Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

The man in the short jacket looked troubled, but faced with Ye Xiao's emotionless face, he ultimately dared not argue.

Ye Xiao tilted his head at Shen Sheng: "Register."

Shen Sheng immediately stepped forward, took out a blank booklet, and spoke calmly and decisively:

"Vehicle owner, driver, and escort, state your names. What is the cargo, how many pieces, and where to unload it. How much is the toll to pay? Count it on the spot, put it in the box immediately, and explain it line by line."

The man in the short jacket turned pale: "Sir, it wasn't like this before."

"Zhao Jiu used to be in charge," Ye Xiao said calmly. "Now it's my turn... Remember all of this, these will be the rules from now on."

His gaze swept over the hands hidden in the sleeves of the two men, then over the driver's head, which remained bowed, and his tone became even:

"If you're not happy, turn the car around and leave now, and I'll pretend I didn't see it."

The man in the short jacket felt a chill in his heart.

This sounds like they're letting you off the hook, but it actually tells you that from now on, don't even think about leaving through this doorway.

This is not just about establishing authority, taking over territory, or intimidating people... it's about setting rules.

From this moment on, it will be impossible for anyone to tamper with the gates, release vehicles illegally, hide goods, or pass messages.

He dared not delay any longer, and could only steel himself and turn back to the driver, hissing, "Didn't you hear me? Hurry up and do as the master says!"

The driver nodded repeatedly and then answered Shen Sheng's questions one by one.

Ye Xiao withdrew his gaze, leaving Shen Sheng and Ma Wu to keep watch over the area, and led Yan Quan to the small courtyard at the very end of the alley.

The courtyard gate was half open, and shouts, the sound of dice, and the smell of alcohol rushed out.

This is not a residential courtyard; it is a place for setting up offices and handling affairs on this land.

Ye Xiao pushed open the door and went in.

Three tattered tables, seven or eight people gathered around dice, laughing and joking. The laughter stopped for a moment when he entered.

A burly man looked up, intending to curse, but his gaze lingered on the gray-sleeved plaque between Ye Xiao's fingers, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

"A new grey sleeve?!"

Ye Xiao didn't sit down or make any detours; he simply slammed the gray-sleeved card onto the edge of the table.

"clatter."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like nails being driven into wood, diminishing the smell of alcohol and laughter in the courtyard.

"From today onwards, I will be in charge of this place." Ye Xiao's voice was not loud, but it suppressed everyone's breathing: "Zhao Jiu will no longer be in charge of this place, nor will he be Gray Sleeve."

Several people in the courtyard visibly paused in breathing.

Ye Xiao glanced at everyone and continued to make his statement definitive:

"Whether Zhao Jiu stays or goes to work is none of your business."

"Just remember one thing: from today onwards, the rules for this alley... are my rules."

The burly man forced a smile and said, "But Ninth Master has been in charge for so long, and you think you can just take over with a single sentence? That's unreasonable!"

Ye Xiao glanced at him, as if looking at a worthless but troublesome stone, his tone remaining flat:

"The truth is in the hall."

"Master Huang, give me the cards, this place is mine now."

He tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.

"Thump."

Yan Quan took half a step forward, without drawing his sword, but simply leaned his shoulder, which just happened to push the burly man back.

The burly man staggered two steps, crashed into the wall, felt a tightness in his chest, clenched his teeth, and his face instantly turned ugly.

None of the others in the courtyard dared to move.

Ye Xiao then laid out the real handover on the table, making sure everyone understood and there was no more room for pretense:

"First, vehicles can still enter and exit as before, and toll fees will still be collected as before, without any increase or decrease."

"But from today onwards, the money will be counted and put into the box on the spot, and the names will be registered on the spot. Anyone who dares to release or embezzle money will be dealt with according to the gang rules. First, their hand will be chopped off, and then they will be sent back to the hall to report."

He pointed to the locked wooden box in the corner, then to the hidden compartment deliberately concealed under the table leg:

"Secondly, the handover of items."

"Hand over the money box, keys, nameplates, registers, and old ledger now."

Ye Xiao's gaze remained calm:

"This is my first time here, so I won't bring up old grievances or listen to your complaints."

"But from the moment I take over, if anyone breaks the rules again, I will replace them according to the authority given to me by the hall."

The burly man gritted his teeth: "Water sign? Those things are scattered around the well..."

Whether we break up or not is not up to you.

Ye Xiao interrupted him: "The cards can be scattered, and the person in charge of the cards must know that. I'm only responsible for seeing things within the allotted time."

He paused, then pressed the last bit of time on the clock:

"Thirdly, you have half an hour."

"In half an hour, I want to see five things on the table... a money box, a key, a water card, a register, and an old account box."

"If anything is missing, I'll assume you don't want to hand over the work."

Ye Xiao raised his eyes, his voice even softer but colder: "As for the outcome, those who want to try, feel free to give it a shot."

The burly man's face turned pale and then red, still trying to intimidate others by invoking Zhao Jiu: "But Ninth Master..."

Ye Xiao interrupted him directly, his tone as calm as a judgment:

"If you still can't grasp the situation, it means you're not smart enough and are completely unsuitable to be a black sleeve."

"From this moment on, you are no longer Black Sleeve. All your power and monthly allowance are hereby revoked."

"If you want to stay, be a regular slacker and follow other people's orders. If you don't want to stay, get out now."

The courtyard fell into complete silence.

The burly man's Adam's apple bobbed, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Ye Xiao stopped explaining and turned to walk out.

As he reached the door, he stopped, uttering a curt, dismissive remark as flat as a seal:

"Remember, you only have half an hour."

"If everything is in place, it'll save everyone trouble. If things aren't... I'll let you know why the temple entrusted this place to me."

After he left, he didn't look back, but only left a sentence for Yan Quan behind him:

"After you finish dealing with things here, you and Shen Sheng will go somewhere this afternoon."

……

The dilapidated courtyard of the Ye family was bustling with activity, with a string of red paper money hanging at the entrance, as if they were celebrating their own wedding in advance.

The old lady inside patted her chest and assured her, "Chong'er! Don't be afraid, Grandma will definitely get that money back from Ye Xiao's family! It won't interfere with your martial arts exam, and you won't even lack the medicine you need for training!"

Ye Chong sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), tapping his knees with his knuckles, a hint of anxiety in his eyes: "Grandma, where have they all gone? We can't find a trace of them. I'm at a critical juncture in my breakthrough; if I can take a few more doses of medicine, maybe I'll make it."

The old lady tapped her cane on the ground, her tone becoming increasingly natural, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world: "I don't believe they can really disappear. Don't worry, your uncle and aunt have already gone out to inquire, and they'll have news soon. We'll definitely get all the money then, and it's time to let them understand who's really in charge of the Ye family."

"Mother is right."

My second aunt chimed in from the side, pursing her lips: "That family finally made some money, and they don't even know how to be filial. It's truly disheartening."

Uncle sneered, "Over the years, we've sacrificed so much for this family, but they're the only ones who haven't been able to contribute any money each year. Now that they're making money, they naturally have to make up for what they owed."

"My parents are right."

Ye Chong's eyes lit up, and though he tried to suppress his urgency, he couldn't hide it:

"Once I truly excel in the martial arts exam, get registered, and become a martial arts scholar, I'll be a prominent figure in the lower city. My family will be transformed. It's a blessing that useless fellow like Ye Xiao has the opportunity to help me."

A low chuckle came from inside the room, like a group of people dividing up pork.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door three times.