Chapter 80: The Old Master's Departure

Chapter 80: The Old Master's Departure

Early this morning, Ji Jingqiu was added to a group chat by his senior brother.

The group name was "4999th Dragon Tiger Sons Exchange Group."

Ji Jingqiu couldn't help but complain, feeling that the group name had a corporate trainee training vibe from his previous life.

There were already 287 people in the group, which left him a bit speechless. He scrolled through and found that Senior Sister Yao and the others were all there.

Not long after, the group owner popped up and sent a message:

[Zen True]: A warm welcome to Junior Brother Ji! (Confetti, confetti!)



Ji Jingqiu randomly picked an expression from the pack and sent it.

He secretly wondered if this group owner was the Daoist Master of the Dragon Tiger Dojo that Eighth Brother had mentioned.

Being a Daoist Master, he would naturally be the senior brother of this generation of Dragon Tiger disciples.

After a while, Ji Jingqiu noticed that the group was unusually quiet.

In a group of 288 people, not a single person was chatting.

The chat box only had the group owner's welcome message and his own response, creating an awkward silence.

Ji Jingqiu was curious. Had it always been like this when new members joined?

Were they all so indifferent towards the Daoist Master?

He put away his terminal.

Ji Jingqiu walked into a narrow alley, turned a few corners, and rang the doorbell of Old Man Mu.

He had received a message from Old Man Mu and also wanted to borrow his equipment for a physical examination.

After the door opened, Ji Jingqiu couldn't find Mei Shi.

"Where's Mei Shi?"

Ji Jingqiu missed Mei Shi, not because of the gift she had promised him during their last farewell, but because of her.

"She went to mine for you," Old Man Mu said slowly as he walked ahead, "Come, let's start with a physical test."

Mine for him? Ji Jingqiu was astonished as he stepped into the instrument.

This time, he had come not only for a physical examination but also to consult Old Man Mu about the Demon Plague.

Yang Shi had specifically instructed him to pay extra attention to the physical examination, suspecting that his condition was related to the Demon Plague.

And among the people he knew and trusted, Old Man Mu was the only one with authority in this matter.

"You're at the Third Limit now, right?" Old Man Mu asked, staring at the instrument's data.

"Yes."

Old Man Mu nodded and said, "Your speed is quite impressive. Your current physique score has reached 99.9, on par with a Fifth Limit martial artist."

"Once you break through the Fifth Limit, your score will reach 99.99, comparable to those with natural warrior bodies."

"Of course, purely in terms of physical strength, when it comes to subsequent body cultivation, it's still not as good as theirs. But such people are rare even among generations."

Ji Jingqiu asked the question on his mind, "Old Man Mu, can the enhancement and completion effects of gene enhancers reach a level comparable to natural warrior bodies?"

Old Man Mu seemed to have anticipated his question and asked instead, "Do you think this devalues the natural warrior bodies too much?"

Ji Jingqiu didn't deny it.

Gene enhancers indeed had the effect of enhancing and completing one's physique.

But to say that the enhanced effect could rival natural warrior bodies was indeed belittling the latter.

This special physique was universally recognized as unattainable.

In contrast, gene enhancers could be mass-produced.

Old Man Mu asked, "You must have guessed that pure gene enhancers alone couldn't achieve such results. It also requires your Demon Plague."

"So, do you think natural warrior bodies are rare, or living to sixteen with the Demon Plague is rare?"

Ji Jingqiu was speechless.

From this perspective, the latter was indeed more scarce.

"Among the Federation's billions of people, there are always those with warrior bone bodies. Moreover, the stronger the martial artist, the more likely their offspring will have special physiques. After all, the warrior bone body is essentially a manifestation of the laws of heaven and earth."

"But as for living to sixteen with the Demon Plague, as far as I know, there's only you. So, you're asking the wrong question. You should ask if your situation can find its root cause and then be replicated in mass production."

Old Man Mu paused and said in a deep voice, "My answer is no!"

"When you came last time, I sensed something abnormal and specifically asked you to leave some gene samples. I've been trying to find the root cause ever since."

"But, I've found nothing!"

Old Man Mu's face showed confusion and bewilderment.

Just as the Federation hadn't figured out the cause of the Demon Plague, they also couldn't suppress it.

He, too, hadn't figured out which aspect of the change allowed the gene enhancers, combined with the Demon Plague, to produce such astonishing results.

If replication were possible, it would undoubtedly be a groundbreaking achievement. The Federation's martial arts would take a new step forward, and Mu Xuan Ying would be forever etched in the Federation's history of merit!

At that time, the Star Cloud Award would be nothing.

From then on, generations of martial artists would remember the great achievements of Mu Xuan Ying!

The Mu family would also take pride in him!

After a moment of silence, Ji Jingqiu said, "I remember you saying last time that the gene editing project underwent thirty years of clinical trials before its launch, but it failed within twenty years after its release."

"That's right."

"Then, if we assume that the gene editing project itself is not the problem, could it be that humans are the issue?"

Old Man Mu paused for a moment. "It's external factors.

"What factors?"

"Many, such as daily dietary habits, the planet's magnetic field, climate, and so on. These factors can potentially change human genes. Of course, the process is actually quite slow..."

Old Man Mu sighed,

"In fact, the most speculated factor is the approaching Mind Ocean. Long ago, some powerful martial artists proposed that the approaching Mind Ocean is changing the underlying rules of our world, the laws of heaven and earth, or... the Dao."

The Master seeks the Dao, and the Grand Master opens the Dao.

As the greatest beneficiaries of the Mind Ocean, their perception in this regard was naturally the most acute.

This was an answer Ji Jingqiu had never imagined.

Could the failure of the gene editing project also be related to the Mind Ocean?

And the Demon Plague? After a brief contemplation, Ji Jingqiu took out a prescription.

"Old Man Mu, this is the prescription my parents left before they departed."

"With long-term use, it can control the timing of the Demon Plague's outbreaks, reducing the frequency of unpredictable attacks. The trade-off is that the pain level will gradually increase."

Mu Xuan Ying was shocked. Suppress the Demon Plague?!

Unbelievable.

The Federation couldn't even figure out the cause of the outbreaks, let alone suppression.

And according to his current speculation, the inability to suppress the Demon Plague was probably also related to the Mind Ocean...

He quickly took the prescription and scrutinized each ingredient from the start.

Suddenly.

"Star Remains... You can get Star Remains?!" Mu Xuan Ying abruptly looked up.

"The kind that's shiny and glittery?" Ji Jingqiu recalled and asked.

Mu Xuan Ying felt like cursing, 'Fcking shiny and glittery powder.'

"Most of the ingredients in this prescription were left by my parents before they passed away. Since the dosage is small, it's enough for me to use until adulthood."

Mu Xuan Ying suppressed his emotions and reminded himself to stay calm.

The original text can be found in the 6th chapter of the novel.

This wasn't the first time he had lost his composure around this kid.

What's so special about Star Remains? It's just a rare resource in the depths of the Heavenly Road, something that the Heavenly Master would compete for.

Can it compare to his Mu family's ultimate legacy—the Flame Prison Buddha Hell?

Can it compare to the Bodhi Tree? Can it compare to the Supreme Wisdom Light?

Star Remains, how laughable.

After reading the prescription, Mu Xuan Ying pondered for a moment, considering the medicinal combination. He then returned to the instruments and conducted ten simulation experiments.

"I need time to research. If this prescription is indeed effective, it will prove that some of my previous speculations were correct. The principle of the Demon Plague is indeed related to the Mind Ocean and the gene-editing project's revelation."

After a moment, Mu Xuan Ying spoke solemnly.

"The emergence and approach of the Mind Ocean have been changing our world. The greatest change is in the Martial Dao."

At this point, Mu Xuan Ying instructed:

"You don't need to think too much about this matter. Just focus on making progress in the Martial Dao. The Martial Dao is the path to approaching the Mind Ocean and the only way to touch the truth."

"I'll leave this challenge to me!"

Ji Jingqiu solemnly replied, "Rest assured, Mu Lao. I understand."

Mu Xuan Ying also reminded him not to casually go to those small testing agencies in the future.

Unless it's a Moonlight Detection Agency that provides "absolute confidentiality" as its service.

"You can't always come to me. The Moonlight Detection Agency is trustworthy. They are backed by the Qin family, one of the six major families. The Qin family's core legacy, 'Heaven-Fearing Righteousness', emphasizes keeping one's word and honoring contracts. They would never break their word or go against their principles; otherwise, the entire clan would be punished."

Only then did Ji Jingqiu realize that the Moonlight Detection Agency had such a powerful background.

Among the seven marshals, Marshal Qin was known for his integrity and trustworthiness, keeping his word as solid as gold!

Taking this opportunity, Ji Jingqiu also inquired about the body technique that the Supreme Buddha Sect possessed, which complemented the 'Flame Prison Buddha Hell'.

He was only one limit away from breaking through the fifth limit.

After breaking through the five limits, he would need to condense the True Seed and attempt to forge the Body Essence.

"The Supreme Buddha Sect?" Mu Xuan Ying frowned, "My Mu family's 'Flame Prison Buddha Hell' doesn't have a complementary body technique. They're just researching blindly."

Mu Lao's attitude towards the Supreme Buddha Sect was obviously very poor.

"These idiots just like to live in their own fantasy world."

No complementary body technique? Ji Jingqiu was surprised. What kind of Body Essence did Marshal Mu forge back then?

"None of the seven marshals forged a Body Essence." Mu Xuan Ying explained, "The earliest martial artists relied solely on exploring the Mind Ocean to obtain vast resources, forcibly enhancing their physical bodies."

"The later Body Essences were also developed based on their own experiences and passed down to the world."

"My Mu family's ancestor created and left behind a Visualization Chart, but no body technique."

Ji Jingqiu understood.

"Shouldn't you be heading to the Core Zone?" Mu Xuan Ying asked.

"Yes, in two months."

"Then there's no rush. When the time comes, you can get a compatibility test done at the Moonlight Detection Agency and then figure out a way to obtain this body technique."

Mu Xuan Ying nodded,

"With your talent, it shouldn't be difficult. Also, the Core Zone is very interesting. With your level of mental cultivation, you should be able to enjoy it."

Ji Jingqiu was filled with curiosity.

During this time, he had searched for related information, but this news seemed to be blocked on the forums.

Li Buyi also didn't know.

This guy hadn't been to the Core Zone either! The entry examination for the Core Zone is extremely strict, so it's not easy for the Supreme Buddha Sect to get someone in.

So a few days ago, he specifically tested the attitude of the 'Bone Luohan'.

Mu Xuan Ying smiled, "It's a place where you won't die as long as you believe you won't."

Ji Jingqiu wondered if this meant that the medical technology was very advanced.

But when he asked further, Mu Lao refused to reveal more and sent him away, saying that revealing such secrets beforehand would lessen the surprise.

After leaving Mu Lao's laboratory...

Ji Jingqiu went to Grandpa Zhuang's shrine for a walk.

Grandpa Zhuang wasn't there, but Mu Heishan was, teaching a boy with a smile.

The boy was the one Ji Jingqiu had met before.

"Big Brother Ji!" The boy exclaimed in surprise.

"Jingqiu?" Mu Heishan seemed surprised by Ji Jingqiu's appearance. "Why aren't you accompanying Elder Ji? Didn't they say they're leaving tonight? Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

Ji Jingqiu stopped in his tracks.

Leaving tonight?

"Yes." Mu Heishan's expression turned serious. "Isn't it a tour group? They said they're leaving tonight, with the first stop being Dong San Yan Xing to observe the future Master Dojo."

Ji Jingqiu patted the boy's head and turned to leave.

Last night, he had insomnia and didn't know when he fell asleep. He felt dizzy and disoriented, so he was a bit late. There will be another chapter tonight. This book doesn't have a very dramatic climax plot, and I originally wanted to create a bigger one, such as releasing the Dao Treasure ahead of time, but I gave up because it felt like it would deplete the sense of anticipation. In terms of the plot, I still want to take a more stable approach, so the rhythm may seem slow. Some plot twists need to be collected and laid out. My plan is to maintain a steady rhythm, so I'll try to update more frequently. I'll continue to work hard in the following period until I feel like I can't hold on anymore.

...

...

Additionally, this book doesn't have many realms, and in fact, the protagonist's progress is quite fast. There is no level suppression, and the True Seed stage is the early climax stage. In the next few days, he will be heading to the Core Zone.

...

...

There will be another chapter later!

Keep writing!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end