Chapter 377: Pure logic

What exactly is a boundary?

The old Li Qi couldn't answer. He only knew that after crossing a certain boundary, an individual would become a group, and sand would become a sand pile.

But how many grains of sand constitute a sand pile? When the dead are resurrected, to what extent must they be alive to be truly alive?

The old Li Qi could only be vague about this.

But now, he can answer this question.

Because, through a large-scale experiment, he witnessed the answer being written before him.

The answer is not a definite value, but rather… a way of thinking, a rule, or, one could say, a formula.

Following this rule, one can determine the precise location of the boundary.

Li Qi was once a researcher, so he was more adept at logic and mathematics. He started from this aspect and began to summarize.

Instead of just setting a single criterion, define a set, set something similar to a 'fuzzy membership function,' perhaps a gradient map can be used to represent a fuzzy membership set, and each subset in this set can represent a part of this map.

This is like…

A visualization diagram.

And based on this, the logic of the tool can be expanded to obtain a tool. Through this tool, the positions of all boundaries can be deduced. For example, for a given domain, there will be a mapping from the domain to a specific value. This mapping can represent a fuzzy set, used to represent the membership function of the fuzzy set, and the value of each element on this domain mapped to the specific value by this mapping rule is naturally the membership degree of that element to the fuzzy set.

Based on the abstract nature of things, for objective fuzzy phenomena, in situations where it is difficult to express intuitively, this is the method of dividing boundaries.

This is a conclusion that can absolutely not be seen with the naked eye, nor can it be derived.

This conclusion only exists in thought and information, and can only be seen by relying on the Information Stream Vision perceived by the mind, thereby deriving and concluding.

With the Physical Body, one can only see light effects, Talismans, and at most perceive some special rhythms and fluctuations with the Spirit Soul.

Only true Information Stream Vision can see and summarize these; these are things composed purely of logic and information, more profound than any rhythm.

All fluctuations and light effects are material, but this is not.

The difference here is like a piece of rice paper with 'one' written on it, compared to 'one' itself.

What is one?

What is 'one'?

One person? One stone? One table? Are these 'one'?

No, none of them are; those are all tangible things.

Fools will instinctively ignore this question, but true cultivators need to ponder what 'one' truly is.

Obviously, the concept of one does not exist in the material world. You cannot find 'one' in the material world. Although 'one' exists everywhere, you just cannot find 'one' itself.

The world is full of things like 'a world,' 'a cup of water,' but a singular, pure 'one,' unpolluted by other substances, only exists within the mind.

Only within the mind, within the spiritual entity, can you find 'one'; only then can you discover 'one' itself.

Now, this boundary is also the same.

Li Qi finally understood why, despite so many experiments over the past six months, no matter how he observed, he could only see transformation, but not the boundary itself.

Because the boundary only exists within information and logic, just like that 'one'; only the mind can analyze it.

What a simple, yet beautiful truth.

Li Qi watched all of this, witnessing the transformation of life and death from another perspective, while clearly feeling the flow of mind and information.

And that demon dragon was not so lucky.

He desperately wanted to resurrect, and could even be said to have already resurrected, struggling to escape the Yin Messengers, but the chains from the underworld firmly trapped him, binding his body.

No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free.

That demon dragon roared, his body strangely winding, with green eyes and bright essence, bearing a soaring appearance, leaping into the sky, and angrily shouted: "I am not dead! I was merely dormant, you Yin Messengers have crossed the line!"

But the Yin Messengers remained silent, continuing to bind the demon dragon with hooks and ropes, preventing him from moving an inch.

Li Qi quietly watched this tug-of-war.

After a standoff of about a minute, a Dharma Idol appeared within the iron city.

The Dharma Idol was a hundred zhang tall, holding a wolf hair brush, wearing a robe, with a large crown on his head, and a dark complexion, he shouted in the air:

The Dharma Idol's voice was like a grand Dao: "Crocodile Dragon, how dare you quibble? Our records of Reincarnation retribution are clear, every one of your crimes is on file. You relied on your cultivation, indulged in cruelty and poison, bullied the common people, disobeyed the Heavenly Dao, and stole life with evil arts. Now that the Yin Messengers have arrived, you still don't examine yourself, daring to speak wildly and slander our government! Come, hand him over to the Plow Tongue Hell!"

Following his command, several ghost soldiers took the order and joined the battle.

Then, that judge-like figure began to write the verdict in the air.

"The Crocodile Dragon, born ignorant, with a multitude of stubborn kinds, indulged in evil without repentance, acted viciously and wantonly, reincarnated twelve times without dying, escaped Reincarnation through secret arts, lingered for seven thousand years, yet with all his intelligence, he only saw the trivial and overlooked the great. The punishment of Reincarnation is a warning, it can be said to be the most profound of laws, the most impartial of Dao. Now that this fellow is captured, throw him into the Plow Tongue Hell!"

After the verdict was written, the Dharma Idol took out a large seal and stamped it below.

Then, Li Qi saw the iron city come alive.

A terrifying power suddenly erupted from the iron city, sweeping towards the demon dragon!

Countless ghosts and a torrent of Yin Qi converged, pressing down chillingly, washing over the demon dragon, almost instantly engulfing him!

And the other Yin Messengers, amidst this countless difficult Yin Qi, seemed to be in their element, their strength doubled, and those chains grew thicker, pressing the demon dragon down so he couldn't lift his head.

Finally, amidst the demon dragon's wailing, his Spirit Soul and mind were pulled out by those soul-hooking chains, leaving only a shell of a body.

His mind and Spirit Soul were hooked into that iron city, and the Yin Messengers each exerted their strength, dragging him inside.

The judge put away his brush, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave.

Only, as he left, he stared at Li Qi.

Li Qi instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his hair stood on end, his bones trembled, and an ominous premonition enveloped him.

Wait, they wouldn't try to take me too, would they?

But the judge only glanced, then turned and walked into the iron city.

Countless Yin soldiers and ghost messengers streamed in, and finally, two remained to pull up the city gate. With a rumble, the iron city and the black mist rapidly shrank, eventually disappearing.

Li Qi still sat in his original spot, but the classroom was already unrecognizable, and all the desks were gone, leaving only a dragon corpse dozens of zhang long lying on the ground.

He helped this one revive, but it seemed he couldn't withstand the Yin Messengers.

But it didn't matter.

Not being able to withstand it wasn't his fault; he just wasn't strong enough. If he hadn't helped, he wouldn't have had any chance of revival in the future.

He was already dismantled and made into desks, and he still thought about reviving?

However, Li Qi stood up and looked at the open space outside.

A serious-looking woman, whose etiquette and rules could be described as rigid, stood outside, looking at Li Qi.

She looked about sixteen or seventeen, not old, much younger than Li Qi, but her eyes were full of oppressive power, as if being watched by her, one wouldn't even dare to move.

Li Qi knew this person; this was the Imperial Academy's 'Ruler,' and also the Imperial Academy’s Chancellor's Spiritual Artifact, responsible for regulating all behavior within the Imperial Academy. If a student stepped out of line, she would tap their head.

Clearly, today's incident required an explanation to the Imperial Academy.

Li Qi cleared his throat and walked towards the Ruler.

"Master," Li Qi stepped forward, saluted the Ruler, and called her Master.

"Staying late at night, I could say you are diligent in your studies, but you've caused such a big mess, how do you plan to explain?" The Ruler's tone was as serious as ever.

"This is also part of studying, it's just… there was an accident," Li Qi replied with cupped hands.

"An accident? What kind of accident can attract Yin Messengers? And what are you studying?" The Ruler asked, her tone devoid of any fluctuation.

"I am researching 'boundaries,' and this object is my research material. This was an observation experiment," Li Qi immediately replied.

The Ruler moved two steps, carefully looked at the scene and the dragon corpse: "You damaged teaching tools, blew up the classroom, and even activated the school's defensive Talismans. The Yin Messengers' power also left traces here that are very difficult to clean up."

Li Qi said without changing his expression: "Just an… experimental accident. I remember similar explosions happen daily in the engineering and alchemist classrooms."

Yes, for alchemists and pill Masters, and some engineering-type disciplines, explosions are commonplace, and Li Qi's was still considered small, especially since the defensive Talismans were in place. The battle between the Yin Messengers and the demon dragon was fully controlled and did not affect the outside world, merely causing a few celestial anomalies.

Li Qi had even read in the student handbook that some students had caused even bigger incidents.

The Imperial Academy used Grotto-heavens as classrooms, and those students directly blew up the Grotto-heaven that served as a classroom.

However… what Li Qi did was pretty much the same, and he didn't blow up one Grotto-heaven, but forty-nine, and he even combined the forty-nine Grotto-heavens and blew them up together, causing the outer buildings to explode and lose their roofs.

This was quite a big deal, after all, the Imperial Academy hadn't had a building explode in hundreds of years.

Grotto-heavens are not valuable, but buildings are very valuable. The buildings here are part of the Imperial Academy's guardian array, and damage to them means a flaw in the array.

Although this grand array is used less than once in ten thousand years, as Chang'an has First Grade cultivators guarding it, who can guarantee nothing will happen?

From this perspective, Li Qi had caused a huge problem.

"Yes, but their experiments were all reported in advance, and teachers participated and protected throughout. Everything was within the rules. Your experiment, however, was not reported, you didn't apply for a venue or Materials, and there was no experienced teacher present to control the risks," the Ruler said with displeasure. "Li Qi, you're very bold."

"I apologize, I came from a rural area and am not very clear about the rules," Li Qi immediately apologized, then said something that made the Ruler's face turn green.

I am a barbarian.

To be honest, it wasn't wrong. Shaman Dao, in the eyes of humanity, was standard barbarism, ignorant and unproductive.

But the Ruler immediately straightened her face: "No matter what you say, this is a violation. I need a self-criticism, a letter of repentance, and a summary report of this incident, preferably written in meticulous detail."

"Student will remember," Li Qi bowed.

"Also, you are suspended from class, with the resumption time to be determined. Your punishment will be announced to the entire school as a warning to others, and I will send the results of the punishment to Shaman God Mountain, to your Master."

Li Qi nodded. To be honest, he wasn't afraid.

Being told on to a Parent might be a huge terror for others, but for Li Qi, it wouldn't be a problem at all.

Zhu Fengdan's tolerance for his troublemaking was ridiculously high. Li Qi estimated that even if he blew up the Imperial Academy, she wouldn't show any reaction.

The Ruler continued: "Also, remember to apologize to the teacher who taught you; you betrayed his trust."

"That is natural," Li Qi replied.

The Ruler seemed to have finished speaking.

Seeing that the Ruler had said pretty much everything, Li Qi finally asked: "Master, what about the compensation… ?"

"No need, the Imperial Academy is not so poor as to ask students for money for such things. It's just… you damaged so many facilities, did you learn anything?" The Ruler's expression softened as she asked Li Qi.

"I learned something, very valuable knowledge that I always needed," Li Qi said, lowering his head.

"That's good," the Ruler nodded, then disappeared from the spot.

Li Qi looked up at the empty space before him, somewhat surprised.

He had thought… he would be expelled, or detained, or something.

But the result was just an apology, a self-criticism, and then suspension…

In fact, before the Ruler left, she seemed somewhat relieved. Since she had no expression, Li Qi couldn't quite tell… but he just had that feeling.

It was as if she was happy that he had learned something.

Never mind, those things don't matter.

Li Qi got up and went home.

He needed to organize what he gained tonight, then finish writing the self-criticism and apology, and after all that was prepared, he would go find Liu Canzhi and use the newly learned boundaries to deal with the Shamanic Silkworm Artifact matter.

While dealing with the Shamanic Silkworm Artifact matter, he would also make a request to Liu Donghe, hoping he could lend a hand to the Lingxiao Kingdom Lord.

That's probably it.

Li Qi left the Imperial Academy. He had caused a huge mess, but fortunately, he didn't have to clean it up himself; someone would help.

This was the advantage of being a child. An ignorant baby could flip the dinner table, tear toilet paper everywhere, and not have to clean up after themselves. Others would even come to comfort you, afraid you might cry.

Of course, this period wouldn't last long. After reaching the Seventh Grade, he would soon become an 'adult' who had to take responsibility for himself.

——————

Meanwhile, an uninvited guest arrived at the Shangyuan.

The Shangyuan, this is an extremely famous garden scenic spot, and also a gathering place for all flowers.

Flower Gods, due to their own characteristics, always cause a lot of trouble, whether because of themselves or because of the rivalry and jealousy among their admirers and followers, it's always the case.

To facilitate management and gather the troubles in one place, the Human Emperor's Palace standardized the Shangyuan, allowing all flowers to come here.

The Lingxiao Kingdom Lord took a deep breath, stopped at the entrance, and murmured: "Shangyuan… I'm back."