Applied Immortality-Chapter 160: Inner Demon

The Upper Clarity Fractal was a special fractal hiding behind an ancient sect’s Store Thoughts Art’s flame energy cloud pattern. Outlying it in the soul resulted in tempering it.

Whatever the reason, be it words or direct observation, none could convey the full picture of the fractal; only by drawing something similar. Not even the ancient guy discovering it might not have been able to do it either, not like Wang Qi, at least, who used math to express the full Upper Clarity Fractal. Adding to that, there was also all the fluff the creator came up with for heaven knew why, then slapped it on a mural to spread it. It led to successive generations being unable to grasp the Store Thoughts Art’s profound fractal while wasting loads of time drawing junk as well.

After Wang Qi solved it through fractal geometry, it became part of his soul. It provided complete control over and strengthened, Wang Qi’s soul. To Divine Province’s natives, the soul was a crucial calculator much like the brain. Its strength meant sharper thinking. With the Upper Clarity Fractal in his soul, Wang Qi’s focus had never been steadier. His grip on his thoughts never firmer!

Wang Qi was thrilled.

Zhen Chanzi sighed in his ring. “Surpassing others is easier than surpassing oneself.”

[The heck is that?]

Wang Qi frowned. “Old man, what gives?”

“I was speaking out loud.”

[Spoken like a true relic.] Wang Qi quipped in his mind.

Zhen Chanzi did it again. “Easier said than done.”

Wang Qi’s mind snapped. “Old man, you speak not a smidgen of sense. Are you having a soul breakdown now?”

“Hey, just ignore it.”

Wang Qi lashed out. “Save your riddles and just out with it!”

“Look, I wasn’t talking about anyone, yet you immediately thought it was about you.” Zhen Chanzi said casually. “Kid, what is this? Is this your way of saying you feel guilty?”

“Like I said, out with it already.”

“It’s you who hid something from me all this time.” Zhen Chanzi said, “You came to me for the Store Thoughts Art saying you’ve been feeling ‘irritated’ and unsettled. Then Yang Jun’s matter roused some memories. What about the other reasons?”

Wang Qi put on a stiff smile. “What are you getting at?”

“You know very well what.”

“Old man, I’ve been entirely honest with you back then.”

Zhen Chanzi eased his tone. “Yeah, honest, but omitted things.”

The youth glared at the ring.

“The thorns you felt in your heart are real. You sympathized with Yang Jun and your thirst for vengeance spurred on, also true. Wanting to banish your demons with a resolve art is undeniable.

“But what inner demons are there?”

“Albion Village was destroyed, not your fault. You may owe Li Ziye a life debt, but you were mere acquaintances. Then there’s the burning desire for revenge. Even if it all turns into an inner demon, it still won’t justify the terror you’re feeling…”

Wang Qi asked, “Terror? Do you see me shaking?”

“Which art have you been focusing on these last few days the most?”

“Blade art.” Wang Qi replied.

“So you’re lying even to yourself.” Zhen Chanzi shared. “Try again.”

Wang Qi paused. His time training was split between the two blade arts, equally, and cultivating his mental art. Wang Qi spoke firmly, “Yes, blade art.”

“You miscounted.” Zhen Chanzi smiled. “You have two blade arts, White Marsh True Array Divider and Thunder Resonance Blade Art.

“When training Thunder Resonance Blade Art, you’re also doing lightning, light, and Grand Ripple Enigma in parallel—in modern cultivation’s terms, wave arts. They count as well.

“Then there’s your training in White Marsh True Array Divider, treating it like you’re turning the blade art into a movement art. Another one added.”

Wang Qi was silent. Thunder Resonance Blade Art corresponded to Fourier Expansion, which was what Earth scientists used to look into waves. From formless communication to Schrödinger wave mechanics, all were under their influence. While White Marsh True Array Divider was linear algebra, part of matrices, and since it was also included in Daoist Proscribe’s works’ Elusory Movement, he couldn’t just not practice it.

Zhen Chanzi sighed. “And the most important one, the price you paid. You train in common cultivation methods. The price wasn’t always just in time, but something else as well. You’ve went as far as rendering yourself bedridden only for that art.”

The youth was silent.

Zhen Chanzi continued, “You’re interested in the resolve art, but also certain in your own survival. If I had met you earlier, you’d still hold ‘as long as it doesn’t kill me, anything goes’ reckless attitude. But then you said you wanted to ‘seek immortality,’ something that contradicts the rash and wild nature.

“Ever since you learned of Three Clarities Heart Art, I could tell. You are dead certain you have a huge inner demon and rushed to remove it. Your risk in training the Upper Clarity Fractal proved that your inner demon is indeed huge, so much that even you won’t show the usual confidence when dealing with things, instead using various ways to fool yourself.

“You even know that you’re walking on the edge—you know exactly where your demon is.”

Wang Qi fell silent for a long time. “Old man, how astute.”

“I’m still a Great Ascension cultivator. Ancient cultivators dealt with inner demons too.”

Wang Qi laughed. “Tell me, then, what is my inner demon?”

It was Zhen Chanzi’s turn to pause. “You know very well.”

Wang Qi was grave, “Say it!”

He’d never be able to find peace unless he knew what Zhen Chanzi saw in him.

“Lunar New Year’s Eve is around the corner.” Zhen Chanzi spoke with resignation. “Your habit, I fear…”

Wang Qi didn’t let him finish, throwing the ring in the storage bag and flinging it at the bedside.

“Huff~” Wang Qi glared at the bag in warning, taking a long time to realize his heavy breathing.

Wang Qi shook his head in disgust. “Like this?”