Chapter 335

That night.

Obviously, there was just one more person.

Luo De's home was especially lively.

Yae Miko was obviously just one person.

Yet she seemed to have brought a dozen people with her, able to find common topics with anyone, whether known or not, from any angle.

Especially as the key Ke Lai this time.

Moreover, she became immersed in the large bundle of light novels that Yae Miko produced.

After the welcoming banquet ended.

Luo De, Cyno, and Yae Miko sat down together and began seriously discussing how to cleanse Ke Lai of the Archon's resentment.

The Myriad Tribulations imbued with the true consciousness of lightning was held in Yae Miko's arms.

It seemed like three people, but actually four were speaking together.

"I've understood what you said."

"In short, I must first remind you that the moment the seal is lifted, the Archon's resentment suppressed within Ke Lai will begin to devour her consciousness in an extremely short time, and the Archon's residue will assimilatively erode her body; both points must be watched, and if either is not controlled, even the Dendro Archon here could not preserve Ke Lai's consciousness."

Cyno's meaning was clear.

That is, he does not advise lifting Ke Lai's seal, even if gods and foreign divine retinue help.

Archon residue is not something that can be easily controlled.

Although the Archon residue concoction made by Duotolei has operability and controllability.

But the Archon residue component inside Ke Lai differs from the concoction in the missionary's hand that Luo De once killed.

Put simply.

The missionary's Archon residue concoction, completed after multiple human experiments, is the precursor of the new-style evil eyes now held by the villagers of A Ru Cun.

And the Archon residue concoction that Ke Lai was initially injected with.

Their names are the same.

Actually, the ingredient that suppresses the Archon residue to keep rationality is far less than in those later products.

This is also why almost all of that batch of Ke Lai's test products died.

"When you picked up Ke Lai back then."

"I told you before: that child has used the Archon residue's power more than once, barely avoided being consumed by the Archon's resentment, and she herself has an extremely high tolerance for Archon residue; each time she used that power, her body had already been severely assimilated."

"But at that time she still had the scale disease."

"Do you still remember how that experiment report you found earlier was written?"

"Scale disease causes an abnormal increase in the patient's internal elemental energy concentration, and the higher the concentration, the more severe the symptoms."

Cyno uncharacteristically adopted a scholar's demeanor, citing various theories to analyze for Luo De and the others: "The abnormal elemental energy caused by scale disease actually, to a certain extent, suppresses the Archon residue's power; now that her scale disease has completely disappeared and her internal elemental energy has returned to normal, the Archon residue's power will no longer be restrained. As soon as the seal is lifted, it will inevitably erupt, rapidly synchronously altering her spirit and body. If not stopped in time, she will fall into the Archon residue and become completely a monster controlled by evil thoughts."

While speaking, Cyno's gaze remained fixed on Yae Miko.

Although he said nothing.

That thick look of suspicion showed no intention of being concealed.

And the monster controlled by evil thoughts that he last mentioned also reminded Luo De of the demonized warriors he had seen on Ba Yin Island earlier.

That monster, shrouded in black mist, hanging sacrificed adults and slain Electro Archon believers on its lips, and dazed all day, was precisely the Bayun Island residents affected by Archon resentment after the Haiqi Island rebels destroyed the town's guardian object.

That is what Archon residue is.

Those who can withstand it will be assimilated into monsters.

Those who cannot will fall into madness and finally die in an extremely miserable state.

Facing Cyno's questioning,

Yae Miko didn't mind much, still smiling as she stroked the Myriad Tribulations in her hand: "With the two deities here, one protecting consciousness, the other protecting the body, there will be no mishap."

"Two deities?"

Cyno showed slight surprise.

"Besides the Dendro Archon, can Luo De summon other deities?" "Our Inazuma's Electro Archon is also in your Sumeru."

"However, she recently has some pressing matters and still needs a few days before she can come to help."

Yae Miko smiled confidently.

Regarding Ke Lai's matter, Luo De had already informed everything beforehand; if she weren't absolutely certain, she wouldn't have rushed here from Inazuma so readily.

Seeing that,

Cyno turned his head toward Luo De again.

Seeing Luo De also nod affirmatively toward him, he stopped talking further, rose and said: "As long as you are fully confident, that's fine; I'll go make preparations now. Hermanubis's seal is not so easy to undo; tomorrow I'll come back to confirm the procedure with you, so nothing goes wrong in the middle."

"Hmm."

"This time I'll trouble you, senior brother."

Luo De rarely calls Cyno senior brother in daily life.

Thus, upon hearing that, Cyno involuntarily paused, then firmly nodded, and quickly left.

Just as he left,

The previously somewhat proper Yae Miko instantly went limp as if her bones had been pulled out, leaning lazily against the chair back and saying: "Oh dear, little one, for this matter I rushed out of Inazuma as soon as I got the news, even canceling all affairs at Yae Hall and the shrine."

"Don't claim credit; this is your debt to me."

Luo De raised an eyebrow and retorted angrily.

"Huh?"

"I thought I already paid back what I owed you; why am I still in debt?"

Yae Miko put on a look of wanting to renege on the debt, hehe laughed: "Little one, you shouldn't say such things casually~~~"

That works.

I don't care about the rest; you figure it out yourself. Anyway, the ten thousand tribulations have been returned to you, so just treat the money for the materials as lost on me.

Luo De didn't hold back either, directly throwing out the killer's mace and Yae Miko's magic to clash.

It's just being a rascal.

Who doesn't know how to do this!

Pfft—

Hahaha—

Yae Miko burst out laughing, waving her hand and saying: "You little guy, how are you still so easily teased? Alright, alright, I get it—it's just using Zhen as payment, right? No problem, you're right, Zhen~~~"

While speaking,

Yae Miko shook the ten thousand tribulations in her hand, smiling with brows relaxed and eyes crinkled from a successful scheme.

Then it's settled.

Wait until I finish this side, then we can begin.

After settling all matters, Luo De said nothing, didn't take the ten thousand tribulations, turned and headed to his lab, continuing to assemble the puppet's body for Lei Dian Zhen.

In the time that followed.

Luo De devoted most of his energy to the final puppet's body, and the little time left was spent handling affairs of Hope City.

This also forced him to work from morning till late night each day, cutting his sleep time considerably.

Fortunately, his body could take it.

Otherwise, if it were an ordinary person, they'd have collapsed long ago.

Besides these duties.

Luo De could also spare time to go over the process thoroughly with Cyno and Yae Miko.

Of course.

Luo De also couldn't unilaterally decide this for Ke Lai.

After Luo De reviewed the process with Cyno and Yae Miko and confirmed there were no issues on their end, he deliberately set aside time to sit down and talk properly with Ke Lai. Dixiya also took leave and accompanied them here.

The three sat facing each other.

Luo De then spoke first, explaining to Ke Lai the whole matter of purging the Archon's resentment.

Including what consequences would arise if it failed, and what benefits would come if it succeeded.

Luo De hid nothing, laying it all out.

In short.

That's how it is.

If this goes smoothly, and the Archon's resentment within you is successfully purged, then the Archon's remnants within you will completely become your own power, which you can use as you wish.

But if it fails, you'll become a bloodthirsty demon, and I can only try to find a way to restore you to your original state.

Luo De explained it very clearly.

Ke Lai understood it very clearly as well.

She then nodded and said: "Alright, I'll do as you say, Teacher."

Don't just look at yourself because I made the decision.

If you don't want to take the risk.

You must speak up.

This is extremely dangerous; if it fails, I'm not sure there's a way to save you back.

Luo De especially solemnly confirmed with Ke Lai.

Don't look at Lei Dian Zhen and Yae Miko, who are full of confidence, seeming as if there won't be any problems.

But Luo De knows.

Besides the infected villagers of Eight Brew Island, there are also the yakshas of Liyue.

Even those yakshas whose strength reached immortal or even Archon level are no match for the Archon's resentment, and even Zhongli has been troubled by this problem for over two thousand years.

Therefore, to speak frankly.

Regarding the purging process proposed by Lei Dian Zhen and Yae Miko,

Luo De said he trusted it, but he was still uneasy inside.

After all, this plan is to directly release the seal and let out the Archon's resentment.

If Nadixa fails to protect Ke Lai's consciousness, or if Yae Miko's spirit-gathering ritual cannot draw out the released Archon's resentment, these could cause major problems.

Hmm, I'm certain.

Compared to the anxious Luo De, Ke Lai appeared unusually determined: "I've been tormented by that potion for many years, torture everywhere in my mind and body, and I want to use my own hands to protect others—not like now, where even after learning so much from you, I still have to hold back, fearing to trigger the seal on my body; I, I don't want to be like that anymore."

Ke Lai said a lot in one breath.

Dixiya involuntarily stroked her head with a heartache, then let out a sigh.

Actually, she shares the same thought as Cyno, not wanting Ke Lai to take the risk.

Just after hearing Ke Lai's words.

What she had wanted to say had reached her lips, but she couldn't get them out no matter what.

Wanting to protect others with her own hands.

This is something Ke Lai had told her long ago.

Back when they were in A Ru Cun.

Ke Lai's wish had been told to everyone.

As for how to protect others,

Her choice was to diligently study martial arts and knowledge; martial ability could let her wield a sword, and literary ability could let her build a village.

"Okay, I understand."

Luo De smiled and nodded at Ke Lai.

He came to ask Ke Lai's opinion, not to persuade Ke Lai to either accept or reject this exorcism.

Given Ke Lai's resolute attitude,

Then there's nothing more to say.

After that.

Luo De's efficiency in assembling the doll increased a bit; he only needed two days to install all the final parts.

The doll is finished.

Leidian Zhen's consciousness can now prepare to return.

And this.

This also inevitably brings another problem.

This time it's not about Leidian Zhen and the doll, but about Flower Scattered Village.

"You find something that can carry her consciousness yourself."

"This doll definitely won't work."

Luo De crossed his arms and said to Yae Miko, "Her consciousness was shattered by herself; a large part of it has merged with my consciousness space, and the remaining remnants exist in an informational state, so simply remaking a doll won't restore her to her original state."

"Didn't Leidian Zhen tell you about this?"

Luo De was speaking the truth.

During the time spent piecing together Leidian Zhen's consciousness, his attainments in consciousness also grew increasingly profound.

Therefore, he saw the problem of Flower Scattered Village very clearly.

Leidian Zhen also saw it very clearly.

How to put it?

Unlike Leidian Zhen's consciousness, which is whole, it has merely been smashed into fragments.

Flower Scattered Village's consciousness has been cut into two parts.

One part belongs to Luo De.

The other part has become information within the leaves of the World Tree.

And this so-called informational state,

Because it is incomplete.

In theory, it could allow her consciousness to fully recover, unless Luo De actively cuts out the part belonging to Flower Scattered Village's consciousness, or someone provides her with a highly matching consciousness fragment to store the information, allowing her consciousness to return to a normal state.

Otherwise, a consciousness shattered to this extent has no hope of recovery at all.

"Like that."

Yae Miko showed no sign of disappointment; looking at her expression, there was not even a hint of surprise, as if she had already prepared herself for Luo De's answer.

Next.

She no longer brought up Flower Scattered Village, and, lifting her chin at the doll, said, "Let's begin."

"Hmm."

Luo De glanced at her, who looked calm and breezy, and then placed the Ten Thousand Calamities on the doll's head.

That's all it took, and it was done.

It was even easier than the last time they restored Fushi's body.

Only a wisp of lightning gleamed up from the Ten Thousand Calamities, resonating with the Verdant Source at the doll's heart; a purple and green light intertwined, winding into the doll's heart.

As soon as these two lights disappeared,

The doll's body and features began to shift, and in just a moment it changed from a faceless, sexless form into the likeness of Leidian Zhen.

As the regained-bodied Leidian Zhen opened his eyes, a thunderclap from a clear sky rang out, hoping once more to blast outside the city.

(End of Chapter)