshly dried Scutellaria baicalensis and Fritillaria cirrhosa piled up next to the medicine basket, and the yard was filled with the fragrance of herbs.

Upon hearing the sound, I looked up and glanced around casually.

When his gaze fell on the fruit, his fingers paused for a moment, and his expression subtly changed.

His gaze sharpened, and he moved even closer.

"Xixi, where did this fruit come from?"

Jiang Xi wiped her hands with her sleeve and said nonchalantly:

"That thief gave it to me yesterday, saying he'd use it to exchange for passage."

Jiang Yi didn't speak immediately, but his fingertips slowly stroked the fruit peel, his heart already stirred.

Over the years, he had been growing and selling medicinal herbs and had dealt with Dr. Li quite a bit. He was very familiar with common cardamom and could tell at a glance that this thing was of extraordinary origin.

This isn't just any fruit; it's clearly a rare and precious jade-purifying fruit found only in the mountains.

Born in the crevices of cliffs, nourished by mountain winds and morning dew, it may not appear every year. Although its taste is bland, it has the effect of calming the mind and soothing the spirit.

With a face like that, it would cost at least ten taels of silver in a pharmacy, and you might not even be able to buy it.

Jiang Yi's expression hardened, and he asked more detailed questions. After listening to his little girl's brief account, his doubts became even more solidified.

These fruits are not something village kids can pick.

After a moment's hesitation, he carefully wrapped the Jade Purity Fruit, put it in a clean medicine bag, and headed towards the village entrance.

Li Langzhong has been dispensing medicine for Liujiazhuangzi for many years and has some connections there, so perhaps he can make some contact through them.

Before even reaching the pharmacy, they could see Doctor Li emerging from the village entrance, accompanied by two servants in gray short jackets, their faces filled with anxiety.

Jiang Yi stepped forward, held the Jade Purity Fruit in his palm, and handed it over calmly:
“My youngest son saw it and said that the young master went into the back mountain of the village this morning.”

Upon hearing this, the two servants exchanged a glance, their expressions softening slightly, but they didn't seem particularly surprised.

Judging from their appearance, I know there's something strange hidden in the back mountain, but it's not life-threatening.

After hearing the reason, one of them said that since it was a gift from their young master, there was no reason to take it back.

After thanking Jiang Yi a few times, he went with Doctor Li to guard the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Yi followed, straightened his cuffs, and waited quietly by a locust tree.

My gaze fell upon the lush, undulating forest, and for some reason, a sense of unease crept into my heart.

Although it was not something I wanted to tell others, deep down I didn't want anyone else to see the person down the mountain.

The sun slowly slanted westward, gradually turning the sky a crimson gold, while the clouds swirled like fire, and the mountain breeze carried the dampness of the grass and trees.

Chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep emerged one after another from the depths of the mountain path, making a ruckus and trampling the fallen leaves.

The boy's figure slowly emerged from the depths of the mist.

His clothes were covered in mud and grass, his sleeves were torn, and his arms were covered in mosquito bites.

His face was covered in dust, but his eyes were somewhat vacant, as if his soul was still in the woods and he couldn't find his way back.

Jiang Yi watched, secretly relieved, but showed no emotion on his face. He simply took half a step back to make way.

The two servants quickly stepped forward, took the person from him, and helped him walk towards the estate.

Jiang Yi remained silent, only taking the Jade Purity Fruit from the medicine bag and handing it to Doctor Li in a calm tone:

"You recognize this stuff. It can be used to offset the cost of some medicinal herbs. You can calculate the amount."

Doctor Li accepted the fruit without ceremony, glanced at it, and smiled with narrowed eyes:
“This ‘fruit thief’ doesn’t seem any less troublesome than your daughter.”

Jiang Yi just smiled faintly and didn't respond.

Out of the corner of his eye, he still saw that receding figure, his expression a mixture of heaviness and lightness.

I thought that was the end of it, just a little squabble between two kids.

Unexpectedly, just a few days later, the little girl came running in happily, holding a strange-looking fruit.

This time it looks different; the outer skin looks ordinary, but it's smooth and round.

As soon as you get close, you can smell a cloyingly sweet fragrance.

Jiang Yi frowned and asked where they came from.

Sure enough, it was that young master from Liu Family Village again who handed over the "toll money".

Although that kid suffered a loss in silence last time, he didn't lose heart. Today, he even prepared gifts and went to explore the route again.

Jiang Yi's eyes narrowed, and he weighed the fruit in his palm. It was plump in color and had a rich aroma, so it looked like it was no ordinary fruit.

A sense of unease began to rise in my heart.

Once or twice, it can be treated as children playing around.

If such fine goods are sent a few more times, our orchard will truly become a place where people block our way and demand tribute.

His expression immediately darkened, and he gave Jiang Xi a good scolding.

"You'll take anything? Do you think you're some kind of bodhisattva in a mountain temple?"

The little girl was startled, puffed out her cheeks and dared not speak, tears welling up in her eyes, yet she still stared longingly at the fruit.

Jiang Yi couldn't help but sigh, picked up the fruit, took his daughter's hand, and headed down the mountain.

This matter needs to be clarified as soon as possible.

After waiting at the foot of the mountain for some time, the young man had not yet come down the mountain, but instead, two guests arrived first.

One was Dr. Li, while the other was a complete stranger.

Dressed in sharp hunting attire, with clearly defined shoulders and back, and a steady gait, he stood there as if rooted to the earth, unmoved by the wind.

(End of this chapter)