Startling Change

Wang Qi was almost driven mad with delight by the thoughts continuously pouring out of his mind.

This world was practically a blank sheet of paper to him. In other words—there were still countless ways to develop it!

Ahem, that sounded a little lewd. Still, what he had learned and seen on Earth, even if it could not be copied wholesale, could serve as stones from another mountain to hone the jade of this world's development.

To Wang Qi's surprise, Zhen Chanzi was quite interested in his words. "Oh? Let's hear it."

Wang Qi sat up and thought for a moment. "There are some memes you definitely wouldn't understand... Tsk, tsk, what should I even say..."

Zhen Chanzi could neither laugh nor cry. Just how had this brat's brain grown?

Wang Qi suddenly looked around like a thief, then lowered his voice. "Old man, Li Ziye isn't using spiritual sense to monitor us, is he? And Xiang Qi too."

Zhen Chanzi did not understand why he was asking. "That boy surnamed Li left half an hour ago. A Golden Core Cultivator passed through the north; he should be a Modern Dharma Cultivator. I do not know whether he is Li's friend or merely here on official business. Both have already gone beyond the range of my spiritual sense. That girl surnamed Xiang was greedy for drink, became drunk, and has already gone to sleep."

"Then there's no problem." Wang Qi explained, "Some things would have a rather bad influence if they got out."

"What exactly are you trying to do, brat? Sneaking around like this."

Wang Qi gave a sly grin, looking exactly like a petty man drunk on success. "Next, I'll let you witness my talent for spanning heaven and earth!"

"First, you understand this, right? The foundation is to model the principles by which heaven and earth operate! But Li Ziye neither gave me any cultivation method nor taught me any particularly profound theories."

Zhen Chanzi suddenly wondered whether the brat before him had truly gone mad. "Isn't that perfectly normal? What is the problem?"

Wang Qi sneered. "You see no problem, but I see a huge one! Modern Dharma Cultivators have little demand for resources, and the Immortal Alliance keeps them in check. Do you think sectarian prejudice still needs to exist? Especially since this is not the Ancient Method, where cultivation is like drinking water—only the drinker knows whether it is cold or warm. All Modern Dharma methods share the same foundation. That determines that within this system, several mediocre talents working together will always surpass one genius!"

Zhen Chanzi asked skeptically, "Do you think you can break something that has existed since time immemorial?"

Wang Qi chuckled darkly. "Changing this atmosphere will not happen in a day or two. According to Li Ziye, my talent will certainly earn the attention of some sect. I can first make suggestions to a sect, or use the influence of talented disciples, to demand..."

Using the academic institutions of his previous life and the modern educational system as his foundation, Wang Qi spoke with great fluency. Zhen Chanzi initially held three parts contempt in his heart, but the more he listened, the more alarmed he became—so long as Wang Qi's understanding of the Modern Dharma system was not mistaken, these ideas could almost certainly bring immense changes to the laws and systems of the present age!

Where had this brat gotten so many bizarre ideas?

Yet his centuries upon centuries of experience and ten thousand years of contemplation allowed Zhen Chanzi to vaguely catch another suspicious point.

Why had the Modern Dharma Immortal Path not developed such a mechanism, or something similar?

Wang Qi had no idea what Zhen Chanzi was thinking, and he secretly felt pleased with himself. Old man, if this little thing alone scares you, wouldn't you die of fright if I brought up the idea of "cultivation for all"? Or if I told you about the scientific knowledge and theories in my head... Forget it. You definitely wouldn't understand anyway.

If keeping all this stuff bottled up inside weren't so unbearable, I wouldn't want to play the lute to a cow. Sigh, a kindred spirit is hard to find, hard to find indeed!

A sudden fluctuation of spiritual power interrupted their conversation. A crooked escape light shot out from the house and drifted unsteadily toward Wang Qi. Wang Qi curled his lips and calmly shifted aside, avoiding being struck.

Xiang Qi's face was flushed red, her eyes unfocused. Before she had even settled herself, she reached out and grabbed the little wine jar beside Wang Qi. Wang Qi frowned. "Fairy Xiang, have you had too much to drink..."

Xiang Qi stared blankly at Wang Qi, then burst into a string of silver-bell laughter. "Hehehe, don't be so formal! With your talent, you'll definitely enter one of the Immortal Alliance's great sects this year. Call me Senior Sister!"

Wang Qi felt his scalp tingle—Fuck, how could that violent woman I know possibly be this cute! The Xiang Qi I know is the one who always wears a sour expression, right!

And cultivators could get drunk too? On farmers' home-brewed rice wine, no less?

"This little girl deliberately did not use spiritual power to dispel the alcohol," Zhen Chanzi explained at just the right moment.

Wang Qi asked softly in confusion, "What is the point of doing that?"

"It is simply drinking until one is thoroughly drunk. Before the Nascent Soul Realm—ah, for this girl, before the Primordial Spirit—before the Primordial Spirit, a cultivator's physical body undergoes no qualitative change. If they do not use spiritual power to sober up, they may drink for pleasure or drown their sorrows in wine."

"She doesn't look sorrowful at all... Fuck, did this girl just suddenly feel like drinking and get completely wasted?"

Zhen Chanzi said, "The Immortal Path is harsh and bitter. It is common enough for disciples of immortal sects to indulge themselves once or twice."

When Xiang Qi still did not hear Wang Qi answer her, she grew impatient and suddenly slapped his shoulder. "Hey! What are you thinking about? Call me Senior Sister!"

How great was the strength of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator? That slap nearly broke Wang Qi's arm. Wang Qi inwardly sighed. Sure enough, this was the familiar violent woman! He inconspicuously moved his shoulder, while carefully asking, "Xiang... Senior Sister? Is it really appropriate for me to call you that?"

Xiang Qi stomped her foot like a child. "What? Do I look that old? Let me tell you, the Immortal Alliance's standards are perfectly clear: every thirty years count as one generation..."

"So you're already... Ahahaha, the sunlight is really wonderful tonight."

Wang Qi had nearly blurted out the age range he had calculated for Xiang Qi—but under her gaze brimming with Killing Intent, he swallowed the words back down.

"Tch, I knew what sort of thoughts were turning in your mind. Let me tell you, not counting the cultivation of Nurturing Life, your Senior Sister has cultivated for less than ten years so far. Ten years!"

Zhen Chanzi sighed. "To break through from Qi Refining to the Foundation Establishment Realm in ten years—during this old man's era, that too would have been the talent of an age!"

Xiang Qi lifted the wine jar and took a direct swig. "Back when you cultivated the Ancient Method, your Senior Sister didn't treat you very well. Don't mind it. Once your cultivation is higher in the future, you'll understand. In any case, if anyone bullies you in the Immortal Alliance, give them my name... Hic..."

It should have been "don't take it to heart," not "don't mind it," right? And her personality was so different when drunk. Would she kill him to silence him later...?

Just as Wang Qi was locked in a life-or-death struggle with his urge to complain inwardly, Xiang Qi laughed at herself. "Even if you studied ancient mathematics from childhood and could comprehend the intent of seeking the Dao on your own, that still counts as stunning talent... Wang Qi, being counted among the same generation as freaks like you gives your Senior Sister a lot of pressure, you know?"

As she spoke, the girl repeatedly patted Wang Qi's shoulder, nearly nailing him into the roof.

Wang Qi asked curiously, "'Us'? Senior Sister, you seem like quite an extraordinary cultivator yourself, don't you?"

"Hic, let me think..." Xiang Qi narrowed her eyes in recollection. "A True Disciple of Burning Gold Valley, ranked among the best in both major and minor standings..."

"Then what pressure is there..."

"I can't help it when there are so many geniuses!" Xiang Qi waved her arms and cried out to the youth, "Look at Senior Brother Li, one of the earliest among our generation..."

Zhen Chanzi exclaimed, "Golden Core in thirty years!?"

Xiang Qi seemed to truly dislike Ancient Method Cultivators, and her tone was impatient. "During the Human World stage—that is, Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core—the Modern Dharma cultivates far faster than the Ancient Method. What was I saying just now? Oh, don't be fooled by Senior Brother Li's appearance. He still does not count as top-tier."

Wang Qi became interested. "That's interesting! Senior Sister, tell me—just how many geniuses are there in our generation?"

"Let's keep using Senior Brother Li as the example..."

That felt so terribly unkind. Wang Qi complained inwardly—look at Li Ziye: dressed all in flowing white, possessing both grace and strength, yet here he had somehow become a unit for measuring talent... So-and-so has one Li Ziye's worth of talent. Fuck, that's impressive! Their talent is a full three Li Ziyes!

Thinking about it that way was actually rather exciting... Ahem, how rude!

"The current highest-cultivated disciple of the Myriad Dharma Sect is this generation's senior eldest brother, Gao Jiyang, 'The Common People Have Answers.' In mathematics, he surpasses Senior Brother Li by far more than a single head. However, Myriad Dharma Sect's rising talent, Chen Youjia, may not be famous for now, but according to Senior Brother Li, many of the Myriad Dharma Sect's elders think even more highly of her than Senior Brother Gao! Just imagine how terrifying that little girl's talent is!"

"Sky Spirit Ridge researches living beings and is professionally specialized in aptitude testing, so in recent years it has simply produced talent after talent. One branch of Sky Spirit Ridge is Jiyin Valley, whose chief disciple is Sister Ai, Ai Qinglan, known as the 'Demoness.' That title is not an insult to her character, but praise for her brilliance! From Gusheng Cliff, also of Sky Spirit Ridge, comes the current chief disciple, Xue Bufan, 'Spiritual Grace of Creation.' Before even forming his Golden Core, he comprehended the Tianyan Tulu and deduced the supreme mental cultivation method Tianyan Technique to the eighth level—something previously believed to be the limit of the Human World stage!"

"Sky Spirit Ridge's other major branches—Spirit Beast Mountain, Tiansheng Peak, and Yangshen Pavilion—have not yet established chief disciples, but..."

Myriad Dharma Sect, Jiyin Valley, Gusheng Cliff, Yuanli Sect, Benlei Pavilion, Guanghua Hall, Divine Mechanism Pavilion, Liuyun Sect...

Gao Jiyang, Chen Youjia, Ai Qinglan, Xue Bufan, Ni Jinsong...

Xiang Qi was in high spirits and spoke at length.

Wang Qi was equally excited—this world... really was exceptionally interesting!

Still, something was strange. Did this world's history of development not have a prank-like correspondence with Earth's history of science? These names were all utterly unfamiliar.

A trace of doubt passed through Wang Qi's heart. The qualities of a scientific researcher made him realize that since this world possessed its own logic, that bizarre connection must have its own underlying principle.

But the youth immediately shook his head. The theories in his mind all came from his previous world and might not apply to the Divine Land. His most urgent task now was to understand the existing theories of the Divine Land's Immortal Path as quickly as possible.

Seeing that Wang Qi seemed to be distracted, the girl was somewhat dissatisfied. "Hey, hey, I'm talking to you! Show some respect to your Senior Sister!"

"Oh, oh." Wang Qi came back to himself. "Where were we?"

Xiang Qi suddenly revealed a gloating smile. "That guy Senior Brother Li's dream goddess... Tsk, tsk..."

Fuck, listening to this earth-shattering gossip would definitely get me silenced, wouldn't it!?

"Piaomiao Palace's current chief disciple mastered half a move of the Misty Unfixed Cloud Sword while still in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Her combat strength was simply heaven-defying. Back when she was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, she defeated Senior Brother Li, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. That Myriad Dharma Sect disciple was utterly stunned, fell in love at first sight..."

Suddenly, the jade ring in Wang Qi's hand shook violently.

"Old man, why did it start vibrating?"

Zhen Chanzi spoke urgently. "Trouble has arrived. Quickly use your spiritual power to disperse the alcohol in that girl's body!"

It was the first time Wang Qi had seen Zhen Chanzi so serious. His right hand swiftly pressed against a major acupoint on the girl's back, pouring in spiritual power as he asked, "What happened?"

"A cultivator has arrived. Nascent Soul Realm—a genuine Ancient Method Cultivator!"