In the depths of the treasury, Nari was experiencing the most tense yet happiest moment of its life.
It selected a recently deceased "Corrosion Sea Serpent" from its stockpile of prey.
This Abyssal creature had relatively gentle energy, with its body still retaining abundant Abyssal Essence.
"This should be quite suitable."
Nari carefully inspected the serpent’s corpse, ensuring there weren’t overly frenzied energy components:
"Gentle, pure, nutrient-rich... just like the first solid food prepared for a baby."
It cautiously placed the serpent’s corpse near the puppet, then anxiously and expectantly observed the puppet’s reaction.
"Eat up, my darling... This is the finest Abyssal Essence..."
Nari’s voice was filled with love and expectancy, the tone akin to a mother coaxing her child to eat:
"This will make you stronger, healthier..."
Initially, the puppet showed no reaction, lying quietly in the soft nest.
Nari began to worry, anxiety showing in its enormous eyes:
"Do you not like the taste? Or is it too tough to chew?"
Just as it was about to replace the food, a miracle occurred.
Subtle rune circuits began to appear on the puppet’s surface.
The previously hidden energy channels were activated, emitting a faint but steady glow.
These rune circuits began to operate like a digestive system, extending countless hair-thin energy tendrils towards the serpent’s body.
"It’s eating! It’s eating!"
Nari trembled with excitement, all its tendrils dancing wildly in the air:
"My darling is eating!"
The puppet’s "feeding" process was filled with a sense of order, completely different from the usual chaotic Abyss Erosion.
The energy tendrils precisely decomposed the serpent’s body, extracting useful essence while discarding the waste to the side.
The entire process was akin to a precise chemical analysis, every step meticulously calculated.
As the decomposition proceeded, the puppet’s internal charging progress began to increase, emitting stronger Favor waves.
This wave, like a warm spring breeze, gently soothed Nari’s chaotic consciousness.
"This feeling..."
Nari felt the feedback from the puppet, stabilizing another minor consciousness node:
"So warm... so comfortable... just like being back in Mother’s embrace..."
The giant monster began to roll in the treasury, its tendrils flailing wildly, unable to control its excitement like a child receiving candy:
"It worked! It really worked! I finally have a real child!"
This was Nari’s first experience of the sense of accomplishment and happiness of being a "Mother."
Watching the puppet quietly "feed," it felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
It was not the thrill of conquest, nor the expansion of power, but a feeling of pure love and being needed.
"I will prepare more delicious food for you."
Nari began planning a more diverse "menu":
"Sea serpents are too monotonous, there’s also Abyssal Jellyfish, Corrosion Vines, Nightmare Spider Silk... each has different nutritional values."
Like a novice mother planning a baby’s diet, it carefully considered the combination and nutritional balance of each food:
"Can’t be too simple, must be nutritionally comprehensive, and easy to digest..."
From this moment on, Nari’s life had a whole new meaning.
It was no longer a lonely ancient monster guarding its collection but a "Mother" with responsibilities and expectations.
Although this "mother-child relationship" might seem absurd to outsiders.
For Nari, it was the most precious experience in its long life.
The other treasures in the treasury also seemed to feel the owner’s joy.
The glowing soul fragments began to dance more actively, and the still beating heart quickened its rhythm.
The entire space was enveloped in this warm atmosphere, like a cozy little family.
In the depths of the Sea of Darkness, an ancient monster was learning how to become a qualified "Mother."
Meanwhile, in a distant observational outpost, a young Wizard was striving for greater power through cultivation.
Two seemingly unrelated threads were tightly connected through a faint thread of consciousness.
.........
In the nighttime laboratory, the glow of the Magic Crystal Lamp cast an eerie hue over the yellowed pages.
The binding of these papers was extremely unique.
Each page was threaded with a living fiber called "Memory Silk."
As Ron turned the pages, these fibers would subtly wriggle, as if savoring the mental waves of the reader.
He frowned, noticing the ink on the paper would change subtly based on the reader’s level of understanding.
When deeply contemplating a point, the relevant text would become clearer;
And when questions arose, some annotations would automatically appear, providing supplementary explanations.
This "living tome" was one of Cassandra’s early innovations.
It could resonate with the reader’s spirit, offering a personalized learning experience.
"The importance of research ethics cannot be overlooked; we must ensure that every Bloodline Modulation is based on the subject’s fully informed consent..."
"A true scholar should take reducing pain as their fundamental duty, not creating more suffering..."
"If our research cannot make the world a better place, then no matter how profound the knowledge, it is meaningless..."
As Ron delved deeper into his reading, he discovered a chilling detail.
The gentle and idealistic words would occasionally "twitch" under his extraordinary perception, revealing their original content beneath:
"Whether or not the subject consents does not affect the scientific value of the experiment..."