Over the years, various organizations from Nova and related departments have unearthed remarkable artifacts from the Old Earth, but the one-meter-wide golden bamboo was unprecedented. It was cut open to create small boats, a considerable feat even in the pre-Qin period!

The major institutions of Nova had previously clashed over a few golden bamboo slips, and now, a living bamboo with vibrant life energy had emerged. The bamboo boat was adorned with over a dozen branches, all with leaves that occasionally shed golden light, showering down on the woman who lay there as if in a deep sleep.

A female researcher from Nova explained that the bamboo branches brought to the surface were cut from the boat.

"Are you saying she still has a chance to come back to life?" A man wearing black-rimmed glasses, self-identified as Qian Lei, asked, earnestly trying to grasp the situation.

Those in charge took this place seriously; anything related to immortality was significant. Not only were Nova's financial magnates concerned, but the Old Earth was as well.

"There's no chance. She has been dead for thousands of years; the self-awareness that defines humanity has long since dissipated, and the bioelectricity in her brain has collapsed."

Zhou Yu, one of the project leaders, was acutely aware that the woman had been dead for at least three thousand years. The only mystery was why her physical vitality remained.

After testing and analysis, they concluded that it was linked to the golden boat and her own supernatural powers.

"Please elaborate," Qian Lei requested, needing detailed information since the Old Earth would certainly be involved in the ongoing research at this underground facility.

The Nova researchers explained the discovery of this underground relic, their recent research directions, and the preliminary results they had obtained. Zhou Yu added, knowing well what the Old Earth was most concerned about.

"Tests indicate she was around twenty-five at the time of her death."

"That young?" Qian Lei was startled. Being in a special department, he knew much more about pre-Qin sorcerers than most; it was unheard of for someone in their twenties to become a top-tier sorcerer.

"Actually, that age reflects her biological vitality. Various methods suggest she was approximately two hundred and thirty years old at the time of her death. It's astonishing; her cellular division and mitochondrial consumption rates far exceed those of ordinary humans."

Qian Lei's expression turned serious as he adjusted his glasses. "Is the data credible?"

Zhou Yu understood what he or his superiors hoped for; immortality had always been a timeless topic of intrigue and mystery. Many sought answers, from the pre-Qin era to the present, repeating ancient stories that had drawn countless heroes.

However, the current financial magnates were more direct, publicly investing massive resources, and they had already achieved preliminary results.

Zhou Yu continued, "The cause of her death is unknown, but it was definitely not natural. Based on her physical vitality, theoretically, she could have lived to be seven hundred, with an upper limit of around nine hundred fifty."

Qian Lei felt unsettled; he knew what this implied. If reported, this underground facility would become one of the Old Earth's most critical laboratories, and security would escalate to the highest level.

Researchers from the Old Earth reviewed data reports, nodding repeatedly with excitement. This underground facility had conducted many experiments using the woman's blood, bone marrow, and muscle fibers, with reliable data and conclusions.

Wang Xuan listened intently; the fact that a two-hundred-thirty-year-old sorceress maintained the vitality of someone in their twenties was indeed remarkable. He knew that such an accomplished sorcerer must have visited the Inner Landscape.

"Her mitochondrial telomere length far exceeds that of ordinary humans, theoretically greatly enhancing her lifespan."

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Several researchers from the Old Earth were eager to participate in the project immediately.

Zhou Yu stated, "We extracted a remarkable substance from her blood that can extend the lifespan of ordinary individuals."

Qian Lei's expression grew serious. "Do you have any phased results? I mean clinical trials—are there real cases of extended lifespan for normal people?"

"There are. One significant client on the Nova side, also one of our investors, provided thirty percent of the funding for this underground facility. After we injected the active substance extracted from the sorceress's blood, we tracked him for over two years. Originally near the end of his lifespan, he theoretically now has another fifteen years to live."

At this revelation, the Old Earth researchers were astounded.

Even Wang Xuan couldn't help but marvel; the sorceress had been dead for over three thousand years, yet her body still harbored some longevity traits, which was truly extraordinary, almost like the legendary flesh of Tang Seng.

Qian Lei's face changed immediately. "Do you have more clients like this? How much active substance have you extracted from the sorceress?"

Zhou Yu replied, "There are other major clients awaiting our samples, but we don't want to exhaust our resources. For years, we've tried to artificially cultivate cells from the sorceress, but the results were unsatisfactory. Her blood contains supernatural power, and once it leaves her body, its properties become extremely unstable, leading to multiple lab explosion incidents."

"We have another experiment planned, intending to upload the thoughts and memories of a Nova volunteer into the sorceress's brain, hoping to reactivate the bioelectricity within her brain and potentially allow another person to be reborn using her immense vitality."

"No!" Qian Lei interjected urgently, raising his voice slightly.

Wang Xuan was also stunned; such an experiment actually existed?

"On the Nova side, this technology has reached a certain level. To our researchers, all humans are essentially no different from machines, just with more complexity. Human brain activity is merely a series of complex programs that can theoretically be replicated."

Qian Lei said sternly, "This experiment must be paused; we cannot proceed with this."

Then he inquired, "Who is the volunteer?" He felt that an ordinary person would never get such an opportunity; this was about resurrecting the sorceress's body for immortality.

"It's the founder of our Origin Life Research Institute—Ms. Zheng," Zhou Yu calmly disclosed. Sixty percent of the funding to build this underground facility came from Ms. Zheng.

Qian Lei remarked, "If we are to cooperate, we need to devise the safest plan possible. This experiment is too risky and not suitable for the current stage."

"Personally, I also oppose resurrecting another person's thoughts within her; I prefer a more comprehensive approach—dissecting the sorceress entirely, using the most advanced life instruments from Nova to record and decode her genetic information, fundamentally analyzing and compiling the microscopic structure of this individual who breaks the ceiling of human life..."

Wang Xuan felt speechless at this point, mourning for the sorceress. Even after being dead for thousands of years, she was not allowed peace, continually having her blood drawn, and now facing dissection.

Qian Lei was taken aback; this seemingly calm woman was surprisingly radical. He quickly spoke up, "Don't act rashly; some experiments must be shelved until our plan is finalized. Cooperation naturally requires mutual benefit."

...

"This bamboo contains supernatural powers and possesses remarkable vitality. After our refinement, we found that the life factors it contains are not inferior to those in the sorceress's body."

When the discussion turned to the thick bamboo that had been turned into a small boat, Zhou Yu became animated once more.

Wang Xuan, unable to resist, asked a nearby researcher, "Were there no bamboo slips or other discoveries in this underground cavern? A powerful sorceress like her surely left behind more."

The researcher shook his head. "No. When we entered, the cavern appeared to have experienced a massive explosion, with many areas charred black. Any bamboo slips would have turned to ashes."

Based on his description, both Qingmu and the two Old Earth martial experts, as well as Qian Lei, who was already powerful, wore extremely serious expressions.

Qingmu said solemnly, "From your account, this resembles accounts left by other pre-Qin sorcerers."

"Exactly," one of the martial experts from the Old Earth nodded. "This seems akin to descriptions of a failed ascension leading to an explosion."

The concept of ascension had long been debated; some believed it was a way to embrace death by harnessing supernatural power through self-immolation, while others considered it a sign of imminent ascension to immortality, pushing life's level to its peak.

Unfortunately, throughout the long years, there had been no empirical evidence; everyone associated with ascension had been found dead.

In fact, the "archaeological teams" sent by the Nova magnates had previously excavated human-shaped ashes of such individuals from the Old Earth, finding no dignity in their deaths.

This woman had been mentioned in other pre-Qin bamboo slips, recognized as a top-tier sorceress aspiring for immortality; naturally, she would have sought the path of ascension.

Regrettably, it seemed she too had failed. This also explained why, with such a long lifespan, she was dead.

From a scientific perspective, there were no detectable injuries, and the cause of death remained a mystery.

However, from the viewpoint of ancient practices, it suggested that her mental will had been shattered, utterly obliterated. Such a person could never return to life.

Wang Xuan was lost in thought again; here was yet another case of failed ascension!