Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Chapter 94 First Steps into the Inner City

Once you exit the North Gate, the fog thins out.

The shadow of the city wall was left behind, and the night wind immediately hardened, like the back of a knife scraping against the face, even breathing felt cold and stinging.

The wolf drove the cart at a moderate pace, heading north along the outer dirt road.

The roadside weeds were knee-high, bending flat in the wind. The wheels rolled over the gravel with a dull thud, crushing the city lights and noise behind them.

Ye Xiao sat in the carriage, the collar of his outer robe blocking the wind, the bloodstains on the cuffs still warm.

More than half an hour later, the ground began to sink and the road surface became severely broken.

"We're here." Huanglang parked the car at the foot of a sheltered, low slope, his voice low. "There are too many ravines ahead, the car can't get through."

Ye Xiao lifted the curtain and got out of the car, glancing at him only once: "Wait here."

Wild Wolf clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Yes."

Without asking any questions or looking around, he simply turned the car around to make sure it was ready to leave at any time.

Ye Xiao turned and disappeared into the night.

Further on, the gravel crunched, and the chill seeped into the seams of my clothes, like wet water clinging to my skin and refusing to leave.

Immediately afterwards, a collapsed black hole appeared in front of them.

The abandoned mine trench looked as if it had been cleaved open by a giant axe. The trench was pitch black, and the wind rose up from inside, carrying a damp and cold chill that made one's bones feel tight.

Ye Xiao stopped at the top of the slope and did not go down immediately.

He pressed himself against the broken stones, using the grass for cover, and swept the entrance of the ditch.

The rope was pulled very straight, and the wooden sign was hung very upright.

The two black characters "No Entry" on the sign weighed heavily on one's heart, and the smaller characters below were even more ruthless: Unauthorized persons are not allowed to approach; anyone who trespasses will be killed without mercy.

A seal was affixed next to the wooden plaque, and the symbols on the official seal were clearly visible—the very symbols of the Town Guard.

The wild wolf wasn't lying.

What's even more eye-catching are the two people outside the rope.

They wore no armor, their clothes were as black as night, one leaned against a tree as if dozing, the other with his back to the ditch mouth as if roasting his hands, but their toes always pointed outwards towards the way they came.

They weren't looking at the ditch; they were watching who was getting close.

Ye Xiao didn't approach the blockade line, but took half a step back to change his angle and shift his gaze to the distant ridge.

Two dark figures lay motionless among the rocks.

Ye Xiao squatted down and picked up a handful of pebbles. When he pinched them between his fingertips, the pebbles felt damp and frosty, as if they had just been pulled out of ice water.

The cold air had already seeped outside; this pool of water was no ordinary cold.

Just then, very light footsteps came from the ditch.

A figure emerged from below, draped in a cloak with the brim of his hat pulled low, carrying a lampshade. The light was blocked by the lampshade, letting in only a sliver of yellow light, just enough to illuminate the edges of the seal.

The two men outside the rope immediately stood up straight; one handed over the booklet, and the other went to take the lamp.

The cloaked man didn't say much, only making a mark in the booklet, his voice low: "Shift change, as usual."

The guards responded immediately, their movements perfectly synchronized as if they had practiced countless times.

Ye Xiao didn't move. He waited until the light completely disappeared before slowly exhaling.

The fact that they are guarding it so closely indicates that something extraordinary is going on inside.

After confirming the situation, he turned around and walked back, still taking his time.

I didn't come here tonight for any reason.

Just for confirmation.

After walking a short distance, he listened intently.

Back on the lower slope, the wolf still sat on the cart shaft, its back straight, like a stone statue.

Ye Xiao got into the car and said only one word: "Go back."

The wolf immediately cracked its whip, the wheels rolled, and the sound of crushing stones was swallowed by the night wind.

After the carriage had traveled a short distance, Ye Xiao spoke in a low voice: "Come with me again tomorrow."

The next morning.

The fog in the inner city was very thin, like a layer of white gauze skimming the surface of the river. The stone-paved road was clean, still damp from last night, and each step made a crisp "click" sound.

Ye Xiao walked along the river street towards the city, changing his clothes halfway there.

He pulled his straw hat down low, a thin veil covered the lower half of his face, and his outer robe was changed to an inconspicuous gray-blue.

The shops on both sides open early. The shop assistants don't shout; they just remove the door panels and wring out the rags, their movements so swift as if they're afraid of blocking anyone's way. The truck wheels creak as they roll over the brick seams; the footsteps of those carrying loads on shoulder poles are also steady.

People in the inner city all know one thing: to do business here, first learn not to block the way.

Keep walking forward, and the light will appear.

The high walls of the upper city seemed to slice through the morning light, and the stone path at the base of the walls was even smoother than that of the inner city, with even the gaps between the bricks appearing as if measured with a ruler. There were many people, but no one dared to push; the queues were slow, yet orderly.

The rules of the upper town are not written on the walls, but in the footsteps of everyone.

Beneath the city gate tower, patrolling soldiers in black armor stood in a line.

The armor plates gleamed dimly, and the spears stood in neat rows, their tips gleaming coldly in the firelight. Each person's posture was identical.

When it was Ye Xiao's turn, the black-armored guard first looked at the soles of his shoes, then his cuffs, and finally at his face mask, his tone carrying the usual coldness and disdain: "Take off your face mask. Where did you come from, where are you going, and what are you doing?"

Ye Xiao didn't move, only replying calmly, "Pass through the city."

The patrolman scoffed, thrusting his spear horizontally to block the way even more fiercely: "Pass through the city? Do you think the city gates are just for show?"

People around instinctively moved aside a little.

At the city gate, no one wanted to cause trouble, especially not to say a word for someone "from below".

Ye Xiao raised his hand and took out the dark, heavy token from his sleeve.

The token was small, yet heavy in the hand, its edges worn smooth. The patterns were simple, yet as cold as iron.

He didn't raise it high or hand it forward; he only let the patrolman see it clearly at a glance.

The smile on the black-armored patrolman's face froze instantly.

His pupils contracted sharply, his grip on the spear tightened instinctively, and his voice lowered involuntarily, even tinged with fear: "The Garrison Commander?!"

Upon hearing this, several patrolmen nearby turned their heads in unison. Passersby by the brazier even subconsciously took a half step back; the words "Zhencheng Guard" carried immense weight in the upper city.

Ye Xiao put the token back into his sleeve, his tone still indifferent, as if he were just casually asking, "Can I go in now?"

The black-armored patrolman's Adam's apple bobbed, and he dared not utter the word "interrogation" again. He quickly stepped aside, his spear immediately returning to its original position, and his address changed immediately: "Please, sir!"

At this moment, the captain in black armor strode forward.

He first glanced around, suppressing the prying eyes, before clasping his hands in a fist salute to Ye Xiao, his voice steady: "My lord, please forgive me, I was ignorant of your teachings."

The captain in black armor added, as if afraid of being slighted: "If you don't mind, sir, I will escort you to the Town Guard and will not say another word."

Ye Xiao nodded: "Lead the way."

"Yes."

The captain in black armor led the way, moving at a pace that was neither too fast nor too slow, yet none dared to approach him even a step closer.

Ye Xiao stepped into the city gate.

Inside the city gate, there was a long, sloping stone path. The stone surfaces were polished to a shine, and in the morning light, they looked as if covered with a thin layer of frost. The path was wide enough for three vehicles to travel side by side, and low stone blocks stood along the edges to separate vehicles and pedestrians, preventing them from crowding together.

At the end of the slope, the view suddenly opens up, with a tributary of the inner river running through the street. The water surface skims along with the mist, and several arched bridges span the water. The bridge railings are so clean that they reflect one's image, and a pair of stone beasts stand at the bridgehead.

The shops on both sides opened early, and while the shouts weren't too loud, they were still constant.

The tea stalls lifted their curtains, releasing steam; the pastry shops opened their steamers, wafting white mist; the silk shops would only call out "New arrivals" twice before retreating inside, maintaining a respectable facade.

The lintel is clean, the curtain is simple and elegant, and the signboard is not ostentatious, but you can tell at a glance that it has a solid foundation. The materials, the brushstrokes, and the nail corners all show attention to detail.