My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar

Chapter 267: Chapter 2: The Approaching Daoist Scripture Hall Dharma Assembly

On the first day of the ninth lunar month, the morning wind was already a bit cold.

Wang Ping had finally completed the Wood Spirit Array required to fuse with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. The cost had exceeded one million taels, mainly because the Returning Spirit Powder used to inscribe the Array had to be ground entirely from Top-Grade Returning Spirit Ore.

Furthermore, Wang Ping had deliberately inscribed it on a disc crafted from Ten Thousand Year Spirit Wood, over two zhang in diameter. His goal was to refine it into a movable Magical Artifact, as he would not have much time to remain at the Dao Field on the mountain peak.

This morning, Wang Ping attempted the fusion for the first time. During the process, his human consciousness would grow dormant, as the Heaven-Reaching Talisman connected to a fundamentally inhuman power.

"Shall we go for a walk in the market down the mountain?" Yu Lian suggested, sensing that Wang Ping’s humanity was beginning to quiet.

"Sure!"

Wang Ping had just agreed when he sensed someone requesting an audience outside the garden gate.

It was Wu’an, the disciple of Yuan Zheng Taoist.

’I still owe him a Blessing Talisman embedded with a Luck-Borrowing Talisman!’

"Senior, this junior was recently studying the sect’s Elixir Recipes. While my Primordial Spirit was roaming, I had a sudden inspiration and successfully refined a cauldron of Lingyuan Pills. I’ve come specially to offer them to you."

’Wu’an is much more eloquent than his master.’

Wang Ping took the bottle curiously. Lingyuan Pills were valuable; a single one could sell for several thousand taels of silver. Taking them could activate the Spirit Veins within one’s body and was beneficial to both the Primordial Spirit and the soul. However, one could not take too many, and they were only meant to be consumed when the body’s Spirit Veins were dormant. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

This was the most difficult Elixir that a First Realm Cultivator of the Upper Dan Sect could possibly refine. Even ordinary Alchemists in the late Second Realm often failed, mainly due to the extremely strict fire control requirements.

"You’re very thoughtful."

Wang Ping used his Wood Spirit Qi to sense the Elixirs’ condition. ’Very ordinary Lingyuan Pills.’ He poured one out and tossed it to Yu Lian before swallowing one himself. The taste was cool and refreshing. As soon as it entered his stomach, it immediately fused with his Spirit Veins, causing the Spiritual Energy from the Inspiration Realm to continuously gather in his Qi Sea.

After eating hers, Yu Lian’s eyes sparkled. Her little tail was already reaching for the elixir bottle, her intention obvious. But Wang Ping said, "You can’t eat too many of these in one day."

"I’m not afraid, really! It can speed up the process of turning my body into a Spirit Body."

"Your cultivation isn’t high enough yet. Consider this part of your training." Wang Ping put the elixir bottle into his storage pouch, ’but I should buy some better Lingyuan Pills for Yu Lian to use.’

Their exchange took place in the Spirit Sea. Outwardly, Wang Ping maintained the solemn air of a senior. He looked at the hesitant Wu’an and took the initiative, "Did you come this time for our unfinished transaction?"

"I hope Senior will grant my request!" Wu’an said, cupping his fist and bowing.

"You’re being too formal. This is a fair transaction."

Wang Ping pointed a finger, and a specially prepared Blessing Talisman materialized, floating in front of Wu’an. Then, Wang Ping made a grasping motion in the air. The space around them suddenly darkened before returning to light. An invisible stream of Consciousness Energy flowed into the Blessing Talisman, which then shot into Wu’an’s body.

"This Talisman contains a sliver of my consciousness. With the boost from the Luck-Borrowing Talisman, as long as you maintain your current state of mind and have your master acting as your Guardian, you won’t perish completely even if your advancement fails."

Wang Ping instructed.

"Thank you, Senior!"

After expressing his gratitude, Wu’an respectfully withdrew from the garden.

Just as Yu Lian was about to speak, Tongyu Taoist suddenly emerged from the Purgatory Banner. He looked at Wang Ping and said, "That Lingyuan Pill... it seems to have given me a sense of smell."

"This?" Hearing this, Wang Ping confusedly took out a Lingyuan Pill.

"Yes!"

Tongyu Taoist nodded, then shook his head. "But I can’t absorb it. My current state is probably similar to a Spirit Body from the Inspiration Realm, except my memories aren’t scrambled. Of course, if it weren’t for you and Nether Water, I would have gone mad over these past two hundred years."

"Perhaps I could dig up the body of a slumbering Taiyin Cultivator for you. I could help you refine it into a Spirit Body, and then you might be able to enter a state of slumber again!"

Hearing this, Tongyu Taoist was silent for a long moment before saying, "There’s no need. I chose to slumber back then because my life was at its end. Now, I can quietly observe this beautiful world; there’s no need to pursue that illusory Dao anymore."

If he wanted to slumber again, he would have to compete for the position of a Lord. Without the proper arrangements, such a thing was nearly impossible.

"When you all advance to the Fourth Realm, you start slumbering from the Second Realm. So how do you scheme for a spot in the Third Realm and then the Fourth Realm?" Yu Lian asked directly.

"I don’t know either. In any case, my lifespan had already reached its end at the time." Tongyu Taoist seemed lost in a brief memory.

"From the looks of it, you succeeded in reaching the Third Realm. In that case, your physical body must have also been in a Spirit Body state back then. But there was never any news about that. Thinking about it now, someone must have taken it..."

Yu Lian continued her analysis, "A Spiritual Body is a great treasure. I really want to know who that person was!"

Hearing this, Tongyu Taoist froze on the spot. After more than ten breaths, he looked utterly dejected and dove back into the Purgatory Banner. Yu Lian widened her eyes at Wang Ping, as if to say, ’I wasn’t wrong, was I?’

Wang Ping simply said, "Do you still want to go down the mountain?"

"Yes!"

...

「The second day of the ninth lunar month.」

Early in the morning, Wang Ping once again attempted to fuse with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. It felt the same as the day before; it seemed he had gained something, yet it also felt as if he had gained nothing at all. The process allowed him to once more experience that mystical sensation of reaching for the heavens. But it also caused his emotions to be swept away by that same mystical, heaven-reaching power, making him lose his fundamental feelings for the world and everything in it.