"Ergou, are you home?"
Xu Chuan stepped into Chen Ergou's courtyard.
With the busy farming season over, Chen Ergou was currently leisurely lying on a reclining chair under the eaves.
Seeing Xu Chuan, he sprang up with a whoosh, asking in surprise, "Brother Chuan, why are you here? Aren't you at home keeping sister-in-law company?"
"I gave her the Qi and Blood Pill you brought. After several days, she's recovered quite well."
"I see."
"Daniu, Fangfang, your Uncle Xu is here. Come out quickly."
After two children about the same age came out, they crisply called out to Xu Chuan, "Uncle Xu."
"Good children." Xu Chuan smiled faintly.
Hearing Chen Ergou's words, the two children immediately ran inside joyfully.
Xu Chuan silently pulled out a one-hundred-tael bank note and handed it over.
"Brother Chuan, what's this for?"
"Money for the Qi and Blood Pill. I know Qi and Blood Pills aren't cheap. Without connections to a martial hall, even having money won't let you buy them. You must accept this money, or don't call me Brother Chuan anymore."
With one sentence, he blocked everything Chen Ergou was about to say.
"Then I'll accept it."
Seeing Chen Ergou put it away, Xu Chuan asked, "Last time you said there was something you wanted my help with. Let's hear it?"
"My elder brother wants to exchange an internal energy manual for the green jade pear cultivation method. What do you think?"
Chen Ergou hesitated for a long while before speaking.
Years ago when Xu Chuan wanted to grow green jade pears, no one thought well of it but last year, hearing that Xu Chuan had sold quite a few green jade pears to the Xu family, they realized he had succeeded in cultivating them.
Many commoners in Dongxi Village were quite envious.
"Uncle Chen's idea?"
"No, no, no."
Chen Ergou hurriedly waved his hands, "My father doesn't agree. It's my elder brother's idea."
"He probably heard you planted ten mu of green jade pears and have considerable silver income every year, so..."
His voice became quieter and quieter, until finally he didn't dare look Xu Chuan in the eyes.
Chen Ergou felt helpless in his heart but he had feared his elder brother since childhood, and now that he had become a martial artist, he feared him even more.
He could only act as this intermediary. However, he also understood that, forget about whether Xu Chuan had this secret method or not, even if he did, it was a golden goose that laid eggs. How could it be comparable to a mere internal energy manual?
"Brother Chuan, don't be angry. I'm just mentioning it."
"Actually, I somewhat regret speaking on my brother's behalf. After all, this is your unique skill, the foundation of your livelihood. Exchanging it for just a manual would be too much of a loss."
Xu Chuan thought of Xu Yan.
Chen Ergou was honest, but Xu Yan was very shrewd.
She was the type who wouldn't chat with you for even a few sentences without some benefit.
Xu Chuan could indeed be considered her cousin, but the two families had long been beyond the fifth degree of relation. In his grandfather's generation, they had little contact.
When their family prospered, they moved to Qingjiang County town and operated one or two shops in the city.
In the first few years after Xu Yan married Chen Ergou, she hardly interacted with the Xu family.
When they met, it was just a nod and greeting, exchanging a few casual words.
Xu Chuan didn't even know she was his relative.
It wasn't until last year that things became more active.
She would visit from time to time then they acknowledged their kinship.
"For the sake of you and Uncle Chen, the trade isn't impossible."
"Brother Chuan, are you serious?" Chen Ergou was overjoyed.
"Ergou, let me finish first. I have conditions."
"Brother Chuan, speak."
"First, this matter must have Uncle Chen as witness. It's a fair trade, mutually agreed upon."
"Second, just as five or six out of ten who practice internal energy manuals may not succeed, the green jade pear cultivation method I provide also cannot guarantee success. If it fails afterward, you cannot cause trouble for my family."
"Third, the internal energy manual must be guaranteed to be superior martial arts, plus ten Qi and Blood Pills."
"I understand." Chen Ergou nodded, "Brother Chuan, tomorrow, no, I'll go to the county town today to find my elder brother."
After Xu Chuan left, Chen Ergou went to his father's house, had Xu Yan return to watch the children, then set out for the county town himself.
…
Black Tiger Martial Hall.
"Senior Brother Daming, someone outside is looking for you, says he's your younger brother."
"My younger brother?"
Chen Daming went outside the martial hall. Seeing Chen Ergou, he asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"
Toward this mediocre younger brother of his, Chen Daming felt somewhat disdainful in his heart.
"Last time you asked me to inquire, Brother Chuan agreed, but he has three conditions."
"Oh, what did Xu Chuan say?"
Chen Ergou honestly repeated Xu Chuan's words verbatim.
Chen Daming pondered for a moment.
"This Xu Chuan is indeed as father said, someone who won't accept losses."
Having father witness is because he thinks if our family fails to grow them, we'll cause him trouble?
Chen Daming had also inquired about green jade pears and knew cultivation was indeed difficult, but if successful, it could become the foundation of a family's business for several generations.
Internal energy manuals were the same.
He even wants a superior internal energy manual?
Truly an ignorant farmer!
The more superior the internal energy manual, the higher the aptitude required.
"No problem. Not long ago, I just obtained a superior internal energy manual that I can trade with him. As for the Qi and Blood Pills..."
"Ergou, go back and tell Xu Chuan that in seven days, I'll request leave to return home and trade with him."
"Understood, elder brother."
…
Seven days later.
Uncle Chen's house.
Xu Chuan held the green jade pear cultivation notes he had written from memory and traded with Chen Daming.
"You two have both thought this through."
Xu Chuan looked toward Uncle Chen and smiled faintly, "Uncle Chen, I want an internal energy manual, and Big Brother Daming wants the cultivation method. Both sides can benefit."
"Father, stop going on and on. Your son has already established his household and has his own judgment."
Uncle Chen pursed his lips, "Then let's begin. Both of you first confirm whether it's what you want, then sign and press your handprints if there are no problems."
The two exchanged items.
Xu Chuan first opened the porcelain bottle and sniffed it, poured out all the Qi and Blood Pills to look at them, then immediately put them back. Next, he looked at the internal energy manual. On the cover were written the words "Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique."
"Not a bad name."
Xu Chuan opened it and began reading with great interest.
At this moment, Chen Daming looked up and felt amused in his heart.
"A farmer who has never practiced martial arts and has no martial artist to teach him, yet still wants to teach himself?"
"Xu Chuan, let me tell you, this internal energy manual comes from the Dragon Elephant Sect. Several years ago they were destroyed, and the manual flowed out."
"Although this is only a hand-copied version, I can guarantee it's absolutely a superior manual. There's also a follow-up called 'Innate Dragon Elephant Formula.'"
"However, you should be clear in your heart that internal energy manuals don't mean you can become a martial artist just by learning them. You also need to look at talent and resources."
"Thank you for the advice, Big Brother Daming. I have no problems on my end." Xu Chuan said.
Chen Daming also roughly flipped through it. It was indeed written in great detail, including explanations about site selection, humidity, climate, fertilizer, and more.
"I have no problems either."
"Then let's sign and seal it."
Uncle Chen held his tobacco pipe, took a puff, and exhaled a cloud of misty smoke.
Both men complied.
After Xu Chuan left, Chen Daming said, "Father, you should also copy a version. Our family also has forest land, we can try it."
"I don't need to. Let Ergou copy it."
"San Shu is so clever. If he says the certainty isn't great, it means the probability of successful cultivation is indeed very low. I don't have the energy to plant them."
"Father, aren't you thinking too highly of him? There are plenty of talented and exceptional people in the world. With this cultivation guide, and finding a few experts in fruit tree cultivation in Qingjiang County, I refuse to believe we can't grow them."
"As for him, wanting to learn martial arts, he thinks too highly of himself."
"How easy is it to practice the 'Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique'?"
"The internal energy manual is fake?"
"Of course it's real. I spent quite a bit of silver on it."
Uncle Chen felt somewhat reassured. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his tobacco pipe, he prepared to go out for a walk.
"I can tell you and San Shu both have your own little schemes. However, Daming, in these dozen or so years, I've never seen San Shu take a loss."
Chen Daming didn't think so, muttering under his breath, "How many people have you seen, old man?"
"Tiny Dongxi Village, what remarkable people could possibly come from here?"