Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 700 - 586

Chapter 700: 586

Lu Jing was shaken by the contents of the jade slip.

She delved into it and found that the content had been hierarchically edited, roughly divided into four major sections: "Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics," "Low-Speed Aerodynamics," "High-Speed Aerodynamics," and "Computational Fluid Mechanics."

The entire text covered the principles of dynamics, differential equations, fluid motion, and aerodynamic properties, among other areas of knowledge.

In the opening introduction, the author self-identified as the "Huahu Hermit," introducing the text as a guide for cultivators to design, forge, and master flying swords themselves, enabling the flying sword magic tool to become a true sidearm. The mechanics of the flying sword’s operation and combat were elucidated from beginning to end.

Compared with the current knowledge used in corporate technology, the content described in the book was much more ancient, and the naming of every mathematical equation and every physical law was completely different. It referred to the conservation of mass as "Xi Hua’s Theory," equations as "Tianyuan Technique," and the continuity assumption as "Dense Qi Construct Theory."

Witnessing such ancient texts, the thought of seeking the Dao saturated Lu Jing’s being—she wanted to learn.

However, to fully understand this "Aerodynamics," Lu Jing still had to start learning math and physics from scratch.

If one wasn’t proficient in calculus, probability statistics, and linear algebra, and didn’t grasp the basics of mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and kinetic theory of gases, then understanding most of the content would be impossible. Compared to the author of the book, Lu Jing felt utterly uncultured.

The introduction also mentioned that if cultivators didn’t establish a solid foundation in "Investigating Matters Science," the mastery of this grand tome would ultimately be limited to its cover.

Now, systematic knowledge was locked down by corporations, tightly guarded in their knowledge vaults. Concerning Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing, one would need to pay a usage fee of 100,000 for one year to gain access, which wasn’t open to Witches. Lu Jing didn’t dare to trouble her own company, as her curious pursuit of learning might arouse suspicion; she needed to maintain a low profile as much as possible.

Thus, she could probably only seek help from Nestor Corporation. Lu Jing thought to herself.

After obtaining the support of the Harutsu City Education Group, Nestor Corporation also had a complete knowledge base, offering a variety of courses to the public, allowing learners to download materials, provided that there was a certain basis for cooperation.

That is to say, Lu Jing still had to continue cooperating with Nestor Corporation’s actions.

Lu Jing continued to use her Digital Mind to control her Cyclone Sword.

Her mastery over the flying sword was increasingly adept—if used properly, its power and flexibility far exceeded that of ordinary firearms, for it could directly fly into households and attack enemies in a roundabout manner.

"Did people in the past invent flying swords? And who wrote this secret tome?" she couldn’t help but ask Liu Tianshi.

"Since I began my cultivation, fortune has been unceasing. This is one of the secret tomes I’ve acquired," he replied.

"The matter of cultivation," Lu Jing mused.

"Although there are myriad excuses, the true pursuit of cultivators ultimately centers on two words: ’eternal life.’ I’ve replaced my skin with graphene, my heart with metal parts; my intestines with a combustion furnace; my kidneys with a filtration pump; my lungs with a purifier; my stomach with a battery chamber; my blood with nanobots; my brain with an intelligent chip; my soul with digitized consciousness. To this day, I can finally claim to have a ’Life as Eternal as the Heavens’..."

"If I may be so bold, Heavenly Master, how exactly did you embark on the path of cultivation?" Lu Jing asked with great curiosity.

Liu Tianshi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, buzzing with the sound of solid-state electronic storage chips operating while he worked.

"I was originally a village husband under Mount Mangya, struggling to feed myself when one day a small snake entered my house and, smiling at me, said: ’I have watched you for a year. You work hard all day and sweat like rain, yet you barely fill a cup with rice. It is pitiful. Why not come to the mountain to find me?’ I left my home and hoe behind and went into the mountains to meet with it. The small snake transformed into a woman. I sat with her for seven days, blessed with continuous good fortune and reluctant to part. The woman, in tears, said: ’I have lived for three generations, while you shall live but one. Although I wish to stay with you longer, it cannot be. Without the technique of Qihuang, extending your life is difficult.’ Then she took out a book and pleaded with me to examine it thoroughly, passing on to me the study of ancient texts."

"After seven years of cultivation, I’d made progress and stayed in the mountains for a long time. The woman’s appearance did not change, nor did her nature feign transformation. Two hundred years later, she told me: ’My life will soon end; this is the time to part. Do not come looking for me, as my celestial decline has begun and my ugly form will soon show. Nonetheless, my soul belongs to the stars, and one day it will return to the human realm. Please do not forget me. When seas change into mulberry fields, I will return to this world and see you again. You must continue to seek the path of cultivation, striving for a ’Life as Eternal as the Heavens,’ so that we may reunite someday.’ Then she turned into a small snake and left."

"’Life as Eternal as the Heavens.’ I kept these words in my heart, wandering the mountains in search of immortals, peeling the bark of Xiangliu trees and slaying the descendants of Taowu beasts. I met the remnants of the Ba and Bai tribes, overcame the Hermit of Ren State in combat, and finally glimpsed the path of Dao. I then found a place to construct my cave abode, closed myself off to nurture my body, occasionally awakening due to great calamities."

"During the Great Hong Dynasty, I emerged to pass on Qihuang medical techniques and relieve suffering, but did not meet the small snake; during the Great Zhao Dynasty, I fought Hu cavalry beyond the borders, but did not meet the small snake; during the Great Jing Dynasty, I aided a worthy ruler in raising an army for conquest, but did not meet the small snake. Ten years ago, the Lingnan Forestry Company deployed two excavators, one large engineering vehicle, and four logging machines to cut down hundreds of acres of green pines and cypress trees. With a rumble, my cave abode was flattened, and the leader claimed that the land where my abode stood was, according to a certain agreement, already the property of the Forestry Company, and they drove me out. This marks my fourth time leaving seclusion to enter the world."

"Today, there are billions of people in the world, and tens of millions of those the Taixi people call ’Witches,’ a number incomparable to the past. My cultivation is now complete, yet I shall never forget the commitment that began my journey."

Having recounted his experiences, Liu Tianshi left Lu Jing utterly astounded.

"Heavenly Master, that is a very long time. If it were me, I would certainly forget my original intention," Lu Jing murmured.

"Flesh and blood may not endure, but there are things beyond the heavens that persist through the ages, reminding one of their insignificance, while the cosmos remains vast," said Liu Tianshi, pointing to the stars above.

"You mean..."

"As a youth gazing at the sky, I saw a golden-bodied, red-tailed comet streak across the earth. Its appearance enchanted the mind, leaving a lasting impression on me. Four years ago, I observed the stars at night and saw the same golden-bodied, red-tailed comet again. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory informed me that it was called the ’Petrarch Comet,’ which enters near-Earth orbit once every three thousand years. Seventy years ago, it was first recorded by the Taixi scholar Guillaume Petrarch, hence its name. I laughed and said, ’If only I had a pen to write it.’"

Listening to Liu Tianshi, Lu Jing felt her heart surge with emotion. His words depicted a grand history, making her feel her own insignificance.

Subsequently, Liu Tianshi continued to manipulate his own ancient flying sword, which was even sharper than the Cyclone Sword Lu Jing had received from this year’s production.

"This flying sword originates from a fisherman in the Ren State, who killed a great Ocean Descendant from the East Sea and obtained it from its belly. The fisherman ate fish without dying, lived idly for a hundred years, and became a monster. I fought in the Great Marsh by boat and forcefully slew the fisherman from Ren State. The sword then came into my possession, named ’Fish Intestine,’ which was lent to an assassin three thousand years ago to bathe in blood of a man of great name, and since then, it has been filled with a threatening aura, specializing in killing those lightly clothed in richness, adorned with gold and purple. I seldom summon the sword because flying swords lack eyes," Liu Tianshi said.

As Liu Tianshi spoke of the flying sword’s lack of eyes, the Fish Intestine Sword spun rapidly in the air.

Lu Jing almost felt she was wounded by the tangible malevolence and couldn’t help but turn pale, instinctively stepping back several steps.

Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing employed not only Liu Tianshi as a "retained guest," but also several other cultivators with even more confidential information, which Lu Jing could not detect at all.

The only thing she knew was that they all pursued Eternal Life.

Now, Liu Tianshi had not only physically entered the realm of Eternal Life through full-body prosthetic replacement but also kept his inherited fairy arts undiminished, which appeared to be different from the mystical teachings currently popular within the company.

Lu Jing pursed her lips.

She was naturally astute, with exceptional intuition, and now simply by listening to Liu Tianshi’s narration, Lu Jing could vaguely sense a profound force driving her body and mind, making her yearn to step into a similarly grand realm.

"Flying swords lack eyes," Liu Tianshi once again drove the Fish Intestine Sword to quickly thrust toward Lu Jing.

Lu Jing reacted instantaneously, propelling the Cyclone Sword to rise from the ground.

The Cyclone Sword collided with the Fish Intestine Sword in midair and was rapidly knocked away!

During the collision, Lu Jing completely lost control of the flying sword, while Liu Tianshi continued to easily manipulate the Fish Intestine Sword, making it whistle through the air.

The sword’s edge stopped in front of Lu Jing’s face, which was pale, reflecting her visage with its sunrise-like blade.

"Afraid?" asked Liu Tianshi.

"Yes," Lu Jing admitted her fear.

"To conquer others is to have power, to conquer oneself is to know the way... Lu Jing, may you find Eternal Life," Liu Tianshi slowly said.

Lu Jing nodded firmly.

The path of Liu Tianshi was the pursuit of Eternal Life.

Lu Jing pondered carefully and suddenly couldn’t think of any goal that could compare with "Eternal Life" in magnitude!

If Lu Jing also found Eternal Life, if she succeeded in her pursuit of the way, what kind of scene would it be? Compared with the eternity of life, civilization seemed so narrow, and the joys and sorrows of humans so fleeting.

All the shackles that had troubled and pained Lu Jing before felt like feathers when weighed against Eternal Life.

Yes, to seek Eternal Life, one must seek Eternal Life. For those bound by the limits of lifespan, all will turn to dust one day. Lu Jing secretly cheered up.

Since she had begun pursuing the Great Way, when Lu Jing finished her flying sword training and was called out by Rinne, her expression was very restrained and solemn.

Rinne had her hands in her pockets, waiting for the traffic lights to change, then crossed the pedestrian crossing to meet her.

Rinne noticed a change in Lu Jing’s state. Compared to the naive girl she had first seen, Lu Jing had become a hundred times more mature.

"Hey!" Rinne patted Lu Jing’s shoulder affably.

Having been instructed by Liu Tianshi, Lu Jing’s state of mind had elevated, and her mentality had become even more transcendent.

"What should we do next?"

"Go to the restaurant for chicken nuggets," Rinne said hungrily.

"I meant our ultimate purpose. Our short and fragile lives seem so powerless under the gaze of the stars, so what should we do to ensure the continuance of the meaning of our lives?" Lu Jing frowned deeply.

"Well, go to the restaurant for chicken nuggets, of course," Rinne cheerfully pulled Lu Jing’s hand, leading her back to the self-service restaurant at Nestor Headquarters.