Chapter 182
Zhang Shijie was now relying on the Lei Chi for her safety. With the emergence of the Tian Bei, there might be some changes in the Lei Chi as well. With the Da Zizai Mo Zong lurking nearby, if the Lei Chi could no longer protect Zhang Shijie, one had to question whether she could live for another nine hundred years.
Even if she could live on—having a flaw in her Golden Core wasn’t something that could be resolved simply by the passage of time.
Given Zhang Shijie’s character, if she truly had confidence, she wouldn’t have responded so evasively.
“Zhang Shijie, I have a hypothesis about the Yin Yang Yuan Fu…”
At this moment, one could only hope that the Yin Yang Yuan Fu would inspire Zhang Shijie.
Zhang Shijie couldn’t help but perk up, her face showing a glimmer of anticipation as she listened intently to Zheng Fa’s explanation.
“Handedness?”
“Mirror image?”
After Zheng Fa finished speaking, Zhang Shijie closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, seemingly simulating it within herself.
After a long while, she gently nodded and then shook her head, her expression calm yet tinged with disappointment.
“I understand the concept of handedness,” Zhang Shijie said to Zheng Fa. “The Yin Yang Fu Tu indeed corresponds to the right hand and the left hand.”
“But the mirror image… that’s not quite right.”
Zheng Fa nodded slightly; he had realized this point as well:
“When it comes to the Five Elements Sub-Fu, the Yin Yang Fu Tu are indeed mirror images of each other, but the Fu Tu is divided into three sub-Fu.”
“The other two types of sub-Fu differ in the Yin Yang Fu Tu and cannot be considered mirror images.”
For instance, in the Yuan Fu that Zheng Fa had condensed, the Yin Earth Element spirit symbol was the Zhen Li Wu Ying Fu, while the Yang Earth Element spirit symbol was the Qi Ling Fu.
The only common structure between the two was the Earth Element sub-Fu.
The other two types of sub-Fu were completely different.
To consider them as mirror images was quite a stretch.
Zhang Shijie nodded slightly, noticing Zheng Fa’s somewhat downcast expression, and suddenly smiled, saying, “The idea of a mirror image might not be entirely wrong.”
“Yeah, it just didn’t help you,” Zheng Fa replied softly.
Last time, when the theory of the Five Elements Sub-Fu was first proposed, Zhang Shijie had made progress.
But now, it seemed she hadn’t gained any inspiration.
“No, you’re doing great,” Zhang Shijie suddenly said. “Zheng Fa, do you know what I thought of when I sealed myself in the Xuan Guan Jian?”
“What?”
“It was gratitude,” Zhang Shijie said softly. “Gratitude that I went to the Zhao residence that time.”
“Gratitude that I brought you into the Jiu Shan Sect.”
“Gratitude that I passed on the Fu Dao Zhu Ji Fa to you.” Zheng Fa was taken aback as Zhang Shijie continued:
“Because I met you, because the Jiu Shan Sect has the most suitable future leader, because the Fu Dao Zhu Ji Fa has the best successor.”
Today, Zhang Shijie was particularly talkative.
Zheng Fa felt a bit stifled but didn’t know what to say.
“Zheng Fa, even if the Tian He Zun Zhe has perished, how could I escape? But if you truly perfect the Fu Dao Zhu Ji Fa in the future, the world will know—there once was a Zhang Wuyi in this Xuan Wei realm,” Zhang Shijie said softly.
“The Lei Chi is dangerous; you two should head back,” Zhang Shijie said, noticing their silence. She sighed gently and added, “I’m safe here in the Xuan Guan Jian for now. Zheng Fa, you might as well go check on the Tian Bei; there’s no need to come every day.”
“Besides, I need to cultivate.”
When she said this, her face was unusually calm.
Hearing her words, Zheng Fa and the others could only exchange glances and take their leave.
……
The next day.
Zhang Shijie sat cross-legged under the Xuan Guan Jian, practicing, when she spotted Zheng Fa and Yuan Shijie approaching from a distance.
“Didn’t I tell you two to come less often?”
A faint smile flickered at the corner of Zhang Shijie’s mouth as she asked.
“I just came to keep you company!” Yuan Shijie said in a sticky tone, adding, “Besides, I’m not practicing Thunder Law; what does the Tian Bei have to do with me?”
Yuan Shijie was always simple-minded, and perhaps that was why her cultivation wasn’t slow.
Zhang Shijie shook her head and turned to Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa, however, pulled out several thick books from his storage bag.
The covers bore titles that Zhang Shijie couldn’t comprehend.
“High School Mathematics Volume, Mathematical Analysis, Topology…”
Seeing her puzzled expression, Zheng Fa spoke up, “Shijie, these are some research methods that might relate to the Fu Tu. I thought they could help you a bit.”
Topology would definitely be the most helpful for studying Fu Tu.
But topology itself required some foundational knowledge.
For instance, the most basic point-set topology required a foundation in mathematical analysis—though mathematical analysis is an introductory course in university mathematics, it seems like it doesn’t require much background.
In reality, one needs to understand some basic knowledge of functions and set theory.
Zheng Fa’s “High School Mathematics Volume” covered some of that foundational knowledge.
Zhang Shijie’s eyes lit up, and a smile crept onto her face.
“Is this similar to those secret methods you mentioned before?”
“It’s more fundamental content,” Zheng Fa replied, flipping through the book. “Those before could only be called methods; these are the foundations that generate those methods.”
Zhang Shijie nodded gently, her face showing keen interest.
Even Yuan Shijie leaned in, her expression curious.
“First, we need to understand the classification of numbers…”
Zheng Fa opened the book and began to explain slowly.
……
Two hours later, just as Zheng Fa was entering the section on high school functions—Yuan Shijie could no longer bear it.
She stared blankly at Zheng Fa’s moving lips, a look of resistance slowly rising on her face, as if her brain was instinctively trying to protect itself.
“I…” she suddenly said, “I’m going to check on the Tian Bei!”
“…”
Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie turned to look at her as she quietly added, “I suddenly feel a connection; that Tian Bei is meant for me!”
“Didn’t you say you don’t practice Thunder Law?” Zheng Fa asked.
“Who can say for sure about the resonance between heaven and man?” Yuan Shijie shouted as she ran off. “Zhang Shijie, I’ll come back to keep you company after Zheng Shidi finishes!”
Watching her flee, Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie exchanged glances and couldn’t help but shake their heads and chuckle.
“Yuan Shimei really lacks some insight in this area; you keep going!” Zhang Shijie said, her eyes sparkling, as if the content Zheng Fa was discussing not only didn’t stump her but made her find it exceptionally interesting.
“Alright, let’s first look at a few basic functions…”
One spoke, the other listened.
After all, they were cultivators, and once they got into the zone, they forgot about time.
Zheng Fa finished discussing “High School Mathematics” and then moved on to the latter half of “Mathematical Analysis.”
He was a bit entranced; he had learned this from Old Bai before, but this was the first time he was trying to explain this knowledge himself.
He found it to be a different experience.
“Zheng Shidi?” Zhang Shijie suddenly said.
“Hmm?”
“Do you want to go check on the Tian Bei as well?”
“…Huh?”
“I suddenly feel a connection; that Tian Bei must be meant for you,” Zhang Shijie said, pinching her forehead, looking a bit pained, but her face was full of sincerity.
I have a connection with that thing, and you feel it too?
That sounded even more absurd than Yuan Shijie’s excuse for running away.
Seeing the fearful look in Zhang Shijie’s eyes as she glanced at the book in his hand, Zheng Fa understood:
This transfer of knowledge couldn’t be too much at once; it needed moderation.
For someone like Zhang Shijie, she had been filled to the brim…
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 178: Doubt
Zheng Fa slowly walked to the place where Zhang Shijie was trapped.
When he was about three zhang away, Zhang Shijie just happened to open her eyes.
Neither of them spoke, as if they were attending a silent appointment.
Zheng Fa opened the book on topology in his hand and continued from where he left off yesterday.
Sometimes, Zhang Shijie would interrupt him with questions about things she didn’t understand.
Some questions arose from her incomplete knowledge, making it difficult for her to grasp certain concepts, and Zheng Fa answered them easily.
Others were questions that even Zheng Fa hadn’t thought through himself, and at those times, he would be stumped by her inquiries.
Furrowing his brow, he would begin to ponder.
Zhang Shijie didn’t rush him; she quietly watched him from the side, a mysterious smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Sometimes, when he truly couldn’t answer her questions, there was a hint of smugness in her smile.
……
Both were cultivators, and their thinking speed had long surpassed that of ordinary people.
In just ten days, they had gone through the entire “Topology” book—though it was merely a superficial understanding, at least Zhang Shijie now had a framework.
“Zhang Shijie, does this knowledge help you?”
Zheng Fa asked expectantly.
“It does.”
“Really?”
Zheng Fa was delighted.
“Zhang Shijie, have you gained some insight?”
“Not really.”
“…Then isn’t that not much help?” Zheng Fa couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
“Because of this book, you come over at this time every day,” Zhang Shijie pointed at the “Topology” in Zheng Fa’s hand. “Every day at this time, my mood improves a lot.”
“…”
Well, I suppose that counts as help.
But it wasn’t the kind of help Zheng Fa had hoped for.
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