My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Wang Ping forcibly reined in his emotions before they could overwhelm him. He then transformed into a streak of light and landed in Yu Cheng Taoist's small courtyard on the back mountain.

The courtyard was exactly as he remembered it. On the adjacent training grounds, he could still see the marks left behind from his Sword Technique practice, but the person who always used to be reading by the Stone Table was gone.

Wang Ping rarely felt fear, but a sliver of it crept into his heart now. Sensing his emotional state, Yu Lian, perched on his shoulder, gently nuzzled his cheek with her head.

He knew that many things in life could not be forced, and he knew his master's time would eventually come. But he never expected it to be so sudden, leaving him completely unprepared. He certainly never imagined that a single, casual session of cultivation would last for a hundred and fifty-two years!

"Master… Where is he?"

He turned his head to look at Yuan Zheng and Ruan Chunzi, who had followed him.

Yuan Zheng stepped forward, met Wang Ping's gaze, and said, "Fifty years into your seclusion, Fellow Daoist Yu Cheng left, all by himself. He didn't allow anyone to follow. He said... he wanted to go out and see the world."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

Wang Ping asked.

Yuan Zheng fell silent for several breaths before replying, "Your seclusion was abrupt. We had no word from you. Later, we went to the Six Heart Sect to consult Daoist Zi Luan..."

"Daoist Zi Luan told us that you were likely at a critical moment in your cultivation..."

As he was speaking, a streak of light flashed at the courtyard entrance. It was Dongcan, the man Wang Ping had taken in before his seclusion. His entire disposition had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. The gloomy air about him was gone, replaced by the calm, righteous bearing of a member of the Taoist Family.

Upon seeing Wang Ping, he offered a solemn, clasped-fist salute and then stood respectfully at the entrance. Wang Ping's mood was heavy; he gave Dongcan an instinctive glance before his eyes immediately snapped back to Yuan Zheng.

Yuan Zheng met Wang Ping's gaze and continued, "Daoist Zi Luan said you were cultivating the 'Wood Spirit Form.' During this stage, your perception of the outside world is almost nonexistent. The Wood Spirit also clouds the cultivator's consciousness. Waking you rashly would not only have undone all your progress, but it could have also damaged your Spiritual Body and Primordial Spirit."

"Your master also forbade us from waking you..."

As Wang Ping listened, unfamiliar memories began to surface in his mind. It was a portion of the memories left to him by the Xiao Shan Lord, now activated. This meant he had completed the first volume of the *Taiyan Talisman*!

But Wang Ping was in no mood to process these new memories. He forcibly suppressed them deep within his Spirit Sea and, fighting back the unease in his heart, fixed his gaze on Yuan Zheng to hear the rest of the story.

"Zi Luan also said... this stage of cultivation is a task that requires slow, patient effort, and everything will fall into place naturally. As long as you aren't disturbed, you won't fail. The only concern was time. He gave us a three-hundred-year deadline. If you didn't emerge from seclusion within that time, he would come to wake you personally."

Wang Ping opened his light screen panel, but he saw no relevant notifications. The Secret Technique inheritance from the *Taiyan Talisman* also contained no memories about this. "I was completely unprepared," he said. "I thought this was just an ordinary cultivation session..."

His voice was soft. Before he could finish, he received a mental transmission from Ruan Chunzi:

"Fellow Daoist Zi Luan said this stage of your cultivation is unique. The cultivator must merge with the Wood Spirit unconsciously for the 'Wood Spirit Form' to develop naturally when the time is right. If you were to consciously attempt it, the process would be slower, and you might even suffer a backlash from the Wood Spirit. This is a secret of your Taiyan Cultivator lineage. Perhaps that's why you had no awareness of it!"

Hearing this, Wang Ping looked up at Ruan Chunzi.

Yuan Zheng added, "Cultivators often encounter situations like this. My own master once slept for twenty years. And I've heard that for the Great Realm Cultivators from the Yuqing Sect, every session of deep meditation lasts over a hundred years!"

The Fire Salamander on Ruan Chunzi's shoulder spat a puff of fire toward Yu Lian. It seemed to be an attempt at consolation, yet it also looked like a taunt.

Yu Lian paid it no mind. She craned her neck to look at Yuan Zheng and asked, "Did Master leave any message?"

Yuan Zheng tugged on Wang Ping's sleeve. "Your master said for you to think thrice before you act. You have more opportunities than anyone. You must not let a lack of careful thought lead to ruin."

Hearing this, Yu Lian looked at Wang Ping. "That does sound like something Master would say."

Wang Ping mulled over the words carefully. After a long moment, he looked up at Yuan Zheng and asked, "Has there been any news from Master since he left?"

Yuan Zheng just shook his head without a word.

As if remembering something, Wang Ping took out the Communication Token he had refined. He was about to use it to send a message to his master, but for some reason, he hesitated.

'He was afraid. Afraid that if he sent the message, it would vanish without a trace. Better to leave things as they are. At least this way, there's still a sliver of hope.'

Seeing Wang Ping's expression, Yuan Zheng took an involuntary step back to stand with Ruan Chunzi. They both watched quietly as Wang Ping stared blankly at the Communication Token cupped in his hands.

Yu Lian pressed herself against Wang Ping's cheek.

「A dozen or so breaths later.」

Wang Ping put away the Communication Token and gently stroked Yu Lian's little head. Then, he looked up toward the sky outside the courtyard gate.

It was Liu Shuang's aura.

A moment later, her figure appeared at the entrance.

'To Wang Ping, Liu Shuang looked the same, her cultivation just a little improved. But that was because he hadn't truly lived through those one hundred and fifty-two years.'

'The whole situation with Master felt like a dream. Maybe, deep down, he just wished it were one.'

Liu Shuang's reaction, however, was completely different. Joy washed over her first, a smile as brilliant as her childhood self spreading across her face. It was followed by a rush of emotion as she hurried into the courtyard. She stopped right in front of Wang Ping, her lips parted, and whispered, "Master!"

'I really, really wish this was all a dream.' But the touch of reality was too clear. Wang Ping met Liu Shuang's gaze, sensing her emotions, and forced himself to suppress his own. He raised a hand, instinctively wanting to pat her head like he did when she was a child, but he stopped and gently patted her shoulder instead. "Mm," he responded with a smile. "Your cultivation hasn't fallen behind. Very good."

Just then, two more familiar auras appeared in the sky. Yu Lian stretched her neck and looked up.

It was the auras of Xia Wen Yi and Shen Xiaozhu!

The two of them held a genuine, disciple-like respect for Wang Ping, but it lacked the familial affection that defined his relationship with Liu Shuang.

"Master!"

The two of them clasped their fists in salute at the entrance, performing a formal junior's greeting.

Looking at them, much of the gloom in Wang Ping's heart dissipated. As their master, he subconsciously scanned their cultivation, and a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes.

Xia Wen Yi had actually reached the Second Realm, while Shen Xiaozhu had perfected the First Realm. She was likely just a short time away from entering seclusion to attempt her own breakthrough.

"When did you get back?"

Yu Lian had naturally noticed Xia Wen Yi's cultivation level as well, but she addressed Shen Xiaozhu first. This was perfectly normal, as Xiaozhu was Wang Ping's only Direct Disciple and Xia Wen Yi's senior martial sister.

"To answer Martial Aunt, I returned to the sect a century ago."

"Mm, very good. A journey through the mortal world has finally improved your disposition."

Wang Ping nodded as well. "Not bad. You haven't neglected your cultivation..." After offering some encouragement to his two disciples, he turned to Yuan Zheng and Ruan Chunzi. "I'd like to spend some time with my disciples for a while."

"Of course!"

Yuan Zheng agreed, then transformed into a streak of light and flew toward the Fire Institute.

Ruan Chunzi merely offered a silent, clasped-hand salute. At the entrance, Dongcan gave a deeply respectful, clasped-fist salute of his own. The two then departed from the small courtyard together.