Mentioned earlier.

The cultivation techniques in the Damo Realm are divided into four levels: Wild, Origin, Profound, and Spirit, with Wild being the lowest and Spirit being the highest.

The Wild level is suitable for cultivators of all aptitudes, but going upward gradually starts to have requirements on aptitude.

For instance, Origin-level techniques require cultivators with more than three spiritual roots to comprehend, while Profound level demands at least dual spiritual roots.

Spirit-level techniques can only be cultivated by those with single spiritual roots.

However, there are exceptions under certain conditions, such as... mutated spiritual roots.

Generally speaking, mutated spiritual roots come in two types.

One is direct mutation in attribute, such as the common transformation from Water Spirit Root to Ice Spirit Root, Gold Spirit Root to Thunder Spirit Root, and so on.

The other is an enhancement in the essence of the spiritual root, for example, although originally dual spiritual roots, a mutated part may be able to absorb spiritual energy nearly as effectively as a single root.

To put it more directly... let's take the unlucky guy who drank contaminated water as an example; let's just call him Hashimoto Xiaohui.

The first situation is where Hashimoto Xiaohui drank too much water and grew an extra limb.

The second situation is where one side of his... got bigger due to mutation, so sometimes he walks unsteadily, prone to stumbling.

In summary.

Dual spiritual root cultivators with mutated spiritual roots can sometimes cultivate Spirit-level techniques.

Mo Shaonan is such a case.

At this moment.

In the laboratory, Lin Li summarized the gathered information into a sentence:

"So... Mo Peidong set up schemes early on to make Mo Shaonan completely trust him from childhood, in order to obtain Mo Shaonan's dual spiritual roots.

Ultimately, when the beast tide occurred, he performed the Great Perfection Dharma, seized Mo Shaonan's foundation, and continued to live under this identity until his eventual death?"

Wang Jun nodded, saying:

"Currently... it seems to be like that, or rather, theoretically, this is the only possibility without concrete evidence."

Beside them, Wang Qiang looked at Mo Shaonan's portrait of capturing the demon tiger, still finding it hard to believe:

"But they are uncle and nephew. They set up a scheme for several years, even decades, just for a root that can cultivate, and finally betrayed their own nephew? Isn't this... too cold-blooded?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ning glanced at her, sighed a little, then said:

"Wang Qiang, we must believe in the goodness of human nature, but we must not underestimate its evil.

Conflicts between brothers and estrangement between fathers and sons for the sake of interests, have they ever been few in history?

Let's not talk about the distant past. On the night our Fire Squad was formed, I watched the '1818 Golden Eye' before bed, which was about a case of fratricide due to demolition compensation.

Even in local cases involving only seventy to eighty thousand bucks, people act this way. How much more so in the extraordinary cultivator-centric world like the Damo Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang pursed her lips and stopped speaking.

As Ma Ning said.

The goodness in human nature is always a bright side worthy of expectation, but where there is light, there is darkness, so the evil in human nature must never be underestimated.

Minor evil harms individuals, major evil harms nations.

These days, those people living next door prove just how vicious human nature can be even in times of peace.

If local people can act this way, then Damo Realm, which is even more brutal, is certainly worse.

Mo Peidong's aptitude was merely three spiritual roots. Foundation Establishment Level Two could be said to be the ceiling of his cultivation in this lifetime.

At most, he'd be lucky to break through one or two more levels.

Forget about reaching Core Formation Realm; he has no hope of reaching high-level Foundation Establishment.

Under such circumstances, he obtained 'Golden Sword Technique' and 'Great Perfection Dharma' by chance, and his family held a descendant with mutated dual spiritual roots. What choice do you think he'd make?

To be fair.

In such a decision, even in the Damo Realm, many reasonable people would likely prefer to live an ordinary life without extending poison to their family descendants.

This is due to the good side of human nature.

From another perspective.

If someone chooses to perform the 'Great Perfection Dharma' on that descendant, though the act is utterly hateful and shameful, the motive is somewhat understandable.

Thus... tragedy occurred.

In front of the ample evidence Wang Jun's team found, this hypothesis is close to the concrete truth, and the only remaining issue is whether one is willing to believe.

Meanwhile.

This hypothesis also explains why 'Mo Shaonan' preferred to pass away in the secret chamber rather than venture out to help the Mo Family expand its territory:

The family tree once recorded that Mo Peidong was a non-core member who had to advance his offerings, and after his wife's death, he became a marginalized person.

In such circumstances, what hope do you have for family allegiance from someone who'd dare to harm his own nephew?

This kind of thing simply doesn't exist.

Then Lin Li was about to say something to adjust the atmosphere when he suddenly noticed Patriarch Wei's face, which appeared as if he wanted to speak but hesitated. He proactively asked:

"Patriarch Wei, have you discovered something new?"

Being directly questioned by Lin Li, Patriarch Wei no longer hesitated and spoke:

"It's not exactly a discovery... it's just that I feel something is strange.

The 'Great Perfection Dharma' is a forbidden technique of the Damo Realm, and it's unlikely you'll find a copy even in Ziqiong City. How did Mo Peidong, who was only at the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm at the time, obtain such a cultivation technique?

Moreover, the 'Foundation Stealing Array' required for the Great Perfection Dharma is extremely complicated to set up. Performing the Great Perfection Dharma during a beast tide would be impossible without prior preparation."

Patriarch Wei's words implied more. Lin Li, after some thought, understood the underlying meaning:

"You mean... Mo Peidong knew or perhaps even orchestrated the beast tide?"

Patriarch Wei nodded affirmatively:

"Exactly, I think that's possible."

Perhaps inspired by Patriarch Wei's words, Dai Chaohong suddenly brightened up:

"Wait a second, it might not just be knowing about the beast tide!"

Seeing everyone looking at him, Dai Chaohong organized his thoughts and pointed to the ice coffin:

"Perhaps Mo Peidong discovered that the Great Perfection Dharma is also related to the ice coffin, otherwise it's hard to explain why he stayed with the ice coffin until his death.

And don't forget the content of the second painting on the stone slab... when the demonic beast descends, there's an eyeball and a coffin next to the black hole.

If the ice coffin could guide the arrival of the passage... it would make sense that Mo Peidong could prepare the Foundation Stealing Array in advance."

The people present were not fools; after hearing Dai Chaohong's words, they almost simultaneously came to their own conclusions.

The appearance of the ice coffin is indeed too mysterious. Not to mention, the possible 'vacuum' inside it is a matter comparable to twenty Nascent Soul Realms.

Let alone those helium-iron microcrystals forming isolation barriers, the presence of such a microcrystalline barrier isn't just about adding a compound to rabbits' chemistry textbooks.

Although the specific analysis process has not yet started,

preliminary analysis by several teams suggests that helium-iron microcrystals could be a crucial cornerstone in causing a qualitative change in rabbits' individual weapons.

This "qualitative change" targets only one thing: Cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm!

Besides.

Although the age analysis of the stone slab and ice coffin hasn't been completed yet — with the latter being impossible, almost everyone has a hypothesis:

The ice coffin is definitely not a product of this era!

And the discovery of such a mysterious object along with the Great Perfection Dharma seems quite plausible.

With this in mind, Lin Li couldn't sit still and quickly said to Wang Qiang:

"Xiao Wang, Assistant Zhang isn't here right now, quickly check where 'Mo Peidong' fell!"

'Mo Peidong' sacrificed himself to save 'Mo Shaonan' and ultimately fell, marking a critical turning point in the life of the Mo Family's third ancestor.

At least from the clan's perspective, ever since then, Mo Shaonan abandoned the spear for the sword, as a tribute to Mo Peidong's past — an absolutely significant change.

Thus, the beast tide that caused such an outcome must have been recorded in detail in the clan's records.

Wang Qiang, known for her seriousness when needed, nodded immediately and said:

"Understood, I'll check right now."

Tap tap tap—

The crisp sound of the keyboard echoed in the empty laboratory as everyone remained silent, all awaiting a result.

After about ten minutes, Wang Qiang lifted her head with an ecstatic expression:

"Professor, I found it. The beast tide occurred near 'Qian Gu Mountain', about two hundred and fifty kilometers from Sheepback City and approximately three hundred kilometers in a straight line from us.

According to maps drawn by Manager Bu of the Hu Fei Group, Qian Gu Mountain has a larger area than Xiaolianzi Mountain, with the highest peak reaching nearly two thousand meters.

The geological conditions are unknown due to the distance, but a small amount of demonic beasts might exist in the mountain.

Oh, and the clan records mention that Mo Peidong's wife's tomb is there too."

Hearing this, Lin Li exchanged glances with Ma Ning and others, then turned to Yan Shaohua and said:

"Captain Yan, please organize a team to explore the area around Qian Gu Mountain immediately.

Don't send too many, but make sure they are well-equipped, don't hesitate to use the 'first-gen-plus' equipment.

Their sole objective is to search for traces related to the ice coffin. Given the current situation, Qian Gu Mountain is likely the first discovery site of the ice coffin.

If any anomalies or demonic beast passages are found, report to headquarters immediately!

By the way, please inform the guards that the laboratory needs to tighten security, considering there is an inherent risk in the ice coffin."

Yan Shaohua nodded, stood at attention, and saluted:

"Understood, I'll arrange the task immediately!"

After Yan Shaohua left, Lin Li said to Wang Qiang:

"Xiao Wang, continue decoding the ice coffin with your team, integrating the project with Xuan Yi, classified at the same level as the beast crystals.

Once there's a result from the slab's age testing, notify me immediately, likewise if there are signs of the ice coffin opening. Later, I'll have Assistant Zhang issue the authorization and research plan to you."

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