Applied Immortality

Having his fill picking on the little demons, Wang Qi skipped back to the Immortal Institute in a good mood.

He dropped by the library first to get some paper, then recalled the entire process of his fights to analyze each and every move through math. A couple of scribbled pages later, Wang Qi stared at ten expressions. He took out the Thunder Resonance Blade Art and White Marsh True Array Divider to compare his results with the arts’ formulas.

Wang Qi sighed at one point. “The more I practice, the more it feels like these two blade arts are more abstract than I thought. Did I get too cocky?”

Wang Qi spent the whole of September training in Thunder Resonance Blade Art’s specific blade strikes, and then he got the White Marsh True Array Divider. Practicing the latter’s strikes also took a month. As he used them in live combat against many, many demons, Wang Qi started thinking of coming up with a formula that linked his moves. When the training would result in a battle with no stalled moments, flowing smoothly like a river, he’d have reached the second stage.

Wang Qi believed the second stage of the two blade arts was more of a test of one’s mathematical knowledge, thinking his top-notch skills would overcome it in two months. Reality proved just how wrong he was. The second stage needed real and genuine practice of the art’s moves, applying math only after one got truly familiar with its every strike, not like his watered-down version.

At this rate, graduation would catch him with these two arts untrained.

A certain bookworm found this outcome inexcusable. As Su Junyu said, genuine clansmen trained in their top art since childhood, familiarizing themselves with the moves before entering the Qi Refining Stage. Wang Qi was stuck doing what they had already done. Failing to improve his bladesmanship would result in amateurish moves.

His only fortune was his superior math skills.

He organized his problems before looking into the blade moves for weaknesses and flaws. The research brought about new questions and problems that Wang Qi arranged as well.

He went with the results to the Immortal Institute’s storeroom. Some questions required guidance from a much more seasoned individual.

The bone-chilling wind stiffened Wang Qi as he came out of the library. Every time he felt cold, his mind went back to his ruined magic clothing. With one-third annoyance and two-thirds uncomfortable, Wang Qi wrapped the coat tighter around him on his way out of the teaching area.

Zhen Chanzi cried out on the way to the storeroom. “Such a pure mystical aura.”

Wang Qi took out his blade. “Where?”

Modern cultivation’s appearances were similar to the ancient path. They both used Daoist for experts, but the modern path was in opposition with ancient cultivation’s notion of mystery, an umbrella term for all they couldn’t figure out.

Modern cultivation’s studies, pursuits, and reasonings all pointed toward solving these mysteries. The greatest taboo in seeking Dao was to push this great pursuit all onto one concept, 玄, or mystery. Hence, any reference to mysterious or mystical had ancient cultivation involved in some way or another, pointing out its shortcomings.

[An ancient cultivator got inside Argent Apex headquarters? He must be really something to pull that one off!]

Zhen Chanzi said, “He’s a modern cultivator, talking with Su Junyu right now.”

Wang Qi was sarcastic. “Old man, I’m not as learned as you, so don’t think you can fool me. No modern cultivator likes to be tied with pointless stuff. What kind of modern cultivator could ever have a mystical air around them?”

“Ahem.” Zhen Chanzi explained with covered embarrassment. “It’s not that mystical thing you’re thinking of, but the ancient Traditional Daoist Sect.”

The Traditional Daoist Sect was mighty, a sect that left its mark throughout human civilization and declined just as swiftly as it rose. The sect claimed heaven and earth were part of Dao, in favor of the human path. But its arts were too restrictive when it came to one’s talent and resolve to be trained in. Unable to find disciples, they ultimately faded from history.

Worth of note, as Transcendent started building the modern path through the Arithmetics of Dao, he was inspired by the Traditional Daoist Sect’s thinking, establishing ‘studies, pursuits, reflections, and reasonings’ as the way to seek Dao. Hence why modern cultivation used the Daoist term.

Wang Qi sheathed his blade and rubbed his chin. “Those ancient Daoists inspired Transcendent, which means some of their traditions could’ve joined the modern cultivation…”

Zhen Chanzi smiled. “Stop thinking it over and just go over there and ask.”

“Quite.”

The youth reached the storeroom and saw three men sitting at the entrance. One wore Myriad Arts Sect’s blue robe, the semi-lord over this meager realm, Su Junyu. On his side was Xiang Qi in her red dress, and across from them was the cultivator Zhen Chanzi mentioned as having a mystical aura, his back towards Wang Qi. The trio sat around a stone table with a warm array placed on it, written by Xiang Qi by the looks of it. A bottle of wine and some peanuts were placed in the center of the array.

What took Wang Qi by surprise was how this man with a mystical vibe wore the Heavenly Spirit Range’s cyan robe. Wang Qi was too far to distinguish the branch he belonged to from the robe’s style.

Wang Qi approached and heard him complain. “Like I said, it’s a real headache.”

The guest drank as he talked, mostly to drown his sorrow.

“Junior Brother Chen, his actions don’t make sense at all! So you tell me what the hell it is!”

Xiang Qi blushed. “He isn’t the only true disciple with lofty aspiration and a screw loose. Just accept it.”

The man in the cyan robe downed another cup. “And that Little Ai. Being at odds is one thing, but she’s still a girl, even if a Witch, right? Yet she’s acting the same way!”

Su Junyu held his head. “It has nothing to do with it.”

The man in the cyan robe ignored Su Junyu. “Things are serious enough as they are, and we need her to understand this. You two and she are close, right? Help me out here and convince her somehow.”

Xiang Qi shook her head. “Getting Witch as a nickname means having diverging thinking from the norm. I don’t think convincing is an option.”

“Now another one goes against the norm.”

“Like I said, the norm has nothing to do with it.”

Xiang Qi pulled on Su Junyu, advising. “Old Second, take it easy with the wine…”

“You have no right to call me that…”

Su Junyu noticed Wang Qi in the distance and called out, “Wang Qi, take a seat. Do you have any questions?”

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