Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 882 - 211: Senior Sister Mi’s Physical Body?

"Teacher, ever since you recently talked to me about the profoundness of 'numbers,' I've found myself unable to extricate myself, constantly pondering over it. It's a pity that in the realm of mathematics, my talent is dull, and to this day, I haven't experienced the wisdom and spirit light you once mentioned."

In face of Wang Qi's guidance, Gou Dabao felt quite ashamed.

Whether he was gazing at mountains or watching water, or lying down watching the floating clouds, he could feel a kind of "thrill." This thrill, sourced from the natural world, prompted him to deepen his understanding of the Ancient Method. To him, the "Heavenly Dao" was like a cheap prostitute—pay and it's yours.

To resist the Ancient Method, he even rejected all things "beautiful" in the world, spending his days deriving pleasure from "swallowing filth."

But a while ago, Wang Qi opened a door to a new realm for him. He saw the principles of heaven and earth hidden within equations, and the wisdom and spirit light that previous people had accumulated step by step within those equations. He was deeply moved, and thus spared no effort in pondering these things.

To Gou Dabao, Wang Qi was not just a benefactor who brought the "emotion" and "beauty" of the Modern to him, but also his mentor on the Modern Path. He held Wang Qi in high regard.

Upon hearing Wang Qi's reproach, he felt rather ashamed and fearful.

Wang Qi sighed slightly.

Mathematics, although in science, is the most detached from objective matter. However, it's not something that can be mastered merely by "realization"—or to put it bluntly, "daydreaming."

Even a Master of Calculation like Pang Jialai, who seemingly knew things innately, had to start with things like "Daily Oral Calculation Practice" when he entered the path.

In Wang Qi's past life, many Western mathematicians considered that doing a lot of arithmetic during elementary school was necessary. It helped cultivate their sense of numbers—the ladder to "science" and "advanced mathematics." Modern computational tools would only destroy the most important "thinking" that ancestors left for them.

If you want to learn mathematics, at the beginner stage, the only way is to learn more, practice more.

Amid countless problems, use the formulas you've learned, and distil your thoughts.

This step is even more important than "pondering the essence of mathematics." Without this step, everything afterwards is like building a tower on quicksand, seemingly stable but akin to castles in the air.

Take the "numbers" that Gou Dabao currently infatuates with, for instance; within mathematics, there is a branch of "number theory." And to research number theory, one must at least be proficient in the myriad applications of arithmetic, and also know about sets, understand analytic geometry...

This requires being extremely proficient in elementary mathematics at the very least.

In other words, just to get started, one must score decently in high school mathematics.

And up to this point, ordinarily, a person needs to endure ten years of hard study.

This is just the prerequisite to "entry."

It's absolutely not something that can be "comprehended" by mere "thinking" and "realization."

If Gou Dabao continues like this, he might not necessarily find the right path.

Wang Qi initially just wanted to eliminate Gou Dabao's resistance to Modern Cultivation Method. But now, he genuinely wanted to help this poor guy a bit more.

Upon hearing Wang Qi's words, Gou Dabao was somewhat troubled, "Teacher... um, the elementary test papers you mentioned, I can easily complete them."

"That's because you are a cultivator. As a cultivator, your ears are sharp, your eyes keen, your divine light is bright, and your mind is exponentially clearer than an ordinary mortal. With such a calculating power, of course you don't have a problem." Wang Qi sighed, "But you still need to practice more! Cultivate some thoughts of your own!"

For those unfamiliar with mathematics, doing subtraction with numbers over twenty requires using fingers—in modern times, people might find it unbelievable. But that's how many in ancient times managed. In ancient Earth, the tips for mental arithmetic or oral calculation could all be equated to something like "secret manuals."

What Gou Dabao is doing now is almost like "counting fingers," except his mind processes quickly, and thirty, fifty sets of "fingers" or more are counted in a blink.

This is not the result Wang Qi wants.

A modern person can instantly complete the addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers, or four basic operations under a hundred.

That's because they have cultivated a way of mathematical thinking.

This way of thinking is very important. When a great mathematician performs calculations, they are not relying on a strong computation power to "count fingers" in their mind.

Mental arithmetic, oral calculation, are the starting points on the path of mathematics.

Gou Dabao was quite convinced of Wang Qi's words. Thus, this Banished Immortal began his training of the elementary level.

After leaving Gou Dabao's place, Wang Qi shook his head slightly, "This is truly..."

Zhen Chan asked, "What about that Banished Immortal?"

"It's not that Gou Dabao has any problem... um, it should be said, it's not that he's resisting anything. It's just that, the path of mathematics is indeed arduous."

"Arduous indeed..." Zhen Chan sighed, seemingly in sympathy, "When I was young, I studied some and felt nothing in the world was more difficult than mathematics."

Luofu Xuanqing Palace's Absolute Skill "Da Luo Chaos Heaven Scripture" relates to the Innate Five Taos, aiming to describe five states of matter, five transformations, five properties. It complements the Innate Five Virtues that represent chaos moving toward order, and the Innate Five Taos that signify order moving toward chaos.

This path seems to have a faint connection with mathematics.

Zhen Chan had also studied some mathematics. It was precisely because of this that when Wang Qi just entered the Immortal Institute and was being tested on the prerequisites of the Yao Ding Calculating Scripture, he sighed, "Calculating with ten fingers is truly difficult."

Wang Qi, however, felt no resonance with this. The "profoundness" he lamented and the "profoundness" Zhen Chan lamented did not mean the same thing. Instead, he scorned, "It's just calculating with fingers..."

—Isn't it just the conversion between binary and decimal? How hard could it be? This is just junior high school stuff.

Zhen Chan recalled this embarrassing incident as well and was amused, "I didn't know about it then..." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The development of mathematics is like this. The top mathematicians can always invent some brand-new mathematical tools and methods and prove the universality of these methods. Then, in the face of these new methods, ancient problems can only be crushed to dust.

Many elementary and junior high school-level questions once stumped the world's top wise men.

Those elementary and junior high school students actually learn the crystallization of the painstaking efforts of ancient sages, which is why they can solve these problems so easily.

To be able to teach one's own "thoughts," one's own "Dao" to young children in such a simple way is the most remarkable thing in the world.

After the discussion, Wang Qi expressed his thoughts, "Old man, now what do you think mathematics is?"

"Initially, I thought I knew. But after hearing your discourse on the 'Daoist embodiment,' I find I don't understand it anymore."

"For Gou Dabao, actually, 'mathematics' and 'writing' should be similar things, both languages for 'discussing the profound,' " Wang Qi analyzed. "The mystical upon mystical, neither falls into writing nor can it fall into writing, but it can always rely on writing to make indirect arguments... For Gou Dabao, the mathematics he understands is just a 'barbarian language' used for 'making indirect arguments.'

This is not surprising. Even if Immortals wholeheartedly pursue the Great Dao, they still have to live daily lives. And daily life cannot do without the four basic arithmetic operations. Even if the development of mathematics is suppressed, elementary arithmetic and elementary geometry can still develop. Since this is the case, Immortals cannot completely be ignorant of mathematics.

But for Immortals, "calculating" is just a means. It doesn't even count as a "technique," it belongs to a "self-evident" skill.

Making "calculation" the Dao and the foundation of cultivation? Ridiculous!

Would you take eating, drinking, defecating, and urinating as the foundation of cultivation?

However, the ancient mathematicians of Shenzhou attributed everything in the world to "numbers," believing that "numbers" are the foundation of heaven and earth and nature, and everything that follows. The Mathematical Sect that split from them believes that the foundation of heaven and earth and nature is the geometry of points, lines, and surfaces.

This understanding is also far removed from today's perception of mathematics by the disciples of the Wanfa Sect.

Neither the Li Sect represented by the Master of Calculation nor the Li Sect represented by the Mathematics Lord would view heaven and earth and nature in such a way today.

Banished Immortals are not ordinary mortals; in their previous lives, they were great heroes and saints who had cultivated to the transcendent and saintly stages, with a long-lived perspective on heaven, earth, and nature. Moreover, they have traversed countless worlds.

They can see the essence of the Modern Path of Shenzhou at a glance.

They absolutely would not accept the views of the Modern Immortal Path of Shenzhou.

This is the reason why Gou Dabao detests mathematics.

Wang Qi was pondering and reflecting when suddenly he felt a sharp aura descend from the sky. Then the ground gently shook.

Wang Qi opened the door and saw a giant sword the size of a door panel planted in the yard.

"Is this... a long-distance cargo flying sword? And judging by the hilt design, it's not from ordinary merchants, but from the Immortal Alliance's shipping service." Wang Qi circled around the giant sword twice, puzzled, "Could it be a wrong delivery? Have I been shopping impulsively recently?"

Mi tugged on Wang Qi's belt, "That, it's not for you. It's my stuff. Because it has to be unsealed with your help, I calculated your travel time and specifically delivered it at this moment."

"Is it yours, Senior Sister?" Wang Qi was curious, "What is it... um, this shape is a bit alarming."

Wang Qi took a coffin out from the storage room of the cargo flying sword.

This coffin wasn't large, and from its appearance, it seemed more like a child coffin.

"It took me quite a bit of effort to make," Mi said with a hint of pride on her face, "Open it and see."

Wang Qi opened the coffin lid. Inside lay a little girl. She looked no more than six or seven years old, dressed in the blue magic robe representing the Wanfa Sect.

Most importantly, her appearance was identical to Mi's virtual image.

Wang Qi's first reaction was to pinch the little girl's cheek.

Mi shouted, "Don't touch me!"

"What exactly is this... this..." Wang Qi pointed to Mi's virtual image and then looked at the physical body lying in the coffin.

"My human form," Mi replied.