There is a progress bar in my cultivation of immortality

As Wang Ping looked at Bai Yan, the mysterious light around him quickly dissipated. Then, the towering Jianmu tree rooted in the void and the boundless greenery also receded like a tide, revealing the cold and distant stars.

Bai Yan didn't say much, but simply bowed respectfully.

Wang Ping returned the greeting with a smile, and with a gentle flick of his sleeve, ripples spread through the surrounding space. In the next instant, the two of them had returned to the summit of Mount Jiuxuan. A mountain breeze carried the fresh scent of spirit trees, and the sea of ​​clouds churned in the distance. The intense clash of laws in the starry sky just now seemed like a dream.

A jade chessboard had already been prepared under the spirit tree. Wang Ping and Bai Yan sat facing each other, silently playing chess. The chess pieces fell, making a crisp, soft sound, which seemed particularly ethereal in this tranquil mountaintop.

Liu Shuang and Hu Qianqian sat on the edge of the cliff. Their slender fingers plucked the strings of their zithers, and a clear and soothing melody flowed out, like a mountain spring, cleansing the mind and soul.

Yang Rong knelt quietly to the side, preparing tea with her delicate hands. Her movements were elegant and precise, and the aroma of the tea blended with the exotic fragrance of the spirit tree, creating a refreshing and delightful experience.

They didn't exchange many words; only the sounds of the zither, the aroma of tea, and the clinking of chess pieces intertwined with the natural breeze and cloud shadows of the mountains, creating a harmonious scene.

Bai Yan's cold and aloof features seemed to soften a bit in the sound of the zither, while Wang Ping's expression was serene, as if he had become one with the rhythm of the mountains, the trees, and the world.

Yulian perched lazily on Wang Ping's shoulder, flicking her tongue; the calico cat curled up among the roots of the spirit tree, its tail swaying gently; and the spirit dog lay quietly to one side.

At this moment, the threat of the Dragon Lord and the struggle for the Great Dao seem to have temporarily faded away. Only this moment of peace and harmony, like the most authentic appearance of a fairyland, interprets the rare tranquility on the path of cultivation.

The game was over, and who won or lost was no longer important. Bai Yan put down his last piece, raised his glass for a sip, and smiled at Wang Ping.

"Fellow Daoist, you have cultivated to the fifth realm in such a long time, and you still have disciples and grand-disciples by your side. I am truly envious." Bai Yan picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and glanced at Liu Shuang and the others.

"If it weren't for the Dragon Lord's relentless pressure, I would rather enjoy this family bliss in my own dojo than concern myself with any worldly affairs," Wang Ping replied with a smile.

"This starry sky cannot tolerate such thoughts from you, fellow Daoist," Bai Yan said with a smile.

“Cultivating immortality, those four words are truly…” Wang Ping shook his head halfway through his sentence, then changed the subject and said, “I have been thinking about how glorious the civilization must have been before the destruction of the universe. This thought makes me afraid to go out, yet I also long to go out.”

“Things will inevitably turn into their opposites when they reach their extremes. The destruction of the Great Universe Era was because it was too glorious. The rules of heaven and earth were divided into yin and yang from the day they were born. The extreme chaos of the Great Universe today will surely come to an end.” Bai Yan’s tone was certain and resolute.

Wang Ping acknowledged this point, and perhaps even some demonic cultivators from beyond the realm were waiting for this day to arrive, since extreme chaos would limit their cultivation.

"When I first began my cultivation, I merely envied others who could fly on the clouds. In less than sixty years, I achieved the ability to fly on the clouds, and then I entered the realm of cultivation. Under my master's expectant gaze, I advanced step by step to the third realm. But by the time I advanced to the fourth realm, my master had already left me. Now, I have attained the status of a True Monarch, and I look at this starry sky..."

Wang Ping shook his head again at this point and did not continue.

Bai Yan said, "You have proven that our future path may lie in the path of human cultivators. We were too conservative before. The consciousness of human cultivators can perfectly integrate the secret techniques of the demon race, the Xuanmen, and the Tianmen. Most demons will gradually lean towards bestiality when they reach the fourth realm, and will eventually be eliminated. My Tianmen, on the other hand, leans towards rationality, and the Xuanmen..."

He lowered his head to look at the teacup in his hand, his voice becoming somewhat ethereal, "The life of the Xuanmen should belong to the starry sky. Look at the various ecological zones under the starry sky now. If there were enough Xuanmen fifth realm, or even sixth realm, they might even be able to create the starry sky itself."

Yu Lian flicked her forked tongue and asked, "Are you telling a myth?"

In the mythological heritage of Tianmen, the Five Elements of Xuanmen created the starry sky and gave rise to countless creatures of the Five Elements.

Bai Yan did not respond. He met Wang Ping's gaze and said, "If you really want to go out, perhaps you can consider subduing Wu Nian instead of defeating him. He might become our vanguard in going out!"

Wang Ping and Bai Yan exchanged glances, remained silent for a moment, and then Wang Ping said, "I've also been considering this issue. Wu Nian is actually at his wit's end, but I estimate that he won't surrender so easily. He's probably waiting for both me and Long Jun to be severely injured."

Bai Yan nodded, "And this is very likely to happen."

Wang Ping remained silent. Some things are just like that; you know they will happen, but when faced with a choice, you will still choose them without hesitation.

Unless Wang Ping accepts Long Jun's proposal, he personally doesn't care, since he has Xing Hai to back him up. But if he really does this, Quan Xing, Zang Yi, and others gathered under his command will definitely have other ideas, which will undoubtedly be more troublesome, unless Wang Ping really intends to overturn everything and start over.

Wang Ping had considered this possibility before, but now that his cultivation has advanced further, he doesn't want to solve the problem in this way.

"The Dragon Lord's idea is for me to expend my cultivation to eliminate Wu Nian. We might as well try a different approach to solve this problem, which would also fulfill the Dragon Lord's wish."

Wang Ping said this.

Bai Yan replied, "You want to suppress Wu Nian directly?"

"Correct!"

Wang Ping answered affirmatively, then asked, "Do you think I can suppress it with my current cultivation level?"

After a few moments of silence, Bai Yan nodded and said, "The problem isn't too big, but the Dragon Lord will take the opportunity to make trouble. His purpose is very clear: to control this starry sky so that he won't have no way out after he goes out."

Wang Ping said with a smile, "He could have told me frankly that I wouldn't block his way out, just like Yuan Wu did."

Bai Yan looked at Wang Ping and said, "If you were in Long Jun's current position, would you entrust your escape route to someone else?"

Wang Ping maintained his smile and said, "Then let's wait for the Dragon Lord to make the first move."

“Yes, he might be more anxious than us because your cultivation is growing too fast.” Bai Yan laughed after saying this, and then added, “Xuan Qing is unlikely to take sides, and Lie Yang has been suppressed by you. As long as you remain invincible, we can talk.”

Wang Ping simply nodded upon hearing this. He was actually looking forward to the contest with the Dragon Lord, because he felt that the key to his breakthrough in cultivation lay in this future battle.

Bai Yan added, "Xuan Qing's neutrality will make him your intermediary in contacting the Dragon Lord."

"Then I will wait for Fellow Daoist Xuanqing's arrival."

As Wang Ping spoke, he waved his left hand, and the messy chessboard became clearly divided into black and white pieces. He then invited Bai Yan, "Fellow Daoist, let's play another game?"

"No."

Bai Yan waved his hand, indicating his dislike for chess, and after refusing, he took his leave.

Wang Ping didn't look at Bai Yan who had left. He simply leaned casually against the thick roots of the spirit tree, his gaze fixed on the surging sea of ​​clouds in the distance. His expression carried a sense of carefree ease and tranquility that came from experiencing countless things. With a wave of his hand, a warm jade cup fell into his palm. He poured himself a drink, looking relaxed and at ease.

Yu Lian slid off his shoulder and swam to Liu Shuang's side. With a flick of its tail, it manifested a shimmering emerald light, which was the talisman containing suppressing power. The talisman gently landed beside the table where Liu Shuang was playing the zither, its radiance subdued.

Liu Shuang's zither music continued, her fingertips trembled slightly, and her gaze briefly met Yu Lian's, everything unspoken.

A mountain breeze swept by, carrying the fragrance of distant grasses and trees, and also fluttering the clothes of the crowd. Wang Ping looked at Yang Rong and said, "Now that you have successfully advanced to the fourth realm, you have accomplished one task. In the future, do you plan to open your own sect or continue your cultivation within the Taiyan Sect?"

Yang Rong glanced at her master Liu Shuang and sensed the energy within the talisman. Her worries eased, and she heard Liu Shuang reply, "This disciple wishes to open a sect and take on disciples to carry on our lineage."

Wang Ping didn't comment much upon hearing this, only saying, "If you need anything, just come to Jupiter to get it."

"Thank you, Master!"

Yang Rong smiled broadly.

Wang Ping turned his gaze towards Liu Shuang. He had a lot to say to this apprentice, but the words caught in his throat as he sighed inwardly. Then, he transformed that sigh into a gentle praise:

"The sound of the zither reflects the heart; only with clarity can one reach far. You two sisters, now, when you pluck the strings, there is a touch more naturalness in your playing. Shuang'er's zither music is like a secluded spring in the mountains, with a resilient charm within its coolness; the gentle melody is like the warm sun in the forest, with a vibrant vitality hidden within its gentle warmth."

His gaze swept over his two beloved disciples, his eyes filled with satisfaction and a hint of barely perceptible pity. Finally, he said softly, "The path of cultivation is long. It is a blessing to have such refined pleasures to accompany you on your journey."

Upon hearing their master's evaluation, Liu Shuang and Hu Qianqian felt a warmth in their hearts, and their zither music became even more ethereal and harmonious, as if it had completely merged with the clouds and breeze atop Mount Jiuxuan.

At this moment, Wang Ping's other two disciples, Xuan Ling and Xia Wenyi, returned to pay their respects and greet Wang Ping, making Wang Ping even happier than before.

But this time was short-lived. Before long, Wang Ping had quietly put down the warm jade cup in his hand. The remaining steam from the tea in the cup swirled and disappeared without a trace when the mountain breeze swept by.

He didn't say much or make any obvious movements, but the gentle aura he exuded when he was with his disciples receded like a receding tide. The wind on the mountaintop seemed to sense something as well, and the rustling sound of the leaves of the spirit trees was even colder than before.

Yu Lian silently floated back down onto Wang Ping's shoulder. Liu Shuang and Hu Qianqian's zither music had stopped. Yang Rong, Xuan Ling, and Xia Wenyi all stood with their heads bowed, and the atmosphere quietly changed.

"The future situation is unpredictable, so you should go back and cultivate yourselves diligently."

Wang Ping waved to his disciples. Xia Wenyi and Xuan Ling bowed and took their leave immediately, followed by Liu Shuang, Hu Qianqian, and Yang Rong.

Once Mount Jiuxuan returned to quiet, Wang Ping said softly, "Time really flies."

Yu Lian replied, "It is indeed very fast."

After a sigh, Wang Ping quickly focused his mind, his gaze piercing through endless space and time, landing on the experimental ecological zones he had built near the star barrier.

Within the ecological zone, according to the rules he set before falling asleep, one puppet had already entered the realm with demonic energy. Wang Ping was overjoyed and immediately devoted part of his consciousness to this puppet to check its state of consciousness.

The first thing to check was the connection between his life and the rules of the starry sky. The rule network simulated by the 'Heavenly Talisman' was still intact, and his lifeline was also linked to the rule network, only a part of it was dragged down by the rules of destruction.

What Wang Ping needed to investigate next was the existence and connection between chaos and order. This was his ultimate goal in using puppets to cultivate the source of demonic energy. Only by clearly understanding the existence and connection between these two rules could he decide on his attitude towards dealing with extraterrestrial life forms in the future.

Wang Ping was now perceiving a completely different picture…

When the spiritual energy generated by the originally ordered Five Elements Yin and Yang energies exists independently, it is full of exclusive and intense vitality. They are extremely active, repelling each other yet forcibly aggregating, like boiling water, filled with unruly and unstable tension.

When a cultivator practices, they are actually constantly fighting against this natural spiritual disturbance with their own will. If they are not careful, they will get burned.

When the destructive demonic energy exists independently, it is like an unconscious, frenzied torrent, with only the instinct to devour, decompose, and return to nothingness. It is utter chaos and death, with no stability whatsoever.

However, when these two seemingly irreconcilable extreme forces were forced to intertwine within this experimental ecological zone, a miracle occurred.

The bright white, turbulent spiritual energy and the pitch-black, frenzied demonic energy intertwined and permeated each other like yin and yang fish. The spiritual energy tried to purify the demonic energy, while the demonic energy tried to erode the spiritual energy. In this endless struggle, an unexpected balance was born!
The turmoil of spiritual energy was neutralized by the coldness of demonic energy, releasing its internal frenzied tension and making it gentle and resilient; while the madness of demonic energy was also restrained by the order of spiritual energy, its endless destructive desires were confined within certain rules and became controllable.

The two energies did not perish in their confrontation; instead, they formed a dynamic and stable structure. They restrained and depended on each other, together constructing a foundation that was far more stable than when a single energy existed.

Although this was the truth that Wang Ping had already deduced, he still found it hard to accept when he observed the specific situation from two completely different perspectives.

After all, this would mean that Wu Nian's previous suggestion to guard the star barrier was very much in line with the needs of this starry sky, but Wang Ping did not want to take such a risk.

Wang Ping is now like a divine craftsman and an earthly writer, his heart filled with stubbornness, knowing the right path, yet resisting it with all his might.

Therefore, his consciousness remained inside the puppet's body, gazing at the scene depicting the truth of the universe for a long time. His heart was filled with turmoil, and the road ahead seemed clear, yet even more difficult.

"what happened to you?"

Yu Lian sensed Wang Ping's emotions and inquired about them in her spiritual sea.

Wang Ping told him the truth.

"Isn't this the conclusion we already reached?"

"Now I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Isn't this great? Isn't your plan to assimilate the universe using the rules of this starry sky?"

Yu Lian responded in this way.

Wang Ping said, "I'm just overcoming my aversion to the rules of destruction, and I'm also thinking about some issues."

Yu Lian gently patted Wang Ping's back with her little tail and spoke in human language: "It is normal for ordered beings to reject destruction, death, and madness. I also reject and loathe them. But in the future, order and destruction can coexist like the intermingling of yin and yang, rather than facing each other directly."

As she finished speaking, a colorful aura flashed across Jupiter's orbit.

Wang Ping immediately withdrew his consciousness from the puppet, looked up at outer space, and said, "Pretty fast!" (End of Chapter)