Applied Immortality

Chapter 44: The Black Box

There’s a common term on Earth: the black box.

It was a term addressed to a gadget or item whose technology was integrated within a locked framework so the user could use its functionality without needing to peer into its inner structure. 

It was this concept that made using computers on Earth possible, removing the requirement of understanding its inner workings, coding, logic diagrams, and other complex stuff like electromagnetism or even material science. 

In Divine Province’s case, due to the existence of ‘spiritual energy’ locked to this world, it led to the making of a bigger black box than Earth’s universe. Within this ‘box,’ humanity didn’t need to understand the world’s inner workings to have all kinds of fantastic powers. The same logic stood behind ancient cultivators capable of using that same power. 

Drawing a comparison with science and technology on Earth, in regards to Divine Province’s immortal path, the cultivation methods and arts weren’t theories but core skills.

An engineer had to learn theory first to gain better skills. To that end, cultivators needed to open this ‘black box’ and understand the theories within the cultivation methods to get closer to the zenith. 

There was a stark contrast between the average computer user and a computer engineer. In the same way, a magical art in the hands of a cultivator knowing its principles would unleash far greater power than a cultivator using common axioms to activate the same art.

Myriad Arts Sect’s motto of one art extrapolating into others was based on this principle. Math was the cornerstone of the natural sciences on Earth, hailed as the ‘queen of science.’ On Divine Province, however, the Dao seekers saw math as a shortcut. Any mental art or skill was based on math, so of course the Myriad Arts Sect disciples could use them all. 

When Lord White Marsh became Unfettered, he carved three lines on Myriad Arts Sect’s peak with his sword energy. ‘In life, the six senses are muddled. Amidst the world’s disturbances, the true self is deceived. Seeking Dao relies solely on the study of arithmetics.’ In layman’s terms, starting with one’s birth, humans receive unfiltered and random information. While it contained Dao, true, it was a mere aspect of it, limiting one’s progress. One’s experiences were shackles that closed their heart to Dao. Math, through its abstract nature, was the only way to break the chains and transcend experience. 

Painting it differently, the statement would become ‘your eyes, ears, experience, and imagination will all lie to you. Math is the only constant truth.’

Lord White Marsh elucidated math’s majesty, becoming Myriad Arts Sect’s creed. Most modern cultivators honor math as well.

This was where Wang Qi’s opportunity lay to solve his current predicament.

Earth had many mathematical results closely related to Darwin’s theory of evolution, two of which Wang Qi knew perfectly: the evolutionary algorithm and the mutation model. The former was a comprehensive optimization approach derived from the theory of evolution, while the latter was a mathematical model that depicted biological variation, competition, and natural selection. 

Myriad Arts Sect disciples proved through math that by just solving a magical art’s arithmetic principles could lead to one using it. In other words, Wang Qi could bypass the theory of evolution, a field he had shallow knowledge of, and paint the problem in the field he was best at, math!

Having a direction, the first thing he did was ask Zhen Chanzi, “Old man, are there any cultivators using their major cultivation method to accumulate spiritual power while relying on their minor cultivation method for understanding Dao?”

Zhen Chanzi quipped back, “Why are you asking about sword cultivators?”

“Sword cultivators?”

“Training the supreme mental arts of their sects, instead of following the path of tolerance and accepting Dao, they pursue the sword with an obsession.” 

Wang Qi tuned him out, having found what he wanted.

“I’ll have Evolution Chart as my major, using the evolutionary algorithm and the mutation model to deduce it. However, my main research focus still has to be on the elusive path, or quantum physics.”

Reaching a solution at long last for a problem that plagued him for so long filled Wang Qi with unspeakable joy.

[Shitballs! I’m so excited, I could jump. But since I don’t know how to express my joy right now, I can only smile and smile… Gods, it’s nowhere near enough!]

After the initial thrill passed, Wang Qi’s tone went flat once more: “Brother Su, tell me something. How do cultivators celebrate having come upon enlightenment? What is the immortal world’s custom?”

“In regards to customs, Myriad Arts Sect has quite a few traditions passed down from Computation Demon Lord. The Demon Lord once jumped out of his bath and onto his flying sword, streaking in the sky while shouting eureka. Many of his disciples copi-, what the hell are you doing?”

Wang Qi untied his belt and said, “Following tradition.”

“Shit, hold on a minute here! Despite tradition, few, even in my sect, do it. Take it easy, easy!” 

“But I have to let it out.”

Su Junyu held Wang Qi’s belt with one hand and the clothes with another. “Wait, wait, there’re plenty of other ways to go about it!”

“My blade hungers for blood!” (Tamon: from League of Legend comics, said by Tryndamere)

“I don’t see a blade!”

“Let go!”

“No!”

The two struggled, forcing Su Junyu to use a bit of his power to make Wang Qi give up. The Myriad Arts Sect true disciple wiped his brow, about to educate the deviant freshman with a healthy dose of common sense. But then he felt a familiar energy and whipped about. 

Xiang Qi stood behind them, frozen. The sword slipped from her grip as her eyes were empty from experiencing such a shock to her worldview. 

Su Junyu ignored the obvious elephant in the room, showing common courtesy by greeting her. As he waved with a smile, he noticed a belt in his hand, and it wasn’t his.

Wang Qi’s clothes were a mess, and his other hand held them from falling.

To the untrained observer, it painted a most heated tango between two guys…

[And here I am waving another’s belt to the world like some proud achievement.]

If there was one thing Myriad Arts Sect’s fast-processing cultivation methods were good at, it was giving Su Junyu the answer in a flash.

He put on a devastated expression as he wailed, “It’s not what it looks like!”

Su Junyu felt like slapping himself. [Shit, that’s like saying the complete opposite!]

Xiang Qi flashed back to a healthy distance. “Moneyba-, Junyu, I’m not one to condemn one’s ho-“

“That’s exactly what you’re doing!”

“No, no, no, it’s not you. Come to think of it, Contraption Elder has been with Myriad Arts Sect at first, only to transfer to Contraption Pavilion midway. I see now why everyone says, ‘Myriad Arts Sect people want a Dao companion.'”

Su Junyu whined, “Don’t just condemn the Myriad Arts Sect!”

Xiang Qi turned to Wang Qi with a grave look and said, “Uhm, Little Qi, this is your choice. I have no say in the matter. Wish you nothing but happiness.”

“He’s only following tradition.”

“Contraption Elder is a great man.”

“It’s not Senior Turing’s! Why can’t you listen, woman? Wang Qi, explain it to her!”

Wang Qi straightened his clothes and stood across from Xiang Qi. “Will you give us the chance to prove our inclination?”

“Oh, heavens, please don’t force me to watch. And how is this in any way hard to prove?”

Wang Qi shook his head. “You’re free to try it out, Senior Sister.”