Wang Qi's mind and spirit merged as one, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the new round of calculus.
Calculate, calculate, calculate...
Endless calculations—that had been Wang Qi's main theme for nearly a month.
The status of True Disciple meant access to higher reading permissions and lower exchange discounts. Having lost the chance to cultivate within the Sect for five years, this status had become even more significant for Wang Qi. In this examination, he could only continue to win, proving himself with a record of total victory.
For a genius, perhaps one percent of inspiration is indeed more important than ninety-nine percent perspiration. But without that ninety-nine percent perspiration, that one percent of inspiration would be utterly useless.
Just as the finishing touch to a dragon painting needs an already complete dragon, the artist can then make the eyes come alive with but a stroke.
To ensure his combat power, Wang Qi had concentrated all his efforts over the past month on "turning known theories into actual combat strength," no longer researching or solidifying theories.
And the means to train for combat power was simple. Just one word—fight.
Wang Qi's main activity was real combat with Su Junyu and Ai Qinglan.
Being a True Inheritor of Wanfa Sect, Su Junyu's mental method and combat style were similar to Wang Qi's. To Wang Qi, sparring with Su Junyu was more like "posing problems" and "solving problems." This kind of fighting, where every punch and kick came from a math problem, was less like combat and more like solving problems.
After each fight, Wang Qi felt the exhilaration of solving several complex problems—this wasn't sarcasm. For a top student, solving problems was indeed meaningful. Every major problem solved improved proficiency in the solution method and led to a deeper understanding of the Principles of Mathematics behind it.
Combat with Ai Qinglan, however, was a different feeling altogether.
The Spells of Tianling Ridge cultivators were closer to "Innate Divine Abilities," "Bloodline Descendants," and even had a certain chance of being inherited by offspring. Their selection of Spells couldn't match the flexibility of other Sects. Hence, they pursued a different approach.
Use strength to break finesse.
Ai Qinglan's physique was very well-developed, yet still within the category of a "young girl," and shouldn't match something like a "human-shaped tyrannosaur" at all. Yet the power she brought forth with her every move was enough to send Wang Qi flying. Zhen Chan was so astounded that he commented only Qi Storage Stage young Dragon Clan and a few other rare Demon Beasts could surpass her!
When sparring with Wang Qi, Ai Qinglan's fighting style was just as brutal. She liked to smash open Wang Qi's defenses with a few punches or release a barrage of vines in one breath, forcing Wang Qi's sword to be stronger and faster!
At first, Wang Qi couldn't withstand Ai Qinglan's attacks at all, often getting crushed and injured within a few moves. At that time, Ai Qinglan would use her exceptional medical skills to heal Wang Qi, then repeat the process.
This kind of training made Wang Qi suffer terribly. But he had to admit, this training filled a gap that Su Junyu couldn't cover—the experience against formidable opponents and the cultivation of combat consciousness.
Su Junyu analyzed his opponents with his Mathematics, then picked the most targeted Spells from the myriad stored within his Card Magic Artifacts, achieving victory in one fell swoop. His own martial arts and Spell Cultivation, on the other hand, were mediocre. In situations where the attack power had to be suppressed, to give Wang Qi enough pressure without obliterating him instantly, Su Junyu couldn't be of much help.
With the aid of these two Elite Disciples of the Immortal Alliance, Wang Qi made rapid progress over the month.
Finally, Wang Qi was about to complete his calculations. Seeing the problem nearly solved, a sense of exhilaration sprouted within him. Just as his spirit relaxed for a moment, an anomaly suddenly occurred around him. Hundreds of Pea Vines erupted from the surrounding jungle, whipping towards him with overwhelming force.
Although she wasn't a Yangshen Pavilion Disciple, Ai Qinglan had her own methods when it came to sensing others' Spirit. Whenever Wang Qi had a realization during combat, she would halt the attack, allowing Wang Qi to quietly calculate the mathematical reasoning behind his moves. And the moment Wang Qi ended his epiphany, when his mind was most relaxed, she would launch a fierce attack.
"Bring it on!" Having just gained insight into his swordsmanship, Wang Qi was eager to engage in a grand battle to validate his ideas!
The next moment, Sword Qi surged forth!
Within the relentless onslaught like rain, Wang Qi merely repeated a single move—Bai Ze's Formation Breaking Slash, charging through the ranks.
Slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash slash!
Even though Wang Qi's posture and angle varied with each sword strike, and every technique was sublimely linked, looking like an entire set of swordsmanship, they were indeed the same move!
After a series of ingenious variations, the originally unstoppable offensive move transformed into an integrated powerhouse of defense!
The earth-natured Kun Mountain Sword stirred up a gust of wind, blocking off all of Ai Qinglan's attacks. The onslaught persisted for quite a while. Just when Wang Qi felt his strength waning, the vines lowered their flags and constricted back.
Ai Qinglan had a precise understanding of Wang Qi's limits.
Wang Qi exhaled and was just about to strike a pose to show off when applause came from not too far away. Ai Changyuan commended from the sideline, "Excellent variations! With such skillfulness, you're one step closer to 'one law evolves into myriad laws.'"
Wang Qi saw Ai Changyuan and was somewhat confused, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"That seventy-something told me."
"Shiqin, huh... no, that's not what I meant. Why are you at Xin Mountain!" Wang Qi asked, "Shouldn't you be in Langde?"
Ai Changyuan was also puzzled, "I'm here to take part in the Unified Trials."
"Unified Trials... Is it already June 6th?" Wang Qi then remembered the date and couldn't help feeling sentimental, "Do you need something from me?"
Ai Changyuan scrutinized Wang Qi up and down, "Nothing much, just heard you haven't been doing too well lately—honestly, the Martial Arts Examination is quite boring, there are too few interesting opponents."
Wang Qi indifferently said, "Getting hit in the face with a lump of shit while walking is pretty gross, but it's not like it's a life or death situation, right?"
"Haha, that's good to hear!" Having seen his rival, Ai Changyuan left contentedly.
At that moment, Wang Qi turned to Bao Xiaoya, "Miss, it seems you didn't come with that guy. What do you need from me?"
Bao Xiaoya looked at Wang Qi with complex emotions. To an outsider, Wang Qi's swordsmanship might have seemed just faster, denser, and perhaps more agile. But to someone with high mathematical reasoning, the craftiness of those variations was nothing short of ingenious. She hailed from the prestigious Modern Sect and had been haughty since childhood. However, the swordsmanship he displayed just now, she wasn't confident that she could pull it off.
And then there was that calm demeanor, equating a potentially ruined future to "getting smeared with shit on the face"...
No wonder that Ai Changyuan valued this guy so much!
She bit her lower lip and said, "My last name is Bao, Bao Xiaoya. Perhaps, you've heard of me."
Wang Qi's eyebrows rose, "So you're the Bo Family youngster of this year!"
Bao Xiaoya met Wang Qi's gaze and said, "I hope to become a True Inheritor of Wanfa Sect, you understand that, right?"
"Sure, Bo Family has a talent for math."
"We're the new top-ranked disciples separately from Xinyue, Leiyang. It's inevitable that we will have to fight in the Martial Arts Examination. I'm not entirely confident I can defeat you." Bao Xiaoya said, "When the time comes, could you perhaps go easy on me?"