Evolution at the Genetic Level

Chu Wen saw Yuchi Yu's look of sudden realization and patiently helped organize the data.

"This is my grandson's physical data."

"This is Chen Dai's."

"And this portion was left behind by you last time."

"The rest belongs to my former students."

Yuchi Yu placed the nine sets of data together. The optical computer automatically began filtering the results and verifying the hypothesis.

He had Chen Dai come down, then glanced at those vacant eyes and clicked his tongue. "What a strange thing."

"Your physical data shows a synergistic effect within a certain segment."

"Look at these two fitted curves. Their trends are identical, and the R-squared value is infinitely close to 1."

Chu Wen nodded in response. This indicated that the gap between the two was merely one of sequence. In theory, Chen Dai's subsequent path could be fitted to Chu Wen's current strength.

This was unbelievable. Martial artists all had individual differences; it was impossible for two people to be exactly alike.

Yet based on physical data alone, the two of them displayed consistency.

"I suspect that your Jiangnan Martial Faction possesses some special martial art that caused this kind of mutation. But now that Jiangnan Base City has been destroyed, many things from Jiangnan Martial University can no longer be examined in person. There are only simulations from the optical computer's records..."

A trace of regret flashed through Yuchi Yu's eyes. "Can you recall whether you experienced anything at Jiangnan Martial University in the past?"

Chen Dai looked toward Chu Wen as if asking for help.

Chu Wen roughly guessed that this might be the effect of the Primordial Origin Breathing Method, but revealing the breathing method now would not be wise.

"It should have been when our shared teacher, Lu Yun, led us through special training. But Teacher Lu Yun has already sacrificed himself..."

"I see... then that lead has also gone cold." Yuchi Yu changed the subject. "However, there are still some new discoveries."

"The two of you are extremely different from everyone else."

"This is my grandson's data—Rox's. I specifically had him cooperate with my experiment."

"His three-dimensional data is complete, and it conforms to the physical traits of the Yatu Family. He is exceptionally suited to martial cultivation."

Seeing the confusion on Chu Wen and Chen Dai's faces, Yuchi Yu finally remembered something.

"I was being foolish. You both came from humble backgrounds, not martial arts families, so you don't know this."

"Why can martial arts families form? It is because a powerful martial artist improved his own genes. After producing descendants, the genetic adjustments evolved toward a direction more compatible with martial arts. Put simply, they became increasingly suited to martial cultivation."

"The Yatu Family is one of the top three families in the Western European Alliance. In several eras, it even ranked first. At its root, this is because the Aytu Family's genetic tree is exceptionally compatible with martial cultivation in this age."

"That is why they are called geniuses among geniuses—born suited for martial cultivation. How could that not count as talent?"

Yuchi Yu pointed at a series of data. "And those people are the same. Among the martial artists who enter New Hang, their genes become closer to the Yatu Family's sequence. Even without any blood relation, they draw closer. That is why research into genetic diagnosis has hit a bottleneck."

"But you two seem to be exceptions."

Yuchi Yu set a series of programs on the screen. Several cursors began jumping about before stopping at an identical segment in Chu Wen and Chen Dai's data.

"Look. After the two of you underwent special training at Jiangnan Martial University, an extra segment appeared. This is the first time I've seen such a segment. A few days ago, I ran an experiment and transplanted it into mice."

"The result was this."

Several images slid across the screen. One mouse after another lay dead in miserable states, as though they had died suddenly.

All of them had bled from the seven orifices, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles—

Martial sense overload!

It looked very much like those students who had previously suffered martial sense overload!

"And then, there is yesterday's result."

The screen Yuchi Yu displayed changed into a live surveillance feed.

In the footage, a muscular gray mouse stood on two feet, staring intently at a pattern with bright eyes. Its gaze was obscure, even carrying a hint of humanity!

According to the optical computer, two days earlier, this gray mouse had been an ordinary mouse. Now, it had reached beast soldier level!

This was the tiniest beast soldier-level monster Chu Wen had ever seen.

"This is the only one that succeeded, and it was my result from yesterday. That was why I called Rox over to collect data again for comparison."

"You happened to come by, so I collected Chen Dai's data as well."

"The changes in your bodies truly astonish me. But the risks of this genetic segment are currently too high. If it were made public, who knows how many ethical problems it would cause."

"Some criminals might even form forces overnight."

Yuchi Yu's eyes were filled with concern. He also feared that someone might collect data from these two and find this genetic segment.

Under the optical computer's control, all of this became far too easy.

A small amount of skin tissue was enough. Combined with the public human-body data released by the Aytu Family, the abnormality could quickly be discovered!

"So you two must protect yourselves. Also, have everyone from the Jiangnan Martial Faction come here for testing."

"Chen Dai, from now on, you'll be my assistant."

Chen Dai looked helplessly at Chu Wen, who nodded solemnly.

This regional segment was too dangerous. With such a high mortality rate, if it were applied in human experiments, it might truly produce powerful martial artists—but the number of people who died because of it would likely be astronomical!

At the very least, Teacher Yuchi needed more time to study it. It could not be made public rashly.

"But don't worry. Other than you two, no one knows what I'm doing right now. Even Rox doesn't know. That includes those major organizations. We absolutely cannot leak even a scrap of information."

"For now, you only need to be cautious in your daily lives. Later, bring the Jiangnan Martial Faction members here for physical examinations. Just say it's a routine checkup."

"I hope there won't be a third person besides you two. Otherwise, things will truly become a huge mess."

Yuchi Yu was deeply worried. He feared that this was some mutation brought about by a Jiangnan martial art, combined with Chu Wen and Chen Dai's explosive growth...

After helping the professor arrange the physical examination schedule for the next two days, Chu Wen and Chen Dai hurried off to notify the Jiangnan Martial Faction.

On the way, Chu Wen reminded Chen Dai again not to spread word of the breathing method.

Both of them knew perfectly well that this was not some Jiangnan Martial Faction mutation at all. It was purely the Primordial Origin Breathing Method's doing.

What Chu Wen cared about more, however, was that gray mouse.

It had actually adapted to the Primordial Origin Breathing Method through a genetic transplant.

However, the gray mouse lacked the techniques of the Primordial Origin Breathing Method. It was equivalent to having circulated the method only once, with no follow-up afterward.

"Brother Wen, will something happen to us? How about we stay farther away from Teacher Yuchi?"

Thinking of the nickname White-Haired King Yama, then recalling how awkwardly he had sat on the machine just now like a lab mouse, Chen Dai felt uncomfortable all over.

"Dummy, I want to use Teacher Yuchi's research to figure out some of my own current problems. Are you willing to help me?"

He felt that he had taken another step closer to the secret of the Primordial Source Pearl.

As Chu Wen said this, Chen Dai naturally slapped his chest and promised, "Alright. If Brother Wen thinks it's fine, then it's fine."