Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 391 - 143: The Team is Done For! (Part 2) [Fourth Release]

Xi Baiche didn't know how many times he had complained. He sighed, "It seems like I've already seen the right path, but there's a wall standing between me and the Dao, preventing me from reaching it."

Someone laughed, "Teacher, what you're describing isn't an invisible qi wall, it's a Ghost Wall!"

Another person retorted, "What kind of ghost could make so many of us Carefree cultivators stumble on a Ghost Wall at the same time? A malevolent spirit that has become an Immortal Venerable?"

The not-so-funny joke elicited several good-natured laughs, and the previously stagnant atmosphere loosened up a bit.

Ai Ruochi walked softly to Xi Baiche and whispered, "Teacher, Calculating Lord Pang is not invincible, don't be like this. Even if we fail this time, there will always be opportunities."

"There will always be opportunities," this is probably something that only a cultivator from Shenzhou would say. Scientists from Earth have only about twenty years of research career, they can't afford failure or waste because one failure could mean losing funding, partners, and connections.

But in a world where one can achieve longevity, anything is possible.

When Xi Baiche heard Ruochi's words of comfort, he didn't relax, but looked at her sternly, "Child, are you suggesting I surrender to that old man?"

Ai Ruochi's heart trembled. Although the Master of Calculation was affable and always a breath of spring, in her heart, the old man was like a father and teacher who deserved not a trace of disrespect. Ai Ruochi quickly bowed her head, "The student wouldn't dare. But..."

Xi Baiche shook his head, then suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention, "The Mathematics Lord's new paper, have you all read it?" Seeing everyone's affirmative response, Xi Baiche continued, "Our adversary has launched a direct challenge. The facts prove that he understands our strengths and weaknesses; he knows our research, and what's more, he not only knows what theories mathematics needs but also what kind of mathematics the Modern method needs. Honestly, he's formidable."

"But what about us? What have we done to date? Now, all of you, bring out your results and let me see what you have accomplished in this past month!"

All the Arithmeticians laid out their work. Some were complete papers, some were still drafts, and some were no more than flashes of inspiration in their notes.

After looking at these items, there was not a hint of joy on Xi Baiche's face; his expression grew even more somber.

Even if all these items were completed, their combined value wouldn't match a single paper by the Mathematics Lord.

In Shenzhou, only Wang Qi knew that the incomplete specter's barrier that had been drawn was a limit that the Master of Calculation couldn't cross; he was destined to not attain the ideals he coveted. Their research's greatest significance lay in paving the way for future generations.

The Master of Calculation seemed to stand in a boundless world, but in reality, "incompleteness" and "undecidability" had already delineated a boundary.

At that moment, Feng Luoyi suddenly spoke up, "Ai Kemeng, where's your paper? You've completed it, haven't you?"

Standing at the edge of the crowd, Ai Kemeng shrank back and said, "Mr. Feng, I don't need to embarrass myself by showing mine, right? Master, you..."

"Weren't you using the Transfinite Method to prove the consistency of arithmetic?" Xi Baiche smiled, "As I said before, though it's not the Righteous Path, it can be used as a surprise tactic. Bring it out, I'm not so petty."

Ai Kemeng, the towering man, timidly passed over four papers to Xi Baiche, adding, "This can't be considered my work alone; it should be counted as a collaboration with that kid Wang Qi."

The Primordial Spirit of the Carefree Level read through the four papers in an instant. Afterward, Xi Baiche became as silent as if he had crashed.

After a long time, he finally said, "In this respect, it's progressed much faster than anticipated."

Wang Qi's theoretical foundation originated from Earth in the twenty-first century and was slightly advanced compared to Shenzhou. He merely pointed out some ideas from Earth's mathematicians at critical moments, which gave Ai Kemeng, one of the Carefree Level Arithmeticians, a moment of sudden clarity, realizing, "Mathematics could actually be like this." Since Ai Kemeng was an Arithmetician of the Carefree Level himself, their joint efforts in writing papers and tackling problems naturally progressed quickly.

Xi Baiche let out a sigh of relief, "Yue Han... I could never quite understand the thought processes of you geniuses."

Master of Calculation, Xi Baiche, had neither exceptional talent nor insight. He had reached the pinnacle of Shenzhou's Mathematics not through the almost innate talents of Feng Luoyi and Pang Jialai. He was a genius of diligence, only that.

"Why?"

"Do you think, Wang Qi, that kid, had foreseen this from the beginning? Did he know from the start that we were walking a single-log bridge, which is why he decided to take a detour?"

Feng Luoyi said indifferently, "Reaching the end via a detour doesn't lead to the destination we want, so it's not very significant."

"Sometimes specialized research is more meaningful than generalities, and besides..." Xi Baiche lifted Pang Jialai's paper, "this is the significance, even if it's temporary."

Feng Luoyi nodded, "I understand now."

"Also, Yue Han, one of your Divine Thoughts is with Wang Qi, right?"

Feng Luoyi nodded, "Yes, I'm discussing some matters with him."

"Ask him for me, how did he originally think of taking the path of the Transfinite Method?"

...

Facing Feng Luoyi's questioning, Wang Qi felt his heartbeat start to quicken.

Although Mathematics could potentially advance ahead of natural sciences, a leap in Mathematics itself, from something pre-Calculus straight to post-Hilbert Space, was implausible. The progression in Mathematics had to be traceable.

Since he had proposed the Transfinite Induction method, it meant he must have seen its feasibility and necessity. But such foresight seemed unreasonable in the eyes of most Arithmeticians. It wouldn't be such an issue if the path wasn't obvious, but Wang Qi knew this path was actually more correct than all of Geting's so-called Carefree paths.

In Wang Qi's memory, this was a minefield many Earth Mathematicians had trampled. Yet in the heart of the Master of Calculation, it was a new realm brimming with infinite possibilities.

Confronted with Feng Luoyi's questioning, Wang Qi couldn't avoid feeling anxious.

"What to do... Should I reveal Godel's Incompleteness Theorem?"

The moment the thought appeared, Wang Qi forcefully suppressed it.

This was the rhythm of a complete mess! As soon as Godel's Incompleteness Theorem came out, the ambition of the Master of Calculation would be instantly bankrupted, and the power of the Li Sect gathered with such difficulty would also crumble due to disunity.

Fuck, I still want to utilize these seniors to complete the work of the Bourbaki School ahead of time!

Glossing over it was also an option; attributing everything to inspiration would work once or twice. However, doing it too often would signal to others, "I have problems!" And since his knowledge was from a future era, it would be hard not to show things differing from the mainstream. To guard against people like Chen Jingyun with ulterior motives, it would be best for him to have an explanation every time.

Wait a minute... the Bourbaki School? Bourbaki... "Principles of Mathematics"...

A spark of Inspiration flashed through Wang Qi's mind! (To be continued. If you like this novel, please support the author by voting and giving monthly passes on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)