My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

The darkness at the eastern edge of the horizon came quickly and left even faster. Wang Ping didn’t even have time to be surprised before it vanished, as if it had all been an illusion.

At that moment, the Divine Technique consciousness around Wang Ping popped like a bubble. Immediately after, the aura of the Xiao Shan Lord also vanished without a trace.

Wang Ping’s Primordial Spirit Consciousness immediately spread rapidly to the north. In just a moment, he felt an energy fluctuation that he could not resist rippling between heaven and earth.

The next moment, he sensed a massive wave of qi roiling in the direction of Pingzhou, obscuring the sky and earth. The resulting inertia swept out in all directions. Soon after, the Five Elements Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth descended into chaos, and the very ground seemed to tilt outward from a powerful force centered on Pingzhou.

Fortunately, this force weakened as it spread, all but disappearing before it could cross the mountains west of Pingzhou Road.

"Which Fourth Realm Cultivator was that?"

As Yu Lian voiced her question, Zhi Gong and Hu Yin immediately moved to protect Wang Ping, flanking him. Beside them, Zhang Xinghuai vigilantly scanned the surroundings. If anyone dared to make a move at that moment, he would destroy them without hesitation.

Just as Wang Ping was about to answer Yu Lian’s question, an earthy-yellow light flashed across the northern sky. It looked as if the heavens were collapsing. The tens of thousands of people on Moon Mountain witnessed this sight, and after a brief silence, small pockets of commotion broke out.

"Don’t panic!"

Wang Ping flew into the air and, with a casual point of his finger, sent a hundred Soldier Talismans transforming into Golden Armor Soldiers to land all over Moon Mountain. He then sent a message to Zuo Xuan, telling her to get the situation on the mountain under control.

Zhi Gong and Hu Yin also flew up, blocking the northern approach. Huaimo, Wu Quan, and the others guarded Wang Ping in the center. Zhang Xinghuai remained before the gravestone, allowing no one to disturb Liu Zixiu’s final resting place.

As Zuo Xuan began instructing the Second Realm Cultivators around her to stabilize the situation, a series of complex and strange sounds drifted from the north. It was clearly the sound of Spiritual Qi clashing between Cultivators.

"It’s on Pingzhou Road. A true Fourth Realm Cultivator!"

Huaimo conveyed this message via transmission to Wang Ping and the other Third Realm Cultivators. At that moment, his Primordial Spirit had formed a unique resonance with heaven and earth.

"So their real target this time was actually Xiu Yu?"

Wu Quan’s tone held a hint of schadenfreude.

No one answered his question. Wang Ping and the others all kept their eyes fixed on the northern horizon.

Below, the Entering Cultivators and Second Realm Cultivators worked together, activating the standard-issue Barrier Formations provided by the Daoist Palace. Just as they did, the strange phenomena in the northern sky suddenly vanished.

A dozen or so breaths later, the sounds in the air gradually faded until they disappeared completely.

But Wang Ping and the others didn’t dare to let their guard down. They watched the north vigilantly, only descending back to Moon Mountain under Wang Ping’s lead a full half-hour later.

"What happened?"

Ganxing voiced the question on everyone’s mind.

Wang Ping glanced at the trembling Ritual Officer beside him, then at the students who were still kneeling. At that moment, the tens of thousands on Moon Mountain and the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians below were all waiting for his decision.

He flicked the Duster in his hand as various thoughts flashed through his mind. His Primordial Spirit Consciousness instantly enveloped the whole of Moon Mountain. Suppressing the feeling of helplessness in his heart, he looked at the Ritual Officer and asked calmly, "What is the next step?"

’Just now, when my Primordial Spirit Consciousness covered Moon Mountain, I discovered that the Xiao Shan Lord’s Divine Technique consciousness had already destroyed the Sacrificial Captain sent by the Shangjing Court. This means the Divine Technique Formation the Shangjing Court prepared to use against me can no longer be activated.’

’Now, I only have to face the Heaven-Chaos Pearl. The probability of a Fourth Realm Cultivator appearing is very low, and even if one did, I wouldn’t be able to stop them. My only choice would be to abandon everything here and use the Pocket World Mirror to escape.’

Wang Ping’s calm demeanor stabilized the scene. Zhi Gong, Huaimo, and the others returned to their previous positions.

Faced with Wang Ping’s question and sensing his confidence and composure, the Ritual Officer quickly calmed down as well. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face before he straightened his robes and returned to his place.

"The rite is complete!"

He called out, his voice trembling.

Soon, the announcement was relayed to the towns and areas below the mountain.

Wang Ping turned to Zuo Xuan, who was descending from the sky, and said, "I’ll leave the rest of the service to you. Shuang’Er, you will recite the scriptures in my place."

"Yes!"

The two replied in unison.

Afterward, the great clans and families who had come up the mountain began to follow the procedure, approaching the steps of the gravestone one by one to perform a deep kowtow. They would then descend the mountain in order. Altars for the service had already been prepared in the towns below; this service was to last for three days and three nights.

Zhi Gong, Huaimo, and the others did not leave, nor did the students.

Time passed, bit by bit.

It was not until after 7:00 AM the next day that the tens of thousands of people on the mountain finally completed the tedious ceremony. The process was uneventful; not even the Heaven-Chaos Pearl made an appearance.

As the soldiers of Chu Country lining the mountain path began to withdraw, Wang Ping looked up at the southern sky. He still hadn’t received any news about yesterday’s events.

"Master, I must go now. I will return with answers next time I see you."

Zhang Xinghuai once again performed a solemn kowtow. But just as he knelt, a student, unable to contain his anger any longer, stood up and pointed at Zhang Xinghuai, shouting, "You traitor! What right do you have to kneel here?"

Wang Ping’s gaze fell upon a young student, his features twisted with furious emotion. After rebuking Zhang Xinghuai, he turned to Wang Ping. "You are from the great Mystic Gate Righteous Dao, yet instead of pursuing Pure Cultivation in a temple, you use your Magical Power to interfere in the mortal world and slaughter common people! What kind of Dao is it that you cultivate?"

Yu Lian was having none of it. Her body, coiled around Wang Ping, instantly swelled to twenty feet in length, and the mysterious Arrays on her scales began to flicker with a faint cyan light. Wang Ping placed a hand on her body to soothe her, looking at the indignant student with some amusement.

Although Huaimo, Zhi Gong, and the others were also on guard, they didn’t act immediately. Instead, they wore expressions as if they were watching a show. Only Zhang Xinghuai remained utterly serious.

As Zhang Xinghuai rose and looked at the young student, another student kneeling beside him crawled forward two steps, prostrating himself on the ground. Trembling, he said, "Changqing Zhenren, please forgive us! Junior Brother Gongzhi means no harm, he’s just... he’s just..."

The man was so panicked he couldn’t finish his sentence. The remaining students were all prostrating on the ground in terror.

Just then, Yu Lian spoke within Wang Ping’s Spirit Sea: ’This person’s soul is so pure, as pure as Xuanling’s. It’s a pity someone like him cultivates the Dao of zhonghui.’

Zhang Xinghuai performed a solemn bow to the young Gongzhi in the manner prescribed by the teachings of the Human Dao. He then clasped his fist to Wang Ping before silently turning and walking away from the gravesite.

"You traitor, are you running away? Are you too scared to face us?"

Gongzhi tried to step forward and block Zhang Xinghuai, but fortunately, the two people beside him were quick enough to restrain him.

Zhang Xinghuai’s steps did not falter.

Wang Ping took a careful look at the restrained young disciple. Then, after paying his respects to Liu Zixiu’s grave one last time, he too turned and left, just as Zhang Xinghuai had done.

Zhi Gong, Huaimo, and the others naturally followed Wang Ping.

After walking some distance, Wang Ping heard a heart-wrenching sob from behind him, followed by a soft THUD. The crying stopped abruptly.

"He smashed his head against Second Senior Brother’s gravestone. He’ll die if he’s not treated!" Yu Lian said in his Spirit Sea, confirming what Wang Ping’s own senses had already told him.

Up ahead, Zhang Xinghuai, who had been walking away quickly, faltered for an instant before his pace quickened even more.

Some truths cannot be won by debate. Only time can prove them.

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