Exploring Immortality Cultivation

"No one can assert with certainty that their theory is correct," said Wang Qi emphatically. "Any cultivator's theory could be overturned or surpassed tomorrow. However, this force is eternal!"

"That is the essence of life beings!"

Wang Qi's words were forceful and resonant. The powerful thoughts expressed in his words, combined with the infinite majesty bestowed by the Holy Light, displayed a remarkable spirit. Even a Grandmaster couldn't help but be humbled. It wasn't that Wang Qi had overwhelmed them in terms of momentum, power, or spirit, but his words and conveyed Spirit Sense directly struck at the hearts of the Tianling Ridge disciples, naturally soothing them into silence and attentive listening for what Wang Qi would say next.

If this had been another Sect or occasion, even if Wang Qi's presence were overwhelming, there would inevitably be one or two Golden Core Disciples to suppress him.

"The nature of life beings is to seek benefits and avoid harm," Wang Qi continued. "Humans are also life beings, hence the Big Trend of the Human Dao gathers because of profit. Cultivators are human too, which is why we can discover the truth of 'unity through benefit,' why we can all gather together to Seek Dao. It is for this reason that the Modern Immortal Path exists."

"What is the foundation upon which the Modern Immortal Path exists? It isn't certain theories or viewpoints. Any person's theory could be surpassed, overturned."

"How talented was Yuanli Master in the old days, and how profound were the three Great Heavenly Principles? When the Guiyi Alliance was first established, how grand were 'All Laws Return to One' and 'Heavenly Poetry'? But in just a few hundred years, Taiyi Heavenly Venerable burst onto the scene, reconciling the contradictions about 'motion' in the two systems of 'Heavenly Song' and 'Heavenly Principle,' achieving the Dao of Shape Comparison. Yet even Taiyi Heavenly Venerable, unparalleled through the ages, could not delve into the microscopic domain. There, it was still the era of the Mysterious Path. However, the Mysterious Path could not explain gravity, and thus struggled to encompass the macroscopic world."

"The Way of Life Beings is the same. When the Path of Heavenly Calculation was first established, it was not complete either..." Wang Qi paused, remembering that the Heavenly Selection Divine Monarch was standing behind him, and bowed slightly, "I have been presumptuous."

The Heavenly Selection Divine Monarch was quite humble, "You're not wrong. Even my own theories from back then, I myself find them riddled with loopholes. If not for the efforts of the Grandmasters in Jiyin Valley today, I might not have reached my current achievements."

"The discourse on Heavenly Calculation is so, but isn't the genetic theory upon which it's based also so? The three-to-one ratio appeared very early on in the texts on Spirit Plant cultivation, but how many could actually understand it? High Order cultivators with Spirit Sense can directly observe the true form of bloodlines, but before the appearance of the double helix structure, who could glimpse into the root of bloodlines?"

"In this system, everyone - whether it is someone new like me, or an unparalleled figure like Taiyi Heavenly Venerable - anyone's theory could be overturned or surpassed. No one dares to say they have achieved the Dao."

"But," emphatically claimed Wang Qi, "I dare say, I can grant the 'benefit' to all the cultivators in the world. Therefore, I can say, I have uncovered 'strength'." Wang Qi pointed at the audience, "Perhaps among you, there will be those who will overturn or surpass our theory tomorrow, or completely discard the Divine Tao Law and replace it with another marvelous technique that better suits the torrent of the Human Dao. But that's alright. Even if you oppose me, you are doing so within the framework I've laid out. If you overturn this theory, for me, it is like a Nirvana, an elevation to a higher state."

"The theory of the Human Dao represents tremendous interests. Under the drive of interests, naturally, there will be those who complete it. Even if no individual wishes to take it on, the Immortal Alliance will recognize its value. It will ultimately develop. If you loathe it and feel it does not represent the path of life beings, then refute it, and replace it with a theory that better fits the path of life beings!"

"I have planted a seed, my Merit is infinite," Wang Qi flipped the Jade Box in his hand, "By comparison, this Dao Seed in my hand seems insignificant."

The previously somewhat noisy fragrant spiritual heavens were now so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

"Clap, clap."

In the silence, a calm and loud round of applause erupted from among the attendees, started by a Grandmaster from the Jiyin Valley.

Initially, there were just a few claps in agreement. But gradually, more and more joined in, and the sound of clapping merged into a continuous sound.

Xue Bufan gently nodded in the audience and said to his disciple beside him, "It seems he indeed has some unique thoughts on the evolution of life beings and the progress of civilization. Although his approach of extending from the individual to the collective is too clever and petty, it's still worth learning from. Perhaps next year I will visit the Wanfa Sect to study Yitian Calculation."

"Yitian Calculation... heh heh. I should stick to my fossil excavations. That sort of arithmetic is not for me," he laughed softly.

Amidst the crowd, Chen Youjia watched Wang Qi, who was spiritedly speaking onstage, with brimming eyes.

After finishing his speech, Wang Qi retracted the vastly changed ghost Soldier and took two steps back. Chen Feng used Spiritual Sense Transmission to ask, "Even though this ghost soldier still has the ability to read thoughts, its concealment has become much weaker. Your subsequent demonstrations..."

"Mind-reading and message sending, the 'Heart Demon Curse' is much more powerful than the 'White Snake.' I didn't refine that ghost soldier just to handle this situation."

In fact, even if Jarvis could automatically organize the uploaded information from Wang Qi's website into a complete structure, it wasn't a process that could be finished in an instant. Moreover, two or three hundred memory bodies would take at least half a month to refine. Wang Qi had only learned about the Dao Seed Award three days prior.

Refining here was indeed the result of a sudden inspiration on Wang Qi's part. But the plan to refine had been in his mind for a long time.

As Wang Qi had said, with the 'Heart Demon Curse' and 'Divine Plague Curse Technique' becoming increasingly sophisticated, Wang Qi no longer needed the 'White Snake' to read or implant memories. The 'Heart Demon Curse' could do it better. And he was about to head to the perilous West Sea soon. A combat technique was far more useful than a support technique.

Besides... 'White Snake' should evolve into 'New Moon'! That would be cool!

After Wang Qi stepped aside, Wang Qi stepped forward, cleared his throat lightly, and began a brief lecture.

"I am not as confident as my brother Wang Qi. Before knowing about the nomination, I had never thought I could win the Dao Seed Award. Compared to the existing system of Tianling Ridge, my research topic is quite odd. If it were to be classified as a sub-topic of behavioral studies, that wouldn't quite fit either. And if it were categorized under genetics because it involves 'evolution,' that also wouldn't be quite right. Until half a year ago, I viewed this topic the same way as all of you fellow disciples—it's clearly a problem of mathematics!"

With Wang Qi's highly provocative statements online, many cultivators of Tianling Ridge had seriously considered their research, and the challenging tone had diminished. Chen Feng's words even resonated with some, eliciting waves of good-natured laughter from the audience.

"However, it's a peculiar question that I wish to understand," Chen Feng took a deep breath. "Since childhood, my teachers in the Mortal World instilled in me the notion that everyone possesses compassionate hearts and innate goodness, like water flowing downward. Similar concepts include 'do unto others' and 'the benevolent love others.' As a child, I lived by these beliefs wholeheartedly, without doubt or deviation. Later, when I entered the Immortal Dao, I found these notions weren't favored by cultivators. Here, people believed in another proposition—survival of the fittest, the survival of the adaptable."

"At first glance, these seem like two completely different theories. But to my surprise, most cultivators' actions do not contradict benevolence and morality. I continued the same conduct from my past, and here, it didn't seem out of place."

"This is a strange phenomenon. After some thought, I feel maybe I misunderstood the ways of 'Heavenly Calculation' and 'Heavenly Selection.'"

"What exactly is the unit of survival of the fittest? What is the result of this selection, the survival or extinction of which entity? How 'selfish' does the unit of selection become? At what level is altruism valued? Does natural selection occur within species? At which level of life is natural selection taking place, inevitably with 'selfishness'? A selfish species? A selfish group? A selfish organism? A selfish ecosystem?"

"I couldn't tell at which level it was. However, a friend once told me that in the 'Heavenly Material Circulation,' there's an interesting concept—an order has its own rules. With different scales, come different rules. I believe this idea also applies to the 'Life Path.' The laws at the bloodline level are not the same as those at the species level, or the ecosystem level."

"This caused me a spark of joy. Perhaps, the rules of 'survival of the fittest' don't necessarily have to manifest in a harsh manner on the 'human' scale. The naïve rule I believed in, that 'good people are better than bad,' may indeed be the Righteous Path of the Mortal World. People do not need to thrive at the expense of their companions or others. Instead, each individual, against the backdrop of others, pursues their own benefits."

"After empirical evidence and elaborate demonstrations, I may have proven this point."

"We can attempt to teach generosity and altruism because, in a sense, we are born selfish."

Chen Feng's speech wasn't as overpowering as Wang Qi's, compelling everyone into awe. Yet, his gentle, steady words also revealed strong self-confidence that moved the audience.

Just as the applause began, a sudden gust of wind howled from outside.

"What's happening?" Zhang Fengchun looked outside, puzzled.

However, the faces of the Primordial Spirit Stage cultivators showed joy, "Today, Chen Feng proved he is not one to wallow in self-despair. Just as he finished his speech, Ai Qinglan just happened to achieve the Golden Core Stage and broke through."

"Truly a double blessing."

Looking at the soaring flare in the distance, Xue Bufan showed a complex expression that quickly vanished. In its place came a smile from the heart, "Listening to this speech, I feel as though I've had an epiphany. It seems I'll have to have a good exchange with Junior Brother Chen—speaking of which, where is Junior Brother Chen now?"

At that moment, Chen Feng was pulling Wang Qi and Chen Youjia away from the fragrant and sublime spirit sky. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote with your recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)