Ah, this!
Lin Ruo blinked, then pinched his chin, thought for a few seconds, and nodded in agreement, "That's right. For a knife-wielder, it's already good if they aren't killed. It's just a reminder to submit manuscripts; there's really no need to feel guilty."
"...You really make me feel like my judgment was wrong, and you're just pretending to have amnesia to tease me," Solomon said, annoyed, and he seemed to strongly disagree with some of Lin Ruo's words. "Besides, what's wrong with delivering a knife? The aesthetic of a tragic ending is inherently the most moving literature. Tearing beautiful things apart in front of the reader is the only way to give them the most unforgettable experience."
"You're actually a tragic ending proponent?" Lin Ruo's expression instantly became solemn, as if he had seen a heretic. "Heretic!"
"If you have the guts, don't read it," Solomon said calmly. "You consume knives every day, yet I haven't seen you read two fewer books."
"Cough..." Lin Ruo lightly coughed twice, his expression unchanged, and said, "So, you mean you plan to continue writing books?"
"No," Solomon replied coldly and resolutely, as if there was absolutely no room for negotiation on this matter.
"Oh..." Lin Ruo uttered an 'oh' and said nothing, but in his mind, the image of Solomon's exclusive room in the 'Stewed Pigeon' dark room subconsciously appeared.
Once his ritual is complete and the apocalypse crisis is resolved, the dark room can be restarted. At that time, it's definitely best to lock Solomon in first!
"Sir Lin, what are you thinking?"
Solomon's voice suddenly rang out, fully demonstrating His Majesty the White Emperor's understanding of the Angel of Judgment.
"...You're thinking about what's going on with his current state. He knows that you've lost a small part of your memory, so after today, you even always thought he had completely fallen," Solomon replied naturally, as if I had truly been thinking about that question just now. However, that was indeed something Solomon was curious about.
"So, what happened in the end back then, and what kind of state are you in now? Can you tell me?"
"Back then..." Lin Ruo's voice paused. At this moment, existing as an ordinary Spirit Body in the ordinary space within the ring, he almost subconsciously frowned. Several seconds later, he said with a hint of confusion, "I don't remember."
"Uh, you also have amnesia?" Solomon, who had never expected such an answer, was stunned for a moment and subconsciously asked.
"This part of my memory is very chaotic, with a large number of memory gaps. No, to be precise, I only remember some fragmented images," Lin Ruo, in the ring, recalled with a frown. "I only remember the final battle breaking out, me rushing to the battlefield, and then... I probably experienced a very intense battle, but the situation wasn't good..."
"After that, there's no more memory, but I have a realization: I should have fallen, and after falling, I seem to have encountered... pollution? I'm not sure," Lin Ruo's voice gradually faded, as if he were muttering in a dream. "I should have completely fallen, or rather, I would have degenerated into a monster..."
"But I'm still alive now, because..." Lin Ruo closed his eyes, trying to seek an answer from his subconscious. "Because you split me. The White Emperor Solitar bore all the fate, and thus Lin Ruo survived."
"I only remember that much," Solitar opened his eyes, his tone returning to normal. "When I woke up again, I was already on the White Emperor. Nast told me that it was you who gave this ring, which carried me, to your descendants before the War of the Seven Emperors began, so that they could nourish me through Bloodline connections for generations, awaiting my awakening."
After listening to this, Solomon was silent for a few seconds. He suddenly drank all the tea in his cup, put the cup down, and said, "How should I put it? It's a bit surprising, yet not so surprising."
"So, do you know what state you're in now? Do you have any understanding of the after-effects of that split on you?" Solomon asked, his tone tinged with concern.
"If you're talking about after-effects, my dormancy from back then until now should be one of them. As for other aspects..." Lin Ruo paused here, then continued in his usual tone:
"Probably that I can never become the White Emperor again, because the fate of the White Emperor Solitar has become a predetermined fact, and actively approaching it would only lead to eternal damnation."
"However, that's not bad. Anyway, I've been the White Emperor for so many years and I'm tired. It's a good time to rest and enjoy a retired life," Solitar said finally with a slightly relaxed tone, as if he genuinely looked forward to his retired life.
"...And enjoy family bliss at the same time?" Solomon was silent for a moment. He seemed to have been silent a lot today, then said in a teasing tone, "By the way, can you beat Nast now? He's a Sequence 3 after all."
"Although I can't become the White Emperor again, I still have the strength of a Sequence 2," Lin Ruo said. "If Nast really intends to be an unfilial grandson, as his ancestor, I will naturally educate him well."
"Sequence 2, huh... Is this the trouble of having too many friends?" Solomon pinched his chin and suddenly said, slightly troubled.
Lin Ruo, however, understood what he was saying and replied, "Don't think too much. Even if you didn't walk the Justiciar path, I wouldn't jump to that path."
"I can never tolerate my aesthetic being distorted because of a change in path. Asymmetry is the Peak of aesthetics; symmetry is heresy."
"Uh..." Solomon was instantly at a loss for words. After a long pause, he said, "Are you serious?"
"What do you think?" Solitar retorted.
"Hmm, I'll take it that you're serious," Solomon said, unable to help but laugh at this point. "So your bizarre aesthetic really isn't caused by the path, huh..."
"Sir Lin, do you remember that you can't beat me now?" Solitar said with a forced smile. He, or rather, it, could certainly tell what state Solomon was roughly in now.
"Actually, I was just joking. Asymmetric aesthetics are great; I super love them," Solomon said, his expression unchanged, shamelessly choosing to defect. Then, remembering something else, he asked, "So, you can only stay in this ring now? When can you come out? Is there anything I can help with?"
"...No, actually, I can come out now," Solitar was suspiciously silent. After a full half minute, he finally replied.
"Then why aren't you coming out?" Solitar narrowed his eyes. His instinct as a fun-seeker made him keenly aware of something.
Lin Ruo: "..."
Lin Ruo was suspiciously silent again. Clearly, he completely didn't want to answer Solomon.