Chapter 40

In fact, the reason Wang Qi drove Du Bin away with his shocking remarks was not just for Mao Zimiao. His true reason was based on the judgment from his previous life.

"The current Dao of Immortals and the Immortal Alliance are fundamentally different from the ancient cultivation world and the alliance of sects."

To most people, this statement was just a truism.

After the modern cultivation methods abandoned the "stealing from heaven and earth" approach and explored the "borrowing from heaven and earth" method, they successfully overcame the resource and spirit energy dilemmas. Cultivators and the world coexist and thrive; the more cultivators there are, and the higher their levels, the stronger the world becomes. The number of disciples is no longer limited by resources but by the number of teachers, and disciples no longer need to kill each other to seize resources as in ancient times.

The modern cultivation path of "investigating the laws of heaven and earth" determined that human resources are the most valuable in today's Dao of Immortals. Once the concept of "humanity as the foundation" emerged, "harmony as the highest value" became a convention. From the perspective of ancient cultivators, the internal peace of today's Dao of Immortals seems somewhat abnormal. Internal sparring among modern cultivators rarely results in death, and the Immortal Alliance's laws prohibit life-and-death battles. The position of "Peacekeeper," which is dedicated to maintaining peace, is seen as purely absurd by ancient cultivators. Hua Ruogeng, who rose to the position of deputy head of the Myriad Methods Gate as a solitary cultivator, is an even more unusual existence.

In the 80,000-year history of the Dao of Immortals, there have been major sects that practiced secluded cultivation, a Dao of Immortals that coexisted with mortals, and cultivation dynasties that ruled both the mortal and immortal realms of the entire Divine Continent. These dynasties gathered all resources to support the cultivation of the royal family and the entire court, combining the path to immortality with official careers. For these cultivation dynasties, a stable social order was crucial. Therefore, many people believe that the Immortal Alliance's system is similar to a cultivation dynasty.

However, Wang Qi had long seen through everything.

"The current Dao of Immortals is not a politicalized Dao of Immortals at all! It's clearly a scientific community!"

The concept of a "scientific community" originates from Earth and does not exist in the Nine Provinces. Simply put, a scientific community is a collective of professional scientists who, through long-term scientific activities, have formed a consistent discourse and evaluation system, known as a paradigm. Those who can accept this paradigm and use it to describe their research results can be considered members of the scientific community.

Due to the two thousand years of teaching and preaching by modern cultivators, foundational theories like "The Theory of Evolution" and "The Sequence of Heaven" have become a consensus among all cultivators in the Divine Continent. Those who cannot understand these concepts cannot make progress in any modern cultivation techniques. Those who cannot accept the "paradigm" of modern cultivation and are excluded from this community are the ancient cultivators.

The Immortal Alliance is indeed a management institution of the Divine Continent. However, before it is a management institution, it is first a research institution!

This is not a world where scientists are powerless. Here, cultivators who investigate the Dao of Heaven wield absolute power. The investigation of the Dao of Heaven is the foundation of these cultivators' immortality and freedom, so research activities are the top priority of the Immortal Alliance!

In ancient cultivation, those skilled in social maneuvering might secure more opportunities and resources for themselves. However, in today's Dao of Immortals, such people may not necessarily thrive. As the saying goes, "The Dao of Heaven is constant, it does not exist for the sake of the sage, nor does it perish for the sake of the devil." All modern cultivators seek the same "Dao." A person sincerely seeking the Dao cannot negate another's achievements due to personal relationships.

For Wang Qi, this place is like an ivory tower that continues the ideals of his previous life. Du Bin's demeanor is no different from those in his previous life who mixed in research institutions, did not understand research, but were skilled at scheming and giving advice to experts. This is precisely what Wang Qi detests.

Such people should get as far away as possible.

This is Wang Qi's attitude.

After dismissing Du Bin, Wang Qi continued to review Xiong Mo's experimental plans.

Zhen Chanzi said, "Hey, kid, it looks like you're not done yet?"

Wang Qi pouted, "What do you take me for?"

"Your eyes have been lingering on the final diagram, haven't they?"

Wang Qi stroked his chin, "I'm thinking about something."

Zhen Chanzi sneered, "Don't try to find excuses for yourself."

Wang Qi ignored Zhen Chanzi and continued, "Why do you think a Spirit Beast Mountain cultivator is lecturing on 'Basic Flying Sword Theory,' a course from the Flowing Cloud Sect?"

Zhen Chanzi looked at Wang Qi seriously, "Are you serious? What did you discover?"

"An inspiration." Wang Qi looked at the experimental plans and reports seriously, "An inspiration to solve my cultivation technique problems."

In the basement of the main hall of the Thunder Sun Sub-Forum of the Immortal Alliance, there is a huge bronze mirror.

The Immortal Artifact, the True Mirror of Myriad Immortals. One of the major projects fully invested in by the Immortal Alliance. The prototype of the True Mirror of Myriad Immortals is the life-bound magical treasure, the Bronze Immortal Maiden, of the "Machine Elder" Turing. Later, the Myriad Methods Gate's Immortal, "The Sage of the Mortal World" Feng Luoyi, to create a magical tool to assist in calculations, borrowed the design of the Bronze Immortal Maiden and incorporated the supreme algorithm, refining a new mirror. The performance of this magical treasure caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance. Subsequently, the Immortal Alliance invested countless resources and specially assigned a group of cultivators from the Myriad Methods Gate and the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion to refine a mirror that could help all cultivators solve mathematical problems.

The Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm is a high-level application of the Myriad Methods Gate's "One Law Derives Myriad Laws." The mathematical methods of the Myriad Methods Gate inscribed on the True Mirror of Myriad Immortals, when fully activated, have a computational capacity sufficient to simulate a world. Constructing a world based on mathematics within the mirror is a piece of cake.

However, this "small dish" originally concocted by a few low-ranking disciples of the Myriad Methods Gate and the Unity Alliance has, after many years of development, gained the qualifications to be a "main course" — at least at certain times, even great cultivators must rely on it to solve some troubles.

Chen Jingyun led Deng Jiaxuan and Ma Jueli, walking cautiously on a path in the illusionary realm.

This path appears to be a small path in a bamboo forest to those who enter the illusion, but its fundamental laws are entirely different from the real world. Its existence is based on mathematics, so those who do not understand mathematics cannot take a single step forward. If they wander around, the surrounding bamboo forest will transform into a lethal killing technique.

Although Ma Jueli and Deng Jiaxuan are not ignorant of mathematics, they ultimately cannot match Chen Jingyun, who is a half-step Immortal of the Myriad Methods Gate, so they can only follow him step by step.

Ma Jueli looked unhappy, "Seriously, why do we have to take this path? A slight misstep and we'll be attacked by the 'Boundary River' as external demons, right?"

Chen Jingyun was concise, "It's the fastest."

"Can you explain?"

"To break the Primordial Chaos Seven-Bridge Array, we need to insert an array flag or command at a critical moment when the array is running, turning the unsolvable Seven-Bridge Problem into a solvable Seven-Bridge or Eight-Bridge Problem. The array was given to me by a senior in the sect, and I am not skilled in topology." Chen Jingyun's tone was still so calm.

Since it is a spirit entering the illusion, Deng Jiaxuan did not have his usual appearance of being overworked and ill. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, "If I remember correctly, being a 'strongman of the illusionary realm' and using such paths to traverse the Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm is a crime. As the head of the Heavenly Sword Palace, my usual duty is to punish lawbreakers. I never thought..."

Chen Jingyun said, "If we can break the array and get out, I am willing to accept the punishment. Brother Jiaxuan, don't worry too much."

Ma Jueli covered his face, "Xiao Chen... don't use that 'I'll take all the blame' tone! This is all your fault!"

Although his actions are somewhat peculiar, Chen Jingyun's mathematical skills are still quite high. It didn't take long for the three of them to walk out of the bamboo forest.

As soon as the three stepped out of the bamboo forest, the bamboo forest and the path disappeared. In their place was an endless expanse of starlight.

This environment had no ground, and in the space, only an endless sea of stars flickered as a background.

However, unlike the starlight in the real world, the stars here were all "yin" and "yang" lines from the I Ching. In the vast space, some faint straight lines intersected horizontally and vertically.

If the yin and yang lines in this scene were replaced with the Arabic numerals 0 and 1 from Earth and shown to Wang Qi, he would certainly exclaim, "This is not the right style! What's a cyberpunk style doing in a xianxia world!"

This part of the illusionary realm's "spiritual contract" has been strengthened by generations of the Myriad Methods Gate, making it relatively stable — in Earth terms, the "network protocol is relatively complete." Once here, even ordinary people can freely use the various functions of the illusionary realm. Ma Jueli flew to the predetermined location first, followed by Chen Jingyun, while Deng Jiaxuan was still hesitant, "Brother Jingyun... isn't it a bit inappropriate to 'force' our way into the core of the Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm... wait for me!"

The three arrived at a specific location in the illusionary realm. Chen Jingyun made several hand seals, and countless windows popped up out of nowhere.

Ma Jueli looked curiously, "These are the spiritual pivots connecting the various fellow Daoists in the Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm?"

Chen Jingyun nodded, "Yes. Help me find the spiritual pivots of the Myriad Methods Gate seniors. After using spiritual power to activate the pivots, the Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm will call the owners of the pivots."

The three began to search. Ma Jueli kept exclaiming, "Oh, Lang Zhiwan's, can I click to see... Tsk, Xue Ding'e, he's changed his avatar again. This must be his new conquest..."

Deng Jiaxuan was both amused and exasperated, "Mrs. Ma... be serious..."

Chen Jingyun, without lifting his head, put down a spiritual pivot, "Senior Gao Si cannot be called. Let's try Senior Ouna..."

"May I ask, what are the three of you looking for?"

The sudden voice startled the three.

The newcomer looked to be in his prime. From his appearance, he must have been a handsome and elegant young man in his youth. However, his mature appearance at the age of thirty did not diminish his good looks but gave him a mature and dignified impression.

"Feng Luoyi, the Sage of the Mortal World, one of the strongest in the Myriad Methods Gate, the creator of the Myriad Immortals Illusionary Realm, and the founder of 'Heavenly Calculation.'"

"Do the three of you know that this is a violation of the rules?"

Ma Jueli and Deng Jiaxuan were startled. Chen Jingyun, however, remained calm and bowed, "Elder Feng. I need the help of a fellow Daoist skilled in topology from our sect. Additionally, I need to find Bo Er, Poli, and other fellow Daoists from the Ethereal Palace. I have matters to discuss with them."

Although Chen Jingyun is the head of the Myriad Methods Gate, this is only because all Immortal cultivators are in seclusion. Feng Luoyi is one of the strongest and highest-ranking in the Myriad Methods Gate, so Chen Jingyun paid his respects to him.

Hearing Chen Jingyun's words, Ma Jueli said, "You didn't mention the second part earlier?"

Deng Jiaxuan vaguely understood Chen Jingyun's purpose, "For the sake of that child?"

---

PS1: The ranking of experts within the Myriad Methods Gate is based on the level of mathematicians on Earth. I have a cousin who does research in the mathematics department at Wuhan University. According to the ranking he told me, which is widely recognized internationally, it's hard to say whether Hilbert or Poincaré is first or second, but the Earth counterpart of Feng Luoyi, John von Neumann, is generally accepted as third.

PS2: Please give me recommendations — recommendations — recommendations — recommendations.

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