Daily life of a cultivation judge

"You can.."

Yang Qing's soft reply was the tether that they needed as one by one, the outer sect disciples started moving.

Some walked by themselves while others sought additional strength by moving in groups as they excitedly talked amongst themselves.

"Shun Mei, will you head to the Three Wardens Mirrors Sect? I am thinking of going there. The sect master looked so powerful, I want to be powerful like her?"

"I think I will go to the Silver Rains Spear Sect, I have always felt I may have an affinity for the spear.."

"What affinity, you can barely hold up a ladle as it is. There's no need to pretend that you have some deep connection with the spear, you fell for their sect master, didn't you?"

"What do you know?"

"Why are you blushing then?"

"Luli, you, you.."

"Lei Chao, where are you headed?"

"I am thinking of going back home and stay with my parents. Being a farmer isn't that bad, and they must be getting on in their years, I doubt they'd be able to handle all that work.."

"I almost forgot you have been here for 12 years..."

"What about you?"

"I haven't thought about it yet. I don't have any family to go back to, and I know my talent well enough to know I can't get into any of the four organizations.."

"If you don't mind it, why don't you come with me? The land we own is huge, i doubt I'd be able to take care of it all by myself.."

"Really? You're sure it's okay.."

"It is, we survived this hell by looking out for each other. You're my brother in all but blood. I was hesitant to make the offer because I thought you might want to join some sect and continue cultivation.

Even in this place, despite the conditions you still managed to reach the sixth stage of the qi refinement realm despite being here for four years, which is a far cry from my pitiful accomplishments."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. It's only because you shared your resources with us that your cultivation stagnated and ours improved. We can never repay you for all you did for us senior brother, despite being strangers.

If the offer still stands, I would be honored to be a farmhand. Just pay me with decent food and wine.."

"Hahahaha, that is the one thing we have no shortage of. One of the elders there is known for his snow-berry potato wine..

But you're sure you don't want to try joining a sect, brother Xia Guo? With your talent, I'm sure you could get in.."

"The problem isn't with my talent, it's with my mind. With how close to shattering it is, I don't want to risk joining a sect with all those cracks there. 

For now, I think a slow life is the best thing for me.."

"Me too.."

"Oi Wen Zhi, are you not leaving?"

"Sorry brother Gong, I think I'll stay.."

"Why? Are you crazy?! Do you have a death wish?!"

"I am already under Senior Brother Nianzu's care. He said he has a way to ensure I become an inner core disciple by next year?"

"Nianzu, that demon in human skin? Wasn't Su Ning made the same promise, and where is he now, look at him!!! He is over there giggling at the Disintegrating sulfur desert laceflower. He was supposed to be an inner core disciple right about now, but look at his state?!"

"Brother Gong, I appreciate your concern, but it's my choice.."

"Leave him, Gong. We all know why he is making that choice. Best of luck Wen Zhi.."

"Thank you, Brother Qin Song, and best wishes to you and Brother Gong on the paths ahead. Maybe we can meet someday.."

"Maybe.."

"Sister Houli, are you not leaving?"

"I want to, but how do we know those sects out there are not the same as Striding Falcon Sect, if not worse?"

"The Order has given us their word.."

"But didn't the Striding Falcon Sect lure us with the same words too? I don't have anyone out there so if I leave I will have to join another sect to protect myself. 

If that is my only choice, I'd rather stay here, at least I already know what I will be getting here, rather than the unknown, and who knows with things out in the open, maybe things will get better.."

"Okay, if that's your choice. I'll head to the Order first and then decide where to go, though I do hope I can join the Spirit Fire Wellforging Pavilion and try my hand at talisman making an rune study.."

"You've always liked those things, I wish you success, and if you become some big-shot talisman maker, don't forget your senior sister here.

"I won't. Take care Senior Sister Houli.."

"Take care, Junior Sister Qing Ying.."

There were different reactions from the outer sect disciples. Some stayed, unable to overcome the fear, while others blazed on the path ahead of them, meanwhile, the core regions of the sect were filled with dreadful silence. There was no movement from the inner disciples or the elders who were there.

They seemed terrified to show their faces.

Meanwhile, the faces of the Chief Elder and the other elders turned grim and ashen. Yang Qing lifted the restrictions he had placed on their bodies when the outer sect disciples started to move.

After they were released none of them said anything as a couple of the elders fearfully stared at Yang Qing. As for the Chief Elder and the sect master, each was silent trying to hide their own thoughts on the mass exodus they were seeing.

"We will be keeping an eye on each and every one of them, just incase you decide to pay them a visit.." Yang Qing casually said as his gaze briefly fell on the Chief Elder, who flinched a bit before he straightened himself.

"What about the resources we spent on them. Whenever there's termination of a relationship between a disciple and their sect, they need to leave behind all that the sect has given them. Their cultivation was given to them by us, and the cultivation arts and resources we gave them, shouldn't they at least pay that back?" said Chief Elder Wei Shen.

Yang Qing made a point to isolate the area around them so the Chief Elder's question would not reach the outer sect disciples below or Ma Qi.

"Despicable to the end. It's my understanding that you never guided them on any cultivation arts and the ones you did even the barest of minimums they had to use merit points and the lesson itself was subpar and is liable to even injure them.

I won't even mention those putrid things you call cultivation pills and potions, or the cultivation arts. 

How thick-skinned can you be? But so you don't have any justification, here you can have this. One is a top-tier orange-grade cultivation art to pay for the one you exorbitantly charged your disciples to use, and the other is a middle-tier orange-grade cultivation art to pay for the red-grade arts you gave them.

Also, have these pills, so you know what true cultivation pills look like.." Yang Qing said as he tossed two scrolls and a ceramic jar.

"Keep the jar.." he added.

The two scrolls had silver wolf claw technique which was the top tier orange grade cultivation art, while the other contained the alabaster palm storm technique which was the middle tier orange grade art. As for the ceramic jar, it contained an assortment of earth-rank pills of the highest quality, and there were about a thousand of them, while the ceramic jar was an sky rank storage artifact that could preserve the efficacy of the pills.

"They owe you nothing now.." Yang Qing coldly said to the Chief Elder who swallowed his next words as he put away the items Yang Qing had thrown over.

"Senior Yen Xu could i trouble you to take them to the Green Sparrow Branch so that they can make the arrangements to transport them where they need to go.." Yang Qing gently asked.

"No problem.."

"Thank you.." Yang Qing said as he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ma Qi, you have your freedom. What are your plans?" asked Yang Qign as he turned to face the emotional Ma Qi whose eyes were in disbelief and lips were quivering.

"I think i'll go home first, then decide later.." he said with a cracked voice chalked with emotions.

"Well, i wish you all the best, Ma Qi.."

"Thank you, judge Yang Qing, thank you truly for everything.." he said as the dam broke in his eyes.

"It's nothing, you did well. You were brave Ma Qi, to the very end , you were brave. Be proud of that.." Yang Qing said as he patted his shoulders.

An instant later Ma Qi and the rest of the disciples who had made the choice to leave, disappeared much to the surprise of those looking.

Yang Qing's gaze lingered briefly on those who decided to say before he sighed as he said to Luo Meili,

"Let's leave.."