Daily life of a cultivation judge

It took close to an hour before they finally reached the boundaries of the Deer Mountain Kingdom. 

Yang Qing couldn't help but sigh at how enormous the kingdom was. It was one thing to hear that its territory rivaled that of a rank 2 kingdom or empire but it was another to experience it personally.

He would have taken the flight over as a pleasurable sight visit had he not known about the 13 perilous zones that were spread about in the territory.

That knowledge took away the thrill of appreciating the landscape of the Deer Mountain Kingdom. The forest was lush and numerous, the air was clean, the spiritual qi was dense, and the rivers and other water bodies spread vitality and freshness all throughout the territory while other areas had an ethereal mystical beauty to them.

However, neither Yang Qing nor the Imperial Secretary seemed in the mood to sightsee. Normally in such a scenario, the host would take the opportunity to show off the beauty of his kingdom, but immediately after they left the vicinity of the branch, both the Imperial Secretary and the Obisidian night flame osprey went on high alert. 

The imperial secretary took out a few artifacts which based on how they were used Yang Qing guessed were warning and defensive artifacts while the obsidian nightflame osprey covered them with its obsidian dark flames, isolating their presence.

Despite the measures they had taken, they both were as tense as they could be. A constant fear and alertness that something could ambush them at any moment.

They only relaxed after close to half an hour had passed and they were close to a mountain that was shaped in the image of a deer's antlers.

"We are almost there.." the Imperial Secretary said with an awkward smile because of the cautious display they had made on the way over.

Yang Qing didn't mind them taking longer as he had been an avid follower of an abundance of caution and entertaining paranoia no matter how absurd. You never know when it might just save your life.

When they were close to the peak of the antler-shaped mountain, the Imperial Secretary took out a purple silk jade which he poured his qi into it and triggered a reaction. The air around the peak of the mountain vibrated before countless runes glittered along with the appearance of a dome. 

The purple silk jade talisman created a cone-shaped covering over them that glittered with countless runes and then it smoothly faced through the dome without incident.

"This must be the rumored Juniper twilight sanctuary array. Truly seeing something is better than hearing.

The reputation does it no justice.." Yang Qing said as he sighed in admiration of the complexity and how alive the array before him felt.

Within the sphere of influence that the Deer Mountain Kingdom could control, rumor had it that within that territory lay a gold-grade array. 

The Deer Mountain Kingdom has been in existence for at least 50,000 years, which is considered a rather long time for a kingdom of its stature. When the kingdom was being established, it was rumored that it was founded on the ruins of some ancient empire that had long been destroyed by the ravages of time. 

That ancient empire was thought to have been as powerful as a rank 1 empire in its heyday. Though not much about it is known and its existence is only made true through rumors here and there, one of those rumors does lend credence that such an empire may have existed and that rumor was built on the bones of the Juniper twilight sanctuary array.

The array was rumored to be gold grade array and the Deer Mountain Kingdom used to cover important parts of their territory.

The Deer Mountain Kingdom was not known for its proficiency with arrays. Creating something that was able to cover multiple territories was considered to be out of their wheelhouse, but it was undeniable that they had an array that covered multiple territories in the name of Juniper twilight sanctuary array.

It was because of the presence of this array that the kingdom has been able to endure for so long in a place as terrifying as the Deer Mountain Range and even establish itself as one of its hegemons.

From the records Yang Qing read the kingdom was almost destroyed five times and the worst was when they faced a spirit beast stampede after their failed attempt at reclaiming the other territories within the range.

Over a dozen spirit beasts in the palace realm swarmed the kingdom along with thousands upon thousands of spirit beasts who were at the core formation realm. Half the kingdom got destroyed in the process while the other half held on thanks to the array.

However, though the kingdom survived, the array suffered extensive damage. When the kingdom unearthed it, it was rumored to be damaged already, and the recent stampede only added to it.

Even damaged, Yang Qing couldn't help but sigh at the majestic power it contained, and this was only at the periphery of the kingdom. Its power was bound to be multiple levels higher than what he felt from the protective ward before them.

"We are unworthy of it and only block its brilliance due to our inabilities. In the hands of others it may very well get the chance to show so Its true brilliance..." said the Imperial Secretary with a tone that was a mix of heartfelt awe and admiration with a mixture of regret and unwillingness.

Yang Qing could understand his sentiments. If the array operated at full capacity, they would have little to worry about as a gold-grade array operating at full capacity could defend against those in the domain realm. The kingdom would be a true sanctuary in this terrifying range. Its defense would be no worse than that of the branch.

...

"Well this is interesting.." muttered Yang Qing as he noticed peculiar reactions from the Imperial Secretary.

As they traversed over different territories that belonged to the different aristocratic families of the kingdom, he would have varying reactions though he tried to hide it well.

"The situation of the royal family must be worse than the reports suggested.." 

It wasn't long before the outline of the capital appeared in all its grandness and history.

The capital was surrounded by colossal walls that bore evidence of the struggle of the Deer Mountain Kingdom. There were mottled and cracked, signs of the countless wars it had endured, but despite how it looked, the wall and everything within it exuded an air of unyielding spirit and a crowning record that it defended all within it to the end.

The cracks let out an ephemeral golden glow like that of a dying flame but within it contained a grand essence of stability and indominability.

Once inside, Yang Qing and the rest could finally feel the vibrancy of a capital that has stood the test of time and has survived for 50,000 years.

Everything from the buildings down to the pathways exuded an air that had the richness of history weaved into it.

The buildings were mostly made of timeworn jadestone while the alleyways and the streets were paved with resilient petrified wood stones.

Whether it was the buildings or the pathways, they all had the markings of spirit beasts attacks weaved into the very fabric that they seemed indivisible from either the building or the pathways themselves.

The markings served as a silent witness to the enduring spirit of the capital. They told of the triumphs, trials, and tribulations of the Deer Mountain Kingdom over the past 50,000 years.

It wasn't just the buildings and pathways, the sides of the road, or In front of some of the buildings, there were human statues placed before them. Beneath each and every one of those statues was an epitaph that was emblazed with the tale of the person the statue was made of.

The epitaph depicted their heroic tales in the defense of the kingdom against invaders be it spirit beasts or humans.

Each of the statues was a hero, a citizen, one to whom the Deer Mountain Kingdom owed a huge debt of gratitude, because their actions either paved the way or were the last bastions who prevented the destruction of the kingdom.

Even as statues, their eyes still had the same heroic bearing that evoked a sense of awe, admiration, and respect to those who passed next to them.

Yang Qing could see from young to old, all show the same reverential look as they passed by the statues. The statues that still stood sentinel providing assurance and comfort to the residents of the capital.

Yang Qing couldn't help but admit the Deer Mountain Capital had the aura and majesty of a long lived kingdom.

The Red Maple Empire though was an Empire of the same rank as the Deer Mountain Kingdom, they lost in sheer presence. An award from time to those who have endured it.