Daily life of a cultivation judge

Chen Gutian's breathing grew fainter as his body seemed to be growing smaller as the muscles within his body rapidly shriveled. But even weakened he still remained standing his gaze trained on Chen Zholan with the same peaceful smile on his face.

"You seem happy?" asked Chen Zholan when he saw Chen Gutian's smile widen.

"I am..How can I not be? I faced off against the wall called talent and for the first time, I managed to measure up against it..." Chen Gutian weakly said as he laughed prompting him to cough up as he did so.

"But the greatest reason I am happy is I get to see Xue'er.." he added with a sense of peace and contentment in his tone.

Chen Zholan looked at him for some time as he saw Chen Xue appear next to Chen Gutian wearing the same smile Chen Gutian did.

With his eyes locked on Chen Xue, he couldn't help but let out a sigh, as the silhouette of that mature-looking Chen Xue overlapped with a ten-year-old Chen Xue that followed him around like his shadow.

"In the end, death cleanses all.." he muttered wistfully. The fear, self-loathing, and obsession that he had long made a permanent home in him had already vacated now that death's end was almost upon him.

He had barely mastered the four leaves into one technique, and to execute it he had to sacrifice something. He ended up shattering his core at the price. He no longer had his cultivation base. And for something that he had been obsessing with all his life to the point he manipulated and murdered for it, now that he lost it, he found it strange how calm and easygoing he was with its loss.

Chen Zholan let out another sigh as the silhouette of Chen Xue disappeared.

"When you see him, say hi to him for me. Tell him... I will be joining him soon enough. We can have a true spar then.." he said as he turned to face the weakened Chen Gutian whose eyes looked to be just at the cusp of dimming.

"I will.." Chen Gutian muttered as his hands let go of the sword he was holding while his body toppled forward. Chen Zholan stopped his fall as he caught him in the process and lay him gently on the floor, closing his eyes in the process.

After, he ended up sitting himself as he felt all strength leave his body, a consequence of his severely battered body and shattered core. He was prompted to look up when he saw a shadow over him.

"The blood debt duel of Chen Zholan against Chen Gutian is officially over with Chen Zholan as the winner.

The debt of the murder of Chen Xue is considered paid.." announced Yang Qing as he appeared next to Chen Zholan.

He pointed his index finger at Chen Zholan as a small green dew droplet filled with resplendent light was fired from his fingertip into Chen Zholan's body. Within moments all the injuries he had accrued were healed. Bones were reformed, muscles were sown back together, missing limbs reformed, and in just a few short seconds his body was unblemished and his aura stable, leaving Chen Zholan dumbfounded as he looked up at Yang Qing.

"You still have a sentence to serve. It would be careless of me if I let you die without serving it.." Yang Qing calmly said before he turned to face the rest of the spectating elders.

"With the duel officially over, your sentence begins. Senior Yu Gen, would you please?" Yang Qing said as he motioned for Yu Gen to have those elders transported to the requiem.

But before they could be taken away, one of the elders hesitantly spoke up,

"Could we say goodbye to him?"the elder said as he pointed to Chen Gutian's body.

Yang Qing nodded in agreement.

One by one the elders walked over to Chen Gutian's body bowing as they cupped their fists in respect until the last person was done after which Yu Gen left with them along with Chen Zholan who exchanged looks with Chen Zian as he was leaving, saying a word in the process.

"I am sorry, Clan Leader.."

"Do you regret it?" asked Chen Zian when they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Does it matter?" asked Chen Zholan as he walked away.

"Regret is a luxury for the living.." he added as he was teleported away by Yu Gen.

Chen Zian sighed at the response as he made his way to Chen Gutian's body to give his respects. He took a seat next to his body, taking out a jar of wine as he did so which he promptly began to drink out of.

"A toast to your glorious display, Uncle. Hope you can finally rest in the next life.." he said as he raised the jar of wine in toast.

Almost ten minutes passed by with him in that position with Yang Qing patiently waiting in the background. Once he was done, Yang Qing helped make arrangements to have Chen Gutian's body delivered to the Chen Clan estate.

Once everything was arranged, only then did he make his way back to the courtroom, finding Xia Ting, sipping on something in her bamboo cup. She had been absent at the duel as she was the one charged with transporting Song Ba to requiem for his sentence along with passing the information Song Ba had traded to the Shadow Hawks Division, on the location of the members of the Grim Scavengers, to verify the identities of those marked before the information is sent to the special inquisitors and the branch chief of the Yellow Plains Branch.

Yang Qing walked over to his podium and sat in silence soaking in the solemness of the courtroom. Chen Gutian's matter had left him out of sorts, but as someone who had experienced such things time and time again, he quickly readjusted just in time as Yu Gen brought over the defendants for the next case, which was the Zhang family.

Yang Qing could only cross his fingers that there were not any unwelcome surprises with them like it did with the Chen Clan's case. If he was being honest, one Chen Gutian was enough and he had just about had enough of his fill for the day, no matter how well readjusted he was.