My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

The First Sect’s reply was just as Wang Ping expected. His primary reason for cooperating with the First Sect was that their Cultivators had few ties to Zhongzhou. The only point of contention was the internal strife within the True Yang Sect, which worked to Wang Ping’s advantage.

When Fire Box left, he also gave Wang Ping a Communication Token. This was for Wen Yang and the others to use, because Wang Ping had made it clear he would not participate in this matter; he was only helping to connect them.

When the ten-day deadline arrived, Wang Ping used a Communication Jade Slip to summon Ruan Chunzi.

"Is there wine this time?"

"Of course!"

Wang Ping was already prepared. As he filled two cups with wine, he looked at Ruan Chunzi and asked, "Why would Chang Jing Taoist trust you?"

This was a question that had suddenly occurred to him.

Ruan Chunzi raised his cup and said teasingly, "If he trusted me, would he have let me handle this?" He downed the cup, his voice tinged with bitterness as he continued, "Have you forgotten that I still hold the title of Vice Sect Leader?"

He took the wine jar from in front of Wang Ping, refilled his own cup, and said, "I told you before, my promotion to the Third Realm was an accident for the True Yang Sect. An outer disciple with no backing... hehe. After I was promoted, I became the new backer for many people. You should understand what I’m talking about, right?"

He held his cup and met Wang Ping’s gaze.

Wang Ping nodded, lightly clinked his cup against Ruan Chunzi’s, and then they both drained their cups at the same time.

"Now, let’s talk about Sect Leader Chang Jing’s proposal," Wang Ping said with a smile, setting down his cup.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Cede Sanshui City first. Then we will cease hostilities for a month!"

"Chang Jing will probably make you sign a written pledge."

"In that case, we need to talk about you surrounding Chang Jing. Can you get it done within this month?"

"No problem!"

"When you make your move, send me a message. I can throw True Yang Mountain into complete chaos, making it easier for you all to retreat unscathed."

"Alright!"

Wang Ping downed another cup of wine. ’A just cause attracts much support; an unjust one finds little,’ he thought. The True Yang Sect had lorded over Zhongzhou for so many years, yet it hadn’t left a single good impression on anyone.

The day after Ruan Chunzi returned, True Yang Mountain sent an envoy to discuss a temporary armistice agreement.

Wang Ping had Liu Shuang represent him with full authority in the negotiations. The terms were settled in just half a day. Just as Ruan Chunzi had predicted, Chang Jing demanded that Wang Ping publicly leave his mark on the agreement.

On the twenty-fifth of the ninth month, the Chu Army successfully entered and garrisoned Sanshui City.

Over the next three days, Wang Ping received many letters. The most numerous were secret reports on internal affairs, all containing intelligence on the Third Realm Cultivators from ’First Day,’ the First Sect, and the Sun Sect.

They weren’t even trying to hide their movements anymore.

By the end of the ninth month, Wang Ping received a secret letter from Zi Luan. In it, Zi Luan warned him that the Court and Lishui Prefecture had joined forces and would send at least three people to assassinate him, while the Imperial Family would send their own separate assassin!

「The next day.」

On the first day of the tenth month, Wang Ping received a secret report from Shangjing City that confirmed Zi Luan’s message. At the same time, news of the decisive battle between Xiu Yu of Pingzhou Road and the Court’s grand army spread throughout the Zhongzhou Continent.

「Another three days passed.」

On the morning of the fourth, after Wang Ping performed his usual ritual of trying to awaken the poison’s consciousness with the Purgatory Banner, he felt a sudden premonition. He took out his divination blocks and cast a trigram.

A Yin Trigram!

He cast again. A Holy Trigram.

Putting away the divination blocks, Wang Ping stopped just as he was about to cast a third time. He looked up at the sky, and his empty hand formed a Spell, materializing the Luck-Borrowing Talisman.

As light and shadow flickered through the space around him, he directly consumed ten years of his lifespan to cast another trigram...

A Holy Trigram!

"Luck is on our side!"

Yu Lian voiced Wang Ping’s innermost thoughts. "But we still need to be careful."

Her voice had barely faded when Hu Qianqian landed perfectly five zhang outside the Dao Field. She bowed respectfully and said, "Master, Daoist Liu Huai’en requests an audience."

’Jimin Association?’

The two words immediately surfaced in Wang Ping’s mind, giving him a bit of a headache.

Yu Lian asked the question aloud: "Why would the Jimin Association get involved in the mess at True Yang Mountain?"

Hu Qianqian offered her own thoughts: "Perhaps it’s for their so-called balance. It’s like when they tried to surround and kill Ren Kong in Mozhou Road; they interfered at the critical moment."

She had clearly thought about this before she arrived.

Wang Ping stood and walked out of the courtyard. Facing the cold winter wind, his Primordial Spirit Consciousness sensed the rare tranquility of the surrounding military camps. He ordered, "Bring him up."

...

Liu Huai’en looked the same as ever, but his clothes were eye-catching. He wore a Big Red Qilin Robe of the Chu Country. The Chu Country used the same system as the Xia Dynasty, where the Qilin Robe was a bestowed garment for civil and military officials alike. Military Officers typically wore a gold pendant at their waist, while civil officials wore a silver one.

The pendant at his waist had a dragon on the front and a tiger on the back—the symbol of a Dragon Tiger General. In the Chu Country, Dragon Tiger General was a titular peerage, but it was of the senior second rank.

"Greetings, Changqing Zhenren!"

Liu Huai’en performed the Court’s half-kneeling salute.

As he knelt, Yu Lian looked curiously at the golden coronet on his head and spoke before Wang Ping could: "You’ve been promoted!"

With a smile on his face, Liu Huai’en remained half-kneeling and clasped his fist. "It is due to the virtue accumulated by my ancestors. When the Chu Country was founded, our family contributed a great deal. When it came time to reward merit, we were granted the hereditary peerage of Dragon Tiger General."

"Please rise, Fellow Daoist. I am not worthy of such a bow," Wang Ping said.

Liu Huai’en smiled and said, "This bow is for the sake of my family’s descendants."

Yu Lian glanced at the retreating Hu Qianqian, then looked back at Liu Huai’en and said, "I thought everyone in the Jimin Association had extinguished their emotions and practiced abstinence."

"That is a huge misunderstanding. We are precisely the type of people with the strongest desires. It’s just that our desires have a purpose, and for that purpose, we can abandon all other desires."

Liu Huai’en clasped his hands in a salute to Yu Lian in response, then turned his gaze back to Wang Ping.

Wang Ping turned his head to look at a familiar figure that had suddenly appeared in the sky. It was the aura of the Old Yangshan Guard, and he was flying in the direction of Shanwu Road.

"Have you come here about the matter at True Yang Mountain as well, Fellow Daoist?" Wang Ping asked, his eyes on the spot where the Mountain Guard’s figure had vanished.

"Yes. However, I will not interfere in the affairs of True Yang Mountain. I will only stay by your side, True Man, to observe." Liu Huai’en followed Wang Ping’s gaze to the empty sky.

"And?" Yu Lian pressed on Wang Ping’s behalf.

A brilliant smile spread across Liu Huai’en’s face. He clasped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist, you are aware of the Nine Heavens Pavilion and Chongyuan Mansion, I presume?"

Wang Ping nodded.

The Nine Heavens Pavilion was jointly founded by the Sun Sect, the Yuqing Sect, and the Three Taiyin Pure Cultivation Sects. Its headquarters are in Sea City, and it seems to have been established to research a certain type of Magic.

Chongyuan Mansion, on the other hand, was founded by ’First Day,’ the Taiyin Indulgence Sect, and a branch of the Star God Alliance. Their headquarters are well-hidden. Wang Ping had only read the name in some documents from the founding of the Xia Dynasty. They enjoyed studying the spiritual pollution caused by war.

"These two organizations are of primary concern to our Jimin Association. We’ve received word that they will also be coming to True Yang Mountain. What’s more, the Kongshan Association and some of the madmen from within our own ranks will be coming to join the fun."

"..."

Wang Ping had already tried to imagine the worst-case scenario, but the complexity of the situation at True Yang Mountain still surpassed his expectations.

Just then, a familiar figure landed beside Wang Ping. It was Wu Quan. He glanced at Liu Huai’en, looking as if he wanted to speak but was hesitating.

"Speak. What is it?"

"Fellow Daoist Mountain Guard has gone out. It was at the invitation of Sect Leader Chang Jing."