Reaching Cooperation

"Second Young Master Xu, Third Young Master Xu."

The bearded man clasped his fist in greeting, then stated his name, "This Humble One is Gu Yiping."

"Second Young Master Xu, your eyes are sharp indeed—you saw through my thoughts. I won't deceive you either; inheriting the Dragon Elephant Sect has always been my life's ambition.

I'll go with you to the Xu Residence for a visit. If you can offer suitable terms, even this thing here isn't something I couldn't part with."

After the deal was struck.

Xu Mingyuan and the others saw that it was getting late, so they stayed the night at the White Poplar Inn.

It wasn't until the next day that they returned to the Xu family in Dongxi Village.

Spurring their horses over the blue stone road, rice paddies on either side spread out like green carpets, rippling layer upon layer in the wind, stretching endlessly.

Gu Yiping saw children chasing egrets along the field ridges and couldn't help sighing inwardly: "Such a peaceful scene is rare to see."

After settling Gu Yiping, Xu Mingyuan made a special trip to the Bamboo House at Jade Cold Pond.

"You want to use this to open the Xu Family Martial Arts Hall? And train usable talents for the Xu family on the side?"

"Father is indeed Father—you saw through my scheme at a glance."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Then you must grasp the measure of what Gu Yiping seeks."

"Your son knows the limits." Xu Mingyuan added, "Furthermore, I intend to expand the Xu Family Winery, Restaurant, Clothing Shop, and Fruit Shop to other county towns."

"This is no small matter—it touches on every aspect. The most important thing is whether there are loyal people available. You can scout or train suitable candidates first; even letting it sit for a few years won't be too late."

"Qingjiang County is our home base, the top priority. If this place isn't stable, everything else is out of the question."

Xu Chuan seemed to open up, glanced at Xu Mingyuan, and continued, "The Xu family's commercial foundation lies in clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. Now we can expand a little.

For example, a Carpenter's Shop, a Blacksmith's Shop, a Medicine Shop—industries that benefit the family's development can all be put on the agenda."

"We could also establish the Xu Family School, letting the children of household guards and guardsmen learn to read and write for free, cultivating their loyalty to the Xu family from a young age."

Xu Mingyuan nodded repeatedly, his admiration for Xu Chuan rising boundlessly.

"If Father managed it personally, he could surely multiply the Xu family's wealth several times over."

Xu Chuan laughed. "Human effort has its limits. How could your father alone cover every aspect? Don't rush to flatter me. I'll just give you occasional advice."

"Your son understands."

"One last thing."

"Father, speak. Your son will listen earnestly to your instruction."

"If you've taken a liking to someone, bring her back to see us soon. Your elder brother is already married and has children. Now it's your turn." Xu Chuan's lips curled. "If you don't hurry, I reckon your mother will start matching you up herself."

"Don't blame your father for not speaking up for you then."

"Your father is still quite open-minded. I hope you can find a woman you love mutually, and live this life together."

Xu Mingyuan suddenly felt awkward.

He knew he'd face this pressure someday, but he never expected his father to bring it up while discussing the family's century-spanning plans.

It truly caught him off guard.

"Understood, Father. I'll try."

Xu Mingyuan fled from the Bamboo House at Jade Cold Pond and returned to the Xu Residence.

Xu Chuan, meanwhile, continued breathing the Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique's breathing method, sensing the Power of Heaven and Earth around him.

The reason he was here.

Was because he felt the Jade Cold Pond was peculiar—perhaps the Power of Heaven and Earth gathered here was denser.

Xu Mingwei had come by and verified Xu Chuan's conjecture.

After Xu Mingyuan returned, he also told Xu Mingwei what Xu Chuan had said.

The two brothers discussed it for a long time and made a detailed plan.

Now, many of the Xu family's affairs had gradually been handed over to Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan.

Xu Chuan was slowly stepping back.

In the Xu family's main hall.

Behind the rosewood screen, Gu Yiping stared at the Lone Fishing on Cold River Painting hanging on the wall, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the armrest of the grand master chair.

The hall's beams and pillars were all painted with vermilion lacquer, the brackets carved with entwined lotus patterns, and the copper bells at the eaves sent faint strains of string music drifting in the wind.

Gu Yiping had stayed at the Xu residence for over a day.

He had now gained a preliminary understanding of the Xu family.

The residence was classical and grand, covering over a hundred mu, with a predominantly low-key, steady color scheme—this was definitely no weak family in Qingjiang County.

The household guards, maidservants, and guards were all well-trained and disciplined, treating people warmly and never speaking more than necessary.

He had even once encountered the Crimson Gold-Eyed White Tiger striding through a moon gate, nearly making him strike out with a palm.

Seeing the Xu family's deep foundation, he was now seventy percent convinced of their promise to help him establish the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School and carry on the Dragon Elephant Sect.

In a flash.

Xu Mingwei walked out from the rear hall, the jade belt buckle at his waist clinking crisply, and sat directly in the host's seat.

Xu Mingyuan followed closely behind and took the seat at the lower left.

Gu Yiping sized him up, silently thinking to himself: "This Xu Family Patriarch has an impressive bearing, but he seems far too young."

"Big Brother, this is Gu Yiping, the inheritor of the Dragon Elephant Sect." Xu Mingyuan spoke first.

Xu Mingwei looked at Gu Yiping, smiling and nodding in greeting.

Gu Yiping returned the courtesy.

"This is my elder brother, Xu Mingwei, the acting patriarch of the Xu family."

Gu Yiping didn't bother to wonder why the actual Xu Family Patriarch wasn't here; if Xu Mingwei appeared, it meant he could make all the decisions.

"Brother Gu, what is your current cultivation level?"

"Late-Innate."

Xu Mingyuan was slightly startled, but his face remained calm as still water, betraying nothing. He only said flatly, "That should be enough to oversee the martial arts school."

"Otherwise, it would be quite troublesome."

"What do you mean?" Gu Yiping frowned.

"Right now in Qingjiang County, the Black Wind Martial Arts Hall, the Black Tiger Martial Arts School, and the Tianlong Martial Arts School are locked in a three-way standoff, with occasional conflicts. But if a new school suddenly appears, it will inevitably be suppressed."

"Trespassing on others' interests—it's almost always like this."

Gu Yiping nodded, finding the reasoning sound.

"So, for my Xu family to cooperate with the Dragon Elephant Sect, we are taking a risk."

Xu Mingyuan continued: "My Xu family will handle publicity, recruit disciples, and provide the money and grain needed for the school for three to five years. In return, you must give us the Dragon Elephant Sect's martial arts, techniques, secret medicinal diet recipes, and so on, for my family to copy."

Gu Yiping began to weigh the pros and cons.

Running and managing a martial arts school was extremely complex. Relying on himself alone to build it to a certain scale would likely take over a decade.

He was already over forty, and he also wanted to spend more time on the Martial Dao, hoping to break through to Grandmaster.

He couldn't do both.

As for the martial arts, techniques, and recipes, though precious, they were lifeless.

If he didn't pass them on, he couldn't take them with him after a hundred years.

His greatest wish in this life was to carry on the Dragon Elephant Sect, so what the Xu family proposed was all within his acceptable range.

"Agreed."

After a long pause, Gu Yiping nodded.

"Then let's discuss the details. I plan to divide the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School into an Inner Sect and an Outer Sect."

"The Inner Sect will teach the authentic Dragon Elephant martial arts, with strict disciple recruitment. Director Gu will personally select and oversee them, and the successors of the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School will all be chosen from here. The Xu family will not interfere."

"After five years, the Inner Sect disciples' medicinal diet supplies will be the Director's own responsibility to source."

"The Outer Sect will be managed by the Xu family. We will handle recruitment and provide the martial arts. The Director only needs to instruct the Outer Sect disciples once a month."

"As for the school's total revenue, the Xu family and the Director will split it seventy-thirty."

Gu Yiping fell silent again, carefully pondering the details Xu Mingyuan had laid out.

According to his plan, only the Inner Sect of the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School would be the true inheritance of the Dragon Elephant Sect. The Outer Sect could essentially be considered the Xu family's private property.

"It seems the Xu family has long had the idea of getting into the martial arts school business, but lacked a suitable person to oversee it."

Martial arts school affairs were complicated, and without at least ten or twenty years, it was hard to see results.

The Xu family's investment must also be considerable.

And he only needed to manage his own Inner Sect. The two sides would be clearly separated, allowing him to free up a lot of time to focus on the Martial Dao.

"I agree."

"Then let us wish for a pleasant cooperation between our two families."