Daily life of a cultivation judge

" The reaction you had is something that I have seen in those who have activated antecedent atavism. Using abilities beyond their level, experiencing memory gaps, and passing out after.

In your case, considering you used abilities that were close to that of a soul formation expert, the effects would have been more severe than just sleeping for three days, if you did not have the object left to you by senior green cocoon to offset the cost of releasing such a technique.

However, even with the object's help, the side effects are still there, right?" asked Valley Master Fan Ru.

"Can you try to trigger your runes or produce the spring of resplendence dew.." she added.

Yang Qing nodded as he triggered the runes in his bone that were formed when he formed the yin-yang jade bones.

When he tried, he felt like his body was made of hot lead that evaporated all his energy and air. He felt faint, as for the runes, every time he triggered them, a golden white radiance, would appear on his skin, and any plant around would show unconcealed volatile excitement, like that of deep yearning.

However when he did so now, the light on his skin was faint, the aura of vitality that usually suffused from his body was light, and the excitement from the plants around, though it was there, it was mild.

Yang Qing barely sustained it for a few seconds before he was forced to cancel it out as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Yang Qing was startled though he already felt it when he woke up and knew his body was weak, he didn't expect it to be to this extent. He could activate the runes on his bones for three months straight before he felt overdrawn, but now he could barely last a few seconds.

"Qing'er don't push yourself.." his grandfather worryingly said.

"It's okay grandpa.." he replied with an assuring smile.

He then went on to produce the spring of resplendence dew. Outside it looked the same as it always was, except those who were familiar with the one he usually produced, like the three present, could tell it was different, even if it still had a dense life aura and healing properties, moreso the person himself.

"It's lacking an anchor, and that anchor is your physique.." said Ren Shu.

"When I gave you the Universal duality indulgent of the myriad worlds cultivation art, at the time I did so because I thought you would be able to push it to greater heights because of your physique that seemed to complement it perfectly, however, now, my thoughts have changed..." said Valley Master Fan Ru as the petals and the flames in her eyes swirled around.

"I think the art is the support in this role, to bring the best out of your yin yang peerless jade physique.." she added.

"So you think the physique was triggered because the fern was a threat to my life?" asked Yang Qing.

"But I was in a life-threatening situation a few days prior and there was no reaction..." he added, as he tried a few other spells to see if they were affected just like the spring of resplendent dew. They were.

"A lot of factors may have attributed to why it wasn't triggered back then but was triggered now, though if we focus purely on the threat factor, I heard you had a saint-grade treasure back then as opposed to now, there is also the fact that the fern was triggered prematurely by you, so there must have been something in you that attracted it, which caused a chain reaction with the self-defense mechanism of your physique triggering, or it may have triggered prior to the attack which was why the fern reacted prematurely.

Actually, this was one of the reasons I wanted to talk with you. I needed a step-by-step account of everything you did from the moment you stepped into the pavilion, up until the point when your memory stopped. Leave nothing out.

Maybe we might figure out something on the trigger.."

Yang Qin paused briefly before he closed his eyes and started recounting the events from that day. He left nothing out, including the whistles of victory he did, all the little tricks he engaged on the second floor to gain the awe-filled eyes of the Medicine Valley workers there.

When he finished, all four of them had looks on their faces like they had just realized something.

"Seniors, do you think me triggering my jade runes, and circulating the universal duality art, may have been the thing that triggered everything?" asked Yang Qing.

"I think there are chances it did.." answered Ren Shu before silence ensued as each fell to their thoughts.

"We can't unravel all this in a day, we still need to search and scan the whole valley and see if there are other hidden weapons like the fern, and as for researching the peerless jade physique or if circulating your art in conjunction with your jade runes could be some key, that would have to wait until you recover, which by my estimates should be in two months.

We can revisit the issue then, while Daoist Fen and the rest continue with the research.."

"We will.." Yang Fen answered with eagerness in his tone.

"Two months huh.." Yang Qing muttered as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Could I still come? I'd like to still continue working on the patients, partly to keep my word, but I also need it for now.." asked Yang Qing.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Ren Shu as he directed the question to the valley master.

"We already know what we are looking for and the areas we receive those from outside have already been screened by the special inquisitors along with a few members of the spirit council and we have already placed a few saint-grade treasures for detection.

If it's only the Harmony Well pavilion and the Rivers of Healing, there shouldn't be any risk as they've been screened already and improved on. 

Besides it might be good for him to improve his skills with the Universal Duality art, especially, without his physique giving him an added advantage.." said Valley Master Fan Ru after some thought.

"Okay...You heard her Yang Qing.."

"Thank you both for acquiescing to my selfish requests.." Yang Qing said as he bowed to them both.

The two smiled at each other as they smiled warmly at Yang Qing. In some sense, Yang Qing could be considered their half-disciple, a problematic one, but they cared deeply for him nonetheless.

"Now then, please see yourselves out, I have something to discuss with him.." Valley Master Fan Ru said as she threw Ren Shu an innocent smile.

Yang Qing instantly knew Ren Shu's fate was about to turn miserable so he pulled his grandfather along and flew out of the abode as fast as he could, throwing a sympathetic look towards Ren Shu.