Eric Carter's first half of the sentence clearly made Ryan Foster quite skeptical, but as soon as he finished the latter half, Ryan Foster was startled. After all, the fact that the cultivation world exists as a kind of secular vassal to various sects of the Central Plains cultivation world is not something just anyone knows—generally, only the core members of each family within the cultivation world are privy to such information. Not to mention this young man's extraordinary insight and his remarkably confident manner of speaking, the mere fact that he could reveal this point was enough for Ryan Foster to feel inclined to befriend him.

　　"Since that's the case, I naturally won't go after that girl. As for the sect my family is affiliated with, it's not that I'm being stingy, but the old man at home has given strict orders not to speak of it. I hope you can understand, brother."

　　Although Ryan Foster was the young master of the "Xinghai Alliance," he had been exposed to cultivation from a young age. While the techniques he practiced belonged to the demonic arts, his temperament had been tempered to be rather resilient due to his early training. He was not like most spoiled young masters—impulsive, quick to anger, and bullying others with their power. This was also why he was fortunate enough today not to have offended someone like Eric Carter, who had once been a major figure in the Central Plains cultivation world.

　　"Being able to meet you today is already my good fortune. May I ask where you are currently staying, brother? So that I, Foster, may visit you another day."

　　"This kid is quite good with words. Although his cultivation technique is a complete mess, at least he knows his place and hasn't caused himself too much trouble," Eric Carter thought to himself, then replied, "There's no need for you to inquire about my identity or background. I don't like being disturbed by others. But since you seem to know your place, leave me your address. If I have time, I might visit your home and give you a few pointers. The technique you're practicing now is so lousy that even if you keep at it for another ten or twenty years, you probably still won't reach the Foundation Establishment stage..."

　　Such boastful words coming from a youth who looked only about a dozen years old made Ryan Foster quite excited. Although he didn't fully believe it, Eric Carter's earlier display of insight was truly impressive, which made him somewhat tempted. He thought to himself that perhaps he had really run into a hidden master pretending to be ordinary.

　　You see, Ryan Foster had been cultivating since childhood and had often heard his father tell stories of legendary cultivators entering the mortal world to train. Now, he was eighty percent certain that Eric Carter was just such a cultivator. This was an opportunity that could not be sought out, only encountered by chance—how could he let it slip by? Moreover, he knew very well that most truly accomplished masters could maintain whatever appearance they liked, so he automatically ignored Eric Carter's age and looks.

　　He hurriedly handed over a gold-embossed business card to Eric Carter and respectfully said, "Actually, although I've been training hard for the past half year and have even increased the frequency of my dual cultivation, I haven't made any progress at all. I wonder if you, master, could give me a few pointers?"

　　Ryan Foster's question was partly because he truly had this problem, and partly to test whether this "master" Eric Carter really had the goods.

　　Seeing the slightly guilty look in Ryan Foster's eyes, how could Eric Carter not know what he was thinking? As for the demonic dual cultivation techniques, he certainly didn't know them in detail, but it wasn't hard for him to see where Ryan Foster's problem lay. Hearing the other call him "master" and refer to himself as "little brother," Eric Carter was in a slightly better mood. He first pointed at Ryan Foster's lower abdomen, then said calmly, "Looks like you've had internal energy for over a decade now. With such a treasure inside you, instead of making use of it, all you do is think about how to bed more red-pill virgins. I actually feel sorry for you. Take my advice: every day, circulate your energy through thirty-six major cycles using your current technique, abstain from sex for ten days, and you'll see results."

　　"Ah!" Ryan Foster exclaimed in surprise, asking doubtfully, "The art of dual cultivation is mainly about balancing yin and yang. If I don't take in red pills, how can I make any progress?"

　　"Believe it or not, that's up to you. I've said all I have to say. Hmph."

　　Eric Carter was starting to lose patience with someone who hadn't even touched the fringes of true cultivation. With a cold snort, he said, "Don't say I didn't give you a chance. In ten days, I'll make time to visit your home. Prepare two hundred thousand US dollars. Depending on my mood, I might teach you a cultivation technique a hundred times better than dual cultivation. In the meantime, you can test whether my advice works."

　　Since Ryan Foster could afford to pay two hundred thousand for a night with a virgin, Eric Carter figured he could certainly come up with a few hundred thousand dollars. He'd need to get some money to spend sooner or later anyway, so he might as well. After saying this, Eric Carter ignored the still-puzzled Ryan Foster and quickly left.

　　It wasn't until half a minute after Eric Carter left that Ryan Foster snapped out of it. He thought to himself, I'll just try what he said—I've got nothing to lose, and besides, I've been stuck for half a year already. Desperate times call for desperate measures... Right, I need to contact the old man immediately and tell him what happened tonight...