Applied Immortality

“He doesn’t look like much, but his cultivation is at peak. He could become Unfettered anytime he wanted.”

Wang Qi was gapping, “He can withstand the allure?”

“He’s after perfection.” Zhen Chanzi explained, who found such cases common ten thousand years ago, back in his day. 

Wang Qi didn’t find it normal in the least.

[Isn’t Immortal Alliance defending itself from an enemy? Unfettered ought to have great battle power, so why doesn’t he go for it?]

Wang Qi found it safer by keeping his thoughts to himself instead of talking with Zhen Chanzi through spiritual sense and risking being overheard. [The half Unfettered doesn’t look like the eavesdropping type, though you can never be too careful.]

After Xiang Qi and Su Junyu’s greeting, the cultivator in black finally noticed he had an audience. His eyes swiveled lazily, speaking after a long pause, “And you are?”

Su Junyu replied, “Su Junyu, 82nd generation true disciple of Myriad Arts Sect, currently a teaching assistant at the Immortal Institute on Argent Apex.” 

“Oh, I remember you. You’re under Lord White Marsh…” The cultivator drawled, yet his average attitude chilled Su Junyu.

The unrivaled White Marsh Laplace was generous to the juniors, while his peers didn’t look too kindly on him. Su Junyu’s heart sank when the Sect Leader explicitly mentioned his master.

The cultivator in black switched topics out of nowhere, “An Argent Apex’s Immortal Institute teaching assistant you say?”

Su Junyu eased a breath, “Yes.”

“Oh, my calculations were right. I’ve been walking over from the Wu entrance according to this formula. 

Wang Qi’s scalp went numb, “Senior, can’t you just walk normally…”

[Walking based on some formula? Isn’t that the definition of crazy?]

“I was solving a problem, walking with the formula and forgoing looking ahead.” The cultivator answered Wang Qi’s question like a wise and tolerant senior that hadn’t just been thrown on the ground a minute ago. 

[Did he forget so fast?]

Wang Qi had a radical though.

The cultivator in black turned to Su Junyu, “Do you know where Brother Jiaxuan is?”

Su Junyu nodded, “I’ll take you, Senior Uncle.”

“Just tell me his position and yours.”

Su Junyu blinked and followed with, “33 on the heaven axis, 735 on the vertical axis, and 774 on the horizontal axis.”

“Oh, thanks.” The cultivator expressed his gratitude and just vanished into thin air.

Wang Qi froze in shock, “Wha-“

Su Junyu wiped his brow, “Cosmic Pathweaving, a Myriad Arts Sect movement art…”

Xiang Qi dissed, “Moneybags, with Myriad Arts Sect’s mindset, why insist on using movement arts when you could just climb the mountain…” 

Su Junyu was uncertain in his answer, “Maybe he didn’t have an accurate position?”

[In other words, he didn’t have the target’s coordinates to just go there. Shit, this Sect Leader’s such a dork.]

Xiang Qi held her face, “Every time I see some expert from Myriad Arts Sect it only works to validate what an excellent choice I made in going to Scorching Metal Valley…”

Su Junyu said, “For some reason, I agree…”

Wang Qi raised his shy hand, “Was that senior the Myriad Arts Sect Leader? He’s very… unique.”

Su Junyu said, “He’s too absorbed in calculations. He found joy in numbers since young, and when a senior from the Drifting Cloud Sect introduced him to immortal cultivation, he was engrossed in math.” 

“How is Sect Leader called?”

Xiang Qi sighed, “You know so little of the big names in the immortal cultivation. It’ll be so easy for you to irk a senior…” 

“His name is Chen Jingyun, known as the Myriad Arts Monarch.”

——————————————————

Myriad Arts Monarch Chen Jingyun was Myriad Arts Sect’s living legend.

Sect Leader Chen lived in poverty in his younger years when Drifting Cloud Sect’s senior Shen Yuan introduced him to immortal cultivation. In those times, Immortal Alliance wasn’t yet established. Chen Jingyun joined Drifting Cloud Sect, but Daoist Shen discovered he had a mild interest in the sect’s arts, far more engrossed in the pastime math problems for disciples. To pave the way for the disciple’s future, Drifting Cloud Sect had Chen Jingyun transferred to Myriad Arts Sect—a common occurrence in modern cultivation. Drifting Cloud Sect had forgotten all about the event soon after, with Daoist Shen Yuan couldn’t recall ever teaching such a disciple.

Chen Jingyun showcased his true value in the Myriad Arts Sect, becoming Myriad Arts Sect’s previous Sect Leader Hua Ruogeng’s disciple in little time. Chen Jingyun tackled and overcame math problems one after the other, now reaching the highest and hardest problem, the question of value. Not even the great Master Of Myriad Arts Hilbert could match his skills. The question of value was called the crown jewel of mathematics, thus earning Chen Jingyun the title of Myriad Arts Monarch.

Cosmic Pathweaving was a famous space traveling art. Cosmic Pathweaving’s foundation was a highly advanced arithmetic in the Myriad Arts Sect, Cosmic Calculation—known on Earth as Hilbert space. Unlike the elemental escaping arts, Lightning Escape and others, the Cosmic Pathweaving relied on vectors—their size and directions. So long as vectors were around, the user could borrow them to travel through space.

It wasn’t Chen Jingyun’s first time space traveling, confident in crossing over to his friend. 

It came as a surprise to find that when he just stepped out of the void, he found himself face-to-face with a brilliant sword wave.

The sword didn’t look impressive, but it contained such might, such sword energy that shook Chen Jingyun’s soul. Few Unfettered could block it.

Chen Jingyun drew out his own sword.

Myriad Arts Sect Leader’s sword art was casual, unlike the incoming attack which contained countless variations of sword energy. His was plain by comparison.

No one would ever think the Myriad Arts Sect Leader would use such a flat and average strike, not when his skills encompassed all arts.

The other gasped in surprise but adjusted his stance to retaliate. 

The sword strikes clashed and Chen Jingyun’s attack got deflected like nothing, however, the enemy’s attack paused for a moment, long enough for Chen Jingyun to slash twice.

With a crisp metallic sound, the enemy attack broke apart.

Chen Jingyun sheathed his sword. The attacker exclaimed, “Brother Jingyun, you’ve integrated ‘one plus two’?”

“Brother Jiaxuan, don’t patronize me.” Chen Jingyun cupped his hands.

Heavenly Sword Palace Lord, Sky-ringing Sword Deng Jiaxuan was the attacker.

Deng Jiaxuan came from Brilliance Palace, then was stationed in the Heavenly Sword Palace, unlike Qian Xueshen. He excelled in battle and his insights in Dao were no less than his peers. If not for his dedication to Heavenly Sword Palace’s affairs, delaying his pursuit of enlightenment, he might have secured a prominent spot in the Reaching Heaven Palace.

Deng Jiaxuan teased Chen Jingyun, “Why are you here? I thought it’d be someone else…”

“Not enough Unfettered.” Chen Jingyun shook his head, “Not to mention guarding the Immortal Alliance center might sound like a heavy responsibility when it’s just a cushy job. None will attack this place.”

Deng Jiaxuan smiled, “Who knows. The best beneath Unfettered isn’t any weaker.”

Chen Jingyun cupped his hands again, “Brother Jiaxuan, don’t tease.” 

After the brief spar in sword arts, Deng Jiaxuan invited him to sit at the table and enjoy the dishes served. Deng Jiaxuan took out a wine bottle and poured each other a glass.

“Brother Jiaxuan, you’re still after fine dishes.”

Deng Jiaxuan smiled, “My love for food is only overcome by my pursuit of Dao.”

Chen Jingyun came to replace Deng Jiaxuan’s guard duty. The two chatted while enjoying a cup of tea. 

Chen Jingyun said, “I have other matters to attend to. A true disciple from Myriad Arts Sect’s fell and I need to get to the bottom of it.”

Deng Jiaxuan paused and sighed, “What a shame, Li Ziye was a good child. Few people care for the world like he did.”

Deng Jiaxuan raised a wine cup and downed it in one gulp.

He winced the minute it sank in, flinching his head away and having a coughing fit.

Chen Jingyun winced, reminding him, “Brother Jiaxuan, don’t drink so much with your wounds.” 

Deng Jiaxuan waved him off, “It’s just an old wound, cough~”

Chen Jingyun grabbed his wrist, gasping, “It spread so much!”

Deng Jiaxuan didn’t hide it, “Brother, you can’t let anyone know about this.”

Chen Jingyun frowned, “You’re still intent on pursuing Daoist Proscribe in your state?”

Deng Jiaxuan was serious, “I can’t let half a year of Immortal Alliance efforts  go to waste because of me!” 

Daoist Proscribe Heisenberg had the most baffling movement art in the world, the Elusory Movement, his speed and position always unclear. The only way to deal with it was by overpowering all possible locations where he might be, using brute force to break the art. When Immortal Alliance found out his location, they sent all their masters to lay a trap in Divine Province in the hope of exhausting Daoist Proscribe and forcing him into the sea before dealing the final blow.

At sea, there were no innocent people around holding them back from unleashing all they had. Beyond the sea were ancient cultivators while beneath the waters were demons, all enemies.

The only problem was that Daoist Proscribe was a supreme genius who forged the Heavenly Sword with others. He was no pushover.

To win by force could only be done with superior numbers.

Chen Jingyun said, “There are others who can do it all the same.”

Deng Jiaxuan was proud, “You said it yourself, that there aren’t enough Unfettered. Heavenly Lord Einstein leads a tremendous force, Ripple Heavenly Lord Schrödinger can break the elusive art, but they can’t leave. That side is in an even more desperate need of men than our center.”

Chen Jingyun stood up, bowing, “Forgive me.”

Deng Jiaxuan waved him off, “We’re brothers here. Seeking perfection is a good thing and beneficial in the long term. Come, let’s eat. After the meal, I’ll go capture Daoist Proscribe.”

“To capture Brother Hai, the Immortal Alliance will need to go all out.”

Deng Jiaxuan saw Chen Jingyun glum and smiled, “Daoist Heisenberg’s talent and perception are above mine. The modern system’s innovations and my old wound may do him in. Wouldn’t that be better?”