**Chapter 6: The Full Moon Feast**
*The dragon tugs on yin and yang,*
*The fire refines the great essence.*
*Three levels of heaven and earth,*
*Breathe in the yellow court.*
Xu Chuan read the general outline of the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* and found it obscure and difficult to understand.
However, it did come with a supporting breathing technique and twelve movements.
The breathing technique went: *The snoring dragon ascends to the hundred meetings, the mouth spits and sinks into the spring. The three burners refine true fire like a furnace, one cycle turns on the week.*
Xu Chuan began to practice according to the movements.
**The first form: Young Dragon Awakens.**
Feet shoulder-width apart. On inhale, the arms rise like dragon horns (middle fingers pointing toward the Hundred Meetings acupoint). On exhale, the elbows press down (Labor Palace acupoint pressing toward Gushing Spring).
As the saying goes: When the dragon raises its head, it holds purple energy; its tail hangs down to settle the town.
**The second form: Like an Elephant's Trunk Rolling Water.**
Horse stance. On inhale, the right arm rolls upward like a trunk spiraling (palm facing in). On exhale, split downward with the left palm.
**The third form: Fire Dragon Tail.**
A few days later, his progress was normal.
The only difference was that his appetite had grown larger.
Xu Chuan had the talent [Dragon Spirit and Tiger Might]. In terms of physical quality and blood energy, he was certainly no worse than a warrior.
But he also vaguely felt that this *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* was not simple. It might take many years to see real results.
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Then came the day of the full moon feast.
Xu Chuan was busy early in the morning, setting up a large round table in the yard.
When that wasn't enough, he went next door to borrow more.
He also set up square tables and benches for the small children—ones he had built himself.
**Late afternoon.**
The husband and wife were busy in the kitchen when suddenly they heard a familiar voice.
"Your mother-in-law is here."
"Coming. The dishes are almost ready—only the soup is left. I'll handle the rest."
Bai Jing nodded and went out to greet the guests.
"Mother. Father."
Xu Chuan began entertaining. The two little boys had been watching their baby brother in the main hall and came running out when they heard the noise.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" The little ones were delighted.
"Shitou, let Grandma hold you."
"So heavy! He's grown so much."
"Aiyuan wants to be held too!"
The old woman laughed again and bent down to pick up the promise.
"Where's Jing?" Her mother-in-law looked around.
"In the kitchen."
"Then I'll go help you two." Her mother-in-law smiled and walked toward the kitchen.
Bai Fu and Xu Chuan went into the main hall to look at Xu Minghu, who was sleeping soundly, and gently rocked the crib.
"A fine child. You're doing well."
Xu Chuan just smiled.
"Besides Tan Tan, what's next?" Bai Fu asked.
"After the full moon feast, I plan to expand the house. Then I'll consider literacy and martial arts training."
"Food, clothing, shelter—for us peasants, those are the most important. Only then should you consider reading and martial arts. With this arrangement, I'm relieved."
"You have to ask the manager every time."
"You—really."
The old man patted his backside and let himself be used.
Soon after, Xu Chuan's younger uncle Bai Hua, his sister-in-law Bai Fang and her family, as well as Uncle Chen and his wife, and Chen Erzheng's family all arrived with their greetings.
The yard was full of joy.
Four or five children were making noise, shouting and running around, while the adults sat and chatted.
In the yard were Xu Chuan's closest friends and family.
**When the feast began.**
Xu Chuan raised his glass and stood up. "Everyone, please don't hold back. We're celebrating the full moon feast of my dog Tan Tan. Bottoms up!"
He drained his cup in one go.
Wiping the wine stains from his mouth, he continued, "Everyone here is my friend and family. No need for formal words. Just please, enjoy yourselves tonight."
"Brother-in-law, don't worry—we'll drink our own fill!"
"Cheers! No one leaves sober tonight!"
Everyone laughed.
Chen Erzheng and the younger uncle quickly raised their glasses to toast Xu Chuan, clearly intent on getting him drunk. Uncle Chen and Yuefu Bai Fu watched with amusement.
Xu Yan and Bai Fang asked Bai Jing about her health. The women ate and chatted, catching up on family news.
The feast didn't end until late.
By the time the two drunkards left, their legs were so soft that if their wives hadn't held them up, they would have fallen straight to the ground and fallen asleep.
**Cleaning up inside.**
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan had tired themselves out playing and had gone to bed early.
Xu Chuan came to the main hall and walked over to the crib.
After standing in silence for a moment, he turned his hand over and a black-covered book appeared.
This was the Blood Genealogy. So far, it was only two pages thin.
He turned to the second page, then took a needle and pricked Xu Minghu's fingertip. A single drop of blood dripped onto the genealogy.
Suddenly, lines appeared on the second page.
**[Xu Minghu: Xu Family, Second Generation]**
**[Spiritual Root: Five Elements Incomplete — No cultivation qualifications]**
**[Talent: None]**
**[Bloodline: None]**
Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan's genealogy records were exactly the same.
Among ordinary peasants, almost no one possessed any special talent, ability, or bloodline.
Xu Chuan wasn't disappointed.
The baby stirred, cried out once, then quieted down again.
The genealogy burrowed back into Xu Chuan's body and disappeared.
"What happened?" Bai Jing asked softly.
"He's hungry. Come feed him. I'll clean up the kitchen."
"Then I'll leave it to you, husband."
After they finished their tasks, Xu Chuan and Bai Jing finally went to bed.
Bai Jing rested her head on Xu Chuan's arm, curled up against his side.
"Husband, about today's gifts—the rest gave twenty or thirty coins, but those two families gave one or two taels each. I feel like that's unusual. Do you know what's going on?"
"One or two taels?"
Xu Chuan was also surprised, then immediately smiled. "I know. You can keep it without worry."
"Earlier, I made a deal with Chen Daming. I traded the Green Jade Pear cultivation method for a top-tier inner strength manual and ten Qi-Blood Pills."
"Those two families must have copied the manual too. Maybe they feel they owe us a little, so that's why."
"Selling the Green Jade Pear method?"
Bai Jing pushed herself up from Xu Chuan's chest, sitting up to look at him.
"Husband, are you crazy? That's something that could sustain our family for generations! How could you sell it?"
"The inner strength manual isn't worth it! Can you practice two more at once?"
Xu Chuan raised his hand to tap her nose and smiled. "Don't worry. Have you ever seen your husband lose out?"
"The cultivation method is useful, but it depends on who's using it. The more hidden it is, the more people will covet it. One day, our family might suffer because of it."
"Do you remember what I told you about the hare dying and the dog being cooked?"
"Now, with the Chen family as our cover, no one will come after us for a while."
"They'll wait for the Chen family's planting results. If the Chens can't grow them, they'll give up. If the Chens succeed and want more, I'll sell it to them again."
"So that's it. My husband is so clever."
Bai Jing lay back down.
Whether because he'd drunk too much wine at the feast, or because of the warmth and softness in his arms, Xu Chuan felt unbearably hot.
"Wife, your husband worked hard all day today. Don't you think he deserves a reward?"
He held her softness and pulled her close.
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