Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Ye Xiao remained unmoved by the hall master's questioning and said, "That's why I need time."

"how long?"

"Three months."

Ye Xiao answered decisively:

"Within three months, I'll reach the level of a near-martial artist, or even a near-martial artist. At that time, you won't need to help me, or even do anything..."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Qin Yong, standing to the side, felt a slight jolt in his breath, and the casualness in his eyes vanished completely. He realized that Ye Xiao hadn't come to ask for directions; he was risking his life.

To advance from the initial stage of Bone Forging to the Quasi-Martial Artist level in three months is simply a pipe dream.

At this moment, he realized that Ye Xiao was more terrifying than he had imagined, not in terms of strength... but in terms of mind, courage, and boldness.

The hall master narrowed his eyes, as if considering whether the deal could go through: "Your martial arts school's genius, Chen Tao, also took three months to go from the early stage of Bone Forging to becoming a quasi-martial artist. What makes you think I can believe you can do the same?"

"You don't need to believe me."

Ye Xiao said directly, "When the time comes, we'll see. Just like I said, you only need to give me a spot in the Gray Sleeves competition, and you won't lose anything else. If I succeed, you'll gain a future ally; if I fail, you'll get your life back. Either way, you're not at a loss."

The hall master stared at him for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. The chuckle was faint, but it sent chills down one's spine: "You're quite the businessman, and you speak very well too."

Ye Xiao's heart stirred, knowing that the deal was about to be finalized.

The leader tapped the table with his fingertip: "I can agree, but you must understand, I won't bet on just you."

Ye Xiao nodded: "It's natural not to put all your eggs in one basket."

The hall master called out calmly, "Qin Yong."

Qin Yong clasped his hands in a fist and said softly, "Here."

The hall master didn't look at him, only at Ye Xiao: "Giving you the Gray Sleeve spot is no problem, but I need to make the rules clear first."

He raised his hand, pulled a thin black cloth bag from the side of the table, and dumped it onto the table.

A gray waist tag rolled out half an inch, its edges polished to a shine, with an owl pattern on the front and the character "owl" on the back.

Ye Xiao recognized that this tag was Grey Sleeve's name and mark. In addition, the owl pattern embroidered on the cuff was also a proof of identity.

"From tonight onwards, you're on my side." The leader's voice was calm: "But remember... before you truly sit in that position, your life will be on my tab."

He added casually:

"Also, this plaque didn't come out of thin air. Gray Sleeves has a limited number of spots. If I give you a spot, I have to take one back."

"If someone whose identity has been revoked comes to you, handle it yourself. If you can't even handle that, don't even think about taking over the title."

Ye Xiao pressed his fingertip against the waist token and said calmly, "Understood."

He looked up and asked, "Where are the branch registers?"

The hall master's lips barely curved into a smile: "You're very cautious. Don't worry, since I've promised, I won't go back on my word."

He pointed at Qin Yong: "He will help you get listed in the register of the gang."

Qin Yong responded, "Yes."

The hall master added another sentence, as if speaking casually:

"Greysleeves isn't just about hanging up a sign and being listed in a register. I can give you the name, but you need to truly convince people..."

"I understand," Ye Xiao said first. "We can discuss power and influence after I've established my position."

"You really are a smart person."

The hall master's smile vanished in an instant, like a flash of a blade:

"I happen to have three things to do. Pick one at random. If you succeed, the people under your banner will recognize you. If you fail..."

He didn't elaborate, but raised a finger, speaking casually as if ordering food:

"There was a stall on West Street that owed money to the gang leader. The man ran away, leaving behind a widow and two children."

"According to the rules, take away the few things from her house to settle the debt. If that's not enough, bring her back."

He then raised his second finger:

"There's a family in the north of the city who owes the pharmacy a medical bill, and it's due soon."

"You handle it. If they can't pay back the money, make them sign a fixed-term contract. Bring back all the family members who can handle things to settle the debt."

As the third finger fell, the hall master's voice became even softer:

"There's a shipment in five days, escorted by Tianyuan Escort Agency. I need you to lead a group to rob it and bring back one item from inside."

"During the robbery, you cannot kill anyone. If you kill even one, I will consider you a failure."

"After getting the goods, we need to preserve evidence so that the Tianyuan Escort Agency can insist that the murderer is the Giant Shark Gang."

"How can I do what I want?"

Ye Xiao remained silent for a moment, then said, "The hall master seems to have given three choices, but in reality there is only one."

"Tell me about it," the hall master said with interest.

"The first two are traps." Ye Xiao raised his eyes, his tone steady: "If I do as they say, I'll have the title and the brand, but from then on I'll only have the title and the brand, and I'll never become a real Greysleeve."

The leader didn't deny it, and then asked, "Where's the pit?"

Ye Xiao said unhurriedly, "The first two things are easy to do, and there are plenty of people to do them... Do you want to see if I'm an obedient dog or a truly capable person?"

The hall master stared at him for a moment, his smile as faint as the back of a knife: "So, what do you want to be?"

"ally."

Ye Xiao put the waist token into his pocket: "I choose the third option, robbing a caravan. This requires not only strength, but also sufficient judgment and intelligence, which is what you really hope I possess."

The hall master's smile finally warmed up a bit: "Good, you're absolutely right."

"Five days from now, I'll wait for the results. As long as you handle things cleanly, you'll have everything that Gray Sleeve deserves. And once you truly become a quasi-martial artist, I'll help you fight for that position."

Immediately after discussing the terms and specific details, Ye Xiao left.

Qin Yong gently closed the door and couldn't help but ask, "Master, he is, after all, from the Azure Dragon Martial Arts Academy... Are you really planning to help him?"

The hall master didn't look up: "Are you questioning my decision?"

"I wouldn't dare," Qin Yong said with a wry smile. "But he dared to ask for that position as soon as he arrived. I'm afraid he's too ambitious and might turn against his master."

The hall master then raised his eyes, his gaze not heavy, yet it made one's heart tighten: "A person with a small heart dares to bet his life on my table? Besides, he also said that he came to find allies, and never intended to be my subordinate, so how can he be accused of biting his master?"

Qin Yong was taken aback.

The hall master's voice remained calm, yet each word was spoken with unwavering precision:

"Even if others want to compete for that position, the first thing they do is hide... hide until they can bite someone before they dare to show their teeth."

"He doesn't hide it; instead, he shows his teeth right away. This isn't because he's stupid; it's because he's calculated. People like that are truly smart."

"And most importantly, the fact that he dared to come directly to our door without concealing his identity shows that he has no other intentions besides wanting the position of hall master. Only such a person can be trusted and cooperated with."

Qin Yong recalled their earlier exchange and slowly nodded: "The Hall Master sees things clearly."

After a moment's hesitation, he asked again, "Tianyuan Escort Agency is not to be trifled with. To obtain the designated item without killing anyone, and then frame the Giant Shark Gang in the end... this mission is almost impossible to complete. Aren't you afraid of failure, or even death?"

"Failure or death is none of my concern," the hall master said with a faint smile.

"What do you mean?" Qin Yong's confusion deepened.

"If he can't accomplish what seems impossible, then he's not qualified to be my ally, and it also means he can't possibly become a quasi-martial artist within three months."

The hall master said slowly, "However, I do hope that he can succeed, because that would be the best for both him and me."

Qin Yong said solemnly, "The Hall Master is wise."

The hall master said calmly, "If he can really complete this task, it means that he is not only strong in fists, but also smart. This kind of person is a true talent."

Qin Yong asked curiously, "What do you think the chances are of reaching the quasi-martial artist level in three months?"

The hall master's gaze was like a line drawn from the shadows: "Less than one-tenth."

"However, I know that if he can complete the mission and successfully reach this point, his chances of becoming the head of the hall are at least 70%."

"I will keep my promise and do my best to help him. In this way, I will have a natural ally in the Eight Great Halls."

"Moreover, the leader of the Giant Shark Gang is a madman, and the Tianyuan Escort Agency has connections in Shangcheng. Once he succeeds in this matter, he will offend both sides. From that moment on, he will have no choice but to back down."

After hearing this, Qin Yong finally understood the hall master's true thoughts.

He asked respectfully, "So what should I do now?"

The hall master said calmly:

"Pick two Black Sleeves for him. They need to be strong enough to have the ability to forge bones. One of them also needs to know the goods and the way to keep an eye on him. As for the rest, we'll see how they perform in five days."

Qin Yong responded, "Yes."