Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Chapter 81 The Road of Departure

The sun was high in the sky, but there was no warmth inside the town's headquarters.

The town magistrate sat behind his desk, a thin scroll in his hand half-flipped.

Footsteps approached from outside the curtain, then stopped abruptly. She said calmly, "Come in."

Lu Xingzhou lifted the curtain and came in. His cuffs and boot soles were clean, as if he never got muddy.

He had just smiled, but hadn't even said a word yet.

The town magistrate didn't even look up, uttering just two words: "Result."

Lu Xingzhou immediately withdrew his smile, cupped his hands, and handed over the paper with movements as swift as if he had rehearsed it beforehand: "As you have instructed, sir, settle the matter concerning the Green Owl Gang."

"The word has been spread, and old grievances have been put aside."

He paused, as if unable to resist offering a compliment, but not in a cloying way, as if stating a fact: "Sir, you are indeed a man of unparalleled foresight."

"As soon as we shut up here, the Green Owl Gang couldn't wait to make their move."

The town magistrate then raised his eyes, glanced at him for a moment, his gaze as cold as ice: "When?"

Lu Xingzhou's smile faded, and his words became more direct: "We'll set up the flag and start the competition in seven days."

"They dragged it out for months, not because they didn't want to run, but because they were afraid. They haven't settled old scores; raising the flag now would be suicide."

"Only when we said we would let bygones be bygones did they dare to rebuild that empty hall."

The town magistrate grunted in response, as if he had heard something that should have been said.

Lu Xingzhou continued, his tone still light: "With the flag raised and the competition underway, all seven contestants were brought out at once."

"Ye Xiao is here too."

The town magistrate tapped his fingertip lightly on the table: "Who has the best chance?"

"Xu Chongshan".

Lu Xingzhou was direct: "Golden Bones. The path is broken, but the bones are not. In his early thirties, his energy and blood have not declined, he has taken many lives, and his boxing style is disciplined."

He paused, as if he felt it wasn't harsh enough, and added, "These kinds of people are the most difficult to deal with. When there's no way to advance, they'll only bite forward."

The town envoy said calmly, "The other hall masters will band together, so even Golden Bone might not be guaranteed a victory."

"That's what I think too."

Lu Xingzhou nodded, then smiled, though not deeply: "It's a pity the time was shorter than expected; otherwise, if it had dragged on for another three months, perhaps Ye Xiao would have had a real chance to seize the position of hall master."

"It seems you've met him and your opinion of him has changed quite a bit." The town envoy glanced at him.

"After all, he's someone the adults have taken a liking to, so he's naturally no ordinary person." Lu Xingzhou smiled again. "It's just a pity he's too young, and we haven't given him enough time—he basically has no hope of completing the mission this time."

The garrison commander asked directly, "You think he has no chance of winning?"

This time, Lu Xingzhou didn't laugh first; he first straightened his tone: "Logically speaking, not really. Because he's not just right for Xu Chongshan."

"But I think the probability of him accepting his fate is about the same as the probability of me getting home on time today."

The town magistrate didn't even blink: "When you go back is up to me."

Lu Xingzhou immediately shut up: "Your subordinate, please be quiet."

"I also think the chances of winning are slim."

The town magistrate turned a page, his tone still calm: "But if he succeeds, I will give him a way to leave."

As soon as those words were spoken, the room seemed to freeze for a moment, as if someone had pressed down on it.

Lu Xingzhou paused for a moment, his smile faltering for the first time. His fingers tightened involuntarily, and even his breathing became lighter.

The road to departure.

He certainly understood what those four words meant: it wasn't just a change of job, it was a change of world.

Lu Xingzhou forcefully suppressed his slight loss of composure, but his voice remained a fraction lower: "Does Your Excellency wish to personally deliver the document?"

The town magistrate didn't look at him, but gently closed the thin scroll. His voice was low, but it was like a seal: "Those who can get out of this mess shouldn't stay in the mud forever."

Lu Xingzhou's Adam's apple bobbed, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Your subordinate understands."

Two days later, it drizzled continuously in the afternoon.

Xifu Street, Jufulou Restaurant.

Downstairs, the noise of people was deafening, and the aroma of food and drinks mingled with shouts rising upwards. Rain dripped from the eaves, pressing the festivities even closer to the ground, while a section of the second floor was deliberately left empty.

The innkeeper personally guarded the stairwell, greeting guests with a smile, but his eyes kept all idlers out.

When Ye Xiao went upstairs, the door was half-closed.

Master Huang said there are seven contestants in total. Excluding Xu Chongshan, who is being targeted, the other two will not show up; we'll only see the results.

There were only three people sitting inside.

The man was around forty years old, wearing a long blue cloth robe with neatly trimmed cuffs. A small iron abacus lay across his lap, the beads making a soft "click-clack" sound as he gently flicked the beads with his fingertips, as if he were counting accounts or counting fates.

He was a burly man, so tall that he looked like a wall even when sitting down. His hands were calloused, and he held the cup in his palm as if it were a stone.

The last person was the youngest, looking to be only in his early twenties. He had a gentle smile, but his eyes were devoid of warmth.

As Ye Xiao entered, the three of them looked up at the same time.

The young man's gaze swept over Ye Xiao's clothes and shoes for a moment, his smile unchanged, but a hint of disdain was hidden in his eyes.

The burly one was even more straightforward, letting out a soft snort without bothering to hide it.

The man in the green robe spoke first, his voice neither hurried nor slow: "Brother Ye? Please sit down."

Ye Xiao glanced at them and asked, "What's your name?"

The man in the green robe said calmly, "Shen Cheng, nicknamed Iron Abacus."

The burly man said in a deep voice, "Luo Tieshan."

The young man's smile remained unchanged: "Duan Qingzhou."

Ye Xiao did not sit in the main seat, but sat at the very edge, his tone indifferent: "Hall Master Huang sent me here to hear what you have to say."

Duan Qingzhou smiled and said, "Straightforward. Then we won't beat around the bush."

He casually pushed the teacup towards Ye Xiao, the movement seemingly effortless, but his fingertips subtly applied a slight pressure, as if he were just testing it out of boredom.

Ye Xiao pinched the teacup between two fingers, and it landed steadily on the table without even a ripple on the tea surface.

Duan Qingzhou paused almost imperceptibly in the corner of his eye, then suppressed that strange look back into his smile.

The foundation is not shallow — but that's all.

Luo Tieshan slammed his cup down on the table with a loud thud: "Seven days from now, the tournament will begin, a free-for-all. With Xu Chongshan around, nobody's going to sit still. You're no exception."

Shen Cheng chimed in, his tone like he was calculating: "So we want to stick together first. It's not about you working for anyone, just doing one thing: suppressing Xu Chongshan. That's better for everyone."

Duan Qingzhou pushed a plate of hot food towards Ye Xiao, her smile faint: "After it's done, we'll see who has the best skills on stage."

Luo Tieshan scoffed: "To put it bluntly, we'll take down Jin Gu first!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Ye Xiao picked up his teacup, but didn't drink it, only staring at the steam rising from the surface: "How do you plan to press?"

The three exchanged a glance.

Shen Cheng adjusted the beads on his abacus, his voice becoming even more steady: "Xu Chongshan has a golden core; a head-on confrontation isn't worthwhile. In a chaotic battle, the most valuable thing isn't fighting desperately, but attrition."

Luo Tieshan put it even more bluntly: "As soon as he steps on stage, we'll stick to him. First, we'll disrupt his breathing, then seize the opportunity to finish him off. Once he draws blood, he's a wolf that can be killed."

Duan Qingzhou chuckled softly: "But this has to start somewhere. Someone has to step up first and hold the line."

"

Shen Cheng's gaze fell on Ye Xiao, and he said in a flat tone, "Brother Ye is young and full of energy. You're the most suitable person to lead the first wave."

Luo Tieshan didn't mince words, saying bluntly, "You hold him off for three breaths, then we'll attack. Three breaths is nothing, can you handle that?"

Ye Xiao put down his teacup, his voice neither warm nor cold: "Three breaths?"

He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the three of them: "Using me as a stepping stone, you expect me to agree?"

Luo Tieshan's face darkened: "Don't put it so harshly. In a chaotic battle, someone has to go first. Do you think Golden Bone is so easy to deal with? You're the weakest in our sect, with the worst foundation. If you don't go first, who will?"

I won't force you.

Shen Cheng said calmly, "You can choose not to—but on the day the flag is raised and the competition begins, no one on the stage will make things easy for you."

Duan Qingzhou's smile faded even more: "The opportunity is in front of you, whether you take it or not is up to you."

Ye Xiao looked at them and smiled faintly: "Opportunity? You've blocked my path."

""