My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Right Huai Prefecture in Ningzhou Road was the largest prefecture in the administrative system of the Xia Dynasty. It encompassed the northern forests of Ningzhou Road, making its area roughly equivalent to that of Nanlin Road.

Therefore, among the Demon Race, Right Huai Prefecture was divided even further, with the various mountain ranges within the forest used to demarcate territories.

Laisan District, located in the eastern part of the forest, was separated from True Yang Mountain only by the Fire Candle Forest. This area was ruled by a Fake Pill realm Sheep Demon named Mountain Ring. A medium-sized city had been built on the outer edge of the Fire Candle Forest, bordering True Yang Mountain. In normal times, the demons of Laisan District would conduct simple trades here with the disciples from True Yang Mountain.

This city was called Shuanghe City, named after the two rivers that flowed on either side of it.

After an envoy from Xiao Shan Lord delivered a declaration of war to True Yang Mountain, the True Yang Sect disciples residing in the city launched a surprise attack, attempting to capture it and gain an advantage for the future confrontation with the Chu Country. However, they were crushed by the well-prepared demon garrison. Subsequently, the Sheep Demon Mountain Ring, perhaps to curry favor with Xiao Shan Lord, ordered the city to be purged of all citizens and residents connected to the True Yang Sect.

His actions were met with furious retaliation from True Yang Mountain. In just three days, the city was conquered by three thousand elite soldiers dispatched by the True Yang Sect, and every last demon within its walls was slaughtered.

True Yang Mountain was not a sect headquarters in the traditional sense. With its vast territory and a population that had multiplied for nearly a thousand years, its settlements had gradually developed into large cities.

In normal times, these cities housed over sixty thousand armored soldiers. Furthermore, with the smaller sects near the mountains that relied on True Yang Mountain for survival, they could easily muster tens of thousands of Qi Cultivators and at least a thousand Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

But now, a portion of the True Yang Sect’s strength had already been depleted by the Demon Realm. A direct confrontation with both the Chu Country and Xiao Shan Lord would be a great strain on their resources.

Thus, when the True Yang Sect captured Shuanghe City and attempted to push deeper into Laisan District, they were immediately repelled by Laisan District’s massive demon army, forcing them to retreat to Shuanghe City in disgrace.

The True Yang Sect was already in an uproar over the situation. Some suggested disrupting Xiao Shan Lord’s plans from the Liangjiang Region. Others proposed sending high-level cultivators to annihilate the Chu Country’s newly assembled army in one fell swoop before it could establish a foothold. However, this suggestion was immediately shot down by the majority.

Ruan Chunzi, one of the Third Realm Cultivators commanding the engagement, was staunchly against it. His exact words were, "The moment we deploy Third Realm Cultivators, every single one of us here will be dragged into this war. It will become a fight to the death."

His words were very persuasive. Chang Jing—the current Sect Leader of the True Yang Sect, jointly appointed by Rongyang Monarch and Guang Zuo Daoist, and also Guang Zuo Daoist’s direct disciple—took the warning to heart. After a moment’s consideration, he looked to Wen Yang, another of the Third Realm Cultivators responsible for the war, and asked:

"Junior Brother, you’ve dealt with that Changqing on several occasions. What kind of man is he?"

Wenyang Taoist’s expression remained perfectly composed. As everyone watched, he spoke slowly. "Changqing is an extremely cautious man—the most cautious I have ever met. He secures his own position first, and only then does he act. He will only make a play for the world when he has more than enough resources to guarantee success."

His assessment was apt. After the incident in Shangjing City, everyone was aware of Wang Ping’s caution and meticulous nature.

Upon hearing this, Chang Jing became even more resolved in his decision. He chose to hold the defensive lines, intending to drag the conflict out until the thirtieth year of Yuanding and let his master determine the final course of action.

...

「Laisan District.」

In the heart of a vast forest west of Laishan, on a piece of high ground that was easy to defend and hard to assault, a military camp stretching for miles was nearing completion. Several temporary barrier formations completely enveloped the encampment, where tens of thousands of soldiers had been drilling offensive formations for over half a month.

Over the past month, a massive defensive line had been erected to the north and south of the camp, stretching across the border between Ningzhou and True Yang Mountain. Stationed along this line were tens of thousands of Government Soldiers from Ningzhou Prefecture, twenty thousand Demon Soldiers from Baisui Lake, and thirty thousand Demon Soldiers from Right Huai Prefecture. In the distance, they could see the True Yang Sect’s corresponding mountain-ring defensive line.

For the past few days, a great number of cultivators had been flying to and fro above the camp, streaking the sky with color. They were primarily relaying intelligence from the various defensive lines. The Demon Race was inherently belligerent, and with so many demon warriors gathered in one place, it was inevitable that some would get hot-headed and attack the True Yang Sect’s mountain-ring defensive line.

Early in the demon soldiers’ assembly, Wang Ping had taken Hu Qianqian’s advice and issued a special decree. It permitted them to launch organized assaults of a certain scale against the True Yang Mountain defensive line, on the condition that every attack must be reported in advance.

A streak of golden light shot down from the sky, accompanied by the whistle of displaced air from an identity token, and landed in the Central Army Camp. The newcomer was a Gold Cultivator, and he entered the main tent the moment he touched down.

The Central Army Camp was currently under the command of Taishan, the Pacification Envoy of Ningzhou Road. Upon seeing Taishan, the Gold Cultivator immediately cupped his fist and reported, "Changqing Zhenren has appeared in Ningzhou Road! He will reach the camp any moment!"

Delight spread across Taishan’s face. He looked to the cultivators on either side of him. Foremost among them were Zuo Xuan, Liu Shuang, and Hu Qianqian, with Zhao Yu’Er standing behind Liu Shuang. Meeting their gazes, he said, "Fellow Daoists, come with me quickly to welcome Changqing Zhenren!"

"As we should."

As the others voiced their agreement, Taishan gestured for Liu Shuang, Zhao Yu’Er, Zuo Xuan, and Hu Qianqian to proceed. The group then filed out in an orderly fashion.

In the distance, beneath the clouds, colorful streams of light—deliberately generated by flying Third Realm Cultivators—were already visible, along with the dazzling projections from their identity tokens. At the sight, Taishan and the others instinctively flew into the air, assuming a posture of respectful welcome. Simultaneously, the cultivators zipping through the sky suddenly grew quiet.

Wang Ping had deliberately slowed his pace to wait for the Second Realm and Entering Cultivators following him, so it was only after the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn that his figure, wrapped in a pale green light, landed before Taishan. Following him were Wu Quan, Ganxing, Zhi Gong Daoist, the Fox Demon Hu Yin, the Sheep Demon Mountain Guard, Tongming Wanderer, and Huaimo Taoist.

The combined aura of eight Third Realm Cultivators descending at once was so powerful that Taishan and the others instinctively bowed their heads, momentarily rendered speechless.

"Greetings, Master, and all Seniors."

The first to react was Hu Qianqian, followed by Liu Shuang and Zhao Yu’Er at her side.

After the women paid their respects, Taishan and the others immediately followed suit, cupping their fists as Taishan led the shout, "We greet Changqing Zhenren and our fellow Daoists."

He and Zi Luan were peers, so it was acceptable for him to address them as "Fellow Daoist," but the others could only call out "Senior."

Just as their shouts faded, the sixty-odd Second Realm Cultivators following behind landed in more streaks of light behind Wang Ping’s group. Hearing the greetings, they too instinctively bowed their heads in salute.

When the salutes were finished, the two hundred-plus Entering Cultivators bringing up the rear appeared, their arrival heralded by a wave of air-rending sounds that spread like the beat of a heavenly war drum. They took their positions in formation behind the others.

Wang Ping simply returned a faint cupped-fist salute to Taishan’s group before turning his gaze toward True Yang Mountain, over a hundred *li* away. His eyes first swept over a gap on the side of the main peak that looked as if it had been blasted open by someone. Then, he looked up at the smoke and dust circling the volcanic summit. The foul, polluted sky it created filled him with an inexplicable revulsion.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!