Daily life of a cultivation judge

Imperial Secretary Jia Shun led them across different pathways before they finally stopped at a door that was made of drifting sunset oakwood that created a solemn atmosphere in the hallway.

The second stage palace realm guard that was standing guard at the door was the only identifier Yang Qing needed to know that they had arrived at their destination. That and the multiple wards and runes that covered the door and what was behind it, with some of them being wards that seemed to block a cultivator's spiritual sense from spying on what was inside.

Yang Qing felt like his spiritual sense was facing off against a deep muddy lake every time he tried to use his spiritual sense to see what was past the door.

The Imperial Secretary straightened his robes out of habit as he led Yang Qing, Luo Meili, and Su Jinjing into the room.

When they stepped in, they were greeted by a waft of gold orchid and spirit sandalwood essence which seemed to cleanse them of all their weariness.

The design of the room was worthy of a royal assembly hall. The flooring was made of star rainstones. At the same time, the walls to the side were decorated with silver silk thread tapestry that depicted the history and the progression of the kingdom at different periods while above them the ceiling had vivid paintings of the deer mountain kingdom surrounded by terrifying colossal spirit beasts, rain of meteors and lightning coming from above, wave of poisonous miasma on one side, and an engulfing flame and water tide in the other.

All around, the kingdom was surrounded by terrifying circumstances but within the kingdom, there were hundreds of thousands of dark silhouettes raising their weapons in valor and defiance.

The more Yang Qing looked at the painting, the more alive it felt. The silhouettes were no longer blurry indistinct figures that all looked similar to each other. Their distinction became more evident by the second. Their face, gender, down to who they were. Yang Qing could tell there was a butcher among them, a bread maker, a soldier, a scholar who just passed his official appointment exam, a general, a young husband who had just become a father, a young lady who had just been brewing potions and still had a ladle in her hand.

The painting grew more alive by the second. He could feel their breaths, their valiant roars that seemed to shake the soul. Yang Qing could even smell the blood from the blood-filled moat that was outside the walls of the kingdom.

"Such a skilled painter more than likely was an experienced blue-grade painter by the time they did this painting.." thought Yang Qing as he felt how distinctly alive the painting use.

Blue-grade painters could rouse the spirits of those who see their works and give life to their own, similar to how blue-grade blacksmiths created weapons that instantly gave rise to weapon spirits.

"My late great-grandfather drew that painting. He called it the bold wick that guides in a stormy night.."

A wisened gentle voice sounded as Yang Qing was admiring the painting.

"The name suits it perfectly.." Yang Qing said with a gentle smile as his gaze fell on the procession before him. His gaze centered on a middle-aged man with silver hair, a well-groomed beard, a handsome face that had a scholarly beauty to it, and eyes that hid deep wisdom and the vicissitudes of time. 

He wore a simple silver robe that matched his air, but even with the simple aura that enveloped him, he was like a blinding star to those around him. To his left and right he was surrounded by those with majestic presences but they seemed to dull next to him.

"Welcome Judge Yang Qing to our humble kingdom. We are honored to have you grace us with your presence.." the middle-aged man said as he offered Yang Qing a respectful daoist salute that one would give their peer. It was his respect and greeting to Yang Qing as a fellow palace realm expert.

Cultivation still held true regardless of the structures in place. A core formation emperor who lorded over millions would still have to lower their heads to a vagabond that was in the palace realm.

Everything stripped away, power was the one common demonitor throughout the continent and the world as a whole.

"The pleasure is all mine, King Zhou Luan.." Yang Qing said as he offered a daoist salute of his own to the middle-aged man who was the current king of the Deer Mountain Kingdom and a fourth-stage palace realm expert.

"I trust the journey over wasn't hard on you.." 

"It wasn't. Imperial Secretary Jia Shun ensured it was a pleasant journey. My colleagues and I were enamored with the beauty and richness of your kingdom.

The breadth of spirit contained within the walls of your kingdom is something of great admiration.." 

"I almost forgot these are my colleagues and friends, Luo Meili and Su Jinjing.." Yang Qing added.

"It's my deepest honor to meet you both.." said the king.

"The pleasure is all ours.." they replied.

Following the trend, the Imperial Secretary dutifully stepped in and introduced the people that were standing next to the king.

The procession was in the form of an upside-down 'U'. At the center was the king and his queen, three consorts, and his nine children.

The queen had radiant white hair and was the picture-perfect image of a cold jade beauty who despite the solitary aura she radiated most couldn't help but want to risk it and draw close to her. Her name was Huo Mei and she was a first-stage palace realm expert unlike the three consorts she wasn't from a noble family but rather someone who had risen as one of the generals of the kingdom. Her valiant aura that had been honed in her prior role remained to date.

The three consorts standing next to her despite not having a militaristic background didn't lose in looks or aura. The qualities of each one were just as distinctive as the queen's.

One of them had dark hair and she exuded the sophisticated air of nobility. Her presence incited respect, and calmness to all who saw her. One could easily mistake her as the leading authority figure of the kingdom just from presence alone. Her name was Zhang Cuifen and she was at the twelfth stage of the core formation realm.

The consort next to her was golden-haired and she radiated the aura like she was the burning sun. An aura of blinding vibrancy just like the sun. Her name was Chu Delun and just like the first consort she was at the peak stage of the core formation realm.

Ending the group of consorts was a young woman with purple hair. She had a still and gentle temperament that made her instantly amiable to all who saw her. One couldn't help but want to confide in her just from the calming presence she exuded. Her name was Song Yun and she was a ninth-stage core formation expert.

Both three consorts came from prestigious backgrounds. In the Deer Mountain Kingdom, there were several aristocratic families but five of them stood out from the rest in terms of power and prestige. 

The five families were; the Zhang family, the Chu family, the Song family, the Shi family, and finally the Meng family.

These were the five duke families of the kingdom, each owning territory that was as large as a small rank 4 kingdoms, each had palace realm experts at the helm and each of the families was one of the founding pillars of the Deer Mountain Kingdom, along with the royal family, the Zhou family.

From what Yang Qing knew, the current king had married one daughter from each of the families, but the consort from the Meng and Shi families seemed to be absent. Along with their absence, were three princes.

On record, the king had thirteen children, which was 8 sons and 5 daughters. He lost a daughter who was the twin to his current eldest son born of his queen.

The daughter joined a prominent rank 3 sword sect early on as she showed a talent for the sword at a very young age. She managed to rise the ranks of the sect to become a legacy disciple of the sect. However, an accident happened when she and a few members of the sect were exploring a mysterious realm. The realm collapsed because of an unstable node that broke down which ended up with the mysterious realm being shredded by void energy and spatial storms. All who were in at the time, died, which included the daughter of the king.

As for the remaining missing children, two princes died in the attack from the obsidian serpents, and the two deacons from the Blue Flame Soul Crow Syndicate, while the surviving prince was currently being healed at the Medical Valley of the Order.

Yang Qing guessed the missing consorts likely had a relationship with the deceased princes the injured prince.