Although Dr. Xu had realized what Jiang Xing was planning and regretted not going all-in with an even bigger reveal himself…
He obviously no longer had the chance.
Not because he lacked sufficiently shocking research results, but because unlike Jiang Xing, he hadn't accumulated so many achievements in such a short period of time and released them all at once.
At this moment, he could only watch as Jiang Xing continued his explanation from the podium.
With the existence of the Return Formula, calculating the actual changes in Friendship and assigning concrete numerical values to them was only natural.
The combination of these two achievements also piqued the interest of part of the audience.
Compared to the elusive and ever-changing "emotional power," Friendship with actual numerical values was clearly easier for people to understand and calculate.
As a result, although these two achievements seemed plain and ordinary, they were indispensable cornerstones of the entire Friendship field!
With them as a foundation, future research related to Friendship would become vastly easier.
'Looks like, compared to all kinds of flashy evolutions, Jiang Xing wants to solidify the very foundation of Friendship first…'
'That's what a true scholar looks like…'
Just as many people were feeling emotional, Jiang Xing had already finished explaining the third topic: The Evolution Conditions of the Clouddown Bird.
After this topic concluded, anticipation began rising among the crowd—
The Ugly Waterfowl's three evolutionary forms were obviously going to be announced together.
So next, was he finally going to reveal the evolution conditions of the Abyssal Water Phoenix Fledgling?!
However, Jiang Xing suddenly said, "After completing the Clouddown Bird's evolution and obtaining the Return Formula, we quickly discovered a problem with this Pet Beast."
"The power of the Return move it unleashed was abnormally high."
"And we had already confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the Return move itself…"
"So does this imply that the Clouddown Bird possesses some unknown variable capable of influencing move power?"
Most ordinary viewers were far more interested in the evolution conditions of Pet Beasts like the Abyssal Water Phoenix Fledgling and couldn't care less about Return moves or unknown variables. They only hoped Jiang Xing would hurry and get to the main topic.
But the people sitting inside the lecture hall were genuine researchers, and this unknown variable immediately drew their attention, causing them to fall into deep thought.
In the world of research, every abnormal phenomenon must have a reason behind it.
So what exactly was causing the Clouddown Bird's anomaly?
Some researchers began discussing it in low voices, while even Dr. Amru sank into contemplation.
Lowering his voice, he asked Dr. Xu beside him, "What do you think the reason is?"
"Attribute."
"No way." Dr. Amru shook his head. "If it's an attribute issue, then either Jiang Xing's testing was flawed, or there exists an undetectable attribute with no suppression or resistance interaction against any known attribute."
"If it were merely a testing error, Jiang Xing would've discovered it long ago. There'd be no reason for him to bring it up here."
"As for an attribute with no suppression interactions… after all these years, would something like that really exist just for the sake of a single Return move? A mistaken Talent sounds more believable."
I said it was an attribute—why are you overanalyzing it?
Dr. Xu shrugged.
Meanwhile, the Giant Magnet Entity used its psychic power to lift a move-testing machine onto the stage.
Two Clouddown Birds also flew up and landed on Jiang Xing's shoulders.
Jiang Xing then began recounting the thought process he had gone through during his research over the past few days.
The researchers below the stage all nodded repeatedly, able to fully understand his line of reasoning and thought process.
Then, Jiang Xing suddenly changed tone.
"But my teacher reminded me of something."
"Why can't we assume that a brand-new attribute with no suppression interactions exists?"
"No matter how absurd this hypothesis may sound, it is not entirely impossible."
"And as long as there is a possibility, we should test it first before making a judgment."
"So…"
"Clouddown Bird, Return!"
On the stage, Jiang Xing commanded the Clouddown Bird to attack the move-testing machine, beginning a live demonstration.
Metal, Wood, Water…
He listed every attribute on the testing machine and tried them one by one.
At this moment, the researchers below the stage—as well as countless viewers watching from television screens—finally realized what Jiang Xing was doing—
He was recreating the entire experiment, trying to let everyone experience the process of discovery alongside him!
This was undoubtedly an extremely bold approach, yet it successfully captured everyone's interest.
In the Beast Taming world, researchers held extremely high social status. Many people had once dreamed of becoming researchers themselves, only to fall short academically and fail to enter those top-tier programs.
But now, they could follow alongside one of the era's rising researchers and personally experience the process of discovery.
Wasn't this the ultimate fulfillment of a childhood fantasy? The sense of immersion was overwhelming.
As they watched Jiang Xing standing on the stage, their hearts filled with anticipation.
Although no one truly believed Jiang Xing could detect the reaction of a brand-new attribute—
After all, for so many years, the existing twenty-five attributes had already become deeply ingrained in people's minds, turning into fundamental laws of the world taught from childhood onward.
Subconsciously, people simply believed there could be no further discoveries.
But since Jiang Xing had deliberately chosen this style of presentation, he must have already obtained a result—and an extremely important one at that!
Even if it wasn't a new attribute, the result would definitely be something astonishing!
They watched eagerly as Jiang Xing tested the move, watching one attribute after another cycle across the machine, hoping he would finish the attribute tests quickly and move on to the next phase.
This was obviously just buildup. The real surprise was definitely coming soon!
However, at that exact moment—
A completely different result appeared on the move-testing machine.
Dark: Double effectiveness.
Mm, another no-reaction result. Next one—
Wait?!
What the hell was that?!
Everyone froze.
They stared blankly at the number displayed on the move-testing machine—the value was twice as high as the other attributes—and for a moment, nobody could process what they were seeing.
As if to prove it wasn't a data error—
The Clouddown Bird rammed into the machine once more and produced the exact same result.
Dark: Double effectiveness.
At that instant, scholars throughout the lecture hall rose to their feet in unison, staring toward the stage in shock, trying to see the results more clearly.
Dr. Amru even rushed directly to the edge of the stage, staring at the displayed data in disbelief—
The Return move had actually produced an attribute effectiveness reaction?!
How was that possible?!
It was supposed to be a Normal-type move without any effectiveness interactions!
No…
Suddenly, Dr. Amru realized something.
The Return move was no longer an ordinary move.
Jiang Xing had already proven that it used the emotional energy symbolizing Friendship rather than ordinary energy.
It was a "Friendship move"!
The entire lecture hall fell silent.
Completely silent.
Everyone watched as Jiang Xing switched attributes again and calmly issued another command.
"Clouddown Bird, Return."
Light: Weakened.
Dark: Effective.
Psychic: Weakened.
Undead: Effective…
At this moment, an entirely new attribute finally unveiled itself before the eyes of everyone present.
Inside the utterly silent lecture hall, Jiang Xing turned around and spoke.
"Everyone, the results are obvious."
"Within the Return move, beyond the twenty-five known attributes, we have discovered a twenty-sixth attribute."
"This is my fourth research achievement—"
"The Effectiveness Reactions of the Return Move."
After Jiang Xing finished speaking, the lecture hall still remained deathly silent.
Everyone stared in shock at the utterly ordinary-looking move-testing machine on the stage.
It felt as though only a few seconds had passed.
And yet, it also felt like decades.
Dr. Xu was the first to raise his hands and begin applauding forcefully.
Then came Su Muli, Dr. Amru, the other researchers…
Very quickly, thunderous applause erupted throughout the entire lecture hall and continued for a long time without fading.
If every attribute in the Beast Taming world represented a foundational cornerstone of the world, a fundamental law, a pathway toward godhood…
Then at this very moment, they had personally witnessed the "birth" of the twenty-sixth law!
As the applause gradually subsided and the scholars inside the lecture hall slowly regained their composure—
Jiang Xing pressed a button on the remote control, and the projector switched to a brand-new document.
Then he spoke.
"Next, I will demonstrate my fifth research achievement."
"The Hypothesis and Verification of Emotional Moves."
Everyone: "…?!"
There's more?!
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I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
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