Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Chapter 90 I also have high hopes for you (Happy New Year!)

The next morning, Qingshi Lane.

The rain has finally stopped.

Before dawn, the fog grew thicker, the cobblestone path was still damp, and dripping water from the eaves formed lines that fell and created shallow ripples.

The courtyard was cleaner than before. There was a rough earthenware basin next to the threshold, soaking a brush and a rag. Black mud no longer accumulated in the cracks of the stone slabs, and even the pile of old firewood in the corner of the courtyard was neat and tidy.

The room was warm.

It wasn't the scorching heat of a roaring stove fire, but the warmth of slowly simmering charcoal fire, with meat broth bubbling in the clay pot and oil swirling along the edge.

The aroma of meat, released by the boiling ginger slices, pushed back the chill of the room; a small pot of meat porridge was simmering nearby, the rice grains soft and tender, the minced meat scattered gently, and the smell alone was comforting.

Ye Xiao woke up early, but didn't rush to get up.

The price of burning blood should have been a continuous tearing within his bones. But he consumed all the beast meat and the remaining medicine, forcibly filling the energy his destiny required.

When one's destiny exerts its power, the feedback is like gentle water washing away sand—hidden bone fractures, disordered blood and qi, and broken muscles are gradually smoothed out. The truly fatal aftereffects are gone.

All that remains is the weakness that should be shown to outsiders.

He deepened his breathing, deliberately adopting a slouch, revealing a hint that he was still "resting." To an outsider, it would only appear that he was still being dragged down by the backlash.

The door opened softly.

Xiaoxue came in carrying a tray with two bowls on it: one for meat porridge and the other for meat soup, with two slices of stewed meat pressed down in the soup.

She walked very lightly, and placed the tray down very gently as well.

"Brother, eat first." Xiaoxue's voice was clear and crisp. "You came back from the rain yesterday, don't stand on an empty stomach. It'll make you feel better if your stomach is warm."

After she finished speaking, she added, as if giving a report, very seriously: "My mother and I cooked the meat porridge together. I was in charge of watching the fire and stirring the bottom, while my mother added the meat and seasoned it. Don't worry, it didn't burn, and it's fragrant and delicious."

She pushed the broth forward: "You should drink this bowl too. The few slices of meat on top were picked out by Mom. I was responsible for removing all the tendons and membranes, and stewing it until it falls apart easily when you pick it up. It's easy for you to chew, and it tastes great."

Xiaoxue's gaze lingered for a moment on the scab on Ye Xiao's brow bone, and she lowered her voice:

J

Does your head still hurt?

Ye Xiao replied with a reassuring truth: "I don't feel anything anymore."

Xiaoxue's heart, which had been taut, relaxed a little, and she immediately nodded: "That's good, you can eat slowly."

After saying that, she sat down beside him and quietly watched him eat.

Footsteps outside were even lighter.

Mother came out from the stove and whispered, "Eat it while it's hot."

Xiaoxue immediately pushed the bowl closer, her eyes shining: "There's still a pot of stewed meat in the pot. Mom said she saved it for you. We're all full, this stuff is delicious."

Ye Xiao lowered his head and took a sip of porridge. The warmth went down his throat. He slowed down and ate slowly, one bite at a time.

The house was warm when a very soft knock came from outside the courtyard.

Stop after three strokes.

A moment later, a message came from under the eaves: "Someone outside the door said their surname is Lu and they want to see you."

Ye Xiao didn't look up, but simply put down the spoon, his voice calm: "Have him wait outside the door, I'll go see him."

The guards withdrew immediately.

The rules in this alley have always been strict. Outsiders who want to enter must first be asked their surname and then where they came from.

However, this morning, the manager of the Chamber of Commerce at the alley entrance personally instructed: "The Ye family must not be neglected; their demands must be met as much as possible."

Although he didn't know why, he remembered it vividly.

Ye Xiao stood up and walked to the threshold, deliberately relaxing his shoulders and back slightly, and his breathing became slightly erratic.

The courtyard gate was only half open.

Lu Xingzhou stood very tactfully, stopping just half a step outside the threshold, neither advancing nor crossing it.

He glanced at Ye Xiao, his gaze lingering on Ye Xiao's slightly erratic breathing, and smiled faintly: "It seems you're not feeling too well."

Ye Xiao looked at him: "My mission is complete."

"I know, and the adults know too, you did a great job this time."

Lu Xingzhou didn't beat around the bush. With a flick of his sleeve, he first put down a long, thin black wooden box. The box was sealed with wax, and silver patterns were pressed against the wax.

Then another dark, heavy token was placed down; finally, there was an even smaller black token with extremely fine dark lines on the edges, almost invisible unless held up to the light.

The three items were placed neatly and properly.

He lowered his voice, as if chatting casually: "The wooden box contains Flame-Returning Powder, a top-grade medicine, specifically for treating the aftereffects of blood burning. It was a gift from the master."

Lu Xingzhou tapped the dark, heavy token with his fingertip: "This is the Town Guard Token. From today onwards, you are a Xuan-level Town Guard. With this token, you may enter and exit the upper and lower city at any time."

He paused, his smile becoming shallower yet more genuine: "On the roster of the Town Guard, those who enter at the Xuan level are few and far between, if you count them on your fingers, throughout the history of the Town Guard."

"And that's not all—you are directly under the Lord's command, a special unit. Even I can't control you, and you are not under the command of anyone other than the Lord."

He pointed to the small black token, his voice even softer: "This is a personal token. If it's really important, take it to the Town Guard and you can see the magistrate directly."

Ye Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "Please thank the city magistrate on my behalf."

"The master certainly values ​​you highly," Lu Xingzhou said with a smile. "If it weren't for the rules, your current position would probably be even higher. So work hard in your cultivation and don't let the master down—of course, I also have high hopes for you."

After saying that, he didn't linger, turned and left, his boots still clean.

"The Green Owl Gang is related to a cult, right?" Ye Xiao suddenly said.

A simple sentence made Lu Xingzhou pause in his tracks.

He didn't turn around, and continued walking the next moment, leaving behind only the words: "Some things you will know when the time is right."

Ye Xiao didn't look at Lu Xingzhou again, but put the three items into his pocket and turned to go back into the house.

The aroma of meat still lingers on the table.

At noon, the sun was high in the sky.

Star Hall.

The old hall had long been sealed off, and a new plaque had been installed above the door. The two characters "Stars" on the plaque were fresh and deep in ink, and the inside and outside were cleaned up.

Ye Xiao did not go to the main hall, but sat down in the side hall.

Seven gray-sleeved figures stood in the side hall, their positions fixed, their gazes unwavering, and even their breathing subdued.

He didn't bring it upon himself.

They were temporary personnel drawn from the main headquarters, coming from various places, and their cleanliness might vary, but they all had one thing in common—they all knew that in last night's battle at the flag-raising field, anyone who dared to play tricks in front of Ye Xiao would die quickly.

Not long after.

A gray-sleeved man, who did not belong to the Star Hall, came in carrying two items.

A new flag, a new order.

The flag base remains the same, but the flag itself has been changed. The two characters for "star" are now like bright spots in the night, and the token has also been redesigned with finer and deeper lines.

Grey Sleeves' voice was extremely low: "As agreed by the Protector and the Gang Leader, from today onwards, Star Hall will operate under its own name."

Ye Xiao raised his hand and placed the new order in his palm.

Icy.

Shen.

He gently traced the patterns on the token with his fingertips, as if pressing that cold, hard layer into his bones, and uttered only one word: "Good."

He put the new order back into the innermost layer of his sleeve.

The gray-sleeved messenger, who delivered the flag and order, then relayed the gang leader's message, informing Star Hall of the gang's subsequent responsibilities.