"Ergou, are you home?"
Xu Chuan stepped into Chen Ergou's courtyard.
With the busy farming season over, Chen Ergou was leisurely lounging on a recliner beneath the eaves.
Seeing Xu Chuan, he bounced up at once and said in surprise, "Brother Chuan, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be at home keeping sister-in-law company?"
"I gave her the Qi-Blood Pill you brought over. She's mostly recovered now."
"I see."
"Chen Daniu, Fangfang, your Uncle Xu is here! Come out, quickly."
Two children of similar ages walked out and called out crisply to Xu Chuan, "Uncle Xu."
"Good kids," Xu Chuan said with a faint smile.
"Go on inside and play."
Hearing Chen Ergou's words, the two children happily ran back inside.
Xu Chuan silently took out a hundred-tael banknote and handed it over.
"Brother Chuan, what is this...?"
"Payment for the Qi-Blood Pill. I know Qi-Blood Pills are expensive, and without connections to a Martial Arts hall, you couldn't buy one even if you had the money. You must take this, or else don't call me Brother Chuan from now on."
This single sentence choked back whatever Chen Ergou was about to say.
"Then... I'll accept it."
Seeing Chen Ergou put it away, Xu Chuan asked, "Last time, you said you needed my help with something. What is it?"
"My elder brother wants to trade an Internal Force Secret Manual for your cultivation method for the Azure Jade Pear. Do you think that would work?"
Chen Ergou hesitated for a long while before speaking.
Years ago, when Xu Chuan wanted to grow Azure Jade Pears, no one had high hopes for him.
However, upon hearing last year that Xu Chuan had sold quite a few Azure Jade Pears to the Xu Family, they finally realized he had succeeded in growing them.
Many commoners in Dongxi Village were intensely envious.
"Is this Uncle Chen's idea?"
"No, no, no."
Chen Ergou waved his hands hurriedly. "My father doesn't agree; this is entirely my elder brother's idea."
"He probably heard that you planted ten mu of Azure Jade Pears and earn quite a sum of silver each year, so..."
His voice grew quieter and quieter until he dared not even look Xu Chuan in the eye.
Chen Ergou felt helpless inside as well.
Yet he had feared his elder brother since childhood, and now that his brother had become a Martial Artist, he feared him even more.
He had no choice but to act as the middleman.
Even so, he understood that regardless of whether Xu Chuan had a secret formula or not, even if he did, it was a golden goose laying golden eggs. How could a single Internal Force Secret Manual compare to it?
"Brother Chuan, please don't be angry, I was just mentioning it."
"Actually, I already regret speaking on my brother's behalf. After all, this is your exclusive trade and your very livelihood. Trading it for merely one Secret Manual is just too great a loss for you."
Xu Chuan thought of Xu Yan.
Chen Ergou was honest, but Xu Yan was exceedingly shrewd.
She was the type who wouldn't speak more than a few words with you if there was nothing in it for her.
Xu Chuan could indeed be considered her cousin, but their families were long past the five degrees of mourning relations, having ceased frequent contact back in his grandfather's generation.
Her family had prospered and moved to Qingjiang County city, running one or two shops in town.
During the first few years after Xu Yan married Chen Ergou, she barely associated with the Xu family.
When they met, she would at most nod in greeting and exchange a few casual remarks.
Xu Chuan hadn't even known she was related to him.
It wasn't until last year that she started becoming warm and attentive.
She began dropping by from time to time.
And then, she formally acknowledged their kinship.
"Out of face for you and Uncle Chen, this trade isn't out of the question."
"Brother Chuan, are you serious?" Chen Ergou was overjoyed.
"Ergou, let me finish first. I have conditions."
"Brother Chuan, please go ahead."
"First, Uncle Chen must witness this matter. It must be a fair deal, mutually agreed upon."
"Second, just as five or six out of ten people who practice an Internal Force Secret Manual might not succeed, I cannot guarantee that the cultivation method I provide for the Azure Jade Pear will definitely work. If it fails later, no one may cause trouble for my family."
"Third, the Internal Force Secret Manual must be guaranteed to be top-tier Martial Arts, plus ten Qi-Blood Pills."
"Understood." Chen Ergou nodded. "Brother Chuan, tomorrow—no, today, I'll go to the county seat to find my elder brother."
After Xu Chuan left.
Chen Ergou went to his father's house, had Xu Yan return home to watch the children, and set off for the county seat himself.
Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall.
"Senior Brother Daming, someone outside the Martial Arts hall is looking for you. He says he's your younger brother."
"My brother?"
Chen Daming walked outside the Martial Arts hall, saw Chen Ergou, and asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"
Chen Daming looked down somewhat on this mediocre younger brother of his.
"Regarding what 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 recounted Xu Chuan's words.
Chen Daming pondered for a moment.
"This Xu Chuan is indeed just as Father said—a master at refusing to suffer any loss."
Having Father witness it—does he think our family would cause trouble for him if we fail to grow them?
Chen Daming had also made inquiries about the Azure Jade Pear, knowing that cultivation was indeed difficult, but once successful, it would suffice as a foundation for a Clan across several generations.
The same went for an Internal Force Secret Manual.
He even wants a top-tier Internal Force Secret Manual?
Truly an ignorant peasant!
The more top-tier an Internal Force Secret Manual was, the higher the Aptitude it demanded.
"No problem. Not long ago, I happened to acquire a top-tier Internal Force Secret Manual that I can trade with him. As for the Qi-Blood Pills..."
"Ergou, go back and tell Xu Chuan that in seven days, I will take leave to return home and conduct the trade with him."
"Understood, Brother."
Seven days later.
Uncle Chen's house.
Xu Chuan, holding the notes on Azure Jade Pear cultivation he had written from memory, conducted the trade with Chen Daming.
"Have you two thought this through thoroughly?"
Xu Chuan looked at Uncle Chen and smiled faintly. "Uncle Chen, I want an Internal Force Secret Manual, and Brother Daming wants the cultivation method. Both sides stand to benefit."
"Father, stop nagging constantly. I've already to started a family and established a career; I have my own judgment."
Uncle Chen twitched his lips. "Then let's begin. Both of you confirm whether it's what you want first. Once there are no issues, sign and press your thumbprints."
The two exchanged items.
Xu Chuan first opened the porcelain bottle and sniffed it, poured out all the Qi-Blood Pills to inspect them, and then promptly put them back inside.
Next, he looked at the Internal Force Secret Manual, seeing the words 'Minor Dragon Elephant Technique' written on its cover.
"An extraordinary name."
Xu Chuan opened it and began reading with keen interest.
At that moment, Chen Daming looked up and found it laughable in his heart.
"A peasant who has never practiced Martial Arts and lacks the guidance of a Martial Artist—does he really think he can learn on his own?"
"Xu Chuan, let me tell you, this Internal Force Secret Manual originated from the Dragon Elephant Sect. Years ago, their sect was annihilated, and the Secret Manual leaked out."
"Although it is merely a handwritten copy, I can guarantee it is definitely a top-tier Secret Manual, and it is followed by the Innate Dragon Elephant Art."
"However, you should know in your own heart that simply studying an Internal Force Secret Manual doesn't mean you can become a Martial Artist. It depends on Talent and resources."
"Thank you for the advice, Brother Daming. Everything is fine on my end," Xu Chuan said.
Chen Daming also skimmed through the papers; they were indeed written in great detail, covering site selection, humidity, climate, fertilizer, and more.
"No issues here either."
"Then sign and press your thumbprints."
Uncle Chen held his pipe, took a puff, and exhaled a swirling cloud of smoke.
Both complied.
After Xu Chuan left, Chen Daming said, "Father, make a copy as well. Our family owns mountain woods too; you could give it a try."
"No need for me. Let Ergou copy it."
"San Shu is so clever, yet he said the chances are slim, which proves the probability of successful cultivation is indeed very low. I don't have the energy to plant them."
"Father, aren't you overestimating him? There are plenty of capable and extraordinary people in this world. With these cultivation notes and finding a few specialists in Qingjiang County skilled in fruit tree planting, I refuse to believe we can't grow them."
"As for him, wanting to practice Martial Arts—he overestimates himself far too much."
"How could the Minor Dragon Elephant Technique be so easy to practice?"
"Is the Internal Force Secret Manual fake?"
"Naturally, it's genuine. I spent quite a bit of silver on it."
Uncle Chen felt somewhat relieved. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his pipe, he prepared to head out for a walk.
"I can tell that both you and San Shu have your own little schemes. But Daming, in all these ten-plus years, I've never seen San Shu suffer a loss."
Chen Daming dismissed it, muttering inwardly, "How many people have you actually seen in your life, old man?"
"In a tiny place like Dongxi Village, what kind of remarkable figure could possibly emerge?"