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

Chapter 45 Heading West

Jiang Yi stood there, the scent of medicine swirling around his nose, one wave after another, clearing his mind and making him feel refreshed.

The people in the village were very casual about this pile of herbs, arranging them loosely and looking at them casually, just like an old village head drying grain.

Although Jiang Yi only knew some basic pharmacology, after observing for a long time, he could distinguish between good and bad.

With two servants nearby offering their recommendations, it wasn't difficult to pick out a few suitable items.

The items I picked up were all high-quality goods that nourish the bones and muscles and cultivate the spirit; they were hard to find even with a lantern in the ordinary market.

The two men, after assessing the weight, said it was a fair exchange, worth a little over fifty taels.

Jiang Yi knew that he had gotten the better deal this time.

The medicinal herbs were perfect in color, aroma, and quantity. Just the age of that blood ginseng alone was enough to make one's heart race.

But in this manor, it's probably just an ordinary setup.

Without any pretense, he simply nodded and carefully wrapped each herb one by one, his movements extremely gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the spiritual energy.

After leaving the warehouse, I walked out the way I came.

The sound of the wooden fish and the chanting of scriptures still linger in my ears, like a mountain breeze that cannot be dispelled or swept away.

As they walked, Jiang Yi suddenly asked, seemingly casually:
"Does your master often go into the mountains?"

Upon hearing this, the tall man paused slightly, a hint of smugness flashing across his face, but he maintained his humble demeanor and said:
"I wouldn't say I go there often... I just go into the forest to gather herbs, chase away wild animals, and protect travelers when I have nothing else to do."

"If you encounter a lone one, it's not a big problem; you can just pick it up and bring it out of the mountain."

Hearing him speak so casually, Jiang Yi didn't ask any more questions.

He tucked the medicinal herbs into his pocket, turned around, and headed down the mountain, straight to the old pharmacy at the village entrance.

The herbs I picked up in the village this time, though rare and potent, are ultimately just the root and the bone.

A lone tree cannot form a forest; it needs some side branches and leaves to assist it before it can truly flourish.

A string of wind chimes hangs at the entrance of the pharmacy, ringing crisply in the wind.

Jiang Yi pushed open the door and entered. Doctor Li was engrossed in fiddling with the medicine scale, the weight slowly rubbing against the copper rod.

He raised his eyes at the sound, but didn't really pay it any mind.

But when she saw the few medicinal herbs that Jiang Yi was carrying placed on the cabinet, her originally dignified and calm expression changed slightly.

Jiang Yi didn't say much, pointed to the medicinal herbs, and said calmly:

"I'd like to trouble you, Brother Li, to give me your opinion and also provide some supplementary ingredients. I want the best quality, don't skimp, just put it all on the tab."

Upon hearing this, even the medicine scale in Doctor Li's hand paused for a moment.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at Jiang Yi's face, as if trying to find some clue in his expression.

Jiang Yi, however, stood calmly and steadily, his hand resting on the counter, his expression indifferent, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

In previous years, our family was struggling financially and could only afford to buy some common goods from the market.

But things are different now.

The half-acre of Illusionary Shade Grass laid the foundation, and the two rows of seedlings harvested today, which are only half a year old, are already worth fifty taels of silver.

If you wait until you're fully mature, the price is something I really don't dare to calculate.

Thinking of this, the neatly arranged medicinal herbs in the shop in front of me are just ordinary goods and not considered expensive.

Moreover, if you do the math, it's only a few months until my son goes to the prefecture to take the imperial examination.

This would be a catastrophe for anyone, so naturally, preparations would have to be made as soon as possible.

At this point, saving money is out of the question.

Li Langzhong was known for his discerning eye and was happy to have someone spend so generously.

Hearing Jiang Yi speak so directly and without beating around the bush, he didn't refuse and quickly opened the cabinet that had been locked for years. He took out several rare and precious medicines that were rarely seen, without even labels, and recognized them by their smell.

After the medicine was packaged, several significant entries were added to the ledger.

Jiang Yi didn't show it on his face. He just carried the medicine bag in one hand and walked back to the house with a slightly unsteady and light step than when he came.

Feeling a bit relieved, I started thinking about the ten acres of poor farmland at home, and the few small plots of land at the foot of the mountain...

If all the crops were replaced with these precious grass seeds, the appearance of the farming households might be completely transformed in a few years.

The scene in the warehouse of Liu Family Village came to mind.

The various medicinal herbs were piled up like firewood, and when they were casually spread on the ground, their smell was extremely pungent.

If my own child could be trained like this with medicine, and really make a name for himself in the future, he might not be any worse than that local strongman.

The next day, the sky was barely beginning to lighten, the morning light was not yet penetrating, and the surrounding area was still shrouded in the chill of night.

Jiang Yi was used to getting up early. He drove the livestock to graze on the back mountain, his feet still wet with dew.

Back inside, he was about to lead his family down to the cold ground to practice stances.

Suddenly, a line of figures appeared on the village road in front of the courtyard.

They stopped and looked up, only to see that it was the people from Liu Family Village leading the way.

The one in the middle was somewhat unfamiliar. He wore a faded monk's robe that had been washed until it was almost white. He had a thin and frail appearance and carried a cloth bag on his shoulder. He walked at a leisurely pace.

Jiang Yi glanced at it and his heart stirred slightly.

It seems that this is the pilgrim that Master Liu rescued from the mountains a couple of days ago.

This monk was quite peculiar; he didn't care about distance, only about past karmic connections. He said he came from the east but was heading west.

Upon seeing the real person, Jiang Yi couldn't help but take a few more glances.

The group was heading towards the back mountain when Jiang Ming, the restless boy, came up and whispered, "Dad."

The two exchanged a glance and followed suit.

As they got closer, they could hear Master Liu speaking very kindly and patiently, offering his advice:
"The mountain road ahead is difficult to travel. It would be better to arrange for carriages and horses in the village to go around from the north. Although it is farther, it will be safer."

The monk simply clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"The path we take is predetermined."

The tone was flat and indifferent, yet it left no room for argument:
"If it is my destiny to go, I will cross even a fire pit; if it is not my destiny to go, I will eventually have to turn back, even if I go a hundred miles around."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi clicked his tongue slightly and glanced at the monk as he walked forward step by step, a sense of respect rising in his heart.

As they spoke, the group arrived in front of the Jiang family's courtyard.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Yi quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and exchanged a few words.

The monk didn't say much, only put his palms together in return, his expression calm and composed, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Jiang Yi glanced around and gently nudged Jiang Ming beside him with his elbow.

Jiang Ming understood immediately and darted into the house with a "click".

Before long, he was holding several kinds of simple snacks, some melons and fruits.

The monk accepted the food without hesitation, then bowed respectfully with his hands clasped together and whispered "Good fortune."

He turned around and bowed to the crowd before stepping onto the narrow path leading to the back mountain.

His expression remained expressionless, neither sad nor happy, but his steps were very steady, as if he knew all along that he was going to take this road, and no matter how far he went, he would not turn back.

The road ahead is unpredictable, the back mountains are deep in forest and shrouded in fog, even the wind carries a strange and inexplicable quality, it is not a place that ordinary people like to go.

So everyone stopped outside the mountain and watched that figure step into the forest with each step.

Before long, his figure gradually disappeared into the mountain mist, like paper falling into water, until it was completely silent.

(End of this chapter)