Daily life of a cultivation judge-Chapter 1038: I should have known

Even though Yang Qing had expected the purple eagle to be a big shot—especially given how its voice had thrown his entire palace world into disarray—he was still taken aback by the reveal. Master of all Purple Guards since inception.

What kind of monster did she have to be to hold such a post—and continue to hold it to this day?

Yang Qing believed she must be a force beyond reason if she could still instill dread into someone like Wei Shen, a cultivator at the very cusp of breaking through to the soul formation realm.

The only comfort in this entire situation was that, at least, his earlier suspicions about her power level had been correct, which softened the blow of her identity. Now he had confirmation that the purple eagle was indeed a sentient being and, to add to it, that she was a she. A she he desperately hoped to avoid encountering again.

As curious as he was about her, Yang Qing knew better than to pry. Some things were best left unknown, especially when it involved monsters of her caliber. If fate or necessity demanded he learn more, then so be it—but for now, what little he knew was more than enough.

After a few minutes, both he and Wei Shen took time to settle their minds. Wei Shen did so instantly after a few sips of wine, but for Yang Qing, it took several rounds of meditation and two cups of wine before his hands stopped trembling. He had long since given up on slowing his heart rate; every time he felt any sense of calm, the purple eagle's voice echoed in his mind, causing his pulse to spike all over again.

...

"With my identity confirmed, we should move on to the next part. Are you well enough to take the test?" asked Wei Shen, his tone gentle and concerned.

"I'm okay," replied Yang Qing, putting on a brave front.

Wei Shen nodded and took out a crystal with a blue hue so vivid, it seemed like a fragment of the clear sky itself.

Yang Qing took a steadying breath as the crystal came into view. This was the heart clarity stone, a top-tier ascendant-grade natural Dao treasure.

Its purpose was to draw out the "impurities" of one's heart: internal turmoil, heart demons, and any festering struggles that might weaken one's spirit. The heart clarity stone was notorious for unearthing these disturbances by inducing vivid, often life-like illusions and sensations—and knowing it was an illusion beforehand did little to lessen its impact.

This was the lethal beauty of natural Dao treasures; they could effortlessly manipulate the laws of the world to achieve their purpose.

Once Yang Qing felt calm enough, he placed his hands on the crystal, causing several runes on its surface to light up. His eyes immediately shifted to a crystalline blue. In that moment, his sclera, iris, and pupils blended into one unblinking, glassy hue, giving him the look of a petrified statue.

For close to fifteen minutes, Yang Qing stood frozen with his hands on the stone, his gaze unmoving. Just as he neared the twenty-minute mark, the crystal began to shift. The blue hue within it changed, a milky swirl forming inside that gradually turned orange, with a faint red thread floating like a delicate strand within the cloud.

Yang Qing's body finally relaxed, and he began to blink, shaking off his trance-like state. He immediately looked down at the crystal in his hands.

"Figures," he muttered, a bitter smile tugging at his lips as he noted the red thread woven within the orange cloud.

"Everyone carries their own struggles, Judge Yang Qing. It is the burden of living, a weight we must all bear. If I were to take this test, I'd surely have more threads than you," said Wei Shen, offering Yang Qing a comforting smile.

"The key lies in acknowledging those threads, understanding their weight, and finding a way to bear them without letting them consume us. That is the proof of life."

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"Thank you, Senior Wei Shen," replied Yang Qing, returning the smile with gratitude.

During the heart clarity stone test, users faced countless illusions meant to awaken and intensify their heart demons, any lingering struggles, and unprocessed turmoils. The results would then manifest in the crystal: steadfast individuals turned the crystal orange, as Yang Qing had.

Those who failed, however, would see shades of red, deep red, or, in the most severe cases, black. Any of these colors would signify an unstable heart, barring the person from Sage Mountain.

As wondrous as Sage Mountain was, it could be perilous for anyone lacking a firm grasp over their heart.

Yang Qing's results confirmed he'd met the standard for admission. Although the red thread symbolized a lingering burden, it was light enough not to take root deeply.

Yang Qing knew the source of that red strand and felt confident it would vanish—or at least fade—once Ma Ling received a clean bill of health and Ma Yuan's training was complete.

"No problem," the Purple Guard replied, tucking the heart clarity stone back into his storage ring.

"Now that you've passed, we can head to the mountain. If there's anything you need to handle first, I can give you half an hour."

His gaze drifted momentarily to Zheng Hu, who still lay unconscious as his wounds slowly mended together under the assistance of the green flame tree.

"No, that's okay. Don't worry about him. We can leave anytime," said Yang Qing, a spark of excitement flashing across his face as he downed the last of his wine.

Just as he was about to put away his wine jar, Yang Qing hesitated, something crossing his mind.

"What about my cases?" he asked. Although he was eager to reach Sage Mountain, he was still technically on duty and didn't want to hand the Order any more reasons to penalize him. His last reprimand from Supervisor Lei Weiyuan before his promotion was punishment enough; he didn't want a repeat of events considering the baggage it brought him afterward.

"The Judicial Review Committee has already been informed, and your schedule adjusted. Any walk-in cases that arise over the next two days will be handled by someone else," Wei Shen assured him.

Yang Qing's shoulders relaxed before he froze, his eyes narrowing. "You said adjusted? So those two days I'll miss will be tacked onto my schedule later?"

"Yes, they will," Wei Shen replied, hesitating as he took in Yang Qing's crestfallen look.

"I should have known," Yang Qing muttered, inwardly lamenting the inevitability of his fate.

"Is everything okay? Are you still feeling any lingering effects from before?" Wei Shen asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"No, no, I'm fine. We can leave now, Senior, if that's alright with you," replied Yang Qing, visibly deflated.

Wei Shen nodded, casting a sympathetic glance at him, perhaps misinterpreting his change in demeanor.

"The Sage Mountain should help him mend whatever damage Master left behind," Wei Shen thought.

He rolled up his sleeve, revealing two purple feather tattoos on his forearm. Muttering a quick incantation, he activated them, the feathers lighting up with a dim purple glow that quickly enveloped both him and Yang Qing.

A moment later, they vanished from their spot and reappeared instantly at the foot of their destination: Sage Mountain.