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

Chapter 47 Methods of Conserving Energy and Cultivating Character

The morning chill lingered, and the thin frost had not yet melted, but people in the Jiang family courtyard had already begun to move.

The whole family finished their stance training together, their steps steady and their breathing long and even.

The exhaled steam gathered and dispersed in mid-air, like the steam rising from an old stove.

Pushing open the door, a wave of warmth washes over you, and your feet feel more grounded.

The pot of porridge on the table had long been cooked until it was soft, sticky, and golden in color. The steaming porridge wafted straight into the nose, making one's tongue itch and one's stomach rumble.

Ordinary families drink this Polygonatum porridge for its nourishing and moisturizing properties.

But the Jiang family's pot is not as simple as just using Polygonatum as a base.

It contains black scaly root and several other uncommon medicinal herbs, and is simmered over low heat all night. The resulting porridge is fragrant with medicinal aromas, and only then is it served.

Just by getting close and smelling it, you can feel a surge of energy rushing from your nasal cavity to your head, giving you a jolt of energy.

If someone has shallow constitution, they might spit out a nosebleed on the spot, and then have hot air coming out of their seven orifices.

Only someone like the Jiang family, with their strong constitution and years of martial arts training, could eat this kind of porridge and truly appreciate its flavor.

Several eggs lay on the plate, their surfaces round and plump, their shells deep and warm in color, and they exuded a faint medicinal fragrance.

These eggs are unusual; they came from a nest of "medicated chickens" in the Jiang family's backyard.

Four years ago, when my little girl was born, two broods of chicks hatched, and she grew up drinking medicine residue.

It eats nourishing food every day, cries loudly every year, has glossy feathers, and a strong and healthy body.

At first, Jiang Yi was just being stingy with the chicken, but the more he looked at it, the more he felt that the chicken was extraordinary. So he kept it without killing it or selling it, only taking its eggs to eat slowly by himself.

Now, four years have passed, and this egg is no longer just a simple yolk and white; it carries an indescribable vitality and strength.

While it may not be a panacea, it's no less effective than ordinary medicinal cuisine.

After finishing a bowl of porridge, the warmth spread through his body, and Jiang Yi casually picked up a hoe and strolled slowly to the edge of the field.

His steps were steady, and his expression was relaxed, like a farmer who spends more time strolling than working.

The soil between the rows was loose, so I casually brushed it aside. Some weeds were sprouting among the seedlings, so I squatted down and carefully pulled them out, one stem and one leaf at a time.

Occasionally, I would walk around to the base of the fruit trees, look up at the branches, and casually pluck out two or three tangled twigs without giving them much thought. I would prune and trim them as I pleased.

This strength isn't from years of practicing stances and boxing; it makes doing rough work quite easy.

He worked leisurely until the sun was high in the sky before dusting his hands off and going back inside for lunch.

After the meal, without doing anything else, I simply took out the yellowed-edged "Treatise on Sitting in Oblivion," leaned against the corner of the couch, and casually flipped through a few pages.

The scriptures are as obscure as clouds and smoke, yet the meaning within the sentences seems to have a glimmer of gold, which can only be grasped by calming the mind and concentrating the spirit.

Jiang Yi didn't insist. When he got sleepy while reading, he would close his eyes slightly and take a nap while reading the scriptures.

The sleep was neither deep nor shallow; I drifted in and out of consciousness for most of the hour. When I woke up, I felt refreshed, as clear as autumn water.

After getting up, I went to the cold area in the backyard first.

The chill lingers, and the earth's energy is still concentrated, making it the perfect time for stance training.

A stake was driven into the ground, the cold air penetrating to the bone, but it also made the muscles and bones tighter and more resilient.

After practicing until you're covered in sweat, your blood and energy gradually recover with each breath.

Take a break, then practice your boxing again.

The punches are swift as the wind and retract with a concealed edge, neither too fast nor too slow, each move landing steadily.

The three rounds of stance training, breathing exercises, and boxing techniques aim to promote overall well-being and mental tranquility.

By the time they finished their stance and came to a complete stop, the sky was already tinged with a dusky yellow hue.

The soft clattering of pots and pans came from inside the house. Jiang Xi was calling for her mother, and Jiang Ming was already peeking out from the courtyard gate.

The steam from dinner drifted out of the house, mingling with the aroma of cooking smoke and medicine.

The room was warm and cozy. After finishing a bowl of golden Solomon's Seal porridge, I felt as if my whole body had been basked in the spring sun.

When he had some free time, Jiang Yi would lean against the headboard and tell the two little ones in the room strange and unusual historical anecdotes. He would tell stories of flying gods and immortal herbs, his face beaming with excitement, which would scare the children so much that they wouldn't even blink.

When he got tired of talking, he took out bamboo slips and wooden tablets and taught the little girl to read.

The teacher taught each stroke meticulously, and the little girl read it haltingly, but she was very serious.

Once night had completely fallen and the two children were asleep, Jiang Yi took out the book "Sitting in Oblivion" again.

This time, I wasn't as carefree and lazy as I was in the afternoon. Instead, I forced my eyelids open and read on, word by word.

Fighting off sleepiness, I flipped through the pages, quickly scanning most of the book.

Only when his eyelids felt as heavy as lead did he close the book and fall into a deep sleep.

The days passed by quietly.

There was no wind or waves, no ripples.

But Jiang Yi felt that he was gradually making up for the deficit through daily refinement and nourishment.

My body is no longer tired and empty, and my spirit is like a branch, slowly sprouting and stretching.

The anxiety and nameless anger that had been weighing on my heart were mostly dissolved in this pot of porridge, this page of scripture, and this punch.

I calmed down and regained my composure.

This change was not unique to Jiang Yi.

When a family lives together, if they get up earlier, sleep more soundly, eat regularly, and speak more slowly, even the atmosphere inside the house will change.

After a few days, they actually regained some energy and spirit.

I learned some tips about this road from a casual chat with Master Liu the other day.

Master Liu spoke frankly.

Energy is not like boxing or swinging iron; it's not about expending all your energy in one go, but about "nurturing" it.

It's nothing mysterious, just three ordinary things.

Eat well, rest well, and sleep soundly.

When your stomach is full and your mind is at peace, you will naturally have plenty of energy and feel completely at ease.

That day, just after clearing away the dishes and chopsticks, before even getting up, there was a knock on the courtyard gate twice.

He went out to greet him, and there stood the tall servant from Liu Family Village, who had come to deliver the cultivation pills he had promised that day.

The pills came in two kinds, one black and one white, each contained in a small porcelain bottle, the mouth of which was sealed with clay.

The servant said that the white one was warm and smooth, which could calm the mind and help people concentrate and guard their thoughts, so as to prevent them from having wild thoughts.

The black substance is a potent drug; after ingestion, it causes a multitude of hallucinations, ranging from mild psychological sensations to severe nightmares.

If these two ingredients are used together, one bright and one dark, they can help people see the threshold of their state of mind.

Jiang Yi thanked him, accepted the bottle, and gently weighed it in his hand.

His gaze, however, was not on the medicine, but rather subtly swept over the family sitting at the table.

Everyone, big and small, did their own thing; some talked, some wrote, and even their breathing sounded long and peaceful.

Seeing this, Jiang Yi calmly put away the two bottles of medicine without distributing them.

He knew perfectly well that with his family living such a comfortable life—getting up early, sleeping soundly, eating well, and having no worries—there was no need to rush to rely on medication to speed things up.

If there really is someone who needs medication, it's probably the youngest son, Jiang Liang.

I'm restless and can't sit still or calm down. I start yawning as soon as I turn to the second page of a book.

The days flowed by, one after another, and before we knew it, the New Year was approaching again.

The youngest son, who had been away from home for a long time, still managed to return before the Lunar New Year.

Riding in that familiar, dilapidated oxcart, creaking and swaying, we arrived at the village entrance, covered in dust from the journey.

(End of this chapter)