My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

As the situation on True Yang Mountain drew the world’s attention, a major event also unfolded in Hu Mountain Country.

The Taiyin Sect, which had always kept a low profile, suddenly launched an offensive against the Yuqing Sect. It seemed these two archrivals intended to take advantage of the great chaos in Zhongzhou to settle old scores and new grievances between their factions.

At the same time, the Northern Country’s grand army stationed troops on the Yunhai Grassland while also amassing forces before Zhen Shan Pass.

Two days after the Northern Country’s army encamped at Zhen Shan Pass, two envoys representing the Sun God Sect emerged from the main camp.

The two envoys traveled south to True Yang Mountain. There, at the foot of the mountain, they battled two cultivators from the True Yang Sect for three days and three nights. After defeating the two cultivators, they left behind a single declaration—"The Sun God Sect is the true orthodox lineage of the Three Yang True Inheritance"—and casually departed.

From then on, the True Yang Sect’s prestige plummeted.

Next, the Northern Country’s army launched a fierce assault on Zhen Shan Pass. The pass’s defenders fought bitterly for a month, sending ten urgent requests for aid to the Court. However, the Court currently had no soldiers to spare, save for the Imperial Guard in Anqing Prefecture.

In the end, Princess Xia Yao gave the order to dispatch the Anqing Prefecture garrison to reinforce Zhen Shan Pass!

Upon hearing the news, figures among the Datong Court and People immediately tried to incite Duke Wang Lian to send troops to West Stone Road again. But Wang Lian sternly refused. His exact words were: "The northern barbarians are invading our Central Plains. If we were to deploy troops at this time, we would be failing the people of the Central Plains!"

This move earned him a great deal of prestige, but the Court was deeply troubled by the news. Princess Xia Yao’s plan had been to use the situation to lure the Datong Army eastward. This would have inevitably drawn the hatred of the people and noble clans of Beiyuan Road upon the Datong Army, making it easier for the Court to pacify the Northwest in the future.

「Early in the fifth month.」

Shangjing City dispatched two envoys to Jinhuai Prefecture City, but they were not even granted an audience with Liu Jie.

Thus, in the middle of the fifth month, the two armies engaged in a true, bloody battle at Bin Pass, with each side committing over a hundred thousand armored soldiers.

Just as all the powers in Zhongzhou turned their attention to Bin Pass, the Demon Race army surrounding True Yang Mountain suddenly retreated like a receding tide. They fell back to Mianzhu County, claiming it as their own. They did not kill the Human Race inhabitants within the county seat, but simply moved the trading area from its original location on the river to a market inside the city.

Ten days later, Hu Qianqian made a special trip to the Daoist Scripture Hall to see Zuo Xuan. "The news I’ve received is that the Demon Realm got what it wanted," she said.

"What was it?" Zuo Xuan asked.

"I don’t know. Only a few of the Demon Race seniors know the details. Even the great demons only know that it was one of the Demon Soldiers once used by Demon Emperor Yaoyi."

’Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?’ Zuo Xuan looked out into the courtyard, her head aching slightly. She suddenly noticed that the banyan tree in the courtyard was growing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Such dense Wood Spirit Qi!" She hurried out into the courtyard.

Hu Qianqian quickly followed. Her fluffy ears tilted back, and her blue eyes, just like Zuo Xuan’s, looked toward the Six Heart Sect. The sky in that direction showed no particular change, and the Inspiration Realm was quiet, but the dense Wood Spirit Qi was indeed coming from there.

"Have Master and the others come out of seclusion?" Hu Qianqian asked.

"Given the timing, they should have."

As Zuo Xuan replied, a figure shot up into the sky from the Patrol Envoy’s small courtyard next door, flying toward the Six Heart Sect with an unstoppable momentum.

"It’s Senior Yunshan," Hu Qianqian murmured. "Why does it feel like he’s heading to the front lines?"

Zuo Xuan frowned, a bad premonition rising in her heart.

Yunshan’s moods had been volatile recently. His Dao was very similar to Dan Chen’s, which made him severely affected by the turmoil in Mozhou Road over the years.

A person like him was very likely to do something extreme, just like Dan Chen had before.

At this thought, Zuo Xuan sent a mental transmission to Hongyuan while transforming into a streak of light, trying to intercept Yunshan. Upon hearing the transmission, Hongyuan also flew out of his courtyard at once, attempting to block Yunshan from the other side.

Seeing this, Hu Qianqian thought for a moment and also transformed into a streak of starlight that was difficult to track, following behind Zuo Xuan.

CLANG.

CLANG.

Two sounds, like metal striking metal, echoed in the air. Zuo Xuan and Hongyuan were blocked by two invisible barriers.

Hongyuan stabilized himself. Watching Yunshan continue to fly rapidly toward the Six Heart Sect, he shouted in exasperation, "Fellow Daoist Yunshan, don’t bring ruin upon yourself! The affairs of the world are not for you or me to meddle in."

Yunshan stopped and bowed with his hands clasped to Zuo Xuan, Hongyuan, and Hu Qianqian. Then, without hesitation, he flew toward the Six Heart Sect. The three behind him could only bypass the barrier and continue their pursuit.

「A quarter of an hour later.」

Yunshan’s figure landed before the mountain gate of the Six Heart Sect.

"This humble Daoist, Yunshan, requests an audience with the Xiao Shan Lord." Yunshan presented his calling card.

The disciples at the gate were all stunned. Logically, a Patrol Envoy was qualified to present a calling card to request an audience with the Lord. But at this particular moment, these disciples truly did not dare to accept it.

As they were deliberating, Zuo Xuan, Hongyuan, and Hu Qianqian landed behind Yunshan.

Just as the disciples at the gate were in a difficult position, a gentle, pale green light descended swiftly from within the gate, landing steadily on the steps behind it.

"Greetings, Changqing Zhenren!"

The surrounding disciples at the gate saw the newcomer, and a look of surprise flashed across their faces before they all bowed subconsciously.

The title of "Zhenren" was jointly established by the Chu Country’s Cultivation Realm and the Court. When the Chu Country was founded and its dynasty named, the figures of Wang Ping, Zi Luan, and Xiu Yu who appeared upon the divine statues were all given the title "Zhenren" to distinguish them from other Third Realm Cultivators. The Xiao Shan Lord, however, was directly named a Great Monarch, the foremost figure to be worshipped in the temples of Chu Country.

Wang Ping frowned slightly. He felt rather undeserving of the title "Zhenren." For cultivators, any title using the word ’Zhen’ (True) was taken with extreme care and caution, such as the title of "True Monarch" for the Fifth Realm.

And yet, he was merely a Third Realm Cultivator.

"Master!"

"Zhenren!"

Outside the gate, Hu Qianqian and the others also bowed in greeting one after another.

Wang Ping pushed the issue of the title from his mind. His gaze first fell on Hu Qianqian, Zuo Xuan, and Hongyuan. He tugged at the collar of his Daoist robe and said, "Qianqian, Fellow Daoist Zuo, and Hongyuan, the three of you, come up here first."

"Yes, Master!"

Hu Qianqian was the first to answer. After bowing again, she walked toward Wang Ping without hesitation.

Zuo Xuan followed closely behind. Hongyuan remained silent for a few breaths before letting out a sigh. He too followed Zuo Xuan’s steps and came to a stop behind Wang Ping. At that moment, another person walked out of the mountain gate: Zhao Yu’er.

When Wang Ping looked at Zuo Xuan, his gaze carried a hint of warning, telling her not to get involved in everything.

Zuo Xuan simply nodded. ’I really was a bit impulsive just now,’ she thought. ’If Yunshan had truly done something outrageous and Xiu Yu had been the one to come out, I would have been doomed beyond redemption.’

After the three had taken their positions, Wang Ping met Yunshan’s gaze below and said in a gentle tone, "Fellow Daoist Yunshan, those whose paths diverge have no common ground. Why get entangled in matters of right and wrong? If you leave now, I can pretend none of this ever happened."

The surrounding disciples of the Six Heart Sect had long since realized something was amiss. Hearing Wang Ping’s words, they all immediately adopted a guarded posture.

Yunshan first performed a solemn clasped-fist salute. He then knelt and performed a deep kowtow, the grand rite of a junior. As the disciples of the Six Heart Sect looked on, thoroughly confused, he finally spoke. "I have a few questions I would like to ask the Xiao Shan Lord. I hope Changqing Zhenren will convey them for me."

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