Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 995 - 79: Weaving
A calculator, in essence, is a tool used for computation, purely designed for that purpose.
Whether simulating spells or controlling mechanical techniques and arrays, these are just additional capabilities. These functions were later integrated by Modern Cultivators.
Throughout history, many broad tools for calculation existed in ancient Shenzhou. Early counting rods, abacus, and even the "Craftsmanship Ruler," glimpsed within the Middle Ages Mo School's mechanical techniques, belong to this category.
The so-called "Craftsmanship Ruler" is a magical tool often used in mechanical techniques. It consists of three interlocking marked strips and a sliding cursor. This fascinating ruler serves to calculate and even record the dimensions of mechanical components.
Whether it's counting rods, abacus, or the Craftsmanship Ruler, their computational power comes from their structure, independent of any "spirituality" they might possess. Regardless of whether they are crafted from stone, wood, or divine materials, their computational ability remains unaffected.
Even if your abacus undergoes Spirit Awakening Demon Transformation or nurtures an Artifact Spirit to become a high-order magic artifact, it won't enhance its functions one bit. Even if each abacus bead is a Bodhi Seed brimming with Buddhist nature, it only affects the user, not the abacus itself.
Even with mere wooden pieces arranged as counting rods, they can still be used for calculation.
In other words, the genuine ability to "calculate" lies in the "structure" of these tools.
Compared to the innately spiritual Human Clan, these calculators were lifeless, non-spiritual "dead objects."
To control lifeless objects as adeptly as living ones, one must ensure that dead objects obey the orders of living beings. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶
To achieve this, the first step is to make dead objects "understand" human commands and operate according to human consciousness.
The first to accomplish this in Shenzhou were mortals, not cultivators.
Cultivators, to control a magical treasure, would directly nurture it with their souls, enhancing its spirituality and use their mana to outline a spiritual power cycle. This is the correct approach to control a magic artifact. With this method readily available, few would bother to discover how to control dead objects without spiritual power.
Mortals, wishing to control lifeless objects, must rely solely on wisdom.
The first Shenzhou person to comprehend a method of "communicating" with machinery was a weaver girl from the Southern Wilderness Bayue during the Middle Ages. After so many thousands of years, her name has vanished and is merely a primitive belief among Southern Barbarians. If not for some later individuals falsely claiming her name to cultivate the Divine Tao and steal incense fire, acknowledged by the Holy Infant Sect, few Modern Immortals would know of this ancient story.
Unlike her name, her weaving machine has been passed down through generations, used widely until Modern Immortals began the "nationalized mass production." That ancient weaving machine, known as the "Jacquard Machine" or Flower Tower, was still in use.
This ancient device, known also by its alternate name, utilizes patterns made from thread for jacquard weaving, drawing a Quxian Thread to lift warp fibers. In operation, the foot line connects with the fiber line that lifts the warp. Pulling one side of the foot line lifts the corresponding warp. During weaving, two people collaborated: one as the Flower Worker, sitting atop the three-foot-high flower tower, weaving, and another operating the foot lever for weft weaving.
What is called a "pattern" can be seen as a primitive "program" or "path rank."
Thus, to this day, crafting a path rank in Shenzhou is referred to as "weaving."
For calculators, it is not the spiritual power itself that holds the real computational ability but the structure of the calculator.
"This is the communication between living humans and lifeless objects. This communication does not use the language of the living nor follow the thinking of the living. Dead objects have their own rules, and those who understand these rules can control dead objects."
Wang Qi's body floated mid-air, surrounded by pale blue spirit light, resembling cyberspace. Wang Qi's ten fingers twitched, delineating operators, weaving path rank with mathematics.
With every line of code he typed, Jarvis automatically generated dozens or even hundreds of lines, adhering closely to Wang Qi's thoughts.
On Spirit Phoenix Island's surface, an algorithm embedded within the Human Dao System rapidly evolved.
In this Quiet Room, Mei Sicheng, Zhao Xiangshen, Ru Tianqi, and even Sima Jue and Ye Tianye listened intently—at least making an appearance of being enthralled.
This was Wang Qi explaining his cultivation technique.
During moments of good mood, Wang Qi occasionally offered guidance to the people at Luochen Sword Palace—by the way, this Shame of the Dao Seed now unfettered conducts experiments freely, maintaining a generally upbeat mood. To many at Luochen Sword Palace, Mr. Wang seemed surprisingly approachable. However, such collective instruction is rare.
According to Wang Qi's explanation, and based on their prior knowledge of Shenzhou, the people of Luochen Sword Palace understood this secret as one of the foundations of the Shenzhou Immortal Alliance—the secret of the Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiangshen, who possessed the best intuition and daring, vaguely sensed that this force had something in common with the spells within them.
They felt as if an unexpected fortune had struck them dizzy.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm is one of the foundations of the Immortal Alliance! A cultivation technique associated with this mysterious treasure, could it not be a strong technique?
They also began to speculate on Wang Qi's position within the Immortal Alliance, pondering how much control he had over their Ancient Method Practitioners' lives and deaths.
After explaining the principles of "programming," Wang Qi then casually pulled a book from his coat and tossed it to Mei Sicheng: "Here, take this thing, and publish it for me... Remember, the wider the dissemination, the better!"
Mei Sicheng received the book, and upon seeing its cover, was startled: "This... This is..."
"The Wanxiang Diagram—from Beginners to Mastery"?
Wanxiang Diagram?
Wanxiang Diagram!
Isn't this the cutting-edge cultivation technique that has recently emerged within Shenzhou's Wanfa Sect?
He actually dares to give it to us!?
This... Dear heavens! What is this guy doing?
"You can practice on your own. Since your power has been refined by my spell, and your souls have been partially transformed, you should be able to use it — as long as you can understand it." Wang Qi's face showed a devilish smile: "Oh, I forgot to mention, theoretically, as long as you study it thoroughly, you can free yourselves from my control — though breaking the spell is impossible, you can escape my control."
Mei Sicheng's body trembled, Zhao Xiangshen lowered his eyelids to hide the expression in his eyes, Ru Tianqi's eyes widened in disbelief, and Sima Jue's face showed excitement as he turned over and bowed, "How dare I not risk my life for you, teacher!"
"I don't need your sacrifice right now. Leave me be. For now, I need to cultivate alone." Wang Qi still hovered in the center of the quiet room, tilting his head, looking sideways at the people from Luochen Sword Palace. As he watched their departing backs, he found it surprisingly amusing.
To him, their thoughts were unguarded. So, at that moment, he sensed the ancient method practitioners' mockery and awe towards him.
As if they were looking at a powerful madman.
......
Fourth Elder Sima Jue returned to his practice room, locked the doors and windows, and began voraciously flipping through the book he had copied from the Great Elder. Normally, with his memory as a Divine Separation Stage Cultivator, he wouldn't forget anything after seeing it once. However, the organization of this book was beyond his comprehension, so he continued to read it with such focus, as if he wanted to imprint the words into his eyes.
The more he read, the more he felt the ingenuity within. He felt the mysteries of the Modern Cultivation Method consistently unfolding before him.
"This kid indeed has a few tricks up his sleeve, worthy of being a standout among the heterodox cultivators. So this is what the heterodox path is about!"
What he couldn't understand before now seemed so clear to him.
"However, since you're daring enough to give me this opportunity... then don't blame me..."
——I will definitely break free from your control and even unravel the spell that binds me!
——By then, not to mention you, Wang Qi, even the Holy Emperor Venerable, will be at my mercy!
......
Ru Tianqi's quiet room had been forcibly occupied by Wang Qi, so he had been using the Great Elder's quiet room these days.
At this moment, he sat across from Mei Sicheng, each holding a book and delving into it. Mei Sicheng looked excited, but Ru Tianqi knew that this Great Elder had actually made up his mind to fully dedicate himself to studying this book.
On the contrary, Ru Tianqi, who outwardly appeared calm, was experiencing an internal struggle.
Mei Sicheng put down his book and asked, "Haven't decided yet?"
"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I won't give up..."
Ru Tianqi seemed to answer the question, but it was clear where his sentiments lay.
——As long as there's some hope, he won't give up on freeing himself from Wang Qi's control.
And then, Wang Qi had just handed him that glimmer of hope.
Mei Sicheng shook his head, sneering, "Naive. Do you really think someone who can silently control the entire Luochen Sword Palace and even half of the Spirit Phoenix Island's True Law Immortal Sect would genuinely give you that opportunity? Moreover, this 'opportunity' wasn't even spotted by you but pointed out by someone else. Do you think such an opportunity is real?"
"Even by the simplest assumption, if this truly is an opportunity, do you think by learning the Modern Path, you'll be able to compete with the most talented cultivators in the field of the Modern Path?"
Ru Tianqi whispered, "My intuition tells me, it won't be wrong. That kid wasn't lying; that Wanxiang Diagram indeed connects with the spell within me. As long as there's a slight chance..."
"If your intuition could truly comprehend the heterodox path, why have we been trapped here for two thousand years?"
Mei Sicheng rolled his eyes. At the very least, he knew that the Modern Heretics put little trust in mere gut feeling.
Ru Tianqi found himself at a loss for words.
