Chapter 1530 — Giving You a Chance

The Ice Palace Master's heart had softened a little. Precious as the Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit was, since Aunt Qing had spoken so, she could hardly refuse her outright. After all, it was Aunt Qing who had raised her from childhood, and though they were not mother and daughter, their bond was deeper than blood.

The Ice Palace Master knew that Aunt Qing consulted her only to show her respect. With Aunt Qing's standing in the Council of Elders, even if she took the Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit outright and gave it away, the Grand Elder would be displeased but would never dare to stop her.

And since Aunt Qing had acted so, how could the Ice Palace Master disregard her feelings?

Yet she did not know Ling Yi, and toward a stranger the Ice Palace Master instinctively chose distrust. Moreover, Ling Yi's strength was, in her eyes, far too weak, far too insignificant, scarcely stronger than a mortal. His promise she therefore took only as a joke.

A wandering cultivator who could find an alchemist? Had alchemists become so cheap a profession? Had he claimed to come from an ancient sect, that he could find an alchemist might still be believed.

"Of that I am not certain, but by all appearances it should be so. Throughout the whole trial he carried his girlfriend on his back. Such devotion alone is enough to make me believe that what he says is true," Xiaoqing said.

"Since he is so loyal and true, then tell him this from me. Let him stand at the gate. If he can stand half a month without food or drink or sleep, then I will believe him," the Ice Palace Master said. "If not, then ask him to leave."

"Half a month..." A wry smile crossed Xiaoqing's face at once. "Palace Master, for a Profound-rank master to go three days without food or sleep is no great matter, but half a month is surely asking too much? Though the spiritual energy of heaven and earth upon Ice Snow Spirit Mountain is rich, even if he cultivates without pause, the true qi gained from cultivation cannot cover what his body burns each day..."

"Aunt Qing, I am only testing him. If every passerby claimed he must save his sweetheart, and you took pity on them all, our whole Ice Palace would not have enough to give away," the Ice Palace Master said, rarely cracking a joke before Xiaoqing. "When he can hold out no longer and faints, you can go and wake him."

"This... very well," Xiaoqing hesitated a moment, then nodded.

At the sight of Elder Qing's figure appearing before him, Wei Zhao's heart eased at last. It seemed the Ice Palace could not, in the end, look the other way.

"Ling Yi, why have you still not left?" Xiaoqing drifted lightly forward, and seeing Ling Yi, asked coolly.

"Elder Qing has not granted my request, so I can only wait here. The Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit means everything to my girlfriend. I do not wish to lose this chance," Wei Zhao said with utmost deference.

"Very well. Since you treat this as a chance, I will grant your wish," Xiaoqing nodded and said gravely.

"Please speak, Senior," Wei Zhao said. He had thought Elder Qing would, as before, say a few words in passing and leave, never expecting her to relent. Overjoyed, he changed his form of address to Senior.

Indeed, whether by strength or by age, it was no presumption for Wei Zhao to call her Senior.

"You say you want the Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit to cure your girlfriend, and that so long as it is given to you, you will pay any price. Is that so?" Xiaoqing asked.

"Yes, Senior," Wei Zhao answered without hesitation.

"Good. Then stand here without moving. I will return in fifteen days. If you are still here, that will be proof enough of your sincerity, and I will give you a chance to persuade the Ice Palace Master," Xiaoqing said. Before Wei Zhao she could show nothing, and all her words were cold and formal.

"I accept," Wei Zhao nodded in agreement.

"Remember, you are to stand here all the while, without rest," Xiaoqing said. "If you cannot do it, then go down the mountain."

"I can do it," Wei Zhao said at once.

Xiaoqing nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

A rush of excitement and joy filled Wei Zhao's heart. He knew this was the fruit of Elder Qing's efforts. Though she had said nothing, he could feel it. He could only keep his gratitude toward her in his heart, an understanding that needed no words.

Only, to stand here for half a month, with no rest and no leaving, made Wei Zhao want to laugh and cry at once. Had anyone but Wei Zhao stood here, any other Profound-rank master, half a month would likely have killed him.

Though Elder Qing had not forbidden food and drink, since he was not allowed to leave, where was he to find them? Who carries a great store of food for no reason? Every trial-taker knew the trial lasted three days, and carried only a few spirit medicines to restore strength, never much. It could never last half a month.

Fortunately Wei Zhao had his jade pendant space, where he could replenish his strength at any time. Let alone half a month, even half a year would be no trouble.

Xiaoqing returned to the Ice Palace Master's chamber and reported, "Palace Master, he has agreed."

"Good. Then let him retreat of his own accord when he finds it too hard," the Ice Palace Master nodded, her expression settling once more into its usual calm. Others of the Ice Palace were present in the room, and she had to carry herself as the master of a palace should.

...

Qiu Lingshan led Liu Wangli, Wang Hekan, and the others to Jiawuzi Town, where she met the two victims and read the statements the local police had taken from them.

From these materials alone, it could already be established that the suspect was the same man as in the earlier cases. As for his features, however, there was still no firm conclusion. This time, too, the suspect had worn a mask.

In the hospital Qiu Lingshan questioned the father and son who sold roasted sweet potatoes with great care, but gained no useful information.

"What do the other witnesses say?" Qiu Lingshan asked, shifting her attention to the eyewitnesses after finding no useful lead from the two victims.

"What the other witnesses saw matches what the sweet-potato father and son described, with no real discrepancy. One townsman did say, however, that after fleeing, the suspect seemed to board an SUV," the officer in charge of the case for the local police explained to Qiu Lingshan. "Of course, it was not one of those eyewitnesses who saw this, but an old farmer living several hundred meters from the crime scene. According to him, he saw a masked man run hurriedly over, climb into an SUV parked by the road, and speed off toward the expressway."

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