This was enough to prove that her will was firmer and clearer than Feiqin’s.
“What’s between you two…” Luo Shuangyue sighed. There was nothing she could say about these old-generation matters.
Was Monice wrong? If what she said was true, then it seemed she wasn’t at fault.
And Feiqin? It was only natural to hate Monice, who caused her sister’s death.
“Sighing for what? It’s none of your business.” Monice coldly shoved a piece of paper covered in writing into Luo Shuangyue’s hand.
“Come on, let’s go to the other lab. They’re currently conducting ‘Enhancement Stone’ manufacturing experiments there.”
Right, the crystals obtained by refining the Royal-class Monster’s Core also had a name—simple and easy to understand.
Since they were gems used to enhance weapons, they were called Enhancement Stones.
Following Monice to the adjacent laboratory, Luo Shuangyue saw Xia Mo controlling a Floating Cannon, continuously releasing magic power at several pieces of the Royal-class Monster’s Core.
Under the constant, moderately intense magical impact, the cores gradually lost their blackness, dyed with Xia Mo’s gorgeous purple hue.
About an hour later, the pieces of core completely fused into a single purple gem, about the size of a thumb.
“Experiment successful, reproduced a purple Enhancement Stone!” a researcher shouted, then pulled over a set of instruments to start various recordings on the stone.
Xia Mo, the Enhancement Stone maker, was quickly crowded aside by the enthusiastic group.
She glanced at the lab bench surrounded by people, feeling like this Magical Girl wasn’t as attractive as that stone.
Turning around, she found Luo Shuangyue had somehow arrived too.
Xia Mo’s face immediately brightened as she floated over and threw her arms around her.
“So tired, support me for a bit.” Leaning on Luo Shuangyue, Xia Mo’s voice was weak.
But it was clearly an act.
Luo Shuangyue could sense that Xia Mo’s energy wasn’t actually that depleted.
Creating the Enhancement Stone probably only consumed about a third of her magic power.
“There are so many people watching. Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?” Luo Shuangyue twisted her body slightly.
After all, she was still a cadre of the Organization of the Royal-class Magical Beast.
Xia Mo, a Magical Girl from the Magic Department, hugging me like this—this is way too improper.
Aren’t you afraid people will say you’re colluding with the enemy?
“What’s wrong with it? All those people’s eyes are glued to that stone—it’s more beautiful than me. They don’t have time to care about us.” Xia Mo stuck out her tongue.
“By the way, where’s your Little Ghost Scythe? Why didn’t you let her out?”
“I don’t know. She was here just a moment ago. Maybe she went back now.”
Luo Shuangyue’s control over Phantom Scythe was relatively loose.
She could order Phantom Scythe to do things, like coming out in battle or manifesting her scythe.
But if Phantom Scythe wanted to come out for some fresh air, Luo Shuangyue couldn’t stop her.
So if Phantom Scythe wasn’t here now, it must be that the little one simply didn’t want to come out.
“Would she not want to be outside?” Xia Mo was surprised.
Isn’t this little one usually so curious about the outside world? Why is she suddenly not curious today?
“Well, there’s another possibility… this kid got taken back for class.”
In Luo Shuangyue’s mind, there wasn’t just one Phantom Scythe, but also her ‘mother,’ Phantom Thorn, in a figurative sense.
When Phantom Thorn taught Phantom Scythe, she was far from gentle.
From what Luo Shuangyue had seen, Phantom Thorn would literally tie Phantom Scythe up and wouldn’t let her loose until her lessons were done.
Now, Phantom Scythe not coming out probably meant Phantom Thorn had her tied up again.
Unless Luo Shuangyue called her out, Phantom Scythe’s strength was no match for Phantom Thorn’s.
“You have so many things living in your head. Are you really okay?” Xia Mo asked worriedly, pulling Luo Shuangyue to sit beside her.
A normal person only had one consciousness in their head, but Luo Shuangyue was hardly normal now—she could even play card games inside her mind!
There was Phantom Thorn, awakened from consuming Royal-class Monster’s Core, and Phantom Scythe, the spirit weapon.
Two completely different consciousnesses, separate from Luo Shuangyue’s own.
“I’m fine. Besides, if spirit weapons become widespread among Magical Girls, all of them would have such little companions in their heads.” Luo Shuangyue scratched her head, thinking it wasn’t a big deal.
Spirit weapons were probably the standard for future Magical Girls, so having an extra consciousness was just a minor difference.
“But right now, we can only produce soulless Enhancement Stones, not spirit weapons.” Xia Mo sighed.
Enhancement Stones were easy to make.
Just continuously use moderate magic power to wash the Royal-class Monster’s Core, converting harmful components in the core into useful ones.
However, the monster’s consciousness under such continuous magical impact would become fragmented and utterly annihilated.
Phantom Scythe, reborn through Luo Shuangyue’s magic, was extremely rare.
“Monsters below Royal-class simply can’t endure prolonged magical cleansing, and those above Royal-class are hard to find. We’ve hit a dead end.”
“Yeah, where can we find one with a good temperament, able to withstand the magical cleansing, and still maintain its monster consciousness?” Luo Shuangyue’s voice gradually grew softer.
Hey, you know what? There might actually be an option.
Her gaze fell on Xia Mo.
Xia Mo paused, then recalled Luo Shuangyue’s words just now, a flicker of surprise appearing in her eyes.
She guessed what Luo Shuangyue was referring to!
“Ye Lin?”
“Right, isn’t that so?”
“Yes, Ye Lin!” Luo Shuangyue nodded firmly. “She’s a monster consciousness, but she’s completely different from ordinary monsters.”
Xia Mo nodded. Ye Lin truly was unlike other monsters. She’d chatted with Ye Lin from time to time in recent days, and Ye Lin felt no different from a normal human.
Honestly, this was just like Phantom Scythe’s situation.
As for whether Ye Lin’s consciousness could withstand the magical cleansing, Luo Shuangyue thought it shouldn’t be a problem.
Ordinary Demon King consciousnesses couldn’t endure the magical cleansing because of innate shortcomings.
But Ye Lin was different; she even survived White Night’s magical purification!
Hey, speaking of which, Ye Lin’s state seemed to be exactly that of a spirit weapon, right?
Sealed inside a card, continuously receiving the Magical Girl’s magic cleansing, gradually forming a new consciousness completely different from before.
Except for lacking the Royal-class Monster’s Core, this was exactly the process of spirit weapon creation!
“That actually makes sense!” Luo Shuangyue pounded her palm.
“But Ye Lin might not be willing, right?”
“We’ll ask her tonight. We’re not speechless, you know!”
“Spirit weapon? Me?” The Sealing Card floating midair wobbled twice.
A wisp of black mist emerged, pointing at itself and making a confused sound.
“Yes! Spirit weapon!” Luo Shuangyue nodded firmly, pulling the playing-with-herself Phantom Scythe from her mind and holding her in front of the Sealing Card for Ye Lin to see clearly.
See? This is a spirit weapon. Cute, right?
“We were thinking and found Ye Lin’s birth process is very similar to Phantom Scythe’s, so maybe, you’re actually a half-formed spirit weapon?” Luo Shuangyue shared her theory with Ye Lin.
If this guess was true, then if Ye Lin attached to Xia Mo’s cannon, she could appear openly and legitimately!
Right now, Ye Lin’s identity was Serpent Demon King, but attached to Xia Mo’s cannon, her identity would instantly change to a Magical Girl’s spirit weapon—a world of difference.
“But we can’t be sure if this guess is right. Maybe we’re overthinking…” Luo Shuangyue finished, and Xia Mo took over, listing other considerations.
Ye Lin pondered for a long time before giving her thoughts.
“I think it’s worth trying.”
Currently, she was a rootless tree and water without a source—any accident could make her disappear.
But if she became Xia Mo’s spirit weapon, as long as Xia Mo lived, she’d be safe.
Besides, compared to being trapped in a Sealing Card, she’d rather move out and live inside Xia Mo’s head.
It was definitely better than being locked in a pitch-black card.
Also, as a spirit weapon, she wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered.
Demon King and spirit weapon were two completely different identities.
Ye Lin wanted to appear openly in front of everyone. Who would want to be a monster alienated from the world?
She definitely didn’t.
Now, an option had appeared before her—a chance to shed the monster identity. Naturally, Ye Lin wouldn’t hesitate.
I’ve wanted to be human since I was born!
“Really want to try?” Luo Shuangyue confirmed again. “It might be very uncomfortable, or you might even die, you know.”
Ye Lin’s black mist in the air shaped into a ‘V’—her answer.
Uncomfortable? Death? Doesn’t matter!
If it succeeds, it’s a complete ascension from earth to sky. This is a gamble worth taking!
“I’m serious. I really want to try.” Ye Lin’s voice was incredibly earnest and solemn.
“Alright, I’ll talk to Monice. She’s also troubled by the lack of monster consciousness that can withstand magical cleansing. If you help out, she’ll be very happy.”
With Ye Lin’s assistance, the stalled research could progress.
With such timely help, Monice would have to award Ye Lin a grand medal.
Tap, tap, tap.
Monice’s index finger lightly tapped the table as she stared silently at Luo Shuangyue.
Being looked at like this made Luo Shuangyue uneasy. Didn’t she just tell Monice about Ye Lin? Why was Monice staring at her like that?
“Your idea is good. A Demon King with a clear, stable consciousness does have a chance to withstand magical cleansing.” After a long silence, Monice finally spoke.
Monice wasn’t staring because Luo Shuangyue’s proposal was problematic; Ye Lin was indeed a perfect experimental subject.
Monice’s gaze was due to a strange feeling—her intuition warning her that something from over twenty years ago might happen again.
Her deputy wouldn’t be kidnapped by a Magical Girl again, would she?
“Your relationship with ‘Mi Xuan Xiang’ is a bit close, isn’t it?” Monice began hinting.
Could it be that her deputy position was cursed? Every deputy she had was hopelessly in love with a Magical Girl and got taken away?
…
Although Monice wasn’t very close with Luo Shuangyue, having two deputies kidnapped still weighed heavily on her.
“No! That’s not true!” Luo Shuangyue denied vehemently.
How could it be? I’m wholeheartedly loyal to Eternal Night. How could I have a relationship beyond friendship with a Magical Girl?
Boss, please believe me!
Monice, however, couldn’t believe a word. She had crossed more bridges than Luo Shuangyue had walked roads. She saw right through their relationship.
You two are probably sneaking around behind my back, aren’t you?
“Young girls getting crushes—I get it. But remember, if you really want to leave, tell me in advance, got it?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving!” Luo Shuangyue scratched her head.
From Monice’s words, she caught a hint of something strange. Asking to be informed before leaving—did that mean someone left without a word before?
Thinking about who held this position before her, Luo Shuangyue guessed what had happened back then.
So her father left without saying goodbye?
“Promises can’t be trusted. Thinking this way now doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same in the future.” Monice shook her head. Having survived all these years, she knew how fickle people’s hearts could be.
She trusted Luo Shuangyue was a good girl but didn’t expect her to obediently stay by her side, living in Eternal Night forever.
A clean break might be a good ending.
“Forget it, you’re too young to understand these things. Take me to see the Demon King consciousness you mentioned.” Standing up, Monice ended the uncomfortable topic.
The future was for another time.
“Alright.”
The two entered the laboratory where Xia Mo was already waiting, tightly holding a Sealing Card emitting white light.
Seeing Monice and Luo Shuangyue arrive together, Xia Mo knew the matter was settled.
“The Demon King consciousness you mentioned is inside this?” Monice approached Xia Mo and glanced at the card in her hand.
A wisp of black mist drifted from the card’s crack, greeting Monice.
“Hello~”
Clear articulation, completely without the madness or bloodlust typical of Demon Kings. These two features caught Monice’s attention.
Just from the voice, she could tell this consciousness was very different from an ordinary Demon King.
Just as Mingdie said, this consciousness was special.
“I’ll bring some Royal-class Monster’s Core over. You try to attach to that magic, then we…”
Monice quickly discussed the experiment process with Ye Lin, and after half an hour, the trial officially began.
Inside the sealed laboratory, Monice shattered the Sealing Card, releasing Ye Lin’s seal.
A faint black mist about half a meter in diameter emerged—Ye Lin’s true form.
As soon as the mist appeared, it immediately drifted toward several pieces of Royal-class Monster’s Core on a nearby lab bench and quickly enveloped them.
The cores trembled violently inside the mist for a moment, then slowly began to fuse.
“I’ve erased their consciousness.” Ye Lin’s voice came again.
After erasing the original consciousnesses of the cores, she could transform them into her own essence. Given some time, she could even be reborn through this core.
But she had no intention of becoming the Serpent Demon King from her memories again. That Demon King identity was up for grabs—she was switching sides.
“Mi Xuan Xiang, it’s your turn.” Monice signaled Xia Mo with her eyes.
“Okay. Ye Lin, tell me if you feel uncomfortable.” Xia Mo nodded and stepped forward, starting to wash the Royal-class Monster’s Core, now belonging to Ye Lin, with magic power.
Under the purple magic’s impact, the fusion speed of the cores accelerated, and the pitch-black color quickly faded to purple.
Ye Lin, however, showed no reaction; Luo Shuangyue even heard her voice filled with curiosity.
“I don’t feel anything. It feels like soaking in a hot bath?”
This wasn’t Ye Lin pretending; she genuinely felt no discomfort.
A faint white light began to glow over the fused Royal-class Monster’s Core, radiating an aura everyone present was extremely familiar with.
“White Night? Hiss…” Monice unconsciously bit her finger, recalling Luo Shuangyue’s earlier words.
At first, she thought Luo Shuangyue was overthinking, but now it seemed quite plausible.
Crack!
Just as everyone thought the experiment would conclude perfectly, a crisp sound suddenly came from the fusing Enhancement Stone.
At the same time, Ye Lin let out an embarrassed voice. “Uh, these pieces of core can’t hold my power…”
The Royal-class and Soldier-level cores Monice provided couldn’t contain Ye Lin’s King-class consciousness.
The fusion was only halfway done when Ye Lin tried to fully merge her consciousness with the Enhancement Stone, and it shattered under the pressure.
“Uh, do we have any King-class Royal-class Monster’s Core here?” Luo Shuangyue looked at Monice.
If the experiment failed due to low-quality core power, it would be terribly embarrassing to report.
Monice nodded. “Yes. The core from that monster you killed a few days ago is stored in the warehouse. You should go get it.”