My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Halfway up Moon Mountain, Wang Ping and the others stood on the edge of a cliff with a wide field of vision, gazing down at the ritual assembly in Yuequan Town below.

In the center of the square, a temporary high platform had been erected. Upon it was an incense table, on which were displayed tablets for the six Saints canonized since the rise of the Human Dao. Liu Zixiu’s was last in line.

On Wang Ping’s behalf, Liu Shuang led a group of renowned Second Realm Cultivators in a slow, unique procession around the incense table, chanting softly. The other Second Realm and Entering Cultivators circled the high platform itself.

In the surrounding streets and alleys, members of great clans and common folk who had come to observe the ceremony were praying and paying respects according to their own customs.

"It seems the Heaven-Chaos Pearl won’t be making an appearance," Ganxing said, breaking the silence among them.

"Counting the members of the great clans, there are over a hundred Second Realm Cultivators here today. The culprit must be among them. It wouldn’t be difficult to investigate." After speaking, Zhi Gong looked toward Wang Ping.

Wang Ping understood what Zhi Gong meant. "My compassion doesn’t extend to people like that," he replied. "Though they’re no longer a major threat, they must be eliminated."

As he spoke, he looked to the horizon at two Puppet Birds flying one after the other. Sensing Wang Ping’s aura, they raced toward him, each trying to get there first.

Wang Ping habitually probed the Puppet Birds’ auras, confirming their identities and that they were harmless before letting them approach. One of them tried to land on his shoulder, but with a flick of her tail, Yu Lian swatted it away. It could only flap its wings and land on Wang Ping’s outstretched hand.

Of these two Puppet Birds, one was Zi Luan’s, and the other belonged to Wang Ping’s master, Yu Cheng Taoist.

Just as Wang Ping was about to retrieve the intelligence from the compartment on Yu Cheng Taoist’s Puppet Bird, several Communication Jade Slips descended from the sky, hovering in front of Zhi Gong and the others.

They exchanged glances, then all took a jade slip in unison.

The contents were just as they had suspected, concerning the sudden upheaval in Pingzhou Road yesterday. A battle between Fourth Realm Cultivators had indeed occurred. A Fourth Realm Star God from the Court had taken advantage of the moment Xiao Shan Lord’s Divine Technique awareness was focused on Moon Mountain. The Star God launched a sneak attack on Xiu Yu, who was at a shrine paying respects to the people of Pingzhou Road.

Whether Xiu Yu was alive or dead was unknown. The Liangjiang Region and Pingzhou Road had been plunged into chaos, yet the Court’s army showed no intention of crossing the Nong River to enter Pingzhou Road.

Yu Cheng Taoist offered no analysis, simply relaying the information to Wang Ping exactly as he had received it.

Wang Ping had braced himself for this news, but reading it still sent a chill through him. A surge of fear made the Spirit Veins in his body churn, but he forced his expression to remain as calm as a placid lake.

He calmly lowered the report and exchanged looks with the others. Ganxing’s expression was the most telling; he looked like he wanted to say something, but the words died on his lips several times.

Yu Lian’s voice echoed in his Spirit Sea. "Should we make a run for it? We could go hide at my parents’ place for a while."

Wang Ping reached out and gently stroked Yu Lian’s head. He swiftly calmed his inner turmoil, conjuring beautiful memories of humanity to steady himself. Then, he released his master’s Puppet Bird and took out the report from Zi Luan.

This report was far more detailed.

A tone of mock regret ran through Zi Luan’s letter. As it turned out, Xiu Yu was perfectly safe. The "Xiu Yu" in the Pingzhou Road shrine had been a puppet planted by the Xiao Shan Lord. The ruse had successfully baited one of the Lords of Lishui Prefecture: Ao Bing, the third son of the Dragon Monarch.

Zi Luan, too, offered no advice. Evidently, the current intelligence was still insufficient for a proper analysis.

Wang Ping’s feelings grew even more complex as he finished the report.

"Friend Xiu Yu is unharmed, then?" Zhi Gong Daoist murmured, as if talking to himself, yet also asking the group.

"He’s unharmed!"

Wang Ping’s tone was firm. He looked around at the others and said with a smile, "The Lord foresaw the situation in Pingzhou Road and made arrangements in advance..."

He went on to explain in detail.

Wu Quan was the first to speak after the explanation. "Now that the Shangjing Court has made a move like this, with a little guidance from us, the people of the Liangjiang Region, Yunjiang, and Pingzhou Road will surely rally to our side. The chaos is only temporary. I predict... the Lord will dispatch Fellow Daoist Zi Luan to Pingzhou Road to maintain order!"

Ganxing added, "Or perhaps you, Fellow Daoist, will be assigned to help govern Pingzhou Road!"

He looked at Wang Ping as he spoke.

Hu Yin chimed in with his own analysis. "Fellow Daoist Zi Luan is needed to manage our rear operations; there’s no one in the entire south who can replace him. I suspect it’s more likely that you, Fellow Daoist Changqing, will be assigned to help govern Pingzhou Road."

It was true.

As for Xiu Yu, his mission was complete. He likely wouldn’t appear again until the succession ceremony in Shangjing City come March.

The normally quiet Mountain Guard suddenly spoke up. "The succession ceremony is a month and a half away at most. Has Shangjing City still not set a specific date?"

The question made everyone tense up.

Wang Ping was no exception.

He recalled the first time he had discussed this matter. Wen Yang had told him they had over two hundred years to prepare.

In the blink of an eye, more than two hundred years had passed. Now, even Wen Yang was embroiled in the conflict, his fate no longer his own to decide.

「Shangjing City.」

In the grand hall used for daily rites, Xia Yao led all Court officials of the third rank and higher in a devout worship of the two Saints and the imperial ancestors of the Xia Imperial Family.

The entire ritual lasted for Half an Hour.

The ministers departed immediately after the ceremony concluded, but Xia Yao remained kneeling before the memorial tablets of the Saints and her ancestors. She only rose another Half an Hour later and left, heading for the Hall of Deliberation.

The Hall of Deliberation wasn’t filled with civil and military ministers as it usually was. Instead, two Sacrificial Captains in narrow-sleeved qilin robes and plain gray caps stood before the imperial desk. When Xia Yao entered, she took the seat normally occupied by the Cabinet’s Minister of Discussion and began to diligently work through each and every memorial.

When the afternoon sun shone into the center of the hall, a middle-aged man in the bright red official robes of a third-rank Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard entered. Standing at the threshold, he bowed deeply. "Your Highness, the Princess."

"What is it?" Xia Yao inquired coolly.

"The plan for Pingzhou Road failed. Xiu Yu is still alive," the Vice Commander replied, his head bowed.

"No matter." Xia Yao’s expression was devoid of emotion.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Begin cleansing Shangjing City. Do not let a single rat escape," Xia Yao ordered, lifting her head to look at the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard at the entrance.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The man bowed his head and waited in silence for over ten breaths. Only after confirming Xia Yao had no further commands did he cautiously take his leave.

Xia Yao paid the departing Vice Commander no mind, returning to the memorials before her. Aided by her Primordial Spirit Consciousness, she finished processing the mountain of documents in a quarter of an hour.

"Take these to the Cabinet and carry out my vermilion-inked orders."

She handed the processed memorials to the two Sacrificial Captains standing before the desk. In the Inspiration Realm, one could see the golden light of their Divine Techniques was linked directly to hers.

With that command given, Xia Yao rose and left the hall, making her way toward Dahua Hall, where Emperor Yuanding rested in meditation.

The security around Dahua Hall was now even tighter than before. The resplendent Golden Armor Guard had been moved to the outer perimeter, surrounding the hall so completely that nothing could get through. The interior and exterior of Dahua Hall itself were guarded by sacrificial priests and Sacrificial Captains, while deeper inside stood the Great Realm Cultivators of the Xia Imperial Family.

Jiangcun stood guard at the main gate. He immediately moved to receive Xia Yao the moment he saw her approaching.

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