Your right about that. Nikki also should just dip the "free roam" aspect because it barely has any content written, and move meditation for cultivation in the stats screen instead.I wish nicky wrote in a linear form like Anon. Now there's a bunch of missing content mid story and the story doesn't go anywhere
Arena fights also should be part of the main plot instead of being optional since you have to climb to top ten anyway. From weakest to strongest it should be. To make it feel more suspenseful. There's no fun beating the top 20 when you already beat the top 1.
Advancement to Middle Houtian should also be a plot progress so that he could write scenes in a specific point of the story where other sect characters could actually noticed you did advance to Middle Houtian.
So many things Nikki is making it harder for himself for no reason. With minimal effect to make the story better. But the beauty of an WIP is it could change.