**Chapter 5**
"Erzheng, are you home?"
Xu Chuan walked into the courtyard of Chen Erzheng's house.
With the busy farming season over, Chen Erzheng was lying leisurely on a reclining chair under the eaves. When he saw Xu Chuan, he bounced up in surprise. "Chuan, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at home with your sister-in-law?"
"I gave her the Qi-Blood Pill you brought. She's almost fully recovered."
"That's good to hear."
"Big Ox, Fang Fang—your Uncle Xu is here! Come out quickly."
The two children, nearly the same size, came running out and shouted to Xu Chuan, "Uncle Xu!"
"Good children." Xu Chuan smiled and ruffled their hair.
"Come inside and play."
Hearing Chen Erzheng's words, the two children happily ran back inside.
Xu Chuan silently pulled out a one-hundred-tael silver note and handed it over.
"Chuan, what's this for?"
"The money for the Qi-Blood Pill. I know Qi-Blood Pills are expensive. Without connections, there's no way to buy one. You have to take this money—otherwise, don't call me Chuan Ge anymore."
With those words, every objection Chen Erzheng had was blocked before it could leave his mouth.
"Then I'll take it."
Seeing Chen Erzheng put it away, Xu Chuan asked, "Last time you said there was something you wanted my help with. What was it?"
"My brother wants to trade an inner strength manual for your Green Jade Pear cultivation method. What do you think?"
Chen Erzheng hesitated before finally spitting it out.
In the early years, when Xu Chuan had wanted to grow Green Jade Pears, no one had been optimistic. But last year, when word got around that Xu Chuan had sold a large number of Green Jade Pears to the Xu family, everyone knew he'd succeeded. Many families in Cave Village were envious.
"What does Uncle Chen think?"
"No, no, no." Chen Erzheng quickly waved his hands. "My father disagreed. It was my brother's idea."
"I think he heard that you planted ten acres of Green Jade Pears and make a lot of silver every year, so..."
His voice grew quieter and quieter, until finally he didn't dare look Xu Chuan in the eye.
Chen Erzheng felt helpless too.
But he had been afraid of his older brother since childhood. Now that his brother had become a warrior, he was even more frightened.
He could only be the messenger.
Still, he understood: first of all, Xu Chuan didn't really have any secret recipe. And even if he did, it was a goose that laid golden eggs—how could that compare to an inner strength manual?
"Don't be angry, Chuan. I'm just passing along the message."
"To be honest, I actually think my brother is being unreasonable. After all, this is your unique skill—the foundation of your livelihood. Trading it for just a manual is too one-sided."
Xu Chuan thought of Xu Yan.
Chen Erzheng was honest, but Xu Yan was very sharp. She was the type of person who could smile at you while secretly plotting against you.
Xu Chuan was indeed her cousin, but the two families had drifted apart over five generations. He hadn't had much contact with them since his grandfather's generation. Most of them had moved to Qingjiang County, running one or two shops in the city.
In the first few years, after Xu Yan married Chen Erzheng, she didn't have much to do with the Xu family either. When they met, it was just a greeting and a few words.
He hadn't even known she was a relative of his.
It wasn't until last year, when they started interacting more, that they recognized the kinship.
"Well, considering your face and Uncle Chen's, it's not impossible to trade."
"Chuan, are you serious?" Chen Erzheng was overjoyed.
"Listen to my conditions first."
"Go ahead, Chuan."
"First, Uncle Chen should witness the transaction. Fair trade, both sides willing."
"Second, just like practicing an inner strength manual doesn't guarantee success in fifteen or sixteen years—the cultivation method I provide for Green Jade Pears doesn't guarantee results either. No coming back to cause trouble for my family afterward."
"Third, the inner strength manual must be guaranteed to be superior martial arts, plus ten Qi-Blood Pills."
"I understand." Chen Erzheng nodded. "Chuan, I'll go to the county today and find my brother."
After Xu Chuan left, Chen Erzheng went to his father's house, had Xu Yan come back to watch the children, and set off for the county.
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**The Black Tiger Martial Hall.**
"Brother Daming, there's someone outside looking for you. He says he's your brother."
"My brother?"
Chen Daming went outside the martial hall, saw Chen Erzheng, and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"
In his heart, Chen Daming looked down on his mediocre younger brother.
"Last time you asked—Chuan agreed. But he has three conditions."
"What did Xu Chuan say?"
Chen Erzheng honestly repeated Xu Chuan's words.
Chen Daming paused for a moment.
"This really is the kind of man Father described. Someone who doesn't lose out."
*Have Father witness it. If our family can't grow them, we can't go looking for trouble with him.*
Chen Daming had also looked into Green Jade Pears and knew they were indeed difficult to grow. But if you succeeded, they could become a family's foundation for generations.
The same could be said for inner strength manuals.
*Does he even know how to practice martial arts?*
*He's an ignorant farmer!*
The more excellent the inner strength manual, the higher the qualifications required.
"No problem. I just recently acquired a good inner strength manual. I can trade it with him. As for the Qi-Blood Pills—"
"Second brother, go back and tell Xu Chuan: seven days from now, I'll take leave and come home to make the deal with him."
"I understand, brother."
---
**Seven days later.**
At Uncle Chen's house.
Xu Chuan brought his own handwritten notes on Green Jade Pear cultivation experience and traded them with Chen Daming.
"Have you both thought this through?"
Xu Chuan looked at Uncle Chen and smiled slightly. "Uncle Chen, I want the inner strength manual. Brother Daming wants the cultivation method. Both sides benefit."
"Dad, don't interfere. We've both made our own judgments."
Uncle Chen clicked his tongue. "Then begin. First, confirm that each item is what it claims to be. If there's no problem, sign and fingerprint."
The two exchanged items.
Xu Chuan first opened the porcelain bottle and sniffed it, poured out all the Qi-Blood Pills to examine them, then immediately packed them back up.
Then he looked at the inner strength manual. On the cover were written the words *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*.
"The name is good."
He opened it with relish.
Meanwhile, Chen Daming looked up and watched him, finding it amusing inside.
*A farmer—never practiced martial arts, never had a teacher—and he thinks he can teach himself?*
"Xu Chuan, let me tell you: this inner strength manual comes from the Dragon Elephant Sect. A few years ago, the sect was wiped out, and their manuals leaked out."
"Though this is only a handwritten copy, I can guarantee it's a superior technique. It leads all the way to the innate realm."
"But you should know in your heart: whether you can become a warrior depends on talent and resources, not just the manual."
"Thank you, Brother Daming. I understand." Xu Chuan said.
Chen Daming roughly flipped through the cultivation notes. The writing was indeed very detailed—covering land selection, humidity, climate, fertilizer, everything was explained.
"I have no problem with this."
"Then sign the pledge."
Uncle Chen picked up his pipe, took a slow drag, and blew out a cloud of smoke.
Both of them signed.
After Xu Chuan left, Chen Daming said, "Father, you should make a copy too. We have mountain forest at home. We can try growing them."
"I don't need to. You go ahead and copy it."
"That third fellow is cunning. He said his chances weren't great, which means the probability of successful planting really is very low. I don't have the energy for that."
"Father, are you thinking too highly of him? There are plenty of skilled people in the world. With these cultivation notes, plus a few experts good at growing fruit trees from Qingjiang County, I refuse to believe we can't succeed."
"As for him—wanting to learn martial arts? He overestimates himself."
"Isn't that easy to practice?"
"Is the inner strength manual fake?"
"Of course it's real. I spent a lot of money on it."
Uncle Chen felt a little more at ease. With one hand behind his back and the other holding his pipe, he got up to go for a walk.
"Listen, you and Third Fellow each have your own little schemes. But Daming—in these ten years, I've never seen San'er lose."
Chen Daming disagreed. Under his breath, he muttered, "How many people have you ever seen, Father?"
"What great person could possibly come out of little Dongxi Village?"
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