Wang Qi was almost driven mad with joy by the incessant thoughts flooding his mind.
For him, this world was essentially a blank slate, meaning—there were still so many possibilities to explore!
Cough, cough, that might sound a bit creepy. However, what he had learned and seen on Earth, though not directly transposable, could definitely serve as a stepping stone to propel his development in this world.
Zhen Chan was surprisingly interested in Wang Qi's words, "Oh? Do tell?"
Wang Qi sat up and thought for a moment. "Some of the jokes you definitely wouldn't understand... hmm, what to say..."
Zhen Chan felt a mix of laughter and helplessness: How on earth was this kid's brain wired?
Wang Qi suddenly looked around like a thief and asked in a hushed voice, "Old man, that Li Ziye isn't using Spiritual Sense to monitor us, right? And that Xiang Qi as well."
Zhen Chan was puzzled. "The kid surnamed Li left half an hour ago. A Golden Core Cultivator passed by from the north, probably a Modern Cultivator; I don't know if he was a friend or it was his duty. They've already moved beyond the range of my Spiritual Sense. The girl surnamed Xiang is greedy for the cup and has gotten drunk; she's already asleep."
"That's no problem then," Wang Qi explained. "Some things said aloud could create a bad influence."
"What exactly are you up to, acting all sneaky?"
Wang Qi grinned slyly, the very picture of a villain succeeding in his plan. "Next, you'll witness the brilliance of my heaven-spanning talents!"
"First, you should understand, right? Modern methods are about learning the laws of nature! But Li Ziye neither provided me with any cultivation techniques nor taught me any profound theories."
Zhen Chan suddenly wondered if the kid in front of him had indeed gone mad. "Isn't that normal? What's the problem?"
Wang Qi scoffed. "You see no problem, but in my eyes, the problem is huge! Modern Cultivators have few demands for resources, and with an Immortal Alliance overseeing, do you think sectarian barriers are necessary? Especially since this isn't the Ancient Method where cultivation is as self-evident as drinking water; all Modern Methods share the same foundation. This determines that in this system, a group of mediocrities working together is always stronger than one genius!"
Zhen Chan questioned doubtfully, "You think you can overturn something that has always been?"
Wang Qi chuckled. "Changing this mindset won't happen overnight. According to Li Ziye, my talents will definitely attract the attention of a major sect. I could start by suggesting to the sect, or using the influence of a talented disciple, to request..."
Wang Qi, taking his past life's academic system and modern education system as a model, spoke eloquently. Initially dismissive, Zhen Chan grew more alarmed as he listened—if Wang Qi's understanding of the Modern System was accurate, then these ideas could almost certainly have a huge impact on today's laws!
Where on earth did this kid get so many bizarre ideas?
However, centuries of experience and millennia of contemplation made Zhen Chan sense another doubtful point.
Why hadn't the Modern Immortal Path developed such mechanisms, or similar ones?
Wang Qi was oblivious to what Zhen Chan was thinking and was secretly pleased with himself: Old man, if you're startled now, what would happen if I mentioned the idea of "All-People Cultivation," or if I tried to explain my modern scientific knowledge and theories… well, you probably wouldn't understand anyway.
If I didn't vent these thoughts, they would truly suffocate me inside. Ah, a kindred spirit is hard to find, indeed!
Suddenly, a surge of Mana Wave interrupted their conversation. A crooked Escape Light shot out from the house, wavering as it headed towards Wang Qi. Wang Qi casually shifted his position to avoid being hit.
Xiang Qi's face was flush, her eyes glazed, barely sitting still when she reached for the small wine jar beside Wang Qi. Wang Qi frowned, "Fairy Xiang, have you drunk too much…"
Xiang Qi stared blankly at Wang Qi, then burst into a string of silver laughter. "Hehehe, no need to be so formal! With your talents, you will definitely join a major sect of the Immortal Alliance this year. Call me Senior Sister!"
Wang Qi felt a chill run down his spine—where was the violent woman he knew? The sullen-faced Xiang Qi was surely more familiar!
Also, cultivators can get drunk? On peasant-brewed rice wine, no less?
"This little girl intentionally didn't use Mana to sober up," Zhen Chan explained just in time.
Wang Qi asked in a low voice, puzzled, "What's the point in doing that?"
"Just to let her drink to her heart's content. Before the Primordial Spirit Stage—oh, for this girl, before the Nascent Soul Stage—cultivators' physical bodies don't undergo qualitative changes. If they don't use Mana to sober up, they can completely enjoy drinking or drown their sorrows."
"It doesn't sound like she's sorrowful at all… damn, she just got drunk on a whim?"
Zhen Chan said, "The path of cultivation is harsh; it's common for disciples of the Immortal Sects to indulge occasionally."
As Xiang Qi saw Wang Qi not responding, she grew impatient and slapped him hard on the shoulder, "Hey! What are you thinking about? Call me Senior Sister!"
The strength of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator was immense, and the slap nearly broke Wang Qi's arm. Wang Qi inwardly sighed; it was indeed the familiar violent woman he knew. He inconspicuously moved his shoulder and, considering his words carefully, asked, "Fairy... Senior Sister? Is it really appropriate for me to call you that?"
Xiang Qi stomped her foot like a child. "What? Do I look old? I'll have you know the standards of the Immortal Alliance clearly state that a generation is defined every thirty years..."
"So, you have already... ahaha, the sunlight tonight is really lovely."
Wang Qi was about to blurt out the age range he had calculated for Xiang Qi—unfortunately, he swallowed his words under her menacing gaze.
"Cut it out, I know exactly what you're thinking. Let me tell you, not counting the Nourishing Life Master's practition, Senior Sister here hasn't been cultivating for more than ten years—ten years!"
Zhen Chan sighed, "Being able to break through from the Qi Cultivation Stage to the Foundation Establishment Stage in ten years would have been considered a unique genius even in my era!"
Xiang Qi picked up a jar of wine and took a swig directly, "I used to practice the Ancient Method, and I wasn't very nice to you, Senior Sister. Don't mind it. Once your cultivation is higher, you'll understand. Anyway, if you ever get bullied in the Immortal Alliance, just mention my name—burp..."
It should be "Don't mind" instead of "Don't worry," right? And her personality changes so much when she's drunk; what if she decides to kill someone to keep them quiet...
While Wang Qi was internally criticizing and grappling with the notion of a desperate struggle, Xiang Qi self-mockingly said, "Even if you've studied Ancient Mathematics from a young age and came to comprehend the essence of seeking the Dao on your own, you would still be considered astonishingly brilliant... Wang Qi, being in the same generation as you freaks, your senior sister feels a lot of pressure, you know?"
As she spoke, the girl continually patted Wang Qi's shoulder, almost nailing him to the ceiling.
Wang Qi curiously asked, "'We'? Senior sister, you seem like a pretty impressive cultivator, right?"
"Burp, let me think..." Xiang Qi squinted her eyes, reminiscing, "True Disciple of Burning Gold Valley, I have a significant ranking..."
"Why the pressure then..."
"There are just too many geniuses!" Xiang Qi waved her arms, exclaiming to the boy, "Just look at Senior Brother Li, the earliest batch of our generation..."
Zhen Chan exclaimed, "Thirty years to Golden Core!?"
It seemed like Xiang Qi really didn't like Ancient Method Practitioners, her tone impatient, "At this stage in the Human World, from Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages, Modern Cultivators' speed far exceeds the Ancient Method—where was I? Oh, don't be fooled by the way Senior Brother Li looks; he's not quite top-notch yet."
Wang Qi became interested, "That's interesting! Tell me, senior sister, how many geniuses are there in our generation?"
"Let's keep talking about Senior Brother Li..."
It feels kinda mean, though. Wang Qi criticized internally—look at Li Ziye, so graceful and powerful and here he ends up as a sort of benchmark for talent... Such and such's talent is one 'Li Ziye'. Wow, this is intense! The talent is actually three Li Ziye!
This thought somehow feels exhilarating... Ahem, my apologies!
"Currently, the highest cultivator in Wanfa Sect is this generation's leading senior brother, 'Life's Solution' Gao Jiyang. In terms of Mathematics, he surpasses Senior Brother Li by more than a head. But then, Wanfa Sect's rising star Chen Youjia, though her fame is still unproclaimed, according to Senior Brother Li, many seniors in Wanfa Sect favor her over Senior Brother Gao! Just think how terrifying this girl's talent is!"
"Tianling Ridge specializes in the study of spirit creatures, and they have specialized in talent detection; these past years have been producing talent after talent. One branch of Tianling Ridge, Jiyin Valley, its chief, Senior Sister Ai Qinglan, is known as the 'Demoness'. This moniker isn't to demean her virtue but to commend her talent! Also from Tianling Ridge, Ancient Life Cliff's current chief 'Creation Spirit' Xue Bufan, who, before reaching the Golden Core stage, deciphered the Heavenly Calculation Atlas, advancing the Heavenly Destiny Skill, a unique mental method, to its eighth stage—previously seen as the ultimate in the Human World stage!"
"Besides, the other main branches of Tianling Ridge like Spirit Beast Mountain, Innate Peak, and Yangshen Pavilion haven't yet established a chief, but..."
Wanfa Sect, Jiyin Valley, Ancient Life Cliff, Elemental Power Sect, Thunder Pavilion, Light Hall, Divine Mechanism Pavilion, Liuyun Sect...
Gao Jiyang, Chen Youjia, Ai Qinglan, Xue Bufan, Ni Jingsong...
Xiang Qi talked enthusiastically.
Wang Qi was equally exhilarated—This world... really is extraordinarily interesting!
But, oddly, isn't the history of this world supposed to have some sort of satirical correspondence with Earth's history of science? These names are totally foreign...
A hint of doubt flickered through Wang Qi's mind. The quality of a scientific researcher made him realize that since this world was governed by logic, that mysterious connection must have its reasons.
However, the youth immediately shook his head. The theories in his mind were all from the previous world, not necessarily applicable to Shenzhou; right now, the priority was to quickly understand the existing theories of the Shenzhou Immortal Path.
Seeing Wang Qi appearing distracted, the girl became somewhat displeased, "Hey, hey, I'm talking to you! Show some respect to your senior sister!"
"Oh, oh." Wang Qi snapped back, "Where were we?"
Xiang Qi suddenly revealed a schadenfreude grin, "Senior Brother Li's dream girl, tsk tsk..."
Damn, this kind of earth-shattering gossip—if heard, I'll definitely be silenced, right!?
"The current leading disciple of Mysterious Palace, who mastered half of the Indeterminate Cloud Sword during the Foundation Establishment Stage, her combat prowess is simply off the charts, even defeating Senior Brother Li during his early-stage Foundation Establishment when he was at full Foundation Establishment Perfection. This disciple of Wanfa Sect was regarded as a Heavenly Person at first sight..."
Suddenly, the jade ring in Wang Qi's hand shook violently.
"Old man, why is it vibrating?"
Zhen Chan's tone was urgent, "Trouble is coming, quickly use mana to dissolve the alcohol in that girl's body!"
For the first time, Wang Qi saw Zhen Chan so serious; his right hand swiftly pressed against the girl's back acupuncture point, channeling mana, and asked, "What's happening?"
"There are cultivators coming. Nascent Soul Stage, genuine Ancient Method!"