Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique

"Er Gou, are you home?"

Xu Chuan stepped into Chen Ergou's Home courtyard.

With the busy farming season over, Chen Ergou was lounging leisurely in a recliner beneath the eaves.

The moment he saw Xu Chuan, he sprang up with a start. "Brother Chuan, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at home keeping Sister-in-law company?"

"I gave her the Qi and Blood Pill you brought. She's almost recovered now."

"I see."

"Daniu, Fangfang, Uncle Xu is here. Come out quickly."

The two children, about the same age, came out and called brightly, "Uncle Xu."

"What good children." Xu Chuan smiled faintly.

"Go inside and play."

At Chen Ergou's words, the two children immediately ran inside in high spirits.

Xu Chuan silently took out a hundred-tael banknote and handed it over.

"Brother Chuan, this is..."

"The money for the Qi and Blood Pill. I know those pills are expensive. Without connections at a Martial Arts Hall, you can't buy them even if you have money. You must take this, or don't call me Brother Chuan in the future."

That single sentence blocked everything Chen Ergou had been about to say.

"Then I'll take it."

Once Chen Ergou put it away, Xu Chuan asked, "Last time, you said you had something you wanted my help with. Tell me."

"My Elder Brother wants to trade an Inner Strength Manual for the cultivation method of Green Jade Pears. Do you think that would work?"

Chen Ergou hesitated for a long while before speaking.

Back when Xu Chuan first wanted to plant Green Jade Pears, no one had thought well of it.

But last year, when they heard that Xu Chuan had sold quite a few Green Jade Pears to the Xu Family, they finally learned that he had succeeded in growing them.

Many Common Folk in Dongxi Village were deeply envious.

"What does Uncle Chen think?"

"No, no, no."

Chen Ergou hurriedly waved his hands. "My Old Father doesn't agree. This is my Elder Brother's idea."

"He probably heard that you planted ten mu of Green Jade Pears and make quite a bit of silver from them every year, so..."

His voice grew softer and softer, until he no longer dared meet Xu Chuan's eyes.

Chen Ergou felt helpless as well.

But he had feared his Big Brother since childhood. Now that his Big Brother had become a Martial Artist, he feared him even more.

He could only come and act as this lobbyist.

Still, he understood that, setting aside whether Xu Chuan even had such a secret method, even if he did, it was a golden hen that laid eggs. How could a single Inner Strength Manual compare?

"Brother Chuan, don't be angry. I was only bringing it up."

"Actually, I already regret speaking on my brother's behalf. This is your exclusive craft, the foundation of your livelihood. Trading it for merely one manual would be far too great a loss."

Xu Chuan thought of Xu Yan.

Chen Ergou was honest, but Xu Yan was exceedingly shrewd.

She was the sort who would not even chat with you for a few extra sentences unless there was something in it for her.

Xu Chuan could indeed be considered her Cousin, but the two families had long since passed beyond Five Degrees of Kinship. They had barely interacted since his grandfather's generation.

After their family rose to prosperity, they moved to Qingjiang County Town and ran one or two Shops there.

In the first few years after Xu Yan married Chen Ergou, she hardly interacted with the Xu Family at all.

When they met, they merely nodded in greeting and exchanged a few casual words.

Xu Chuan had not even known she was one of his relatives.

It was not until last year that they began to grow closer.

From time to time, she would visit his home.

Then they acknowledged their kinship.

"For your sake and Uncle Chen's, it's not impossible to make this trade."

"Brother Chuan, are you serious?" Chen Ergou was overjoyed.

"Er Gou, listen to me first. I have conditions."

"Brother Chuan, tell me."

"First, Uncle Chen must witness this matter. It must be a fair trade, with both sides willing."

"Second, just as only five or six out of ten people who practice an Inner Strength Manual may succeed, the Green Jade Pear cultivation method I provide cannot guarantee success either. If it fails afterward, you may not come trouble my family."

"Third, the Inner Strength Manual must be a superior martial art, along with ten Qi and Blood Pills."

"Understood." Chen Ergou nodded. "Brother Chuan, tomorrow—no, today—I'll go to the county town to find my Elder Brother."

After Xu Chuan left.

Chen Ergou went to his Old Father's home, had Xu Yan return to watch the children, then set out for the county town himself.

Black Tiger Martial Arts School.

"Senior Martial Brother Daming, someone outside the school is looking for you. He says he's your younger brother."

"My younger brother?"

Chen Daming came outside the Martial Arts School. Seeing Chen Ergou, he asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

In his heart, Chen Daming looked down somewhat on his mediocre younger brother.

"About the matter you asked me to inquire about last time—Brother Chuan agreed, but he has three conditions."

"Oh? What did Xu Chuan say?"

Chen Ergou honestly repeated Xu Chuan's words.

Chen Daming pondered for a moment.

"This Xu Chuan is indeed just as Old Father said—a man unwilling to suffer any loss."

Having Old Father witness it—does he think my family will go cause trouble for him if we fail to grow them?

Chen Daming had also looked into Green Jade Pears. He knew they were indeed difficult to cultivate, but if successful, they would be enough to become the foundation of a Lineage for generations.

The same went for Inner Strength Manuals.

And he wanted a superior Inner Strength Manual as well?

What an ignorant farmer!

The more superior an Inner Strength Manual was, the greater the aptitude it required.

"No problem. Not long ago, I happened to acquire a superior Inner Strength Manual. We can trade it to him. As for the Qi and Blood Pills..."

"Er Gou, go back and tell Xu Chuan that in Seven Days, I'll take leave and return home to trade with him."

"Understood, Elder Brother."

Seven Days later.

Uncle Chen's home.

Xu Chuan used the Green Jade Pear cultivation notes he had copied out from memory to trade with Chen Daming.

"Have you both thought this through?"

Xu Chuan looked at Uncle Chen and smiled faintly. "Uncle Chen, I want the Inner Strength Manual, and Brother Daming wants the cultivation method. Both sides stand to benefit."

"Old Father, stop nagging already. Your son has already established a family and career. I have my own judgment."

Uncle Chen curled his lips. "Then begin. First, confirm that the items are what you each want. Once there are no issues, sign and press your fingerprints."

The two exchanged their items.

Xu Chuan first opened the Porcelain Bottle and sniffed it. He poured out all the Qi and Blood Pills for a look, then immediately put them back.

Then he looked at the Inner Strength Manual. On its cover were several words: Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique.

"Not a bad name."

Xu Chuan opened it and began reading with keen interest.

At that moment, Chen Daming glanced up and found it amusing.

"A farmer who has never practiced martial arts and has no Martial Artist to guide him—does he think he can learn it on his own?"

"Xu Chuan, let me tell you: this Inner Strength Manual came from the Dragon Elephant Sect. They were wiped out several years ago, and their manuals subsequently spread out."

"Though this is only a handwritten copy, I can guarantee that it is absolutely a superior manual. There is also the Innate Dragon Elephant Art afterward."

"But you should understand that learning an Inner Strength Manual does not mean you will become a Martial Artist. It depends on aptitude and resources as well."

"Thank you for the guidance, Brother Daming. There are no issues on my end," Xu Chuan said.

Chen Daming also flipped through it roughly. It was indeed written in great detail, including explanations of site selection, humidity, climate, fertilizer, and more.

"There are no issues on my end either."

"Then sign and press your seals."

Uncle Chen took a puff from his smoking pipe and exhaled a cloud of curling smoke.

The two did as instructed.

After Xu Chuan left, Chen Daming said, "Old Father, make a copy as well. Our family has forested land too; we can give it a try."

"I don't need one. Let Er Gou copy it."

"Sanshu is so clever. If he says the odds are poor, then the chances of successful cultivation truly are low. I don't have the energy to grow them."

"Old Father, aren't you valuing him too highly? There are many capable and extraordinary people in this world. With these cultivation notes, then finding a few experts in Qingjiang County who specialize in growing fruit trees, I refuse to believe we can't grow them."

"As for him, he thinks too highly of himself if he wants to learn martial arts."

"How could the Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique be so easy to master?"

"The Inner Strength Manual is fake?"

"Of course it's real. I spent quite a bit of silver on it."

Uncle Chen was slightly reassured. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his smoking pipe, he prepared to go out for a walk.

"I can see that you and Sanshu both have your own little schemes. But Daming, in all these years, I've never seen Sanshu suffer a loss."

Chen Daming was unconvinced, secretly muttering, How many people have you even met, old man?

"What impressive person could possibly come out of a tiny Dongxi Village?"