Daily life of a cultivation judge

Chen Zholan stood there with the same dumbfounded expression Chen Gutian had been wearing all this time with Chen Zian showing the same look which quickly turned to shame and then anger.

He had seen and experienced his fair share of duplicity having done it himself a couple of times, even to fellow clan members no less. If it would help him ensure the stability and growth of the Chen Clan, there was no tool he would not use including the manipulation and exploitation of his fellow clan members.

As a result of the life he led, he had long grown accustomed to painting others with the same brush like how a cheater would automatically assume everyone around them cheats because they do it.

Chen Zian because of his duplicity, always looked at others through the same lens. He always assumed every single person he dealt with had a duplicitous side to them and therefore as a result he was always suspicious of almost everyone... Almost.

Even as a highly paranoid, highly suspicious person, there were a few that he let through. Those he deemed didn't need to be suspected, those he thought highly of and held great aspirations of. That list didn't have many people, just three in total. One of them was the previous clan master, the other was one of the three supreme elders, and the last one was Chen Zholan, his chosen successor.

With the way Chen Zholan carried himself, he was one of the few that Chen Zian held truly in high regard as he envisioned how the clan would flourish under his care. Chen Zholan had a decent cultivation aptitude, though it wasn't at the level of Chen Xue, it could be ranked high up there within the clan, with Chen Zian estimating it to be equal to his or even higher.

By his estimations even if the odds of him reaching the palace realm were slim, Chen Zian felt that given enough time he would reach the quasi-palace stage similar to the three supreme elders.

But what made Chen Zian appreciate him wasn't his talent, his talent was just a bonus. Those who made the best leaders didn't necessarily have to be the most powerful, yes strength was a pre-requisite, but it wasn't set in stone that they had to be the strongest, being among the top five was more than enough, but what was important for a leader, especially for a large clan like theirs was level of vision and adaptability, which was something Chen Zholan had in spades.

Chen Zian felt that the level would be sustained even if it didn't improve by much under Chen Zholan's stewardship. Longevity was all that mattered to him, and Chen Zholan was the right person for just that, and it was out of that admiration and expectation that Chen Zian gave him a lot of latitude within the sect, which was intentional on Chen Zian's part to help him spread his wings and exercise and develop his abilities in preparation before his ascension.

But the rope he gave him ended up being a noose tied around his neck. Chen Zholan dealing in pill slaves and human cauldrons, while it was bitter to swallow, Chen Zian was coming around to accepting it and filing it under a teachable moment.

But finding out that the person he had groomed for his post not only hired someone to kill one of the greatest hopes of the clan but had absolutely no regard for the clan and saw it as nothing more than a tool to further his own gains, that cut deep. To Chen Zian, nothing was more important to him than the clan, even his life, and to him, whatever means he used no matter how cold at times, it was always for the greater good of the clan.

That recording had given him a huge blow as his gaze fell on Chen Zholan feeling his rage boiling within him as he saw the frozen elder.

"I have truly failed the clan to have harbored a snake like you.." Chen Zian coldly said with every word laced with killing intent.

"Clan Leader, I.."

"There's no need for more words Chen Zholan,.." Chen Zian interrupted before suddenly moving to the center of the courtroom which startled Chen Zholan as he thought Chen Zian was coming to attack him.

"Judge Yang Qing, I wish to request the court of something?" said Chen Zian as he cupped his fists.

"What is it?"

"From what I know of the Cultivator Baseline Conduct Charter, for an irreconcilable feud, the Order can be requested to stand as a witness for a blood debt life and death duel.."

"We can.."

"I would like to issue a blood debt challenge to Chen Zholan on the basis that he had a fellow clan member murdered. I am within my rights to issue one both as the clan leader and also as a direct cousin to the deceased, Chen Xue.

My question is would I be allowed to? With the charges looming over Chen Zholan's head can a blood debt challenge still be issued to him, if it is, then I, Chen Zian, in my capacity as both leader of the Chen Clan and a direct blood relative, would like to issue a blood debt battle to the death against the perpetrator, Chen Zholan, with the Order serving as witness and officiator of the duel.." Chen Zian solemnly said.

"C..clan L.." Chen Zholan had just been about to speak when his entire body was forcibly restrained by Yang Qing using his spiritual qi.

"The court has heard your plea, Clan Leader Chen Zian, but I reserve judgment and will give my verdict on the matter at the end of the case, as I pass my sentence to the rest which should be after Owner Song Ba gives his testimony and the rest of the elders who want to speak on their defense.." Yang Qing paused as his gaze swept over said elders.

"Though I have to warn you that lying will add more to your punishment so please be conscious of that when the moment comes.."

The elders sensing the unveiled warning in Yang Qing's words all nodded their heads.

"Clan leader Chen Zian, please wait until then.." finished Yang Qing as he addressed the Chen Clan Leader who cupped his fists in gratitude as he moved back to his position.

"Owner Song Ba, I doubt the information about the murder of Chen Xue was the only information you had to trade, was it? If it was, then I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it will not be enough..."

"I understand Judge, and you're right, the information on Chen Xue wasn't what I was looking to trade. The information I wanted to trade for an easy death is this.."

Song Ba pulled his left thumb right off his hand, however, the blood that was expected to be seen when one tore off his thumb wasn't there, all that was there was a smooth stump like it had been molded from clay, as for the dismembered thumb, it transformed into a small scroll.

"Gold earth genesis art.. an interesting art.." muttered Yang Qing as he saw the transformation.

The art was a low-tier blue-grade art, however, in terms of attack, it was weaker than even middle-tier orange-grade art. The art's true strength was as a utility art. The user could transform different parts of their body into artifacts by combining them with certain treasures.

For example, one could have a part of their skull bone mixed with serenity cloud pearls and have their soul and mind refreshed constantly by the pearl. Because of the art's influence, no one would be none the wiser that serenity cloud pearls are embedded into that cultivator's skull.

A cultivator's entire body would be a mix of different types of artifacts. The gold earth genesis art was an art that required considerable wealth to cultivate. What it lacked in firepower, it more than made up for in terms of versatility and potentially the survivability of the cultivator.

One could hide things within their body and others would never know, like the scroll that was reproduced from Song Ba's thumb.

Song Ba opened up the scroll, which was blank, but from the fluctuations released from the scroll, Yang Qing could tell there was more to the scroll than met the eye, especially from the well-hidden concealment arrays, self-destruct arrays, illusory, and about a dozen other arrays and seals that were beautifully hidden and crafted within the scroll.

Song Ba bit his left thumb, producing a gold-red blood drop which though was tiny produced as much energy as a thousand volcanic mountains, as it leaked out with a dense aura of life.

Song Ba's face paled instantly the moment the droplet was formed, as his forehead instantly produced buckets of sweat with his breathing getting labored as he did so.

His weakened state was understandable. The droplet he produced was the heart blood essence, which was the manifestation of his entire essence in the form of a drop.

Song Ba poured the droplet onto the scroll as he formed a seal with his hand which triggered a reaction from both the droplet and the scroll, as the scroll lit up and produced what looked to be the layout of a vivid lifelike map, while the droplet split into tiny droplets, about a hundred of them and spread out all over the map.

When he was done, with labored breathing, Song Ba out of habit reached out for his storage ring to get some vitality nourishing pills,only to find it wasn't there having been confiscated by the Order before he was taken to the courtroom. Just as he was wondering what to do about the dizziness and the weakness that was heavily assaulting his body, he felt a gentle cool nurturing force enter his body, and his weakness and dizziness disappeared in an instant.

The force seemed to have even restored the heartblood essence he had expended. Just as he was absorbed in shock at the change happening in his body, Yang Qing's voice trailed over.

"So what are we looking at here?" Yang Qing said as he pointed at the map.

Song Ba bowed in gratitude for Yang Qing's assistance first before he answered, with some hesitation, albeit.

"If the information proves worthwhile, I hope the Order, doesn't use what I am about to share to cancel the agreed-upon deal.."

"If it proves valuable, the deal will be upheld, but... if what you're about to share shows you actively participating in a mass massacre of people in the upwards of tens of thousands, then I'm afraid, you will have to pay the penalties for that, no matter what you share.."

Song Ba heaved a sigh of relief at Yang Qing's response as he quickly moved to point at the hundreds of droplets.

"Each place these droplets are represents the location of a member of the Blood Scavengers and no, I am not one of them, but they were the ones who gave me the art that I used to grow the herbs and make potions using pill slaves and human cauldrons, in exchange, I provided them the potions I brewed using those herbs.

I marked those potions using a secret art that would place a tracker on the target's soul once they consumed that potion. The tracker has an active shelf period. It would disappear after three months and the only way to keep it active is if that same person consumes the potion.

As it stands, I am not sure, if my potions have been consumed by the same person, or its different people, but what I am certain of is every single representation here is from the Grim blood scavengers or someone affiliated with them. Their locations will remain active for 79 days.

Is this enough for a trade?"