Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

The pile head was ice cold, as cold as a piece of dead iron.

Ye Xiao lowered his knees, straightened his spine, and pressed his breath downwards.

He doesn't need anyone to teach him or help him when practicing stance training.

[Destiny: Heaven rewards diligence, one proof is eternal proof], which makes his posture and breathing rhythm more correct than anyone else's, as if his sleeves are engraved in his body.

The black stake is heavier and harder than the outer gate stake. The wooden core of the stake has iron hoops and hidden nails. When it is stressed, it does not soften or retreat. When it is pressed and shaken, it will not dissipate part of the force like ordinary wooden stakes, but will bounce the force back completely.

The responses should be short, quick, and focused.

This means that with the same force exertion, each strike results in an extra round of rebound. For bone forging, this rebound is not torture, but an increase in efficiency.

Only a cast bone can withstand this kind of shock and impact.

Therefore, not a single black stake can be seen in the outer training ground.

Ye Xiao practiced stance training and boxing simultaneously, improving both his stance training and boxing skills at the same time.

Since the early stages of muscle development, he has integrated stance training into his life, no longer needing to stay in the same posture as before.

The inner disciples in the distance started chatting idly:

"Senior Brother Zhang hasn't even returned to the academy yet, so how come that red slip is gone?"

"You've got it wrong. No one could be that bold as to steal the winning ticket he placed."

"It's true. I found out this morning when I went to pick up the mission. Anyway, no matter who it is, they're finished when Senior Brother Zhang comes back."

No one called out names, and no one asked any further questions.

Ye Xiao didn't blink, but he made a note of Senior Brother Zhang. Only at this moment did he realize whose mission he had taken.

Another student appeared in the inner training ground; it was none other than Tang Qi.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he glanced around at the medicinal mist stakes, a fleeting desire flashing in his eyes before he suppressed it.

After he stood out from the external assessment and became a newly promoted inner disciple, he couldn't wait to come here, but he was tricked by Shi Heng.

Even though he was angry, he dared not show it.

When Tang Qi saw Ye Xiao, his Adam's apple bobbed, as if he had swallowed a mouthful of blood.

If Ye Xiao hadn't appeared, he should have been happy and proud.

After all, he spent a lot of effort, relying on his own strength and foundation, to defeat so many opponents and finally squeeze into the inner circle.

But as long as Ye Xiao exists, he feels that being number one in the outer sect is a disgrace.

Because Ye Xiao was already standing in front of him, looking back at him.

This caused his hostility and hatred towards Ye Xiao to reach an unprecedented level.

However, he also understood that the difference between the Muscle Forging Realm and the Bone Forging Realm was enormous. Before even reaching the Bone Forging Realm, defeating Ye Xiao was simply impossible. Therefore, he buried all his hatred and hostility in his heart, waiting only to successfully forge his bones in the future... and then trample Ye Xiao under his feet!

"Great news!"

An inner disciple beamed, "Senior Brother Chen Tao has perfected his stance training! Our martial arts school has gained another potential martial artist! He's only been training for a year, and with his talent, he has a very high chance of reaching the third stage of Blood Refinement and becoming a true martial artist!"

The people around him reacted in various ways upon hearing this.

……

It was evening.

[Red Blood Stake·Dacheng: 105/1200]

[Collapse Mountain Fist - Mastery: 30/1000]

"Even with the help of black stake training, the speed of Crimson Blood Stake training is still far inferior to that of training in the Northern Furnace, while the progress of the Mountain Collapse Fist will be much faster."

Ye Xiao made a judgment in his mind.

The black stakes have an effect on ordinary people, but for Ye Xiao, who can cultivate using the environment of the Northern Furnace, the effect is not very meaningful.

After confirming the result, he left the martial arts school and planned to go to Beilu.

"Brother Xiao."

Not long after Ye Xiao stepped out of the martial arts hall, he heard a shout. Turning his head, he saw Lin Yan standing in the shadows in the corner, his face pale, as if something had taken his soul away.

Ye Xiao walked to his side and asked, "Is your mother still not better?"

"No, she's all better now." Lin Yan hurriedly explained, then his Adam's apple bobbed as if he were forcing out the words he least wanted to say: "Qingjifang really came down... Ashuang was taken away."

Ye Xiao's hand tightened suddenly: "When did this happen?"

"Before even an incense stick could burn," Lin Yan said quickly, each word carefully chosen by the usually talkative man: "Someone took a list and dragged her out of her house."

"The one leading the way is one of our people. He's been paid and has connections, so he's got a lot more influence than anyone else. The Green Owl Gang also has people guarding the alley entrance; anyone who dares to look too far will get kicked."

"A-Shuang's mother knelt on the ground and begged until her voice was hoarse, but the bastard who led the way only replied, 'Your family is on the list.'"

Lin Yan's fingertips trembled violently as she spoke: "They led people to the narrow street at the east entrance, saying they were to 'gather' them and send them to the upper city."

Ye Xiao looked at him, his gaze growing even more somber, realizing that everything was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a matter of following procedure.

The process implies two things... it's been done many times, and there's someone backing you up.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Lin Yan panicked even more, her voice trembling: "Brother Xiao, I know you've just entered the inner sect and can't stand up for Ashuang yet, but besides you, I really can't think of anyone else..."

Ye Xiao interrupted him, her tone still calm: "You saw a car? What kind of car is it? Who's driving it?"

Lin Yan was taken aback, then quickly nodded: "I saw it, a two-wheeled mule cart covered with a black tarpaulin, and iron buckles nailed to the sides."

"The wheel tracks were very deep, and the mud near the edge wasn't dry yet, like they had just loaded 'cargo' and brought it this way..."

Ye Xiao closed his eyes, feeling as if a rope was suddenly tightening around his chest.

He thought back to his childhood.

That time, he was so hungry that his vision blurred, and he leaned against the corner of the wall, panting, without even the strength to get up. At that moment, Ashuang stood in front of him with a bowl of noodles.

There wasn't much noodle, even less soup, and hardly any other ingredients, but it was piping hot.

"You eat first. I'm not hungry now. You'll have the energy to work after you finish eating."

Ye Xiao never forgot those words; if it weren't for that bowl of noodles, he might have already died.

It's not a matter of owing face, it's a matter of life and death.

Ye Xiao opened his eyes, his voice even lower: "Take me to the east entrance."

Lin Yan's face turned pale: "I...I don't dare to go in..."

"You don't need to go in," Ye Xiao said in a deep voice. "Just lead us to a place where we can see the narrow street, and then turn back immediately."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan gritted his teeth and nodded, as if he were betting his life on it.

The narrow street at the east entrance resembles a mouth even more than the Silent Alley.

High walls pressed down on people on both sides, and the lights were hung low, making the shadows on the ground appear even dirtier. A few people blocked the street corner; they were dressed like day laborers, but their steps were steady, a steadiness that was not that of ordinary workers.

Lin Yan pulled Ye Xiao into the shadows of the wall and whispered, "It's there."

Ye Xiao did not move immediately.

He looked at it first.

There are two guard posts at the street corner... The outer guard post is made up of henchmen from the Green Owl Gang, with fierce eyes, responsible for intimidating people; the inner guard post has two people standing there, their clothes are clean, their cuffs are dust-free, and their boots are free of mud, as if they never set foot on this kind of ground.

Further inside, in the middle of the narrow street, was a black tarpaulin-covered van.

A wooden sign stood beside the car. Instead of words, it had a row of small nails on it... Each nail had a string of thin knots hanging from it, as if it were counting.

That's not for people to see; it's for the person receiving the goods to check the accounts.

Someone whispered, "This batch is still three short."

The other person replied, "If you're three short, just add three more; don't waste time."

Upon hearing the word "supplement," Ye Xiao felt a surge of anger rising in his chest, but he quickly suppressed it.

He saw several girls who had been herded together in the corner. They were all quite young, their clothes were old, but their faces were clean...

A guide was holding a piece of paper with stiff corners, as if it had been turned many times. Every time he called out a name, someone would respond and drag the girl out.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was very practiced, as if it wasn't reciting names, but rather accounts and goods.

Ye Xiao's gaze was calm, but his breathing became even lighter.

He knew that the people in front of him were not a real danger.

The real danger lies with the Qingxiao Gang's higher-ups and the Qingjifang, one being the overlord of the lower city and the other a force from the upper city.

"A-Shuang".

As soon as the two words were spoken, Ye Xiao's breath hitched slightly.

Among the group of girls in the corner, one of them was suddenly pulled up. Ashuang's hair was disheveled, and the rope marks on her wrists were purple. Her legs went weak and she hadn't even stood up when she was pulled forward.

She was naturally very pretty, but she was so thin that her cheekbones were slightly prominent and her lips were pale.

Moonlight shone through a gap in the eaves, a cold, white beam falling directly onto the fresh red marks on her face, the finger marks clearly visible.