The Past
Unfortunately, current technology hasn't advanced to the point where cameras can be installed everywhere; otherwise, reviewing surveillance footage might yield some clues.
Zhu Hao examined the corpse and analyzed, "The deceased was killed with a single blow, cleaved in two by a sharp weapon. To do that, one would need considerable cultivation and strength."
He gestured with his hands and then said, "The suspicion of ordinary people can be ruled out; the murderer must be a master."
Human bones are very hard. If an ordinary person doesn't master the technique of exerting force, they might get stuck when trying to cut someone's neck, or even break the sword in the process. Let alone splitting a person in half like chopping wood, strength, skill, and weapon are all indispensable.
Wei Chunxi said, "Don't you have a young girl who can Mind-Reading Technique? Have her investigate all the suspects, and we'll know who did it."
Si Ming, "The theory is feasible, but it's difficult to implement. Yu Shuying's Mind-Reading Technique can only know current thoughts and cannot probe memories. In other words, if the other party doesn't think about this matter, we won't know whether he or she committed the crime."
Wei Chunxi said, "It's simple. Just ask directly. As long as we ask about it face-to-face, the other person will subconsciously think about it, and we'll know the answer."
Zhu Hao shook his head and said, "If the other party has undergone psychological training in this area, they can be fooled by mind Mind-Reading Technique. They just need to develop a conditioned reflex mindset, guess the questions they might be asked in advance, and then prepare their answers beforehand. Even Mind-Reading Technique can only read the answers they have prepared. Ultimately, Mind-Reading Technique has no effect on distinguishing truth from falsehood. If a person can deceive themselves, Mind-Reading Technique will also be fooled."
If the other party is unaware that Yu Shuying can Mind-Reading Technique, and is suddenly asked about it without preparation, they will most likely expose their secrets.
The problem is that Yu Shuying's ability to Mind-Reading Technique is no secret; almost all the middle and upper echelons of the Black Earth Gang know about it, and the murderer is likely also one of those upper echelons. There's no reason not to take precautions.
Why did Yu Shuying insist on spreading the fact that she could Mind-Reading Technique, instead of keeping it a secret?
Si Ming's doubts about this matter deepened. He had originally planned to use the favor of capturing Huyan He to get Yu Shuying to help investigate the octopus monster, but now that plan had completely fallen through.
"Forget it, if this lead is gone, we can look for other leads." Zhu Hao composed himself and said to Si Ming, "The Northern Darkness Party of our Eclectic School holds a three-day auction at the end of every month. According to reports from members of the Black Earth Gang, they saw someone who looks a lot like Ma Shijiu attend this auction. There's only one day left in the auction. Do you want to try and see if you can bump into the person in question?"
"Oh, we've actually found the person in question. Of course, we should meet them; there might be some unexpected surprises."
Si Ming was quite interested. He had long admired auctions, which were a staple of online novels for padding out the numbers. It would be a real shame not to experience one in person.
"Perfect timing, there's something I want at this auction, and you can also be my bodyguard while you're at it." Wei Chunxi had a favor to offer, so he didn't stand on ceremony.
After Si Ming agreed, he was about to make preparations when Zhu Hao stopped him.
"I remember mentioning to you before that I have a fragmented Super Martial Dao Cultivation Method. Why don't you come and take a look?"
Zhu Hao led Si Ming to the large library. After entering the private collection room, they carried out a tortoise shell covered with inscriptions from a secret passage. The tortoise shell was large and heavy. Even though it was just a fragment, it was as big as a dining table. If it were to be reconstructed according to its structure, the complete tortoise shell would be as big as a basketball court.
Having seen many strange and bizarre Demon Beast, Si Ming was not at all surprised that a turtle larger than a whale existed in the world. He went up and looked down to examine it. The handwriting on the turtle shell was exactly the same as the handwriting he had seen on the inner wall of the iceberg in Deep Blue Plateau, clearly written by the same person.
This Cultivation Method is called "The Scroll of Darkness". Like the "Supreme Plain Decay True Scripture" which uses nuclear energy as its core cultivation method, this Cultivation Method uses dark matter as its core cultivation method. The technique section records three ultimate techniques: "Return to the Dark Realm", "Dark Halo Spiral Arm" and "Primordial Black Hole". Unfortunately, only the titles are available, and the content is less than one-tenth of the total content. However, the general outline section retains 80% of the content.
Many people often confuse dark matter with antimatter. The nucleus of antimatter atoms is composed of antiprotons and antineutrons, which carry a negative charge. Antinucleons (antiprotons and antineutrons) form antinuclei, and antinuclei and positrons form antiatoms. Various antiatoms form various types of antimatter.
Antimatter is the opposite state of normal matter. When matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate each other, causing an explosion that releases enormous energy. The energy release rate is much higher than that of a hydrogen bomb explosion.
The concept of "antimatter cannons" often appears in science fiction novels, which originates from this. Other examples, such as "positron cannons," operate on the same principle, but there is no such thing as a "dark matter cannon."
"Dark" is the opposite of "light." Light is visible, while darkness is invisible, so dark matter is a type of matter that cannot be observed.
People know it exists, but they don't know what it is. Its composition is also different from the matter known to mankind. It is smaller than electrons and photons, carries no electric charge, does not interfere with electrons, and can pass through electromagnetic waves and gravitational fields.
In the universe, dark matter has more than five times the energy of known matter. Its density is very small, but its quantity is enormous. In Si Ming's previous life, astronomers at that time, through gravitational lensing, the formation of large-scale structures in the universe, astronomical observations, and the theory of an expanding universe, studied that the density of the universe may be composed of about 68.3% dark energy, 4.9% baryonic matter, and 26.8% dark matter.
The nature of dark matter remains a mystery. It cannot be directly observed, but its existence can be sensed because it can interfere with the light waves or gravity emitted by celestial bodies.
Although it was an incomplete chapter, it retained a lot of the general outline, so Si Ming's talent began to take effect. After reading it three times, he understood the effects of "The Scroll of Darkness".
"It can make a person like dark matter, unobservable and unattackable, easily breaking free from the mental lock of ultimate techniques, making it the natural enemy of all mental Cultivation Method."
Zhu Hao said, "This book, 'The Scroll of Darkness,' was obtained by my friend Lin Xiu during a fortuitous encounter. Because he was wary of the inevitable side effects of the Super Martial Dao series, he dared not cultivate it directly. So he referred to its contents and combined them with his own knowledge to create 'The Illusory Moth Killing Art,' thus earning the name 'Floating Life Sword.'"
Recalling the previous conflict between the Lin siblings and Lin Qingxiang's firm refusal to let Liu Qingqing cultivate the "Illusory Moth Killing Art," Si Ming immediately had a guess. "Could it be that the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' still has hidden dangers Super Martial Dao series, which have not been eliminated, but only had their incubation period extended?"
Zhu Hao said with a blank face, "I promised Qingxiang that I wouldn't reveal the secret, so I can't tell you the truth. You guessed it all yourself; it has nothing to do with me."
Si Ming chuckled, realizing that this was the other party's real intention in showing him the tortoise shell fragments—to ease the tension between the Lin siblings. Having someone in the know would prevent the two from getting into a misunderstanding and conflict, thus avoiding the worst-case scenario.
He continued his reasoning, "Because of the potential dangers, Lin Qingxiang dared not cultivate it. So, you helped modify the Cultivation Method, deleting the content related to the 'Scroll of Darkness' and leaving only the part that Senior Lin himself had learned. That's why the 'Illusory Moth Sword Art' became a sword-drawing technique, without any trace of assassination."
Zhu Hao nodded as he said, "You may have guessed the truth, but I won't admit it. Don't try to dig any secrets out of me."
Chapter 239 The Past
Many corpses lay scattered across the blood-red earth, some belonging to Demon Beast, others to humans. Their wounds were almost identical, for they were all inflicted by the same person.
"Lin Xiu, have you gone mad? Why did you attack your own comrade?"
A warrior from the Chivalry Alliance, wielding a giant axe, questioned him with a look of fear.
"Crazy? No, I'm not crazy. On the contrary, I'm clearer than ever before. I see my true self clearly, I know what I want, all the confusion has been cleared away, and I've finally found the path I'm meant to walk."
A man stood amidst a mass of corpses, holding a blood-stained longsword. He exuded a chilling murderous aura, his figure resembling a ghost or god, inspiring awe in all who beheld him.
He flicked the sword lightly, and the blood on it transformed into moths that drifted away, possessing an indescribable, terrifying beauty.
"Father, wake up! You've Qi Deviation! Quickly circulate your inner energy to calm your mind, don't let your inner demons bewitch you!"
Lin Qingxiang tried to wake his father, but the moment their eyes met, he felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, chilling him to the bone.
The look in the other person's eyes was not that of someone looking at their son; it was more like that of a wild beast hunting its prey.
"Even my family can't understand? What a pity, unable to share my feelings of enlightenment with others," Lin Xiu sighed, then a smile of schadenfreude appeared on his face. "Oh well, it's not a big deal. The path to ultimate strength is ultimately a lonely one. Family and friends alike can't walk with me to the end. Being too persistent only becomes a burden. I couldn't see this in the past, which is why I've been bound in place, unable to move forward. Now it's time to sever all ties."
He leaned forward, assuming an offensive stance.
The swordsman wielding the giant axe hurriedly warned the crowd, "Everyone, be careful!"
"The reminder came too late."