Who Let Him Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 517: Murderer

"Don't touch anything at the scene!" Song Tian shouted loudly, warning everyone not to act rashly. If the scene was disturbed, it would be much harder to identify the murderer.

Tao Yaoye and Lan Ting carefully observed the study's arrangement. The study was simple, with two rows of bookshelves, two paintings hanging on the wall, and a few yellow talismans for warding off evil. Apart from that, there was a desk, a wooden chair, a tea table, and a vase on the tea table... nothing different from an ordinary study.

The door was tightly closed, and according to the butler, the windows were also shut and couldn't be opened from the outside.

"This is..."

The window was damaged. Tao Yaoye noticed a hole poked in the corner of the window.

The butler explained from the side, "I poked a hole in the window before breaking it to see if the master was really in trouble."

"It must be you who killed Father!" The second son, Song Qing, grabbed the eldest son, Song Tian, by the collar and roared angrily, his eyes bloodshot like a mad dog.

Song Tian frowned, displeased, and pushed his younger brother away, angrily rebuking, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"I'm not talking nonsense! Don't think I don't know. Ever since you took over Father's business, it's been losing money. Recently, you even made a bad investment and lost a huge sum. You didn't dare tell Father, fearing his anger and that he wouldn't let you manage the family business anymore!"

"And now, you've killed Father. As the primary heir, the family business is all yours!"

Song Tian was furious, "Nonsense! If we're talking about motives, yours is even stronger. You failed the scholar exams multiple times, and Father broke your leg in anger, saying that if you didn't pass, you'd never inherit a single cent from the family! I once heard your friend say you were drinking and having fun, and even said you wanted to kill Father!"

"You bribed my friend!"

"Your friend was just greedy for money."

Song Lian'er, trembling, pointed at Song Yuanwai's corpse and said, "Stop arguing. Look, Father still has his eyes open. He died with a grievance."

Everyone looked and indeed, Song Yuanwai's head was tilted, his eyes wide open, staring straight at the tea table.

The youngest son, Song Qi, followed Song Yuanwai's gaze and saw a blue and white porcelain vase on the tea table.

"Blue and white porcelain vase... blue and white porcelain... blue... Second Brother Song Qing! This is a clue Father left before he died! Second Brother, you killed Father!"

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Song Qing panicked, "Nonsense! How can you accuse me based on such a vague clue?"

"Father's right hand is pointing with one finger. It's clearly hinting at Eldest Brother!"

"And if we're talking about motives, who here doesn't have one? Third Brother, you resented Father for cutting off your allowance, making you lose face among your friends. If you killed Father and inherited part of the family fortune, you'd have money again!"

"And Little Sister, Father forbade you from seeing that Zhou boy, but you kept secretly contacting him. Now that Father is dead, no one can stop you from marrying him!"

Song Qing pointed out each person's motives.

Tao Yaoye suddenly asked, "When was the last time you saw Song Yuanwai?"

"I saw Father in the courtyard during my morning reading. Then I went inside to study. That was two and a half hours ago."

The third son stammered, "An hour ago, I came to the study to take some money. As I was leaving, I bumped into Father coming in, and he scolded me."

Song Lian'er said, "Half an hour ago, I brought a bowl of tea to Father in the study."

The butler confirmed, "I was just outside the door when Miss brought the tea. I haven't seen the master since."

Lan Ting nodded, "So, Song Yuanwai died less than half an hour ago."

"What were you all doing half an hour ago? Can anyone prove it?"

Song Tian quickly said, "I was at the shop checking the accounts. The clerks can vouch for me."

Song Qing also said, "I was reading. Although no one saw me, I read aloud, so the maids passing by should have heard."

Song Qi said, "I was drinking and watching dances at the high-class brothel with friends. Wang's second son, Kong's eldest son, and some of the Sun family were with me. But I drank too much and passed out. When I woke up, I was home. I don't know who brought me back."

Song Lian'er, tearful, said, "After bringing tea to Father, I stayed in my room until Eldest Brother came to find me."

"Can anyone prove it?"

Song Lian'er's voice grew smaller, "No."

Tao Yaoye keenly noticed something odd, "Wait, you said you brought tea to Song Yuanwai. Where's the teacup?"

There was only the blue and white porcelain vase on the tea table, no teacup.

Song Lian'er couldn't have waited for Song Yuanwai to finish the tea and then taken the cup away.

Song Lian'er stammered, unable to say a word.

"Little Sister, speak up!" Song Qi urged, sweating.

Song Lian'er finally made up her mind and said, "The butler said there were no irreconcilable differences between father and daughter and encouraged me to talk to Father about Zhou Lang. I brought tea to ask for his approval. He got angry and threw the cup to the ground. The butler cleaned it up, and I went back to my room to cry."

Song Tian frowned at the butler, with a hint of accusation, "If that's the case, why didn't you mention it? And you should know Father's attitude. He would never agree to Little Sister's relationship!"

The butler met Song Tian's gaze, then looked away in panic.

"Look me in the eyes! What are you hiding?" Song Tian demanded sternly.

Seeing everyone's hostile expressions, the butler knew he couldn't escape. He sighed, "Actually, Miss's lover is my illegitimate son. I wanted to match them, but I didn't expect the master's attitude to be so firm."

Song Lian'er stared blankly at the butler, shocked by the revelation.

So the butler's encouragement wasn't about pursuing love?

Song Lian'er's eyes glazed over, feeling something collapse inside her.

Tao Yaoye whispered, "So, the most likely culprits are Song Lian'er and the butler. The butler probably shot a poisoned ice needle through the window, killing Song Yuanwai, then poked the window to cover up the needle hole."

Lan Ting shook her head, offering her own theory, "If that's the case, how could the butler ensure the eldest son would send him to check on Song Yuanwai? The butler didn't know we were coming."

"In my opinion, it could be the second son, Song Qing. He said he was reading in his room, but he could have bought a recording device from the merchant guild to play his voice, creating a fake alibi!"

The two argued quietly, unable to reach a conclusion, and finally turned to Lu Yang.

"Senior Brother Lu, who do you think the murderer is?"

Lu Yang didn't answer. He walked over, squatted beside Song Yuanwai, and took out a Soul-Returning Pill.

He had bought it from the mission hall when he went to the Wild State, fearing unexpected dangers, but had never used it.

The pill melted in Song Yuanwai's mouth, and he slowly woke up, looking a bit confused.

Lu Yang explained, "Song Yuanwai isn't dead. His soul was extracted. I used the Soul-Returning Pill to bring his soul back."

Lu Yang, often targeted for soul possession, was far more experienced in soul matters than his two junior sisters.

"Song Yuanwai, we three come from the immortal sect. Who took your soul?"

Song Yuanwai, initially confused, heard Lu Yang's words and his eyes became resolute. He revealed the culprit:

"It was the painting."

Lu Yang turned to the others, "See, the murderer is found."

The Song siblings: "..."

The butler: "..."