Daily life of a cultivation judge



"The 13th one isn't technically a person, but it could be considered one since it's a remnant will that has latched on to someone. It's on that young lady's body. It was why she was able to mask herself so well, even hiding from Yu Long, Yu Hong, Dean Chu Zhen, Hall master Ling Meimei and Ren Shu," answered Hou Dehui as his five pupils danced around his star-shaped iris like they were swimming about. 

His gaze was focused on the same person Meng Chao had eyed moments before when he arrived.

"It seems I'm the loser in this one," said Ren Shu as he smiled bitterly.

"I think you did well, considering your strong suits lay elsewhere," said Yu Long in consolation.

"I'm surprised Lei Weiyuan you managed to keep up with Meng Chao and Shao An despite being only in the eighth stage while they're both half-step into the soul formation realm.

Hou Dehui competing with them despite being at the tenth stage is one thing, because of his Viridian void constellation physique, but Lei isn't your strong suit the sword dao? How did you manage to spot the 12th member?" asked Yu Hong, who felt bitter at missing the 12th mark despite being the vice coordinator of the roaming inquisitors of the domain courts. 

Roaming inquisitors were second only to the special inquisitors when it came to investigations and were usually a cut above the rest of the normal inquisitors. She couldn't help but feel she had let down her role as one of the top-most figures of the roaming inquisitors, by missing out on the 12th member.

"Well, I've been dealing with a troublesome underling for the past few years. I can't let down my guard around him for even a second, or who knows what things he may get away with within that timeframe. That experience made me sensitive to a lot of things, especially sneaky people," Lei Weiyuan calmly said as his gaze fell on a green-haired youth that had one of the most humble-smug smiles he had ever seen.

"Can't he be low-key for once in his life?" wondered Lei Weiyuan. 

…

When the attack cleared, the real body of the sect master of the Flying feather sword sect was revealed. It was a 30-year-old male with blood-red hair and at his waist were two swords sheathed in a dark red scabbard that looked like it was made of dried blood.

"How did you know?" asked the 30-year-old man as a despair-filled smile flashed on his face.

Yang Qing ignored the man's question for a brief moment as his gaze fell on the intricately carved fang amulet the man was wearing on his neck. It had terrifying undulations and seemed to be the source of the red smoke that swallowed his technique.

"What is that?" he wondered since it didn't feel like an artifact and felt more lifelike than anything.

"The core ingredients of that thing seem to be the claw, fang, and horn of an Aoyin coupled with the blood of a million cultivators that were all in the core formation realm. There is an intricate spell curved into the amulet that seemed to have 'fed' all that blood to the amulet. According to grade, one could think of it as saint grade artifact, however, I can detect a dormant real live spirit in there that was alive before the amulet was crafted," said Green Cocoon.

"It seems to match the sensation I got from that saber, albeit this one is over a thousand times stronger," muttered Yang Qing. His running thoughts along with his conversation with Green Cocoon didn't run more than 10 seconds.

"Before I answer, can I assume your name is Gui Shiren, Dong Yanlin's senior brother?" asked Yang Qing.

The pupils of the sect master of the Flying feather sword sect froze for a brief second before they went back to normal, but that brief pause was enough to give Yang Qing the confirmation he wanted.

"It looks like he fell into your hands. I wonder what else my junior brother told you?" asked Gui Shiren. With how things had developed he found it useless to deny anything, especially with his amulet's power already exposed along with his true look. 

Even though outwardly he looked calm, his heart was still racing when he remembered the sensation he got when the black hole swallowed him. He has gone through countless dangerous battles before but that attack felt especially different, like it was geared towards his very nature and its aim was to sentence him to the most agonizing pain he could imagine.

His amulet was triggered due to that threat and his fake body reverted to his true self reflexively from the bone-deep intrinsic fear he felt. Even though he seemed casual, he was dreading the fight that would come.

....

"Your junior brother was shy at first but once we got to talking and he got to know how amazing I am, he became an endless chatterbox. He offered to let me join your organization under your master, the seventh blood finger," said Yang Qing as he emphasized the last part.

"Yanlin is such a kind guy, we didn't know each other that well, but he even guaranteed to help me become a domain expert. Sadly I had to refuse him because I can't stand blood, but in exchange for the kindness he showed me, I sent him to some seniors of mine so his injuries could be taken care of while they had a little chat about his background and other things people discuss over tea and biscuits.

Rest assured your junior brother is alive and well, and living the best life here at the Order. I'd like to make the same offer to you, but it looks like you would refuse me, and you don't seem like a tea person either," said Yang Qing as he held his chin in thought.

"You're right, I'm not a tea person, I'm more of a blood wine person," Gui Shiren said as he unsheathed his swords.

"And from the look you're giving me, you don't seem like you wanted to invite me, you were rather hoping I'd decline, weren't you?" he added.

"The syndicate really has some talented people," muttered Yang Qing as his body got bathed in a dense white flame. 

"Don't die Shiren,"

Nature's wrath

The ground beneath Yang Qing caved into a crater as a white flame burst from beneath it like a geyser drowning everything within a 500-meter radius.

…

"Feng Lei has said we leave the young lady, along with those who easily revealed themselves during the attack. We are to apprehend the rest but it feels a little overkill to have nine domain experts attacking," said Meng Chao.

"I'll do it, I'm better at handling crowds than you all anyway," said Yu Long the vice dean of cultivation art history and dissection.