Zi Jitian's pupils instantly contracted, but quickly returned to normal.
Yet, even for that fleeting moment, it did not escape Zi Donglai, who had been staring at him.
Zi Donglai sneered, "Senior Zi, I've hit the mark, haven't I?"
Zi Jitian inwardly regretted his lapse.
After living for decades, he couldn't even maintain a poker face when faced with a situation, and had been tricked by a young man.
In this way, wouldn't his twelve years of indirect protection for his ill-fated granddaughter become an empty promise?
Wouldn't the suffering his ill-fated granddaughter had endured for twelve years be in vain?
No!
It absolutely could not happen.
He had to stick to the story that the Family Head Token was lost along with his son's disappearance.
With this thought, Zi Jitian forced himself to calm down.
He stated firmly, "You jest. If it were you, would you place something so important on a mere good-for-nothing?"
Zi Donglai nodded thoughtfully, "Senior makes some sense, but..."
He leaned closer to Zi Jitian's ear and whispered, "But isn't there also a saying that the most unlikely place is the safest? Thinking this way, it's not impossible for the Family Head Token to be with that good-for-nothing."
Zi Jitian blinked, then burst into laughter.
Zi Donglai frowned, displeased, "What does Senior mean by this?"
Zi Jitian laughed until tears welled up, then said coldly, "The intelligence of a mere young master of the Imperial Zi Family is hardly impressive. If the Family Head Token were truly with that good-for-nothing, given their uselessness, would it still be with them now?"
"Oh, Donglai would be most interested to hear!"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Zi Donglai's face.
Zi Jitian sneered, "My late son was also a genius. Problems that I, with my limited mind, can conceive, how could he not? Do you think he would do something so pointless?"
Zi Donglai's brow furrowed even deeper.
Zi Jitian's words held undeniable logic. However, he trusted his own observation more.
If what Zi Jitian said was true, then what was the meaning of Zi Jitian's momentary change in expression earlier?
"Senior, you yourself said your son was a genius. Who can be certain he wouldn't do the opposite?"
Zi Jitian snorted, "You must have investigated. This good-for-nothing has suffered humiliation for twelve years and hasn't kept a single valuable item. If the Family Head Token were with her, would it still be here now?"
"I also heard that a little over half a month ago, the second wife turned that good-for-nothing's living quarters upside down and found nothing. On what grounds do you, an outsider, believe the Family Head Token is with that good-for-nothing?"
Zi Donglai's brow furrowed even tighter.
He already knew everything Zi Jitian had said.
He had intended to extract some clues from Zi Jitian's mouth, but unexpectedly, he had directly eliminated the possibility of the Family Head Token being with that good-for-nothing.
However, adhering to the principle of leaving no stone unturned, he still had to investigate personally.
"Zi Yun, detoxify Senior!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
Zi Yun, as a competent lackey, always followed Zi Donglai's orders resolutely.
Therefore, when Zi Donglai ordered him to administer the antidote, he did not hesitate.
He took out another porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and placed it in Zi Jitian's mouth.
A moment later, the feeling of a thousand ants gnawing at his heart finally disappeared.
He exhaled a heavy breath, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
"Senior, Donglai has offended you. I humbly request that you summon that good-for-nothing so that Donglai may ask a few questions."
Zi Donglai adopted a humble posture, but his words left no room for refusal.
Zi Jitian opened his eyes upon hearing this, undisguised fatigue appearing in their depths.
He forced himself to perk up, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Zi Donglai.
He sneered, "Are you sure you want to summon that good-for-nothing here? If you do, this place will be exposed!"
Zi Donglai said sinisterly, "Does Senior think that good-for-nothing has any further use in this world?"
Zi Jitian's gaze flickered, "No matter what, she is Guochang's only daughter, my own granddaughter!"
Zi Donglai sneered, "So what? Those who achieve great things are not bound by trivialities. Have any kings ever ascended without treading on heaps of white bones?" Sudan Novel Network
His voice carried a chilling indifference, and his effeminate demeanor revealed a hint of ruthlessness.
He spoke as if he were not the one suggesting killing someone's granddaughter right in front of her grandfather.
Zi Jitian's heart seethed with rage.
Did this Zi Donglai truly believe this was the Imperial Zi Family's territory!
If Zi Jitian allowed someone to kill his granddaughter in front of him, how could he face the ancestors of the Tianqi Zi Family in the afterlife?
Furthermore, he already owed the child twelve years. Although it was for her protection, it was still an unfulfilled debt.
Therefore, when forbearance was no longer an option, he would not hold back! When tolerance was impossible, he would not tolerate any longer!
Zi Jitian threw his head back and laughed, the ropes binding him snapping into pieces with his laughter.
"Zi Donglai, do you think you can kill my granddaughter on a whim? Since you've already decided to take Lin'er's life, I cannot let you act so wantonly! Come! If you want to kill Lin'er, you must first get past me!"
As he spoke, his mid-stage Saint King realm cultivation was fully revealed.
"Old man, you were hiding your strength?"
Zi Donglai's expression turned extremely grim.
When he had captured Zi Jitian, Zi Jitian's cultivation was only at the peak of the Yuan Transformation realm.
Thus, in his eyes, Zi Jitian was an ant he could crush at any moment.
But it was different now. When Zi Jitian fully unleashed his cultivation, he discovered that his early-stage Saint King realm was no longer sufficient.
Zi Jitian sneered, "What? Is it permissible for you to treat human lives as expendable, but not for me to conceal my strength?"
Zi Donglai said indifferently, "Good-for-nothings have no reason to live in this world. I am merely helping you clear out some useless things!"
Zi Jitian laughed in anger, "Youngsters these days are too boastful! We see things differently, so let's settle this with our fists!"
As he spoke, he grasped a sword of spiritual energy and slashed at Zi Donglai.
Zi Jitian attacked without mercy, aiming directly for Zi Donglai's vital points.
How could he swallow his anger when this detestable brat was so openly threatening to kill his own granddaughter in front of him?
Originally, his objective was merely to stall for time, not to resolve the matter through force.
Because, before his son's disappearance, he had told him that twelve years later would be the time for Zi Linling to soar.
But within those twelve years, he absolutely could not allow the attention of others to be focused on Zi Linling.