"I… will join the Twilight Hermit Order."
In Yang Wudi's heart, this was a rational decision.
Rejecting an organization capable of observing thoughts themselves was far more terrifying than joining it.
What he did not know— Was that his decision had already been subtly guided.
A psychological cue, buried deep within his cognition, planted long ago.
It only surfaced now—
When fear, stress, and inevitability reached their peak.
Qian Renxue had always been clear about one thing—
Yang Wudi was irreplaceable because of his one talent.
In the entire Douluo Continent, there were very few who truly delved into alchemy rather than merely following inherited formulas. Yang Wudi was one of those rare talents who could innovate, optimize, and engineer new pills.
More importantly—
Because of his past ties to the Clear Sky Clan, and the inevitable convergence of fate that would later draw him toward the Tang Sect, Yang Wudi will be an interesting character in the future.
Thus, Qian Renxue never intended to coerce him openly.
From the moment Jiang Mo accepted the mission, psychological cues had already been planted—not just in Yang Wudi, but even in Jiang Mo himself.
Subtle prompts, emotional anchors, carefully timed pressure and release.
By the time Yang Wudi said "I'll join," the path had already been paved.
At this very moment—
Yang Wudi sat stiffly in the main hall, forcing a smile onto his face.
It was a smile so strained that it looked uglier than crying.
Jiang Mo, however, seemed relaxed. He chuckled lightly and broke the oppressive atmosphere.
"If people hear about this, they'll probably say I took advantage of you."
He paused, then added casually:
"I heard you're particularly skilled with herbs, Patriarch Yang."
"This is a gift from HER. Perhaps you can help me identify it."
As he spoke, Jiang Mo took out a jade box and placed it gently on the table.
The jade box was warm to the touch, its surface faintly glowing as if suppressing something within.
Yang Wudi's brows furrowed.
The moment he opened it—His pupils contracted violently.
Inside lay a single flower.
It had no leaves, only a slender stem nearly three feet long.
At the top bloomed a massive flower, pale pink in color, its diameter astonishingly full.
Each petal appeared crystalline, translucent like polished jade, refracting light softly.
The stamen was lavender, sparkling faintly—like purple diamonds embedded at its heart.
Yang Wudi's hands began to tremble uncontrollably. His voice came out hoarse, almost reverent.
"Aromatic… Silk Beauty…"
As an alchemist, the name alone struck his soul.
He swallowed hard and forced himself to explain, though his eyes never left the flower.
"This is the bane of all poisons."
"It doesn't detoxify—rather, it suppresses poison completely."
"Any poison, regardless of type or rank, will be rendered inert in its presence."
"It is the ultimate defensive medicinal herb against poison."
He lifted his gaze slowly toward Jiang Mo, disbelief written plainly on his face.
"Do you truly… intend to give me this?"
Jiang Mo observed the dramatic change in Yang Wudi's expression and inwardly sighed.
'So this is what Renxue meant… Strike hard first—then offer sweetness. No other immortal herb would have shaken Yang Wudi like this.'
Jiang Mo suddenly felt a chill creep up his spine.
In his mind, an image surfaced—
A golden-haired girl seated calmly behind a desk, her face seemed to be hidden behind veils of illusions.
Before her, countless invisible strings trembled.
'Renxue…How terrifying is your grasp on Yang Wudi…Or perhaps—on everyone?'
For the first time, Jiang Mo truly understood— This was not recruitment.
It was inevitability, wrapped in generosity.
And Yang Wudi— now already stood too deep within the web to ever leave.
"Young Noble… Jiang Mo."
Yang Wudi's voice pulled Jiang Mo back from his drifting thoughts.
Jiang Mo shook his head lightly and replied with a faint smile.
"Just call me Jiang Mo."
After a brief pause, he added calmly,
"And yes. This herb is meant for you as a gift for joining"
Yang Wudi lowered his gaze to the jade box once more.
The pale pink flower within seemed unreal, as if it did not belong to the mortal world at all. The faint medicinal aura alone made his blood stir.
His fingers tightened unconsciously around the box.
"This immortal herb…It is far too precious."
"I have pursued alchemy my entire life, yet never once encountered something of this level."
"To find it… has been my greatest regret."
There was genuine emotion in his voice—no pretense, no calculation.
Jiang Mo understood that feeling well.
As a soul master who had walked the path of strength since childhood, he knew what it meant to chase something for decades, only to see it remain forever out of reach. For Yang Wudi, alchemy was not a profession—it was belief.
Just then—
As if a switch had flipped in his mind, Jiang Mo suddenly spoke, his tone casual, almost absentminded.
"By the way....I suddenly remembered something."
"That major incident in Gengxin City… ten or twelve years ago."
Yang Wudi's breathing slowed imperceptibly.
Jiang Mo continued.
"The one where Bear Douluo was beaten half to death. Back then, the rumor was that it was connected to an immortal herb."
"Wasn't Tai Tan—the Strength Clan's patriarch—near Gengxin City at the time? I remember he's a master blacksmith and stays there often."
The words were spoken lightly.