Daily life of a cultivation judge

Yang Qing smiled slightly as his gaze fell on the pure smiling Wen Yingjie and the saber with the polished black scabbard with gold clouds.

"I am glad you got something out of it. Yi Jie would be pleased too.." said Yang Qing.

Wen Yingjie felt slightly embarrassed by the compliment which left him awkwardly smiling while taking frequent sips in an effort to dispel it.

Seemingly remembering something, Wen Yingjie hurriedly took something out of his storage ring as he said,

"I almost forgot, this is yours, well Yi Jie's, please give him back for me when he comes out. I wanted to thank him in person, but could I entrust you in sending my gratitude, though I plan to tell him later? I still have that 6,000 high-grade spirit stones to pay after all.."

"That you do..." said Yang Qing before he and Wen Yingjie laughed as he put away the artifact Wen Yingjie had handed him.

The artifact was an octopus fashioned from a blue-black gemstone. It had three cyclone markings on its head that had ancient glyph markings on it. It was the artifact that contained the three hearts celestial octopus cultivation art.

"What do you plan on doing next?"

"I'll take a look at the listing of jobs that I can easily accomplish as I make my way toward the Falling Meteor blacksmith shop. I would like to keep the promise I made to Tan Delun to let his father, Tan Ping, see it, especially now that it has made slight improvements, as its creator, he should see it. Hopefully, by the time I reach there, he will be available, if he isn't, I can only postpone the matter to a later date..." Wen Yingjie said as he gently stroked the scabbard of the saber which seemed to let out a low hum to his touch.

Wen Yingjie smiled affectionately at the reaction, but a second later his expression turned somber.

"After that, I intend to work towards righting a few wrongs, removing some knots from my heart, and while I'm at it maybe I could visit my family. It's been too long since I spoke to them let alone see them. With the encumbrances in my mind lessened somewhat, I think it's time I see them.."

"Will you be settling back with them?" asked Yang Qing.

Wen Yingjie went silent for a few seconds as countless things flashed in his mind before he said,

"I am not quite sure..." he paused slightly before he shook his head before his eyes shone with faint clarity.

"I do know... I don't think I can settle back there quite yet. When I left, I hated being a rogue cultivator. Alone in the world, with enemies all around, and no one to rely on or trust. Feeling like an outcast everywhere you go... I had grown up in a close-knit family, where I was doted on not only by family but even by the greater populace of the Blue Oak Kingdom.

It took me quite a bit of time to truly adjust to my circumstances, but once I did, once I accepted it, it was like a whole new world was open to me. A world that only a rogue cultivator who accepted it would be able to see.

I love my family, I miss them, but I am not quite ready to lose that sight. I love my life as a rogue cultivator and I'd like to keep holding onto it and see where it leads.

I am only heading back to my family to reassure them that I am okay, and to settle some things so that my heart can truly be free. After that, there is a whole wide world out there waiting for me to see and experience.." said Wen Yingjie with a carefree smile.

"That's admirable of you.."

"No, it's nothing much.." Wen Yingjie said with an embarrassed smile.

"No, it is...I am even a little envious myself.." Yang Qing said as he gazed at the clear sky with a few clouds drifting across its vast expanse.

"In a different life, I would have liked to venture like you and unravel the mysteries of this world, but as things are it's slightly difficult for me to do so.." Yang Qing said as he stretched one of his hands to the sky.

"But who knows, in the near future, I may decide to step out into that vast world, fulfilling every curiosity I have under the sun.." added Yang Qing with a cheerful smile as he envisioned that life. When or if he reached the late stages of the domain realm, he would be emboldened enough to venture out without a fear of his life lingering in his mind. But for now, he could only vicariously realize his adventurous ambitions by reading the stories of others, or through treasure hunting at the cultivation markets.

"When that time comes, I would gladly serve as your guide.."

"Hahaha, thanks for that, though there is something you could help me with, if you don't mind.."

"Anything.." Wen Yingjie said with a fervent expression.

Yang Qing took out a jade slip from his storage ring which he handed to Wen Yingjie.

"In there, you'll find a list of ingredients, if you find any, I'd like you to buy it for me, you can use this.." Yang Qing said as he handed Wen Yingjie a storage ring.

"In there are 5,000 high-grade spirit stones..."

Wen Yingjie involuntary gulped as he took the ring. The amount in there was almost equivalent to the staggering debt he had, which even now, he wasn't sure how long it would take him to clear. He could only hope the jobs were as high paying as Yang Qing had mentioned during his case proceeding.

A moment earlier, when Yang Qing handed him the jade slip, he had wanted to say he would buy it for him from his pocket, after all, he owed them so much, but when he heard the amount mentioned by Yang Qing, he swallowed those words. Those ingredients were unlikely to be cheap, and other than his saber and the storage ring that had 23 low-grade spirit stones, 5 middle-grade spirit stones, his cultivation art, and a few sets of clothes, he had nothing else to his name. Luckily his years as a rogue cultivator had taught him to care little about his face. He would find another way to repay Yang Qing, for now, what he could do was to try and find as many ingredients as he could from the jade slip given.

Out of curiosity, he sent a sliver of his spiritual essence into the slip to read the contents. He had been curious about what ingredients someone from the Order would want when they could just get whatever they needed from the Order with its vast reach and wealth. In his mind, it had to be something unique.

His gaze soon turned into one of confusion. Yes, the ingredients listed were all valuable as he surmised, but when he read them, they weren't quite what he expected to find. At first, he couldn't make sense of what they were for, he assumed they were maybe for a potion or pill recipe or something, but the more ingredients he read, he discovered something, they were all known for their delectable tastes.

He couldn't help but look puzzlingly at Yang Qing in wonder if he had given him the wrong list, but when he saw that knowing smile on his face, he realized it wasn't wrong.

Wen Yingjie quickly composed himself as he said,

"I will endeavor to ensure I find every single item on the list.."

"There's no need for that.." Yang Qing said with a wry smile.

"Just keep an eye out, that will be enough. I have no hurry with it, you can take your time and it's okay if you don't find anything from the list. Your other matters such as the debt, seeing your family, or whatever loose ends you said you want to tie take precedence over it..." Yang Qing solemnly said.

"I will.." Wen Yingjie said as he noticed the seriousness in Yang Qing's tone.

"Here you can have this, think of it as your commission, and don't refuse, it's for your saber.." Yang Qing said as he tossed a milky white stone that was emitting a chilly air toward Wen Yingjie.

"It's a moon essence soul stone. Use it as a whetstone to strengthen the spirit of your saber. Especially immediately after it has passed the tribulation, the effects will be better then.."

"Judge Yang Qing, I don't know what to say.." said Wen Yingjie with complex emotions as he humbly held the stone with both his hands.

"Don't think too much about it, I am doing it for my benefit too.. Daoist Wen Yingjie, I wish you all the best in the endeavors to follow, may it be more than you imagine, and may the fortunes follow you.. Be safe, and be well.." Yang Qing said as he stood up and cupped his fists.

"Thank you, Judge Yang Qing, thank you to you all.." Wen Yingjie emotionally replied as he stood too and cupped his fists.

Yang Qing turned to leave but just as he was leaving, he seemed to have suddenly remembered something as he said,

"Daoist Wen, you have never taken commissions from the Order before, have you?"

"I have not.."

"Well, this applies only to rogue cultivators, but the agreed-

upon payment can be converted to merit points, which you can redeem for a lot of things within the Order, that only merit points can give, such as access to cultivation site for a set period, access to a cultivation art for a set period, and information among other things.

It could help you in whatever it is you're working on. Take care.." Yang Qing said as his silhouette disappeared from the area.

"I couldn't even sense him disappearing.." Wen Yingjie thought with a wry smile. Stepping into the quasi-palace realm, he felt fifty more times powerful than he was, but in front of Yang Qing's displays, he felt he was just as weak as he had been. He couldn't wait to step into the palace realm, but all that would have to wait as he had knots he needed to deal with, otherwise his odds of surviving the tribulation of the palace realm would be terribly low.

Wen Yingjie's eyes shone with firm resolve as he committed Yang Qing's words to heart. He already had a few ideas on what he could possibly use the merit points on, which would definitely increase his odds of success.

"Grey weasel, you will lead me to your nest.." he said as held tightly to his saber.

After a few minutes passed by, he too left the Green Landscape.