Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Ten days later.

The rules of Sanjing Lane are now unshakeable.

The old guard dared not reach out recklessly, and the newcomers dared not speak recklessly. The passage of vehicles at Liumukou and the water signs by the well all followed the new rules, and no one dared to be a troublemaker anymore.

Zhao Jiu and his group left behind quite a few things, and Ye Xiao used all the items he could, eventually ending up with 170 taels of silver.

He first paid off the medical debt, then tore the contract to shreds on the spot.

The old man at the pharmacy had a very unpleasant expression and said a lot of tempting things, but he ignored them all.

Ye Xiao hid the remaining twenty taels at home as usual, placing it in the most inconspicuous place.

After looting everything, he informed Master Huang of the results as soon as possible, as was customary.

After listening, Master Huang remained silent for a long time.

That silence wasn't suspicion, but rather a weighing of the situation... Ye Xiao was stronger than he had imagined, and he was considering whether to increase his stakes. At the same time, he was also weighing how to suppress the matter and to what extent.

In the end, he only said one sentence:

"I'll handle the rest; you don't need to worry about it anymore. Keep the same story to the outside world: Zhao Jiu has disappeared."

He didn't ask for details, nor did he offer any praise; he simply stated the facts definitively.

This fact also reached Sanjing Lane.

But Shen Sheng and his group, along with the other gang members in the alley, were not stupid.

That night, Ye Xiao went out alone, and not long after, Zhao Jiu "disappeared." They couldn't possibly not have guessed it.

But even if you guess it, it's useless.

Once Master Huang has given his word, anyone who dares to utter a single extra word will be in grave danger if it reaches his ears.

So from that day on, no one in Sanjing Lane dared to mention Zhao Jiu anymore.

While Grey Sleeves' position was secure, Ye Xiao wasn't particularly happy.

He knew very well that to complete the second step of his undercover mission and take the position of leader, he needed to have even greater strength.

Now he is a near-martial artist with perfected Bone Forging, and with his [Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence, One Proof is Forever], as long as he obtains the Blood Refining Breathing Technique, he can immediately step into the Blood Opening Realm and become a true martial artist!

The step that others find most difficult, most fearful, and most likely to fail at is no challenge for him.

He doesn't need the Blood Protection Beads, nor is he afraid of bottlenecks.

But at this moment he was trapped, lacking what seemed to be the simplest key: the Blood Refining Breathing Technique.

He had asked Yan Quan about the blood breathing technique.

Yan Quan only knew the general idea, telling him that the Blood Refining Breathing Technique was in the hands of the major powers in the lower city, including martial arts schools.

But how to obtain it, and what price to pay, Yan Quan couldn't say... that wasn't something he was qualified to know.

Upon learning this, Ye Xiao originally planned to go to the martial arts school immediately.

However, Zhao Jiugang had only been "missing" for a short time, and he could not leave Sanjing Lane, otherwise trouble might arise.

For the new rules to be truly established, he must take charge.

Only today has he managed to get everything sorted out.

He wasted no time and headed straight for the Canglong Martial Arts School as soon as he left the alley.

……

The inner training area of ​​Canglong Martial Arts School has bluestone floors that are as cold as iron.

As soon as Ye Xiao stepped inside, he felt several gazes on his back.

It's not bony, but it's like a needle.

This gaze has been constant since the day he entered the inner sect. Whether it's his background, his identity as a member of the Gray Sleeves sect, or his almost unreasonable growth rate, any one of them is enough to pierce the eye.

A low, cold laugh came from not far away:

"What's the use of getting up quickly? If you go astray, you'll fall and break your body sooner or later."

The other person's response was even more sinister:

"Thinking you can swagger around in the inner sect with your petty cleverness! Ha, what a fool who's squandered everything!"

The others didn't say anything, but their displeasure was written all over their faces.

Even though Ye Xiao's combat strength surpasses that of most of the inner disciples, they still refuse to admit that Ye Xiao is more outstanding than them.

Xue Chan had clearly suppressed the rumors, but she couldn't suppress people's hearts. No one dared to openly spread the cult story anymore, but the claim of "overdrawing the foundation" was still circulating in private. Even though Xue Chan had publicly clarified it, it couldn't stop some people from turning a deaf ear.

Those who do not believe will remain unbelieving.

Ye Xiao pretended not to hear and kept walking.

He came today only for that key.

He circled around the inner gate but didn't see Xue Chan, so he went around to the inner courtyard along the corridor.

This place is quieter than the training area, with high walls casting deep shadows, and the wind carries a faint scent of sandalwood and medicine.

In front of a small courtyard, bamboo shadows pressed against the wall. There was no name written on the plaque above the door, only a small lamp hanging there. The light was dim, but the place was clean.

"Senior Sister Xue Chan."

Ye Xiao called out and then stood outside the door to wait.

Not long after, the courtyard gate opened with a soft creak.

Xue Chan carried out a wooden basin, in which bandages and medicinal cloths were neatly folded. The moisture seeped into her fingertips, as if washing away the chill.

She wore a long, bluish-gray robe, the front neatly pressed down, the cuffs tied so they didn't get in her way, and a small pendant hung from her waist, making a soft tinkling sound with every step. Her face, however, was excessively clean, and her eyes shone brightly when she raised them.

She doesn't care about it herself, but somehow she makes it impossible for people to avoid her.

Upon seeing Ye Xiao, she was taken aback at first, then her brows furrowed slightly, a mixture of dissatisfaction and worry.

"Where have you been these past ten days?" she asked, looking at him. "I've looked for you at the martial arts school several times, but I haven't seen you there."

Ye Xiao cupped his hands in greeting: "I was tied up with something and was just able to get away."

Xue Chan stared at him for a moment, as if she wanted to ask more questions, but she held back. She simply placed the wooden basin by the door and said directly:

"I've already mentioned your situation to my father."

"My father didn't agree to take me on as a disciple."

"He already has Chen Tao as his last disciple, and in his eyes, only a genius like that deserves to be cultivated with all his might."

She glanced at Ye Xiao, then immediately added, as if clarifying things for both her father and herself:

"However, he wasn't completely unresponsive; he complimented you a few times."

"He just feels... that you are not as good as Senior Brother Chen Tao."

Ye Xiao's expression remained unchanged; he didn't care whether or not he accepted disciples.

But he still followed up with another question: "My cultivation speed is no slower than Chen Tao's, and my foundation and base are no worse. The sect leader has never even seen me, so how can he assert that Chen Tao is superior?"

Xue Chan didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Do you remember the three conditions I mentioned for advancing to the Martial Artist level?"

"Of course." Ye Xiao nodded.

Xue Chan then said, "Complete Bone Forging is the mark of a quasi-martial artist, and you're not even a quasi-martial artist yet... Of course, most importantly, there are differences between quasi-martial artists."

She hesitated for a moment, then her tone became more serious:

"Stance training is divided into six systems, each with a different focus. If you can practice different systems and master them all, your strength and foundation will be elevated to a higher level."

Ye Xiao immediately understood: "You mean... Chen Tao doesn't just study one department?"

Xue Chan nodded: "You are very smart."

"Senior Brother Chen Tao practices three different stance training methods simultaneously." She lowered her voice, "Only my father and I know about this."

"Therefore, his talent and foundation are stronger than outsiders imagine."

"Cultivate other types of stance training techniques..." Many thoughts flashed through Ye Xiao's mind in an instant.

Xue Chan thought he had been upset, so she quickly added:

"You don't need to compare yourself to him. There's not another genius like him in the entire Lower City."

"Moreover, practicing stance training in three or more systems can strengthen one's foundation, increase combat power, and even allow one's bones to evolve into golden bones..."

"However, the power generation, skeletal structure, blood circulation, and stance strength of each system of stance training are different. The more you practice, the more difficult it becomes. To practice multiple systems simultaneously without confusion, both talent and resources are indispensable."

"The most crucial point is... once you truly cultivate the Golden Bones, the difficulty of breaking through to the Blood Opening Realm will increase dramatically." Her tone turned serious: "Therefore, 99% of people will only cultivate one type of stance training."

Ye Xiao then pressed on, "If one cultivates all six elements of stance training to perfection, will the Golden Bones become even stronger?"

Xue Chan was speechless for a moment, as if she had been choked by his question.

After a moment, she still explained:

"If someone could actually do that, then it wouldn't just be golden bones; all the bones in their body would transform into the legendary glass bones."

"Reaching that level, one becomes invincible below the martial arts realm, and can even put up a fight against martial arts masters at the Blood Opening Realm. One's foundation will be incredibly strong. But putting aside the immense difficulty of cultivation, which only those with extraordinary talent can achieve, even if one does achieve it... it will be a dead end."