Daily life of a cultivation judge

[The air in the room changed, heavy from the tension released from the duo.

"Young lord, Are you serious?" Song Ba asked with a questioning smile and look on his face.

"If your clan truly has such a figure with such a high level of talent, then just like how sects are with their legacy disciples, shouldn't you and the entirety of your clan be doing your utmost to ensure he grows to his full potential?

But you want to prevent that from happening? It doesn't make sense, young lord.."

Chen Zholan sighed, his eyes flashing with complicated emotions. He smiled bitterly as he answered with a resigned tone.

"It's because I am weak.."

"I don't understand.."

"It's just that. I am weak..." Chen Zholan paused, as his gaze seemed lost like he was in a different place, not the room they were in.

"Most within the clan admire his talent, and I used to at some point, but the older I got, and the further up my cultivation base grew, the clearer it became to me of the gap between us.

We live in completely different worlds. When I was younger, these feelings of inadequacy were not as strong as they are now.

When you're young, you have the luxury of dreaming. Believing that whatever you envision your future will be, it will turn exactly like that, as long as you are diligent and sincere in your efforts.

Thanks to those thoughts, I wasn't affected much by the talents he showed because I always told myself, my accomplishments would not necessarily lose out to his. I still had confidence in my talent and I never slacked off.

But if my talents and efforts proved short, I thought that I would be mature enough to accept it after all, I and that clan member were friends and could be considered as close as brothers even, but ultimately fear got the best of me.

I don't know when it happened, but I became afraid. Afraid that I wouldn't measure up, afraid that the kid I thought of as a younger brother would surpass me, afraid that the clan would quickly withdraw all the attention and nurturing it had been giving me and pour it all to him; Afraid that life would not turn exactly as I hoped it would.

I tried as much as I could to fight against it, but... I lost that fight. I can't keep living like this, Owner Song Ba, where I feel like the life I have, has just been loaned to me and eventually, there will come a day when I will have to give it all back.." Chen Zholan paused, his pitiful look transforming into a cold one.

"I don't want to give it back, but the only way I can do that is if he isn't around, and the window with which I can do anything about it is closing fast.

Owner Song Ba, I will be frank with you.."

"Please, young lord.."

"The clan member's name is Chen Xue, and I need your help to kill him.."

"Why would I agree to something like that? I stand to gain nothing from this. While I regard you highly young lord, merchants are not in the habit of engaging in things that will more than likely end in tremendous losses.

Someone with his talent is more than likely highly valued at your sect probably even more than your clan patriarch, if his talent is as high as you say, and you want me to help you? Isn't that no different than asking me to make an enemy of your entire clan?

Why would I do something so reckless and thankless? Your fears have nothing to do with me, and if I look at it critically, shouldn't I be befriending him instead? In my business, one can only make more friends, not enemies.

On account of our friendship I will not reveal this matter, but young lord, I am afraid other than my silence, I can't offer you anything else.."

Chen Zholan smiled calmly even with Song Ba looking like he was about to live.

"Owner Song Ba, we've known each other for long. There's no need to pretend here. There are a few reasons why despite the risks involved I chose to share these thoughts with you. One is my fear and the window of opportunity to do anything about it, closing fast, and the other is ... you and I are similar in certain aspects.."

"Oh.. how so?" Song Ba said with an amused smile on his face.

"There is nothing we would not do to ensure our well-being.. To people like us, our lives come above everything else.." Chen Zholan said, with still the same composed smile on his face.

Song Ba narrowed his eyes as he sensed there was something else hidden within Chen Zholan's words and demeanor.

"Owner Song, you are right, as a merchant, there is absolutely no reason for you to engage in a loss-making scheme, I may not be a merchant as seasoned as you, but I know whatever I am proposing is of much benefit to you as it is to me..."

"And what benefits are those?"

"Well for one, the potential clan leader of the Chen clan will owe you a huge favor and with what I am asking you to do, you can use even knowledge of this discussion as a chip in your favor.

As much as I want Chen Xue dead, there is a reason I decided to consult you on this. If I handled it myself, there are risks of me being found out as the culprit. I can't have my clan finding my fingerprints on this.

Having such a chip is worth it, isn't it?" asked Chen Zholan.

"It is still not enough.."

"I know. Earlier you mentioned forming a friendship with him.. Have you wondered why you've never heard of him before today?"

"For someone of his caliber, your clan would do everything to keep his identity a secret for his safety. A nail that stands out is quickly hammered down.."

"You are right. In part, the secret was so well maintained because of the clan but the other is because of Chen Xue's temperament.

He doesn't care much for things outside of cultivating the sword. It's why other than the elders of the clan, not many know of his talent. He keeps mostly to himself, cultivating. temperament.

He doesn't care much for things outside of cultivating Creating a connection with someone like that is easier said than done, even for someone as skilled as you. But there is another reason that I feel would make it impossible for the both of you to have a good relationship, one of the key reasons, I thought to bring this matter to you in the first place.." Chen Zholan said with a meaningful smile as he took the time to pour himself a cup of wine. Song Ba narrowed his eyes as he did.

"Some time back I met with Chen Jiang. You know Chen Jiang, right? I am pretty sure your paths have crossed a few times. He is one of the elders in charge of some of the farms in Cherry Blossom County.

When we were having drinks one time, he happened to 00:01

share a few interesting things about himself, Elder Chen Qiao, Elder Chen Longwei, and the things they have been doing for you..."Chen Zholan paused to take a sip of the wine he had just poured into his cup, his eyes forming crescent slits at the pleasant flavor of the wine.

"This 20,000-year pear glacial wine is a true masterpiece. I have never tasted a finer wine.."

"Young lord, if you have something to say, say it.." Song Ba said with a coldness to his tone that matched his look.

Chen Zholan stopped his playfulness as his look turned serious.

"I know of the business between you and those elders, and they're not the only ones handling that 'type of business' for you. I know of three more in Blacktear County.

Don't misunderstand, Owner Song Ba, the reason I mention this matter isn't to blackmail you.." said Chen Zholan when he sensed the killing intent released by Song Ba.

"If it isn't, why mention it? Or is it to show me you have a chip too?"

"I brought it up to show my sincerity. With the activity you are engaged with those elders, after finding out I could have just given that information to our clan leader and gain even more merits from him and the rest of the clan, considering the repercussions of having our own harbor pill slaves and human cauldrons.

But I didn't.. Like I said, we are similar, our well-being comes above the rest and for me, the Chen clan comes behind my needs, and would not hesitate to trade them if it would get me something that I want.

I could care less about those pill slaves and human cauldrons, but Chen Xue is different. He values the clan above his own life.

If you let him be, eventually, maybe when he is in the palace realm, he is going to find out and when he does, regardless of your backing, he will come after you.

Owner Song Ba, you and I are in the same boat here, for what we are after, neither of us can afford to have Chen Xue around. For me, as long as he is around, I will never have a life, my apprehension and helplessness born out of the inferiority I feel every time I am around him, will never let me. Only misery awaits if Chen Xue continues to live.

For you, I guess there must be a reason that made you desperate enough to take the risks you are taking with the pill slaves and the human cauldrons. I won't ask you what they are, but I promise you, as long as Chen Xue remains, you will have to alter those plans and even then, who knows, he may decide to come after you, long after you stopped.

It wasn't that hard for me to find out what you were doing, and for him, when he breaks through to the palace realm, I figure it will be even easier. And when he does, what then?

But if you help me take care of him, you will eliminate that threat and continue what you are doing, and I will even support you with the operations, and recruit more elders for you if you want, and I can also ensure no one is none the wiser. I can even engage in the activity myself if it will put your mind at ease, that I won't betray you later, and when I inherit the post as the next clan leader, I figure our partnership will be even easier.

What do you think, Owner Song Ba? This isn't much of a loss making scheme, is it? We both stand to profit immensely from this.."