Chapter 57 Intellectual Wang Qi
To Mao Zimiao and others from Shenzhou, Wang Qi's fascination with rooftops was simply inconceivable.
Perhaps it was also a cultural difference. The rooftops in Shenzhou were mostly sloped at a forty-five-degree angle to the ground, not designed for people to stand on. But in Earth, where Wang Qi's previous life was, minimalist-style buildings didn't bother with any fancy designs on top, making the top floors quite the spots in many places.
Although in Earth's melodramatic school romance dramas, rooftops were basically where couples hooked up, even earning the nickname "the place where a senior who dated many had battled," in most countries, school rooftops were off-limits.
Wang Qi truly grew fond of this place due to a disruption in family relations that ended his studies in Copenhagen and brought him back to his homeland. At that time, he could be described as "having high aspirations but a fragile fate." Despite barely being able to enter a top domestic laboratory, he dreamt daily of being crowned the "King of Explosives." During that time, he often climbed with a can of beer to the top floor, bird-watching the scenery below.
Wang Qi's previous life was in a first-tier city's district not far from a business district, earning the title "Sleepless City." No matter the time, it was always bustling. Yet, the rooftop where Wang Qi stood was extremely serene.
Although Wang Qi actually didn't like beer at all, he insisted on bringing it every time because he felt that in such moments of contemplating the erratic nature of fate while reaffirming his ideals, pulling out a cola would completely ruin the atmosphere. It was like ancient warriors from the north swearing an oath of brotherhood with homemade sweet rice wine instead of blood.
On the rooftop, a young man with great aspirations leaned against the wall alone, holding a can of beer, quietly observing the noisy and vulgar crowd below.
This act gave off a strong vibe of sophistication.
A very strong vibe of sophistication.
Because it was important, it was mentioned twice.
And after transmigration, this habit did not change. Before accepting this new world, he often climbed to the rooftop, avoiding family members he didn't know how to face. After his grandfather passed away, he grew accustomed to overlooking Dabai Village from the rooftop.
Mao Zimiao didn't understand such an "intellectual" sentiment, but she too felt that Wang Qi's expression was different when he sat on the rooftop.
Wang Qi found a flat tile and called Mao Zimiao to sit down. Then, he activated the Fiery Sun Wave Qi, creating a patch of light. He opened his exercise book and asked, "Where don't you understand?"
Mao Zimiao, bashfully lowering her head, responded, "Start from the first question…"
"This is… 'The movement technique schematic of the Ancient Method Sect's Fiery Sect is as follows, given the constant mana of its mental method... Seek the essentials of the Fiery Sect's movement technique...'" Wang Qi looked at Mao Zimiao in surprise, "Isn't this what I studied half a month ago?"
Mao Zimiao grumbled, "I told you already, not everyone is like you, Xiao Qi! If you keep this up, I won't bother with you anymore, okay?"
"Alright, alright." Wang Qi raised his hands in surrender, then asked, "So, what exactly don't you understand?"
"What is the relationship between mana and movement technique exactly? I just can't grasp the main point."
Wang Qi shook his head, "You don't need to get so hung up on it. Actually, this problem, aside from the Essence of Spirit Energy, is just a calculation of a binary, second-order Heavenly Element Formation [a binary quadratic equation]."
"But it's really important to me."
Wang Qi helplessly explained from the beginning, "You were listening when I learned the Essence of Spirit Energy, right?"
"Mm."
"The essence of Spiritual Energy is the exponent of energy. You know this, right?"
"Mm."
Wang Qi spread his hands, "Mana is a form that Spiritual Energy takes after being refined. We can directly influence the kinetic and potential energy of the body through mana, which is the principle behind Qinggong and Flying Escape."
"Eh? That's a big leap, meow! What's really going on?"
Wang Qi shook his head helplessly. In many people's minds, energy should be something visible and tangible, with Spiritual Energy being a substantial existence. Convincing them that "energy represents the attribute of material motion" was indeed difficult.
Using mana to change kinetic and potential energy might sound complex to Earth People, but for Shenzhou Cultivators, this process was as simple as eating and drinking. Once they activated their movement technique, the body's kinetic and potential energy would change. Whether it was defying Newton's second law and ignoring inertia with "fast as a darting rabbit, still as a virgin" or defying the third law and ignoring action and reaction with "tracing steps on snow without a trace," it was all very simple.
For Shenzhou Cultivators, what came after, the rapid movements and shifts, was actually harder to master. Qinggong only involved binary quadratic calculations and was slow, so it could be easily learned through experience. However, Flying Escape involved much more, and was far more complex, with a real risk of crashing oneself. The limitations on a cultivator's Flying Escape weren't just about the total amount of mana, but also about computational and reaction abilities.
Although Wang Qi was somewhat impatient, he still explained several problems to Mao Zimiao. However, Wang Qi wasn't exactly a good teacher. After explaining, Mao Zimiao still had some doubts.
After finishing, Wang Qi sat on the rooftop, staring blankly at the sky, showing no intention of leaving. For some reason, Mao Zimiao, who had packed up her workbook, didn't leave either and instead sat there with Wang Qi.
Mao Zimiao asked, "Xiao Qi, have you made any progress in your cultivation recently?"
"Oh, you're asking about that." Wang Qi stretched out his right hand, which glowed with a faint green light, "Here, this is it. A newly mastered spell."
"What's it for, meow?"
Wang Qi smiled slightly, but without answering, he stretched out his left hand and released several electric arcs towards his right hand. After repeating several times, Wang Qi's right hand remained unharmed.
Mao Zimiao questioned, "What does this mean, meow?"
Wang Qi laughed heartily, "Haven't you figured it out? My right hand is immune to Thunder Strikes!"
"But... Xiao Qi, you always have the same electric potential as the electricity you release, right? How could you possibly electrify yourself, meow?"
Having been saved by Wang Qi in the Trial Forest using a similar principle, Mao Zimiao remembered this point particularly well.
"Cough, cough." Wang Qi coughed awkwardly, "Don't sweat the details. Actually, the defense on my right hand would be unbreakable by anyone. When a Thunder Strike attacks me, the electricity instantly spreads throughout my entire Protective Gang Qi. At that moment, the electric potential of my Protective Gang Qi is zero, so I'm immune to Thunder Strikes!"
Mao Zimiao was astounded, "Prison Thunder Spell, meow?"
"That's right, the Prison Thunder Spell."
The spell from Thunder Pavilion known as the nemesis of all electromagnetic spells!
"But…" Mao Zimiao was puzzled again, "Shouldn't this Protective Magic cover your whole body, meow?"
"Computational power is limited, it can only cover my right hand."
"Why not protect the vital parts?"
Wang Qi raised his right thumb and said with a laugh, "This is, the Girl-Getter specifically for Electric Shock Envoys!"