"A fair question, but I can't give you that answer just yet. The chance comes only once. Whether or not you join us—give me a straight answer now, both of you," Jing Taiyang said bluntly.

"You won't even tell us who you are, and you expect us to decide on the spot?" Xue Jianming hesitated at once. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; Jing Taiyang had turned up out of nowhere talking this way, and if his words were true, then the price he and Bing Wushuang would have to pay could not possibly be small. And if it was a pit of fire?

"Fine. I accept," Bing Wushuang answered, crisp and clean, without the slightest dragging of feet.

"You can't be serious? You're just agreeing to him, like that? What if it's a trap?" Xue Jianming was badly startled.

Bing Wushuang glanced at him and said mildly, "Trap or not, it makes no difference. At worst, death—and is our present situation really any better than death?"

"Well said! Now that's a decisive man!" Jing Taiyang was overjoyed to hear it. Of the two, Bing Wushuang was plainly the more valuable; since Bing Wushuang had nodded, his mission was more than half accomplished, and this alone would earn him a merit at Center headquarters.

Seeing Bing Wushuang about to leave with Jing Taiyang without a moment's hesitation, Xue Jianming grew anxious in turn, gritted his teeth, and caught up with the two of them. "To hell with dying—I'll go with you too!"

By now he understood that his father Xue Liping likely had no way out of this; the Snow Sword Sect had plainly decided to abandon him and Bing Wushuang. That being so, he might as well stake everything like Bing Wushuang—perhaps he really could turn his fortunes around.

As for whether this counted as betraying the Snow Sword Sect, that had already dropped entirely outside the scope of his considerations. The Snow Sword Sect had abandoned him first—what did betrayal matter now?

"Excellent. Rest easy—I promise that once you arrive, there will be nothing but pleasant surprises. You will not be disappointed!" Jing Taiyang chuckled, then at once led the two of them out by back paths, evading the eyes and ears of the Snow Sword Sect disciples. They returned to where Dr. Glasses and Brother Dafeng were hiding.

Looking at Bing Wushuang and Xue Jianming standing before him, Dr. Glasses could not help praising Jing Taiyang lavishly. "Wonderful! Bringing the two of them here so quickly—that's fine efficiency. You're quite capable!"

"You flatter me, Superior!" Jing Taiyang was delighted beyond measure to hear it.

"Keep up the good work. Our Center needs capable people like you. When the time comes I'll recommend you to Dr. Blue myself—your future is boundless," Dr. Glasses said, casually dispensing favor.

"Thank you, Superior. Your subordinate shall dash out his brains and die in your service!" Jing Taiyang dropped to one knee at once, declaring his loyalty.

"Very well, you may withdraw now." Dr. Glasses waved a hand, signaling that he wished to speak with Bing Wushuang and Xue Jianming personally.

Jing Taiyang nodded hastily and withdrew. Beside them, Brother Dafeng frowned. "And me?"

"You're different from them. You're the man in charge of this operation—what is there to be coy about?" Dr. Glasses spoke as though Brother Dafeng were a trusted confidant, though plainly it was all to keep Brother Dafeng firmly in hand: a chess piece meant to be buried deep underground. Only if he felt safe would he prove more useful in days to come.

Jing Taiyang and the other Foundation Establishment experts were left on the perimeter to keep watch. Only four remained on the scene: Dr. Glasses, Brother Dafeng, Bing Wushuang, and Xue Jianming.

"Since the two of you were willing to come with Jing Taiyang, you must have thought it through. But let me say this plainly first: once you join, there will never again be any room to take it back. Otherwise you'll wish you were dead. We have the power to lift you up, so naturally we have the power to dash you down hard. To end up neither man nor ghost would be far too wretched. The two of you had best truly think it over before you speak," Dr. Glasses said, his tone unfathomable.

"Since I chose to come, I will not go back on it—provided, of course, that you keep your promises," Bing Wushuang said. Though he was a cripple with no strength to speak of, facing Dr. Glasses and Brother Dafeng now he showed not the slightest fear; anyone who did not know better would have taken him for the formidable early-Golden-Core expert he once was.

"The same goes for me," Xue Jianming said after him.

"Good. Rest assured, I will of course keep the promises I made you. Otherwise, what good would it do us merely to recruit two cripples?" Dr. Glasses said with a smile.

"Then—may we begin?" Bing Wushuang said at once, while beside him Xue Jianming's eyes burned even hotter, his face full of impatience.

"Good." Dr. Glasses nodded, drew two pills from within his black robe, and handed them to the two of them. "These two pills are enough to restore your strength. But this is only the first step—what comes after is the real show!"

"Are these fifth-grade Great Return Pills?" Xue Jianming was overjoyed—but one glance and his expression changed. Looking utterly deceived, he flew into a rage. "No, these aren't fifth-grade Great Return Pills at all! You dare to trick us?"

Bing Wushuang's expression likewise turned ugly. The only reason he had agreed so quickly was that he had staked everything, treating a dead horse as a live one to be doctored; the risks in this could be guessed at even with one's toes. If the other side truly meant to deceive them, then he and Xue Jianming would have no chance at all to turn things around.

"Fifth-grade Great Return Pills? Who ever said healing your injuries required fifth-grade Great Return Pills?" Though Dr. Glasses was shrouded in his black robe, his tone alone made his expression easy to imagine—surely full of mockery and amusement.

"Is that not so?" Bing Wushuang and Xue Jianming exchanged a startled look. Neither could be called shallow in experience, yet in all their knowledge no pill other than a fifth-grade Great Return Pill could possibly heal what ailed them.

"Heh. Whether it is or not, you'll know once you've taken it. Have you the nerve?" Dr. Glasses regarded the two of them with amusement.

"This…" Xue Jianming instantly fell into hesitation and struggle. Yet beside him Bing Wushuang said not a word; without the slightest hesitation he took the pill and swallowed it. He was a man who prized absolute rationality, and he knew well that in this situation there was no other choice; rather than waver and frighten himself, better to resolve at once and follow the road to its very end.

"Good. Very good. I rather admire you." Dr. Glasses made no secret of his admiration for Bing Wushuang. If he could make this creature submit in earnest and become his right hand, then in days to come he would be unstoppable—this was talent one could not find even with a lantern!

After Bing Wushuang took the pill, his expression shifted slightly. Then, without a word, he sat down cross-legged on the spot and began working with the pill's power, attempting to circulate his qi and heal his injuries.

Xue Jianming watched, wanting to speak but holding back. He was sorely tempted to ask Bing Wushuang just how he felt at this moment, so as to decide whether or not he himself should take it! (To be continued.)