Upon hearing Old Daoist Tu's response, Lin Yue understood that Old Daoist Tu already knew he was acting.
After all, besides himself and Xia Lie, Old Daoist Tu was the only one who knew that Su Ziqiu was destined to die that day.
Yet "Su Ziqiu" was still alive today.
Old Daoist Tu had already asked him about this matter. It was just that Lin Yue didn't want to involve Old Daoist Tu, nor did he want to expose his own hidden cards, so he hadn't answered.
Therefore, yesterday, after learning about Xia Lie's disappearance, Old Daoist Tu suspected it was Lin Yue's doing.
But Lin Yue knew...
Old Daoist Tu could never harm him.
"Xia Lie?"
Lin Yue heard this name and seized the opportunity to retort, his whole body trembling as he glared at Daoist Tu: "Are you trying to say I'm worse than that madman? He's the one who made me like this, and you're still thinking he did the right thing? Even if Ziqiu is somewhat scheming, so what? Who are you to make decisions for me?"
"I'm doing this for your own good."
Daoist Tu's expression also turned cold as he said solemnly, "I've told you long ago, it's best for you to live peacefully as an ordinary person. Women with such deep schemes will only harm you."
Lin Yue said nothing, his eyes fixed firmly on Daoist Tu.
After a while, he suddenly blurted out in a resentful voice, "I get it. Was it you who ordered Xia Lie to kill Su Ziqiu? I was wondering why Xia Lie would suddenly act against Ziqiu for no reason. It had to be you!"
"What?"
Daoist Tu was initially stunned, then looked at Lin Yue with a grim expression. After a while, he took a deep breath and said coldly, "Yes, it was I who facilitated it. What do you want to do about it?"
Baili Fengzhi raised her eyebrows slightly.
She naturally saw at a glance that Old Daoist Tu was only speaking in anger.
"So it really was you."
Lin Yue sneered mockingly, slowly closing his eyes, muttering, "I harmed Ziqiu..."
Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide, looking coldly at Old Daoist Tu, and said indifferently: "From now on, there will be nothing between us. The wine I gave you... consider it as feed for the dogs."
"Little brat daring to seek death!"
Daoist Tu was suddenly furious. He leapt to his feet, pressed his fingers together, and Thunder flashed in his eyes. A terrifying aura spread out, and a muffled thunderclap suddenly exploded in the prison.
Baili Fengzhi did not intervene, merely folding her arms and watching expressionlessly, without a hint of worry.
At the same time, the dark golden threads wrapped around Daoist Tu's body suddenly lit up at that moment, tightening by a small circle in an instant.
"Ugh..."
Daoist Tu let out a muffled groan. The terrifying aura he emitted dissipated without a trace, and he slumped dejectedly back into his chair.
The thunder gradually faded.
Lin Yue's face turned pale, and he instinctively took a step back, heart pounding with residual fear.
Then he raised his hand, trembling slightly, and pointed at Daoist Tu, "Fine, fine, fine! You want to kill me? Back when you couldn't even afford wine, wasn't it me who helped you buy it? Now you want to kill me?"
"Do you think an old Daoist really cares about your lousy wine?"
Daoist Tu's expression was cold, "If not for seeing you were as lonely and helpless as I was, and my fondness for talent, why would I care about you? Besides, didn't I teach you the Mystical Breathing Technique in return, settling any debts I owed you?"
For a moment, the atmosphere seemed to drop to freezing.
"Fondness for talent?"
Lin Yue sneered, "You're really hypocritical. Wasn't it because you were expelled from the sect, vowed not to use spells anymore, and didn't even have money to buy wine? Now you talk about fondness for talent. I'm an ordinary person without cultivation aptitude. What talent do you see in me?"
He shot a cold glance at Daoist Tu, then turned and cupped his fists toward Baili Fengzhi, saying, "My lady, it seems there's nothing more to say."
Baili Fengzhi's Phoenix Eyes beneath the silver mask narrowed slightly, scrutinizing the two of them before saying, "Since there's nothing more to say, you may leave first and wait for me in the side chamber."
"Yes."
After bowing, Lin Yue did not spare Daoist Tu another look. Once the cold iron gate of the prison opened, he left directly.
With a clang, the prison door closed again.
Within the prison, only Baili Fengzhi and Daoist Tu remained, and it suddenly became utterly silent.
Baili Fengzhi did not speak, simply watching Daoist Tu quietly.
Meanwhile, Daoist Tu sat silently beside the table, staring at the empty, cold teacup, his expression somewhat desolate, with a hint of loneliness in his eyes.
At this moment, he seemed to have aged a few years, appearing weary.
As if he wasn't some esteemed Daoist master.
Merely an ordinary, lonely old man.
And in his heart, he was thinking: 'I should have let that kid learn properly, this is how an old actor performs. There you are, going crazy and glaring like that. Apart from a good-looking face, your acting is useless...'
"Daoist Tu."
Within the cold prison, Baili Fengzhi finally spoke, "Just now, Lin Yue mentioned you were expelled from the sect and vowed not to use spells. Is that the reason you surrendered so easily?"
The boy really wanted to use this reason to clear me of suspicion... Daoist Tu understood this point clearly.
He remained silent for a long while before sighing, "An old Daoist like me, no more than a discarded Shenxiao disciple, how could I have the face to use Shenxiao Sect's spells again..."
"Then why did you come to Qingdu?" Baili Fengzhi asked.
Daoist Tu slowly shook his head and sighed, "Just wanted to be farther from the sect, farther from disputes..."
Baili Fengzhi looked at him, then asked again, "When you used the Five Thunders True Skill just now, were you really intent on killing him, or were you just trying to scare him?"
Daoist Tu chuckled bitterly, shaking his head, "Naturally, I just wanted to scare the kid. Though I'm no longer part of the Daoist, I still have some of its Heart Realm. It's just that I didn't expect his words to be so disheartening..."