Daily life of a cultivation judge

Yang Qing couldn't help but sigh when he saw the shaking body of the Imperial Secretary. 

If anyone were to see this, no one would believe he was a palace realm cultivator, a cultivator considered to be a god among millions because of how majestic their abilities were.

"Please get up Imperial Secretary.." Yang Qing said as he helped the Imperial Secretary up.

As the Imperial Secretary raised his head, Yang Qing could see the anxiety and desperation within those eyes, he could even feel it within his body as he helped him up.

"Does the king know about this?" Yang Qing said as he refilled Imperial Secretary He Shan's cup.

"He doesn't, but I can't let him shoulder that burden alone. I am too incompetent to offer him any aid and this is the best that I can do..." said the Imperial Secretary with a tone that was filled with frustration and dejection.

"The king still has good people by his side.." thought Yang Qing as he saw the Imperial Secretary's look which was a mixture of sorrow and staunch determination.

Yang Qing intercrossed his fingers in deep contemplation on how to handle the situation. From the moment Imperial Secretary He Shan told him of the situation he already had a decision, the only thing that remained was the Order's stance on it.

After a brief pause, with a tense somber silence between the two, Yang Qing spoke up,

"Imperial Secretary, if it were me I would be willing to help you even right at this moment if possible.." said Yang Qing.

He wasn't blowing smoke, with the Improvements to his physique, Yang Qing had been looking for countless chances to see it in work and the situation of the king's grandfather would provide him the perfect opportunity to test it out. In addition, he had suspicions of his own he wanted to confirm, and his physique's innate attributes could help with that.

"But ultimately the decision doesn't fall on me, Imperial Secretary..." added Yang Qing which seemed to shatter the dimming light of hope in Imperial Secretary He Shan's eyes.

"Don't lose hope yet though. I will share my thoughts with my superiors which is we should step in, even if it's in an advisory way.

We can now only hope that my words hold sway with them.." gently said Yang Qing.

"You'll do that?!" excitedly said the Imperial Secretary.

Truth be told even as he was coming here he wasn't expecting much. He remembered when the King told him of his grandfather's situation, he absentmindedly suggested they ask Branch Chief Li Wan, Yang Qing's predecessor for help.

He assumed with how close they were he would help but the refuse sighed as he said it was impossible. Despite the friendship, the Order's stance took precedence over anything else, and the king knew well enough it would be difficult for them to act, which was why he never asked.

The Imperial Secretary would have kept silent about the situation had the news about the Blue Soul Flame Crow Syndicate, the loss of their guards, and the fire adler bear not reached the Kingdom.

With all this news combined with the tense situation with the nobles, he couldn't hold back anymore otherwise just as he told Yang Qing, the Deer Mountain Kingdom would likely fall to ruin.

His request was a last-ditch effort he didn't hold much hope for but Yang Qing's response even if wasn't an outright agreement, at least was something. It was more than what they had at the moment.

He hurriedly thanked Yang Qing with some relief and tonnes of excitement washing over his body with Yang Qing continuously emphasizing that this wasn't a guarantee that they would help.

He didn't care, as long as Yang Qing spoke on their behalf, it was more than enough and though cultivation wasn't his strongest suit and only made his achievements thanks to the King spending countless resources on him, he was good at reading people and extrapolating things.

With the catastrophe that happened to the previous branch members, whoever stepped in those shoes immediately had to be someone capable, someone the Order highly valued. Yang Qing being the one chosen for this job meant within the Order, he was highly thought of and his potential must be off the charts.

The Imperial Secretary could tell by bone age, that the youth before him really was a 20-year-old youth and not some old monster wearing a youthful face.

A 20-year-old palace realm cultivator whose foundations were even able to draw the ire of the Zhang family head, someone thought to be a genius of the current era of the Kingdom.

Imperial Secretary He Shan knew the Order was likely to have a lot of talents but even then, someone like Yang Qing couldn't be that many, at least he never felt the same presence he felt from Yang Qing as he did the previous branch chief, despite the previous branch chief having a higher cultivation base than Yang Qing.

Yang Qing saying he would speak up for them, more or less improved the odds of the Order helping them. He couldn't wait to share the news with the king.

However, he was immediately pulled out of his celebration by Yang Qing's words.

"From what you've told me, can the king really make it here safely without arousing suspicions?" asked Yang Qing.

The Fire Adler news had the same level of danger as the situation within the Kingdom, he was now contemplating switching his tactics and just giving Imperial Secretary He Shan the information.

However, he immediately shook his head as he needed to look both the king and the Zhang family head in the eye as he delivered the news and in his judgment, doing so at the Order would draw fewer eyes than if he visited the Deer Mountain Kingdom and met solely with those two.

"It will be difficult, but he said he will find a way, it's just that it will take a few days to execute it.." said the Imperial Secretary.

He couldn't hide the worry in his eyes, as he too was worried about this.

"Let's do this, let me ask someone, and if they agree to help, we can bring both of them here without anyone knowing.." said Yang Qing as he used a voiceless incantation to call Ye Xun and see if she was in the area.

She had mentioned the whole area was covered with her domain sense, so even if physically she wasn't around, her domain sense could inform her.

His guess proved to be correct as immediately after he heard Ye Xun's voice in his mind.

"What is it, Yang Qing?"

"Senior, sorry for interrupting you, but I need your help with something.."

Yang Qing went on and explained the situation of the Deer Mountain Kingdom as told by the Imperial Secretary along with what his request was.

He wanted her to bring the king and the Zhang family head covertly. With her speed and abilities, no one would be any wiser of their absence and he also could have her look at what exactly was the situation with the King's grandfather, without the awareness of the king, of course.

He felt odd making the request as she was his senior and a domain expert to boot, yet he was here making her do Ellie's job of transportation and an inquisitor's job despite her more than likely having her hands full with the kingdom-wide array being laid around the range and the matter concerning the middle-aged man from the other day.

Luckily for him, she didn't seem to mind as she readily agreed instantly appearing in the office startling Imperial Secretary He Shan.

Yang Qing made a shortened introduction which was she was a domain expert who would bring the king and the Zhang family here covertly without alerting the rest and take them right back after they were done, with none being the wiser.

The Imperial Secretary broke into another fit of endless gratitude which Ye Xun didn't seem to appreciate very much as she enveloped him with her domain sense without a word, disappearing from the study as she headed to the Kingdom.

"Is senior embarrassed by compliments?" wondered Yang Qing.

The answer to this could potentially alter his tact and how he dealt with her. With how many favors the taciturn senior had done for him thus far, he wanted to return it in some way.

Eventually, Yang Qing's thoughts drifted back to what Imperial Secretary He Shan had revealed.

"The flaring up, was it a coincidence, or was it because of something else?" he muttered as he leaned back on his seat with his gaze fixed on the ceiling and countless thoughts running through his mind.