Daily life of a cultivation judge

Even though it was just a few steps away from the staircase, the journey to their table almost seemed like they had taken a one-kilometer trek, with the couple slowly holding the siblings afraid that they would trip and break every bone in their bodies while the siblings on their part, they paused with every step as they surveyed their surroundings with excessive scrutiny, unhinged and on guard towards everything.

Yang Qing seeing their reactions felt an odd sense of comfort well up within him as he remembered how unnerved he had been in the weeks that proceeded his entrance test. The wind, a fly on the wall, a sudden laugh, a low or high tone voice, everything would make him jump as he half expected something to jump out at him.

Seeing someone else go through the same motions made him feel that all was right with the world. Fairness was really an understated virtue at times and it was one of the few things he rather appreciated about the Order. When it came to giving out torment, they ensured all the students got equal amounts, with none missing out.

"Sorry, Zou Yi, Zou Liqin, but this will be the new normal for you for the next four years.." thought Yang Qing as they finally reached their table.

The couple sandwiched the siblings in between their seats as they hung at the sides. Yang Qing had offered to get them extra seats but they refused.

They looked worriedly at the siblings who seemed to be regaining some clarity in their eyes as they finally stopped frantically scanning their surroundings long enough to notice where they were.

"B..brother Yang Qing?" asked Zou Yi doubtfully as he saw Yang Qing seated across from him.

"Liqin, you're seeing him too aren't you?" he warily asked as he stretched his hand to touch his sister's maybe out of fear, or to confirm he wasn't hallucinating.

Zou Liqin nodded her head with the same doubtful expression with countless emotions flashing in her eyes. She was afraid, expectant, and doubtful as she looked at Yang Qing.

A few seconds passed by with the siblings warily staring at Yang Qing. The Wang couple wanted to speak a few times and make their presence known, but they seemed to be plagued with the same hesitation and wariness the siblings had. Only Yang Qing seemed at ease amongst them.

"You've grown..." Yang Qing said with an admiring smile.

The body of the siblings stiffened as they flinched slightly. The next second, Zou Yi smiled before the smile devolved into bleak laughter.

"He Shan was right, the test isn't over, whatever we were seeing the past few days was nothing but some hallucination. We must have triggered some array, or are in some spirit beast's territory, or maybe under the effects of some illusory plant. We did pass by some dreamshade hydrangaes at some point, at least I think we did.."

"Brother, you think we are still in there.." Zou Liqin frightfully asked with tears forming at the rim of her eyes.

Zou Yi smiled bitterly as he said,

"What else could this all be if not an illusion? Big brother Yang Qing is here, look even Grandpa Wang and Grandma Wang are all here, look even how they're seated, almost as if they're sheltering us to give us the illusion of safety so we can let our guards down.

And the cake..."

Zou Yi stretched his hand out to the Golden Lotus Delight that was at the center of the table. He used his fingers to pinch a piece of it, which he ate, after.

"It's even able to create a heavenly taste.." Zou Yi said with a smile filled with despair.

"He Shan wasn't lying when he kept insisting we were in some illusion for the past few days. I hope my real body isn't being eaten by some spirit beast like he suspected. I thought we could survive to the end.."Zou Yi paused briefly as he stared at Yang Qing, then the Wang couple before it fell on his sister.

Zou Liqin lowered her head in shame as she softly muttered,

"I dragged you all down.."

"What are you saying Liqin, none of us would have survived as long as we did in that place without one of us being there. Not Lai Rou with his saber sense, not He Shan with his hunter's intuition and skills in alchemy and herbology, not Yu Mei with her skills in parsing through hidden traps and alarming dangers, or me or you, we all needed one another there.

Not even the monsters who finished in the top places in the first test could have survived there alone. Do you remember what Instructor Huosaid before he threw us in there?" asked Zou Yi to which Zou Liqin nodded her head as she answered.

"Less than five people since the founding of the Order could survive such a place alone, and even then, it wouldn't be unscathed..."

"Right...With the amount of talent we have seen, it's amazing that we managed to hold on as we did, and it's because we all did what we needed to do. Take pride in that.."said Zou Yi as he held his sister's hand.

"If this is an illusion with no way out, if I'm being eaten, I might as well make the most of it instead of worrying.." Zou Yi added with a carefree laugh as he reached out for the cake before he hesitated as a cunning idea flashed in his eyes.

"Since this is an illusion.." he muttered with a laugh.

"Brother Yang Qing could I have the best wine you have, and call me big brother from now on.."

"Yi, what are you doing?" frantically asked Zou Liqin with worry in her tone as she stared at Yang Qing half expecting him to smack Zou Yi on the head for his audacity. Her gaze even drifted to Grandma Wang who forbade them from having wine, till they reached the qi refinement realm.

"What are you worried about Liqin, it's an illusion.." Zou Yi said with a smug expression.

Now that he had given up all struggle, he could feel the tenseness disappear from his body as relief washed over him, making him daring. If he couldn't break out of the illusion, then he might as well indulge. Luckily the illusion wasn't a scary one aimed at breaking his spirit and mind, but one meant to have him drop his guard by offering many allures. He might as well taste wine which hopefully will taste as good as the sponge cake on the table infused with golden lotus essence.

"Here, this is Harmony plum bossom wine, that has been aged for 17,000 years. I would be honored to share a cup with you, big brother.."

"See.." Zou Yi smugly saidwith his eyes shining as he saw Yang Qing take out a white ornately crafted wine jar and open it to pour some on one of the wine urns.

"Liqin you should have some too.."