However, based on my own knowledge, it seems I can't discern what the changes in this pond water truly signify or perceive any special reaction.

Piaomiao was also surveying nearby, her expression somewhat peculiar: "It's not Blood Prohibition... but the body after all is transformed by the lotus platform, possessing a strong Life Force, and coupled with your... your thing, which is also the Origin of Life. Coincidentally it's a combination of Yin and Yang, leading to life evolution."

Cui Yuanyang was stunned: "Sister, do you mean this water is going to have a baby...?"

"No, rather this pond water has gained an additional function... no matter how severely injured a person is, even if they have just died, as long as they haven't decomposed, placing them in the water can revive them. Hmm... this effect isn't sufficient. If we move the lotus pond we had outside before and stack it together, then perhaps it might truly work."

Zhao Changhe and Cui Yuanyang listened with a slight shock in their hearts; saving someone on the brink of death is one thing, but reviving someone who's just died is extraordinary: "Is this possible? Can any pool of water outside be operated this way?"

"No, other ponds don't have the rich and pure Spiritual Energy here, and..." Piaomiao paused, sighed, and said: "We must admit, darkness and Chaos are the origin of everything. As the core water source of the dark abyss, it has this effect of birth and evolution; others, even the Heavenly River, do not."

Zhao Changhe's heart was stirred again.

Darkness and Chaos are the origin of everything... if by this logic, could Ye Jiuyou actually be Night Wuming's sister? Has anyone thought about this... Is this related to my previous difficulty in tracing back the origin of Ye Jiuyou's birth?

The move at Ye Jiuyou's territory to stir the Heavenly Palace didn't achieve the expected results... The plan was to probe if Ye Jiuyou was hiding any secrets, with nothing gained, yet unexpectedly reaped some other insights, which remain to be verified for their true value.

Zhao Changhe left the pond, full of thoughts, and dressed, truly having no mind for any trivial things... After pondering for a while, he ultimately decided to take the simple approach—Ye Jiuyou mentioned that doing other things while bathing here was "common", so he decided to trace from there to see if anything could be seen.

Returning to that stone with the Heavenly Dao Inscription, Zhao Changhe reached out, gently caressing the inscription, silently tracing and perceiving.

The space-time in front of his eyes twisted, in the blurred image, Ye Jiuyou was draped in a black veil, quietly standing in front of the Soul Capturing Mirror, looking at herself in the mirror.

The image was blurry, it was not clear what she saw from the mirror, but it could be seen that her expression was desolate and indifferent, once again becoming the legendary Jiuyou.

Endless darkness, a completely undecorated "boudoir", a serene bath, an abrupt mirror, a indifferent pale face.

The scene, which should have been terrifyingly spooky, somehow, this time Zhao Changhe felt an extreme sense of loneliness from her... perhaps because the contrast was a bit too stark compared to her usual conversations?

"The Capital plan is changing." She suddenly spoke, her voice echoing in the empty space, making the surroundings feel even more dead silent.

A distant transmission came from nowhere: "How to change, please instruct us, Lord."

"Have people come to Kunlun, I can use them."

"The Four Symbols have left the Capital, this is the best opportunity, why would the Lord...?"

"I said come to Kunlun, didn't you understand me?"

"... Yes."

The atmosphere remained silent for a moment, then Ye Jiuyou suddenly asked: "What are the recent movements of Tang family in Gusu?"

Another voice responded: "The Tang family's recent actions towards the Sword Emperor's Tomb have grown increasingly significant, no longer as cautious as they were earlier. This is due to the relaxed vigilance over time and should be our opportunity."

"No, Tang Buqi might slacken, but Tang Wanju won't. Either the Tang family is acting on their own initiative, or it's at Tang Wanju's behest." After a moment of silence, Ye Jiuyou suddenly said: "Stop the Southeast plan as well, withdraw the personnel."

"What's the reason for this? We've been preparing for a long time, just waiting for the aftermath as a surprise... "

"Most likely it's just an empty tomb, wasting strength."

"An empty tomb? Aside from the outer area having been surveyed by Zhao Changhe and others, the tomb core has always been intact, not even a mosquito could enter or exit."

"Because it was a false tomb from the beginning." Ye Jiuyou nonchalantly said: "The Heavenly Books are to be gathered, gods and demons all present, yet the Sword Emperor is silent, this is simply impossible. The only explanation is that it's just a misleading tomb, the Sword Emperor wasn't there. The recent actions of the Tang family in Gusu can only mean Tang Wanju is probing, not for the Sword Emperor, but for us. If I'm correct, the elite guards of the Demon Suppression Department have long been lying in ambush nearby waiting for you."

"Knowing it's the Lord in the background, how dare she? Moreover, Zhao Changhe hasn't given any order... "

"Because both Zhao Changhe and the Four Symbols have come to Kunlun, she knows I'm tied up, if not seizing this chance to hook you, then when?" Ye Jiuyou coldly stated: "Tang Wanju has been wielding the power of the Demon Suppression Department to awe the Worldly Society for over ten years, now as a prime minister of a country, she takes charge when the Emperor leaves the Capital. Do you really think she is merely a concubine serving Zhao Changhe and needs to wait for his commands for everything?"

"Yes." A subordinate hesitated and asked: "If it's a misleading tomb, then where could the Sword Emperor be?"

"If Tang Wanju and I can guess, others should be able to as well, he's not far from revealing himself." Ye Jiuyou said blandly: "He set up a misleading tomb, not knowing whom he intended to deceive... as of now, it seems, the only one yet to figure it out is Zhao Changhe, still pretending to be clever every day."

Zhao Changhe: "Crap."

"The Lord seems to have a particularly different attitude towards Zhao Changhe?" Even the subordinate was more puzzled than Zhao Changhe himself: "Aside from Night Wuming, I've never seen the Lord mock anyone in our presence."

Ye Jiuyou stated blandly: "Go administer the Penalty of Tongue Extracting and Bone Erosion on yourself for three days."

"... Yes."

Ye Jiuyou turned around, placing her slender hand on her waistband, seemingly about to undress and enter the pond for a bath. But her action of undressing paused, and without knowing what came to mind, she spat and stopped, flounced away, and left without taking the bath.

Judging by this behavior, it's unclear how many days she's been refraining from bathing...

But you fear tracing even when bathing, yet you're not afraid of eavesdropping when setting up these plans... Zhao Changhe scratched his head, it seems indeed, aside from canceling this and that, there aren't specific plans of what she's to do. As can be seen, she indeed arranged a lot of villainous schemes previously, plotting something everywhere, yet on the surface, nothing could be seen...

And saying the only one who didn't figure out the Sword Emperor's Tomb is a misleading tomb is me... At least I guessed you were arranging things behind the scenes, not just sitting there waiting. Hmph.

Speaking of her peering into the Sword Emperor's Tomb, considering her Attribute, it's highly likely she had her eye on the Sword Emperor's corpse. Now that the plan is canceled, she has deemed it a misleading tomb and seems to feel she's been ambushed by Wanjung... so what was the plan for the Capital before, and why was it canceled?

Unfortunately, using time tracing once is too exhausting, and can't look at other fragments anymore. Zhao Changhe reluctantly stopped, leaning against the stone, resting wearily.

Two slender hands reached up to his temples, gently massaging him. Cui Yuanyang's voice came from behind, softly asking: "Did you find anything?" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Zhao Changhe nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed: "It seems she is already on guard, damn it, even refusing to bathe... last time it startled the snake..."

Piaomiao: "..."

"It seems that she might arrange key things elsewhere, not wanting me to trace them, so there's no point in looking further here unless I wish to see things from much earlier, from the previous epoch, perhaps something may be found."

Piaomiao inquired: "How long is the interval needed?"

"At least a day to recover... the mental strain is just too much." Zhao Changhe thought for a moment and then shook his head: "The events of the last epoch are too many; figuring out what's useful now from all that will take too long, seems not worth the effort."

"Does Brother Zhao want to leave?" Cui Yuanyang said quietly: "Honestly, I really dislike this place; it's too dark, the atmosphere filled with death, making one feel very uncomfortable. If it wasn't for you all accompanying me here, I'd have gone mad long ago... When are we leaving?"

Zhao Changhe rested his hand on the Soul Capturing Mirror, sensing slightly for a moment, then smiled: "The timing is just right; let me rest... the show is about to begin."