My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

At the mountain gate of the Six Heart Sect.

When Wang Ping and Yu Lian landed, disciples on both sides immediately bowed with hands clasped and said, "Greetings, Changqing Zhenren."

Seeing that no one addressed her, Yu Lian flicked her snake-like tongue at the disciples and complained to Wang Ping in their Spirit Sea, 'They're so rude.'

"You got back quickly. I thought Xiu Yu would be the first to arrive."

It was Zi Luan.

He was standing at the foot of the mountain gate. After greeting Wang Ping, his gaze fell upon Yu Lian, and he said with a cupped-fist salute, "Congratulations on ascending to the Third Realm, Fellow Daoist."

Yu Lian tilted her head back and replied happily, "Haha, I'm amazing, right?"

Zi Luan nodded.

Wang Ping then returned the salute. "I didn't have much going on, so naturally, I was fast." His tone was casual. He then asked, "Did you wait here for me specifically, Fellow Daoist?"

"That's right!"

"Is something wrong?"

"You know what Xiu Yu did on Pingzhou Road, right?"

"I didn't see it myself, but I can guess the gist of it."

A mysterious smile appeared on Zi Luan's face as he deliberately spoke out in the open. "Master is furious. I suspect he's gathered us this time mainly to punish him..." He pointed at Wang Ping, then at himself. "The two of us are just here as a smokescreen. After all, given the current situation, Master can't punish him publicly."

Wang Ping cautiously said nothing in response. Such words should not have been spoken in public. The disciples nearby who overheard all lowered their heads, each with a look that screamed, 'I didn't hear anything.'

"Come on, let's go in first!"

Seeing Wang Ping's cautious demeanor, Zi Luan didn't continue the topic at the mountain gate.

Wang Ping glanced back at the northern sky. There was no sign of movement. It seemed Xiu Yu wouldn't be back anytime soon, yet Zi Luan's posture suggested he wanted to go to the Xiao Shan Lord's Dao Field right now.

"I'm going to go play in the nearby river!"

Yu Lian sensed that this meeting with the Xiao Shan Lord would be trouble, so she tried to slip away early. Without waiting for Zi Luan's reply, she transformed into her true form and flew toward a nearby river.

"You two, follow her. You are to unconditionally satisfy any request Fellow Daoist Yu Lian has, understand?" Zi Luan instructed the two Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding the gate.

As the two Foundation Establishment cultivators acknowledged the order, Zi Luan and Wang Ping walked briskly through the mountain gate.

"I found the news about True Yang Mountain a while back hard to believe. I heard the Guang Zuo Taoist himself was there. What really happened?"

"What are the rumors?" Wang Ping asked curiously.

"They say you single-handedly repelled the True Yang Sect, the First Sect, the Sun Sect, as well as experts from the Court, the Jimin Association, and various Loose Cultivators. And that you even went head-to-head with the Guang Zuo Taoist to conquer True Yang Mountain."

Zi Luan's tone was teasing.

Hearing this, Wang Ping couldn't help but laugh. "If I were really that powerful, I wouldn't be on edge all the time."

He gave a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Haha!"

Zi Luan laughed heartily. "Maybe Xiu Yu acted so irrationally because he heard those rumors. He's always been competitive, right from the time he joined the sect..." He lowered his voice. "A big reason Master has only had the two of us as disciples all these years is because Xiu Yu drove the others away."

Wang Ping just laughed noncommittally, brushing the topic aside.

"Tell me the details about True Yang Mountain."

"It should all be in the battle report."

"That only has the numbers."

"What part do you want to hear about?"

"Anything!"

Lost in their casual conversation, the two unknowingly arrived at the Xiao Shan Lord's courtyard Dao Field. As they neared the entrance, they tacitly fell silent. When they reached the courtyard gate, they both peered inside cautiously.

The Xiao Shan Lord was dressed in a grayish-white, wide-sleeved Daoist Robe, sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat under the eaves. His hair was not tied up in a crown, giving him a casual and carefree appearance.

Just as the two were about to bow, the Xiao Shan Lord waved his hand. "No need for formalities. Come in."

Wang Ping insisted on bowing, as did Zi Luan. Then, they silently entered the courtyard and stood in the spots where they had previously entered meditative seclusion.

"There are some things you should not have said!"

The Xiao Shan Lord's voice was deep, betraying no emotion. He stared at Zi Luan as he spoke, his eyes a solid gold. He seemed to be in the middle of practicing a Divine Technique, which was why his words were completely devoid of feeling.

"Yes, this disciple was wrong!"

Zi Luan admitted his fault at once, his attitude utterly sincere.

But Wang Ping could tell at a glance that his apology was just for show. 'His earlier words weren't just for the disciples at the gate to hear; they were also for the Xiao Shan Lord.'

"Sigh."

The emotions behind the Xiao Shan Lord's sigh were complex.

Hearing this sigh, Wang Ping thought of his own disciples. Sometimes, they could be a source of great worry and anxiety.

"I don't want this matter to become common knowledge. Therefore, you will deal with those disciples at the gate. Xiu Yu can make a mistake, but not this kind of mistake, and he cannot be the subject of gossip." The Xiao Shan Lord's complex emotions vanished in a flash, replaced once more by a complete lack of feeling.

Zi Luan was stunned.

Wang Ping was stunned as well.

"Master, this disciple..."

Zi Luan subconsciously began to apologize again, but his words caught in his throat as he met the Xiao Shan Lord's cold, golden eyes. Choking on his words, he remained silent for several breaths before finally saying in a low voice, "A while ago, a notice was submitted from the Inner Sect. It said the main hall needs some disciples with cultivation to manage the incense. Can... they go?"

The Xiao Shan Lord stared at Zi Luan for several moments, then said, "Very well. You arrange it."

Zi Luan breathed a sigh of relief. Executing fellow sect members without cause was a great taboo in the Mystic Sect. Once such an event occurred within people's memory, self-restraint would regress infinitely, eventually leading to unimaginable disaster.

Wang Ping instinctively lowered his gaze to his toes, remaining silent and trying his best to conceal his aura.

Zi Luan did the same.

The courtyard fell completely silent.

「Half an Hour passed just like that.」 As a gentle ray of sunlight from the horizon shone into the courtyard, Xiu Yu's figure appeared at the gate.

"No need for formalities. Come in."

The Xiao Shan Lord spoke to Xiu Yu just as he had to the others.

Xiu Yu actually didn't bow. He strode naturally into the courtyard and stood in the same spot he had used for meditative seclusion before.

"Repeat the orders I gave you."

The Xiao Shan Lord said this after Xiu Yu had steadied himself, his golden-glowing eyes fixed on him, awaiting the answer to his question.

Xiu Yu was clearly taken aback by this question and couldn't answer right away.

"This disciple was wrong!"

He immediately admitted his fault, performing a deep, kneeling bow.

The Xiao Shan Lord stared at the kneeling Xiu Yu and said, "The one who was wrong should be me. I shouldn't have been so lenient with you all, to the point where you can't even distinguish basic priorities."

He finished speaking with a blank expression, then asked, "Do you know what you've done?"

"This disciple was wrong!"

"No, you still don't know what you did wrong!"

The Xiao Shan Lord looked to his right. The next moment, a person appeared beside him without any warning.

It was the Wan Zhi Daoist.

She looked at Xiu Yu, her expression complex, and said, "Your mistake this time was rather outrageous. Your master wanted the karmic fortune of Pingzhou Road, and yet you shattered it. Tell me, how can a mistake like that be forgiven?"

"This disciple..."

"I've made the decision for you!"

The Wan Zhi Daoist cut Xiu Yu off. "I have already dealt with all the Third Realm Cultivators who were with you. In addition, you are to build a sacrificial shrine on Pingzhou Road. You will kneel before that shrine until the karmic fortune of Pingzhou Road is restored."

Xiu Yu's face, buried against his chest, was now twisted in terror. He subconsciously wanted to explain, but he couldn't find the words.

The Wan Zhi Daoist added, "You have only two months!"

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