Chapter 646: Attempting Promotion

Chapter 646: Chapter 126: Attempting Promotion

The reason Wang Ping hadn’t considered this was because, subconsciously, he only viewed the attempt at ascension as a method to acquire Spiritual Material. The Spiritual Material, in turn, was just meant to increase his opportunities for a breakthrough. He had never truly intended to make a genuine attempt.

Besides, as Yu Lian had said, Wang Ping might have truly been under a lot of pressure lately, causing him to inevitably overlook things when he was thinking.

‘The cultivation of one’s own nature is truly a never-ending process!’

As Wang Ping reflected on this, he took out the Pocket World Mirror to halt the ascension attempt at the Jiangcun Dojo. He then transported the puppets to the depths of the pool in Sanhe Prefecture, planning to try the method Yu Lian had suggested.

The Qi Fortune Array deep within the pool at Sanhe Prefecture was nearly complete. However, since he planned to use it for an ascension attempt, he would also need to build a Refining Array for the Spiritual Material at the array’s core.

Wang Ping projected a portion of his consciousness to the location via the Pocket World Mirror. After two days and two nights of planning, he finalized a design.

Then, all he had to do was wait.

Before he knew it, another New Year had arrived, and the Mountain Peak Dojo was filled with a brief period of liveliness. Ruan Chunzi and Yuan Zheng came together to drink and chat with Wang Ping, while Hu Qianqian and Xia Wen Yi both brought their respective disciples to pay their respects.

Hu Qianqian’s new disciple was one of her own clansmen, a young Little White Fox named Hu Lin. A male, he seemed to dislike his human form. After bowing to Wang Ping, he reverted to his fox shape and lay down beside Hu Qianqian. His attention was soon captured by a Calico Cat that trotted over, and before long, the two were playing together.

“After this year, the Emperors of the various nations are to abdicate, and the Daoist Palace will officially assume its duties,” Xia Wen Yi said suddenly, broaching a serious topic while Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi were in the middle of their game.

Wang Ping, absorbed in the game, seemed not to have heard. Ruan Chunzi and Yuan Zheng merely glanced at Xia Wen Yi without responding.

CLACK.

Wang Ping placed a stone on the board. He accepted a cup of tea from Hu Qianqian, then turned his head. His eyes first fell on Yu Lian, who was leading the Calico Cat, the Fire Salamander, and Hu Lin in their games like a big sister. Only then did his gaze land on Xia Wen Yi. “You’ve been managing the sect’s affairs in the outer courtyards for the past few decades. You haven’t neglected your cultivation, have you?”

The question caught Xia Wen Yi off guard. He then replied, “Master, your disciple has never dared to neglect my cultivation. I practice every day during my scheduled sessions.”

Wang Ping nodded. “Handling the affairs of the outer courtyards is, in fact, a part of cultivation. Cultivation requires great perseverance, great wisdom, and great determination. It also requires you to maintain a balanced and centered mindset. In this, you should learn from your senior sister.”

As he finished speaking, he glanced at Hu Qianqian.

At his words, Hu Qianqian’s fluffy tail swayed gently, and her ears twitched. Meeting Xia Wen Yi’s gaze, she instinctively straightened her back, trying to emulate Liu Shuang and adopt the dignified air of a senior sister.

“Your disciple has learned his lesson.”

Xia Wen Yi lowered his head.

Yuan Zheng, sitting nearby, chuckled and said, “The world’s situation has long been decided. Qianmu Temple doesn’t need to be on the front lines of this struggle for the Divine Artifact. You should focus on your cultivation for now. Leave the external matters to the sect’s Qi Cultivators.”

Ruan Chunzi then placed a stone. He looked at Xia Wen Yi and said, “The grand tournament between the sects is this year, isn’t it? I believe it’s Qianmu Temple’s turn to host?”

“That’s right.”

Xia Wen Yi nodded.

Ruan Chunzi looked at Wang Ping. “I should probably take on a few more disciples as well.”

Hearing this, Yuan Zheng asked with a laugh, “You just want to expand the Fire Institute, don’t you?”

Wang Ping watched the two play off each other, a smile touching his lips. “The mountain range of Qianmu Temple should indeed be expanded,” he said. “It’s also time to adjust the layout of the five institutes. I’ll arrange for some puppets to handle the work, but all five institutes will have to chip in for the cost.”

While speaking, he looked at Xia Wen Yi. “Incorporate the northern forest into Qianmu Temple’s mountain range. Go discuss it with the disciples from the Earth Institute. If they can’t do it, then get the Earth Cave Sect to handle it.”

Expanding Qianmu Temple would be a major undertaking, as it involved modifying the Nine Extremes Array. However, Wang Ping now had more powerful puppets and could get it done in just over a month.

In truth, Wang Ping had also considered altering the feng shui of Qianmu Temple’s mountain range. As it was, the Wood Institute was almost directly exposed to the outside world. His plan was to use the techniques of Earth Vein Cultivators to move the Inner Sect of each institute to a more central location.

However, such a feat was certainly beyond the capabilities of an ordinary Earth Vein Cultivator. It would require at least several Third Realm Cultivators working together. Moving a mountain range involved not only the physical mountains but also the corresponding Earth Veins and Dark Rivers. A mistake could affect the entire landscape of mountains and lakes for thousands of kilometers around.

“There’s no need for all that trouble. Just a simple change to the Fire Institute’s layout will do,” Ruan Chunzi said, cutting off Xia Wen Yi before he could accept the task. He looked at Wang Ping seriously. “Everything else can wait until after you’ve successfully broken through, Fellow Daoist.”

Wang Ping met Ruan Chunzi’s gaze and nodded. “Very well.”

…

「One month after the New Year—the second day of the second month, year thirty-one of the Daoist Palace Calendar.」

The Qi Fortune Array and the Refining Array deep within the pool at Sanhe Prefecture were complete. First, Wang Ping mobilized the forces of the Sanhe Prefecture Daoist Palace to block any Cultivators at Entry-level Cultivation or higher from entering the depths of the pool. He also ordered the Cultivators of Sanhe Temple to guard all strategic locations and prevent any potential mishaps.

Once all preparations were in place, Wang Ping habitually cast a divination.

CRACK.

The divination blocks shattered in two the moment they hit the ground. As they broke, Wang Ping distinctly felt an invisible force descend upon him.

“Does this mean the future cannot be divined?” Yu Lian asked.

“That makes sense. If it were that easy to foresee, why would I be going through all this trouble?”

Wang Ping laughed good-naturedly, then quickly composed himself. First, he activated a Divine Technique Formation to maintain his rationality. Next, he manifested his Fantasy Divine Country and sat in its center. Finally, he brought out the Pocket World Mirror and projected the majority of his consciousness into the puppet.

This time, he would follow the puppet in real-time to observe the simulated data, personally experiencing the glimpse of opportunity at the moment of breakthrough.

Half an hour later, as the puppet began its simulation via the Qi Fortune Array, the portion of his consciousness within it immediately sent back countless visions of the future. But without exception, they were all painful, because every single one was a failure.

An unknown amount of time passed. After Wang Ping had glimpsed tens of thousands of possible futures, a glowing panel suddenly appeared:

[Success Rate for Inscribing the ‘Heaven-Covering Talisman’: (4/100)!]

When Wang Ping saw this number, he might have jumped up and laughed aloud if not for the rational suppression from the Divine Technique Formation.

He suppressed his inner joy and continued to observe both the simulated futures and the data on the glowing panel. Before he knew it, two months had passed.

In those two months, the success rate on the glowing panel peaked at (9/100). Furthermore, the simulated futures began to show repetitive results, and the simulation data itself had risen to (96/100).

‘In other words, the puppet’s highest chance of a successful breakthrough is less than ten percent. That makes sense. After all, it doesn’t even have a Spiritual Body, just a portion of my consciousness. If I were to withdraw that consciousness, the success rate would probably drop to a fraction of a percent!’

As Wang Ping mulled this over, he decided to make his attempt the next time the glowing panel showed a success rate of (9/100).

He waited for another half a month…

As the puppet acted on Wang Ping’s will, producing a blank Talisman and inscribing the ‘Heaven-Covering Talisman’ upon it, the puppet’s body and consciousness collapsed before Wang Ping could even react.

The next moment, an excruciating pain shot through the space between Wang Ping’s eyebrows…