Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

As soon as Ye Xiao finished speaking, the hammer fell.

"when!"

Sparks exploded, splattering on the edge of the anvil like a ring of red dots bouncing around.

The old craftsman's brow twitched, then he suppressed it, as if afraid of revealing his weakness.

From the moment he first saw Ye Xiao today, he felt something was off; his breathing and gait were too steady. But what truly made his heart sink and confirmed his suspicions was what Ye Xiao asked for.

The old craftsman didn't rush to reply. He first tapped the hammer lightly on the anvil, as if to bolster his confidence, before speaking calmly:

"Without anyone to guide you, you've mastered the Crimson Blood Stance to perfection, and at an astonishing speed... You're truly extraordinary."

"Since it's extraordinary, there are plenty of forces outside vying to give you the Blood Refining Breathing Technique. Why bother coming to me?"

Ye Xiao answered decisively: "I don't want to be tied up."

"In this world, it's harder than you think to avoid being tied down." The old craftsman chuckled, then his smile vanished, his eyes turning cold: "So what makes you so sure I have it here? And so sure I'll give it to you?"

Ye Xiao didn't mince words: "Even the martial arts schools in the lower city don't have the Blood Scorching Stance Technique, but you have the Crimson Blood Stance Technique."

He looked at the old craftsman and added something even more direct, like the back of a knife striking a table:

"And I didn't kill you."

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, even the fire seemed to slow down.

The old craftsman stared at Ye Xiao, as if he were seeing this person for the first time: "You've gotten to where you are today because of the Crimson Blood Stake I gave you. Instead of thanking me, you use 'not killing me' as an excuse?"

Ye Xiao's expression remained unchanged: "I got to where I am today because of my own efforts."

"You gave the Crimson Blood Stake with ill intentions. Anyone else would have been crippled on the first day and died on the second."

"You just want to see me make a fool of myself, but you underestimate me."

The old craftsman's face froze for a moment, then he scoffed, as if swallowing his anger.

He swung the hammer and smashed it again.

"when!"

Mars is even more prominent.

"You're absolutely right, your success was unexpected."

The old craftsman calmly said, "You're just not ruthless enough... Otherwise, you should have come to settle accounts with me after you mastered the Crimson Blood Stance."

Ye Xiao's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't reply.

The old craftsman placed the hammer handle on the anvil, as if making a final decision: "I have the Blood Refining Breathing Technique... but I won't give it to you."

Ye Xiao replied with only two words: "Conditions".

The old craftsman stared at him for a long time, and finally raised a finger:

"First, perfect the Three-System Stance Exercise."

The old craftsman extended his second finger, his voice even softer, yet more ruthless:

"Secondly, when you are capable, kill someone for me."

Ye Xiao's gaze turned cold: "Who?"

The old craftsman didn't answer, but swung the hammer again.

"when!"

Sparks flew everywhere, as if the name had been smashed into the fire, with no hint of its existence.

"It's no use for you to know now," the old craftsman said bluntly. "I will tell you when your golden bones are formed."

Ye Xiao neither said yes nor no.

He turned and walked out, only turning back at the door. His voice wasn't loud, but it was as hard as a nail:

"I will come again."

The old craftsman watched the retreating figure until it completely disappeared, then chuckled softly.

"Come and get it."

"I just hope you can succeed this time, otherwise all our expectations will have been in vain."

……

The stone surface of Qingshi Lane is swept clean, and it shines after the rain, as if polishing the days to a brighter shine.

Ye Xiao turned into the alley and bumped into the aunt next door splashing water from a basin. As soon as the water sprayed out, the aunt's eyes lit up:

"Hey, the Ye family boy is back? Your mother's freshly baked meat pies smell so good my kid can't sit still."

Ye Xiao nodded, didn't respond, walked to the door, and pushed open the courtyard gate.

The warmth from the radiator seeped out through the cracks in the door, carrying the aroma of meat.

A fire burned in the stove in the main room, white steam rose from the edge of the iron pot, and several meat patties were stacked on a wooden tray, their oil glistening gently under the lamplight. It wasn't intentional; it was more like how, finally, a home could provide a hot meal whenever someone returned home.

My mother was folding clothes when she heard the noise, turned around and smiled. Her back was still thin, but not as hunched as before; her fingers were still rough, but the cracks were fewer, and her cuffs were clean and white.

"You're back?" She wiped her apron around her waist. "Wash your hands first, the soup in the pot is still hot."

Ye Xiao hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping across the room. Two new items had appeared. The edges of the new wooden basin were still showing signs of wear, and the small sugar jar in the corner of the cabinet was placed neatly.

Xiaoxue peeked out from the inner room, her cheeks a little fuller, her eyes shining as if they could see right through a sugar jar:

"Brother! Did you buy candy again?"

"I didn't buy a new one," Ye Xiao replied crisply.

Xiaoxue didn't believe it, so she ran over to lift the jar, pulled out two or three hard candies from underneath, and immediately became very proud, holding them up in front of Ye Xiao:

"Then what is this? You still say you didn't buy it!"

Ye Xiao glanced at it and said indifferently, "Old."

"Old candy is still candy!" Xiaoxue's face was full of a clean smile.

The mother chuckled and scolded, "Your brother spoils you too much. That jar of candy was given to me the other day when your throat was sore. He said to keep it and suck on one if you woke up at night with a bitter taste in your mouth. One candy a day at most, no more."

Xiaoxue blushed, but still stubbornly said, "I didn't want to eat more."

She clutched the candy in her palm, but couldn't resist leaning closer to Ye Xiao and whispering, as if telling a secret:

"Brother, you're back today... are you going to be gone for a long time again?"

Ye Xiao raised his hand and pressed it on her forehead. The pressure wasn't heavy, but it completely subdued her little schemes.

"Smart. I'll buy you candied hawthorns again next time I come back."

Xiaoxue was stunned for a moment, then hugged her head and laughed: "Great, the candied hawthorns that Brother bought are the best!"

His mother brought over some hot soup and casually added two more pieces of meat to Ye Xiao's bowl, her movements as natural as if it were the proper thing to do.

She sat down and asked directly:

"Going away for a few days?"

"Not necessarily, at least a month and a half." Ye Xiao took a sip of soup, his words brief, but his tone was more relaxed than when he was outside.

The mother nodded: "Alright, I know you're capable now. You don't need to worry about things at home, and the neighbors are all very nice. Besides, Qing Shi Lane has good rules, and the guards patrol the entrance frequently. If anything happens, I can just call out at the door and someone will answer."

She added a casual remark about daily life: "We have enough money at home, and we've been doing quite well lately. You're practicing martial arts, which is where you really need to spend money. Also, remember to eat out when you're busy, don't forget, and don't let your pockets be empty."

Ye Xiao nodded gently, picked up a piece of meat and put it into Xiao Xue's bowl: "Eat more."

Xiaoxue's face was full of smiles. Then she picked up a few pieces of meat from the side and put them in Ye Xiao's bowl: "Brother, you don't come home often. This meat is delicious. You should eat more."

Not long after.

After finishing his meal, Ye Xiao put down his chopsticks, went to where he hid the money, and took out all the silver and coins he had saved for household expenses: "I'm leaving."

His mother didn't ask any other questions. She simply pushed a freshly made meat pie into his hand with a smile on her face: "It's freshly made. Take it with you on the way, so you don't go hungry."

Ye Xiao did not refuse and put the meat pie into his pocket.

As he reached the door, he casually moved the wooden stick behind the door to a more convenient position and then pressed the window latch.

Xiaoxue suddenly called out, "Brother!"

Ye Xiao turned around.

Xiaoxue raised her chin and said in a serious tone, like an adult, "Go out... remember to come back, I'm still waiting for the candied hawthorns."

"I remember," Ye Xiao said, then closed the door.

It's warm inside, but cool outside in the yard.

Ye Xiao pulled his collar up and kept walking. He had finished explaining things at home, but there were other places he still had to go.