Chapter 1478: Temporary Return, Cloning Container

Originally, Xia Duo thought this trip to Akaola was just a simple mission; he never expected such a turn of events.

Although the two countries had signed a Unilateral Consistent Action Agreement that was akin to vassalage, in many situations, isn't an agreement just something meant to be torn up?

If Akaola turned and defected to Keman, wouldn't Keman step forward to protect them?

Furthermore, with the country itself gone, how much practical validity could an agreement signed in the name of the country actually have?

And going a step further, Xia Duo thought of another problem: even if he found a way to extend the other party's lifespan, would they still defect to Keman?

Rather than being watched by Keman every single moment, defecting directly might actually be a good choice!

From Xia Duo's perspective, after Akaola and Keman merged, the interests of those Upper Families would not suffer much loss; they might even increase due to having more room for development!

The only difference would probably be in their mindset!

In Akaola, they were used to having the final say in everything; once in Keman, they might be reduced to second-rate status. This disparity would be felt with particular sensitivity by the Elves.

But it was not absolutely unacceptable.

For a moment, Xia Duo found it hard to decide, because he truly had a shortcut plan that did not require a heart. Although it had yet to be verified, there was still about a month left until the end of the year, which should be enough time for verification.

If everything went smoothly, implementing it before the end of the year was not impossible.

But if the Akaola Crown King was merely "feigning surrender," wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? He had originally been thinking about going back early to work on the Independent Arcane Fire Device!

"This matter is beyond my Permission Level; I need to get in touch with the Seventon Council!"

After saying this, Xia Duo dispelled his Astral Projection right in front of the Akaola Crown King. In an instant, his consciousness felt like a rubber band stretched to its limit, suddenly snapping back.

Via the Astral Plane, he quickly returned to his physical body in the Tower of Time.

……

The Tower of Time.

Xia Duo opened his eyes. Niya was no longer by his side; he was surrounded only by the dense, web-like Protection Magic that guarded him eternally. But before he could even sit up from the bed, the Projection Hall flashed with a spiritual light.

Niya had arrived, carrying a hint of joy and a hint of surprise. "Didn't you say it might take several days? Why are you back so soon?"

"There was an accident; I need to discuss it with Master Iolum."

Hearing the word "accident," Niya immediately asked with concern: "What accident? Are you hurt?"

"It's not the kind of accident you're thinking of, and I'm not hurt."

Xia Duo was very touched by Niya's concern. While explaining to her what had happened in Akaola, he notified Iolum of the matter.

The next period of time was spent waiting for the result.

Of course, Xia Duo was not just waiting idly. According to his deductions, the Seven Towers were very likely to agree to the Akaola Crown King's request, so he prepared to refine the alternative plan he had previously conceived based on the Extreme Longevity Technique manual, so that he would have something substantial to say when the Seven Towers asked.

Having only completed half the task, Xia Duo was naturally not very satisfied. Now there was an added layer of risk; if Akaola "betrayed" them in the future, he might have to take the blame for it.

However, who can truly predict the future? Doing what one should and can do in the present is enough; let the future be left to the future.

……

The seventh floor of the Tower of Time.

Inside a laboratory that was rarely used, a bright light suddenly appeared, followed by a tremor in the Magic Net. Xia Duo appeared quietly, gazing at the row of twelve cylindrical Crystal containers near the wall, and fell into deep thought.

After returning from the Projection Plane: Empire Remnants, he had set up this cloning laboratory. Up until now, the first batch of clones had been growing for nearly half a year and were nearing maturity.

Inside each of these twelve cylindrical Crystal containers was a young body exactly like Xia Duo when he was twelve or thirteen years old, eyes slightly closed, limbs relaxed, floating quietly in the Element Water.

Looking at oneself, and a younger version of oneself at that, was truly an indescribable awkwardness!

Thinking that he might have to personally dispose of himself in a moment, Xia Duo felt a wave of nausea rise in his heart and couldn't help but let out an "Eww—".

He casually shut off the energy supply to one of the containers. The Element Water, which had been glowing with seven-colored light, quickly became clear and pure, just like pure water.

In fact, it was pure water!

Even the Empire Remnants, who had mastered mature human cloning technology, found it difficult to directly create a fully functional body; they had to use previously preserved blood as a base to make it continuously proliferate and evolve.

From embryo to infant, growing step by step.

The core technology here was the Clone Technique that allowed blood to proliferate and evolve, while the accompanying Element Water was just ordinary purified water blended with the four elements and positive/negative energy, serving as the energy source for the clone's continuous growth.

With the energy supply to the culture container removed, the constant Clone Technique on it could still take effect, but it was limited to maintaining the normal growth of the body and could not make it grow rapidly.

In other words, to obtain an adult body, it would take at least a dozen years, and if there were any accidents during that time, one would have to start all over again.

What normal Mage could accept that speed!

Xia Duo naturally chose to use Element Water to assist with acceleration without hesitation; otherwise, if he really needed to be resurrected and the clone was still an embryo or an infant, how ridiculous would that be.

……

Once the Element Water turned into ordinary pure water, it lost the energy field that corresponded to the Clone Technique and was capable of maintaining a special Resonance with the body while the elements and energy were present.

This caused the clone in the container with the shut-off energy supply to lose its restraint, as if suddenly released; it no longer remained in a static floating state, but bobbed up and down in the water, a scene that was once very eerie.

Xia Duo quickly reined in his unnecessary associations and cast a Blood Extraction spell on the clone in the container.

Unlike the gentle blood-drawing that was almost a healing spell in the Amulet of Soul-Hosting, the Blood Extraction he was casting now was the original spell obtained from Iolum, only slightly modified to preserve the blood.

The effect of the spell was naturally quite ideal; in almost an instant, the clone in the culture container shriveled up at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, a mass of crimson blood, twisting into various strange shapes, appeared before Xia Duo. Xia Duo used a Crystal container similar to the culture container, but slightly smaller, to store it.

The human body actually does not have much blood. Taking this twelve- or thirteen-year-old clone of Xia Duo as an example, if it were all drained by a spell, it would only be about three or four thousand milliliters.

Xia Duo consumed seven or eight clones just to barely fill the container halfway; the cost was not insignificant.

Next was the attempt to use blood instead of a heart as a substitute spellcasting element for the Extreme Longevity Technique.