Chapter 158: New Technique

Ethan focused on the notification floating before his eyes.

’Serenity Palm Technique?’

He had received all sorts of rewards from the Patriarch System, ranging from cooking mastery to useful knowledge and other mundane abilities. However, this was the first time he had received something that sounded like an actual martial art.

He mentally tapped the notification.

The moment he accepted, a strange sensation spread through his mind. It wasn’t painful or uncomfortable. Instead, it felt as though someone had opened a door inside his consciousness and poured an enormous amount of knowledge through it.

Ethan’s eyes widened slightly.

A series of movements, pressure points, techniques, and methods of controlling the flow of force appeared in his memory. He understood where to place his fingers, how much pressure to apply, and the precise movements required to relieve tension in different parts of the body.

It was so detailed that he could almost feel his hands performing the movements.

A few seconds later, everything settled. Ethan blinked and looked down at his palms.

’Oh? This is interesting.’

It was as though he had spent years practising the technique. He could remember every movement with perfect clarity, including the small adjustments required depending on the recipient’s physical condition.

More importantly, he understood its effects.

The Serenity Palm Technique could relieve muscle tension, ease physical fatigue, and calm an agitated mind. With the right application, it could even help someone struggling to sleep drift into a peaceful slumber.

Ethan rubbed his chin.

’That’s surprisingly useful.’

He glanced toward Nora, who was still watching the wrestling match with complete concentration. Then, his gaze briefly wandered toward the balcony where Evelyn had been tending to her flowers.

A mischievous thought suddenly crossed his mind.

’If I open a massage parlour with this technique, wouldn’t I make a fortune?’

He imagined a luxurious establishment with comfortable rooms, well-trained staff, and customers lining up to experience the miraculous service.

Then he imagined his wife finding out that he had opened a massage parlour.

His lips twitched.

’Haha, Evelyn will probably kill me.’

He shook his head and abandoned the idea. He had more than enough things to occupy his time without introducing another business into the family.

Unfortunately, his moment of distraction had not gone unnoticed.

Thump!

A small fist struck his side.

"Dad!"

Ethan turned his head and found Nora glaring at him. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she had a rather dissatisfied expression on her face.

"What’s wrong?" He asked innocently.

"You’re zoning out again!" Nora complained, pointing at the television. "Look at the match!"

Ethan glanced at the screen. One of the wrestlers was lying on the floor while the other stood over him, raising his arms toward the audience.

"Oh, I see."

"You weren’t watching, Dad." Nora narrowed her eyes. "You kept staring at nothing!"

Ethan clutched his side and pretended to wince. "Ouch. What was that for? You nearly broke my ribs."

Nora looked at him suspiciously. "You’re exaggerating."

"Am I?" Ethan rubbed the spot she had punched. "I thought I raised a gentle daughter. Who knew she was secretly so violent?"

Nora puffed out her cheeks. "Then stop getting distracted!"

"Alright, alright." Ethan raised both hands in surrender. "I’ll pay attention. I promise."

Satisfied with his response, Nora turned back to the television.

Ethan smiled faintly and leaned against the sofa. He tried to follow the match this time, occasionally reacting when one of the wrestlers performed an impressive move.

A few minutes later, Evelyn walked into the living room.

She had finished watering the flowers and appeared to have changed into more comfortable clothes. After glancing at the television, she approached the sofa and sat beside Ethan.

However, the moment she noticed what was happening on the screen, her expression changed.

Two muscular men were grappling with each other, and one had just thrown the other against the ropes.

Evelyn stared at them for a few seconds before frowning.

"What are they doing?"

"Wrestling," Ethan answered.

"I can see that." She looked at the television again. "But why?"

Ethan turned toward her. "Why what?"

"Why are they fighting like that?"

He chuckled. "Because that’s the whole point of the match."

Evelyn shook her head, clearly unimpressed. She watched as one wrestler climbed onto the corner post and launched himself toward his opponent.

Her eyebrows rose. "Doesn’t that hurt?"

"Probably." Ethan shrugged.

"And they’re doing it for money?"

"Among other things."

Evelyn looked at him as though he had just said something ridiculous. "I don’t understand. Why would someone willingly put themselves through that just to earn money?"

Ethan laughed. "Well, not everyone does it for money. Some of them genuinely love fighting. They’re probably a little unhinged."

Evelyn gave him a strange look. "That’s not funny."

"I’m serious." He shrugged. "Some people enjoy the competition, the excitement, and the attention. Besides, there are millions of people who enjoy watching these matches. They buy tickets, subscribe to broadcasts, and pay for all sorts of related entertainment. As long as people are willing to pay, there will always be someone willing to fight."

Evelyn looked back at the television, where the audience was cheering loudly.

She remained silent for a moment before shaking her head. "I still don’t understand it."

Ethan smiled. "You don’t have to."

"I’d rather do something useful."

With that, she stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Ethan watched her leave before turning to Nora. "Your mother doesn’t know ball or appreciate art."

Nora tilted her head. "Is wrestling art?"

"Of course. A very special kind."

She giggled and returned her attention to the match.

Ethan shook his head, amused, and settled back into the sofa.

The match continued for another twenty minutes, with Nora reacting to almost every major move. She cheered when her favourite wrestler gained the upper hand and frowned whenever his opponent managed to turn the tables.

By the time the match finally ended, she was practically bouncing on the sofa.

"Yes! He won!"

Ethan glanced at the television and nodded. "Congratulations to him."

Nora looked at him. "You didn’t even cheer!"

"I was supporting him quietly."

"That’s not supporting him!"

Ethan chuckled and patted her head. "Alright, next time I’ll cheer louder."

Nora seemed satisfied with that answer. She picked up her iPad from the table and headed toward the bedroom, probably intending to play one of her games.

Ethan remained on the sofa for a little while before standing up.

He glanced toward the kitchen, where Evelyn was busy with some housework, then made his way downstairs.

The afternoon sun was still shining over the compound, although its intensity had begun to soften. Ethan walked toward the small garden and surveyed the plants.

There were several flowers arranged neatly along the edges, with a few potted plants scattered around. The apple tree stood near one corner of the compound, its branches extending outward and providing a little shade.

Ethan found the gardening shears and began trimming some of the overgrown flowers.

He wasn’t particularly skilled at gardening, but he had become familiar with the routine over time. He removed a few wilted leaves, trimmed some uneven branches, and cleared away the small weeds growing around the flower beds.

Every now and then, he paused to inspect his work.

After a while, he put down the shears and walked toward the apple tree.

A few ripe apples were hanging from its branches. He reached up, picked several of them, and placed them in a small basket he had brought along.

’These should be enough for everyone.’