To carry out Leilin's plan, this clone was undoubtedly the top priority.
Moreover, since the soul seed method couldn't be used, he would have to split off a portion of his true spirit and grant the clone sufficient autonomy.
Leilin had already obtained the technique for splitting the true spirit from
"Next, I need to combine these two techniques and develop a reincarnation spell that works across different worlds... then use the power of Mandehawk's Disc to smuggle myself into the World of the
"Since it will be a fully autonomous individual, my clone's true spirit will be treated as a native by the World of the Gods—won't be overly monitored, and can grow quietly..."
"Even if this investment fails, I'd only lose one clone at most. And if I somehow succeed, I won't even need to directly conquer the World of the Gods—I just need to merge with that clone again and absorb the Primal Chaos energy it gathered during its growth. That alone should bring me enormous benefits... Not to mention, if I ultimately succeed, the entire World of the Gods will be mine!!!"
Leilin's eyes seemed to burn with raging flames.
Now that the plan was set, the other preparations could begin.
For those beings of law, a single slumber could consume centuries or even millennia, but Leilin was different—he still had a host of matters to attend to.
Plus, there were arrangements to make for his family and descendants.
For Leilin, handling these mundane affairs wouldn't cost him much time or energy, yet they brought him a certain sense of satisfaction. So it was worth the effort.
The long-silent laboratory doors were pulled open, revealing a dim passage beyond. Brass lampstands emitted a hazy glow, while the undying flames atop them continuously radiated incandescent light and heat.
"Even with a lifespan exceeding a hundred thousand years... this feeling of a century passing in the blink of an eye..."
Leilin's mood was somewhat heavy as he walked straight out of the hidden passage and into the world outside.
It was a winter afternoon at the castle, warm sunlight pouring down with a cozy warmth, the surrounding mountains brimming with the scent of vitality.
The spot where Leilin emerged was none other than the most heavily guarded core of the castle.
Throughout the castle, high-ranking warlocks were stationed and patrolling everywhere. The entire structure was grand and magnificent, radiating an air of nobility.
Every low-ranking patrol warlock gazed upon the castle with deep reverence.
For what they guarded was the strongest throne on the entire Central Continent! The pride of bloodline warlocks! The castle of a Sixth-rank Warlock, the supreme ruler of the entire Ouroboros Circle—Leilin Farell!
Yes, this castle was the new seat of power Leilin had established on the South Coast, and the headquarters of the entire Farell family.
"Targalian Castle is the same as always!"
Leilin smiled faintly. His entire figure vanished from midair and instantly reappeared in the castle's great hall.
There, numerous ceremonial artifacts began to tremble, producing beautiful melodies. The throne at the very center, in particular, started radiating a dark luster, as if welcoming the arrival of its sovereign.
With a flash of light, Leilin settled directly onto the throne. Several concave contours automatically formed along its surface, making his seat extremely comfortable.
"Mm! Very nice!" Leilin nodded, then immediately felt a joyful will emanating from the entire hall—the emotional resonance of the castle itself.
With Leilin's power, the intense radiation waves he unconsciously emitted alone could completely transform all of Targalian Castle in a very short time.
Moreover, during its original construction, Leilin had deliberately subjected the castle's materials to radiation activation and modification.
Targalian Castle had long since become a true wizard's fortress, comparable to many of the famous ancient wizard castles on the Central Continent. It had even developed its own will, which submitted to Leilin.
Furthermore, the castle itself had developed various uncanny abilities and possessed formidable defensive power.
"Without my permission, even Fifth or Sixth-rank Wizards would find it impossible to move freely within this castle!"
Leilin was confident about this.
"Let everyone know—I'm here!" Leilin tapped the armrest of his seat.
Clang!! Clang!!! At the center of Targalian Castle, atop a massive black bell tower, the heavy yellow bronze bell swung on its own without any wind, producing deep yet powerfully penetrating sounds.
The resounding toll of the bronze bell echoed throughout the castle, leaving many warlocks stunned.
"N-Nine consecutive rings! This signal..."
A newly initiated warlock stared with a blank expression, as though witnessing something utterly inconceivable.
"You're quite lucky, kid! You actually caught the moment when Lord Bloodline Throne emerged from seclusion!" His squad leader punched him hard on the chest, a hint of indescribable wistfulness in his voice. "It's a pity the central Council Hall isn't a place we can go... Only the stewards and butlers, along with the Bloodline Throne's relatives, have the right to enter."
"Steward? One day I'll reach that level! And when I do, I'll..."
The young warlock's eyes seemed to blaze with fire.
"Keep it up!" The squad leader rubbed his own head and smiled with an encouraging tone.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
After the bell tolls, clusters of emerald-green flames ignited throughout the Council Hall.
Figures periodically emerged through the flames, bowing respectfully to Leilin before taking their designated positions, their eyes filled with fervent devotion.
Among them, some naturally hadn't yet reached the level of teleportation, but since this was Targalian Castle—with the special permissions Leilin had granted and the fortress's own assistance—such transmission was still no problem.
"Father!"
A much larger burst of green flames roared to life, revealing the figures of two warlocks.
At the forefront was none other than Xirui, whose features bore some resemblance to Leilin's. His long black hair and dark eyes carried a peculiar, bewitching allure.
The unique aura of a warlock constantly lingered about him, making his entire being radiate a poison-like attraction.
Standing beside Xirui was Furi, dressed as a noblewoman, though at this moment there was a hint of hidden resentment in her eyes.
"Furi! Come here!"
Leilin beckoned, having Furi come and sit in the seat beside him, receiving the homage of those below to their lady.
In truth, he was somewhat aware of her resentment.
Unfortunately, the thing Furi truly wanted was something Leilin could never give her.
For Leilin, he could spend a bit of time making proper arrangements for the people and things he was familiar with, but he could never stay by their side permanently.
His gaze was always fixed ahead—toward the eternal light and allure.
Until he had fully achieved his goal, Leilin would never stop moving forward.
But Furi had clearly given her true heart. She didn't mind Leilin's escapades outside, but she obviously harbored resentment and sorrow over the fact that a single one of his experiments could span a hundred years.
Although she hid these feelings relatively well, Leilin had still noticed.
Unfortunately, Leilin couldn't accommodate her in this regard. He could only compensate her in other ways. Perhaps only after truly obtaining immortality and freedom would he have infinite time to spend with her.
Below the dais, besides Xirui, there were numerous high-ranking warlocks—Leilin's butlers and castle stewards among them. At this moment, their eyes were filled with fervent devotion.
Leilin seemed like a god in their eyes.
After the elaborate ceremonies concluded, Leilin casually asked a few questions, mostly concerning the recent developments of the Ouroboros Circle.
After receiving answers, Leilin gained the latest understanding of his forces' development.
The entire Ouroboros Circle had long since been reborn. With the steady profits from underground trade, it had not only monopolized the entire South Coast but was also continuously expanding its influence into surrounding areas.
Even the distant branch on the Central Continent had been activated, its reputation there surpassing what it had been in the past.
The Farell family's development was also progressing by leaps and bounds. Second-generation bloodline descendants like Xirui and Daniel had already grown up, and even among the third and fourth generations, quite a few talented individuals had emerged.
Of course, these bloodline descendants also faced the eager pursuit of numerous noble bloodline families. It was easy to foresee that they would certainly be troubled by this in the future.
"Xirui! You did well with this underground matter!"
Leilin gave Xirui a mild word of praise while looking at the other warlocks below.
"I've come out this time to inform you all that I'm preparing to conduct deeper experiments. The next time we meet may be centuries or even a millennium from now. During my absence, all affairs of the Ouroboros Circle and the Farell family will be entrusted to my wife and beloved son—Furi and Xirui—to manage..."
The other high-ranking warlocks were already accustomed to this order. After all, Leilin had been doing essentially the same thing before—pushing everything onto others. Now it was simply being formally confirmed.
At the same time, Leilin's attitude of treating centuries as nothing only deepened the envy of these high-ranking warlocks.
A single experiment lasting a thousand years? Even for warlocks like them, if they couldn't break through the Morning Star bottleneck, they wouldn't even live long enough to outlast a single one of Leilin's experiments...