Chapter 723: The Secret of the Red Stone

Does the Memory Replication Technique cause even bigger trouble?

Reslin thought that the Memory Replication Technique is a seven‑ring spell that can extract a segment of the caster's memory and seal it within a mind gem; when casting, one can choose to forget that segment or retain it. In plain terms, it's the difference between "copy" and "cut."

"Cut" memory is generally used against enemies who can read thoughts, and can also counter interrogation spells such as Mind‑Control techniques.

Afterwards, the memory can be retrieved from the gem.

Some powerful and secretive forces or organizations rely on this method to keep secrets and to cultivate the deepest‑lying spies.

In the past, Lei En saw this spell and marveled at its wonder.

Memory involves a sentient being's "self‑awareness"; if one copies a person's entire memory and implants it into another, does the world then contain two "I"s?

In previous lives, this was a profound philosophical question that remained unsolved.

In Ai Lun E Si's world, memory is not equivalent to the soul; memory is only a part of the soul.

Here, the soul is the source of power and the most essential aspect of a being; in many deities' doctrines, the soul's importance far exceeds that of memory, even the body, and creating souls belongs to the deities' authority.

In short, the Memory Replication Technique cannot create a new soul.

Moreover, the duration of the Memory Replication Technique is limited; Reslin recalls that the seven‑ring version can preserve for about five years, and speculates that upgrading to nine rings should extend it to roughly twenty years.

Unless Augulevi Master, when the memory is about to expire—say, in the final year—re‑casts the spell on the clone to implant new memory.

Then how should the memories generated by the clone over the past twenty years be handled?

Extract them by casting, then receive them again later?

Or simply erase that segment of memory?

After re‑implanting memory, if the memory differs slightly from before, is the clone still the same person? If even the memory changes, does that mean it is already dead? Could the clone's self‑recognition become distorted?

Does the clone consider itself the true Augulevi Master?

After all, the Memory Replication Technique does not provide a Mind Link effect; Augulevi Master cannot control the clone, nor constantly monitor its mental activity.

When Augulevi Master and the clone stand together, looking at each other, what thoughts does the clone have?

Will it accept that it is merely the other's creation?

Reslin has already foreseen the outcome.

He looks at the Augulevi Master opposite him and replies, "The issue is control and betrayal. Master, has your duplicate broken free of control?"

"Indeed."

Augulevi nods slightly, a hint of approval on his face, and sighs, "However, those are not duplicates; I call them 'replicates.'"

"When I created the replicates back then, I didn't think much; I assumed they possessed my memories, the same experiences, the same temperament, the same goals—essentially another me. We cooperated on magical research, hoping to find a cure for soul aging, never considering loyalty, but reality gave me a lesson."

He hides none of his mistake and is completely candid.

"What lesson?" Reslin asks curiously.

"My first replicate possessed all my memories—magical knowledge, experience, techniques. In just a little over one hundred twenty years, an ordinary person with no soul power rose to a Thirty‑level Holy Soul Wizard; he is my most powerful replicate, covertly and overtly doing many things for me, even standing in for me at the Supreme Council…"

Reslin is startled at this point.

One hundred twenty years to ascend to a Thirty‑level Holy Soul Wizard—how terrifying.

It should be noted that currently the Supreme Council has seven Holy Soul Wizards below Thirty‑level, including KangJieladeGreatSage and PurpleFlameDuke, the two founders of the council.

Augulevi Master actually let this replicate attend the Supreme Council…

That's extremely reckless!

"When I was preparing to copy his memory for the seventh time, he attacked me," Augulevi continues. "He preserved the memories from the first six copies, possessing a full one‑hundred‑twenty‑year memory, and has been preparing to replace me."

"He also duplicated multiple memories; even if I die, he can continue to exist."

"Moreover, for over a hundred years he has secretly researched ways to create a true soul, seeking to completely break free of the Memory Replication Technique's limits."

Augulevi pauses abruptly at this point.

"Master, you defeated that replicate?" Even though he already knows the outcome, Reslin's heart races and he can't help but ask.

"What do you think?"

Augulevi retorts, his expression rather playful.

Reslin subconsciously assumes Augulevi naturally thwarted the replicate's plot. No matter how fast the replicate upgrades or how strong it becomes, it still falls far short of Augulevi Master's original self.

But seeing Augulevi's expression, a terrifying thought suddenly arises in his mind.

Could that replicate have succeeded?

Probably not!

"Heh…" Augulevi chuckles twice, "Don't overthink it. That replicate is very powerful; its understanding of me is indistinguishable from my own, but I wasn't that careless. In fact, I noticed its irregularity long ago and tampered with its memory starting from the second copy. It fell right into the trap, and using that I easily defeated it."

"I see." Reslin exhales, yet a lingering doubt remains deep in his heart.

Is the Augulevi Master before him the original, or a clone?

Only he can truly know.

"After I created that Arcane, I used it to make many replicates," Augulevi says. "Since noticing the first replicate's anomaly, whenever I implant memory into later replicates, I hold back. Incomplete memories mean their talents and potential are naturally inferior; these replicates are far weaker than the first and offer little assistance to me."

"Losing the aid of the first replicate stalled my research on soul aging; progress was almost nonexistent."

"However, when I examined his memory I did find some interesting things…"

"Oh, right." Augulevi seems to recall something, strokes his short beard and smiles, "You should have heard his name regarding the first replicate."

Reslin asks subconsciously, "Who?"

"Fei Tan Ti Le Si." Augulevi replies.

"It's him!"

Reslin is shocked; Fei Tan Ti Le Si was a towering figure of the Empire centuries ago, known throughout the Empire, who rose to Holy Soul Wizard just after turning a hundred, set records of the time, and became the youngest member of the Supreme Council.

He thinks carefully.

Fei Tan Ti Le Si's deeds are ancient; this master ascended to Holy Soul Wizard in New Era Calendar 1967, becoming the ninth member of the Supreme Council.

But thirty years later, Fei Tan Ti Le Si vanished and never reappeared.

This is a lingering mystery in the Empire's history.

Only now do we learn that Fei Tan Ti Le Si is actually a replica of Augulevi Master; if this got out, it would certainly shock the Empire.

Reslin's gaze suddenly flickered.

"What are you thinking?" Augulevi immediately sensed.

"Three years ago, I hunted a green dragon in the Sea of Death Forest. Beside that green dragon was a mysterious wizard, who was called 'Fei Tan Ti Le Si' by the wizard community. At the time I thought it was just a coincidence, because many in the Empire bear that name." Reslin's expression cleared, and he said to Augulevi, "Later I learned he was an imagined avatar of Black Robe Duke Tu Zi Lei, who intervened to resolve the matter, and thus owes me a favor."

This is almost ironclad evidence that the Black Robe Duke is Augulevi's avatar.

Yet Augulevi still did not admit it, merely smiling faintly, "That's another story, unrelated to what I have to tell you."

"Yes, Master," Reslin could only listen.

"In Fei Ti Ti Le Si's memories I discovered that he also created replicas, scattering them across the world and numerous planes, attempting to find a way to create souls." Augulevi's expression grew complex, "His approach differs from mine, and indeed he uncovered a clue."

Reslin had already guessed.

Fei Tan Ti Le Si disappeared in New Era Calendar year 1997, 535 years ago; earlier, Augulevi said he entered the Dark Abyss Region five hundred plus years ago, which matches perfectly.

Sure enough, Augulevi said, "The clue lies in the Spirit-absorbing Monster of the Dark Abyss Region. This race, born with mastery of spiritual energy, has advanced mind research farther than anyone. And the mind is the excavation of soul potential…"

Reslin couldn't help but click his tongue, "Fei Tan Ti Le Si created souls with mind magic?"

"Impossible!" Augulevi burst into a laugh, "He made some progress before his plot was exposed, but it succeeded in sparking my interest in the Spirit-absorbing Monster."

"So I came to Yilaientu to continue his research."

Reslin observed a three‑second moment of silence for the Spirit-absorbing Monster.

The most powerful Holy Soul Wizard in history, the Spirit-absorbing Monster of Yilaientu could not possibly resist; it was obvious that the monster tragically became Augulevi's research subject.

The Soul Eye saw that when Augulevi mentioned "research," his emotions did not flicker at all.

Obviously, in Augulevi Master's eyes, the Spirit-absorbing Monster was merely a test subject, no different from a lab mouse.

This made Reslin's heart grow cold, witnessing the other's ruthless cruelty, abandoning ethics for the sake of immortal magical research.

It was also Yilaientu's misfortune.

The lower layers of the Dark Abyss Region contain several Spirit-absorbing Monster cities and some smaller communities, but Yilaientu is the easiest for outsiders to locate, because the city was originally built by gray dwarves, later conquered by the Spirit-absorbing Monsters; a few escaping gray dwarves spread the word, so Yilaientu's location is known among those familiar with the Dark Abyss Region.

"I develop spiritual energy while refining Fei Tan Ti Le Si's soul research."

"Finally, after nearly a hundred years, it was completed."

Augulevi's expression grew serious, "Fei Tan Ti Le Si's approach is unique; mortals cannot create souls, yet souls are everywhere in the world."

Reslin felt a sudden chill upon hearing this.

"Unborn infants already possess souls but lack memory, like a blank sheet awaiting ink."

Augulevi said in a detached tone, "Extract the embryo's soul, copy my memories into it, then use the Nine Rings' Mind Healing to reconcile the conflict between soul and memory, aided by Memory Weaving and Mind Surgery. These three spells are cast once daily, continuously; after several months, the two will merge perfectly."

"Simultaneously, alter the replica‑creation spell to slow growth, allowing the replica to develop on a normal human timeline, from infant to adult."

"Place the fused soul into this replica."

"The new soul and the replica grow together; all personal experiences and identity stored in the copied memories are sealed deep within the soul, retaining only magical knowledge and experience."

"As the replica's power rises, it gradually unlocks this knowledge step by step."

"When it ascends to Holy Soul, the sealed memories will be fully released, accompanied by a Nine Rings' Mind Control Technique; due to years of subconscious suggestion, it will have no will to resist this technique and will never betray."

"If the original body dies, this replica becomes the new original."

"Moreover, the replica's soul will not age for two thousand years, solving the lifespan issue!"

Reslin was dumbfounded.

A flood of information surged in his mind, the fragments forming a complete puzzle; he had already guessed what Augulevi was about to say.

"Using this method, I created the final replica," Augulevi's eyes were filled with regret, "It went smoothly at first, but later an accident occurred."

"Did this replica still go out of control?" Reslin asked.

"Exactly," Augulevi glanced, "I suppose you've guessed; this replica is Kai Er Si Tong."

Even though Reslin was mentally prepared, hearing it still seemed unbelievable.

Earlier, Augulevi denied that Hong Shi Duke was his avatar.

He already believed it.

Unexpectedly, there was a twist: Hong Shi Duke was indeed not an avatar, but a creation of Augulevi Master!

Hong Shi Duke's youthful experiences are known to almost everyone.

He was born in New Era Calendar year 2101, discovered to have talent at eight and entered Naiser Floating City as a Wizard apprentice; at ten he performed his first soul transformation ceremony, a perfect transformation, becoming a full Wizard; at twenty‑two he ascended as the youngest legendary Wizard in history, pioneering the Spiritualist specialization, renowned across the Empire; at fifty‑eight he ascended to Holy Soul Wizard, becoming the youngest member ever of the Supreme Council, was titled Duke, and within a few decades erected ParrasFloatingCity.

Such brilliant achievements earned Hong Shi Duke the epithet "Humanity's Greatest Prodigy".

Yet behind the scenes lay an enormous secret!

Hong Shi Duke was created by Augulevi Master, originally intended as a replica to extend lifespan and regain rebirth, but ultimately he betrayed Augulevi Master!

So hard to write, another chapter will be later; won't sleep until it's finished!

(End of Chapter)