Chapter 258: Chapter 138: Breaking the Seal, Deceit Transformation Pearl (Part 2)

The old Daoist spoke slowly, "I am the Temple Master’s junior brother."

"Really?" Shen Bai asked.

The old Daoist nodded. "It’s the truth. I am indeed the Temple Master’s junior brother. He simply imprisoned me here. I can only leave once the aberration is dispelled."

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "Why were you imprisoned here?"

He was a bit puzzled.

If what the old Daoist said was true, there had to be a reason.

’To be imprisoned by the Temple Master... ’ Shen Bai figured that must mean there was a big secret involved.

The old Daoist glanced at the ten-zhang-high aberration, and the aura around him changed.

A subtle, icy aura began to emanate from the old Daoist.

"My senior brother... so foolish!" the old Daoist said.

"Using all the disciples as a sacrifice, sending the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple into a steep decline—that was a terrible move, in my opinion."

"We had conflicting philosophies. I tried to stop him, and for that, he imprisoned me here."

"Young friend, dust to dust, all of that is in the past. This aberration needs to be resolved. You are the one fated to be here, so let’s not discuss these old matters any further."

Shen Bai shook his head. "I don’t believe you."

The old Daoist sighed. "I’ve told you everything. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing more I can do."

Of course, Shen Bai didn’t believe him.

’Never mind anything else. The Temple Master sacrificed his life to protect Fenglin State. Would he really imprison the old Daoist here over a mere disagreement in philosophy? Does that make any sense? Besides, the old Daoist was his own junior brother. The whole thing was completely absurd.’

Shen Bai mused aloud, "It seems I’ll have to go get Daoist Chongling and bring him down here to hear his side of the story."

The old Daoist nodded. "If you don’t believe me, you can go find Nephew Chongling. He knows what happened back then."

After he spoke, Shen Bai remained motionless.

The old Daoist frowned. "Young friend, aren’t you going?"

Shen Bai shook his head. "No, I’m not."

"And why is that?" the old Daoist asked, perplexed.

Shen Bai smiled. "Your skill at mind games is truly impressive. I almost fell for your trick."

The old Daoist’s frown deepened, but he remained silent, as if waiting for Shen Bai to elaborate.

Pacing back and forth with Cold Moon in hand, Shen Bai said, "From the moment I entered, you’ve been plotting how to make me believe you. But you knew very well that I wouldn’t believe you, no matter what. So, you decided to use my own disbelief against me."

"First, you told me to look at the Daoist Scripture. That planted a seed of doubt, and you simply waited for it to sprout."

The old Daoist said, "Interesting. And how did it sprout? Do go on."

"First, you made sure I wouldn’t believe you," Shen Bai said calmly. "Then you told me that whole story, making me feel certain you were lying. At that point, I knew I needed to verify it."

"And the only way to do that would be to find Daoist Chongling. After all, if you really are the Temple Master’s junior brother as you claim, he’s the only one who could confirm it."

A cold, sinister look crept onto the old Daoist’s face. "Then how did you see through my plan?"

Shen Bai shook his head. "You were too hasty. Too eager for me to leave. In the end, you actually agreed. If I’m not mistaken, the Daoist Scripture and the aberration aren’t what’s truly keeping you here. The key is the two sheets of Talisman Paper in the passageway I came through."

"If I go out again, perhaps that barrier holding back the lake water will disappear. Or maybe it will only disappear after Daoist Chongling and the others come in."

"In either scenario, you would have a chance to escape."

"Am I right?"

When Shen Bai finished speaking, the cavern fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

The old Daoist clicked his tongue. "In the time I’ve been locked away, when did Fenglin State produce someone like you? You have both strength and cunning, and you’re so young."

Shen Bai chuckled. "I get a lot of praise. I don’t need yours."

The old Daoist sneered, "So you’ve figured it out. So what? Do you dare to leave? If you don’t, you can just stay here and keep me company. I’m about to finish wearing down this aberration. Once it’s gone, I can get out. I will restore the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple to its former glory!"

As he spoke, the old Daoist’s face was a mask of fanaticism, as if to declare to Shen Bai that he was the only true victor.

Shen Bai glanced around, then sat on a rock. "Since it’s come to this," he said, "why don’t we talk about who you really are."

As he spoke, the ten-zhang-high aberration began to stir restlessly again.

The old Daoist resumed his chanting, stabilizing the restless aberration. Only then did he turn to Shen Bai and say, "My identity is just as I said: the Temple Master’s junior brother. However, there are some discrepancies in the story I told you."

Shen Bai said, "Figured as much. Continue."

The old Daoist began slowly, "Back then, when my senior brother condensed the Supreme Dao Fruit, he used the lives of all the disciples. He wasn’t supposed to die."

"If he hadn’t attacked, if he had only fought to repel them, he would have lived."

"But Senior Brother said that if the Wild Taoist Sect, the Wild Buddha Sect, and that band of traitors weren’t completely annihilated, they would just come roaring back."

"His Dao Fruit was condensed from the lives of his disciples. He refused to live on in shame, and he couldn’t bear to let the great sacrifice of his disciples go to waste."

"An idiot! In my eyes, he was an absolute idiot!"

"He could have had it all—fame, fortune, and the Supreme Dao Fruit! He would have been the most powerful man in Fenglin State, but instead he did something so foolish."

"I couldn’t accept it! I tried to steal the Dao Fruit, but I never imagined he would suppress me here and force me to dispel this aberration’s resentment!"

As the old Daoist told his story, the sinister, cold aura around him grew steadily stronger.

Then, from all around the cavern, whips formed from coalescing Talisman Paper suddenly materialized and began to lash viciously at the old Daoist’s back.