Zhou Xuan listened up to this point and nodded in agreement.
Today, during Miss Qiang’s lecture, he learned that in Jing Country—seeing isn’t always believing.
"Let’s set aside the mysteries of Jing Country’s time and space for now. I want to ask—can you, using that thread of silk, determine exactly how many years back Mo Tingsheng has traveled?"
Miss Qiang, based on the silk thread, deduced that Mo Tingsheng had traveled back into the past, hiding within Jing Country’s history. Zhou Xuan wasn’t surprised by this.
Mo Tingsheng has a profound connection to the Jing Deng,
and the Jing Deng is essentially the foot of the Mingjiang Evil God.
Through the Jing Deng, connecting with the Evil God "Time," sending Mo Tingsheng back into the past wouldn’t be difficult.
"Time" is an Evil God who wields partial control over the Time Law.
However, "the past" is a broad concept. Two thousand years ago is the past, and so is a year ago.
The key is determining exactly which year in Jing Country’s history Mo Tingsheng was sent to.
Only by pinpointing the exact year Mo Tingsheng traveled to can Zhou Xuan use the Blood Well’s retrospective power to return to that year and capture Mo Tingsheng.
"Determining the year Mo Tingsheng traveled to is crucial," Zhou Xuan emphasized again to Miss Qiang.
"This isn’t difficult; I can calculate it."
"What’s the principle behind it?"
Zhou Xuan was one to drill down to the root causes.
"The principle? It’s quite simple."
Miss Qiang explained, "You already understand now that Jing Country contains hundreds of time-space worlds.
The causal silk thread created by your tattoo is already pointing to Mo Tingsheng. The thread has angles and directions. I can calculate which specific time-space world the thread extends to based on its angle and direction."
"If that’s how you’re calculating, then you must know the exact arrangement of these time-space worlds, right?"
"Of course, I know! If you look at it from a planar view, the arrangement of the time-space worlds is entirely like tree rings. But from a vertical plane, the time-space worlds ascend vertically, with the most ancient years at the top.
The overall model looks like a tree—thickest at the base and gradually thinning at the top—a tree entirely suspended in midair."
Miss Qiang said with pride, "The nine Heavenly Gods of Jing Country were all born alongside an Ancestor Tree. If you ask me, Jing Country itself is just one gigantic suspended tree."
"Then calculate Mo Tingsheng’s position for me. I need to use the Blood Well to traverse through time and capture him."
"Don’t worry, leave it to me."
Miss Qiang patted her chest confidently, the sound echoing sharply.
Zhou Xuan left the Divine Revelation Secret Realm, refocusing his attention in the stone house,
where Mr. Feng stood staring at that ethereal silk thread pointing toward Mo Tingsheng, lost in a daze.
"Mo Tingsheng, you’ve deceived me so cruelly."
Zhou Xuan shook his head lightly, turned, and walked out of the stone house. He addressed Qing Feng, "Keep an eye on Mr. Feng. Once Mo Tingsheng is brought to justice, let the two of them reunite properly."
"Understood, Young Master." Qing Feng nodded.
"Young Master, where is Mo Tingsheng hiding?" The Painter, who had not been part of the interrogation earlier, asked. Even if he had been present, he could only see a thread extending into the sky and wouldn’t know Mo Tingsheng’s current location.
"Miss Qiang is still calculating... What we know for certain is that Mo Tingsheng is hiding within the historical dimension of Jing Country."
"Then to catch Mo Tingsheng, wouldn’t we have to travel back to the past?" The Painter asked.
"Going back to the past isn’t the hard part. The difficult part is finding someone to assist me."
Zhou Xuan smiled bitterly.
Mo Tingsheng has already achieved the incense fire level of three sticks. Against this level, Zhou Xuan naturally had no fear.
He himself has two sticks of incense, but through the "Nuoshen Qi Ji" created by his tattoo, he can temporarily enhance his power to the level of four sticks.
A storyteller’s dream at the level of four sticks is enough to restrain someone at the five-stick level. It is Zhou Xuan’s most formidable combat strategy.
Against anyone below five sticks, or even those early in the five-stick level from any Tangkou, Zhou Xuan feared no one.
Least of all someone like Mo Tingsheng, who was only at three sticks.
But Mo Tingsheng might not be acting alone.
"The Evil God ’Time’ sent Mo Tingsheng into the past. Could it be concealing itself among history, awaiting my arrival?"
Zhou Xuan’s odds of success were uncertain.
Moreover, Mo Tingsheng has already allied with the Ancient Clan, members of which are likely proficient in the Time Law as well.
"Could it be the Hundred-Eyed High Priest?"
Zhou Xuan immediately considered the possibility. According to Si Yuer, the Hundred-Eyed High Priest’s entire body was marked with eye tattoos, a blessing granted by the Blood Well.
The Blood Well’s mastery over the Time Law runs deep.
As a former devotee of the Blood Well, the Hundred-Eyed High Priest currently stands at the incense level of seven sticks reaching toward eight, so it would make perfect sense for him to wield the Time Law.
"The Seven-Stick Hundred-Eyed High Priest and the Evil God ’Time’ could both be hiding in history. If I go back alone, it’ll be like walking into a trap."
Zhou Xuan needed allies,
but finding helpers proficient in the Time Law was exceedingly difficult.
"I have some insight into the Time Law, but just a superficial grasp." The Painter wanted to help, but his skills were insufficient for the task.
He had a degree of understanding regarding the laws of both time and space, but neither was significantly advanced.
"However, when it comes to finding help, I do have someone in mind. The Red Coffin Lady would be an excellent candidate." The Painter himself couldn’t assist much, but he had someone in mind.
The Red Coffin Lady of Yellow Field Prefecture, as a high-incense Bitter Ghost, had certain understandings of the Time Law.
"The Red Coffin Lady? How many sticks of incense does she have?"
"A bit higher than me, at seven sticks reaching toward eight."
"That’s still not enough."
Among the three individuals who might emerge—the Hundred-Eyed High Priest, Mo Tingsheng, and the Evil God "Time,"
Zhou Xuan could match himself against Mo Tingsheng, the Red Coffin Lady against the Hundred-Eyed High Priest, leaving the "Time" deity unopposed.
On paper, their odds were lacking.
"Not enough, not enough."
Zhou Xuan felt that they needed another ally.