Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 55 - Comfort
Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Comfort
Chapter 55 -55 Comfort
After the monthly exam results came out, Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu visited Old Man Bai’s place again.
“Did I hear you did well this time?” Old Man Bai asked Zheng Fa.
The expression on his face was less like praise and more like barely concealed pride.
“It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching, sir,” Zheng Fa replied, right on cue.
Hearing this, Old Man Bai’s face crinkled into a brilliant chrysanthemum smile.
“I have a friend who’s also having some difficulties learning…” Seizing the moment of his good mood, Zheng Fa suddenly started.
“Stop right there!” Old Man Bai put up his hand, frowning slightly: “I refuse.”
Zheng Fa hadn’t expected the old man to be so wary, cutting him off before he even finished speaking.
He wasn’t in the least bit flustered, just giving Old Man Bai a look, staying silent, waiting.
Sure enough, when he saw that Zheng Fa wasn’t continuing, Old Man Bai himself became itching to know: “You’re really not going to say it?”
Zheng Fa feigned confusion as he looked at the old man: “Didn’t you tell me to stop, sir?”
“Why don’t you try begging then?”
Zheng Fa gladly spoke up: “About those talismanic diagrams, do you have the simplest and quickest way to solve them?”
“How could you even make it any quicker?”
Zheng Fa opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
It was Tang Lingwu who understood and thoughtfully provided the precise translation: “Of three longs and one short, choose the shortest, of three shorts and one long, select the longest…”
Old Man Bai’s face turned dark: “No wonder you mentioned a ‘friend.’ As a Beijing University professor, you’re asking me to teach you to guess?
You insult me with such crooked and depraved methods!”
Zheng Fa indeed wanted these guessing techniques for a friend—Seventh Young Master.
With just two months left until Seventh Young Master attempts to join the Immortal Sect, starting from ‘Elementary Mathematics’ would definitely be too late.
They could only rely on guessing, no, rely on the great and magical science of probability.
Even if not for Seventh Young Master himself, thinking of his wife’s request, Zheng Fa still had to find some insurance for Seventh Young Master.
As expected, Old Man Bai very quickly shook his head, his little curls flailing in the air, expressing his master’s refusal.
Zheng Fa gave Tang Lingwu a look.
Tang Lingwu got the hint and assumed the Songhe Stance position.
Zheng Fa placed his hand behind her back.
Old Man Bai watched from aside, curiously asking: “What are you two doing?”
“I’ve thought of a way to speed up her cultivation,” Zheng Fa said smilingly: “To make her practice faster.”
“…” Old Man Bai blinked: “How much faster?”
“After doing some calculations, she should have no problem entering the gateway of the Songhe Stance in another half month,” Zheng Fa considered.
Old Man Bai’s eyes widened slightly.
He remembered Zheng Fa saying that Tang Lingwu was young and with a good body, she should learn faster than him, but normally it would take at least two to three months to enter the threshold of Songhe Stance.
And now it only needed half a month?
“This…” Old Man Bai, fumbling with his hands, hesitantly said: “Well, can I…
try this method too?”
“That won’t work, how can we insult you with such crooked methods?” Zheng Fa’s refusal was as sincere as could be.
“Actually…
maybe it’s not so bad to be ‘insulted’ a little.”
Having said this, Old Man Bai glanced at Zheng Fa’s unchanging smile, gritted his teeth, turned around into his study, and came back with a black-covered notebook in hand.
“What’s this?”
“I wouldn’t and couldn’t teach you those things, but learning this could be a bit quicker,” Old Man Bai said, handing the notebook over to Zheng Fa with a straight face.
Zheng Fa flipped through the notebook.
Inside, it was filled with patterns Old Man Bai had summarized from those talismanic diagrams – not the patterns for guessing answers, but ones that used the distinctive symbols of each talismanic diagram to determine which Basic Primordial Talisman they had evolved from.
“Except for some very complex patterns, these methods have a success rate of about eighty to ninety percent,” he explained.
Zheng Fa nodded.
The notebook was not thin; Old Man Bai had written it very conscientiously, each Primordial Talisman corresponding to a set of characteristic symbols, and each characteristic symbol exemplified with a dozen or so talismanic diagrams.
It seemed Old Man Bai wrote this because he saw Zheng Fa’s slow progress in learning topology, so he simply skipped the theory and went straight to practical application.
“Sir, what’s this?” Thinking that Old Man Bai had brought it from his study: “Were you prepared?”
“I was just bored writing my book and did some casual summarizing,” Old Man Bai coughed dryly, his eyes darting away.
Zheng Fa knew that the old man must have put a lot of effort into it, his face showing a touched expression.
“Don’t make it so sentimental,” said Old Man Bai uncomfortably, and continued, “I see you take these things very seriously and are quite anxious about it.”
Zheng Fa remained silent.
He was indeed a bit anxious, not just on behalf of the Seventh Young Master, but also seeking to harness the power of the talismanic Dao to break away from the Zhao Family.
“Remember, this is only a minor path,” Old Man Bai cautioned again.
With the notebook in hand, Zheng Fa bowed solemnly to Old Man Bai.
“I’ve told you, don’t be so melodramatic,” Old Man Bai said uncomfortably, waving his hand.
Then, looking at Zheng Fa again, he added, “I’ve told you before, I didn’t want to accept you initially.”
“You have said before that I’m not cut out for studying mathematics.”
Old Man Bai pointed to the notebook in Zheng Fa’s hand and said, “Actually, I was going to give this to you later, but since I’ve given it to you today, there are some things I want to say.”
Zheng Fa rarely saw such a serious expression on Old Man Bai’s face.
“I didn’t want to accept you because you are not like her.” Old Man Bai pointed to Tang Lingwu nearby.
“This young lady is simple-minded, whereas you, your mind is full of schemes.” Old Man Bai’s gaze fell on Zheng Fa again: “You have two problems: you’re hasty and you overvalue your own worth.”
These words were nothing if not heavy.
Tang Lingwu opened her mouth as if she wanted to speak up for Zheng Fa.
“I’m not criticizing the boy.
With his background, it’s natural for him to have complex thoughts,” Old Man Bai stopped Tang Lingwu from speaking.
“But this won’t do for academia.
I’ve already talked to you about being hasty.” Old Man Bai continued to address the silent Zheng Fa; “And as for the issue of overvaluing one’s worth, I do wish you had come to me genuinely on behalf of a friend.”
“You are a martial artist, where in the jianghu it is believed that the one with the bigger fist is the boss, and everyone hides their Divine Skill Secret Manuals, wishing only they could master them.”
Zheng Fa thought about the customs of the Xuanwei Realm and nodded.
“But academia is different, Zheng Fa, remember,” Old Man Bai looked at Zheng Fa earnestly; “In academia, our enemy is never someone else, it’s the mysteries of this world, it’s those unsolved problems.”
Zheng Fa began to understand what he meant.
“Why do I want to write a book?” Old Man Bai continued: “Because when I studied mathematics, I read many other people’s books.
I know without these books, I couldn’t have achieved what I have today.
I’m climbing on the shoulders of those before me.
Now that I’m old, I want to be a shoulder for future generations.”
“I understand,” Zheng Fa said to Old Man Bai.
He knew of Old Man Bai’s good intentions, but to be honest, at least in the Xuanwei Realm, he couldn’t meet Old Man Bai’s expectations, not now at least.
“No, you don’t understand,” Old Man Bai suddenly revealed a mischievous smile, “What I just said is all nonsense.
The most important thing is — since we all will fail, don’t be troubled by temporary success or failure.”
Zheng Fa suddenly looked up at Old Man Bai, “How did you know?”
He finally realized why Old Man Bai had suddenly said all this — after meeting with Madame, there were some concerns in his heart, but Zheng Fa thought he was good at hiding his emotions and no one could see through him.
Now he realized that whether it was giving him that notebook or these words about being a part of a ‘losers’ alliance’, Old Man Bai was probably trying to find ways to comfort him.
Old Man Bai curled his lip and pointed behind Zheng Fa, “This young lady quietly told me.”
Zheng Fa turned around to see Tang Lingwu standing behind him, extending a milk tea towards him with an expressionless face, “Here, drink this.”
He took a moment of silence, accepted the milk tea, took a sip, and then looked into Tang Lingwu’s eyes and said, “It’s very sweet.”
Old Man Bai muttered from behind, “I say it’s a hassle to take on students, always having to engage in this painstaking ideological work…
Not even proficient in martial arts, such a loss!”
“Sir Bai…
wasn’t what you said a little one-sided?” Tang Lingwu seemed somewhat doubtful about Old Man Bai’s previous words, “The academic world isn’t all good, right?
I’ve seen many news stories about plagiarism and copying.”
Both she and Zheng Fa understood that the previous words were not really nonsense.
Despite the old man’s previous reluctance to accept them, through his sporadic pieces of advice, they could feel Old Man Bai’s expectations for them.
Hearing Tang Lingwu’s question, Old Man Bai pointed at Zheng Fa, with a puzzled expression, “This young man’s martial arts, are they just for show?”
Zheng Fa translated Old Man Bai’s words in his mind:
The scientific community is a place of respectable people.
But if someone doesn’t want to be respectable, Zheng Fa could help them maintain their dignity.
…
Upon waking up, back in the Xuanwei Realm, Gao Yuan suddenly looked at Zheng Fa and said, “Zheng Fa, why do I feel like you have a lot more smiles this morning than the past couple of days?”
“The last few days I was a bit unhappy, but today I’ve decided to do something to make myself happy,” Zheng Fa nodded.
“What is it?” Gao Yuan asked curiously.
“You guys have also studied mathematics for a while now, I think, today it’s time for a pop quiz, to celebrate!” Zheng Fa announced.
Gao Yuan abruptly turned to look at Zheng Fa.
Seeing Zheng Fa’s heartfelt smile, a question mark slowly appeared on his face, “You’re using tests to cheer yourself up?”
“No, I’m using you all for amusement,” Zheng Fa candidly and unapologetically replied.
