Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Xue Chan didn't explain much or the underlying principles. She simply took out a silver needle and gently pricked Ye Xiao's fingertip, drawing a drop of blood that fell into the porcelain cup.

The gray powder, upon touching the blood, dispersed like a fine mist.

She placed the black stone close to the rim of the cup, and a faint sheen appeared on its surface.

If there is something unusual in the blood, the light will immediately dim, and thin black threads will appear to be drawn out from the silver lines, as if they are being pulled by something.

Ye Xiao watched, his expression unchanged.

A few breaths passed.

The bloodstains in the porcelain cup remained clean, the gray powder scattered but not black, and the luster of the black stone was not dim.

Xue Chan then put down the porcelain cup, but did not immediately let go. She continued to press on his pulse point, moving her fingertip an inch further, as if checking the second layer.

Ye Xiao asked, "Isn't that enough?"

Xue Chan didn't look up, her voice very low:

"I'm not just looking at whether you're clean or not, I'm also looking at whether others can make you dirty."

"Cults use more sophisticated methods than you think. Some people are infected without even realizing it, and by the time you find out... it's too late to escape."

She looked up at him, her gaze so earnest it was almost offensive.

But it doesn't mean I doubt his character.

Rather, I'm afraid he might touch things he shouldn't in his haste, and even more afraid he might be deceived without his knowledge.

Ye Xiao calmly said, "I understand, but I won't be that stupid."

Xue Chan simply nodded slightly, as if taking his answer to heart and then protecting him with a single sentence:

I believe you.

She paused, then added more frankly, "But based on your performance today, others might not let you off the hook."

Ye Xiao didn't speak; he understood.

In this city, innocence is sometimes not determined by one's own words, nor by the facts.

Xue Chan put the Fiend Stone back into its box, her tone even more somber: "Even if you really didn't touch the cult, as long as it's confirmed that you're involved with it, you won't live long, and no one in Tianyuan City will dare to save you."

As she said this, her voice lowered even further:

"At that time, even those who speak up for you will have to think twice about whether they will be dragged down with you."

"But don't be too nervous. I'm just telling you this to let you know the dangers of cults. You're a student of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts Academy. As long as you remember what you said and don't get involved with cults, no one in the lower city can smear you!"

"I will remember," Ye Xiao nodded.

Xue Chan then changed her tactics.

She pressed down on Ye Xiao's forearm tendons one by one, pressing very hard, as if to force every inch of the meridians to reveal their true form. Then she inserted a silver needle into an acupoint next to the tiger's mouth, and the needle tip trembled slightly to feel the flow of qi and blood, whether there was any disorder, or any awkwardness caused by external force.

"Don't move."

Xue Chan whispered, "It will hurt, just bear with it."

Ye Xiao didn't even blink.

This little pain is nothing compared to the suffering and agony inside the furnace; it's not even an appetizer.

Xue Chan glanced at him, her eyes flashing for a moment before quickly looking away.

She took out a thin piece of jade, as thin as a cicada's wing, and placed it under his lower abdomen.

The thin jade felt slightly warm, and a thin stream of energy entered the meridians, circled around, and then returned to the dantian to stop.

Xue Chan stared intently at the slightest change, her gaze growing increasingly intense, as if afraid of missing even the smallest anomaly.

half an hour.

She withdrew the thin jade, her fingertips turning slightly white. It wasn't from exhaustion, but from finally letting go of a heavy weight on her chest.

Ye Xiao asked, "How is it?"

Xue Chan let out a breath, her tone noticeably more relaxed: "You have no connection with the cult, nor have you been harmed by any underhanded means."

Ye Xiao wasn't surprised: "I already said that."

Xue Chan hummed in agreement, neatly putting the jade back into the box. "Besides confirming the cult issue, I also noticed that your foundation is incredibly solid, unlike something that was hastily built up in a short time. Although I don't know how you did it, it's a good thing."

Ye Xiao looked up and, seeing that she didn't press the matter, immediately steered the conversation towards what he really wanted to ask:

"Senior sister, you mentioned before that stance training is divided into six systems. What are these six systems? What are the differences between them? Also, after becoming a quasi-martial artist, how does one advance to the third realm of Blood Refinement?"

Xue Chan glanced at him, pondered for a moment, and said:

"Given your performance today, you're qualified to know."

"The Six-Pole Stance Exercise represents six paths."

"The Dingyue Stance you learned as a beginner belongs to the Zhenshan system, characterized by stability and calming."

She raised her finger, as if drawing six paths in the air; her speech was slow, yet every word was precise:

"The other five systems are: Sun Piercing, Form Binding, Horizontal Training, Back Locking, and Blood Burning."

"The three people you fought today have shown you all three of the major factions."

"Tang Qi is a horizontal-training type, characterized by strength and hardness; Zhang Qiu is a binding type, characterized by restraint and binding; Xu Jingce is a back-locking type, characterized by support and pressure. You have already experienced these things firsthand, so I won't go into details."

Ye Xiao nodded, the images of the previous three battles flashing through his mind.

Xue Chan continued:

"I specialize in the Japanese style, which is characterized by explosiveness and destructive power. This style's stance training has the highest speed and penetrating power among the six styles."

"As for the Blood Scorching type, its characteristics are extremes and purity."

"Among the six factions, it is the strongest in terms of actual combat power, but also the most dangerous."

She paused, her tone noticeably heavier, as if reminding him, "But this lineage is the hardest to train, the most painful, and the most resource-intensive. Almost no one dares to touch it in the lower city; even if someone isn't afraid of the pain, they can't handle it."

"People in the upper city can afford to practice it, but the pain is so intense that almost no one is willing to endure it, which is why almost no one practices the Blood Scorching Stance Technique."

Ye Xiao's face remained unchanged, but his heart was slightly shaken.

Nine times out of ten, the Crimson Blood Stakes are of the Burning Blood type.

He had only guessed at first, but now it was confirmed. Even though there were still other questions, he didn't press the matter further.

Asking too many questions is like writing the answer on your face.

Ye Xiao changed the subject, moving on to another crucial question: "What about the three realms of Blood Refinement?"

Xue Chan did not hide anything:

"The three stages of body tempering are about building up the 'framework' and simultaneously making the body's qi and blood more abundant. You should be able to feel this."

"As for the three realms of blood refining, it is to truly purify and strengthen one's qi and blood, and to use qi and blood to temper the five internal organs."

"To take the first step in the Blood Refining Realm and open the Blood Realm, three conditions must be met."

She slowed her speech a little as she said this:

"First, become a quasi-martial artist."

"Secondly, it possesses the Blood Protection Bead."

"Third, master the basics of the Blood Refining Breathing Technique."

Ye Xiao's eyes flickered slightly: "Blood-protecting Bead? What are its characteristics?"

Xue Chan pondered for a moment, then said:

"The Blood Protection Bead is made from the essence blood of martial artists or exotic beasts. Each one costs at least five hundred taels of silver, and it is priceless and unavailable."

"It can not only increase the chance of a breakthrough by 10%, but more importantly, it can minimize the backlash when a person fails, so that the blood and qi cannot flow backward and cause injury or death."

Ye Xiao's expression remained unchanged, but in his mind he had already matched something to his image.

He showed no emotion whatsoever, only saying, "Understood, thank you, Senior Sister."

Xue Chan looked at him and finally revealed a faint smile. It wasn't a gentle smile, but one of relief and joy.

"Since you have no connection with cults and have such a foundation, then you can rest assured and cultivate diligently."

"My father went to the city on business. I will tell him about you when he returns."

Her smile remained, and her tone was sincere:

"Although he has already taken Chen Tao as his last disciple, he may not be willing to take on any more disciples. But once he sees your solid foundation, he may change his mind."

Even if he doesn't take on apprentices, he can still give you guidance and resources.