Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

The curator pointed to the seal on the corner of the table, his voice growing even colder:

"Remember this: the martial arts school's mission is to operate openly."

"There are seals, tents, flags, and official documents... This is the path to the martial arts school."

"No printing or accounting, taking money to cover up the operation, coercion and bribery... that's the path of gangs, don't go astray."

"The tasks are divided into those within the temple: escorting medicinal herbs, delivering monthly allowances, moving equipment, and guiding outer disciples in their cultivation. The work isn't demanding, and the pay isn't much... but it's reliable. Once you're skilled at it, you'll walk with a lot more confidence in the lower city."

"There are also missions outside the school. Canglong has old agreements with several escort agencies. You'll be working under the name of the martial arts school, escorting goods and carrying cargo, and you'll be paid a fair wage. Once the escort flag is raised, half the number of people who dare to steal on the road will be reduced, and most will be safe and sound... But those who do dare to steal are even more ruthless."

He paused, his gaze becoming even more intense:

"There's another type of job that pays the most and the fastest, but those who aren't skilled enough will die quickly... the red slip."

"Only when the escort agency hangs its flag and the pharmacy stamps its seal can it be considered a red slip. The contents may include escorting a trip to transport medicine or goods, going to the outer edge of the miasma well to retrieve medicinal ingredients, or escorting a caravan along the North Furnace line to transport furnace materials, and so on."

"Remember, red slips only recognize flags and badges. Don't touch those without flags or badges... they're traps someone has dug for you to fall into."

"The moment you actually jump, you're not taking money; you're taking the blame for someone else's sins."

As Ye Xiao listened, his heart sank deeper and deeper.

It turns out that the lower city is like a net... escort agencies, pharmacies, caravans, patrolmen, and even the shadows of gangs are all entangled in it.

"Did you understand?"

The martial arts school owner said calmly, "The school's resources are limited. If you want more benefits, you can't rely on words, you can rely on ability and fate. Even if you become an inner disciple, don't dream of being able to rest easy... The real test begins now."

Ye Xiao simply replied, "Understood."

The curator waved his hand: "Go ahead."

"Remember, from today onwards you are a member of the martial arts school. Outsiders will think twice before trying to harm you, but if someone tries to attack you in secret, the martial arts school cannot protect you at all times... The only one who can truly protect you is yourself."

Xue Chan left with Ye Xiao.

As soon as the door closed, the heat and medicinal smell inside the room were shut out, and the cold of the stone corridor immediately rushed in.

As I walked out of that corridor, the sounds of panting from the outer training ground were still audible, as were the sounds of Huang Yu's bamboo sticks.

But Ye Xiao's identity has changed.

Xue Chan walked ahead, her pace unhurried, until she turned the corner of the corridor before speaking softly:

"You are now an inner disciple."

She didn't turn around, but her voice was like a thin blade, cutting directly into Ye Xiao's ears:

"The words 'inner sect' can shield you from many attacks in the lower city, but they will also attract attention from all sides."

Ye Xiao's eyelids twitched slightly.

Xue Chan continued, "Soon you will receive invitations from various people... Families, chambers of commerce, shops, security escort agencies, and even some shady dealings will want to cooperate with you."

"They'll offer you a title: guest advisor, bodyguard, honored guest, martial arts instructor—all sorts of possibilities. They'll provide a monthly salary, medicine, and a faster path for you."

She paused, her tone turning cold:

"This matter is not officially under the jurisdiction of the martial arts school. Whether to take it on and who to choose is your decision."

"But don't forget... what they really value is the title 'Azure Dragon Inner Sect Student.' If you accept the offer and something goes wrong, the blame won't just fall on you."

Xue Chan finally turned around and glanced at him, her eyes as clear as ice:

"I'll just remind you of two things."

"First, don't take on illicit goods, and don't get involved with gangs. It's a very dangerous and murky business."

"Secondly, if you are determined to go further on the path of martial arts, don't let anyone use 'nominal' titles to tie you down like a dog... The higher the price, the tighter the rope."

The fog seeped in from the entrance of the corridor, feeling as cold as if it were stuck to the skin.

Ye Xiao nodded, knowing that Xue Chan was reminding him.

But he was actually aware of all of this.

Being a nominal employee sounds like getting something for nothing, but every tael of silver and every dose of medicine given by others doesn't just fall into your hands for nothing... Taking it is a favor, which is equivalent to handing over a part of your life and your path.

Xue Chan withdrew her gaze and said calmly, "Now you have more paths to take, and they are also more dangerous. Remember, no matter when or where, strengthening yourself is the most important thing."

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Ye Xiao said sincerely.

"Welcome to the inner sect, junior brother."

Xue Chan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, then she quickly suppressed them.

The fog seeped in from the entrance of the corridor, feeling as cold as if it were stuck to the skin.

She continued walking ahead.

Instead of taking the outer path, she bypassed the edge of the training ground and entered a narrower stone corridor. The walls were thick, the air damp, and the lights were scarce; her footsteps seemed to be swallowed up.

The further you go in, the clearer the faint bitter taste of medicine becomes in the air.

It's like someone has written the resources down along the way in advance, so you can remember them as you go.

At the end of the stone corridor was a small house with the door half-closed. Inside, someone was writing with their head down, the tip of the pen scraping the paper, making a fine, shimmering sound, like someone sharpening a knife.

Xue Chan knocked on the door frame: "Senior Brother Zhan, a new junior brother wants to choose a mission."

The man looked up; his eyes weren't fierce, but they were as cold as an account book.

Senior Brother Zhan glanced at Ye Xiao, not asking about his background or experience, but simply asking, "What kind of mission do you want?"

He glanced at Ye Xiao, paused for only a moment, and then lowered his head to continue flipping through the papers.

It's like setting a price in your mind beforehand.

Ye Xiao answered decisively: "The money needs to come in quickly, and the more the better."

Senior Brother Zhan paused in his flipping through the papers, then looked up and said, "If you want quick money and a lot of it, then you'll only get the red slips. But only three red slips are issued each month, and two have already been claimed. As for the last one... someone's been holding onto it and waiting."

"Can we still make reservations?" Ye Xiao frowned.

"There's no such thing as 'reservation' according to the rules," Senior Brother Zhan said in an unchanged tone. "But red tickets are scarce, and as long as you have enough strength, there are almost only benefits left, so naturally there are many people eyeing them. The reason you see it still here is not because no one wants it, but because the 'person who wants it' hasn't come to claim it yet."

Ye Xiao stared at him: "How much is the payment?"

Senior Brother Zhan pressed down the corner of the paper: "Fifty taels."

"I'll take this mission." Ye Xiao said without hesitation.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Xue Chan, who had remained silent until now, asked in a cold voice, "If you accept, it's tantamount to snatching meat from someone's mouth. Aren't you afraid of offending someone so soon after entering the inner sect?"

"Compared to making money, offending people is nothing," Ye Xiao said. "Besides, I'm following the rules."

He knew very well that with the medical debts weighing on him, he had no other choice.

Senior Brother Zhan glanced at him, as if weighing the weight of his words, then closed the ledger and spoke more directly:

"That's good, following the rules."

"I'm asking you one last time, are you sure you want this red slip task? Once your name is on the red slip, it's under your name, and there's no going back. If there's even one problem with the red slip, it will have nothing to do with you anymore."

"Confirmed," Ye Xiao said.

Senior Brother Zhan pulled a task sheet stamped with a flag from the pile of papers and pushed it to the edge of the table:

"This is the red slip task sheet."

"Meet at the side gate at 5:00 AM tomorrow. Any delay will be considered a forfeit."

Senior Brother Zhan unfolded a thin book and pushed it in front of him.

"Write your name and sign it."

A small dish of vermilion clay was pushed over from the side; it was a dark, almost blackish red.

Ye Xiao picked up his pen and wrote the characters steadily.

Ye Xiao.

Press your fingertip into the vermilion clay, then press it next to the name.

"Smack."

A soft sound, like a nail being driven into a wooden board.

From this moment on, this red slip was not just an opportunity, but also his debt.

It has flags, insignia, tents, and names.

The road in the open.

After confirming that everything was correct, Senior Brother Zhan took out a small wooden plaque from the drawer. The plaque was polished to a shine, and its edges were rounded as if it had been covered by the palm of a hand countless times.

"This is an inner disciple's badge."

Senior Brother Zhan tossed the wooden plaque to Ye Xiao: "With this plaque, you can receive three rations of third-rate medicine each month. You can collect them all from the pharmacy. If you need them, you can collect them today; they will count as this month's ration."

Ye Xiao caught it; the wooden plaque wasn't heavy, but it made his palm feel heavy.

With this item on his person, anyone in the lower city who wants to deal with him will have to think twice.

Senior Brother Zhan raised his chin and said, "If there's nothing else, you can leave now. Don't be late tomorrow at dawn."

Ye Xiao put away the mission paper and turned to follow Xue Chan.

After leaving the small house, Xue Chan whispered, "Although Senior Brother Zhan didn't go into details, the fact that the red slip could be kept there means that person's strength is definitely among the top five in the inner sect."

"That's none of my business." Ye Xiao's gaze remained unchanged: "I only recognize the rules, and I only recognize money."

Compared to not being able to repay the medical debt, having another potential enemy is not a big deal.

Xue Chan glanced at him, her voice turning colder: "The moment you reached for the red slip, it meant you were being watched. Don't think you're safe just because you follow the rules; rules can also be used to bury you."

"But before that, you have to survive tomorrow. The red slip is life-threatening for you, so don't count on luck tomorrow... Now I'll take you to get your medicine, and you'll have to go by yourself from now on."

Ye Xiao nodded, but his hand unconsciously clenched the red task sheet tightly.

He followed Xue Chan into the side courtyard.

The pharmacy is right here.

Several strings of dried herbs hung at the entrance, their taste bitter and astringent, as if the air had been boiled and then dried into a hard, dry outer layer.

Inside the room, there were two rows of wooden shelves, a large celadon jar containing medicinal wine, and an old table against the wall.

Behind the desk, an outer disciple was dozing off.

Hearing footsteps, he sat up abruptly. Upon seeing Xue Chan, his expression immediately tightened, and he quickly stood up, saying respectfully, "Senior Sister Xue."

Xue Chan's voice wasn't loud, but it made it impossible for anyone to pretend they couldn't hear her: "I've brought the newly recruited inner disciples here to collect this month's rations."

The outer disciple even spoke "yes" softly, as if afraid of making a mistake if he took another breath.

He dared not look Ye Xiao in the eye, but instead spread his hands and said in a low voice, "Please show me the wooden plaque."

Ye Xiao then took the wooden plaque out of his clothes.

The outer disciple took the wooden plaque, glanced at it briefly, then immediately looked down at the book, dipped his brush in ink, and made a stroke.

"Smack."

The ink droplet fell, like an invisible seal.

He casually handed the wooden plaque back, then turned to get the medicine from the shelf: three small porcelain bottles, each sealed with wax with tiny marks on the wax, and a money pouch.

He handed over the money bag and porcelain bottle with both hands, his voice even lower: "Here are ten taels of silver and three doses of third-rate medicine, this is this month's ration. I am only responsible for distributing them according to the register."

Ye Xiao took the money pouch and put it away. He didn't open the porcelain bottle on the spot, but gently pressed the sealing wax with his fingertip. He smelled the somewhat familiar bitter smell through the porcelain and knew that it was the right one.

He tucked the three porcelain bottles deep inside his clothes, close to his ribs; they were very important to him.

The wooden sign was then taken back, as if it had never existed.

"Now you know how much added value the words 'inner sect' bring, right?"

Xue Chan glanced at him and said calmly, "These are things you can't buy outside without connections, but you can get them every month according to the rules. The amount isn't much, but it's enough to keep you in the position."