My Cultivation Has a Progress Bar-Chapter 38: Setting up the Array

Besides a Celestial and Earthly Treasure for each of its two array cores, the Yin Yang Body Refining Array also required nine hundred ninety-nine Yin-attribute Spiritual Objects and nine hundred ninety-nine Yang-attribute Spiritual Objects.

The Yin-attribute Spiritual Objects were a type of "water milk" aged for over ten years, provided by Gu Heng Taoist. Sanhe Temple happened to have a natural grotto where this "water milk" was most abundant. The Yang-attribute Spiritual Objects were Flame Soil, a kind of Spiritual Soil from near a volcano that had been nourished by fire-attribute Spiritual Qi for over a century.

Before these objects could be placed, Array Runes had to be inscribed on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Only Wang Ping could perform this step. The material used for the runes was common cinnabar, which maximized the transmission of Spiritual Qi and was also resistant to corrosion.

This step took half a month. As Wang Ping inscribed the Array Runes, the two elders watched from the side, pointing out any obvious issues. This was followed by another half a month of review and correction.

The second step was to place the Yin Yang Spiritual Objects upon the Array Runes. Gu Heng first took out a Feng Shui Disc to make calculations. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he partitioned the hall into two alternating spaces of light and dark. The next task was to place the two sets of nine hundred and ninety-nine Spiritual Objects in their designated locations.

Placing the Spiritual Objects required them to be interspersed, with Yin and Yang items alternating. This involved a great deal of running back and forth, as each Spiritual Object had a specific, corresponding Array Rune.

By the time half of the Spiritual Objects had been placed, two streams of energy could be clearly felt converging in the center of the loft. However, with no array cores in place, the gathered energy would quickly dissipate, only to reconverge and dissipate again in a continuous cycle.

"It’s the energies of Taiyin Netherworld and True Yang Fire Spirit combining..."

Gu Heng reached out and caught the coalescing energy from the center of the room in his hand. "I never expected that the Nine Heavens Magic of the Celestial Gate could merge with the Five Elements Orthodox Technique of the Mystic Sect."

"Heaven, Earth, the cosmos... all things are fundamentally one. What’s so strange about that?"

Yu Cheng Taoist did the same as Gu Heng, holding the coalescing energy in his hand to observe it. "This isn’t a fire spirit. It’s a false spirit from the Sun Sect. No, it must be a false spirit from the First Heaven... The Sun Sect’s Spiritual Power is oppressive, whereas only the Spiritual Power from the First Heaven is this alluring."

"Isn’t it all the same? It’s all the fine work of the True Yang Sect... What a pity. Such pure Secret Technique Energy, twisted into a wicked art by those lunatics." Gu Heng sighed. "What a complete waste!"

While Yu Cheng and Gu Heng studied the Array, Wang Ping’s hands never stopped moving. Six hours passed in the blink of an eye. When the final Spiritual Object was set in place, the energy gathered in the center of the room solidified into a tangible object that even a mortal could see.

Wang Ping summoned his holographic panel. The progress bar for the Body Refining Array’s Yin Yang Attribute was flickering erratically, one moment reading (0/100), the next (72/100). ’This must be because I haven’t placed the array cores yet,’ he thought.

"Master, Senior, the array cores can be placed now..."

"Then get to it. Do you need a hand?" Gu Heng Taoist asked.

"No need!"

Wang Ping walked to the center, taking out the ’Bone Stone’ in his left hand and the ’Fire Crystal’ in his right. He then flicked them out simultaneously toward their corresponding array cores on either side.

HUMMM.

Following a soft hum, the energy gathered at the center suddenly vanished.

The next moment, as Wang Ping stood in the middle of the Array, he felt a surge of energy descend from above and rise from below simultaneously. His entire body was wracked with a stinging pain, like being pricked by countless needles. It was a shallow pain, but it reminded him of some unpleasant memories from when he improved his root bone in Hu Mountain Country.

"It’s a success!" Wang Ping exclaimed in pleasant surprise as he walked out from the center of the Array.

"How incredible..."

Gu Heng Taoist reached out to feel the changes at the Array’s center. "However, it requires someone to guide the energy. Without guidance, this force could leave the person inside completely paralyzed. Moreover, only those at the peak of the Qi Cultivation realm can use it."

"Neither of those are problems!" Yu Cheng shook his head dismissively. "You and I have nothing better to do lately anyway. It’ll be simple to spend five or six years training a few Qi Cultivators who can guide the flow through the meridians."

Wang Ping glanced at the Yin Yang Attribute progress bar; it had now stabilized at (75/100). He then crouched down, looked at the Fire Crystal in the array core, and said, "A Fire Crystal like this can be used continuously for seven or eight years before it needs to be replaced."

"Also..."

Wang Ping ran his hand over the surface of an Array Rune, revealing a distinct layer of grime. "On the ceiling especially, a visible amount of filth has accumulated in just this short time. The impurities in the air are being drawn to it."

"We’ll need someone to clean this every day!"

"That’s simple enough..."

"Have the first batch of six people been chosen?" Gu Heng asked, looking at Yu Cheng Taoist. Wang Ping had already explained the root bone enhancement process to them: each person would need to use the array for two hours a day, and it would take two years to see any results.

"I’ve already selected the four from my side. I’ll have my four nominal disciples go first. They’re the only ones who have made any real progress in their Qi Cultivation."

"Excellent. I’ll head back and bring the other two candidates right away!"

Gu Heng laughed heartily as he walked toward the door. Just then, Yu Cheng Taoist instructed Wang Ping, "Go call Zhao Qing in. Let him be the first to experience the wonders of this Array."

...

Zhao Qing’s steps were unsteady as he walked into the loft, a sign of his nervous excitement. He walked respectfully to the center of the Array and bowed first to Yu Cheng Taoist. "Thank you, Master, for granting me this opportunity!"

Then, he gave Wang Ping a deep bow. "Thank you, Senior Brother, for making this possible!"

Wang Ping nodded and pointed to the center of the Array. "Go on in. Remember, no matter how much it hurts, do not move. You must endure for at least two hours, or it will all be for nothing."

Despite the warning, Zhao Qing let out a bloodcurdling scream of "AHHH!" the moment it began, and immediately started writhing on the ground. Wang Ping almost laughed out loud at the sight, reminded of the time Yuan Zheng Taoist had put him in the same predicament.

Of the two hours, Zhao Qing only managed to endure for the final quarter-hour. The rest of the time, he was grimacing and writhing in agony.

But the instant he stepped out of the Array’s center, Zhao Qing let out a long, relieved sigh, a look of pure bliss on his face. He then bowed once more to Yu Cheng Taoist and Wang Ping. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The second to enter was Wang Kang. Like Zhao Qing, he first bowed to his master and senior brother. And, just as inevitably, he let out a piercing scream and began rolling on the ground.

Unlike Zhao Qing, however, after only Half an Hour, Wang Kang was begging for mercy. "Master! Senior Brother! I give up! I don’t want to improve my root bone anymore!"

Yu Cheng Taoist’s brow furrowed slightly. "Are you sure you want to give up?" he asked.

"I give up! I can’t take it anymore!"

With a sigh, Wang Ping pulled Wang Kang out of the Array.

As the pain subsided, Wang Kang was overcome with shame. He lowered his head and whispered, "I’m sorry..."

"You’re not the one you should be apologizing to," Yu Cheng Taoist said coldly. "Go call your Junior Brother Lv Xin in."

"Yes, sir!" Wang Kang answered respectfully before fleeing the loft.

"I said it before. He was never going to pass this trial," Yu Cheng Taoist said quietly after Wang Kang had left.

"He had to be given a chance. If he couldn’t pass on his own, then there’s no one else to blame," Wang Ping replied, giving Yu Cheng Taoist a respectful bow.

"There are hundreds of millions of souls in Zhongzhou, so why are there only a few hundred thousand Qi Cultivators? This path is not one that just anyone can walk," Yu Cheng Taoist said with a sigh of his own.

Wang Ping said no more. He bowed to Yu Cheng Taoist one last time, then left the loft and returned to his small courtyard on the mountaintop to continue his Foundation Establishment.