Chapter 422 - Fear of Being Dominated

After Si Wuya read the problem, his exhaustion was swept away. He felt invigorated. It was not difficult for young people to stay up all night, let alone a young cultivator. However, his cultivation base had been sealed so he felt the strain of working through the night. After a night, there were clearly dark circles around his eyes. However, when he read the new question, he felt as though he was injected with an energy booster and immediately began to work on the problem. He would not bother with it if it were someone else. However, his master had come up with this problem. He felt extremely motivated.

Zhu Honggong was speechless when he saw Si Wuya’s reactions. He mused inwardly, ‘This is bad. Seventh Senior Brother is obsessed. What is he going to do after he solves this question?’ After a while, he waved his hand, trying to catch Si Wuya’s attention. “Seventh Senior Brother?”

However, Si Wuya behaved as though Zhu Honggong was invisible.

Zhu Honggong sighed softly before he carried his jiggly belly and left the Cave of Reflection with his hands on his back. He felt great being given the opportunity to walk like a boss. As soon as he emerged from the Cave of Reflection, he saw Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng walking toward him.

“Greetings, Mister Eighth,” both of them said in unison.

Zhu Honggon immediately put on air. He cleared his throat and sternly asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing much. We’re just here to have a look. I heard that Mister Seventh has been working on a question the entire night. We’re interested to see it for ourselves,” Pan Zhong replied.

“If you have free time, you should cultivate.” Zhu Honggong rolled his eyes at them before he tossed the paper he brought with him to Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng.

“Thank you, Mister Eighth.”

It did not take long before the question spread in the Evil Sky Pavilion. The people lacked entertainment on the mountain. Aside from cultivating, their time was spent on meals, the toilet, and sleeping. Indeed, they needed some fun. When they were suddenly given such a question, everyone began to earnestly study it.

…

Lu Zhou had been meditating on the Heavenly Writing Scrolls in his room. He was unaware that his casual question had attracted so much attention.

It was early in the morning, the sky had not even brightened, when Lu Zhou heard two notifications.

“Ding! Instructed Si Wuya. Reward: 200 merit points.”

“Ding! Instructed Si Wuya. Reward: 200 merit points.”

Lu Zhou was surprised to receive two notifications. He was intrigued. ‘Looks like I’ll have to come up with more questions to instruct this rascal. I’ll show him that there’s always something or someone greater.’

At this moment, Zhu Honggong’s voice rang from outside. “Greetings, master.”

“Come in.”

After spending time with Lu Zhou again, Zhu Honggong no longer behaved stiffly in front of Lu Zhou. He appeared more relaxed. When he entered the room, he saw Lu Zhou sitting cross-legged. He bowed and said, “Master, Seventh Senior Brother has solved the problem you gave him yesterday. His answer is the same as yours.”

Lu Zhou’s expression remained unchanged. That question was just like an appetizer, after all. He was surprised to be awarded with merit points.

“What about the second question?” Lu Zhou asked.

“I think Seventh Senior Brother has solved it. I’m sure it was difficult for him though, seeing how he scratches his head can work it out,” Zhu Honggong replied.

“Take that paper on the table and give it to him.”

“Yes, master.”

…

Zhu Honggong brought the answer to the second question and the third question to the Cave of Reflection. “Seventh Senior Brother, here’s the answer and the third question…”

Si Wuya immediately took the paper from Zhu Honggong. Then, he said with a sigh after comparing the answer with his own, “Interesting, truly interesting.”

Zhu Honggong looked at the stone table inside the Cave of Reflection. He was surprised to see there were two holes. “Seventh Senior Brother, you did that?”

“I couldn’t help myself,” Si Wuya said, his eyes still fixed on the paper’s contents.

“Seventh Senior Brother, you should stop working on these questions. It’s boring.”

“Get out.” Si Wuya’s voice sounded cold.

“Huh?” Zhu Honggong was taken aback. “I’ll take my leave then.”

After Zhu Honggong left, Si Wuya calmed down and mumbled to himself, “23, 128… 233… I’ve only calculated one?! I’ve never seen master’s way of solving the question… My horizons have been widened”

The solution written on the paper not only contained the answer, but it contained hypothetical variables as well.

For an intelligent person like Si Wuya, any inspiration to the solution of a problem was akin to anointing his head with the purest oil. How could he not feel shocked when he saw the content of the paper?

As for the third question, Si Wuya was stunned for a very long time after reading it. It was only now that he realized the first two questions were only appetizers.

On the third paper, there was a triangle, a circle, and symbols that Si Wuya did not recognize. He did not understand them.

It was only natural since the question was advanced geometry and algebra. Even Lu Zhou had a headache when he encountered these questions before he transmigrated, let alone Si Wuya who has never been exposed to such things in his life

This was the fear of being dominated that countless students experienced.

…

“Ding! Instructed Si Wuya. Reward: 200 merit points.”

When he heard the third notification, Lu Zhou nodded in satisfaction.

‘Even I’m troubled by that question, let alone you.’

The third question involved advanced algebra and geometry. For a world that lacked mathematical concepts, any ordinary man would feel like he was reading the Heavenly Writing when he saw this.

Si Wuya was not an ordinary man. Surely, given time, he would be able to understand this.

After a moment, Lu Zhou closed his eyes and continued meditating on the Heavenly Writing scroll.

…

In the afternoon.

The others in the Evil Sky Pavilion had given up on finding a solution to the question. The lack of solution after such a long time was an excruciating experience.

…

At dusk.

Si Wuya stared blankly at the question on the table. It was as if he had turned stupid.

This was a normal reaction when someone encountered a difficult situation. One’s confidence would definitely suffer a blow, and it would lead one to self-doubt. Si Wuya was no exception to this. He was unaware the others had long given up on solving the problem.

The third day, the fourth day, and the fifth day passed.

Si Wuya was still studying the question on the paper. The more he studied it, the more he realized how complex it was.

…

Lu Zhou’s meditation of the Heaven Writing scroll went smoothly. He had already replenished the Heavenly Writing’s extraordinary power earlier on.

He still did not know what the fourth Heavenly Writing’s power was.

Since he had been meditating, he was certain the prices of the item cards must have gone up as well.

As expected, when he tapped on the item column, he found that all the cards’ prices had increased by 500 points or more.

He was still cursing at the system inwardly when a voice rang from outside. “Master, Seventh Senior Brother would like to meet you.”

Lu Zhou’s expression did not change when he heard these words. After all, he did not think it was possible for that rascal to solve this problem. “Why?”

“Seventh Senior Brother would like to ask for your opinion on the solution to the question.”

“He’s asking for someone else’s opinion?”

Zhu Honggong could discern the annoyance in his master’s tone. He hastily said, “I’ll convey your message to him immediately.”

After Zhu Honggong left, Lu Zhou looked out the window. He was sure that he could handle Si Wuya.

…

Throughout the next few days.

Lu Zhou took the incremental approach. He slowly raised the difficulty of his questions. He did not expect Si Wuya to actually solve them. He wanted Si Wuya to understand the meaning behind the questions. There was no end to learning. The more he understood mathematics, the more he would understand the mysteries within.

…

Inside the Cave of Reflection, Si Wuya was behaving in a manner that Lu Zhou had expected him to. As he gained a deeper understanding of the questions, he realized that they were much more complicated than he had expected.

His appearance had changed drastically. He was so tormented by the question that he seemed like a lunatic with disheveled hair as he focused on the question.

“I can’t bear to see Mister Seventh becoming like this!” Pan Zhong merely glanced at Si Wuya before he turned around to leave.

“Those questions are demented. They make my hair stand on end.”

“Hah, you can’t even understand them.”

Just when Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng were about to leave the area, a female cultivator came running toward them.

Pan Zhong asked with a frown, “What’s the matter?”

“Princess Yong Ning’s condition has worsened. Someone has gone to report this to the pavilion master! I’m here to inform Mister Seventh,” the female cultivator hastily said.

At this moment, Si Wuya, who had ignored the disturbances outside so far, appeared at the mouth of the Cave of Reflection. A hint of weariness could be seen on his face as he frowned and asked, “What happened to Yong Ning?”