61 Mathematics and Poetry

Continuing to search around the floor, he seemed to have discovered something unusual. The plane was finite, and there were obvious boundaries. On those seemingly invisible walls, there were random patterns and numbers sketched onto them. Paying attention to those scribbles, he had found out something completely unexpected.

"This... this... no freaking way!! Is that a maths equation!? Why the heck would this appear here!? Just as I thought I could escape from school work, I see this shit on the wall!? The natural number "e" and "pi" and their digits? This can't be a pure coincidence..." Shen Long pondered as he found this extremely odd.

Even though Shen Long wasn't completely devoted to the field of Mathematics back on Earth, he still spent a great deal of his time doing Maths. Shen Long was an elite mathematician, despite only being in high school. He had attended multiple olympiads back then, despite his uninterest in the field.

However, the scribble had perked his interest, and he decided to examine the question in a more detailed manner. After confirming what he had just read, he was sure that what was written was something amazing. The content on the wall was slightly difficult for him to understand, but he could recognize that it was something to do with the rationality of the two "irrational" numbers.

Back on Earth, elite mathematicians had proved that both Pi and the natural number, e, were both irrational. However, after following the proof on the wall, it seemed like they were completely wrong. The logic made sense. Although the proof method was unconventional, it still made sense in terms of logic.

Shen Long was shocked by two things. Firstly, he didn't expect mathematics to exist in the cultivation world as well. Secondly, it was way too similar to the mathematics on Earth. Not just that pi, natural numbers existed here as well, but also the proof consisted of fragments of pre-existing proofs from Earth, elite mathematicians.

It seemed like mathematics really was a common language for the entire universe. Although Daoist Fireblade was from Earth, it was extremely unlikely that he was the one who "brought" and "introduced" mathematics to the cultivation world. Clearly, the language spoken in the palace was influenced by Daoist Fireblade. It was nearly identical to modern Chinese, so Shen Long had no trouble understanding or speaking the language.

However, it seemed like mathematics had existed for an awfully long time in the cultivation world. Coming up with such proofs definitely wasn't an easy job, and it definitely required a lot of time. However, seeing this weird, mathematics question only confused Shen Long even more.

How was this related to his freaking Hundred Beast Trials!?

It was seemingly irrelevant, but it was actually closely connected to cultivation. Cultivation wasn't just about comprehension and diligent practice; it also required a great deal of intelligence. In the cultivation world, people believed that studying Mathematics was the best way to improve or train their intelligence.

However, Shen Long wasn't supposed to answer the question or validify the proof. There actually was an extremely close relationship between rationality and the finite boundaries. There was a hint behind the proof of the rationality of the two numbers. If Shen Long could make the connections between rationality and "infinity", Shen Long should have an idea about the method to leave this place.

This rationality of the two numbers was actually about continued fractions. Since Pi and e were both "rational" according to the proof, it showed that the boundary was, indeed, finite. A rational number could be expressed in a continued fraction, whereas an irrational number would be expressed in an infinite continued fraction.

That was the first connection Shen Long needed to make. Since the floor wasn't infinitely vast, it shouldn't be too difficult for Shen Long to break out. As long as he crossed the boundary of the finite plane, he could leave this floor, and arrive at the next. Since a continued fraction extended downwards, the exit was below the ground surface.

However, it wasn't easy for anyone to make these connections at all. If it was any other 16 years-old from Earth, they probably would have never succeeded in cracking this puzzle. Continued fractions and rationality weren't easy, common topics, and, most importantly, they weren't taught in most high schools.

As an olympiad participant, Shen Long should be able to draw the connection between the maths equation and this trials. Indeed, without surprise, Shen Long managed to understand the meaning behind the proof. However, even with the hint, Shen Long still needed time in order to break out. It was true that the exit was below the ground surface, but that was all the information that Shen Long had.

Holding a tree-branch on his left as a shovel, he started digging downwards, hoping to find the exit. He wasn't mining for diamonds, but to attempt to find a bloody exit. Thinking back to the beasts he killed, he questioned the reason behind his slaughtering.

Shen Long much preferred peace than killing and battle. Killing those innocent beasts made him feel extremely guilty. Especially the first beast he encountered, that beast held no threat to him, and yet Shen Long still had to mercilessly slaughter it.

"What had the cat done, to receive such punishment? Why must I kill in this trials? Why must I kill as a cultivator? Of course, I will kill if I have to, but they have done nothing wrong. This trial is too ruthless. These beasts aren't even trying to hurt me, and yet I killed all twenty of them! Why!!" Shen Long exclaimed as he complained.

Shen Long was slowly turning berserk. Killing dozens of these innocent beasts made him emotionally extremely unstable. Shen Long decided to halt his "digging mission" slightly, to calm himself down first. With his half-hearted concentration, fighting beasts would be extremely dangerous. Jumping straight into the second floor might not be the best idea right now for Shen Long.

Decided to sit down and meditate, he calmed down a little. He practised "mindfulness" for the first time, and he was very surprised by how well it worked. He had always thought that "mindfulness" was completely bullshi*, but his perspective on it changed completely.

Calming down slightly, he came up with a poem as he recited it loudly. Shen Long loved expressing his emotions with poetry. Despite his grades in English Literature wasn't that great, he still loved poetry.

"The art of killing is hard to master.

To kill without guilt, or to kill without a thought;

How can we, mortals, take someone else's life?

Killing - however - is a must.

To kill for food, to kill to survive.

We don't kill for sport, and we should never do.

Swinging your sword - is the easy part.

Ignorance is bliss; I wish killing is easy too.

Seeing those innocent eyes,

My hands gone soft, my heart gone cold.

But it seemed like it was the only road,

I'm sorry my friend, it was out of my will.

To survive, I must kill.

I wish the art of killing

Is simple and effortless."