The Great Shamanâs fear and anxiety of death rapidly disappeared when Wei Zhong imprisoned him in a remote dungeon meant for erring Palace Attendants... If the Emperor of Zhou intended to kill him, why bother locking him up?
But the Great Shaman began to worry that Bai Qingyan wanted to enlist him for her own use. If he refused, would he be subject to harsh punishment? This worry persisted until Bai Qingyan came to the dungeon personally.
Two young eunuchs behind Wei Zhong placed a chair outside the cell, and after Wei Zhong wiped it clean with a cloth, he respectfully invited Bai Qingyan to sit.
Bai Qingyan sat down, elbow resting on the armrest, and smiled as she stared at the kowtowed Tianfeng Kingdomâs Great Shaman. "Iâve heard that after you were brought in, you sat cross-legged here, not hurried or manic. Do you think... being locked here is Zhou trying to recruit you?"
Guessed right, the Great Shaman stiffened, his head even more reluctant to rise. "This humble servant dare not!"
"Iâve heard your divinations as the Great Shaman never miss. Since youâve arrived, have you divined your fate regarding my intentions?"
Hearing Bai Qingyanâs cold tone, the Great Shaman lowered his head even further. "The Great Shaman cannot divine for himself..."
"Oh..." Bai Qingyan nodded. "Then have you ever divined for Tianfeng Kingdom, foretelling that... its fate is either being isolated in the desert by Zhou or annexed into Zhouâs territory?"
Upon hearing this, the Great Shaman abruptly looked up at Bai Qingyan, witnessing the youthful Emperor seated casually, his robe adorned with dark cloud patterns. The flickering light on the wall accentuated the Empressâs delicate features, emanating an indescribable authority.
Observing the Great Shamanâs demeanor, Bai Qingyan turned to Wei Zhong, "Guard outside with your people."
"Yes!" Wei Zhong responded and withdrew with his men.
Now that the Great Shaman was confined in the dungeon, thoroughly searched before entry, and without hidden weapons, Wei Zhong naturally wasnât worried about the Great Shaman harming Bai Qingyan beyond the cell.
She leaned slightly forward. "Keeping you alive is merely to solve a doubt of mine. Tell me... how can time be reversed?"
On hearing Bai Qingyanâs question, the Great Shaman realized the jade cicada was indeed in Bai Qingyanâs possession.
Without a word from the Great Shaman, Bai Qingyan continued smiling, "Do I need to have our Ministry of Justiceâs Chief of Staff personally interrogate you?"
The Great Shamanâs palm tightened. "The male and female jade cicadas combined, sacrificed by life, can reverse time."
"Dishonest..."
As soon as the Great Shaman spoke, Bai Qingyan accused him of dishonesty, evidently confident. The Great Shaman wasnât sure and repeatedly kowtowed. "Thatâs what the previous Great Shaman told me."
Bai Qingyan returned reborn, holding only the male jade cicada gifted by Xiao Rongyan at death without the female jade cicada held by Sal Khan.
"Is the time for reversal determined by oneâs will?" Bai Qingyan didnât pursue further but shifted the question, then smiled again, "Think clearly before answering. I also own a copy of Tianfeng Kingdomâs âNational Chroniclesâ."
While Bai Qingyan didnât possess the âNational Chroniclesâ, Bai Jintong knew of a story about a giant elephant within, having heard it from close allies among Tianfeng Kingdomâs nobility. Thus, Bai Jintong included the story when mentioning the giant elephant to Bai Qingyan.
The Great Shamanâs eyes spun as he swallowed words meant to deceive Bai Qingyan.
The Great Shaman initially planned to say it could be determined by will, encouraging Bai Qingyan to seek the female jade cicada from Sal Khan so Sal Khan would know the male jade cicada was with Bai Qingyan. However, if Bai Qingyan had the âNational Chroniclesâ, she probably already knew.
"Since Your Majesty owns our Tianfeng Kingdomâs âNational Chroniclesâ, why come asking me?" The Great Shaman straightened his back, gazing at Bai Qingyan.
"With so many state affairs, I havenât finished reading. I only saw that the giant elephant was originally the Godâs mount and was banished as Tianfeng Kingdomâs peopleâs slave for his transgression. So Iâm here to ask you."
The Great Shaman pondered and felt assured as Bai Qingyan recalled content from the âNational Chroniclesâ, sensing Bai Qingyan likely wasnât lying since the book was kept only by Tianfeng Kingdomâs major noble families, offered in their households, inaccessible to ordinary nobles and commoners.
At this moment, the Great Shaman of Tianfeng Kingdom began to suspect the nobility possessing the âNational Chroniclesâ might have betrayed their nation and were cooperating with Zhou.
"The âNational Chroniclesâ was written in the language of Tianfen Kingdom, does Your Majesty... understand it?"
"The Zhouâs writings and language, arenât your Tianfeng Kingdomâs people proficient in them too!" Bai Qingyan retorted impatiently, "Iâm asking you not to waste time. Iâm not here to dawdle with you."
The Great Shaman, seeing Bai Qingyanâs impatience, recalled Bai Qingyan demanding him to calculate how many Bai family members survived the southern frontier battle in the great hall, threatening his head if inaccurate. He felt Bai Qingyan might not be the reputed wise and holy sovereign but merely a tyrant aided by capable ministers.
Frightened, he kowtowed and revealed truthfully, "According to Tianfeng Kingdomâs records, the time reversal is not determined by humans, nor has a pattern. Sometimes itâs twenty, thirty... even fifty years. Other times itâs a day or a few hours. All depends on the holderâs age, and it must occur while the holder is alive. However, based on records of the Queen who previously used the jade cicada, earnestly praying to God... itâs quite possible to return to the time desired. Nevertheless, each reversal should not exceed the previous reversal date."
The Great Shaman felt disclosing this to Bai Qingyan wouldnât matter much. Knowing this, if Bai Qingyan wanted to ally with Sal Khan, she could return to save her relatives before Zhouâs southern frontier battle and then to save her royal consort before his death, with no conflict in time order.
Hearing this, Bai Qingyanâs tightly clenched hand gradually loosened.
She whispered, "I guess the female jade cicada is important, but not as much as the male jade cicada. Time reversal relies on the male jade cicada. When does the male jade cicada enable time reversal..."
Bai Qingyan squinted at the Great Shaman. "According to legend, should it be when the diagnosed object or person is destroyed or disappears, breaking the female jade cicada?"
Bai Qingyan pondered at length, wondering whether her rebirth was merely a coincidence, the female jade cicada shattered with the male jade cicada in her possession, hence during time reversal... she retained memories.