My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

「October 3rd, the 28th year of Yuanding.」

The first snow of winter fell on Shanwu Road. Even after 7:00 AM, a dense fog still lingered outside Mianzhu County, with visibility at less than five feet. Merchants from all over huddled in their inns, waiting for the fog to clear.

RUMBLE—

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed over Mianzhu County, making the very ground tremble. The merchants in the inns became even more afraid to venture out.

A moment later, a deep, booming voice shouted, "I am Bai Zhan, Vanguard General of the Demon Race! I lead the Celestial Army here today to reclaim a great treasure of my people. We have no quarrel with the common folk. Comply, and you will be unharmed. Resist, and you will be executed on the spot!"

It was a day that would be etched in history. For the first time since the founding of the Daoist Scripture Hall over 1,100 years ago, an army from the Demon Realm had penetrated the heartland of the Human Race in Zhongzhou.

In just three days, this army breached the borders of Shanwu Road’s capital, Dawu Prefecture. They set up camp by a river sixty li west of Dawu Prefecture City to await further reinforcements.

「On the morning of the tenth.」

From the northern forests of Ningzhou Road, another Demon Race army emerged. After two bloody battles against the local garrison, the demon army marched north, their vanguard aimed directly at Dawu Prefecture.

「Ten days later.」

Just as Xia Yao was preparing to use the winter to reclaim Pingzhou Road in one fell swoop, chaos erupted within Pingzhou Road itself. The Demon Race army assembled by the Qi-Yang Regime suddenly retreated to Yunzhou Road. This left the Central Army of the Qi Yang Camp completely empty, causing morale to plummet throughout the military. Fortunately, most of the soldiers were battle-hardened veterans, which prevented any major unrest. However, the new emperor, Yang Min, was left a powerless figurehead.

Upon returning to Yunjiang Road, this Demon Race army committed a shocking act. They launched a direct invasion into the True Yang Sect’s undefended Qianjiang Road, and within five days, their forces reached the walls of Dalinfu City. But instead of laying siege, they set a fire that burned the entire city to ash. This wasn’t a testament to the Demon Race army’s strength, but rather because Dalinfu City was filled with highly flammable Fire Candle Trees, which ignited at the slightest spark.

The True Yang Sect, however, had no time to worry about the eastern mountain ranges. The Demon Race army in Shanwu Road had already breached Dawu Prefecture City. The city’s Daoist Scripture Hall was completely deserted. The Nine Tripods Sect had recalled all its disciples, sealed its gates, and chosen to withdraw from the world.

The Demon Realm’s army had now advanced upon the western mountain range of True Yang Mountain!

After destroying Dalinfu City, the Demon Race from Yunjiang Road, led by Niu Zhen, resolutely attacked the eastern mountain ranges of True Yang Mountain. They engaged in a massive battle against the Houjiang Road Government Soldiers and True Yang Sect disciples near a river at the foot of the eastern side of the mountain.

...

In Jinhuai Prefecture City on Nanlin Road, at what was once the Inspectorate and was now the Marquis’s Mansion, the civil and military officials of the Chu Country were immediately summoned to Wenzheng Hall upon receipt of the military report from Qianjiang Road.

「Early November.」

During the agricultural off-season in the south, Liu Jie issued a proclamation to the realm, assembling one hundred thousand elite soldiers and marching on Houjiang Road!

At the same time, in the Northwest, the Datong Country’s eighty thousand previously assembled armored soldiers invaded West Stone Road with lightning speed.

Suddenly, the entire Zhongzhou Continent was engulfed in war.

The fighting raged for a month, bringing them to the dawn of the 29th year of Yuanding.

Victories and defeats were seen across all fronts.

The Demon Race army on Yunjiang Road was completely annihilated, its blood dyeing the river at the foot of True Yang Mountain an even deeper crimson.

Meanwhile, the Chu Country’s army had successfully occupied Houjiang Road and the Land of the Three Mansions in southern Qianjiang Road. The Court’s army, under Xia Yao’s command, had also reclaimed most of Pingzhou Road and was now in a standoff with the Qi-Yang Regime outside Bin Pass.

In the Northwest, the elite forces of the Datong Country were halted before Anqing Prefecture, after which they retreated to the western part of West Stone Road to rest and regroup.

The Demon Realm’s army, however, remained locked in a bloody battle at the foot of True Yang Mountain. The True Yang Sect had already deployed its Entering Cultivators and was suffering heavy casualties. The same was true for the Demon Race, whose Fake Pill realm clansmen charged the True Yang Sect’s various Dao Fields like madmen with no regard for their own lives.

「March arrived.」

The Marquis’s Mansion in Jinhuai Prefecture City received a very special visitor: an envoy representing the Qi-Yang Regime.

"They want to use Bin Pass as a bargaining chip to guarantee themselves a life of wealth and luxury for the rest of their days." Zuo Liang reported to Zuo Xuan the moment the envoy left. She was now the Dean of the Chu Country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, in charge of intelligence from all regions.

"Who are they?" Zuo Xuan asked casually.

"The great aristocratic families who rose up with the Yang Family. They hold most of the key military commands in the Qi-Yang Regime."

"How do you think we should handle this?"

"Yunjiang Road is a primary objective, and Bin Pass is the key to marching north. If we can seize Bin Pass first, it will be a huge advantage for future northern campaigns. But these aristocratic families are deeply entrenched in Yunjiang. If we don’t handle them properly, it could..."

Zuo Xuan looked up at her disciple and reminded her, "Those are matters for the Prime Minister and the Court to worry about. Do not forget your own duties."

Zuo Liang’s voice caught. "I understand," she said softly.

Zuo Xuan sighed. "Someone from the Six Heart Sect arrived yesterday. The Lord’s emergence from seclusion is imminent. Do you know what that means?"

Zuo Liang cupped her fists. "Please instruct me, Master."

Zuo Xuan gazed at the night outside. "Next," she said, "we will have to confront the True Yang Sect head-on!"

As her words faded, they both felt a tremor run through the ground. A candlestick on the Eight Immortals Table toppled over with a CLATTER, and the entire room began to shake.

An earthquake was impossible. This was the Daoist Scripture Hall; Earth Vein Cultivators would have foreseen and prevented any such disaster.

The only other explanation was a battle between Great Realm Cultivators!

Zuo Xuan had just gotten to her feet when an Entering Cultivator landed in the courtyard in a streak of cyan light. He cupped his fists and reported, "The tremors are coming from the north."

"The north? True Yang Mountain?"

Zuo Liang looked to her master for answers, but Zuo Xuan’s face was also a mask of shock.

「Three days later.」

A detailed report reached Zuo Xuan.

Two Great Demons of the Snake Race had used their own bodies of flesh and blood to smash into the main peak of True Yang Mountain. More than half of the peak had shattered, causing the surrounding land to collapse for nearly a hundred li in every direction. The magma erupting from the summit had even begun to affect Ningzhou Road.

「Ten days later.」

An even more detailed report was delivered to Zuo Xuan. It was intelligence Hu Qianqian had obtained through her informant within the Demon Race.

The Demon Race had gathered more than twenty Great Demons, and three "Pill Formation" realm Giant Demons had personally arrived at the front lines. A truly massive battle was about to begin.

After reading the report, Zuo Xuan said, "After this battle, the True Yang Sect will be grievously wounded!"

But Hu Qianqian said, "A single Third Realm Cultivator represents a thousand years of cultivation. If the True Yang Sect and the Demon Realm clash head-on, the losses would amount to dozens of Third Realm Cultivators. It could even... lead to the fall of a Fourth Realm Lord. Neither side can afford such a loss."

She stated confidently, "According to the agreement of the Five Profound Sects, resisting the Demon Race is their shared responsibility. But this war has been raging for so long, and we haven’t seen cultivators from the other four sects come to their aid. Therefore, the True Yang Sect will most likely compromise. After all, the Demon Realm isn’t trying to occupy True Yang Mountain."

After listening, Zuo Xuan was silent for a long moment before saying, "I hope we haven’t made a mistake this time."

Hu Qianqian said reassuringly, "This isn’t something you or I can decide. Even Master is just being swept along by the tide. But this conflict was bound to happen eventually."

She was referring to the Xiao Shan Lord’s breakthrough.

The Xiao Shan Lord’s breakthrough would push every sect and faction into a corner, creating a situation that only war could resolve.

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