Chapter 264: Wang Qi's Small Base
Mana flowed like a stream, like a mountain breeze cleansing the night sky, revealing a bright full moon.
Du Zhong's palm strike clearly bore the True Inheritance of the Ancient Method. The Power of Taiyin transformed into light, into cold, moving silently, congealing without breath, even dimming the natural sky light.
Facing him, Wang Qi drew his sword and struck.
The swordsmanship displayed was unlike anything the onlookers had seen before. A rainbow-like arc, simple yet laden with countless venomous twists. Yet this strike did not skulk or hide; instead, it exposed all its transformations, upright and unavoidable.
Even more astonishing was its Qi Intent.
It was "kill"!
As the Sword Light ascended, it was the very moment when the killing intent was resolute. No blood was seen, no stench of gore, yet everyone involuntarily thought of "death". This strike was the inevitable demise of all things, the end of heaven and earth, the finality of consciousness.
The world turned upside down from this moment; why spare the effort in taking a life? Those against the heavens, die standing! Die kneeling!
The dark Sword Light cleaved through the breeze, slaughtered the bright moon, and killed that Spell. Just as everyone's mind wavered, that ink-like Sword Light precisely struck Du Zhong's Protective Gang Qi.
"Mercy..." Du Bin cried out anxiously—he remembered that Wang Qi possessed the Heavenly Entropy Technique; the stronger the Protective Gang Qi, the easier it was for him to exploit!
The Sword Light flickered, then extinguished. Amid the bewildered stares, Wang Qi had already returned to his original position, without missing a beat.
"Boy! I..." Du Zhong's roar of anger began, but the power behind it seemed to be cut off abruptly. Looking down at his chest, he saw that Wang Qi's sword had only cut his leather armor, but several strands of black Flame had seeped in. His Mana was being continuously annihilated; any approach to the wisps of Sword Qi was immediately "killed," "extinguished"!
Boom! Du Zhong's robust body just collapsed limply to the ground.
"Find a few people to carry him back for your lord to see," said Wang Qi as he sheathed his sword, not looking back as he walked away, "and while you're at it, find someone for the eight I need in a hurry."
Initially, Du Bin thought the Qi Intent somewhat resembled the Heavenly Entropy Technique. But without witnessing the scorching heat that incinerates all, he dared not be certain. After hearing Wang Qi's words, he could only bitterly smile while searching from the street side for someone to hand over the task of taking the pale, lifeless Du Zhong back to his mansion. Removing the Magic Artifact Jade Pendant he carried with him, he left a few words on it. Wrapping the Jade Pendant around Du Zhong's hand, he whispered with a bitter smile, "Uncle Zhong, I've said it before, this man is a ruthless bully; one can only befriend, not offend him!"
In a place unseen by others, Wang Qi gently caressed his Ring, listening to Zhen Chan recount the surveillance situation, and spoke with relief, "It seems no one has figured it out."
"Even I can't discern it; how could these kids possibly do so? How could these pigs bred in the Divine Capital?" Zhen Chan first sneered in disdain, then became lost in thought, whispering, "Is the Innate Destiny Killing Dao truly just an increase in Entropy combined with the imagery of 'killing'?"
In fact, Du Bin's initial feeling wasn't mistaken. What Wang Qi had wielded was indeed the Heavenly Entropy Technique mixed with a Suggestion Technique. That strike was infused with Wang Qi's Soul Power, lingering indelibly on the opponent's wound, causing anyone who sensed this wound to inevitably summon the notion of "kill". Du Zhong, even more miserable, would suffer the phantom sound echoing in his ears for days, "Heaven creates all things to nourish people; people have nothing with which to repay heaven, kill kill kill kill kill kill kill!" It was just a pity that the High Entropy Power could not solidify the effects of the Spell for too long; otherwise, Wang Qi was confident he could maintain this hypnotic effect till the end of time.
What he simulated was the Innate Destiny Killing Dao technique deployed by Hu Buxue on the day of the Lantern Festival.
If it were a normal Modern Cultivator, it wouldn't be hard to see through the charade Wang Qi was playing. However, if observed by an Ancient Method Practitioner, the sword Wang Qi swung was the true essence of the Innate Destiny Killing Dao.
For the so-called "Innate Destiny Killing Dao" was truly about Entropy Increase, with something like the Martial Arts Fist Intent used as a Suggestion Technique.
Entropy, a concept originating from thermodynamics, extends far beyond it. Life is entropy, death is entropy, war is entropy, chaos is entropy, and the collapse of propriety and music is entropy. What the ancients perceived as Killing Destiny, End of Fortune, Annihilation, and Tribulation, Wang Qi saw entirely as Boltzmann Entropy and Shannon Entropy.
And that move was even simpler. According to the theories of Ancient Method Practitioners, among the forty-nine paths, the Innate Five Virtues, the Five Taos, and the Five Elements corresponded to one another. Luofu Xuanqing Palace was said to have acquired the Innate Five Taos. Although Zhen Chan's cultivation method wouldn't manifest the Daoist Intent until the Immortal Realm was reached, which was far less than Hu Buxue, who practiced before entering the Nascent Soul stage, the Sword Dao of Luofu Xuanqing Palace faintly harmonized with the Dao of the Five Taos. Just pick one move, make a slight modification, and that's it.
After understanding the Sword Dao through the two different intellectual understandings of the integration and divergence of Sects and geometric algebra, Wang Qi's swordsmanship had become unimaginable to ordinary people.
Such a deception was more real than reality itself. Even if Hu Buxue personally came, she wouldn't be able to strike as such.
This is the difference between a craftsman who operates a black box and a Seeking Dao Seeker who delves into deep exploration!
"However, since the Innate Five Elements are related to Entropy Increase, associated with destruction, then according to the 'one element overcomes one virtue' theory, aren't the Innate Five Virtues five laws for establishing order?" Wang Qi's expression was subtle. "In that case, the cultivation method of Emperor's Extreme Split Sky Dao, which inherited the Five Virtues, is also a reference for my exploration of the Human Dao... I truly wish to annihilate them sooner."
Emperor's Extreme Split Sky Dao and Luofu Xuanqing Palace had been rivals precisely because each coveted the other's cultivation methods. And ultimately, Zhen Chan broke off the relationship due to some personal enmity, fully unfolding the conflict.
Wang Qi said, "Let's go, Brother Du, and show me around the place."
The group passed through several alleys and hutongs, finally arriving at a courtyard house.
"This courtyard house is slightly bigger than Brother Chen's, as you specifically requested," Du Bin explained as he pointed out the big compound, "The side chambers are spacious, and the main house is large as well. However, my financial resources are limited, so I couldn't afford to arrange a Spirit Array and the like."
"No trouble at all," Wang Qi waved his hand nonchalantly. Theoretical research and experiments focused on eliminating variables most of the time, which demanded a Primordial Spirit Qi Environment. But Wang Qi planned to indulge in technical manipulations, so the Primordial Spirit Qi Environment became irrelevant.
Wang Qi looked around and directed everyone to stand back to the entrances of the side chambers. Then, with one step, the ground rumbled. Du Bin felt the ground shake beneath him as all the floor tiles came loose! Next, Wang Qi adjusted his Hand Mnemonic, and streams of mana lifted the floor tiles to erect walls on both sides of the side chambers. These walls were thin and seemed on the verge of toppling. Wang Qi pressed his hand against one of the walls. A buzzing sound, similar to that of a bee, resonated, and many of the bricks in the wall coupled with the floor, fusing into a single mass.
"Luckily, this stone contains a high content of silicon and aluminum elements, still within the operational range of my Heavenly Song technique." Wang Qi wiped the sweat from his brow and then applied the same process to the other wall. In this way, a perfectly fine courtyard was divided into three separate sections, all disconnected from one another.
"That looks about right," Wang Qi nodded and asked Du Bin, "I've asked them to split into four people each for the East Wing and the West Wing, not to see each other unless summoned by me—this request isn't too much, is it?"
Du Bin nodded, turning to issue orders, "Did you all hear that? Divide yourselves into groups; four to the East Wing, four to the West Wing, and without Mr. Wang's command, you are not to meet." Then, with a worried look, he asked Wang Qi, "Brother Wang, are you intending to..."
"Experimental group and control group, you've heard of them, haven't you?" Wang Qi gave him a "you wouldn't understand" look. "Brother Du, you might not care for Sects, but surely you must attend classes at the Immortal Institute."
Good, my little base seems to be all set up! (To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it, recommend it, or purchase a monthly pass. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)