Chapter 610: Jade Pendant

"Is there? Senior Brother Li, where is the jade pendant?"

In the courtyard of the Bai family mansion, Bai Lingmiao looked at Li Huowang with confusion, apparently not understanding what he had just said.

Li Huowang was momentarily stunned when he heard Bai Lingmiao utter those words.

How could she not know? He had even given one to her before.

Although a long time had passed, Li Huowang clearly remembered finding that jade pendant, which symbolized the Great Liang imperial family, at Xuan Yang's residence in Qingfeng Temple.

Yet now she didn't remember it? She truly couldn't recall something that had unequivocally happened?

"No! This is very wrong!"

If Dou Mu's true and false Heavenly Dao had been taken by Ji Zai, causing her conspiracy and his experiences on that large ship to vanish...

Then it was certainly wrong that the jade pendant's memory was also altered in Bai Lingmiao's mind!

Why would Ji Zai, who had suddenly gained mastery over truth and falsehood, gratuitously turn a jade pendant false?

This didn't make sense. Or perhaps, what vanished along with Dou Mu's true and false Heavenly Dao wasn't just the memory of the jade pendant!

Li Huowang's gaze focused on Bai Lingmiao's face, wrapped in white silk ribbons, before him.

"Miaomiao, go gather all the disciples who came out of Qingfeng Temple with us. I have something to ask them—"

Although Bai Lingmiao was somewhat confused, she nodded gently. "Mm, alright."

Soon, within the Bai family mansion, all the others who had come from Qingfeng Temple arrived. They, too, were puzzled about why Li Huowang had summoned them.

Li Huowang glanced at each of their faces, then picked up the pre-drawn rice paper beside him, on which he had just sketched a round jade pendant with a brush.

"When we left Qingfeng Temple, did any of you see me carrying this jade pendant? Or do any of you have any impression of a jade pendant that looks like this?"

"What's this? A jade pendant? No, I've never seen it. How could any of us afford something like this?"

"That's right, if we actually had one, we would have exchanged it for travel expenses long ago."

Soon, from the other disciples' replies, Li Huowang realized that the information about the jade pendant had vanished not only from Bai Lingmiao's mind but from everyone else's as well.

"Master, is this jade pendant important? Where did you lose it? I'll help you find it," Lu Xiucai offered diligently.

Li Huowang shook his head, pondered for a moment, then spoke again: "There's nothing else. You may leave now."

Although Ji Zai said nothing, Li Huowang seemed to have found some clues from these two incidents!

However, Li Huowang still needed to further confirm this conjecture.

Li Huowang's words left the others utterly bewildered; they turned and left, heads still full of questions.

Bai Lingmiao also couldn't understand what Li Huowang was thinking at that moment. A trace of worry appeared on her face, wondering if the Fangxiang Dao's lotus root head had failed to work.

"Miaomiao, bring me a bird. I need to consult someone with good information to get things clarified," Li Huowang said, extracting a moon-carved talisman from his body.

The person Li Huowang sought was none other than Liu Zongyuan of the Moon Gate, who had worked with him in the past and was exceptionally well-informed.

Li Huowang had initially expected a reply would take at least a few days. However, to his surprise, Liu Zongyuan arrived that very evening, appearing remarkably eager.

"Oh, Brother Er Mei, you've truly 'leapt over the dragon gate' now! You've actually forged a connection with the Great Liang Emperor."

"I was wondering why you seemed uninterested in the Si Tian Jian's duties. So that's where your calculations led you! Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Liu Zongyuan lavished praise on Li Huowang, and his demeanor became significantly more respectful.

It was clear that he could sense this madman from the Aojing Cult was no longer the same Er Mei he had known.

While the Si Tian Jian, being a power beyond imperial authority, wasn't particularly concerned with who sat on the throne...

But if the other party was a life-and-death confidant of the emperor, then he, a mere pawn, couldn't even hope to keep up, much less curry favor.

"Please, sit. It's been a long time. I have something to ask you."

"What are you talking about? We had a life-and-death friendship back then! Just ask whatever you want to know!" Liu Zongyuan said, patting his chest.

Gazing at the wooden mask on Liu Zongyuan's face, Li Huowang pondered for a moment before slowly speaking: "Do you remember back in Shangjing, when the Divine Mountain Ghost Eye was ruined by the Zuowang Dao's bowl, disrupting our relations?"

"Of course. Such a significant event would be hard to forget even if I wanted to."

"Good. Tell me everything you know. Don't miss a single word!"

"Alright. Let me tell you, this matter goes back more than half a year..."

As Liu Zongyuan recounted the story, a hint of realization gradually appeared on Li Huowang's face.

If his fellow disciples' accounts could have been mistaken, then the information he obtained from Liu Zongyuan fully confirmed his hypothesis!

What Liu Zongyuan recounted was completely different from what Li Huowang had witnessed at the time. It wasn't just a minor discrepancy; the very root cause of the entire event had been fundamentally altered.

All of this was enough to prove that along with Yin-Yang Dou Mu's true and false Heavenly Dao, everything associated with Dou Mu in this world had also changed, including all historical events related to it, which had been completely altered.

With this realization, Ji Zai's earlier words echoed in Li Huowang's mind: "What is real? What is false? How do you prove it? Show me a proof."

The chain reaction caused by the changes in the Heavenly Dao far exceeded Li Huowang's imagination; it wasn't limited to natural disasters.

"Does that mean... this kind of change happened with every past natural disaster? But I just didn't notice it then?" This thought made Li Huowang's scalp tingle; he was realizing something extraordinary.

In this utterly deranged world, the predetermined past was not eternal. Instead, it was constantly shifting with every natural disaster and every alteration to the Heavenly Dao.

Dai He... Si Ming...

Si Ming...

Li Huowang ignored the ceaselessly talking Liu Zongyuan, pacing around the room, deep in thought. Suddenly, he remembered the content written on the Si Tian Jian wall.

"Imperial decree: The Si Tian Jian is to print and sell calendars. Private printing by commoners is forbidden. Violators shall have their three clans exiled."

Immediately after, Li Huowang reached behind him and drew out the spine sword that connected to Great Qi, placing it before him and examining it closely. "Brother Er Mei, are you alright?"

Liu Zongyuan now felt that the man before him had become completely deranged. He couldn't help but hesitate about whether he should continue to try and get closer to him.

Li Huowang ignored him, suddenly held the sword horizontally, and muttered to the miniaturized head of Zhuge Yuan on the sword hilt: "Brother Zhuge, do you think there's a possibility?"

"Is it possible that the Great Qi you saved is one of those historical periods that vanished due to these changes in the Heavenly Dao?"