My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar-Chapter 29: A Brief Rest

After Feng Miao finished talking about the human trafficking, Xia Yao remained silent for over ten breaths before finally speaking. "All the clues I have point to the Shu County Magistrate, Shen Dong, but Fellow Daoist Guangxuan said we can’t touch him... After this mountain search, he’s even getting promoted to Prefectural Magistrate!"

Feng Miao was unconcerned. She replied casually, "Then just let it go. We just need to focus on our own cultivation. The more we meddle in mortal trifles, the more vexed we become. When a Heart Demon eventually strikes, it’ll be extremely detrimental to our cultivation."

Xia Yao ignored Feng Miao and looked to Wang Ping. "Is this really how it has to be?"

Wang Ping was a bit surprised by Xia Yao’s reaction. He had always thought she was far more rational than Feng Miao, but now it seemed she was the more emotional of the two.

"From what standpoint are you considering this issue?" Wang Ping asked softly.

The question truly stumped Xia Yao. She closed her eyes to think in silence. Feng Miao also fell quiet, sitting down on the spot to meditate and recover her spiritual energy.

Wang Ping studied Xia Yao intently. At that moment, Yu Lian’s voice echoed in his Spirit Sea: ’She also cultivates the Divine Dao!’

’The Divine Dao?’

The Divine Dao... The Saint’s Dao cultivated by the Imperial Family.

’So that’s how it is!’

’In truth, the Saint’s Dao wasn’t the Divine Dao at all; it was merely a method the Imperial Family used to glamorize it.’

’A so-called Saint... was indeed perfectly suited to be an emperor or a king. But the moment a Saint accepted the throne, they were no longer a Saint.’

’It was a great contradiction, but that was the truth of it.’

Every time Wang Ping thought of the Divine Dao, records from the Daoist classics would flash through his mind, and he would always end with a self-deprecating smile.

’The Saint’s Dao is not something I can comprehend...’

Before long, Wang Ping also entered a meditative state to recover his spiritual energy. The tent fell quiet for a long time.

Late that night, Xia Yao awoke from her meditation. She let out a sigh, her usual coldness and tranquility returning as she whispered, "I still can’t find my standpoint."

Feng Miao’s eyes snapped open. Staring at Xia Yao in the darkness, she said, "If you ask me, you don’t need to agonize over it. If you really have a problem with that County Magistrate, I have at least ten ways to make him disappear without a trace. He’s not a good person anyway. Killing him would be doing the people a service!"

Wang Ping mentally applauded Feng Miao. ’Direct problems call for direct solutions.’ As for any karmic repercussions, there would likely be none, because they and the County Magistrate were people from two entirely different worlds.

Xia Yao nodded. "That is a good solution," she said, "but I want to understand what’s really going on with this particular chess piece."

"What other use could he have?"

"I don’t know either. Perhaps I’m just overthinking it, but I want to see how it plays out. Cultivation gets boring anyway, so let’s just treat it as a little game."

The trio’s brief conversation ended there, and they subsequently re-entered their meditative states.

「The next morning.」

As a gust of autumn wind swept into the tent, Guangxuan walked in.

Hearing the commotion, Wang Ping, Feng Miao, and Xia Yao awoke from their meditation. "The Little Demons on the periphery are almost all cleared out," Guangxuan announced. "Most of the demons have retreated deeper into the mountains. I estimate we’ll find their main lair within two days at most. Then, we’ll finally see just how much shady business is really going on in this forest."

Watching Guangxuan’s departing back, Wang Ping voiced a doubt that had been weighing on him. "With the power of the Daoist Scripture Hall, we could easily wipe out all the demons within the Xia Country’s borders. We could even sever the Spiritual Qi in the mountains to prevent them from reproducing. So why go through all this trouble?"

He had witnessed the power of the Secret Technique Cultivators above the clouds the day before, and this question had been nagging him ever since.

"You’re the sixth seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall and you don’t even know this?" Feng Miao couldn’t resist a jab.

"I’ve spent most of my time in ascetic cultivation back at the temple!"

"Heh..."

Feng Miao chuckled at Wang Ping again, but then she raised an eyebrow. "I don’t know either," she said, "but it’s not hard to guess. For instance, you and I could probably clear out all the demons in an entire region right now, but would you do it just because you had nothing better to do?"

Everything was easier to explain if you put yourself in their shoes.

But Wang Ping didn’t think it was that simple. Still, he didn’t dwell on it. The three resumed their meditation, waiting for the search party to return with good news.

「Noon the next day.」

Wang Ping reined in his accumulated killing intent, adjusted his state of mind, and stepped out of the tent. Outside, a strong sea breeze was blowing. The sky was dim and overcast, threatening a heavy downpour.

The Militia members who had remained at the camp were digging a temporary drainage ditch to deal with the inevitable flooding from the rainstorm.

Two days of logging had cleared a long road into the northern forest, and temporary watchtowers had been erected more than six miles out.

"Senior Brother!" Wang Kang approached, a female disciple in tow. His left arm was bandaged—an injury from the earlier battle.

"Are you all right?"

"I’m fine. It’s just a minor injury. It’ll heal up after I rest for a while. When we pass by Brother Su’s home on the way back, he’ll be green with envy."

’This kid hasn’t changed a bit.’ The battle had barely affected him. In his mind, fighting demons to the death was as natural as eating and drinking.

A smile touched Wang Ping’s face as he looked at his junior brother’s cheerful expression.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the female disciple beside his junior brother before shifting to a notice board that had just been erected in the center of the camp. He had seen a constable from the county posting something there earlier...

The notice board had been finished that morning. After the battle two days ago, part of the Militia had continued the search, while the rest had been busy expanding the camp. They were truly running the place as if it were a new village.

"Senior Brother, do you remember General Liu Yue? I told you about him years ago."

"I remember."

"According to a new notice, the Court has imprisoned General Liu Yue’s entire family—all one hundred and three of them—on charges of treason! I hear they’re set to be executed next month!"

"How is that possible?" Xia Yao’s voice drifted out from the tent, and she emerged a moment later, her face a mask of disbelief.

"It’s posted on the notice board!" Wang Kang said, pointing.

"On the third of last month, General Liu Yue received orders from the Ministry of War to lead an army of one hundred thousand on an expedition to the Northern Country! How could the Court possibly imprison his entire family for treason at a time like this!"

Xia Yao walked toward the notice board as she spoke.

Just then, a Qi Cultivator from Sanhe Temple, Longsword in hand, strode from the camp entrance to stand before Wang Ping. Cupping his fist, he said, "Daoist Changqing, the forward search party has discovered the demons’ gathering place. Martial Uncle Guangxuan sent me to lead you there."

Just as Wang Ping was about to reply, heavy footsteps sounded from behind him. It was Feng Miao. She pushed aside the tent flap and declared, "Then let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time here. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can head back!"

...

The downpour began Half an Hour after Wang Ping, Feng Miao, and Xia Yao entered the forest, but their pace did not slow.

「Two hours later.」

The sky had already grown dim. Wang Ping, his two companions, and their Qi Cultivator guide landed outside a temporary camp built deep in the forest.

Upon entering the camp, the first thing Wang Ping saw was Guangxuan distributing Elixirs under the hazy lamplight. Just as Wang Ping rose to approach him, Guangxuan noticed him as well. Their eyes met, and they began walking toward each other.

As they drew near, Guangxuan explained, "The demons’ gathering place should be on the peak just ahead. The locals call this place Red Mountain because in the autumn, the entire mountain turns a spectacular shade of red when seen from a distance."

"That would be from the redwood trees, right?"

"Correct."

"We’ve already scouted it. There aren’t many demons left in the lair. We’ve learned our lesson and plan to attack tonight, giving them no chance to catch their breath. As for any spoils, we’ll split them as agreed: Sanhe Temple takes seventy percent, and Qianmu Temple gets thirty. You three can also take your pick of some items."