"Kid, seriously, don't you think you've offended some people?"
"I've been drifting at sea for half a year, and I can count on one hand the number of people I've spoken to recently. Who have I offended lately?" Wang Qi moved his left hand through the air, browsing information, while his right hand slowly nibbled on a pancake, accompanied by fish soup and sauerkraut. "If you mean before these six months... I feel like I've offended too many people."
"Have you forgotten? Feng Luoyi is one of the founders of the Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword. Yesterday, you told him to his face that his theory was 'nonsense'..."
"Yes, it's nonsense. Think about it, who the hell would believe that 'observation' itself decides the world? It's quite against the Dao!"
Zhen Chan felt that he couldn't communicate with this brat at all. "He didn't lose his temper and teach you a lesson, which already shows great restraint!"
"I personally think that the 'Observer's explanation is a display of disregard, a delusion of 'attaining the Dao' - 'Modernism is already approaching the Heavenly Dao'! This fanatical idea made a whole generation believe such a foolish interpretation." Wang Qi shook his head. "I didn't say anything wrong. Besides, the Mysterious Path has indeed hit a bottleneck."
"Bottleneck? The Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword is already the pinnacle of magic arts, isn't it? That kind of counter-causal attack..."
"I've always thought wrong. Combat power can't be used to measure the technical content of a spell—otherwise, why would everyone strive to become immortals? Just groveling would suffice, right?" Wang Qi took a sip of soup. "The Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword is nothing more than a self-consistent explanation that was manifested by Spiritual Energy—and even that explanation isn't completely self-consistent."
The Copenhagen School had received harsh criticism in its later periods — "Bohr brainwashed an entire generation." The aged genius eventually became merely a believer fighting for faith. However, the Copenhagen School's explanation inevitably ended up abandoned by the mainstream.
In Shenzhou, the effects of 'brainwashing' were much better.
Because the Copenhagen School's interpretation ultimately led to the creation of the Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword, and if someone tried to build the Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword with the MWI many-worlds interpretation, things would get awkward. Firstly, a cultivator couldn't prove that their sword strike, in this universe, actually hit the opponent, since there are infinitely many universes where it didn't hit. And if his Mysterious Uncertainty Sword happened to face a situation of a hundred percent miss, he could claim, "I'm 99.99999... percent sure 'Many-Worlds' is correct," because there's still a tiny probability explaining that you're just incredibly lucky not to hit.
Many wave function collapse explanations that should exist on Earth were cut off by this sword move in this world.
Zhen Chan couldn't quite understand Wang Qi's line of thought but still muttered, "Even if it's not very... 'self-consistent,' the sword move itself isn't false."
"The sword move is real, but the explanation of the sword move is insufficient. That is not 'Dao' but 'Magic'." Wang Qi said to the ring, "The Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword is close to the Dao but not the Dao. It's 'Heaven and Earth' itself that helped me perform an unreasonable sword move—I'm not really unleashing the microcosmic rules, but rather... using magic to reproduce a phenomenon at the micro level, just a special manifestation of the rules."
"Well, Old Wang, you still study that sword technique?" Ai Changyuan greeted loudly and directly sat down across from Wang Qi, shouting to the shop owner, "Shop owner, a plate of steamed bread, a cup of soup."
Wang Qi looked pleased, "Not to hide it from you, I indeed learned the Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword."
"Oh!" Ai Changyuan, who had seen many big scenes, was also somewhat surprised. "No way, Old Wang! Good for you!"
"Thanks for the praise." Wang Qi enjoyed the flattery from his peer and said, "Also, I've been feeling recently that Mysterious Palace's interpretation of the Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword technique is somewhat... nonsense, so I plan to make some changes."
"Ah?" Ai Changyuan frowned. "A problem with the logic of the sword move..."
Ai Changyuan shook his head. "Nothing. I've just heard similar remarks."
Wang Qi nodded. "There are always those who understand."
Ai Changyuan shook his head. "Senior Sister Lu Xiaoqian, the chief disciple of Mysterious Palace, has been criticized recently."
"What?" Wang Qi was shocked. "Isn't she a genius among geniuses? Such a person can also... be criticized? Because of the wave function collapse explanation?"
Ai Changyuan nodded. "She was taught by Master Po Li... um, you know the name, right?"
Wang Qi nodded. "A madman."
"Vivid portrayal." Ai Changyuan raised his thumb, "I've heard that Senior Sister Lu often got scolded rigorously, but that time, he was not especially harsh... Hmm." Ai Changyuan cleared his throat, and then lowering his voice, he berated, "'Shit! Is your head filled with shit?! How long have I taught you? Can't you see yet? This explanation, just thinking about it makes it stink to high heaven!'...That was roughly it."
"Hehe." Wang Qi couldn't help but chuckle, "Senior Sister Lu must have given some extremely unorthodox explanation."
Whether it was "multiple worlds" or "multiple histories," either could be mind-shattering to the common folk.
Finally, Ai Changyuan received his breakfast. He wolfed it down quickly and then said, "Shall we go stretch our legs? It's been a while since I fought a worthy opponent—let me experience the legendary Mysterious Uncertainty Cloud Sword!"
"I would love nothing more." Wang Qi limbered up his hands, saying, "Having stayed at sea for half a year, those who haven't transformed are too weak to bother, and those who have transformed I dare not provoke, fearing they might be from the Dragon Clan—my bones are itching!"
————————————————————————————
Langde Xiqin Port, one of the few civilian ports in Langde City. However, the place was not crowded—it had developed storage technology, and Shenzhou's usual demand for transportation was quite low. And no firm would be insane enough to open a sea route in areas frequented by the Demon Clan.
Over time, it had taken on another role—Combat.
The new Guardian Envoy, unaccustomed to naval battles, needed to combat; cultivators had their frictions that needed settling; or simply martial madmen were in the mood, seeking to exchange pointers... Langde Monks had too many reasons for needing a fight. Here, in this frontline against the Demon Clan, the arriving cultivators were either pure Martial Combat Sect or both scholarly and martially capable, with spirits as high as their tempers. Thus, the local laws in Langde City, distinct from Xinyue and Leiyang, tolerated private duels as long as they didn't disturb others.
And the sea, it was the perfect battlefield. Any cultivator worthy of battle was at least at the Foundation Establishment Stage, capable of flight, and didn't need solid ground. Moreover, the seawater could absorb impacts, providing an excellent buffer.
Consequently, Langde Xiqin Port had become a gathering spot for Martial Combat Sect cultivators. A group would gather, talk, and give guidance, inevitably leading to someone stepping up as "commentator," showing off their extensive knowledge. Such commentators could evaluate those high-tier cultivators and prodigious disciples, much higher in status, from amongst the crowd.
Bai Junjie was one such disciple. An Outer Disciple of the Wanfa Sect at Golden Core Perfection, he was currently completing the final phase of heart-refinement, adjusting his mindset, and seeking that slight chance with the Primordial Spirit. Cultivators at Golden Core Perfection who hadn't yet touched the threshold of the Primordial Spirit Heaven Barrier were the most leisurely demographic, and Bai Junjie, coming from the Wanfa Sect, had witnessed countless high-level combats. Putting aside practical combat for the moment, his insight was exceptionally sharp. Lazing in a tearoom at West Qin Port, sipping strong tea and watching the battles between cultivators afar, while being flattered by a circle of cultivators around him, was pure bliss. Thus, he spent at least two hours daily "netting water" here.
"Brother Bai, look over there! The battle is intense!"
Bai Jinjie looked in the direction his fellow disciple was pointing, languidly replied, "It's not interesting. That Guiyi Alliance disciple clearly isn't going all out. Have you felt his Mana True Intent? That all-encompassing aura is obviously the Heavenly Song! Right now, he's just using it like the common 'Thunder True Skill.' But, reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage with the Heavenly Song, he should be capable of integrating thunder and light, electromagnetic unity with that fellow ... uh, I can't quite tell which minor sect he's from, probably offended someone. This is a revenge."
As expected, after a while, the cultivator using the Heavenly Song had formed soldiers with the gathered light, breaking through the opponent's Protective Gang Qi, and then was fiercely pummeled into the water by his own following attack.
"Boring." Bai Junjie signaled his companion to pour him another cup of tea, crossed his legs on the seat, lazily watching the sea. He had secured a window facing the ocean, enjoying the comfortable sea breeze.
With the sun just risen, not many were in the mood for fighting, so there were fewer people dueling on the sea.
Just then, a cultivator who was having his breakfast suddenly pointed towards the harbor, "Look over there, those two, they seem to be one from Guiyi Alliance and one from Wanfa Sect!"
Two cultivators from major sects walked shoulder to shoulder, appearing as mischievous friends. When such obviously close cultivators arrived, they were either there to exchange spells or to spar. And sparring between major sect disciples was always a delight to watch.
Bai Junjie glanced over, "Oh, two Foundation Establishments... Late-Stage Foundation Establishment. That is somewhat interesting. One of them is my sect fellow; I hope the one from Wanfa Sect wins."
"Ha ha, Old Bai, no offense, but are you blind?"
The cultivator teasing him was named Huang Shiyun, also a frequent "net waterer" in the teahouse—It must be said, the presence of these idlers did boost the development of Langde City's tertiary industry and even seemed to be forming a unique culture.
Bai Junjie put down his tea cup, "Old Huang, what are you on about?"
"You're hoping your little junior will win? Impossible, impossible. Haven't you seen who dragged him over here?" Huang Shiyun pointed to a Guiyi Alliance disciple in the distance, "Ai Changyuan! That's Ai Changyuan!"
"Ai Changyuan… that name sounds familiar?" Bai Junjie scratched his head, "Ah, isn't that the… that…"
"The Dao Root Award nominee!" Huang Shiyun exclaimed, "You train this much and still can't recognize him, yet you pretend to talk big here?" (To be continued. If you work, welcome to vote recommendation tickets, monthly tickets at starting point (qidian.com). Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)