My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

The middle of the first month.

A cold front from the north enveloped the Laishan mountain range. Heavy snow followed in its wake, blanketing the earth and dyeing Laishan a silvery white.

Wang Ping had been in seclusion at his temporary Dao Field. Although Yu Lian had evolved to a level of life where she no longer feared the cold, she still hated cold weather. After the snow began to fall, she spent her days coiled up asleep on a meditation cushion in the house.

Due to the heavy snow, the war near Moon Mountain in Jianglin Road had seen a halt to large-scale military operations, but small-scale skirmishes and harassment continued unabated.

Since Wang Ping had delegated full command of the front lines to Zuo Xuan and Liu Yu, two differing opinions had recently emerged in the command headquarters. Zuo Xuan strongly advocated for continuing the aggressive assault to crush the Xia Country forces on Moon Mountain in one fell swoop. Liu Yu, however, believed a war of attrition was unnecessary. He proposed a gradual encirclement of Moon Mountain while simultaneously cutting off its supply lines.

After three days of debate, they reached a compromise. The main army would continue to harass the Xia Country forces near Moon Mountain while looking for an opportunity for a decisive battle. At the same time, another force would head north to sever their supplies.

The plan proceeded smoothly for two days. On the third day, as the snow grew even heavier, the defenders of Moon Mountain suddenly dispatched two envoys. They emerged from the snow-covered mountain forest to negotiate the terms of their surrender.

「The next day, the fifteenth of the first month.」

The defenders of Moon Mountain laid down their arms. Led by their respective battalion commanders, they marched out of the mountain forest and into the temporary prisoner-of-war camps the Chu Army had built for them.

Zuo Xuan cautiously dispatched two advance parties, each a thousand strong, to take control of the Moon Mountain defensive line. After three days of inspection, they found nothing amiss.

When Wang Ping received the news, the heavy snow, quite coincidentally, stopped falling. A ray of sunlight even peeked through the clouds on the horizon.

"When are we going to pay our respects to Master?" Zhang Xinghuai asked, sounding rather impatient.

Wang Ping was even more eager. This was especially true after Zuo Xuan informed him that, according to intelligence from the surrendering generals, the tomb of his second senior brother, Liu Zixiu, had been looted by rogue soldiers during the Qi-Yang Regime’s rebellion. It was later repaired with funds raised by students of Zhonghui Academy.

As Wang Ping considered this, Huaimo Taoist reminded him, "Great Monarch Zhonghui was a Human Dao Saint officially canonized by the Xia Imperial Family. Several generations have passed since then, and in the hearts of the students, he is a true Saint. If you, my Lord, wish to acquire the fortune of the north, you must pay reverence to Great Monarch Zhonghui. Therefore, this is no small matter, and it is certainly not a private affair."

Wang Ping took these words to heart, as did Zhang Xinghuai.

After a brief silence, Wang Ping extended his left hand and performed a calculation for several breaths. He then gave an order to Zuo Xuan, who had come to report, "Half a month from now is a rare auspicious day. On that day, I will lead all our officers and soldiers, along with representatives from the southern Cultivation Realm and the common people, to pay our respects to Great Monarch Zhonghui. Also, the great clans and students from Jianglin Road who have surrendered must attend."

"Yes, my Lord!"

Zuo Xuan cupped her fist in a salute and withdrew to handle the matter.

Wang Ping then turned to Zhang Xinghuai, Huaimo, and the others, saying, "We need to move."

As the words left his mouth, he formed a Spell. The vine-covered cottage, buried in snow, rapidly withered as its rich Wood Spirit Qi was depleted. It then sank deep into the ground. Next, all the Spiritual Objects sustaining the surrounding Array flew out from their hidden positions and were swept up into Wang Ping’s storage pouch.

This temporary Dao Field had fulfilled its purpose. In the future, it might become a scenic spot with a story to tell, but Wang Ping would pay it no further mind.

The new Dao Field he selected was on an unnamed high ground fifty li south of Moon Mountain. This plateau was the Kun position of Moon Mountain’s feng shui formation, offering a complete view of the mountain.

However, Wang Ping only built a courtyard here; he did not reside in it. This was because when he had gone to pay his respects before the Xiao Shan Lord’s Golden Body Divine Statue north of True Yang Mountain, he discovered that the Array he had refined while in seclusion at the Six Heart Sect could connect to the Divine Technique consciousness of the Golden Body Divine Statue.

By cultivating with the help of the Xiao Shan Lord’s Divine Technique consciousness, Wang Ping could merge with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman and refine the Profound Jade Token much faster.

Thus, he entered a state of meditative trance before the Golden Body Divine Statue.

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. The snow covering the land gradually melted, and Yu Lian finally stopped sleeping all day. Whenever Wang Ping wasn’t cultivating, she would run off to play in a nearby river channel.

It was a rather pleasant life.

But such a life was not destined for Wang Ping at this moment. By the end of the first month, the Chu Army in Jianglin Road had reached the South Bank of the Nong River. Once they crossed it, the army could march directly on the West Suburb of Shangjing City.

On this day, Wang Ping had just finished his daily cultivation exercises. He had taken out a brazier and was about to brew some tea when Zuo Xuan’s figure streaked across the sky and landed beside him.

"Have my leisurely days come to an end?" Wang Ping asked.

Zuo Xuan smiled and replied, "Daoist Ke Yue of ’the First Day’ came to see me in secret. She said she had an appointment with you."

Wang Ping nodded. "Indeed." After a moment, he asked, "Have you heard any recent news from Pingzhou Road?"

At the mention of this topic, Zuo Xuan’s smile instinctively vanished. She became cautious and chose her words carefully before speaking. "The disciples of Wan Zhi Daoist have taken over matters in Pingzhou Road. Five days ago, Daoist Xiu Yu personally knelt in a sacrificial hall he built to pray for blessings for the people of Pingzhou."

She paused, then lowered her voice. "Word came yesterday that the prayers weren’t very effective. In Pingzhou Road, my Lord only has the incense offerings of the Chu Army. The common people have almost all fled north of the Nong River."

Wang Ping nodded, offering no comment. He then asked, "Has the army in Pingzhou Road also reached the north bank of the Nong River?"

"Yes!"

"Good..."

Wang Ping fell silent for a long time before finally saying, "Have Shuang’er bring Daoist Ke Yue here. Also, help me call Yu Lian back."

Zuo Xuan nodded and departed.

A moment later, Yu Lian’s cheerful cry echoed from the sky. She landed amidst a spray of water mist. Seeing Wang Ping brewing tea, she said happily, "You haven’t made tea in ages! What’s the special occasion today?"

"I just felt like it. It’s a shame I don’t have any new tea, though."

"The new teas from the south should be out by now, right? Why not write a letter and have someone bring some over?"

"You sure know how to enjoy life!"

As Wang Ping took some tea leaves from his storage pouch, Yu Lian eagerly checked the kettle on the brazier. Seeing that the water wasn’t boiling yet, she was about to use Magic to help when Wang Ping stopped her. "This is morning dew I’ve spent the last few days painstakingly collecting. Using Magic to boil it would be a bit of a waste."

Yu Lian didn’t see it that way. She used Water Spirit Qi and knew that boiling the water with her Magic wouldn’t affect the taste. It would, however, completely ruin the ritual of brewing tea.

Just as she was about to offer a retort, two streaks of light flashed across the sky. Liu Shuang and Ke Yue landed ten zhang in front of Wang Ping. Ke Yue was currently dressed in a wide-sleeved, pale yellow Daoist Robe, holding a Duster. Her hair was bound in a jade coronet, giving her the appearance of someone who had transcended the mortal world.

"True Man, you seem to be in high spirits!"

After cupping her fist in a salute, Ke Yue walked toward Wang Ping with Liu Shuang.

With a casual point of his finger, Wang Ping made two stone stools appear before him. "Sit," he invited nonchalantly.

Ke Yue cupped her fist again, suppressing her feminine charm to appear as much like a Mystic Sect Cultivator as possible. As she sat on the stool, her eyes fell on the tea leaves Wang Ping had taken out. She smiled. "This humble Daoist has just come from the south. Knowing the True Man is fond of tea, I took the liberty of bringing some seasonal spring tea. I don’t know its name, but it smells wonderful."

As she spoke, she produced a packet of tea leaves.

"This is Jade Peak Tea from Jinhuai Prefecture. It’s grown on Jade Peak Mountain, north of Jinhua Prefecture City," Yu Lian recognized it as soon as she caught the scent.

Wang Ping didn’t stand on ceremony. He accepted the tea, poured some into the teapot, and asked directly, "What is Shangjing City planning?"

Ke Yue knew Wang Ping’s personality. Hearing his question, she answered immediately, "They plan to build a Divine Technique Formation on Moon Mountain. The moment you set foot on the mountain, True Man, they will seal off all of its Spiritual Qi..."

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