A question that under normal circumstances must be answered correctly within ten breaths.
But this topology question in front of Chen Xu, said to be imbued with the Daoist principles of Yin and Yang, allowed a full quarter of an hour to answer.
Chen Xu stood dumbfounded on the gleaming Moon Lake for a moment.
Topology is a form of thinking difficult for the average person to understand. Many people may have great achievements in other fields of mathematics, but they may not understand topology.
Classic topology introductions, like the Möbius strip.
With its marvelous, twisted continuous deformation, non-orientability, it becomes a loop that can never have two boundaries at the same time.
It's like those outside topology, never able to step inside and see the scenery within.
In his past life, Chen Xu was also an outsider to topology!
He stood on the lake surface, telling himself to calm down. His brain began to spin rapidly, the powerful Divine Soul caused his memories to start retracing.
Everything he had learned related to this, at this moment, arrayed in his mind for rumination.
Divine Soul, add a bit more!
[Divine Soul: 27+]
Yes, Chen Xu chose to add a little more to his Divine Soul for assistance.
He hadn't used it earlier because he felt it wasn't the time, thinking he should first properly develop his abilities.
But these are his Attribute Points, and when necessary, he would add them without hesitation.
As soon as he added to his Divine Soul, Chen Xu suddenly felt as if a galaxy exploded in his mind.
Brilliant starlight filled the sky, with each point possibly being his inspiration.
Chen Xu's mind spun at high speed, yet he didn't notice that his face had turned deathly pale in an instant.
His rapidly spinning mind was simultaneously consuming his body's energy at an accelerated pace!
Behind him, Yunqi noticed this and found himself despicably pleased for a moment.
But he quickly reminded himself: Cui Yunqi, Cui Yunqi, if you want to win, win on your merit, what does it mean to be smug over his temporary setback?
If the opponent is too weak, there's no sense of achievement in winning.
For example, the students from Jichuan County outside the bamboo grove, each a mediocrity, Cui Yunqi didn't even bother to glance at them twice.
Similarly, the few friends who came to Jichuan with Cui Yunqi this time, although friends, each have a noticeable gap in knowledge compared to Cui Yunqi.
Though intertwined with the crowd, Cui Yunqi sometimes feels quite lonely.
Highbrow and out of reach, that's how it is.
Cui Yunqi solved questions step by step, fishing out one small moon after another.
Very quickly, he answered twelve questions correctly, just a step away from Chen Xu.
These twelve questions were diverse, all-encompassing.
Be it numerical arts, or classical meanings, or couplets, or poems.
Among them, there was even a rather profound Zhou Yi question, to which Cui Yunqi responded effortlessly.
He grew increasingly confident; the confident demeanor he had when entering the bamboo grove had unconsciously returned to him.
Seeing he had completed twelve steps, Cui Yunqi was about to stoop to catch the moon to answer the thirteenth question.
Suddenly, a Moonlight Elf leaped over and said, "Cui Yunqi, you don't need to pick up the thirteenth question, your thirteenth question is the same as Chen Xu's."
Cui Yunqi was taken aback, asking in some confusion, "The same question? Meaning, I have to answer his question too? That time..."
"Naturally you are also given a quarter of an hour, starting now. Do you want to try? Answer this question correctly, and you can go see the teacher."
Cui Yunqi was instantly delighted, wasting no time, and quickly focused on the question.
Upon first reading the question, he thought: This seemingly endless test is finally coming to an end.
Chen Xu in front has pondered for a long time without answering, showing that he fundamentally cannot solve this problem. If he, Cui Yunqi, as the latecomer surpasses him, solving it first would demonstrate to Mr. Zhou the differences between people!
But Cui Yunqi's imaginations lasted just a breath. Upon realizing the content of the question ahead—
No, Cui Yunqi just felt he couldn't understand the question at all!
"Once there was a Void Daoist, who refined two Jade Pieces into pendants, the Yang Jade shaped like the Li Trigram..."—Cui Yunqi recognized each word, but when they came together, each twisted like a demon.
Cui Yunqi couldn't understand it, couldn't grasp it.
He attempted to recite the question entirely to enhance understanding.
But as the words left his mouth, he felt as though he was uttering not the language of the mortal world.
What kind of question is this?
This is clearly a calamity from beyond, phantoms walking in oblivion, a demon of red dust and malevolence.
Cui Yunqi's teeth chattered, and sweat poured like syrup.
The cool sense from the elixir in his abdomen seemed now to transform into the molten lava of purgatory, rampaging wildly inside his body.
"No, I must understand it clearly!"
"I can't lose, I can't retreat."
"I am Cui Yunqi, the Qilin child of the Cui Family, the elite of Yunjiang, the talent of the world."
"How can I not understand a single question?"
...
But he simply couldn't understand it.
Not only could he not understand it, but he also felt in a daze an indescribable earth-shattering sensation.
As if the entire world was about to collapse, war breaking out in an instant.
Who knows where the cavalry came from, galloping through Yunjiang City.
A ferocious general akin to a demon king sneered and roared amidst a thousand horsemen: "In the year of Yonghui, the world was in chaos, and heroes should be like us... hahaha! Kill—"
With a rumble, the Cui Family's gates were easily broken by the disorderly soldiers.
Cui Yunqi forcibly reminded himself: "No, wrong, it's fake. It's all fake!"
Years of cultivated willpower caused a clear essence to rise abruptly from his Dantian, just as the essence surged, Cui Yunqi exerted effort to sweep away the illusion before his eyes.
He widened his eyes, about to rejoice at escaping the illusion, when he suddenly heard someone nearby saying: "Student answers..."
Chen Xu, it was Chen Xu!
That scholar from a humble family answered, "The Yang Jade has three openings, the Yin Jade has five hinges. Using the second hinge of the Yin Jade to connect with the east opening of the Yang Jade..."
What is he saying?
Cui Yunqi thought.
He must be answering randomly; he paused for so long, surely he didn't understand the question either.
Before Cui Yunqi's eyes, it seemed another illusion was about to appear, a buzz humming in his ears.
As he struggled to resist the sound, suddenly a clear, amiable voice, like moonlight scattering with a hint of a smile, gently said: "Wonderful, it should indeed be answered this way."
What?
Cui Yunqi seemed unable to react.
Until a moment later, the Moonlight Elf's crisp voice joyfully said: "Wow, Chen Xu, you got it right. Quickly move forward, the teacher is waiting for you."
Cui Yunqi could no longer contain it, a mouthful of blood spewed from his throat.