Chapter 3605: Getting To Work

The moment Lin Mu gave his agreement, the atmosphere within the Elder Council shifted from cautious deliberation to immediate action.

The Foxkin were not a race that lingered on decisions once they had been made. Orders were issued swiftly, and within moments, several elders had already begun coordinating the work required for the construction and modification of the space vessel.

A group of elders from the Formation and Craft branches rose and departed, their movements calm yet purposeful. Daoist Chu was quick to follow them, his scholarly curiosity already ignited.

The opportunity to work on a space vessel designed to withstand chaotic spatial storms was not something he would let pass. As he left, he gave Lin Mu a knowing look, one that conveyed both excitement and anticipation.

This was his field, and Lin Mu knew he would excel in it.

With that matter set into motion, Lin Mu turned his attention to the task that had been entrusted to him by the Guardian Beasts.

The two elders who remained by his side were those directly connected to the problem. The Flame Fur Foxkin elder, Huoyang, carried an aura of contained heat, his presence steady and grounded like a furnace flame that could erupt at any moment.

Beside him, the Frost Fox elder, Yinglei, was his perfect opposite, her aura calm and cold, like a frozen lake that hid immeasurable depth beneath its surface.

The contrast between the two was striking, yet their cooperation was seamless.

As they led Lin Mu out of the central sanctum and into the deeper sections of the Heart of the Mother Forest, Lin Mu began asking questions.

"I assume the two of you are the leaders of your respective tribes?" he asked.

Both elders shook their heads almost at the same time.

"We are not," Huoyang replied.

Lin Mu’s brows furrowed slightly at that.

Yinglei clarified with a faint smile. "We are no longer involved in the daily affairs of our tribes. We have taken the role of ancestors."

Lin Mu nodded slowly as understanding dawned upon him.

This structure was familiar. It mirrored the systems used in many human sects and dynasties, where the strongest and oldest members would step back from governance and become stabilizing pillars behind the scenes, allowing the younger generation to take charge of administration and growth.

"It ensures continuity," Huoyang added. "And prevents stagnation."

Lin Mu could not disagree with that.

He then shifted the topic toward something more immediate.

"The Frost Fox Tribe resides on the Eastern Prism Sky Continent," he said. "Will their distance pose a problem for our investigation?"

Yinglei shook her head.

"There is no issue," she replied. "The Heart of the Mother Forest houses a direct teleportation array connected to the Eastern Continent. We can summon them here or travel there at any time."

Lin Mu felt a measure of relief hearing that. The need for direct observation was already clear to him, and distance would have complicated things significantly.

"That will be useful," he said. "I will likely need to observe a large number of individuals. Especially those of pure blood."

Huoyang nodded.

"We can gather them," he said. "Perhaps seventy percent of the available pure blood members can be brought here in batches."

Lin Mu did a quick mental calculation but ultimately decided not to overthink it yet. He did not know how many samples he would need, and it would depend entirely on what he discovered during the initial stages.

"That should hopefully suffice for now," he said.

Their path eventually led them to a large structure that blended seamlessly into the forest. Unlike conventional buildings, this one appeared to have grown rather than been constructed.

Massive roots formed its foundation, while thick branches arched overhead to create a natural dome. Soft green light filtered through layers of leaves, illuminating the interior with a calming glow.

"This is the Healing Hall," Yinglei said.

Inside, several Foxkin were already present, seated calmly or lying on vine-crafted beds. The air was rich with medicinal fragrances, and faint pulses of healing arrays could be felt interwoven with the natural energy of the place.

Five members from the Flame Fur Tribe and five from the Frost Fox Tribe had been gathered for initial examination.

Lin Mu wasted no time.

He began with the simplest method, extending his immortal sense and carefully scanning each individual. He observed their meridians, their dantians, their blood circulation, and the subtle fluctuations of their bloodline aura.

Nothing.

Everything appeared... normal.

Too normal.

He frowned slightly but did not stop.

"Blood samples," he requested.

The Foxkin complied without hesitation. Small vials of blood were collected and brought to him.

Lin Mu observed them closely, both externally and internally through his immortal sense. He dissected the structure of the blood, analyzing the composition of its Qi, the traces of bloodline essence, and the subtle interactions between its components.

Still nothing.

He activated the analysis arrays within the Healing Hall, feeding the samples into them one by one. Complex formations lit up, scanning and interpreting the data at a level even most alchemists could not achieve.

The result was... frustrating.

The arrays could detect the presence of bloodline degeneration.

But they could not define it.

It was like identifying a disease without being able to determine its cause.

Lin Mu did not stop there.

He tried alternative approaches. He used his spatial perception to examine the internal structure of the blood at a deeper level, attempting to see if there were distortions or anomalies hidden within its fabric.

Nothing.

He tested the Beast Qi.

Carefully, he introduced minute amounts into the blood samples.

No reaction.

He increased the amount slightly.

The result was rejection.

The Beast Qi simply did not integrate. It behaved exactly as it would with a human body that lacked compatibility.

Even when he attempted direct infusion into the Foxkin under controlled conditions, their bodies rejected it outright.

Lin Mu exhaled slowly.

"This is not working," he muttered inwardly, feeling a bit frustrated.

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