Daily life of a cultivation judge



"Dai, what happened to the other tests?"

Yang Qing had just finished storing away the tea and wine pots and table that they had been using for the duration of the test when he saw Dai Chen store away the light blue rhombus-shaped talisman that had dense golden runes on it.

It was a special type of communication and recording talisman which only found its use in examinations.

With the talisman, the examiners could monitor different entrance tests that were undergoing in the same duration while also sharing information. 

The higher officials of the institute used these talismans to monitor the situation across all the tests while also giving their own special instructions should it be needed. One such instance was giving Yu Mei a direct entry into the Order the moment her physique showed.

"Among the blue tests, yours was the last to finish among the eight, and as far as results went, there weren't any surprise physiques like the ones here, but there were a few weapon senses showing up, and the completion rate was more or less the same as here.

The four gold tests are still ongoing. Like always, there are a lot of promising individuals in there showing their mettle despite how difficult those tests get.

The instructors really go all out with these things. Your fist intent trap with Huilang really falls short with how bad theirs is.."

When Dai Chen said this, Yang Qing, Kang Huilang, and Xia Boqin all smiled wryly with looks of fear on their faces.

"I still can't believe what they do counts as tests. It's like they wanted to have us killed in the most brutal way possible..." 

Xia Boqin took the last gulp of his wine as he said this.

"No matter what they say, I'm sure they were out to kill us.." Yang Qing grimly said.

"No doubt about it.." added Kang Huilang.

"We are lucky...They are getting more and more creative with it by the year..." said Dai Chen as he went on with his explanation.

"The tests are still ongoing and from what I've been told by one of the examiners, one of them is about two months away from completion. The others are working with the same timeline, just like they always did, except I see they are more generous with the rewards this time..."

Yang Qing and the rest grew curious when Dai Chen said this, more so Yang Qing who knew what a cold-blooded miser the Order was.

"What are they getting? Have they increased the merit points or something?" curiously asked Yang Qing.

"The merit points for first place have been increased from 30,000 to 50,000. In addition, they get two months in the cleansing five-element jade spirit pool, and a chance to pick one treasure in the open vault that is the equivalent of 10,000 high-grade spirit stones...."

"What?!!!" Yang Qing and Kang Huilang suddenly yelled.

"The most I can get from supervising and setting this examination is 15,000 merit points and maybe one treasure in the monarch grade...How are they earning more than me before they even start?

How bad is the test?"

With how generous the offers were, Yang Qing instantly assumed it was payment for the beating the participants were going to get during the exams.

Here soak in this top-tier jade pool that even rank 2 organizations would slaughter each other to the roots and stems for, and use it to wash away the mild trauma and broken bones, severed body parts, and the blood and tears you've lost.

Here grab these merit points to make up for whatever self-confidence of yours we have ruthlessly shattered.

Yang Qing had this nagging feeling that the first place would likely go for a defensive treasure.

The awards were just too generous to be used for a test. If he was given the same exact results, he would be over the moon, especially with the chance to get into the five-element jade spirit pool for two months.

The pool was a natural Dao treasure like a dragon spiritual vein. It was formed from the coalescing of five elements; water, wood, fire, earth, and metal which were blended together by the governing laws of the world to create a minimized pool that was no different than a half-formed liquid-shaped world.

The liquid formed within the five-element spirit jade pool was usable to all cultivators up to the peak of the domain realm.

Those in the body refining realm or without cultivation could cultivate in the pool and see drastic improvements within a month.

Even without doing the strenuous exercises required in the body refining stage and copious amounts of herbs, as long as one soaked in the pool for a month, they were guaranteed to reach the silver body in one shot and if they are in the silver body, achieving a gold body is within the realm of possibility. And if they are given two months, them reaching the gold body is all but guaranteed even without a guiding cultivation art.

Those with natural physiques also gain lots of benefits from the pool, especially when it comes to unlocking more of their physique and its attributes. The pool does a lot for those with natural physiques that are tied to the five elements. Mao Yunru with the purple mist body would benefit a lot from the pool.

For those in the qi refinement, they could have their meridians expanded, their qi purified and their bodies attuned to the five elements, especially ones they have a natural predisposition for. 

The list goes on up the cultivation realms. In Yang Qing's case, the pool had the dao charm of the five elements which would massively guide him in setting up his own palace realm foundations that required a firm understanding of the dao to grow.

However, for all its benefits, the five-element jade spirit pool wasn't renewable and was scarce in its supply. After every use, it needed a three-month rest period, and a lot of monarch-grade natural treasures rich in the five elements needed to be fed to the pool during that period so that the pool's origin isn't damaged from over-extended use.

In a year only four people could use the pool, and the method of choosing those who could do so was extremely stringent.