Chapter 209, Only Myself

Translator: Tamon

 

“That’s why I can’t let you join the Myriad Arts Sect.”

 

Wang Qi just found the difference between him and banished immortals, yet before he could explain himself, Chen Jingyun ended the conversation.

 

The youth gave him a look of utter shock. The Eminence’s hard expression left no room for negotiation.

 

[Has all my effort this past year been for… nothing?]

 

[Everything I’ve done was just some sick joke?]

 

[I…]

 

Wang Qi was outraged. He reached out for his storage bag, only to snap out of it midway, forcing himself to calm down as the hand trembled on his waist.

 

“Senior Cajal just said it: fifty-fifty.” Wang Qi finally squeezed out. His shaky voice contained an obvious fury to all who heard it. “If there’s half a chance that I can pass the Primordial Spirit’s threshold in twenty years?”

 

“Not convinced?”

 

“Of course not.” Wang Qi stood, his eyes fixed on Chen Jingyun. “How could I just give up?”

 

Deng Jiaxuan sighed at the stubborn kid, feeling regret.

 

A genius so high it was blasphemy, and of the same perfect resolve as Neumann back in the day. [How can such a genius be a banished immortal?]

 

[Brother Jingyun is unyielding and doesn’t know pragmatism. He won’t…]

 

Chen Jingyun sighed. “If you can reach Primordial Spirit realm, I’ll apologize. Also, if you can solve the hardest of Hilbert’s 23 Problems, or anything of that degree, I’ll even kneel before you.”

 

Wang Qi scoffed. “Good enough.” And walked off.

 

Before he opened the door, Chen Jingyun added. “Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. If you showcase yourself as an absolute talent in this admission trial, you may still be a Myriad Arts Sect true disciple.”

 

Wang Qi didn’t look back, sneering, “Oh, you don’t say? I thought you said I can’t.”

 

“Even if you have all the right to be a true disciple, I can’t let you in the Myriad Arts Sect. The sect is doing a critical mission for the Immortal Alliance and I can’t allow any variables. That’s why the customary five-year cultivation within the sect after graduating from the Immortal Institute is no longer an option. As for the rest, you shall receive the treatment befitting a true disciple.”

 

“Not bad.” Wang Qi huffed, putting his hand on the door.

 

“Lastly, we need to put your banished immortal identity on record. Your grades and achievements are too impressive, so not taking you as a true disciple is warranted. Immortal Alliance will lose all credibility if it hides your identity. Furthermore, Bernoulli family has its own disciple joining this year. If we don’t do this, everyone will say we’re holding you back for their sake—but rest assured, we’ll only publish your name and nothing else. I hope you can forgive me.”

 

Wang Qi was a little touched at the end; it was probably the only thing close to an excuse he would get out of Chen Jingyun. For some reason, his heart ached as he walked out.

 

Su Junyu waited outside, welcoming with a beaming smile. “Hey, brother, how… Eh? Why are you running?”

 

Wang Qi used his movement art to flee.

 

Su Junyu didn’t get to pursue, for Chen Jingyun called him, “Junyu, come in.”

 

Su Junyu bowed before them. “Sect Leader…”

 

“Wang Qi is a banished immortal.” Chen Jingyun closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, pained to say this.

 

“What?!” Su Junyu cried out. He was a Myriad Arts Sect true disciple, part of the Immortal Alliance’s next leadership. Of course he knew what it meant.

 

“Send an order to all Immortal Institute’s teachers and teaching assistants to never mention a word of Wang Qi’s situation.” Dismissing Su Junyu, Chen Jingyun gulped down his tea.

 

Deng Jiaxuan shook his head. “Immortal Alliance’s rules state that we must make his banished immortal identity clear. Why bother hiding it? The last order was to protect him, but why didn’t you say it while he was still here?”

 

A banished immortal was under the yoke of their past life. No matter how dedicated they were to Dao, once they awakened, they would become ancient cultivators, worshiping power and unyielding. No matter how much they admired modern cultivation, after years and years of being stuck just outside the Primordial Spirit Realm, they would fall into temptation and reach Nascent Soul.

 

Before Nascent Soul, their aura was indiscernible from modern cultivation, a hidden ancient cultivator. Due to Nurturer and Secular, two of the six stages, ancient cultivation and modern cultivation were hard to distinguish. Some banished immortals even showcased impressive talents, being valued by sects. But in the end, they go for Nascent Soul and flee overseas, leaving chaos in their wake.

 

Demonic Emperor’s chaos had the mark of a banished immortal as well. Hence, the Immortal Alliance rejected them.

 

“He hates me and hates Myriad Arts Sect and Immortal Alliance.”

 

Deng Jiaxuan was puzzled. “Why even give him a Myriad Arts Sect identity to begin with? Why say you’d kneel? It could very well come to pass.”

 

Chen Jingyun stared at the ceiling. “If he can make me kneel, it shows that he can raise arithmetics to new heights… I’m actually looking forward to kneeling. As for giving him that identity, it’s out of sympathy.

 

“I don’t get it.”

 

“My talent is the worst. And as I’ve said, my resolve is stuck at the question of value. I see no way of solving Almost Prime. None of my peers believe that I can cross Primordial Spirit’s threshold.”

 

Deng Jiaxuan sighed. “Never mind. I just hope he isn’t a banished immortal. At least, his genius isn’t fake.

 

…

 

Reaching mid Qi Refining realm, Wang Qi’s spiritual power grew, needing a full two hours of work to come out empty. He stopped to catch his breath, realizing he’d ran all the way to a thicket at the bottom of the northern slope.

 

Wang Qi was furious, hitting the tree beside him. “Screw you and your whole family!”

 

The tree snapped, leaving a smooth cut as if made with Sword Energy.

 

[Why? Why did my past life’s experience turn into this life’s identity?]

 

[Why does this realistically unrelated thing ruin my path to Dao? Why?]

 

Wang Qi grew more enraged as he thought, his fingers scraping the bark and wood. Only then he came to and his mind went blank.

 

[Oppenheimer also got taken away from science back then. Did he also feel as devastated?]

 

“It’s not all impossible.” Zhen Chanzi was evasive.

 

“Ha-ha, old man, don’t give me that. I’ll never turn into an ancient cultivator even if it kills me.”

 

“Must you be like that? Banished immortals are most suited to ancient cultivation. Reaching Great Ascension is only a matter of time.”

 

Wang Qi brought the ring close, saying, “Firstly, modern cultivation is way stronger. Secondly, I loathe ancient cultivation! I can’t wait to wipe them all out from this world, and you expect me to become one?”

 

[Moreover, I know my situation.] He was no banished immortal, but a transmigrator, a scientist who crossed over. There was no point in even mentioning Primordial Spirit’s threshold when he didn’t even acknowledge it in the first place.

 

Zhen Chanzi sighed. “Perhaps… you have an outstanding talent and might be able to break the limits of our ancestors. If only your intellect had nothing to do with innate insight…”

 

Innate insight…

 

Wang Qi jerked at his words. [Right! The old me had some talent, but not as outrageous as being the very best scientist. Now I showcased such a genius, but it’s nothing more than all the knowledge I got from that life on top of this life’s teenage sharpness. I aim to climb higher, and the more I forget how I gained all this knowledge…]

 

Wang Qi was struck by an idea. [I retained my past life’s wisdom, and there’s nothing to complain about anything that the past life might have to drag me down. If not for the wisdom I gained all those years, the me today wouldn’t have gotten so far, to vie for the true disciple spot. Rather, I can’t always rely on it. I want to be a scientist, not just some scribe!]

 

[I seek Dao for the sole purpose to fulfill my will. I have Earth’s theoretical legacy, and a conviction forget in my past life. This gives me a huge advantage on the path of seeking Dao. I’m as innocent as they get. Once I pass the threshold and slap Chen Jingyun with my success, that will be the finest proof there is! Why waste my breath on a pissing contest?]

 

Wang Qi felt himself entering a new state of mind, filled with heroism. He pulled out Sword Mountain and carved two lines on the tree.

 

‘Spanning across the empty void, in all heavenly portents and the geography of earth, there is nothing truly dependable—except myself.’

 

‘Standing through the coming tribulations, even the River Diagram and Luo Script afford no foundation—everything claimed reliable is hollow.'(Tamon: couplet from Kunlun by Feng Ge. River Diagram and Luo Script is a diagram said to contain mysteries of the universe.)