Chapter 1808 — The Car Accident

"Young man, you look troubled." An old man came over and sat down beside Gu Pengzhan on the bench. It was a little odd for him to call Gu Pengzhan a young man, but given the old man's age, the description was not entirely unreasonable.

"Heh, it's nothing." Gu Pengzhan naturally had no desire to share his suffering with a stranger, so he merely gave a faint smile.

"If something is weighing on your mind, if you have a problem you cannot solve, then go and die." The old man spoke as though he were simply talking to himself.

"Die?" Gu Pengzhan was taken aback. A look of bewilderment suddenly flashed through his eyes. Then he abruptly rose to his feet and staggered forward, charging straight toward a van speeding past.

With a deafening bang, the van sent Gu Pengzhan's body flying. The shriek of brakes followed at once.

The old man, however, rose to his feet and left without sparing Gu Pengzhan so much as another glance. He was the hypnotist in disguise!

The police car and ambulance arrived at the scene soon afterward. The van driver had not fled; he crouched on the ground with his head bowed, his face pale with terror, looking utterly helpless.

The ambulance took Gu Pengzhan away and rushed him to the hospital, siren wailing all the way. The police stayed behind to investigate the scene. From the dashcam footage in the van, it appeared that Gu Pengzhan had attempted suicide, deliberately throwing himself into the vehicle's path. At least, that was what the recording showed. Yet until the injured man's or the dead man's identity had been confirmed, they could not determine whether he had truly intended to kill himself. Only after a full investigation could they decide whether the driver was liable.

The results of the investigation came soon enough. Gu Pengzhan, formerly chairman of the Gu Group, had recently suffered a disastrous failure in his business investments, losing everything he had. In light of that, his motive for suicide seemed perfectly clear.

Moreover, according to the owner of a nearby newsstand, who had witnessed the entire accident, Gu Pengzhan had indeed thrown himself into the vehicle's path. The newsstand owner had first seen him sitting dejectedly on the roadside bench. Later, an old man had passed by and exchanged a few words with him. Gu Pengzhan had then risen as if possessed and hurled himself at the vehicle approaching from ahead.

The old man was certainly suspicious. Perhaps he had said something to provoke Gu Pengzhan, or perhaps he had tried to dissuade him and, failing, had only stirred up Gu Pengzhan's rebellious streak and driven him to suicide. But the newsstand owner had not gotten a clear look at the man's appearance. His attention had been drawn entirely to the accident, and he had not even noticed when the old man left.

With the newsstand owner and the dashcam footage as evidence, the van driver naturally had no liability to bear. Gu Pengzhan had not died at the scene, but he had been taken to the hospital's intensive care unit. Upon receiving the news, Uncle Qing hurried to the hospital.

Gu Mengyao knew nothing of these events. She had been waiting in vain for a call from her father, so she dialed him again, only to find that no one answered. She tried once more, but there was still no answer.

Gu Mengyao thought nothing of it, assuming that Gu Pengzhan was in a meeting. Just as she was about to wait a while before calling again, Elder Zhang appeared in the guest room once more.

"Have you made your decision?" Elder Zhang still wore the same mild, composed smile as before, but his words were utterly formal. Though he was an Earth-level expert, he used the same tone with every customer who came to trade for or purchase rare treasures of heaven and earth.

That was also the way of survival in Snow Valley. Even cultivators could not live without eating or drinking, and they needed money to purchase other treasures of heaven and earth for cultivation.

"Elder Zhang, could you make an exception? We do not have that much money at the moment. Could you give us the Ice Spirit Holy Fruit first, so my friend can take it, and then let us gather the money afterward?" Tang Yun hesitated before pleading earnestly. "We will certainly pay the full amount, but it may take us some time. I'm afraid my friend cannot hold on that long."

"Honored guests, Snow Valley has always conducted its business on the principle of payment upon delivery. We do not sell on credit. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. Please return home." Elder Zhang spoke in a flat tone.

"Elder Zhang, please, can't you make an exception? We truly will pay you. We simply cannot raise that much money all at once, but my friend really cannot wait much longer." Tang Yun stopped before Elder Zhang and bowed deeply. "Please, Elder Zhang, make an exception!"

"I understand how you feel. However, Snow Valley has seen no shortage of cases like this over the years. If we extended credit every time, would that not throw everything into chaos?" Elder Zhang's expression did not soften in the slightest. "Without rules, there can be no order. Do not say anything more. Once you have gathered the money, you may return at any time to purchase the Ice Spirit Holy Fruit. Otherwise, there is nothing to discuss."

"Elder Zhang, please! Could you speak to the Valley Master on our behalf? We would be deeply grateful!" Gu Mengyao was growing anxious as well, and she joined Tang Yun in pleading. "Please, Elder Zhang. This is his only hope. If we miss this chance, I'm afraid..."

"Very well. I will ask for you. But whether it is approved or not will still be for the Valley Master to decide." Elder Zhang was, after all, a kindhearted man. Seeing these ordinary people, utterly lacking in strength, travel thousands of miles to Snow Valley to seek medicine for a cultivator, he could not help but feel a measure of admiration.

If Tang Yun, Gu Mengyao, and the others had been cultivators, Elder Zhang would never have made an exception. But they were not. Seeing them travel such a great distance to come here, he found himself feeling a trace of sympathy.

"Thank you, Elder Zhang!" Gratitude flickered in Tang Yun's eyes.

Elder Zhang nodded without another word, then turned and left the guest room.

The answer Elder Zhang brought back, however, left Tang Yun, Gu Mengyao, and Xiao Shu bitterly disappointed. The Valley Master of Snow Valley had given them only two words: No.

Elder Zhang said regretfully, "Everyone, this is the Valley Master's decision. There is nothing I can do. Please return home."

That was Snow Valley, after all. Snow Valley made its living by selling treasures of heaven and earth. Had they gone to the Ice Palace instead, Tang Yun and the others would never have received such courteous treatment. If they went to the Ice Palace to purchase the Fire Spirit Holy Fruit, forget offering a billion. Even if ordinary people offered two billion, or even ten billion, Bing Tang would not be moved.

After all, the Fire Spirit Holy Fruit was an essential spiritual medicine used by the Ice Palace's cultivators to prevent qi deviation. To Snow Valley, however, the Ice Spirit Holy Fruit was merely a precious spiritual medicine, one that offered no benefit whatsoever to its own people.

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