My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Zi Luan was right. There weren’t many Third Realm Cultivators in the world, but there weren’t few either. The Five Profound Sects and the two Heavenly Gate sects had nearly seven hundred combined. Adding in the Star Gods, Demon Soldiers, Artifact Cultivators, and Heterodox Cultivators, there were at least two to three thousand in total.

However, most of these people had only barely entered the Third Realm and were unable to continue their training. They were stuck, wasting their lives away. For instance, the Taiyan Cultivator who attacked Wang Ping in Shangjing City was in the Third Realm, but because he didn’t cultivate the Righteous Dao, he had no hope of advancing further.

Therefore, as long as Wang Ping completed the initial part of the Taiyan Talisman cultivation, he would be able to surpass the majority of Third Realm Cultivators. Beyond that, however, was a massive gulf. Almost everyone at that level—people like Wen Yang, Jiangcun, Zi Luan, and Xiu Yu—possessed the fundamental strength to advance to the Fourth Realm.

"Attacking True Yang Mountain... That’s truly unprecedented. I’d love to go see it," Yuan Zheng murmured, watching the streak of light Zi Luan had become as he departed.

"You should stay here in the sect. There will be plenty of opportunities later."

Wang Ping advised, "I won’t be short on Third Realm Cultivators this time."

Yu Cheng nodded and looked at Yuan Zheng. "You have no karmic ties to this, so don’t get involved."

Yuan Zheng picked up his teacup, took a couple of sips, and said with a smile, "Don’t worry, I was just thinking out loud. Since you’re going to attack True Yang Mountain, you might as well ask Wen Yang for his thoughts. And then there’s Ruan Chunzi. He came by twice while you were in seclusion. You might want to contact him."

"We can ask Wen Yang first. Master, could you contact him and sound him out? As for Ruan Chunzi, if he’s interested, he’ll come find me himself."

Wang Ping set down his teacup and watched as Yu Lian and Zhao Yu’Er flew toward the back mountain to find Shen Xiaozhu.

Yu Cheng stood up. "Alright, that works. I’ll write to Fellow Daoist Wen Yang right away. I’ll also pick some trustworthy disciples to accompany you to Ningzhou Road."

Yuan Zheng also rose from the stone stool and smiled. "The Nine Revolutions Pill will be ready in five years at most. I hope the world will have returned to peace by then."

Wang Ping remained noncommittal. ’It won’t be that simple.’

"How is Master Le Yuan?"

He had suddenly thought of Le Yuan.

Hearing the question, Yuan Zheng raised a hand to block the rather harsh sunlight now streaming through the dispersed clouds. "He had a stroke of bad luck..." he said softly.

He finished telling Le Yuan’s story in a remarkably casual tone.

As Wang Ping listened, an image of Le Yuan’s ever-vibrant face flashed through his mind, and his resolve on the path of cultivation hardened.

"I’ve already sent disciples to the Western Continent to investigate. We’ve been friends for hundreds of years. I can’t just let him die so mysteriously."

The Western Continent, according to information from the Daoist Scripture Hall, was mostly home to heterodox sects that had branched off from imitations of Yuqing Sect and Taiyin Sect Cultivation Techniques. There were no specific countries or governments; instead, civilization thrived in strongholds based around sects and cities, with frequent skirmishes and wars among them.

Presumably, they had their own set of rules, or the spiritual balance would have long since been lost.

"Also..."

Yuan Zheng changed the subject. "You still have Yuan Hu’s Spiritual Body, right? Give it to me. I’ll restore the Samadhi True Flame in its Spirit Body’s Sea of Qi. Then you can refine it into an Armor Talisman again. It will surely make anyone think twice."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Wang Ping handed the crystal that sealed Yuan Hu’s Spiritual Body to Yuan Zheng. After taking it, Yuan Zheng left the small courtyard with Yu Cheng.

The two had just left when Yu Lian descended from the sky, hovering at the courtyard entrance. Looking at Wang Ping, she said, "Xiaozhu is in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Entering Cultivator realm. Rong’Er is also in seclusion at Shuang’Er’s Dao Field. Her cultivation speed is incredible; she’s already on the verge of breaking through. Yu’Er wants to go find Shuang’Er. What do you think?"

"Let her go. Have someone give this Token to Shuang’Er."

Wang Ping slapped his storage pouch and produced a Soldier Talisman imbued with the aura of his Spirit Communication Talisman. At that moment, he sensed Xia Wen Yi and Song Qu heading toward the Mountain Peak Dojo together. Xia Wen Yi was already starting to interact with Wood Spirit Qi. The puppet Song Qu’s innate aptitude had been enhanced once, reaching an excellent level, though he was still in the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm.

The two disciples were coming for a routine greeting. Wang Ping took the opportunity to test their cultivation progress and answer some of the questions they had encountered in their training.

After they left, the new Inner Courtyard Director came to pay his respects.

Zhao Wan had already stepped down as Inner Courtyard Director. Unlike Zhao Qing and Yang Hou, he didn’t choose to pursue the Entering Cultivator realm. Instead, he left the mountain to live the life of a wealthy man. His successor was an Entering Cultivator from the Zhao Family, a Gold Cultivator named Zhao Qian, who was also Zhao Wan’s cousin.

Wang Ping had no objection to the Zhao Family continuing to control the Inner Courtyard. As long as they could complete the tasks he assigned, he didn’t care about anything else.

Zhao Qian’s report focused on the sect’s Elixir business over the past few years. With Yuan Zheng Taoist’s involvement, Qianmu Temple’s Elixir business was now on par with the Six Heart Sect’s, having taken over the role originally held by the Upper Dan Sect on Mozhou Road.

Lastly, he reported on the sales of the Power Pill. Wang Ping now had a Third Realm Cultivation, and the puppets he had animated continued to produce Power Pills according to the memories he had set for them, even during his seclusion.

"Most of the silver earned from the Power Pills over the years has been spent on expanding the Inner Sect’s Barrier Formation. The formation’s subsidiary arrays now extend to every courtyard. As long as a Third Realm Cultivator is present to oversee it, we won’t have to worry about attacks from other Third Realm Cultivators for the time being."

Zhao Qian had recorded all the details in a thorough written report.

With the help of his Primordial Spirit, Wang Ping reviewed all the details Zhao Qian had recorded in just a moment. After offering a few words of encouragement, he dismissed him.

Once the small courtyard grew quiet, Wang Ping calmed his mind and summoned his Primordial Spirit.

After this period of seclusion, and with the help of the joint Array, his progress in fusing with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman had reached (51/100). He now met the basic requirements to condense his divine soul.

Wang Ping’s current Primordial Spirit could already leave his physical body for short periods, but it couldn’t soar through the heavens or cast Magic. Thus, he was quite looking forward to achieving that kind of Primordial Spirit.

"You aren’t using your Nine Revolutions Pill right now, so how about you let me take it?" Yu Lian asked just as Wang Ping was about to begin condensing his Primordial Spirit.

"You want to use the Nine Revolutions Pill to form your Primordial Spirit, don’t you? But your soul shouldn’t be able to withstand the pill’s medicinal power, right?"

"I’ve been in seclusion with you all these years, and by sensing the Primordial Spirits of the others through the Array—especially the Xiao Shan Lord’s Primordial Spirit—my soul has been condensing at a rapid pace. I’ve already reached the verge of evolution. But this verge... it seems so close, yet at times, it feels infinitely far. I want to see if taking the Nine Revolutions Pill can give me the opportunity I need to break through."

"Are you sure you’ll be okay?"

"Don’t worry. Aren’t you about to condense your Primordial Spirit? After I take the Nine Revolutions Pill, I’ll attach myself to you and connect to your Qi Sea and Primordial Spirit. If a problem really arises, you can just use your Primordial Spirit to help me absorb the excess medicinal power."

"Will that work?" Wang Ping asked, considering the method’s feasibility.

"Of course it will. When have I ever let you down? If you’re worried, why don’t we test it with another Elixir first?"

"Alright."

Wang Ping took out all the Elixirs from his storage pouch and finally selected the Lingyuan Pill. This type of Elixir could invigorate the Spirit Veins within the body while also strengthening both the soul and the Primordial Spirit.

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