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

Chapter 50 A Moment of Peace of Mind

The family practiced until they were slightly sweaty in the morning light, and then stopped practicing amidst the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs.

Jiang Liang, however, was still not satisfied and did not stop until the force of his punches had dissipated.

Sometimes he wields his fists, sometimes he brandishes his staff; his movements are graceful and his footwork steady. He appears casual, but in reality, he has a very precise grasp of the nuances.

The chill remained strong, and illusions occasionally surfaced, indistinct and shadowy, resembling both humans and ghosts.

But with that pure and ethereal energy protecting him, and by gradually gathering his thoughts back to their origin, he found that the disturbing illusion had faded away.

The more I practiced, the more stable and calm I became. It was as if someone had gently touched my heart, leaving behind a pool of autumn water.

This practice lasted for almost half an hour.

It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky, its rays casting a stark white light on the frigid ground, that Jiang Liang finally felt utterly exhausted.

He didn't force himself to stay awake. He slowly left the area, slipped back into the house, and fell asleep without even taking off his shoes.

I slept very soundly.

There wasn't a single dream; it was as if the fatigue from days of running around and the unease in my heart had all been quietly wiped away in that one night.

When I woke up again, the sun was shining brightly outside the window.

I sat up with a yawn, feeling refreshed and indescribably comfortable.

Even his gaze had become more subdued, no longer so intense, but rather more reserved.

Once a person gets excited, their mind can't stay still.

After freshening up, Jiang Liang sought out his brother Jiang Ming, intending to have another match.

This move is different from last night's.

It has lost some of its brute force and gained more of a disciplined and strategic approach.

Although the moves were still the same, there was a subtle shift in thought between each punch, and in the movement, one could begin to grasp the basics.

Jiang Yi stood under the eaves, his hands behind his back, a smile in his eyes, silently watching the fight taking place in the courtyard.

That leisurely smile has deepened even more now.

Of course he knew what that kid was feeling right now.

When the mind is calm and the thoughts are clear, many moves are no longer about relying on strength and instinct, but about having rules and choices.

With a clear mind and a slower pace, one gains more leeway and finesse in responding to moves and situations.

This wonder is beyond words; only by experiencing it firsthand can one truly understand its mystery.

Unless one has personally experienced such profound mysteries.

Why would she stop her youngest son from getting a beating at this crucial moment, insisting that he spend time and effort to savor the taste of calming the mind and cultivating character?

Muscles and bones are the foundation, and mind is the rudder.

This external and internal aspect are both indispensable.

The two brothers fought fiercely in the courtyard. Although it was just a friendly exchange, their moves were anything but hesitant.

The exchange of punches and sticks was in no way inferior to a real fight with swords and spears.

By the time he finished his routine and was drenched in sweat, there was already some commotion coming from inside the house.

The aroma of medicinal cuisine wafted out, and the herbal bath was just the right temperature.

The ingredients used were all high-quality goods obtained from Liu Family Village, with potent medicinal properties and perfect cooking time.

Jiang Yi had already planned it all out.

With my youngest son coming home for the holidays, I'm going to make up for all the food I've missed out on over the years.

We just hope that he can get his body in top condition and his mind in the most stable state to compete in the state election.

In the following days, Jiang Liang was as if he had been thrown into a large pot of medicine that was being simmered over a low flame.

Upon waking up early in the morning, I swallowed a Qingling Pill. Before the effects of the medicine had even dissipated, my feet had already stepped into that snow-white Illusionary Shadow Grassland.

The chill penetrated to the bone, and illusions swirled around him, yet he neither dodged nor avoided, striking earnestly with each punch and stick, without even flinching.

During the day, the medicinal soups and broths were fresh every day, carefully prepared according to his physical condition, making him feel hot and bothered.

Soaking in that medicinal bath again at night, the soreness and swelling in my body turned into a surge of blood and qi, as if my whole body had been thoroughly cleansed from the inside out.

This method of cultivating both inner and outer strength, and training both mind and body, naturally yielded immediate results when applied to his youthful frame.

In just a few days, his physique appeared to have grown taller, his shoulders more stable, and his muscles and bones seemed to have loosened up.

The youthful sharpness in his eyes seemed to have been tempered by the medicinal soup and illusions, hidden deep within them, no longer visible on his face.

His steps were more steady and heavier than usual.

However, the first thing to blossom that year was not that hot-blooded young man.

However, it was Jiang Yi, who usually seemed like a carefree person and even practiced his boxing as if he were taking a stroll, who quietly broke through the barrier first.

As the New Year festival arrives, every household is already bustling with activity, firecrackers exploding one after another, and the firelight turning half the sky red.

Jiang Yi didn't join the fun outside; he just sat inside with a well-worn copy of "The Treatise on Sitting in Oblivion" on his lap.

The booklet looked thin, but it was actually very heavy, making my eyelids droop and my mind feel foggy.

He just sat there, without lighting incense or lamps, and without anyone else by his side.

Only an unyielding stubbornness sustained him as he turned the last page.

Just amidst the deafening roar of cannons, at some unknown moment, the clamor around me suddenly faded away, as if someone had separated me from the world beyond several mountains and rivers.

All the thoughts in my mind—the unresolved past, the things I can't let go of now, and the things I can't hope for in the future—receded and vanished like the tide.

That lingering regret, like a stone thrown into a lake, plummeted to the bottom without causing a ripple on the surface.

The crackling sounds still filled his ears, and the flames flickered before his eyes, but his heart felt as if it had been cleansed, clear and still as water.

It's a kind of "quiet" that doesn't need anyone to say it or rely on any special methods.

It's not about enduring, nor is it about feigning sleep; it's a state where even the thought of "stillness" has vanished.

At this moment, Jiang Yi's mind was clear, and without needing anyone else to confirm it, he already knew that this was the state of "peace of mind" that Master Liu had mentioned.

In this state of mind, even the heavens and earth seem to slow down.

The flow of Qi within the body, which was originally difficult to detect, is now as clear as a mountain spring, trickling through the meridians, with an echo every inch.

With the slightest breath, the vital energy rises and falls accordingly, like the ebb and flow of the tide, orderly and rhythmic.

I could hear clearly the breathing of my family members inside the house, each breath rising and falling gently and steadily.

Even the strength and speed of his pulse were like the rhythmic tolling of a chime bell. The snow falling in the courtyard, which was originally silent, could now be heard as if the soft sound of snowflakes touching the ground could be heard, as faint as the buzzing of a mosquito, yet not to be ignored.

It was as if everything in the world had been stripped of its glitz and clamor, revealing its true face.

The five senses are no longer confined to the surface; it's as if they've explored a deeper place, re-examining the world from a calm and detached perspective.

It was at that very moment that Jiang Yi suddenly remembered.

When he first met Master Liu, the man only glanced at him and said, "Your demeanor is calm and composed."

He took it as mere politeness at the time, but now he knows it was no joke.

In this state, who has a calm and composed demeanor, whose pulse is weak and feeble, who harbors worries, and who is afflicted with illness...?

It was indeed crystal clear and easy to see.

Although the first day of the Lunar New Year should be a day for family reunion, rest, and receiving blessings.

But in the Jiang family courtyard, just as dawn was breaking, the sound of surging energy rose again, faintly like the ebb and flow of a tide.

This cultivation method, under the Jiang family, never follows the seasons or is affected by weather.

Jiang Yi stepped into that desolate, cold land.

This time, however, he did not set off immediately. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back, watching quietly from the side.

When the mind is calm, the gaze becomes as clear as autumn water, seemingly able to penetrate flesh and skin, and see directly into the bones and breath.

The whole family was training hard in the cold air.

He could see the flow of Qi and the slightest stagnation in the exertion of muscles and bones as clearly as if he were looking at the lines on a palm.

"Jiang Ming, use your elbows and hips, don't just swing your arms like crazy."

After standing still for a moment, he suddenly spoke:
"Jiang Liang, your breathing is erratic. Don't rush it. First, steady your rhythm."

"Jiang Xi, your lower body is floating like a cat jumping into a river. Tighten your waist and abdomen, don't just pretend."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like an iron awl driving into wood, each word hitting the nail on the head.

As soon as he finished speaking, the three people in the room turned their heads, their eyes full of surprise.

I've never seen my father give me such guidance before.

Despite the surprise, one has to admit defeat.

The awkward, inexplicable blockages that I always felt when practicing boxing were suddenly relieved when my father gently touched them, as if my blood and energy had suddenly opened up, making me feel comfortable all over.

Everyone quickly adjusted their movements according to his instructions. In an instant, their stances became steady, their footwork became uniform, and they practiced with even more seriousness than before.

They practiced like this until dawn. In that cold land, white mist rose and snow-covered grass swayed slightly, but the family's movements became more and more skillful and mature.

After having a medicinal meal at night, I soaked thoroughly in a medicinal bath.

The two brothers, still feeling refreshed and full of energy, went out of the courtyard and started fighting again in the open space outside.

Fists and feet flew, each blow cutting through the air, raising snow dust and forcing the cold air back by three-tenths.

Jiang Yi didn't sit inside drinking tea anymore. Instead, he unusually stood closer, hands behind his back, eyes squinting, quietly watching from the side.

The two brothers were locked in a fierce battle, exchanging blows.

He simply spoke:

"Jiang Ming, your punches were too hasty. You didn't build up your strength. There were too many feints and not enough real power."

"Jiang Liang, your defense is wrong. Before you even landed your punch, your mind went blank. You left your defense wide open. If it were a tough guy, he would have been at a disadvantage long ago."

Upon hearing those words, both brothers paused in their actions.

Originally, it was a close contest of offense and defense, but upon hearing these words, it was as if a lamp in their hearts had been lit.

really!

He thought he had played extremely well, but upon closer reflection, he realized that some of his moves were indeed weak and his defense was sluggish.

The two brothers exchanged a glance, both with an undisguised look of surprise in their eyes.

Over the years, the two have sparred countless times, and they can recite each other's moves by heart.

But never before has someone so succinctly pointed out its flaws, and so incisively and logically.

They thought that in their father's eyes, they were already old enough to stand on their own.

But to their surprise, the old man, who seemed so lazy, brought them back to reality with just a few words.

For a moment, there was silence outside the courtyard, except for the soft sound of snow falling to the ground.

The two brothers turned around.

Looking at Jiang Yi, besides surprise, there was also a hint of awe that only a young man had.

Jiang Yi felt a surge of pleasure, like the first wisp of steam when brewing tea on a winter's day, just the right amount of warmth.

That makes sense; those two lads have been climbing the ladder day by day in recent years.

Especially when it comes to physical fights, he's no longer the child who wore open-crotch pants and followed behind others calling him "Dad."

If things really come to a head now, I might not come out on top.

As a father, seeing my children make progress naturally brings me joy; I'm overjoyed.

But amidst the joy, there was always a tinge of melancholy.

I want to teach, but I don't know where to begin.

I wanted to offer some guidance, but I could only offer some general advice.

We could only watch helplessly as they walked further and further away.

Now, things have improved; I've entered a state of "inner peace."

With heightened senses, even the smallest details and flaws in the execution of punches and kicks are crystal clear, as if drawn on snow.

This way, we can point out the flaws in their skills and truly help them.

It also allows me to properly demonstrate my authority as a father and let these two mischievous brats understand that I am, after all, my father.

Jiang Yi's usual smile deepened slightly, revealing a hint of undisguised smugness beneath his relaxed demeanor.

This chapter has about three thousand words, so let's just assume that the author added half a chapter.

By the way, please continue reading and vote with monthly tickets. May you all live forever and enjoy endless revelry.

Mwah!

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(End of this chapter)