Chapter 17

Wang Qi woke up from the darkness, feeling warm all over, as if he were immersed in hot water, his bones almost melting.

"Where was I just now..."

His mind was a bit muddled, and then there was a feeling of... nausea?

Wang Qi was startled awake. Nausea? As a cultivator, one should be physically strong and healthy. Nausea was usually a sign of either a deviation in cultivation or poisoning, both of which could be life-threatening!

Wang Qi opened his eyes and saw Xiang Qi's face, which was very close to his.

"Ah!" Wang Qi was startled and instinctively shrank back. Only then did he realize he was lying on a bed.

"Such a big reaction?" Xiang Qi, seeing Wang Qi awake, pulled back and sat on a chair by the bed.

Wang Qi patted his head and asked, "Where am I? How did I get here?"

Xiang Qi's expression darkened: "We found you next to Senior Brother Li's... remains. You had fainted there."

Only then did Wang Qi remember. After copying the manuscript of the Daoist who forbade the path, he had exhausted his mental energy and fainted. He quickly felt around his body, worried that if the manuscript he had copied was discovered, it would be a big problem.

Fortunately, Wang Qi soon found the manuscript tucked in his waist. Luckily, he had remembered to wrap it in a piece of cloth before he fainted—this cloth was originally used by Li Ziyeh to bundle some items in his storage bag.

"Are you looking for this?"

A slightly hoarse female voice interrupted the conversation.

Wang Qi looked up to see a middle-aged female cultivator holding Li Ziyeh's storage bag and the jade ring where Zhen Chanzi resided. Wang Qi then realized his ring was missing. Xiang Qi quickly stood up and greeted her: "Senior Aunt Yan." She then introduced Wang Qi: "This is Senior Aunt Yan Heyi from Jiying Valley, the security officer in charge of this area, responsible for this incident."

Wang Qi had already decided to keep the manuscript a secret, so he nodded and said, "Yes, Senior."

Yan Heyi nodded but did not return the ring to Wang Qi. Instead, she nodded at Xiang Qi: "Go outside for a moment. I have some questions to ask this child."

Xiang Qi understood the rules of the security officers and nodded, walking towards the door. Yan Heyi sat in the chair Xiang Qi had just vacated, her long, phoenix-like eyes fixed on Wang Qi: "I have already learned the details from Xiang Qi and the old man in the ring. However, due to my position, I must ask you some questions."

It's like the police taking a statement, separating me, Xiang Qi, and the old man to prevent collusion.

Wang Qi nodded and said, "Sure, Senior. But can I ask a question first?"

Yan Heyi nodded: "Go ahead."

Wang Qi cautiously asked, "How is the village where I was born?"

Yan Heyi's usually indifferent face showed a hint of sympathy: "I advise you not to know."

Despite already knowing the answer, Wang Qi couldn't help but clench his fists: "What about the bodies?"

"The other security officers have already buried them on the spot."

Wang Qi let out a long breath. Well, I'll remember this debt.

Seeing Wang Qi still concerned about others in this situation, Yan Heyi's impression of him improved, and her expression softened as she comforted him: "This is something beyond your control. The dead are gone, and the living must move on. Don't dwell on it too much."

Wang Qi lowered his head and nodded obediently. His demeanor was genuine, but it also helped to mask any unnatural expressions or tones.

Yan Heyi said, "Alright, now I have some questions for you. I hope you can answer honestly."

"Okay."

"First, please describe the process of the battle between the Myriad Laws Sect disciple Li Ziyeh and the Supreme Heaven Splitting Dao disciple after you were captured."

Wang Qi truthfully recounted the events, only omitting the part about using the Hilbert space to solve the forbidden technique. The mathematical level of this algorithm was far beyond what ancient cultivators could grasp, and attributing it to Zhen Chanzi would be of no help.

Yan Heyi frowned: "There are two issues here. First, why did the Nascent Soul cultivator capture you?"

Wang Qi replied, "The old man in the ring told me that the ancient cultivation method I practiced since childhood came from the Luo Fu Xuan Qing Palace, which is a mortal enemy of the Supreme Heaven Splitting Dao. Perhaps that person thought I possessed some secret of the Luo Fu Xuan Qing Palace."

Yan Heyi continued, "The second issue. I've already heard from Xiang Qi that you are skilled in mathematics and broke through to the Heaven Realm after understanding the modern cultivation theory. Your talent is truly remarkable."

"Senior flatters me."

Yan Heyi shook her head: "No need to be modest. Breaking through to the Heaven Realm in half a day with just ancient mathematical knowledge is already astonishing. However, if you are completely a modern cultivator in terms of cultivation, how did that person identify your Luo Fu Xuan Qing Palace lineage?"

Sure enough, there's this question!

Wang Qi, trying to act like a Qi Cultivation cultivator who knows nothing, shook his head: "I really don't know."

Yan Heyi nodded, finding no flaws in Wang Qi's performance, which was consistent with the knowledge of a Qi Cultivation ancient cultivator. She asked a few more questions and then returned the ring to Wang Qi, preparing to leave.

As soon as the ring was in his hand, Zhen Chanzi's voice reappeared in Wang Qi's mind—Yan Heyi must have used some secret technique to temporarily block Zhen Chanzi's spiritual communication. The old man laughed in his mind: "Hehe, looks like we passed this test."

Wang Qi didn't respond but lay down on the bed, his face pale.

Fortunately, he had discussed a strategy with the old man beforehand. Zhen Chanzi, though not fully understanding modern cultivation, was very experienced in human affairs. With his help, it wasn't difficult to cover up some things. Passing this test meant the Immortal Alliance wouldn't pay too much attention to him.

Suddenly, Yan Heyi, who had already reached the door, turned back and asked, "Why is your face so pale?"

Wang Qi took a deep breath and said honestly, "I don't know why I feel so nauseous. It must be a deviation in cultivation or an injury."

Yan Heyi's face showed a hint of a smile: "First-time flyers often feel this way. Just bear with it."

"Flyer?"

Zhen Chanzi said, "Kid, haven't you realized you're on a flying vessel yet?"

"I never thought my motion sickness from cars, boats, and planes would carry over to this life..."

Wang Qi, pale-faced, leaned over the railing of the flying vessel, sadly thinking that if he got motion sickness from flying swords, his life would be ruined.

The flying vessel was heading to Xin Yue, where the Immortal Alliance's headquarters was located. Yan Heyi was the security officer in charge of the nearby area, and both Li Ziyeh and Xiang Qi were under her command. The appearance of an ancient cultivator in her jurisdiction and Li Ziyeh's death meant she had to report to the headquarters. Xiang Qi had become a security officer as part of her sect's training, and now that her training period was over, she needed to return to the Immortal Alliance for a report. According to Immortal Alliance regulations, stray cultivators who unexpectedly obtained ancient cultivation methods should be guided into modern cultivation, so she brought Wang Qi along.

The flying vessel Wang Qi was on was a standard Immortal Alliance vessel, specifically for high-ranking security officers, used to transport Foundation Establishment and Golden Core security officers over long distances. The vessel was about four zhang long and one zhang wide, with no sails, and had two large, metallic wings at the stern.

In Wang Qi's eyes, this flying vessel was like a small yacht—especially the interior. The room he stayed in was unnecessary for a transport vessel. From this, it was clear that the Immortal Alliance treated luxury vehicles as public transportation.

Wang Qi's injuries were not serious for a cultivator and could be treated to allow him to walk. Due to severe motion sickness, he didn't stay in the cabin but went outside to get some fresh air to clear his head.

Zhen Chanzi sighed, "You're suffering like a dead dog on this flying vessel. You'll definitely be at a disadvantage when you fight with flying swords in the future."

Wang Qi buried his face in the railing and sighed deeply, "How much longer is it?"

Xiang Qi's voice suddenly interrupted, "About five days."

Wang Qi looked up to see Xiang Qi standing by the railing, gazing into the distance. The high-altitude wind made her red robe flutter, almost making her look like a celestial being.

Wang Qi smiled awkwardly, "Senior Sister Xiang, you're here."

Xiang Qi nodded and then sighed again. Wang Qi, who wasn't a talkative person in either of his lives, couldn't find a topic and just pretended to look at the scenery from the railing.

Xiang Qi suddenly asked, "Did Senior Brother Li have any last words?"

Wang Qi carefully chose his words and repeated what Li Ziyeh had said before he died. He added, "He said... if anyone ever solves the Hilbert's Twenty-Three Problems or the Pearl Question, remember to burn a copy for him."

Xiang Qi pouted, "What, thinking about those problems even on his deathbed? No wonder Myriad Laws Sect disciples are often called 'Myriad Laws also want a partner' for their low emotional intelligence."

Wang Qi thought for a moment and asked, "Have you known each other for a long time?"

Xiang Qi's voice was faint, "Three years, we're old friends. Three years ago, I left the valley for a training mission from my sect and became a security officer in the Immortal Alliance. I was then assigned to this area. He was working here to gather the materials needed to forge his life-bound magical treasure."

"The area we were in was relatively peaceful, and our main tasks were to suppress the demon races in the mountains and manage passing stray cultivators. Daily patrols were troublesome but relatively easy. All the security officers in this area were from Immortal Alliance sects, and we got along well."

"However, Senior Brother Li was just too nice. He would agree to anything others said, and even when we teased him about the girl he liked, he didn't get angry. Occasionally, we would laugh and talk about the future... like solving the Hilbert's Twenty-Three Problems or challenging the chief of the Ethereal Palace again."

At this point, Xiang Qi sighed, "It's because he was such a good person... If he hadn't been so good, and had listened to me and returned to the Immortal Alliance branch immediately, he might not have died..."

Wang Qi interrupted, "Even I could see that the enemy was well-prepared. Even if we had taken me to the Immortal Alliance branch, we might have been ambushed. If we fell into a trap, we might have died even more惨烈."

Xiang Qi sighed softly, "But, he might not have died. Just for that 'possibility,' I owe him a lot."

Wang Qi tentatively asked, "Senior Sister? I think you're showing signs of being a怨妇."

Xiang Qi chuckled. She wiped her eyes and said, "Not that serious. It's just sad to lose a friend."

Wang Qi leaned his head back on the railing and asked, "Do cultivators emphasize funerals?"

Xiang Qi shook her head, "Security officers who die in the line of duty have designated burial places, and they might be buried in the Myriad Laws Sect cemetery. According to regulations, we need to go to the Xin Yue headquarters, and we might not make it in time—besides, you seem to have forgotten that the Immortal Alliance's unified entrance exam is coming up, and you need to prepare."

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