Divergent Paths, Numbers

The path to truth was not unique.

This was also what mathematics itself had taught Wang Qi.

In the eyes of ordinary people, space was flat. To them, Euclidean Geometry was the geometry that naturally arose from this material world.

But in truth, no "straight lines" existed in nature. The traces of human artifice in the concept of a "straight line" were no fewer than those in an "arc" or a "hyperbola." Euclidean Geometry, likewise, had not arisen naturally. It merely simulated nature and space according to human senses.

If there were an intelligent race whose primary senses were completely different from those of humans, then their concepts of geometry would also be utterly different from humanity's.

Take the Sea God, for example. The geometry they first developed was not Euclidean Geometry, but Li's Geometry, with positive curvature. This was because they had no such thing as "vision"; their primary perception was a sense similar to spiritual awareness. On the other hand, their bodies were far too enormous, allowing them to perceive the planet's curvature at an early stage.

Wang Qi had only recently learned that another known race possessed an innate conception of space based on Luo's Geometry, with negative curvature.

That race was the dragon race.

Throughout history, there had been very little dialogue between humans and dragons. Even when like-minded humans and dragons occasionally came together, the first things they did were fight and exchange cultivation methods. The more eccentric ones ate and drank, experiencing the customs of another race; sometimes, they traded rare curios. But sitting down to discuss geometry together... that was truly rare.

Only Wang Qi was different. Over the past few days, aside from methodically developing the Datafied Cultivation Method, he had been preparing lessons for Gou Dabao at home. During that time,