My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Chapter 362: Chapter 91: A Picture Scroll

Wang Ping released Zhao Yu’Er for two reasons. First, he had watched her grow up and, no matter what, had developed an affection for her. Now that the madness in her soul had been suppressed, it felt right to let her out.

Second, Wang Ping found her current state of being quite peculiar. The fusion of her Qi Sea with a Demon Soldier, in particular, was an ideal condition for creating a puppet. Of course, Wang Ping had no intention of turning his grand-disciple into a puppet—that would go against the Dao he cultivated. Instead, he wanted to keep her close to observe her condition and use it as a model for crafting puppets.

Back at the Mountain Peak Dojo, Wang Ping implanted a Soldier Talisman between Zhao Yu’Er’s eyebrows. "This Soldier Talisman is connected to the Heaven-Reaching Talisman in my Primordial Spirit," he explained. "If your soul is ever consumed by madness, it will activate and suppress it. However, the suppression is brief—it might only last for a few breaths."

"Thank you for your mercy, Grandmaster!"

Zhao Yu’Er bowed obediently, cupping her fist in salute.

Wang Ping studied her intently. "It has another purpose," he added. "If you ever move more than a hundred li away from me, it will alert me."

Zhao Yu’Er immediately replied, "You underestimate me, Grandmaster. I may not be as brilliant as Senior Sister Liu, nor do I come from as good a family, but I too understand righteousness and the importance of compassion."

’The grudge with her Senior Sister, Liu Ling, was still a sore point for her.’ "Given my current condition, it’s an immense blessing that you’re willing to grant me freedom, Grandmaster. I feel nothing but gratitude. I have absolutely no intention of escaping to wreak havoc, much less any resentment toward my master."

Yu Lian circled Zhao Yu’Er on a cloud. "Your master was also looking out for you," she said. "If you were to suddenly lose control and commit an irreversible massacre, you would have no path of retreat left for your future."

"Of course I know..."

Zhao Yu’Er replied in a low voice, then asked, "May I go see my master?"

Wang Ping shook his head. "Your master is in Death Seclusion, preparing to advance to the Second Realm. Also, your senior sister is cultivating the Essence Wood Technique and cannot be disturbed by the outside world. Don’t go looking for her on a whim."

Yu Lian chimed in, "Your master has taken on a new disciple."

...

Time flies in cultivation. Before they knew it, the fifth month had arrived.

Wang Ping had temporarily given up on repairing the Cang’an Spirit Body. Its Spirit Body’s Sea of Qi was clogged with Spirit Veins, and he lacked the cultivation needed to clear them all out.

「Mid-fifth month.」

Zi Luan arrived at Qianmu Temple. He had come to deliver Wang Ping’s share of the spoils from killing Yuan Hu: a Nine Revolutions Pill.

"This elixir is excellent, but its toxins are extremely potent. You can only take one every twenty years."

After handing the Nine Revolutions Pill to Wang Ping, Zi Luan added, "I made sure to get this Nine Revolutions Pill specifically for you. Take it when you’re fusing with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. It will not only strengthen your Primordial Spirit but also accelerate the fusion process."

"It’s that amazing?" Wang Ping asked, surprised.

"It really is. But the refining process is incredibly expensive, and the toxins are severe. I suggest you take it during the final moments of fusing with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman." Zi Luan cautioned, "I took it at the wrong time, and it nearly caused my own fusion to fail."

"Thank you for the warning!"

Wang Ping expressed his thanks. ’I really was tempted to take it soon,’ he thought. ’With turmoil on the horizon, a higher cultivation level would give me a better chance of protecting myself.’

After some pleasantries, the two chatted for a bit before Zi Luan took his leave.

Sensing Wang Ping’s mood, Yu Lian said, "Didn’t you say that Fellow Daoist Yuan Zheng promised to refine a batch of Nine Revolutions Pills for everyone who helped him after he ascends to the Third Realm? When that happens, you might be able to use those pills to fuse the Heaven-Reaching Talisman into your Primordial Spirit all at once."

Speak of the devil. Three days later, Wang Ping received a personal letter from Yuan Zheng Taoist, delivered by his disciple, Wu’an. Yuan Zheng was entering seclusion to once again attempt his breakthrough to the Third Realm!

「End of the month.」

Wang Ping suddenly received a stream of memories from Puppet Zi Hong in Shangjing City.

The memories recorded a scene of a rebel army causing an uprising in the southern part of Shangjing City. Although the rebellion was quickly suppressed with minimal damage to the city, the incident’s impact was enormous.

Not even Wang Ping had imagined a rebellion could occur in Shangjing City.

「One day later.」

Internal Affairs also sent back news of the rebellion in Shangjing City. Along with the report came a horrifyingly bloody scroll, which was brought before Wang Ping.

"It’s a sacrificial ritual the Court held on Beiyuan Road!"

The one who brought the scroll was an older Internal Affairs Disciple. Led by Zhao Wan, he presented it to Wang Ping. His voice was low as he spoke. "I was there, responsible for maintaining order in the perimeter..."

He trailed off, unable to go on.

Wang Ping gestured for Zhao Wan to release the scroll. Zhao Wan immediately complied. The moment he let go, Wood Spirit Qi unfurled the scroll completely.

It was a massive scroll, at least two zhang long by visual estimate.

The image on the scroll must have been manifested from the disciple’s memories, as it looked incredibly lifelike.

In the center of the scroll was an enormous high platform, surrounded by a densely packed, kneeling crowd. The crowd contained all sorts of people—farmers, artisans, merchants, students, officials, and scions of noble clans. At a glance, there were no fewer than a million of them.

Atop the platform were tens of thousands of Demon Race and human slaves awaiting sacrifice. Each of them wore a blissful expression, their minds seemingly lost in a trance.

And they weren’t the first batch of sacrifices.

The platform was already stained crimson with blood, and the altar at its center was piled high with gory heads. Countless corpses hung from massive timbers erected along the platform’s edge. Trickling blood flowed through channels carved at the base of the timbers, spreading out across the boundless wilderness to form a vast and magnificent Array.

The Array connected with a golden radiance visible to the naked eye, which rained down from the sky, creating a scene that was both magnificent and nauseating.

"Many of the Demon Race members who were sacrificed were skinned alive beforehand. I heard it was to inscribe an array beneath their skin to enhance their spiritual nature. But the ritual required living sacrifices, so the Court conscripted many Water and Wood Cultivators to keep them alive."

The Internal Affairs Disciple added in a low voice, "And to prevent any impurities, they were starved for three days. During that time, they were all forced to drink a hallucinogenic broth."

"At least they weren’t in pain when they died," Zhao Wan muttered, as if trying to comfort himself.

Wang Ping, however, recalled the intelligence from the gathering. ’This sacrificial ritual... it’s probably to replenish the lifespan His Majesty the Emperor lost. And I’m the one who caused him to lose it in the first place!’

"May the Saints be merciful."

Wang Ping closed his eyes and made a Taoist hand gesture. With a gentle wave of his hand, he rolled the scroll shut. At the same time, Zhao Wan and the other disciple felt an irresistible force strike them, sending them flying backward uncontrollably until they landed in the plaza outside the main hall.

After dismissing Zhao Wan and the disciple, Wang Ping sat on a stone bench and entered a deep meditative state, using his formidable will to suppress the agitation that had suddenly surfaced in his mind.