Chapter 42

"That child, he has a problem."

Chen Jingyun's words made the few people present frown. Feng Luoyi said, "Patriarch Chen, if it's just a small matter, there's no need to specially come and tell us, right? This can be handled by the responsible subordinates."

Chen Jingyun shook his head: "It's not just that."

"I would like to hear more."

Chen Jingyun was concise: "This child, after entering the Immortal Academy for just a few days, solved nearly ten math problems in the back hall of the Transmission Hall."

Lili and Guci were less involved in the Immortal Academy's affairs and did not know what this meant, but the others were moved. Feng Luoyi asked, "Are you sure it's nearly ten? If it's the 'Ten Fingers Calculation' and 'Simple Geometry,' it's not impossible for an ancient method cultivator to solve them."

Deng Jiaxuan added, "This was the last matter I handled before participating in the hunt. I remember the report said that the young man broke through to the Heavenly Realm after half a day of exposure to the modern method. What if he's just a genius in mathematics?"

Chen Jingyun shook his head: "Absolutely impossible. With the mathematics involved in the ancient method, solving the 'Ten Fingers Calculation' and 'Simple Geometry' is the limit. Moreover, those few problems are not purely math problems."

Deng Jiaxuan shook his head: "If we ignore the source of the questions and treat them as pure math problems, it's not difficult. Just apply the formula to get the conclusion."

Chen Jingyun replied firmly: "He wouldn't understand."

"What?"

"Like the math problem corresponding to Debui's 'Great Elephant Phase Wave Technique,' if you don't understand the dual nature of particles and waves, you might not even understand the question—this problem is less about math level and more about the dual nature of particles and waves."

Deng Jiaxuan: "I set the questions... How do you seem to know more about the purpose of the questions than I do..."

"The language of the questions is obscure and the description is not straightforward."

You just can't understand it yourself! Deng Jiaxuan shouted in his heart.

Chen Jingyun's words immediately won Bo Er's favor—this free-and-easy cultivator found choosing words and phrasing more difficult than contemplating the microscopic world.

Feng Luoyi quietly asked Deng Jiaxuan about the questions. After hearing them, he closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then shook his head: "We can't completely rule out the possibility that he's a genius. Someone with high comprehension and no reading barriers can convert them into pure math problems."

"Let's assume that for now. Ancient method cultivators cannot integrate mathematics into their cultivation, and studying mathematics is not beneficial for them. If an ancient method cultivator is willing to put in the effort to understand mathematics at this level, he would have already transformed his cultivation method into the modern method long ago."

Feng Luoyi nodded: "Indeed, the possibility that he is an ancient method spy can be basically ruled out— even if he is, his mathematical talent would only make him assimilate into the modern method."

None of those present were fools; they understood the implications in Chen Jingyun's words. Guci couldn't help but ask: "Patriarch Chen, are you suspecting that he is...?" As he spoke, he glanced at Bo Er and Lili: "‘That one’?"

Deng Jiaxuan said solemnly: "‘That one’..."

Bo Er said in a low voice: "Insufficient evidence."

Chen Jingyun nodded: "This is just my guess. He might not be our enemy."

Feng Luoyi said: "From what we see now, the possibility that he is a genius is equal to the possibility that he is a threat."

"There are two more possibilities," Chen Jingyun said. "Another thing I noticed is that when he was reading history books, he paid particular attention to the death of Zimo Fei Zhenren."

Chen Jingyun's words were like a thousand-jun stone thrown into a calm pond. Lili couldn't hold back and jumped up: "What did you say!?"

"The truth about Zimo Fei Zhenren's death is known by few, but everyone here is clear. The monster that was killed by the likes of Fentian Hou and Tianze Shenjun back then, or Zimo Fei Zhenren himself."

Guci shook his head first: "According to the theory of the Yangshen Pavilion, it's almost impossible for Zimo Fei Zhenren's residual soul to be parasitized in a fetus..."

Lili's throat made a hoarse sound, and his killing intent almost burst out: "Ah... that is to say... that is to say... he is..."

Bo Er grabbed his junior master: "It could also be Master Suo! ‘Almost impossible’ is not ‘impossible’! This could also be a coincidence!"

After a long time, Lili calmed down. He sat down and waved at Chen Jingyun: "Anything else?"

Chen Jingyun nodded: "The last possibility. He once lived in the same village as Daoist Bu Zhun."

Guci frowned: "That bastard's doing?"

Ma Jueli mused: "Zhenren Hai once studied mathematics with the Wannfa Sect's Daoist Ba En, and his math level is sufficient; he is also the founder of the Ethereal Dao, and he understands the dual nature of particles and waves; most importantly, he is Zimo Fei Zhenren's disciple. If Wang Qi is related to him, it's normal for him to care about Zimo Fei Zhenren's death."

Deng Jiaxuan frowned: "But if this possibility is true... including the ancient method lineage... it would all be Daoist Bu Zhun's arrangement..."

A chill swept over everyone. If all this was Daoist Bu Zhun's arrangement, it would mean that even the internal affairs of the Immortal Alliance could not be trusted.

Lili shook his head: "If that dimwit had such cunning, would he have been tricked by that demon emperor back then?"

Bo Er nodded in agreement.

Deng Jiaxuan raised another point: "I forgot to mention this earlier. I usually handle internal matters of the Immortal Alliance. I found a point of suspicion: if he is the reincarnation of that demon, he should have been born hundreds of years ago."

Guci said: "We can't ignore the ordinary ‘that thing’ either."

Ma Jueli pointed out the inconsistency: "It doesn't quite make sense. The ‘that one’ we control wouldn't pay attention to Zimo Fei."

Feng Luoyi pondered: "These situations are not mutually exclusive; they could coexist. Wang Qi could be both ‘that one’ and a part of Zhenren Hai's arrangement."

Chen Jingyun raised his voice: "The key is how to handle it."

Bo Er was the first to speak: "He still has the potential to be a genius."

Deng Jiaxuan clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention: "I have been handling the Immortal Alliance's affairs. Would you like to hear my suggestion first?"

Everyone nodded. The Heavenly Sword Sect cultivators, who protect the Immortal Alliance, willingly cut off their path to immortality. They have the most authority in such matters.

Deng Jiaxuan stood up, and a sense of authority gradually emanated from him: "My suggestion is to act according to the law. The laws of the Immortal Alliance are established and sworn to by us. If we ourselves break the rules we set, wouldn't we be slapping our own faces?"

Chen Jingyun frowned: "Brother Deng, what exactly do you mean?"

Deng Jiaxuan said: "All treatments should be the same as for ordinary cultivators. We know too little about this child to determine what he will be like in the future. But if we find that he is practicing the ancient method, we will use decisive measures to eliminate him."

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After the suggestions from various readers, I have decided to update twice a day starting today, with the second update to follow shortly!

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