Chapter 84: And After, Dao

Two dozen cultivators came to reinstate the trial grove’s barrier, most of which were at Golden Core Realm. The demons of each zone were soon separated, and a new barrier was erected as balance was once again restored in the grove. As for reinstating the accelerated evolution effect, Spirit Beast Mountain Unfettered’s intervention was required. It caused all activities related to the trial area to be suspended until further notice.

Su Junyu’s group couldn’t leave until the barrier was patched up. The five gathered around a bonfire and chatted the time away.

Throughout the event, Wang Qi didn’t budge an inch. He sure wanted to, especially with the foul Ghost Ape corpse at his side, but he found out he couldn’t stand up.

A sudden chill overtook his body, and his hands were too weak to make a fist. Waveform Essence and Grand Ripple Enigma’s spiritual powers were exhausted in the last attack against the Ghost Ape. Evolution Chart’s spiritual power leading the other forces within him wasn’t in much better shape, having been focused on withstanding the lightning demonic energy. What took the cake, however, was the Celestial Hymn Odyssey, whose spiritual power was replenished due to all the lightning-demonic energy. As he crashed to the ground, he was left in a high-voltage state that led to a powerful discharge of all his spiritual power in a lapse of judgment. Spent and exhausted, the injuries from fighting off the lightning-demonic energy flared.

He was the sole reason why the others made a large bonfire. Mao Zimiao took the blanket she prepared from her storage bag and placed it on him with a glare. “That’s what you get for showing off, nya.”

Wang Qi had a bitter smile.

Amplifying voltage to increase resistance came with setbacks. It didn’t rank highly among Thunderous Pavilion’s recommended arts designed to combat lightning for a reason. It only worked when one was in constant contact with the enemy and if said enemy was stronger.

Unlike a Faraday cage, capable of nullifying the electrical potential of a body’s surface; or Thunder Cell, as Thunderous Pavilion liked to call it… 

While the second art could protect him and didn’t affect any other arts, it was an Eminence magical art. It was good to have ambition, but not delusions. Its time would come. 

His teammates were still figuring out what to do with their merits. Getting so many of them overnight got them excited, chatting like no tomorrow.

Su Junyu asked, “Have you decided what to go for? God a favorite?”

Wang Qi nodded. “I’m quite partial to Calculator Mind Theory.”

It was not just cheap, but it had principles of calculator magic items and what suitable arts fit Divine Hexagram Computation. He sought theories and art interactions, and that required a lot of self-study. Other than that, he wanted to integrate Earth’s evolutionary algorithm from computer theory into his art to evolve the Evolution Chart to encompass this aspect.  Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ n0vᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Su Junyu shook his head and said, “Don’t aim too high. Senior Hilbert’s recommended books came in a specific order for a reason.” 

[You know nothing of a bookworm’s prowess, especially yours truly.] Wang Qi quipped in his mind, though his eyes focused on the first book on the list.

“Gottingen Collection Vol. 1? What’s that? The title sounds poetic.”

No book from Earth that he could think of fitted its analogy…

Su Junyu explained, “Gottingen is Arbiter of Arithmetic Hilbert’s study, a paradise for Myriad Arts Sect cultivators.”

[So it’s Hilbert’s Omnibus.] Wang Qi asked, “Does it have all of Senior Hilbert’s theories?”

Senior shook his head and said, “It’s not that simple. Gottingen Collection’s writer based himself on Arbiter of Arithmetic at its core, but not limited to him. Gottingen was the study office of the previous Myriad Arts Sect Leader, Arithmetic King Gauss. He passed it on to Senior Hilbert when the latter took his duties as the new Sect Leader. The Gottingen Collection is a series of articles two generations of Myriad Arts Sect Leaders and their close friends wrote while they explored math in Gottingen. It’s not systematic and has some oversights, but they record the cultivation process of some seniors. Gottingen Collection Vol. 1 contains works before they reached Unfettered. It has much to say about integrating math into cultivation.

“Furthermore, even if you’re that interested in Calculator Mind Theory, you don’t have to buy it now.” Su Junyu added, “I’ve bought it once as well, so we can talk about it these months if you’d like.” 

Su Junyu was oblivious Wang Qi understood most of it from The Computer and the Brain on Earth. Wang Qi believed with certainty that it would turn into him teaching Su Junyu. Mao Zimiao, Wu Fan, and Wu Shiqin came over to ask Su Junyu’s opinions on what they should get. 

Once that was over, Wang Qi smiled and said, “Senior Brother Su, it would seem you won’t get much time for cultivating.” 

Su Junyu hasn’t just offered solutions, promising to help them later.

He explained, “Secular cultivation is focused on sharpening the mind. Spiritual power can’t grow without stop. By teaching you all, I consolidate my foundation.” Su Junyu turned nostalgic, “Speaking of, back in the day, I, your Senior Sister Xiang, and a few others in the same generation were brought here by a Foundation Establishment assistant teacher as well. He explained to us the meaning of resolve by the fire the same way I did to you yesterday.”

Mao Zimiao sighed, “It sounds great, nya.” 

Su Junyu smiled. “The modern cultivation system had only been around for two thousand years, but every generation surpassed the former. It’s building on one’s inheritance.”

[Building on inheritance, my path isn’t taken alone.] 

Wang Qi lowered his head and chuckled.

[Now this is the world I want to live in.]

[Grandpa, I’m truly happy now.]

P.S.: Gottingen refers to the University of Gottingen. This is where Gauss, Riemann, Felix Klein, and Hilbert studied, leaving a three hundred-year long legacy. The University of Gottingen was to math like Copenhagen University was to quantum physics.

P.P.S.: In regards to immortal cultivation, Hilbert is in fact Gauss’ disciple.