Pei Ye pinched the bead between his fingers and examined it closely beneath the moon, scarcely believing it could still work. "...He carved very intricate patterns into it, but they've all worn away."
"I think he might have modeled it on that [Pupil]," Li Piaoqing said. "Heavenly Mountain said wearing [Pupil] could record a person's thoughts and actions."
She looked at the bead and said casually, "Hopefully it still works."
Fragility and age did visibly coat its surface. Pei Ye nodded. "I'll try analyzing it with Illuminating the Nether."
"Mm."
Pei Ye placed it in the center of Illuminating the Nether. One was ancient, with a mellow luster; the other was light and new, yet damaged-they fitted together without the slightest gap.
"What do you think will be in here?" Pei Ye asked curiously.
"What could there be? Even Qu Zhu didn't think much of it." Li Piaoqing smiled, swinging her lower legs. "Probably just street scenes in Bowang, what he ate each day, what official business he handled-who knows how much is even left."
She added, "Whatever you see, tell me about it in detail when you come out."
"It's unimportant, but you still want all the details?"
"I want to hear."
Chi Flame coiled around it, and [Eye] opened as smoothly as ever, but this "Seeing the Self" immediately gave a faint, brittle crack. Its blurred patterns activated at great speed. For the first time, this divine artifact of King Mu opened its arms to him in this form.
Pei Ye focused his gaze and raised it before his eyes. It might die at any moment, but it was still alive, hanging by a thread.
Pei Ye paused for a while, then turned his gaze toward the girl peacefully watching the moon. "...Piao Qing."
"Mm?"
"This bead... did