They had no idea that this was the Center's handiwork, fusing the very pinnacle of technology from the secular world. With only the conventional appraisal methods of the Taigu Small Jianghu, it would have been a wonder if anyone could identify it at all.

"What exactly do you want from us?" Chen Dongcheng and Lu Ping'an were somewhat panicked. Their strength had surged, but the price they had paid for it was a body tainted by toxic qi—it was as if they had sold themselves alive. No one in their position would have been happy about it; it only bred anxiety and fear.

"Nothing much. Rest assured, both of you. That toxic qi cannot be eliminated, but it will not flare up for some time. Even over the long run, so long as you take the antidote regularly, it can be effectively suppressed. There will be no problem," Dr. Glasses said blandly.

The two exchanged a glance. This did not reassure them much; it only made them more frightened. The more stable the poison, the more firmly the other party controlled them. What exactly did this mysterious man want?

"Still not convinced?" Dr. Glasses saw their expressions and smiled. "I have said my purpose from the very beginning. We have a common enemy, so I need the two of you to join our organization and serve it. As for our organization's strength, I believe there is no need to say more—you two should have experienced it firsthand. As I said before, so long as you two cooperate well, I can make you Nascent Soul old monsters in an extremely short time!"

Previously, Chen Dongcheng and Lu Ping'an had instinctively dismissed this as sheer fantasy, but things were different now. With the foundation of those earlier pills, they believed it utterly!

On one side, the temptation of becoming Nascent Soul old monsters; on the other, the coercion of an inexplicable toxic qi. Faced with this carrot and stick, any normal person would have had no second choice.

"Good, I'm in!" Chen Dongcheng was the first to decide.

"I'm in too!" Lu Ping'an refused to lag behind.

"Excellent. With the two of you serving us, it will be all the easier for us to operate in this Taigu Small Jianghu hereafter—like a tiger with wings, a cause for celebration!" The mysterious man was overjoyed to hear it.

Though the two men's submission had been entirely within his expectations, it still delighted him greatly. After all, if the Center wanted truly to establish a firm foothold in the Taigu Small Jianghu, it would have to rely heavily on the locals, and these two were among the highest-ranking leaders of North Island Cangwu Sect. In experience, connections, and influence, they were far beyond the ordinary—even now that they had fled North Island Cangwu Sect, their usefulness remained by no means small.

"Your subordinates shall serve with utmost devotion, sparing no sacrifice!" Both were shrewd men. Having come this far, they adjusted their mentality with remarkable speed, leaving nothing to criticize—though what thoughts they truly harbored in their hearts, only they themselves knew.

"Good. The two of you have only recently broken through and need to cultivate diligently to consolidate your realms. After some time, I believe there will be good news," Dr. Glasses said with a knowing smile.

"What good news?" Chen Dongcheng and Lu Ping'an exchanged a curious glance.

"You will know when the time comes." As he spoke, Dr. Glasses's gaze fell upon Chen Jiu, who lay nearby insensible. To him, the recruitment of Chen Dongcheng and Lu Ping'an was not the greatest gain—the greatest gain was this Supreme Elder of North Island Cangwu Sect. The key to mass-producing Nascent Soul old monsters in the future would rest upon this thing.

Three months passed in a flash. At the Middle Island Snow Sword Sect.

For Xu Xiaoshuang, this was a special day, because her most valued personal disciple, Leng Leng, had emerged from seclusion. After months of closed-door cultivation, Leng Leng had successfully crossed the barrier between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Golden Core stage, and was now a true expert of the early Golden Core!

As her master, Xu Xiaoshuang herself was only at the early Golden Core stage. Now her own disciple had caught up with her, and by the sect's rules they would henceforth be equals. In such a situation, anyone else might have felt somewhat awkward, but not Xu Xiaoshuang—she felt immensely proud instead!

All told, it had been only a year and a half. Leng Leng had risen from an early Foundation Establishment disciple to her present stature as an early Golden Core expert, soaring to the heavens in one bound. Such an astonishing performance, even if not comparable to that cheat-like thing Xue Jianming, was truly enough to be called world-shaking. Whoever had taught such a disciple would be immeasurably proud.

Moreover, with Leng Leng's heaven-defying aptitude and the various top-grade pills Wei Zhao had given her, once she crossed the enormous barrier of the Golden Core stage, it was entirely possible she would return to her former state of rapid, heaven-defying breakthroughs. For others, advancing from early Golden Core to great consummation of the Golden Core took decades or even centuries, but for Leng Leng, even without the Center's improved pills with their severe side effects, the time needed would be far shorter.

Perhaps in a few years, the Snow Sword Sect would have another expert at the great consummation of the Golden Core.

Yet before master and disciple could exchange more than a few words, a familiar and loathsome voice cut in—none other than Xue Jianming.

"Oh, finally out of seclusion, are we? And look at that—already at the Golden Core stage. Rare indeed, rare indeed." Xue Jianming walked toward the two of them with a wicked grin, clearly up to no good.

Leng Leng and her master Xu Xiaoshuang exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with doubt and alarm. Ever since that thing's legs had been crippled in public by Bing Wushuang, his father Xue Liping had soon sent him away for medical treatment, and for months there had been no word of him. Who would have thought he would suddenly reappear today?

The whole affair had been strange from the start. By rights, with the injuries to his legs, the healers within the Snow Sword Sect might not have been unable to cure him; even if they truly lacked the ability, they could at least have tried. There had been no need to go out of the way to seek treatment elsewhere—let alone stay away for months on end.

Seeing that Leng Leng and her master did not respond, Xue Jianming paid it no mind. He walked closer on his own and reached out toward Leng Leng's cheek, continuing with a wicked smile, "Tsk tsk, a few months apart and my dear junior sister has grown even more captivating. Quite the pitiable beauty. I had originally planned to keep looking into those past deeds of yours, but I've changed my mind now. So long as you turn back from your wrong path, I can let bygones be bygones. How about it?"

"Turn back from my wrong path?" Leng Leng stepped back, evading the lecherous hand. She too had now advanced to the Golden Core stage—even if only the early stage, she was at least on the same level as him. She certainly could not beat him in a fight, but she was not about to stand by and wait for death.

"Exactly. I will make you realize that following Wei Zhao is a colossal mistake—one you will regret for the rest of your life. Now I am being merciful and giving you a chance to rein in your horse at the cliff's edge, so do not fail to appreciate it." Xue Jianming sneered as he pressed closer, step by step.