Applied Immortality

Chapter 204, On Cultivation Among Foundation Establishment Cultivators

Translator: Tamon

‘A Multi-Method Foundation Based on Calculator Theory’ was Wang Qi’s current working theory.

He spent almost every waking moment on it. While Wang Qi was clear about all kinds of theories, his weakness lay in applying them in cultivation. Every day he would find many new questions that needed answers. To that end, he would pester anyone he knew.

For issues with calculators, logic, and other math-related problems, he’d go to Su Junyu. The guy helped with deducing an abelian group’s several characteristics, immensely useful for Foundation Establishment.

Ai Dinglan’s side, in regard to Evolution Chart, offered huge hints. What came as a real shock was how the Witch even had valuable insight into Celestial Entropy.

Even so, the sheer knowledge required in designing a foundation was too broad. Su Junyu and Ai Dinglan could only help so much. There were plenty of other questions that only an Eminence could ever hope to answer. These four months Wang Qi’s indiscriminate pursuit of answers in all kinds of domains and for all kinds of sects drove Argent Apex’s teachers up the wall. Eminence cultivators ran scared at the sight of this weird kid asking even weirder questions.

However, to the shock of them all, this disciple was truly unique. The questions might be in regard to one aspect, the art part in ‘Dao, method, and art,’ but they showed awareness and ingenious thinking that left even Eminence in amazement.

The thinking gleaned from these questions revealed the kid’s incredible theoretical level!

With the help of many, many people, willing or begrudgingly, Wang Qi used the four months to turn his initial inspiration and thoughts into the current theory.

It was far from perfect, with many things lacking in the foundation’s design, but Wang Qi was confident he would make the best foundation for himself.

Zhen Chanzi found his unwavering confidence odd. “The design is riddled with issues, so why the certainty?”

Wang Qi shook his head. “Old man, tell me, with modern cultivation’s discoveries, would it be able to exhaust Dao?”

Zhen Chanzi was firm in his answer. “Never.”

“My foundation is more like ‘looking at it doesn’t have problems’ and not that it is truly issue-free.” Wang Qi said, “Questions are a good thing. My foundation has issues, and that means there’s room to grow or that I nknow what flaws I need to solve.”

“And if you can’t?”

Wang Qi squinted and spoke with difficulty. “We must know, we will know.” (Tamon: famous David Hilbert quote.)

“Weird choice of words. I don’t recall hearing them in your village.”

“Forget it, let’s leave that for later.” Wang Qi rolled his eyes, not bothering to explain Earth’s sayings to a relic. He sat down and adjusted his mental arts.

An ethereal electromagnetic spiritual power flowed through him. This was the result of two months’ work—Celestial Hymn Odyssey’s quantization. Grand Discrete Unity Treatise and Celestial Hymn Odyssey were already one, with no difference between them. After discovering the true meaning behind ‘discontinuous energy flow,’ Celestial Hymn Odyssey became even more natural, with a third boost in power. The upkeep for Celestial Hymn Odyssey’s electromagnetic field mimicking a quantum field was also down by 40%.

Speaking in extended periods of time, the latter didn’t hold a damn use to Wang Qi. However, if he could grasp gauge theory, it would be countless times better.

Wang Qi was using the quantified electromagnetic force to temper his yin-yang diagrams, to get Celestial Hymn Odyssey and Divine Hexagram Computation to connect.

Divine Hexagram Computation’s early version was an ancient mental art dated to be from the Middle Ages Numeral School. The school believed heaven and earth were filled with scattered numbers, hence why the two were so far apart. ‘Escape arts can’t beat a turtle in speed’ was a famous paradox that pointed at quantum theory. Thus, Divine Hexagram Computation and Grand Discrete Unity Treatise had natural resonance.

At this point, Wang Qi managed to combine many of his mental arts, as well as connect them with Divine Hexagram Computation and the Book of Geometry. This was the key for his Foundation Establishment.

Before Qi Refining, ancient cultivation focused on toughening the body and catering to spirit roots, while the modern system cared more about mentality and principles. Yet both aimed to take their first bite of spiritual energy from outside to make their first mysterious spiritual power within them. The only difference between the systems was that the former took the world’s spiritual energy while the latter took that which was beyond it.

With spiritual power, one had the power to change the energy index of everything around them, bringing forth inconceivable effects. Qi Refining Realm’s main purpose was to make spiritual power feel natural for the body. As one advanced through the realm, the cultivator’s body adapted, his meridians opened, and the mind toughened. It also increased the rate of absorbing spiritual energy.

In this period, a cultivator had gone beyond mortal limits, wielding magical techniques, but his very essence remained unchanged. His life still had a limit, even if it was close to two centuries.

A mortal’s body had a hard limit and a low capacity of spiritual power. Even if one refined spiritual power, it would just spill out. This condition meant one was at peak Qi Refining Realm.

In that moment, cultivators had to remake a new ‘vessel,’ using it as a foundation for the next step in cultivation. That was precisely the role of foundation.

This foundation, or Dharma foundation, was the core of Foundation Establishment, condensing within the cultivator’s cultivation base as well as his understanding of Dao, all formed within the body. It was not only the start of the next step but also the culmination of the Qi Refining Realm. All the cultivation done in the Qi Refining Realm would be reflected in the foundation, giving it all kinds of baffling abilities. Once the Dharma foundation was formed, the cultivator’s power jumped.

The Dharma foundation dictated the Golden Core, and the Golden Core, in turn, influenced the Primordial Spirit. It was as plain as day, even for a three-(and-a-half-)year-old, making it undoubtedly obvious what came next.

The hardest part about a foundation built on many mental arts was combining them. What should result in a cohesive and complete foundation would end up cracked, affecting even the future Golden Core. Wang Qi was doing the legwork so that never happened, removing all incongruities.

Having chosen his foundation, this step went smoother.

“I’ve found the way to link all mental arts. Advancing is just a matter of time.”

A knock came from the door, and Wang Qi stopped cultivating. As he opened the door, he was met with Mao Zimiao and Wu Shiqin.

“Little Qi! The examination results came, nya! Let’s join the celebration!”

Wang Qi looked out the window at the dark sky. “We won?”

Wu Shiqin spoke with confidence. “Completely.”