My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

As Xiu Yu’s Primordial Spirit Consciousness vanished, the dense Wood Spirit Qi that had filled the cave also dissipated. The tangled roots withered in a matter of moments, and the old tree’s leaves quickly yellowed and fell.

Wang Ping immediately formed a Spell with his hands, using his Primordial Spirit Consciousness to connect to the Sealing Barrier outside. He quickly captured the trace of Xiu Yu’s Primordial Spirit. It was teleporting to the Northwest, a region currently in chaos where Zi Luan was trying to restore order.

"He got away?"

Yuan Zheng Taoist took two quick steps forward. As his feet landed on the withered roots, they snapped with a KRAK KRAK sound.

Qingjiang took a deep breath and solemnly bowed to the withered old tree.

"Can you track him?"

the Tiger Demon asked, looking at Wang Ping.

Wang Ping replayed Xiu Yu’s last words in his mind. ’Xiu Yu’s humanity and reason were clearly on the verge of collapse. His words were fragmented and disjointed, but I knew what he was trying to say.’

In response to the Tiger Demon’s question, he instead looked at Qingjiang. She turned and cupped her hands, saying, "My master has no path to survival left. He only wishes to speak with Martial Uncle Zi Luan. Why must you all press him so hard?"

Upon hearing this, the Tiger Demon shot Qingjiang a look, clearly disdaining to speak with her. Yuan Zheng, meanwhile, awaited Wang Ping’s orders.

Qingjiang patted her storage pouch and took out an exquisite wooden box and a gray crystal. She said to Wang Ping, "These are two items my master asked me to give to you, True Man."

Wang Ping scanned them with his Primordial Spirit Consciousness. Finding no issues, he extended his hand and used Wood Spirit Qi to levitate the wooden box and crystal toward him.

The wooden box was heavy, feeling as if it were filled with Gold. The crystal, however, was exceptionally light, like holding a ball of cotton. The item sealed within must have perfectly neutralized the crystal’s weight.

"Inside the wooden box is a portion of ’Wood Spirit Origin.’ Sealed within the crystal is the Primordial Spirit of a Bi Shi, a Fourth Realm Bi Shi at that. It was obtained a thousand years ago by Elder Yuxiao, the founder of Qianmu Temple. Now, it can be considered returned to its rightful owner."

Qingjiang cupped her fist and explained, "Master said that when a Taiyan Cultivator ascends to the Fourth Realm, they need a perfect moment in time. Calculating this moment requires a massive Array, and the Primordial Spirit of a Bi Shi is a necessary material for the Magic Array Core. However, you must first refine it with a ’Heaven-Reaching Talisman’."

As she explained, Yuan Zheng, the Tiger Demon, and Dongcan all stared at the wooden box and crystal in Wang Ping’s hands.

After all, they were priceless treasures!

The ’Wood Spirit Origin’ went without saying; even the Xiao Shan Lord needed it to ascend to the Fifth Realm. Although Wang Ping didn’t know its exact use yet, it was undoubtedly a priceless treasure.

As for the Bi Shi’s Primordial Spirit, to Wang Ping, such a thing had only existed in legends. It was said that on some small islands around the Mist Sea Region lived a number of naturally born spiritual beings. They—or perhaps, *he*—had human faces, dog ears, and bestial bodies. These innate spiritual beings possessed a talent for sensing fortune and misfortune, so very few people could ever capture them. In fact, few had ever even seen one.

Moreover, some of them were incredibly powerful; the average person wouldn’t dare to provoke them.

The origin of the name "Bi Shi" came from Cultivators who, after the rise of the Human Dao, excavated ruins of the Demon Race and directly translated it from their ancient texts.

"Is your master truly giving up on planning for the Fourth Realm?"

Yuan Zheng found this hard to believe. In the established view of Southern Cultivators, Xiu Yu was a cultivation genius. Although his personality was grating and caused him to make enemies everywhere, no one had ever doubted his cultivation level.

Qingjiang nodded. "Master never liked this path. The people around him always pressured him, and so did Grandmaster..."

She didn’t finish her sentence.

The Tiger Demon snorted coldly. "Too many high-sounding excuses. The real reason is that he’s a coward!"

Qingjiao frowned at his words but offered no rebuttal, because it would be useless.

Wang Ping changed the subject. "There are at least five complete Gold Spirit Veins buried underground. Xiu Yu used them to hide his aura and also to create a vacuum through their repulsion of Wood Spirit Qi, shielding this place from our Primordial Spirit scans."

The meaning behind his words was obvious: these things were to be divided as spoils of war.

With that, he looked at Qingjiang and said, "You’re coming with me!"

"Yes!"

After Wang Ping left with Qingjiang, Dongcan immediately followed. He had no interest in dividing the Gold Spirit Veins underground; he needed to find a place to enter seclusion and repair his physical body as soon as possible.

Yuan Zheng looked at the Tiger Demon with a chuckle and asked, "You want to dig, or should I?"

...

「Half an Hour later, at the Baisui Lake Daoist Temple.」

Yuan Zheng took seven crystal-sealed Gold Spirit Veins from his storage pouch. The Tiger Demon, Ruan Chunzi, Yuan Zheng, Wu Quan, and Wu Fu each took one. Wang Ping bought the other two at market price, and the money was then divided equally among the five of them.

As for Dongcan, he could only watch.

Qingjiang watched the entire exchange without any change in her expression. Xiu Yu’s thousand-year fortune was certainly more than just this. She would likely inherit the rest, so she didn’t care about this small amount.

The matter was concluded.

The Tiger Demon was the first to leave, followed by Wu Fu.

Wang Ping let Qingjiang stay temporarily at the Baisui Lake Daoist Temple and asked Hu Qianqian to look after her. He then flew toward Qianmu Temple with Dongcan, Yuan Zheng, Wu Quan, and Ruan Chunzi.

As the four of them flew into the territory of Changwen Prefecture, unusual waves of Wood Spirit Qi washed over them from the Northwest.

They steadied themselves and gazed toward the Northwest. There were no celestial phenomena, just the unusual Wood Spirit Aura rushing toward them.

But it vanished after just over ten breaths.

"Did Xiu Yu fall?"

"It’s unclear. Possible, but it’s more likely an escape technique. He not only wants to break free from the Xiao Shan Lord’s control, but also from our siege."

"If that’s the case, letting him escape this time..."

"It’s not that we let him escape—he never even showed up in person. And based on the current situation, even if he did get away, he must have suffered a devastating loss. He might never be able to cultivate again!"

At this, everyone fell silent.

Wang Ping turned his head, pushing the matter from his mind, and said, "Let’s go back. Back for a cup of hot tea."

"Alright!"

「A moment later.」

Upon returning to Qianmu Temple, Wang Ping first had Zhao Qian arrange a place for Dongcan to recuperate. He then led his guests to Yu Cheng Taoist’s Dao Field on the rear mountain. They drank tea and chatted until the next morning, when Wu Quan took his leave. Wang Ping then returned to the Mountain Peak Dojo.

"I was starting to think you’d forgotten that Shuang’Er still needs a Guardian!"

"..."

After her complaint, Yu Lian eagerly asked what had happened.

Wang Ping naturally told her everything.

"Xiu Yu most likely has no hope of ever reaching the Fourth Realm. The portion of Primordial Spirit Consciousness he split off was nearly identical to his true self. That’s a devastating, almost annihilating, blow to his Primordial Spirit. Unless he has some method we don’t know about, there’s no way he can ascend to the Fourth Realm with his remaining Primordial Spirit’s strength."

Yu Lian remarked after hearing Wang Ping’s account. She paused for a moment before adding, "Also, he’s trying to sow discord between you and Zi Luan. If you don’t handle this well, your alliance with Zi Luan will be over."