Chapter 118: Returning to the Ye Mansion
After discussing the details with Director Zhang Yilin, Ye Xing saw them off from the ancestral home. Since there were still three days until filming began, the little black dog would stay at the ancestral home for the time being.
"Great Hero Ye Xing, the Longevity Fist is truly incredible. I suggest you apply for a patent," Wu Qiang urged.
"There’s no need. It’s just a fist skill, it doesn’t matter." Ye Xing shook his head, a little exasperated by Wu Qiang’s persistence. The main issue was that applying for a patent was too much trouble. Ye Xing really didn’t want to make a public appearance and attract attention; it was better to keep a low profile. Besides, there were countless fist skills at the level of the Longevity Fist. On the Martial Arts Continent, secret manuals were as common as ox hair; you could buy dozens of them with just a few Gold Coins. How could Ye Xing possibly place any importance on a secret manual for a fist skill of this caliber?
"If you don’t apply for a patent, there will be a lot of trouble as the Longevity Fist spreads in the future," Wu Qiang said. "For example, people won’t know who the founder is. This involves huge benefits, and I’d bet many people who learn just two or three moves will come out and falsely claim they created it. There are also people from certain countries who could just claim the Longevity Fist was passed down to us from them. When that happens, it’ll be a complete mess, and the arguments will be endless."
’Sweat... I’m not actually the founder either. I just personally brought the Longevity Fist from the Martial Arts Continent to Earth,’ Ye Xing thought to himself. His eyes flickered. Wu Qiang had a point. If someone really did try to falsely claim credit, the thought of it was quite disgusting. It seemed applying for a patent was indeed necessary.
Ye Xing said in a deep voice, "You have a point. The patent does need to be filed. In that case, you can be the one to file it!"
"Me? File it?" Wu Qiang was stunned.
Beside him, Cheng Xiaohai and Zhu Dazhuang also looked at Ye Xing, their faces filled with confusion.
"That’s right. You will apply for the Longevity Fist patent! I don’t like my existence being known. From now on, Wu Qiang, you are the founder of the Longevity Fist," Ye Xing said in a deep voice. Since Ye Xing didn’t plan to reveal himself, it was better to give the Longevity Fist patent to one of his own people than to a stranger. Among the three of them, Zhu Dazhuang and his younger cousin Cheng Xiaohai were unsuitable. Wu Qiang, on the other hand, already had a certain foundation in martial arts and ran a martial arts gym. Compared to Zhu Dazhuang and Cheng Xiaohai, he was indeed a better fit.
"This... This isn’t right!" Wu Qiang said with a wry smile. "I’m not the one who created the Longevity Fist."
"No, from this day forward, you are the founder of the Longevity Fist," Ye Xing said with a straight face. "Alright, you all should head back now. I have things to do today and no time to entertain you. The three of you, go back and practice your fist skills."
"This... I... Alright, I’ll file the patent, but I’ll tell people it was my master who..."
"Whatever. Now, all of you, get out! Be good. Don’t come bothering me unless it’s something extremely important!"
"..."
Since he still needed to go to the Martial Arts Continent, Ye Xing directly kicked them out, shooing his younger cousin Cheng Xiaohai, Wu Qiang, and Zhu Dazhuang out of the ancestral home.
After Wu Qiang, Zhu Dazhuang, and Cheng Xiaohai left the ancestral home, Ye Xing immediately locked the main gate and returned to the large iron shed in the backyard.
The iron shed was about the height of a person and quite spacious, completely enclosing the old well.
Ye Xing took a string of keys from his pocket and unlocked the shed’s security lock. Although the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate had already been stored inside his Qiankun Bag and there was no risk of it being exposed, Ye Xing’s precautions had not lessened in the slightest, just in case.
"CREAK!"
He opened the shed’s iron door, then closed and locked it again from the inside.
Ye Xing walked over to the old well, placed his hands on the rim, and vaulted over into it.
"WHOOSH!"
The wind howled past his ears. In less than a breath’s time, Ye Xing had landed at the bottom of the old well.
Ye Xing immediately took out his Qiankun Cloth Bags and untied one of them.
Instantly, the entire well filled with surging purple energy, and the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate appeared at the bottom. As the gate materialized, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi rapidly converged, and a long-missed aura arose spontaneously.
Stepping into the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate, his vision went black. The surrounding scenery shifted, and in the next moment, Ye Xing appeared in the secret cave chamber of the Training Room at the White Cloud Mountain Ye Mansion on the Martial Arts Continent.
As soon as he appeared in the cave, Ye Xing immediately stored the Purple Light Group Teleportation Gate back in his Qiankun Bag.
The cave passage was dim, with almost no light. Ye Xing took out his phone, swiped the screen, and turned on the flashlight function. A beam of white light immediately shot out from the phone’s camera, and the entire passage lit up.
He followed the twisting and turning passage all the way to the Training Room.
Since he wanted to find out the latest situation with the Great River Gang, Ye Xing didn’t plan on Cultivating in the Training Room for now. Instead, he left the Training Room and headed for the courtyard.
When Ye Xing arrived in the Ye Mansion’s courtyard, he saw Aunt Qiao sweeping up fallen leaves.
"Ah, after being in seclusion for so long, the Patriarch is finally out!" Aunt Qiao said joyfully, quickly putting down her broom and hurrying over.
"Mhm. Aunt Qiao, where is that girl Qiao’Er? Why are you the only one in the courtyard?" Ye Xing asked.
"Qiao’Er went to Phoenix Town to check on the shop," Aunt Qiao said.
"Just her?"
"No, more than a dozen members of the Great River Gang are helping out too!" Aunt Qiao said.
"I see." Ye Xing nodded and asked, "Are Hong Hai and Xue Yong at the mansion? Has the reorganization of the Great River Gang been completed?"
"It was completed a long time ago. Hong Hai, Ma Feng, and Niu Dequan seem to be over in Green River Town. As for Xue Yong, he’s here at the Ye Mansion. He’s been waiting for you for a long time and has things to report," Aunt Qiao said.
"Okay, I’ll go see him now!" Ye Xing immediately turned and headed for the outer courtyard of the Ye Mansion.
Arriving before the door of a guest room in the Ye Mansion’s outer courtyard, he saw Xue Yong practicing his Martial Arts.
"Boss, you were training for so long. You’re finally out of seclusion?" Xue Yong said happily.
"Mhm. Were there any problems with the Great River Gang? The reorganization is complete, right?" Ye Xing asked.
"Of course! With the four of us—me, Ma Feng, Niu Dequan, and Hong Hai—handling it, it was a piece of cake," Xue Yong said smugly.
"Good, that’s great. By the way, we’re holding a meeting today to discuss the development of the business. Go to Green River Town at once and bring Ma Feng and Hong Hai back here," Ye Xing ordered.
"Yes, sir! Your subordinate obeys!" Xue Yong cupped his fists, immediately mounted his Demon Beast partner, the Golden Tiger, and galloped away from the White Cloud Mountain Ye Mansion, heading toward Green River Town.
Everything was going according to plan. With the protective power of the Great River Gang, the business could begin to expand. Now he just had to wait for Xue Yong to bring back Ma Feng, Hong Hai, and the others to discuss opening branch stores. When that time came, wealth would pour in, and the Ye Mansion’s martial strength could undergo a qualitative leap.
Green River Town was some distance from White Cloud Mountain in Phoenix Town. Even at the speed of the Fifth-level Demon Beast, the Golden Tiger, it would likely take several shichen to return. With nothing to do for the moment, Ye Xing left the Ye Mansion and started wandering around White Cloud Mountain.
’That girl Qiao’Er has gone to manage the shop, and Aunt Qiao is the only person in this huge Ye Mansion. Why does it feel so deserted? It feels like something is missing compared to before.’
It was still morning. The sky was a bit gloomy, with a few dark clouds overhead, and the air was humid and stuffy.
The mansion felt a bit stuffy. Since there was nothing to do for now anyway, Ye Xing decided to go for a walk to clear his head, and began to wander around White Cloud Mountain.
The scenery on White Cloud Mountain was still beautiful. The trees provided ample shade, and from time to time, the chirping of birds would rise and fall, crisp and pleasant to the ear.
Walking along the mountain path on White Cloud Mountain, he ambled along until he found himself, without realizing it, at Immortal Spring Manor.
The main gate of Immortal Spring Manor was shut tight. The vermilion gate was covered in dust, and the ground was blanketed with fallen leaves. Clearly, the master of the manor had not yet returned.
"Sigh... I wonder where Miss Mengxue and the others went. They’ve been gone for so long and still haven’t returned. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them... I kind of miss it." Ye Xing let out a soft sigh as he gazed at the silent Immortal Spring Manor before him.