There is a progress bar in my cultivation of immortality

Wang Ping stared at the four characters "Tai Chu Bao Dian" on the plaque, a burning passion that even he himself did not notice flashing deep in his eyes. Then, under Yu Lian's gaze, he slowly raised his right hand and gently pressed it on the tightly closed palace door.

It felt warm and substantial to the touch. He didn't use any force; with just a slight thought, the abundant wood spirit energy within him flowed gently into the palace gate like a trickle, quietly resonating with the array runes inscribed on the four sides of the palace foundation.

"Om~"

A deep, resonant hum echoed from within the hall, as if a colossal beast that had slumbered for millennia was awakening. The heavy hall doors slid open silently, and as the airflow rushed in, Yu Lian on Wang Ping's shoulder involuntarily held her breath.

From the outside, the main hall appears to be a hundred feet tall, but inside it seems to be a world unto itself. The dome is high and far, seemingly connected to the transparent sky outside, directly reflecting the boundless starry sky. The True Fire Pearl of the Sun hangs high and shines down, illuminating every inch of the space inside the hall with crystal clarity, yet strangely carrying a sense of tranquility and solemnity.

The palace is made up of twelve pure white pillars of light, with endless spiritual energy flowing slowly within them. The floor is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the starry sky above the dome. Walking on it is like strolling in the center of the universe.

A wide imperial road stretched straight from the gate to the deepest part of the main hall. Wang Ping gazed at it for a long time before taking his first step.

His footsteps echoed crisply and lonely on the imperial path, sounding exceptionally clear in the vast and empty hall. As he moved forward step by step, his aura involuntarily began to rise. At this moment, his aura was no longer the peaceful one on Mount Jiuxuan, nor the coldness he displayed when facing the Dragon Lord, but rather a majestic presence that encompassed the four corners of the world.

At that moment, the starlight seemed to shine even brighter, and the distant nebulae seemed to be rotating as well. A sense of enlightenment, of being in control of the universe and looking down upon all living beings, rose in his heart.

From then on, the rise and fall of the starry sky and the fate of billions of living beings would depend on him alone.

This authority brings unparalleled majesty, but also a heavy responsibility, like a mountain pressing down on him. The threat of demonic cultivators from beyond the realm, potential internal hidden dangers, uncertainty about the path of cultivation, and the burden of maintaining order in the starry sky—all of these are things he must face and resolve in this position.

Nevertheless, his steps remained steady and firm, each step seemingly treading on the pulse of the starry sky, and the slight ripples in his eyes gradually subsided.

At the end of the imperial road is a nine-story platform made of jade, with a futon on top.

Wang Ping stepped onto the high platform and finally stopped in front of the prayer mat. He turned around and glanced at the empty hall, as if he could see the scene of immortals coming to pay homage to him in the future.

Yu Lian looked up at the sky reflecting the stars.

After a dozen or so breaths, Wang Ping gathered all his thoughts and slowly sat down.

"From this day forward, I shall be the Lord of the Heavenly Court of this starry sky!" Wang Ping's voice was very soft. He was responding to the stirrings deep within his heart and confirming what he was going to do in the future.

As soon as he finished speaking, he pointed and drew tens of thousands of 'military talismans' in the void. The moment the talismans were completed, they turned into countless golden light spots, like a cascading river of stars, sprinkling them across every corner of the heavenly palace.

The next moment, golden light condensed from the void on both sides of the 9,999 jade steps in front of them, transforming into golden-armored soldiers holding halberds, standing tall like sculptures, stretching from the palace gate all the way to the depths of the starry sky.

At the same time, golden-armored figures appeared one after another at every key point, including in front of the auxiliary halls, at the corners of the corridors, under the eaves, and even on the periphery of the Heavenly Palace.

Just then, Zi Luan's figure landed at the end of the jade steps. With Wang Ping's permission, he passed through the densely packed golden-armored guards, strode into the main hall, stopped in the middle of the imperial path, looked at Wang Ping sitting on the high platform, and said loudly, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Wang Ping looked at Zi Luan, his face expressionless, and said, "You did very well."

Zi Luan bowed deeply, his voice echoing in the empty palace: "I am honored by the Emperor's trust and have not failed in my mission."

Wang Ping, still looking at Zi Luan, continued, "Are there any specific titles or categories for the duties of the various palace officials?"

"It is about to be presented to the Emperor."

Zi Luan conjured a jade scroll in his hand; he was as reliable as ever.

Wang Ping reached out and gently probed, and the jade slip in Zi Luan's hand fell into his hand with a flow of wood spirit energy. He subconsciously examined the inside and outside of the jade slip before opening it to read.

Yu Lian also turned her gaze to the jade slip.

This jade slip has special spatial runes. It looks very small, but the content it records is incredibly vast.

In addition to the main hall, the Heavenly Palace built by Zi Luan also includes the 'Pavilion of Ten Thousand Laws' which establishes laws, the 'Heavenly Patrol Bureau' which manages punishments, the 'Creation Bureau' which houses standardized flying boats and magical artifacts for Qi cultivation, the 'Demon Subduing Hall' which unifies the planning of external wars, the 'Palace of Inquiry' which cultivates cultivators and continues the lineage of the Dao, and the Merit Academy which records merits and demerits and allocates resources.

"very good!"

Wang Ping was very satisfied. He even wanted to keep Zi Luan in the Heavenly Court as his deputy to oversee everything, but his cultivation level was too low. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Wang Ping gave up the idea.

“Your contribution will be the first record of the Merit Academy.” Wang Ping’s tone softened, but then he changed the subject and said, “You may step down now and summon all the fifth-realm cultivators of the Star God Alliance.”

"Yes!"

Without any hesitation, Zi Luan immediately retreated towards the palace gate.

As Zi Luan stepped out of the main hall, Yu Lian rose into the air and flew around the pillar of light in the hall. Meanwhile, a green light appeared around Wang Ping, and fine wood spirit runes were quickly imprinted on the palace floor, walls, pillar of light, and the sky.

He intends to refine this celestial palace, merging it with the Wood Spirit World and with all the spacetime passages in this starry sky.

In an instant, a deep green light enveloped the entire hall. The starlight on the floor, the array patterns on the walls, the spiritual energy within the pillars of light, and the starry sky reflected in the dome all established an unbreakable connection with Wang Ping's consciousness within this light.

Then, as Wang Ping's thoughts shifted again, a talisman condensed from pure wood spirit rules appeared at the core of the Heavenly Palace. The talisman transformed into a communication device connecting to the starry sky wood spirit rule network the moment it appeared, and then disappeared into the wood spirit energy.

Just then, Zang Yi, Yue Xi, Zhi Xin, and Pei Daoren received Wang Ping's decree and landed on the platform at the end of the palace steps. Under the watchful eyes of the layers of golden-armored guards on both sides, they ascended the steps.

Wang Ping shifted his gaze from the newly established communication device to Zang Yi and the other three. Then, he pointed his finger, and a spacetime tunnel appeared on the imperial path in the center of the hall.

Zang Yi, Yue Xi, Zhi Xin, and Pei Daoren emerged from the time-space passage and stood on the imperial road. Upon seeing Wang Ping on the high platform, they immediately bowed in respect.

Wang Ping's gaze swept over the four people, his voice carrying an undeniable authority that echoed throughout the hall: "Now that the Heavenly Court has been established, officials should be appointed to stabilize the universe and bring peace to the cosmos." He first looked at Zang Yi, the leader of the Star God Alliance:
"Zang Yi, you are upright and just, and you are strict in enforcing the law. I hereby appoint you as the Celestial Patrol Star Lord, in charge of the Celestial Patrol Office, to oversee the punishments of the Heavenly Court, and to investigate any illegal activities in the starry sky. I bestow upon you the 'Celestial Patrol Talisman,' which shall be as if I were personally present. All those who violate the Heavenly Rules, whether celestial or mortal, shall be punished according to the law!"

As Wang Ping finished speaking, an ordinary talisman flew from Wang Ping's fingertip and hovered in front of Zang Yi.

Zang Yi quickly accepted the talisman and bowed again.

Wang Ping's gaze had already fallen on Yue Xi, who possessed a cool and aloof demeanor.
"Yuexi, you are discerning in law and reason. I hereby bestow upon you the title of Wenhua Star Lord, to take charge of the Myriad Laws Pavilion, and to be responsible for revising the laws and regulations, deducing the laws, and passing on the wisdom of the Daoist tradition."

Upon hearing this, Yuexi was clearly taken aback for a moment before bowing to accept the order.

Then, Wang Ping looked at Zhi Xin, who seemed undecided:

"Zhixin, your mind is clear and insightful. I hereby appoint you as the Star Lord of Fortune and Deeds, in charge of the Merit and Virtue Academy, to record the merits and demerits of all the heavens, to determine rewards and punishments, and to allocate resources."

Upon hearing this, Zhi Xin's face immediately lit up with barely suppressed joy. As he managed to suppress his excitement and accept the order, Wang Ping looked at the last person, Pei Daoren, and said:
"Master Pei, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Lord of Myriad Phenomena, in charge of the Creation Bureau, to oversee the creation of all kinds of magical artifacts, flying boats, and war puppets, for the needs of the Heavenly Court's conquests and operations."

Pei Daoren was quite composed and accepted the order respectfully.

Wang Ping then looked at the four people and his voice echoed in the palace: "The Heavenly Court has just been established and there are many things to be done. Now that you have been appointed, you should each fulfill your responsibilities."

Before the four could respond, he turned to Yuexi and said, "Lord Wenhua, the Heavenly Court's laws are the foundation of our existence. We must quickly gather those familiar with the laws and ensure that the Heavenly Court's laws are perfected within ten years."

Yuexi held the jade slip and bowed deeply: "I will do my utmost to live up to the Emperor's trust."

Wang Ping nodded slightly and waved his sleeve lightly: "You all go and make improvements to the various departments and offices as soon as possible. Personnel from each department can be summoned by issuing orders in the name of their respective offices."

The four immediately took their leave.

Yu Lian then rose from the pillar of light beside her, shrank her body, landed on Wang Ping's shoulder, and raised her golden vertical pupils to look outside the gate.

Wang Ping was also watching outside the gate…

On the high platform outside the gate, under the watchful eyes of two golden-armored soldiers, the True Lords who had been conferred titles earlier had arrived. No one objected to him, including Di Wen and Ao Yi, who all behaved with exceptional obedience.

Standing at the forefront of the True Lords were Bai Yan, Xuan Qing, and Quan Xing. Below them were Di Wen, Ao Yi, Wang Qing, Rong Yang, and Xiao Shan. Eight of the nine True Lord positions were already filled. The last one was reserved by Wang Ping for Yu Lian, who was waiting for Yu Lian to advance to the fifth realm.

As Wang Ping observed them, he extended his left hand. Countless images of deduction appeared in his eyes. After more than ten breaths, he stopped the deductions and spoke:
"Come in, all of you."

Bai Yan, Xuan Qing, and Quan Xing, who were ahead, stepped into the Tai Chu Palace without hesitation. Di Wen, Ao Yi, and Wang Qing were a step behind. Xiao Shan and Rong Yang, who were at the back, exchanged a glance and saw expectation in each other's eyes.

Rong Yang was truly looking forward to it. Ever since Wang Ping advanced to the fifth realm, he had almost cut off contact with Wang Ping. Perhaps it was because the pollution in his body had not been completely cleansed. At this moment, his anticipation made his expression somewhat distorted. However, when he entered the main hall and saw Wang Ping sitting on the high platform, his thoughts paused for a moment.

It was an indescribable feeling, a feeling that even shielded him from the pollution within his body.

Not only him, but the other True Lords were the same. Each of the eight True Lords had cultivated for far longer than Wang Ping. At one time, Wang Ping was still a junior who needed to be mentored, or a potential opponent worth paying attention to.

At this moment, they walked on the imperial road that reflected the stars in the sky. Their steps seemed steady, but deep in their hearts, ripples were inevitable. It was a complex emotion of witnessing the changing times and feeling the capriciousness of fate. Their past glory and authority seemed to be temporarily sealed away with the soft sound of the palace doors closing behind them.

Wang Ping's gaze calmly swept over the eight True Lords who stepped into the main hall. With a slight thought, the spiritual energy on both sides of the imperial path naturally converged, and eight jade thrones constructed of pure spiritual light silently appeared.

At that moment, the eight True Lords arrived at the front of the platform. After a brief eye contact with Wang Ping, they bowed in unison and said:
"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The sound echoed through the empty palace, announcing the complete end of an old era and the beginning of a new era named "Heavenly Court".

The moment the eight True Lords bowed down, a divine palace behind Wang Ping suddenly solidified. This was not a manifestation of Wang Ping, but rather the will of the Heavenly Dao of the starry sky descending at that moment.

"Boom~"

An invisible roar resounded in the hearts of every living being. No matter where they were in the starry sky or how high or low their cultivation level was, all beings subconsciously looked up, as if some supreme being had officially returned to its rightful place.

Inside the Primordial Palace, the divine palace built of pure faith radiated an unprecedented light—a warm, vast, and all-encompassing golden glow.

The stars reflected on the ground twinkled wildly, as if in celebration; outside the dome, in the real starry sky, the stars simultaneously increased in brightness, their starlight like a waterfall, converging into a visible torrent that surged across the endless void into the Heavenly Court, into the Primordial Palace, and finally into the dazzling divine kingdom behind Wang Ping!

This is the gift of authority!
Wang Ping could clearly feel that his connection with this starry sky had reached an unprecedented level. Under the active blessing of the Heavenly Dao, his divine arts cultivation instantly transcended all accumulation and bottlenecks, reaching a state of perfection.

This is the tenth step in the cultivation of divine arts, connecting with the Heavenly Dao through divine arts. Wang Ping skipped the ninth step of cultivation and cultivated it to perfection!
A majestic aura, as if ruling over the starry sky, naturally emanated from him. He remained seated on the futon, yet seemed to have transformed into the starry sky itself.

The eight True Lords below, bathed in golden light, looked up at the divine pillar of light connecting the cosmos and starry sky. Their eyes were filled with confusion and shock, for they seemed to see that Wang Ping's consciousness was actually connected with the rules of the starry sky.

Wang Ping's perception was more direct. His perfect mastery of divine arts was a complete recognition of his status as the "Lord of the Heavenly Court" by the Heavenly Dao, which granted him corresponding supreme authority.

The most significant change was that he gained the qualification to confer divine positions in this starry sky. From then on, he no longer needed to rely on any external objects or special rituals. With just a thought, he could invoke the rules of heaven to condense divine positions for those who had contributed to the heavenly court and had virtue in the starry sky, and grant them true divine authority and positions.

This is tantamount to directly delegating some of the rules and authority of the starry sky, and the recipient will establish a deeper connection with it to jointly maintain the operation of this starry sky.

More importantly, his consciousness is immortal. As long as there are living beings in this starry sky reciting his name, and as long as there are incense offerings and prayers gathered in the Heavenly Court, his consciousness will have endless anchors and will never dissipate.

The crisis of the Wood Spirit's divine assimilation was finally fundamentally resolved at this moment, because his consciousness was now rooted in the entire starry sky, having gained the most stable foundation, and the possibility of assimilation was now extremely slim. (End of this chapter)