My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

「The 25th year of the Yuanding Era. Summer, the sixth day of the fifth month.」

Zuo Xuan received official documents from the various prefectures and counties of the Southern Four Roads stating that all of the Xiao Shan Lord’s Golden Body Divine Statues had been forged. She immediately dispatched a team of covert agents from the Daoist Scripture Hall to each prefecture and county to verify them.

A month later, on the afternoon of the nineteenth day of the sixth month, she received a secret report from Huping County Town—the town furthest from Jinhuai Prefecture City—confirming that the work in all locations had been completed as required.

As soon as she had verified all the documents, Zuo Xuan rushed to the Six Heart Sect.

She arrived at the Six Heart Sect in the late morning. She was an astute woman; despite knowing she would likely only get an answer at dusk, she had rushed over at the crack of dawn.

Zhao Yu’er received her, but as before, she was stopped beside the small path.

Zuo Xuan stood obediently by the path, waiting from morning until the sun went down.

When the hour arrived, a shimmer of light appeared before her. It was faint and unreal at first, but as Zuo Xuan focused on it, the illusory figure seemed to solidify.

It was an illusory projection of Wang Ping. He had created this phantom with the Water Moon Bell; his real body was unable to leave the courtyard Dao Field.

"I must thank you for watching over Nanlin Road during this time, Fellow Daoist." Wang Ping began, clasping his fists in salute.

"You’re too kind, Fellow Daoist." Zuo Xuan immediately returned the gesture.

A brief silence fell between them. It made Zuo Xuan realize she should only speak of what was necessary. She bowed again, her gaze directed past Wang Ping. "I have come to report the completion of the task assigned by the Lord."

"The Lord is already aware. And he has a new task for you."

"Yes!"

"First, in half a month, you are to hold a grand ceremony in Jinhuai Prefecture City to consecrate the Lord’s Golden Body Divine Statues. Second, the Emperor in Shangjing is no longer fit to be the common ruler of the world. Before the ceremony begins, you must select a person of talent and virtue from among the southern populace to represent all the people in worshipping the Lord’s Golden Body Divine Statues."

Uncontrollable shock spread across Zuo Xuan’s face. Under Wang Ping’s gaze, she quickly lowered her head and solemnly accepted the tasks. Bowing toward the faintly visible courtyard Dao Field behind him, she said, "Yes. I will do everything in my power."

After she had stated her position, Wang Ping continued, "The Lord has said that the destiny of the world should spread from the south to the north. Do you understand?"

Zuo Xuan swallowed the "I understand" that was on the tip of her tongue. She respectfully clasped her fists. "May I be so bold as to ask for the details?"

Wang Ping stared at Zuo Xuan, his illusory face impassive. "The Zhongzhou World is a single entity, not just the Southern Four Roads!"

Zuo Xuan kept her head lowered. "May I be so bold as to ask again, when can we march north?"

"The Demon Race will give you your answer."

"The Demon Race?"

"You will understand."

"Yes!"

"Also, your actions against the Kongshan Association were well executed. But do not grow complacent. Do not relax the subsequent investigation."

...

「At the gates of the Six Heart Sect.」

Zuo Xuan’s steps were unsteady as she walked out of the mountain gate. She stood in place for over ten breaths, lost in thought, then glanced back at the mountains shrouded in the Array’s mist. She then projected her identity tablet and flew toward the Daoist Scripture Hall.

In the administrative courtyard of the Pacification Envoy at the Daoist Scripture Hall, the clerks had already gone home for the day. The main hall, however, was still brightly lit. Hongyuan and Yunshan were seated in the guest chairs to the left and right, while Zuo Liang stood dutifully by the entrance.

When Zuo Xuan’s figure landed in the courtyard, Zuo Liang was the first to approach. "He Jiu just sent a messenger with a letter," he said. "He’s ready to enter Death Seclusion to advance to the Second Realm."

He Jiu had already become Zuo Xuan’s disciple, which also made him a member of Qianmu Temple. After receiving his advancement materials during the last distribution of rewards, he had gone to Qianmu Mountain to formally pay his respects. It was likely he planned to undergo his seclusion within Qianmu Temple as well.

Zuo Xuan merely gave a slight nod, her mind clearly elsewhere as she walked into the main hall.

Hongyuan and Yunshan immediately rose to their feet. Hongyuan couldn’t help but ask first, "How did it go?"

Zuo Xuan sat down in her seat. She watched Zuo Liang’s back as he went to pour tea, finally snapping out of her deep thought. Looking at the two men, she said, "The Lord says the Emperor is no longer qualified to be the common ruler of the world. He wants us to select someone to represent the people and worship his Golden Body Divine Statues at the grand ceremony in half a month."

Upon hearing this, Yunshan’s face filled with worry. "The flames of war are about to be lit," he said. "The common people will suffer yet again."

Hongyuan shot Yunshan a look, ignoring his comment. Instead, he turned to Zuo Xuan and clasped his fists. "May I ask if you have a candidate in mind, Senior?"

"Do you?"

Zuo Xuan’s counter-question made Hongyuan falter. "The Lord’s instruction is for *us* to put forth a candidate," she said. "Fellow Daoist Yunshan, you go and prepare for the grand ceremony in half a month. Hongyuan, you will personally invite the Pacification Envoys and Patrol Envoys from Hai Zhou Road, Mozhou Road, and Ningzhou Road."

"Yes!"

They both answered in unison, but their tones conveyed different emotions.

Zuo Xuan added, "Time is short. Hongyuan, take Fellow Daoist Changqing’s identity tablet and fly there directly. Also, tell them to open flight permissions throughout the Southern Four Roads for half a month for this grand ceremony."

"Yes!"

Watching the two transform into streaks of light and vanish from the courtyard, Zuo Xuan turned to her disciple, who was entering with a cup of tea. After Zuo Liang set the cup down, Zuo Xuan took a sheet of paper from her storage bag. Using Magic, she made text appear on its surface, then handed it to her disciple. "Deliver this letter to Yu Cheng Taoist."

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now!"

...

「Qianmu Temple.」

The lamps in Yu Cheng Taoist’s quiet courtyard were also burning brightly tonight; he had a guest.

It was Yuan Zheng of the Upper Dan Sect. He was positively beaming; by directly fusing with an existing Samadhi True Flame, he had successfully advanced to the Third Realm. Although his cultivation was still somewhat unstable, it was a minor issue.

Another person was present besides Yuan Zheng: Tianshan Daoist, who had been staying at Qianmu Temple for the past several years.

"I’m quite fond of the Fire Institute you’ve built. What do you say? Perhaps I’ll just cultivate here from now on," Yuan Zheng Taoist said when the conversation was at its most lively.

"Is there trouble within your sect?" Yu Cheng Taoist asked.

"Mm," Yuan Zheng nodded, but didn’t elaborate.

"In that case, feel free to stay here for a while longer." Yu Cheng Taoist tactfully didn’t press the issue, gently walking back Yuan Zheng’s more permanent-sounding suggestion.

Yuan Zheng was silent for over ten breaths before sighing. "There is another matter. Le Yuan met with a mishap while vying for a spot in the Third Realm. His disciple came to me and said not even his bones were left."

"When did this happen?" Yu Cheng Taoist asked, frowning.

"It must have been about half a year ago, on the Western Continent. His disciple brought me all of Le Yuan’s worldly possessions and asked me to avenge him."

Tianshan Daoist chimed in, "The Western Continent is a chaotic place, a real mix of the high and the low. It’s all mountains, with cities acting as strongholds instead of organized countries or territories. It’s easy to hide someone there, but it’s also easy to kill them once you find them."

He then added, "Some Star Gods of the Great Realms like to search for Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands there for their seclusion. There might even be a True Monarch’s Dao Field!"

Just as Yuan Zheng Taoist was about to reply, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.

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