Daily life of a cultivation judge

"I can't believe this is still the same place.." said Zhang Qingge as she looked around her.

"Will you put me down now.." she added in a slightly embarrassed tone.

"Sorry.." simultaneously answered Dai Chen and Yang Qing with awkward smiles as they put Zhang Qingge gently down.

"I wonder if Ma Yuan can do the same thing in my place.." Zhang Qingge said with an envious sigh as she saw the lushness and beauty of the landscape in Yang Qing's compound.

When she and Dai Chen visited a few days ago, they were just as surprised as Yang Qing was when he first laid his eyes on the work Ma Yuan had done to the place, and one could argue it was even more so for Dai Chen and Zhang Qingge who unlike Yang Qing did not have prior knowledge that Ma Yuan would be working on the compound.

"I could ask him for you. I am sure he would not mind and would be excited at the prospect even.." said Yang Qing.

"Really?!" Zhang Qingge said with an excited expression before she quickly deflated a moment later.

"But I don't have the funds.." she added in a low tone as she lowered her head in shame.

Yang Qing and Dai Chen couldn't help but exchange glances as they struggled to hold back their laughs.

Yang Qing looked at Dai Chen with a gaze that seemed to be asking,

"Was she fined again?"

While Dai Chen with an equally responsive gaze answered back,

"A couple of times.."

Yang Qing smiling said,

"You don't have to worry about the funds Qingge, besides I don't think Ma Yuan would agree to be paid for his work. I tried to, but he outrightly refused. Just provide him with the general idea of how you'd like your place to look like, a couple of seedlings and resources for your garden, and leave the rest to him..."

Yang Qing paused as he turned his gaze toward Ma Yuan who was not alone. His daughter Ma Ling was with him which left him too preoccupied to even notice their presence. He was excitedly walking Ma Ling around the garden showing her the different kinds of flowers, colorful spiritual plants, and the dazzling insects that were buzzing around.

Although he was slightly nervous as he showed her around, Yang Qing could tell he was more at ease with her here than he was at the Coalescing tranquility rivers of healing pavilion. He seemed freer here than there, and that atmosphere seemed to have affected Ma Ling who seemed slightly less distant than she was whenever he visited her.

Even though she wasn't speaking a lot whenever Ma Yuan was introducing the different plants, their effects, and how to properly nurture them while encouraging her to ask questions if she had any, even with her words being less, she was engaging with him much more freely, and it was evident to anyone who could see that learning about the plants seemed to excite her, in the same manner, Ma Yuan was excitedly talking about them.

Even with her memory loss, it couldn't be denied they were father and daughter. Ma Yuan a couple of times had to restrain his hands from reaching over to Ma Ling and cuddling her as he did when she was small. It was hard, but when he saw her unconcealed smile and interest as she looked at the plants with the same enthusiasm that she did whenever they were on the farm together as a child, his hands relaxed as he smiled dotingly with gratitude in his eyes for what he had now.

"For him, he has two pillars that keep him going to try and live, his daughter, and being a spiritual herb farmer, with the latter being the one constant that survived the seven-year hell he has been through. Asking him to work at your place is the best payment you can give him.." Yang Qing gently said.

"Mmh.." Zhang Qingge nodded as her sympathetic gaze fell on the two.

"She seems to be improving.." added Dai Chen.

"It's only to be expected since Tang Wen is the one handling her treatment.." answered Yang Qing as he made his way to where Ma Yuan and Ma Ling were.

Ma Yuan on sensing Yang Qing's presence, hurriedly turned around as he excitedly,

"Ma... i mean Yang Qing!!" Ma Yuan stopped himself from calling Master Yang Qing, with Yang Qing insisting on being called just Yang Qing.

"Ma Yuan, Ma Ling, how are you both? Seems you have made more improvements.." Yang Qing said with a smile as his gaze fell on the twilight sky locust sapling that Ma Yuan had been working tirelessly to prepare for planting. It was still a sapling reaching his calves, but with his sensitivity to the aura of life, Yang Qing could feel the vibrant life force growing within it, and the sensory messages it released revealing how content and satisfied it was.

Even those without the same attunement as Yang Qing toward nature could tell the twilight sky locust tree was as healthy as it could be with the dark blue leaves that twinkled with golden dots that made the leaves seem like it was the colorful sky above during night time colored with stars. Yang Qing could even feel one of its inherent qualities bubbling forth, which was promoting relaxation of the mind to those close to it, though because of its growth stage, it was restricted to within spitting distance of it. Even so, the fact that it exhibited such a quality in the early stages of its development was a testament to Ma Yuan's skills and tireless efforts toward nurturing it.

Ma Yuan smiled bashfully as he scratched the back of his head as he replied,

"It's only because of the nature of this place. In all my life I have never seen an area whose every component is this perfectly suited to the multitudinous growth of spiritual plants even including those with contrasting attributes to one another.

This place seems to universally support them all and even removes the need for using special solutions and materials to promote their growth. I doubt I'd be able to replicate what I've done here in another place with the same ease...."

"Don't sell yourself short Ma Yuan. It still takes considerable effort and vision to bring out the results you have brought forth in this place. Isn't that right, Ma Ling.." Yang Qing said with a smile trying to show Ma Yuan up.

Ma Yuan's demeanor instantly turned anxious and anticipatory as his gaze fell on his daughter who was slightly startled by Yang Qing's sudden question.

After a slight hesitation, while lowering her head, she answered,

"Mmh, it's beautiful.."