The cold-faced young man, Ye Chang, was so excited he could barely contain himself. Looking at the Qi Refining Cultivator dangling from his hand, he made no attempt to conceal the greed in his eyes.
Just now, when he had clashed with that Myriad Dharma Sect Golden Core Cultivator, he had suddenly felt the magical artifact he always wore against his body grow faintly warm! This artifact was an imitation of an imitation of a Half Immortal Weapon held by the sect master. It was said within the sect that this Half Immortal Weapon had been seized by the founder of the Emperor-Grade Heaven-Splitting Dao from another sect ten thousand years ago, one piece of an entire set of treasures. The imitation in his hand had little practical use, but it could sense the whereabouts of the other treasures.
A Half Immortal Weapon!
Unlike Natal Treasures, which could continuously grow stronger along with their owner's cultivation, the power of a magical artifact was fixed and difficult to improve. Magical artifacts were divided into six grades: Talisman Weapons, Heavy Weapons, Treasure Weapons, True Weapons, Profound Weapons, and Immortal Weapons. Talisman Weapons were mostly used by Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Cultivators; a Golden Core Cultivator who possessed a Heavy Weapon could be considered wealthy; a Treasure Weapon was enough to make Nascent Soul Cultivators fight to the death; only Spirit Severing and Body Integration Cultivators could possess True Weapons; even Great Vehicle Cultivators could only obtain Profound Weapons. As for Immortal Weapons? Those were things only immortals who had ascended could possess. Ye Chang, the foremost Ancient Method Cultivator of the present age and the personal disciple of the Lord of the Shattered Heavens Path, sect master of the Emperor-Grade Heaven-Splitting Dao, possessed only a top-grade Treasure Weapon!
And now, he, Ye Chang, was about to obtain a Half Immortal Weapon!
At that thought, his gaze grew several degrees more blazing. When he had seized this little Qi Refining Cultivator, he had already examined him. Though the boy had switched to Modern Dharma cultivation, his body still bore traces of Spirit Body cultivation, and his cultivation method perfectly matched the technique of that sect his master had spoken of—the sect that had been exterminated! Furthermore, this kid had nearly escaped his spiritual sense. If not for the artifact's reaction, he would never have noticed this little Qi Refining Cultivator. That meant the other party's inheritance was exceptionally fine as well!
Once he slowly worked this kid over, he could obtain both clues to an Immortal Weapon and an Ancient Method inheritance! Such fortune was practically heaven's favor!
But right now, his top priority was shaking off this Myriad Dharma Sect disciple behind him!
"Leave the person behind!"
Li Ziye sped after him on his sword, clinging tightly to his trail. He was secretly astonished as well. Modern Dharma was superior to Ancient Methods across the board; for a Modern Dharma Golden Core to kill an Ancient Method Nascent Soul Cultivator would not even count as a "hard battle." Yet this Ancient Method Nascent Soul Cultivator could actually contend with him, who wielded the Heavenly Sword. He had to be a core figure among the Ancient Method Cultivators. For such a person to specifically capture Wang Qi alive, there had to be something strange going on!
Ye Chang changed his hand seals, and several spells shimmering with golden light shot toward Li Ziye. But Li Ziye swayed lightly, somehow evading every single killing move.
As expected of a Myriad Dharma Sect disciple. Ordinary attacks simply can't hit him. Ye Chang was inwardly annoyed. The Myriad Dharma Sect was a major Modern Dharma sect. Its disciples excelled at "one method breaking ten thousand methods" and "one method generating ten thousand methods." The simplest martial technique could produce inconceivable effects in their hands, while the most miraculous spell was, in their eyes, riddled with flaws. Most likely, the moment he made a move, Li Ziye had already seen through it.
Li Ziye suddenly accelerated and thrust his sword forward. Gritting his teeth, Ye Chang activated three talismans. The three spells formed a triangular formation and howled toward Li Ziye. Li Ziye changed his thrust into a slash, exhaled sharply, and shouted, "Break!" The Heavenly Sword erupted with blinding golden light and slashed at the three talisman spells with tremendous force. This strike landed precisely upon the critical point of the spells' operation, and he forcibly shattered all three!
But that bought Ye Chang the chance to open a distance of roughly thirty zhang.
At this moment, Wang Qi could only watch Ye Chang and Li Ziye clash, completely unable to move. Every muscle and every inch of his meridians had been restrained by Ye Chang's spell. Forget trying to break free—even blinking was impossible. His entire body was held ramrod-stiff within Ye Chang's escape light.
What in the world is going on? Wang Qi's heart seemed stuffed with several pounds of lead, sinking straight down.
No matter how he called out through his spiritual sense, Zhen Chanzi gave no response. This was the first time such a thing had happened since Zhen Chanzi had led him onto the path of immortality.
Damn it! Damn it! What the hell is going on?
Wang Qi roared madly inside his heart. He truly could not understand why he had been dragged into a battle between High-level Cultivators.
"Calm your mind. Anxiety will not help you escape."
Suddenly, Zhen Chanzi's placid voice appeared in Wang Qi's mind.
Wang Qi flew into a rage. "Old man, explain yourself!"
Zhen Chanzi went straight to the point. "This fellow came for this ring. He is a True Disciple of the Emperor-Grade Heaven-Splitting Dao, the very sect that destroyed my Mount Luofu Mystic Clarity Palace ten thousand years ago. This ring is of great importance."
"Hey, hey, you never told me about this part." Wang Qi nearly laughed from anger—if he had been capable of laughing.
There was no emotion in Zhen Chanzi's voice. "I had intended to tell you once you truly stepped onto the immortal path. Never mind that for now. At present, I have secretly extended a wisp of my soul into your body. This method consumes far too much for my remnant soul. Cut the nonsense. The Great Mystery Heaven-Splitting Dao and Mount Luofu Mystic Clarity Palace battled for a thousand years and understood each other's spells well. I will now teach you a method for breaking restraints. Once you master it, you can, while this fellow is unprepared, mobilize a thread of spiritual power."
"A thread of spiritual power? What use is... Don't tell me you mean for me to activate the talismans in my hand?"
Quick-witted as Wang Qi was, he immediately guessed Zhen Chanzi's intent.
"Correct. Li Ziye and this fellow are deadlocked. You need only find an opportunity to activate the few talismans still clenched in your hand. However, the gap in strength between you and him is too great. If he notices, even a secret restraint-breaking method will be useless. Furthermore, I absolutely cannot let the Emperor-Grade Heaven-Splitting Dao discover my existence. So this time, I will not extend my spiritual sense. You must judge the timing yourself."
"My strength is nearly exhausted. I am passing the spell to you! Though this spell is complex, it is the only glimmer of life at present. You must master it quickly!"
Before Wang Qi could react at all, he felt a sharp pain in his head, and a spell directly emerged in his mind.
However, when Wang Qi saw the spell, he nearly started cursing.
"This... this actually requires controlling thirty-seven streams of spiritual power at once, making them circulate through different meridians in independently different ways! Old man, why the hell don't you just tell me to die!"
Multitasking was not particularly remarkable for cultivators, but requiring a Qi Refining Cultivator to divide his focus thirty-seven ways was truly asking the impossible.
No. There's no way I can learn this in so little time. Even if I memorize the routes, I can't make thirty-seven streams of spiritual power circulate independently.
Unless... I can make all thirty-seven streams circulate according to the same pattern!
But these thirty-seven routes differ too greatly... Wait. If I turn this into a mathematical problem, it seems... I need to describe a system composed of thirty-seven particles...
Suddenly, inspiration flashed through his mind.
That's it! Hilbert space! This spell doesn't involve any complicated transformations. Its only difficulty lies in the operation of the thirty-seven streams of spiritual power! Use Hilbert space calculations—use a single function to encompass this system!
Hilbert space was an extension of Euclidean space, but it was not limited to three dimensions.
Simply put, to depict the trajectory of a point moving through three-dimensional space, one needed a three-dimensional coordinate system constructed from three vectors. If one wished to treat two points as one for depiction, one needed a 6-Dimensional coordinate system constructed from six vectors. By extension, three points required nine dimensions, four points required twelve dimensions...
Thirty-seven paths require a one-hundred-and-eleven-dimensional Hilbert space! I can't be intimidated by the number of dimensions. In mathematics, depicting one point in a one-hundred-and-eleven-dimensional space is far simpler than depicting a system composed of thirty-seven points in three-dimensional space!
I was already skilled in Hilbert space in my previous life. Besides, quantum physics in my previous life required six vectors merely to describe one point; now I only need to describe three dimensions. After cultivating Nurturing Life, my soul is several times stronger than in my previous life, so my computational ability is naturally stronger too!
Calculating a one-hundred-and-eleven-dimensional Hilbert space mentally isn't impossible!
Having made his decision, Wang Qi gathered his mind and began calculating.
Let the dantian... no, let the Tanzhong acupoint be the origin and begin calculations...
Just as Wang Qi began calculating, Li Ziye launched another offensive.
No, I can't retreat any farther! If I retreat again, the secret stronghold might be exposed. Ye Chang sent out several layers of light barriers, but Li Ziye shattered them layer by layer with swift strokes of his sword.
This brat's one sword breaking ten thousand methods is too troublesome... I need to think of something!
Ye Chang's Heavy Sword techniques staggered left and right beneath Li Ziye's Heavenly Sword, difficult to sustain. Left with no choice, Ye Chang slapped his chest and sprayed a mouthful of vital energy onto the Heavy Sword, forcing Li Ziye back with Sword Qi that surged dramatically in power.
Li Ziye was about to press forward again when Ye Chang suddenly stopped, drew Wang Qi into his hand, and shouted, "Don't come any closer! Take one more step, and I'll crush this kid to death!"
Wang Qi's heart skipped a beat, and even his calculations came to a halt.
You've got to be kidding me! This is completely outside my calculations!
Though after several days together, Wang Qi had come to vaguely admire Li Ziye's character, he was not foolish enough to believe Li Ziye would sacrifice himself for a Qi Refining Cultivator!
Li Ziye halted his offensive and smiled. "What? You think I'll let a Nascent Soul Realm big fish like you go just for a little Qi Refining Cultivator?"
Ye Chang sneered. "You Modern Dharma Cultivators—do you think I don't know what sort you are? Every last one of you has cultivated your brains rotten, yet you insist on believing in that false benevolence and righteousness, even calling it a 'heart that protects the world.'"
Li Ziye shrugged. "All right, you win."
Ye Chang grinned savagely. "Then put down the Heavenly Sword in your hand."
Li Ziye gave a bitter smile and tossed the Heavenly Sword upward. The Heavenly Sword automatically turned into a silver streak and returned to its sword case. Then Li Ziye removed the sword case that never left his side and threw it toward Ye Chang.
Is this guy stupid?
Wang Qi was utterly shocked. There was no denying that selfless people existed in the world, but it also had to be admitted that such people were few and far between, whether in his previous life or this one. The first Golden Core Cultivator he encountered was one of them? What were the odds—enough to win the lottery several times over?
[Just a note: I'll be heading out tomorrow, so updates will be adjusted to two chapters in the evening.]
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