Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Ye Xiao came out of Qingshi Lane and went around to the eastern section of Bishui Street.

A damp feeling hits you at the entrance of Sanjing Alley. The willows droop, and a yellow dog lies in the shade, its nose twitching before it buries its head back in its paws, recognizing people.

Two men in black robes stood guard at the alley entrance, seemingly idling, but their eyes were constantly scanning the well opening and the crowd.

Although their strength was not comparable to Shen Yan and his two companions, their identity as Black Sleeves still commanded respect from the people in the alley, enough to suppress most of the trouble.

Upon seeing Ye Xiao approach, the two simultaneously stood up straight, clasped their hands in greeting, and whispered:

"grown ups."

Ye Xiao nodded: "Are Yan Quan and the others there?"

"At the oil and salt shop behind the well," Black Sleeves replied crisply.

Ye Xiao walked along the edge of the well. A water sign was hanging there, and people lined up according to the sign to fetch water. No one was making a fuss or causing a disturbance; everything was done according to the rules.

The door of the oil and salt shop was half-closed.

Ye Xiao pushed open the door and went inside. The lights were dim and the smell of oil was strong.

Ma Wu was sharpening his knife, Shen Sheng was leaning against the doorframe, and Yan Quan was scolding someone in a low voice:

"You dare hand over the wrong water card? Trying to give them something to use against you?"

As soon as Ye Xiao entered, the three of them fell silent, stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and almost simultaneously called out, "My lord."

Ye Xiao didn't waste time with pleasantries and went straight to the point:

"I won't be coming for at least the next month and a half."

Yan Quan stopped abruptly, almost blurting out his words, but upon meeting Ye Xiao's gaze, he swallowed them back, leaving only one sentence:

"Understood. The alley will remain the same; it won't worry the adults."

Shen Sheng asked the most practical question: "What if someone tries to probe you while you're not here?"

Ye Xiao's tone was calm:

"Troublemakers, the first time is dealt with, the second time is remembered, and the third time is dealt with in the same way."

Yan Quan raised the corner of his mouth: "Understood."

After giving his instructions, Ye Xiao turned to leave, but then paused and said calmly, "If any problems arise that you cannot resolve while I am away, you can come to Beilu to find me."

"yes!"

Yan Quan and the other two responded in unison.

……

After leaving Sanjing Alley, Ye Xiao went to a pharmacy and exchanged all his silver for third-rate medicine.

Next, we arrived at the North Furnace.

You can see the dark red of the stove from afar, like the panting of a wild beast, and the heat wave can be felt on your face even across the street.

The moment you step into the furnace area, the air changes.

It was hot, dry, and choking; the dust clung to the skin, making it feel dry and astringent before any sweat could even be produced.

The veteran workers looked up and glanced at it.

The moment their eyes met Ye Xiao's, they recoiled as if burned by a furnace, afraid that a single glance would displease him.

They hadn't seen Ye Xiao for more than ten days and thought he wouldn't show up again, since he shouldn't be here given his status.

The foreman immediately came forward, his face still beaming with a smile, his voice extremely low, and his posture impeccable.

"Mr. Ye, are you here to start work?"

Ye Xiao replied with only one word: "Mm".

After saying that, he moved closer to the familiar edge of the furnace. The wages at the North Furnace no longer held much appeal for him.

However, if you want to master the other stances as quickly as possible, this is the only place where you can do it.

After seeing Ye Xiao climb up, the foreman turned around and shouted:

"Get to work! Follow the rules! Anyone who dares to gossip or look around will be the first to get a beating!"

After that shout, the furnace area immediately became even quieter.

All that remained was the crackling of iron slag and the howling of furnace winds; all human voices were gone.

Ye Xiao didn't even cover his face with a cloth. At this point, his bone forging was complete, and the miasma had a much smaller effect on him.

He walked to the edge of the furnace, and as soon as the Dingyue stake was placed down, he reached out and picked up the iron shovel.

"clang."

The first shovel flipped it up, and the heat wave hit my face like a wall.

Ye Xiao didn't even blink. With a flick of his wrist, the slag fell and was shoveled back.

The second shovel.

The third shovel.

The movements were slow, but terrifyingly steady, so steady it was as if he wasn't shoveling slag, but rather using fire to compact his bones bit by bit.

Not long after, the character "光" appeared in the destiny chart.

【Crimson Blood Stake - Perfection】

【Collapse Mountain Fist - Perfection】

【Dingyue Pillar - Minor Completion: 50/600】

Ye Xiao acted as if he hadn't seen anything, continuing to stand in his stance and shovel iron.

When he was stationed in Sanjing Lane, the Crimson Blood Stance had already reached perfection and could not be improved further. Therefore, he focused his efforts on the Collapsing Mountain Fist and the Fixed Mountain Stance. It was at that time that the Collapsing Mountain Fist was perfected.

……

Time flies, and the martial arts exam began in the blink of an eye.

That day, the entire lower town looked like a pot had been overturned.

Before dawn, the arena prepared by the Martial Arts Examination Office was already packed with people. There were vendors selling hot soup, vendors selling amulets, people placing bets, and people carrying their own children as they pushed their way forward, blocking the street corner so much that even the wind couldn't get through. There were all sorts of people.

The red flags of the military examination office were planted in rows, and the soldiers, with their long spears held horizontally, carved out several paths. Anyone who dared to rush forward was pushed back into the crowd by the spear shaft.

The martial arts examination was the most anticipated event in the lower city, and many people risked their lives to earn the title of martial arts scholar.

Once the fame fades, the exam hall floods like a burst dam.

Nearly a thousand people went through the preliminary test, the second test, the final test, and finally the naming process in an orderly manner.

The three rounds of elimination are like sifting sand; in the end, only ten names are left to take the stage.

These ten people decided on the title of Wu Xiucai (a martial arts scholar), but there were differences in skill among them, which led to the final naming contest.

Almost everyone at Canglong Martial Arts School was eliminated in the first three rounds.

In the end, only one name remained on the roster that could still be associated with the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.

Chen Tao.

When the officer in charge of the martial arts examination called out the names, his voice was noticeably louder than before:

"First match of the top ten martial arts competition, Chen Tao from Canglong Martial Arts School, come to the stage!"

The sound was like a stone hitting the crowd, silencing the noise for a moment.

Chen Tao stepped onto the fighting platform, bowed according to the rules, and stood still. His breath was as steady as a ruler, neither arrogant nor timid, and he stood like a nail driven into the center of the platform.

An opponent also came up.

The martial arts examination officer sang again: "Zhuo Lianshan of the Green Snake Martial Arts School, come on stage!!"

Zhuo Lianshan's eyes were filled with fighting spirit as he clasped his hands in a fist salute, his gaze fixed on Chen Tao.

Even though he had already become a martial arts scholar, he knew that the real battle was only just beginning. He understood that the higher his ranking, the wider his path would be.

The gong sounds!

Zhuo Lianshan moved first, his steps tracing an arc, his fist path like a snake, specifically targeting the gaps in Chen Tao's footwork and finishing stance. His force was insidious, subtle, and ruthless, like a needle piercing through the bones, not aiming to knock the person down on the spot, but only to injure them.

Chen Tao started with a simple move and took both hits head-on.

"Bang! Bang!"

A muffled thud exploded, and the tabletop felt numb as if it had been hit.

After several dozen breaths, Chen Tao was forced back half a step for the first time.

The faces of the Canglong Martial Arts School members turned pale instantly; all of their men had been wiped out. Whether Canglong Martial Arts School could maintain any semblance of dignity on the martial arts examination roster now rested entirely on Chen Tao's shoulders.

After all, being a martial arts scholar at the bottom of the list is not a good title.

"Chen Tao is indeed a genius, but he seems to have only recently advanced to the level of a quasi-martial artist."

One of the martial artists in the audience shook his head and said, "In terms of foundation and combat ability alone, he still has a considerable gap compared to other veteran aspiring martial artists."

Another martial artist agreed, saying, "Yes, there is an age limit for the Level 3 martial arts exam. Chen Tao is not yet twenty. If he can take the exam again next time, he may have a real chance to get into the top three, or even take the exam a few more times and have a chance to win first place. It's too hasty now."

A hint of smugness flashed in Zhuo Lianshan's eyes as he pressed forward, his fist like a cone, aimed straight at his chest, determined to decide the outcome with one blow!

Just as that punch was about to land right in front of him!

Chen Tao's breathing suddenly stopped.

It's like gathering all the energy scattered in your limbs back into your bones in an instant.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, taking half a step forward.

That half-step was extremely light, yet it felt as if the arena had been stomped down.

The next instant, he threw a punch.

"boom!"

This time it wasn't a muffled thud, it was a deafening explosion!

Zhuo Lianshan's expression changed drastically. The drilling force seemed to hit an iron wall. Not only could it not penetrate, but it was also rebounded by a harder, more solid, and more domineering force. His arm went numb on the spot, and his punching path was directly interrupted!

The wind whipped up Chen Tao's sleeves, and a flash of gold appeared beneath his forearm.

It wasn't the light reflecting off the fire; it was the light emanating from the bones!

Golden Bones!

A brief silence fell around the fighting arena, as if someone had been choked.

The next moment, the entire arena erupted!

"Golden bones?!"

"Chen Tao has become an immortal being?!"

"This is a true genius, no! He should be called a prodigy!"