**Chapter 36: The Innate Dragon Elephant Skill**
"If that's the case, there should be many people vying for such a martial art," Xu Mingwei said. "Even if it costs more silver, we should acquire it for the family and enhance our heritage."
"Brother." Xu Mingyuan sighed. "This martial art has not yet been won."
"The younger brother heard that no one has offered a price that moves him. Some have even offered a sky-high price of fifty thousand taels, and he rejected them all."
"Fifty thousand?" Xu Minghu was so shocked he overturned his tea. The tea splashed and wet his clothes. "The *Heavenly Dragon Manual* was only seven or eight thousand taels."
"Unless this martial art is passed down through a single lineage—only one copy exists in the world."
"But if it's so precious, why not take disciples and pass it down instead of selling it?"
Xu Mingyuan said, "The vast majority of martial arts manuals are not unique. Copying one and selling it is pure gain."
"In Qingjiang County, it's enough for people to buy ordinary inner strength manuals for one or two taels each."
"As for innate martial arts, they're worth four or five thousand at most."
"The *Dragon Manual* rarely circulates. Scarcity makes it expensive. And since it can be cultivated to the early grandmaster level, it's naturally more expensive."
"The *Innate Dragon Elephant Skill*—"
He paused for a moment, then looked up. "Perhaps he has his own plans."
"I think so too. He wants more than just silver. So in two days, I plan to travel to Liuyun County."
Xu Minghu's eyes lit up. "Brother, take me."
"Don't you have to go back to the martial hall?"
"I'm already a second-rate warrior. I could have left the hall long ago. The rest—I can't find a better place to stay in the martial hall. And our family doesn't lack for food."
"What about Li Zhi?" Xu Mingwei asked.
"He feels he can temper himself better in the martial hall. He intends to become a first-rate warrior before working for our family."
"That's good." Xu Mingwei nodded. "Li Zhi has good talent and is fully dedicated to martial arts. In three or four years, he should become a first-rate warrior."
"That would help our family even more."
"Where's Father?"
Xu Mingyuan suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen Xu Chuan when he returned, so he asked.
Xu Mingyi pouted. "Second Brother, you just thought of Father now? I'm really sad for Father."
"It's not that. I just got distracted thinking about my soon-to-be-born nephew. So where is Father?"
Xu Mingxian said, "Living in the bamboo house by the Emerald Pool."
"Why go there?" Xu Mingyuan was somewhat surprised.
"Secluded cultivation."
Xu Mingxian was brief and rarely said unnecessary words. He added, "Father said not to disturb him unless it's important."
Xu Mingyuan stroked his chin, a sudden realization in his eyes. "Speaking of which, Father also cultivates the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*. What realm is he at now?"
"The old man began practicing martial arts nearly twenty-six years ago. He's been at the second-rate warrior level for twelve or thirteen years."
"A second-rate warrior?"
"Don't underestimate him. He's already starting to push for the peak of the acquired realm!"
Xu Mingwei laughed and scolded, "Why are you asking so many questions? You want to fight Father?"
"Hey, I wouldn't dare. When his face sinks, I tremble with fear."
They were all smiling and laughing.
"Still trembling? Of all of you, you were the one who loved clinging to Father the most. When that big rooster knocked you over, you cried and wailed."
Bai Jing spoke of Xu Mingyuan's childhood mischief.
Everyone laughed again.
"Mother, I need to save face too." Xu Mingyuan also felt embarrassed.
"Alright, I won't say any more."
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**Two days later.**
Xu Mingyuan went to Liuyun County with Xu Minghu, Chen Da Niu, and two other second-rate warriors.
Liuyun County was only two hours from Qingjiang by carriage road, but the streets and the city were more disorderly than Qingjiang's. In the dust, occasionally drunken men leaned against earthen walls to sleep.
Xu Mingyuan threw a few copper coins to the children on the street corner and found the seller staying at the Baiyang Inn.
The inn's facade was mottled. A faded wine flag hung under the eaves, fluttering in the wind.
The four sat in the tea house for half a day. It wasn't until dusk that they saw a burly man returning in the sunset.
He wore a porous cloak. A copper-rusted sword hilt hung at his waist. The soles of his boots were stained with dark red dirt.
"Sir, is this the *Innate Dragon Elephant Skill*?" The burly man led them to a room on the second floor. The room was simply furnished—only a torn "Tiger Descending the Mountain" painting hung on the wall, the ink stained.
"Precisely. My family happened to acquire the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*. My elder brother has cultivated to the peak of the acquired realm, only one step from the innate. That's why I am painstakingly seeking the follow-up practice."
The middle-aged man had a full beard, was burly, and his eyes flashed with fierce light.
Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows and, after a moment of silence, said, "What price do you offer?"
"First, I would like to know if it is the original or a manuscript?"
"What's the difference? What about the manuscript?" The middle-aged man's expression turned cold. His knuckles cracked as he gripped the wooden table.
Xu Mingyuan stood up and pushed open the carved wooden window. He looked at the bustling crowd downstairs and said faintly, "Originals are precious. They generally hold special significance. We do not insist on the original—a handwritten copy will suffice."
"I have the original in my hand," the bearded man said.
"The original? Did you acquire it by chance, or were you a scattered disciple of the Dragon Elephant Sect?"
The bearded man's pupils contracted. His voice began to carry a chill. "Is that any of your business?"
"Certainly."
Xu Mingyuan's eyes flashed. He had guessed the other party's identity. He said, "If I am not mistaken, you must be a former member of the Dragon Elephant Sect."
"And the reason you refuse to sell for fifty thousand taels—I'm afraid you have the intention of re-establishing the sect."
"I advise you to abandon that thought."
"Even if more than ten years pass, who knows whether the enemies of the Dragon Elephant Sect still remember the name. Once you raise your head and someone with ill intent reports you, I'm afraid it will bring disaster."
"Are you so sure?"
Xu Mingyuan turned and smiled, responding, "My intuition has always been correct."
"If so, what do you want?"
"My family only wishes for a manuscript."
The bearded man thought briefly. "What price does your family wish to pay?"
It eventually came back to the original question.
But Xu Mingyuan's heart had roughly determined what the other party wanted from the conversation just now.
"To help you establish a Dragon Elephant Martial Hall and carry on the legacy of the Dragon Elephant Sect."
The bearded man's heart trembled. A look of surprise appeared on his face, with a few hints of caution in his eyes.
"Of course, a simple martial hall certainly cannot sustain itself. It must be self-sufficient."
"Self-sufficient? How?"
Unconsciously, the bearded man had already fallen into Xu Mingyuan's rhythm.
He was caught off guard. He looked at Xu Mingyuan with a sense of amazement.
He knew that this was his first time meeting this person. The other party had been very guarded. He didn't know how many people had returned empty-handed from him.
*"This is my second brother,"* Xu Minghu thought darkly.
*"Truly, this talent is hard to match."*
Chen Da Niu also sighed in his heart.
In the past few months, he had worked with Xu Mingyuan and learned a great deal.
His father, Chen Erzheng, had been assigned as the manager of a fruit shop in the county.
Xu Mingyuan smiled gently. "This is not something that can be said in three words. It requires a great deal of manpower, material resources, and financial resources. I need my family's approval."
"So, if you are willing, sir, perhaps you could move to my family for a few days and discuss this matter in detail?"
The bearded man naturally knew that opening a martial hall was not easy. After thinking it over, he asked, "Which Xu family?"
"Qingjiang County, the Xu family," Xu Mingyuan said.
Chen Da Niu also stepped forward, immediately introducing them. "This is my second young master, Xu Mingyuan. This is the third young master, Xu Minghu."
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