Applied Immortality

What Divine Hexagram Computation lacked in offense, defense, and complementary ingenious magical arts, it made up for in sheer computational power.

Wang Qi used it while looking at the list, and in moments, Su Junyu’s reason for picking them up was revealed to him. The tasks’ areas of interest overlapped most of the time, saving them time and earning merits the fastest.

Thanks to dabbing in Book of Geometry as well, Wang Qi relied on his observation of the trial zone when he came here, as well as the list and map, to plan a route in his mind. 

He spoke up, drawing the attention of the other three who were still discussing. “Hey, you three, I figured it out.”

Wu Shiqin gave him a skeptical look, not believing Wang Qi could come up with a plan of attack so fast. Wu Fan was the same, with only Mao Zimiao trusting him: “Little Qi is amazing, nya!”

Wang Qi was blunt: “Zimiao, I recall you wanting to enter the Heavenly Spirit Range, correct?”

Mao Zimiao nodded. “Heavenly Spirit Range’s Spirit Beast Mountain, nya!”

“You dabbed in medicinal plants by now, right? You must know more plants than anyone here. Among the gathering plant information tasks, 24 are about herbs and vines. I can’t do it. Could you do it instead?” 

The cat-eared girl gave a crisp nod and said, “Nya!”

Wang Qi grimaced, “A’Zimiao, it’s hard for me to tell if that nya is a yes or a no. Is that like a modal particle or something?” 

“I even nodded, nya!”

Wang Qi turned to Wu Shiqin and said, “Oh, No Matter…” (Tamon: he messed up her name on purpose.)

“That’s Wu Shiqin!”

“For someone called No Matter, you’re nitpicking on many matters.”

“Wu Shiqin!”

“Anywho, among the plant investigation tasks, there are four large trees as targets. Even you should be able to figure them out, right?”

The incensed disciplinary officer raised an eyebrow and said, “Come again?”

Wang Qi was impatient. “You’re saying you can find all those different herbs and vines? What if you mess it up?” 

Wu Shiqin paused. “Good point. I’m convinced.”

“You’re also in charge of the demon groups. You can’t botch that as well, can you?”

Wu Shiqin had a dry look as she said, “I can feel your sarcasm.”

“And also capturing plain mosquito specimens. As you use Celestial Hymn Odyssey, shocking them shouldn’t be a problem.”

“You’re looking down on me.”

Wang Qi ignored her complaints, turning to the feeble youth. “Surveying demon groups doesn’t stop at just looking where they are; you need to follow their tracks as well. I don’t think this disciplinary officer can pull it off. What do you think about taking it, uhm?”

“Wu Fan…” The youth gave a bitter smile.

Wang Qi muttered, “Finally, pay a little attention to all the other tasks and try to do a couple more, like collecting samples. Can you do it?”

“Sure.”

Mao Zimiao asked, “What about you, Little Qi, nya?”

Wang Qi beamed, “I’m in charge of all the statistics and calculation tasks, as well as data handling.”

Mao Zimiao clapped, “Great! I was never good at it, nya. Little Qi, it’s awesome you’re handling them.”

Wu Shiqin wasn’t convinced. “Why?”

Wu Fan shared her doubt: “We all came here to earn merits, and I believe Brother Wang has high math skills, but this amount…”

Wang Qi beamed again, giving off the spiritual power of Divine Hexagram Computation.

[I just love to show off! Take a look, philistines, at my bookworm skills in Myriad Arts Sect’s arts! You dare doubt me? Heh, it’s good to take ’em down a peg!]

Alas, he was disillusioned to find the shock and kneeling not occurring per script. Wu Fan had the same look of doubt, awaiting an explanation, while Wu Shiqin was itching to fight. “Flexing your aura? Want a go?”

[Holy hell! Aren’t you a disciplinary officer? What are you doing, picking fights? At least use ‘dueling’ as an excuse, that’s more dignified. Moreover, none of you can tell me my cultivation method? Don’t just use your eyes, but your senses, or something!] 

Su Junyu’s slow voice came: “At early Qi Refining, spiritual sense is in its infancy. Their use of it is crude, and it is hardly possible to sense the difference in your aura. Besides, my sect’s cultivation methods aren’t used to flex or pick up sword buddies.”

Divine Province’s ‘sword buddies’ were Earth’s equivalent of ‘friends with benefits.’

Wu Fan gapped on the spot. Su Junyu went on, “Wu Fan, Wu Shiqin, he meant to show that he trains in Divine Hexagram Computation and Book of Geometry. Calculating, abstracting, and concluding are way above any of you.” 

Wu Shiqin jumped in. “In our fight last evening, he clearly used Celestial Hymn Odyssey like me!”

Wang Qi beamed with pride once more: “Yours truly is cultivating many more.”

[That should save my dignity.]

The girl was outraged. “Is that contempt I hear?” She walked over to the array’s exit then and there and said, “When we’re out of here, we’re having another round!”

Wang Qi gave a bitter smile. “What the hell?”

They all exited the array and looked back to find a simple, large blue rock. Su Junyu explained, “An illusion is placed on it to prevent demons from wandering in and attacking Qi Refining freshmen.”

The others walked on.

Wang Qi glanced in Su Junyu’s direction, his raging thoughts reduced to one word: “Shit!” 

The other looked back at his shocked curse and froze.

Su Junyu found they were all stopping and asked, “Why are you standing there?”

Wang Qi had a blank look as he pointed at him. Su Junyu looked at himself. He sat on a floating mat, cross-legged, and read a book of all things.

Su Junyu realized, “Oh, that. No worries; I left my trace on all of you. This mat will just follow it. Also, I will notice any late Qi Refining demons. So venture forth with bravery, younglings!”

Wu Fan forced a laugh: “Ha-ha, Senior Brother Su’s Dao Heart is very stable.”

Wang Qi walked over and smacked Wu Fan over the head. “Forget it! That book he’s reading is ‘The Case of Ge.'”

The Case of Ge was a detective novel in which Ge Gong, a peacekeeper of the Immortal Alliance, solved mysteries using modern arts and wisdom. It was based on true stories of low peacekeepers during the early days of the Immortal Alliance. It was quite popular in the cultivation world. 

Wang Qi fumed. [I was blind to think this guy has any reliable bones in him!]