Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 423 Ji Hong
Confucius said: "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar?"

As soon as Niu Yi entered the school, he heard the sounds of children reading aloud. A smile appeared on his face as he slowly walked towards the school gate, where a round-faced boy who looked to be only about fifteen years old was sweeping fallen leaves.

"Ji Hong, you were punished by the teacher to sweep the floor again today?"

Hearing the voice coming from not far away, the somewhat depressed-looking boy paused for a moment, then turned his head to look in the direction from which the voice came, and saw Niu Yi walking slowly towards him with a smile on his face.

"You...you're a big shot???"

Ji Hong stared wide-eyed at Niu Yi as he approached, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. He looked at him again, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"No way, Brother Niu! We haven't seen each other for just over a month, how did you suddenly grow so tall?!"

Ji Hong threw the broom aside and quickly approached Niu Yi. He reached up to compare his head to Niu Yi's, only to find that he only reached Niu Yi's neck.

"Brother Da Niu, you're only a few months older than me, why have you suddenly grown so tall? Do you have some secret to growing taller?!"

Ji Hong seemed to have thought of something, his eyes lit up, and he quickly patted his chest and said:
"If there really is a secret recipe, you'd better remember to tell me, brother. I'm not afraid of the bitterness of the medicine at all!"

Niu Yi chuckled and shook his head.

"There's no secret formula. It's just about eating well and sleeping well. As you get older, your body naturally changes every day. What's the rush, kid?"

Both of the Niu family's children studied at Mr. Hu's private school, and Mr. Hu only admitted locals from Linjiang City.

Even though Linjiang City was large, the children became familiar with each other, and he, the eldest of the Niu family, naturally became the eldest Niu, while Niu Guangze became the second eldest Niu.

Other students in the school naturally had similar nicknames, mostly just playful banter among children, without any malice, and quite endearing in a way.

"Hey, Brother Da Niu, you leaving the private school has really made things tough for us guys, you have no idea."

"Ji Hong! I sent you outside to sweep the floor as a warning, not to gossip!"

Suddenly, a strong, aged voice came from inside the wooden house, and the sound of reading aloud inside gradually stopped.

Ji Hong's face stiffened. He slowly turned his head and saw an old man with a white beard, dressed as a scholar and holding a ruler, standing outside the door.

The old man glanced at Niu Yi, then turned back to look into the room, glaring at him as he said:
"What are you looking at? Keep reading!"

After the old man finished speaking, the sound of reading aloud came from inside the house again, and the old man strode out and came to Ji Hong.

"Sir, my..."

"Stop with all that, just keep sweeping!"

"Hey! Okay!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Hong felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly bowed. He took two quick steps, picked up the broom from the ground, and even winked at Niu Yi with his back to the old man.

Niu Yi ignored Ji Hong's actions, but his expression turned solemn, and he bowed respectfully, saying:
"This student greets Mr. Hu."

"What, you've come here again? Are you here to see your brother?"

"I mainly miss you, Mr. Hu." "Hmph, you little rascal."

Mr. Hu gave a soft hum, but the unconscious softening of his expression clearly showed that he was quite pleased with Niu Yi's answer.

Seeing this, Niu Yi smiled, took out a wooden box from his pocket, and handed it to Mr. Hu.

“Sir, I’ve been helping out at the family pharmacy lately and have learned some skills from my father. This pill is something I made myself. Taking it can prolong life and has some benefits for your health.”

"This is not a particularly valuable elixir, but it is a token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

In Niu Yi's hand was another Spirit Tempering Pill. This pill was nothing special; it was just a collection of ordinary medicinal herbs that had been tempered by spiritual energy and refined in his Primordial Furnace.

Even so, this pill is still a top-grade medicine for ordinary people. He didn't lie to Zhong Wen when he gave him the pill. The Spirit Tempering Pill is indeed extremely mild and was able to save the old man.

Unfortunately, the old man harbored ill intentions and was likely still plotting to possess someone else's body.
"To prolong life?"

Mr. Hu glanced at Niu Yi across from him with amusement, but still felt a warm glow in his heart as he accepted the box Niu Yi handed him.

He was in good health and wouldn't take any medicine unless necessary, but since this was a gift from his student, he didn't want to offend the child's good intentions, so he simply accepted it.

Mr. Hu looked at the wooden box in his hand and sighed softly.

"Oh, you know, if only you had studied with me back then, with your talent, passing the imperial examinations would have been no problem, instead of ending up like me, a mere scholar for the rest of my life."

"Enough, there's no point in talking about this now. Since you're focused on inheriting the pharmacy and not getting involved in the political infighting, that might be a good thing."

"You may wait here for a while. It will be time to rest soon. If you encounter any trouble in the pharmacy in the future, you may come to me. Although I am just a scholar, I have been in Linjiang City for so many years and I am confident that I can help you."

As Mr. Hu spoke, he carried the wooden box and walked toward the private school behind him.

Niu Yi was also slightly moved. After all, the promise Mr. Hu made was quite significant. Although the two were not relatives, Mr. Hu's willingness to go to such lengths showed that he truly valued him.
If he were still a mortal, what harm would there be in following the old man's wishes and seeking fame and fortune? But he was ultimately a cultivator, and what he pursued throughout his life was the pursuit of immortality and enlightenment.

He took care of the Niu family in Linjiang City until his parents passed away, as this was his way of repaying their kindness in raising him. As for anything else, he was unwilling to get involved in too many karmic entanglements for the sake of fame or fortune.

Ji Hong, who had just walked away, quickly walked to Niu Yi's side, looked around, and lowered his voice to say:

"Brother Da Niu, is that secret recipe for growing taller from earlier really not true?"

Niu Yi rolled his eyes at the boy in front of him, then casually took out a small bag of candied fruit from his pocket and stuffed it into Ji Hong's hand.

"As I always say, eat well and sleep well, and you'll naturally grow taller."

"Keep an eye on things here for me. If my brother comes out, tell him to wait for me here for a while. I'll be back soon."

Ji Hong's eyes lit up when he saw the candied fruit in his hand, and he nodded quickly, agreeing immediately.

"Don't worry, Brother Niu! I'll tell Erniu as soon as he gets out!"

Niu Yi nodded with a smile and walked towards the riverbank. He could sense that the aura was getting closer and closer, and it seemed that another interesting aura was also approaching.
(End of this chapter)