Cooperation Reached

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

The bearded man clasped his fist in greeting, then gave his name. "I am Gu Yiping."

"Second Young Master Xu, your eye is sharp indeed—you saw through my intentions. I will not deceive you. Inheriting the Dragon Elephant Sect is indeed the ambition of my life.

"I will accompany you to the Xu Family. If you can offer suitable terms, then even this original copy is not something I cannot give to you."

After reaching an agreement.

Seeing that it was already late, Xu Mingyuan and the others stayed the night at the White Poplar Inn.

They did not return to the Xu Family in Dongxi Village until the next day.

Their horses rolled over the green stone road. On both sides, rice paddies spread out like jade-green carpets, rising and falling layer upon layer in the wind, stretching beyond sight.

When Gu Yiping saw children chasing egrets along the field ridges, he could not help sighing inwardly. Such a peaceful scene is truly rare.

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

"You wish to use this opportunity to develop the Xu Family's martial arts hall business? And at the same time cultivate useful talent for the Xu Family?"

"Father truly is Father. You saw through my plans at a glance."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Then you must strike the right balance between that and what Gu Yiping seeks."

"I understand." Xu Mingyuan continued, "Furthermore, I wish to expand the Xu Family's winery, restaurant, clothing shops, and fruit shops into other counties."

"This matter is no small affair. It involves every aspect, and most importantly, whether there are loyal people available for use. You may first seek out or cultivate suitable candidates. It would not hurt to let the matter sit for a few years."

"Qingjiang County is our old nest, the most important place of all. If this place is unstable, then everything else is out of the question."

As if he had opened a floodgate of words, Xu Chuan glanced at Xu Mingyuan and continued, "The Xu Family's commercial foundation lies in clothing, food, housing, and travel. Now, we can expand a little further.

"For example, industries such as carpenter's shops, blacksmith's shops, medicine shops, and others beneficial to the Lineage's development can all be put on the agenda."

"We can also establish a Xu Family School, allowing the children of household guards, guards, and the like to learn to read and write for free, cultivating their loyalty to the Xu Family from childhood."

Xu Mingyuan nodded repeatedly, and his admiration for Xu Chuan soared without limit.

"If Father personally managed things, the wealth of our Xu Family would surely multiply several times over."

Xu Chuan laughed. "Human strength has its limits. How could Father alone possibly attend to everything? Stop rushing to flatter me. It is enough for me to occasionally offer you some advice."

"I understand, Father."

"One final matter."

"Please speak, Father. I will listen carefully to your instruction."

"If there is someone you fancy, bring her back for us to see as soon as possible. Your Big Brother is already married and has children. You are next." The corner of Xu Chuan's mouth lifted. "If you do not hurry, I reckon your Mother will start drawing up mandarin duck pairings for you."

"When that time comes, do not blame Father for not speaking up for you."

"Father is quite open-minded. I hope you can also find a woman with whom you share mutual affection and spend this life together."

Xu Mingyuan immediately felt awkward.

He had known that one day he would be urged into marriage, but he had not expected his Father to bring it up while they were discussing the Lineage's century-long plans.

It truly caught him completely off guard.

"I understand, Father. I will do my best."

Xu Mingyuan fled Jade Cold Pond as though escaping, returning to the Xu Residence.

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

The reason he stayed here.

Was because he felt that Jade Cold Pond was unusual. Perhaps the Power of Heaven and Earth gathered here was even denser.

Xu Mingwei had come here before and had also verified Xu Chuan's guess.

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

The two brothers discussed matters for a long time and made detailed plans.

By now, many of the Xu Family's affairs had gradually been handed over to Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan.

Xu Chuan was slowly withdrawing from them.

Xu Family Hall.

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

The beams and pillars in the hall were painted vermilion, while the wooden carvings beneath the rafters bore patterns of winding lotus vines. Copper bells beneath the eaves carried faint strains of silk and bamboo music on the wind.

Gu Yiping had stayed with the Xu Family for over a day.

He could be said to have gained a preliminary understanding of the Xu Family.

The residence was antique and grand, covering more than a hundred mu. Its overall colors were understated and steady. In Qingjiang County, this was absolutely no weak Family.

The household guards, maidservants, and guards were all well-trained, gentle toward others, and never spoke out of turn.

He had even encountered the Crimson Gold-Eyed White Tiger striding through the moon gate, nearly prompting him to strike with his palm.

Seeing the Xu Family's deep foundation, he believed seventy percent of their claim that they would help him establish the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School and pass down the Dragon Elephant Sect.

In an instant.

Xu Mingwei emerged from the rear hall. The jade buckle at his waist gave a clear chime as he sat directly in the seat of honor.

Xu Mingyuan followed closely behind and sat in the first seat on the left below.

Gu Yiping examined him and silently thought, This Xu Family Patriarch possesses an extraordinary appearance and bearing, but he is far too young.

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

Xu Mingwei looked at Gu Yiping and nodded with a smile.

Gu Yiping returned the greeting.

"This is my Big Brother, Xu Mingwei, the acting Patriarch of our Xu Family."

Gu Yiping had no interest in asking why the Xu Family Patriarch was absent. Xu Mingwei's appearance here showed that he could decide everything.

"Brother Gu, what is your current cultivation?"

"Late-Innate."

Xu Mingyuan was slightly startled, but his expression remained still as water, revealing nothing. He merely said flatly, "That is enough to oversee a martial arts hall."

"Otherwise, things would be rather troublesome."

"How so?" Gu Yiping frowned.

"Currently, Qingjiang County's Black Wind Martial Arts Hall, Black Tiger Martial Arts School, and Tianlong Martial Arts School stand in a three-way standoff. There are occasional conflicts, but if a new martial arts hall suddenly appeared, it would certainly be suppressed."

"When one touches another's interests, it is almost always so."

Gu Yiping nodded, finding this reasonable.

"Therefore, the Xu Family is taking a risk by cooperating with the Dragon Elephant Sect."

Xu Mingyuan continued, "The Xu Family will help promote it, recruit disciples, and provide the funds and provisions needed by the martial arts hall for three to five years. In return, you must provide the martial arts, combat techniques, secret medicinal meal formulas, and the like that you know from the Dragon Elephant Sect, allowing the Xu Family to copy a set."

Gu Yiping began weighing the advantages and disadvantages.

The establishment and management of a martial arts hall were both exceedingly complicated. If he relied on himself alone to build one of any scale, it would likely take more than a decade.

He was already over forty. At the same time, he wished to continue devoting time to the Martial Dao, hoping to break through to Grandmaster.

He could not attend to both.

As for martial arts, combat techniques, formulas, and the like, though precious, they were all dead things.

If they were not passed down, then after his hundred years were up, he would not be able to take them with him.

The greatest wish of his life was to pass down the Dragon Elephant Sect, so the Xu Family's proposal was all within the range he could accept.

"Agreed."

After a long while, Gu Yiping nodded.

"Then let us discuss the details. I intend to divide the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School into an inner sect and an outer sect."

"The inner sect will teach the orthodox martial arts of the Dragon Elephant Sect. It will be strict in accepting disciples, with Director Gu personally selecting and vetting them. The successors of the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School will all be chosen from among them, and the Xu Family will not interfere."

"After five years, Director Gu will need to find a way to provide the medicinal meals required by the martial arts hall's Inner Sect Disciples himself."

"The outer sect will be managed by the Xu Family. The Xu Family will handle recruitment and provide the martial arts. Director Gu must instruct the Outer Sect Disciples once every month."

"The Xu Family and Director Gu will split all martial arts hall profits seventy-thirty."

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

By his terms, only the inner sect of the Dragon Elephant Martial Arts School counted as the true inheritance of the Dragon Elephant Sect. The outer sect could in fact be considered the Xu Family's private possession.

It seems the Xu Family had long intended to involve itself in martial arts halls. They merely lacked a suitable person to oversee one.

The affairs of a martial arts hall were complicated. Without ten or twenty years, it would be difficult to see results.

The Xu Family's investment would certainly not be small.

As for him, he only needed to manage his own inner sect. The two sides would remain as distinct as the Jing and Wei rivers, allowing him to free up much time to focus on the Martial Dao.

"I agree."

"Then may our two families have a pleasant cooperation."