The initial shock had passed, but Ai Changyuan still felt his head throbbing with pain. His complexion was pale, as if all life had been drained from him.

Although he had long known that Yuanli Master was an arrogantly self-opinionated and supremely arrogant genius, it was only after actually facing him that Ai Changyuan realized just how incorrigibly stubborn this ancestral figure truly was.

"Ancestor, you're nothing short of a madman with a disturbed mind!"

Incoherent, lacking in communication skills, and prone to extreme behavior. If ordinary people become fanatical, it's mostly because they're high on drugs, but Yuanli Master seemed to be perpetually in a state of not having taken any.

Even just a derivative of an Enlightenment Object inspired by the Omen of Becoming had let Ai Changyuan feel that arrogant emotion. That arrogance, spanning over a thousand years, nearly filled Ai Changyuan's brain to the brim. Yuanli Master's thoughts were forcefully invading Ai Changyuan's own, pushing out the knowledge he had originally possessed—this was a grave matter. Because a millennium had passed, what once allowed Yuanli Master to achieve Enlightenment now appeared "outdated" or "biased."

For instance, during the time of Yuanli Master, neither Prison Thunder Venerable nor All Laws Return to One had been born, so he naturally wouldn't know that "fields" are a form of matter. He even lacked the concept of a "field." The concept of a "gravity field," which would become crucial in later generations, was also beyond Yuanli Master's knowledge.

Or take the concepts of absolute spacetime, instantaneous effects of gravity, the theory of light as particles...

If all of this were truly inscribed in Ai Changyuan's heart, then he was almost certainly doomed. Even if there was a chance for redemption, it would take over a decade's worth of effort to correct his cognition.

If Wang Qi personally felt this surge of True Intent, he would probably lament that not even the Dao Heart Pure Yang Spell could corrupt this guy. The madness akin to martyrdom was even more terrifying than the "hypocrisy" of the Dao Heart Pure Yang Spell.

But Ai Changyuan was not necessarily frightened by him.

"Old Ancestor... please, give me a break!"

Perhaps it was because there was indeed a blood connection between the two of them. At this moment, a pride that did not lose to his ancestor's grew in Ai Changyuan's heart.

"I can be denied... I can be debunked... I can be overturned..."

"But... it's definitely not your place, you old relics that should have been taken to the grave!"

I know, the Tao that I am following now, is like a thread bearing the weight of a thousand jun, hanging high in unlimited height, dangling over an unfathomable abyss. It has no visible end, and its foundations might not be absolutely true, ready to be replaced by a principle closer to the Great Dao at any time.

But I will surpass it with my own hands, instead of being directed by things of the past!

Even as his soul felt like it was being stirred with a blunt knife, Ai Changyuan didn't give up thinking. It seemed to have become an instinct. Every brilliant idea revealed by Yuanli Master at the time of his Enlightenment was forcibly assessed by him and categorized into his own memory.

A magnificent scroll unfolded. It was a classic painting. In fact, this is the universe in the eyes of most people.

Relativity has already proven that time and space cannot exist apart from matter, that time, space, and matter are inherently one, with matter influencing spacetime. This is common knowledge now. But most people simply "know" this "knowledge." Their world inherently belongs to absolute spacetime, the base of all their thoughts, believing it to be derived from their most intuitive cognition. Expand this spacetime countless times, and it becomes the universe as most see it. When discussing the expansion and collapse of the universe, they also see it merely as celestial bodies dispersing and converging in absolute spacetime.

But it is undeniably beautiful.

The flat scroll, without portraying the terrors and tricks of the universe, nevertheless captured its beauty in all its glory.

Ai Changyuan suddenly shed tears.

His thoughts went back many years, to a time sitting under the fruit tree by his cousin's doorstep, overlapping with that figure. He might have been a deluded madman, but at this moment, he had the composure of a saint. His thoughts reached towards the far end of the Star Sea, seemingly pondering the distant Heavenly Dao.

That is the lifelong pursuit of every Modern Cultivator.

Dark and inscrutable, who can reach the extreme? Providing only a silhouette, how to recognize it?

What grants eternal life? Only the Dao.

All Modern Cultivators are his inheritors. This sentiment is almost the core of every Modern Cultivator's Dao Heart.

But...

Ai Changyuan suddenly reached out to smudge the painting. It was like a child seeing another child's beautiful drawing and, while the ink was still wet, reaching out to smudge it into a mess.

"The dream should end," the youth whispered softly. "The universe shouldn't grow into what people find beautiful. Such dreams, fine to have when you're a child, should end. The Human Clan should grow up, dispel their arrogance, stop deceiving themselves, and take a good look at reality."

That is the universe in the eyes of the current Human Clan.

The enormous contradiction between the Mysterious Path and Shape Comparison Technique made it impossible for people to depict the specific appearance of the universe. In the eyes of today's people, the universe's visage is blurred. Here, in the turbulence, dangers lurk everywhere.

This is the cosmic depiction in Ai Changyuan's heart.

To him, it seemed a very long time had passed. But in reality, the test of True Intent lasted only a brief moment. To others, he had suddenly begun to write formulas and then erase them, repeating this process several times. During this, he even asked for a few more stone slabs.

In the eyes of Ancient Method Practitioners, Ai Changyuan appeared to have been temporarily shook due to the overwhelming difficulty of the calculations.

Ai Changyuan looked at the formula on the slate. This was the result he had already anticipated, and now, he merely confirmed it... No, that wasn't quite right. After he had corrected the remnant thoughts of the Yuanli Master, it seemed to ignite many new sparks of inspiration.

"Newton's apple"'s spiritual power was also absorbed by him. He closed his eyes, casually writing his most familiar operators on the slate, pretending to be seriously calculating. The bundle of spiritual power within him was guided, gradually changing in nature.

It was his first time channeling spiritual power without going through the meridians or the magic foundation, and initially, Ai Changyuan's face flashed with a hint of pain. But soon, this bundle of spiritual power began to metamorphose, becoming elusive, indifferent to physical barriers.

Ai Changyuan quietly placed his right hand on the ground, and then used gravity to manipulate the carbon rod in his hand. The carbon rod lifted a slight distance. Ai Changyuan carefully perceived it.

"It's a bit more strenuous than imagined. Gravity is indeed too weak."

"The ability to ignore the opponent's Spirit Prohibition and use mana is only so little, equivalent to the amount in the Qi Cultivation Late Stage... about the same level as Old Wang back in his days at the Martial Arts Examination..."

Ai Changyuan looked around once more, only to be met with a rebuke, "What are you looking at?" He continued to ponder, "No one noticed, its concealment is top-notch. It truly is the power that traverses through the depths of time and space."

"Calculating it like this... I can kill a Foundation Establishment, but I'd undoubtedly die against a Golden Core. I must continue to enhance this power."

"But rashly attracting spiritual energy would be easily detected. I have to convert my own mana instead. First, rely on the sealed spiritual power in my body to hold out, extend the new gravity-converted spiritual energy to Qi Cultivation Perfection, and then gradually erase the Spirit Prohibition from my body."

While Ai Changyuan was contemplating, a fist struck his face, sending him flying. Ai Changyuan shouted angrily, "Get lost! Don't touch my circle!"

Ai Changyuan's baseless outburst made Pan Jueming, who was originally full of momentum, shrink back. The tale of the Geometric Demon Lord, a Mahayana Cultivator who met his demise over a mere math problem, was a legend among Modern Cultivators but a joke to those of the Ancient Method. It took a moment for Pan Jueming to understand the implication. But soon, he remembered his purpose and shouted, "Brother Ai, you did not tell the truth."

Ai Changyuan "just recalled" his situation as a prisoner. He lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with the other, "You ask, I answer. What did I withhold?"

"Your companion, he actually captured more than ten Golden Cores! Dozens of Foundation Establishments!"

Ai Changyuan questioned, "What's the problem?"

"You did not say he was that strong!"

Ai Changyuan hummed twice, whispering, "He truly is at Foundation Establishment..."

Pan Jueming angrily stomped on Ai Changyuan's head, shouting, "What's his background?"

"True Disciple of Wangfa Sect..." Ai Changyuan felt like he was about to lose his head.

"Wangfa true inheritor..." Pan Jueming's expression shifted slightly, "Seems to have some skills..."

He kicked Ai Changyuan a few more times angrily, then prepared to leave. At that moment, Ai Changyuan suddenly called out, "Wait..."

"Brother Ai, have you remembered something else you forgot to tell us?" mocked Pan Jueming.

Ai Changyuan, holding the bleeding wound on his forehead, with a clear gaze said, "I do not understand the Ancient Method Cultivation Method. Get me two... well, two people adept in various Ancient Method Cultivation Methods to help me."

Pan Jueming was puzzled, "Are you serious?"

"This problem... must be solved."

"I will bring Duanhongzi and Zhong Wenmo. You better not try any tricks."

After leaving the ruins where Ai Changyuan was imprisoned, Pan Jueming quickly found Zhong Wenmo and asked, "What does 'Get lost, don't touch my circle' mean?"

Zhong Wenmo thought about it, disdainfully said, "It's the last words of that old madman who called himself a Demon Lord but died at the hands of the Demon Path—the one revered as an ancestor by the heterodox, that Mathematical Sect madman."

Pan Jueming recounted what had just happened, then asked, "I always feel... he must have some ability, right?"

Pan Jueming's face showed even greater disdain, "Modern Cultivators hardly underdo life and death training; there are plenty of talented but gutless pussies. That kid might be able to bully his own people, huh? Clan disciples."

"But he does have some ability..." Pan Jueming pondered, "Birds of a feather flock together, people are known by the company they keep; if that Foundation Establishment on Dragon Five Island is that ferocious, he shouldn't be too bad either. Watch over him later when you help him with the magic formula."

There were more than one defeated Golden Core Cultivator on Dragon Five Island. Some among them he also could not defeat; the thought that Ai Changyuan could also be one of those monsters made Pan Jueming tremble with fear.

However, he did not know that sweeping away the Golden Cores was but a small part of Wang Qi's strength. Not far away, Ai Changyuan had a power on par with the former's, coupled with an even more insane mindset.

Inside the stone cave, Ai Changyuan reconstructed the formula, setting up traps, with a slight upward curl of his lips.

I will create laws that you cannot refuse... laws that are absolutely useful for exploring relics...

As long as you spend one hour cultivating the entry level...

There are twenty-four hours left for me to perfect myself. Just wait, you scum. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes, monthly tickets; your support is my greatest momentum. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)