Daily life of a cultivation judge

Yang Qing's token instantly activated as he made his way through the protective ward covering his abode.

Even before deploying his palace sense, or seeing it with his eyes, he could already tell something wrong had happened, if the dense murderous qi and virulent aura pervading the area was any indicator.

Yang Qing's heart skipped a little, relaxing an instant later when he sensed life from the figure he was most worried about.

Having no need to rush now that he sensed the Starlight crab was alive, Yang Qing took to walking, though at a brisk pace at that, making his way to the center of that murderous aura.

At the center of that storm, he saw a young beautiful lady garbed in a red dress, bare feet, silky red hair, and smooth white skin that made it seem like it had been carved from the smooth glow of the moon, floating above, surrounded by red baleful energy that congealed together to form gleaming crystallized sabers that radiated with a piercing and chilly aura.

About twenty of those sabers had formed around her, each sharper than the next, and the target of that terrifying lineup was a middle-aged man garbed in dark robes, who had a tranquil unassuming aura about him despite the murderous intent being thrown at him, or the piercing presence of the twenty or so sabers. His presence was like that of a peaceful lake beneath a dark cloudy night.

On seeing them both, Yang Qing sighed softly as his gaze drifted over to the pond that was next to them. His attention was specifically on the overturned crystal white crab that had mots of gold on its body that was lying unconscious next to the pond, with a small red-black dot producing smoke that had the same nature as the baleful energy surrounding the lady in red. Albeit the energy within that smoke was over a thousand times milder than the red baleful storm surrounding the lady in red.

Ignoring the lady in red and the middle-aged man who looked like just about to attack one another, more the lady than the middle-aged man, Yang Qing walked over to the crab, a green-blue drop radiating with a dense aura of life being produced from his fingertip. He dabbed that green-blue drop on the red dot, instantly cleansing that dot and effectively eliminating the source of the red baleful smoke it released.

Some luster seemed to return to the carapace of the crab the instant the red mark disappeared and a few seconds later some life seemed to return to the crab as a few of its legs started twitching weakly before the movement gained some vigor in them as it extended to its mandibles that had been laying limply a few seconds earlier.

After the mandibles, the crab seemed to have gained enough strength to move other parts of its body such as its eyes. Even though it was with a strained effort, the crab opened its median eyes and the first image that fell into its groggy eyes was that of Yang Qing.

Yang Qing who had prepared to give the starlight crab a scolding and a smack to the head, halted his plans when he saw the two eyes glimmer slightly like a shiny liquid was floating within it before the eyes finally turned crescent shape as the crab used one of its mandibles to gently hold Yang Qing's fingers.

"You really need to learn how to pick your fights, or develop a thicker carapace at least," Yang Qing softly said as he gently put it back into the pond. Bubbles started forming as part of its mouth submerged in the water.

Yang Qing may not speak crab, but he could more or less intuitively guess what the starlight crab was saying as it sank to the bottom of the pond.

"What do I need a thick carapace for when you can heal me instantly,"

Yang Qing also didn't miss the vengeful glint in its eyes as it looked at the lady in red.

"You can forget about having your revenge. She works for me," said Yang Qing in a tired tone. For as simple-minded as the starlight crab was, a complete opposite to Ellie who was as devious as they came, there was a trait that the two spirit beasts shared and that was their vindictive nature.

Both spirit beasts were the kind to hold grudges for even the slightest grievance. During his training sessions with the starlight crab, since it was no good at hiding its emotions, Yang Qing could always see the gleeful look it made whenever it felt that its attack was powerful enough to harm Yang Qing and the disappointed expression it made whenever it failed.

Clearly, it still nursed a grudge over the beating Yang Qing gave it when they first met and the beatings he gave it soon after either during their training or when it attacked someone it should not and even on some occasions he has sneakily caught it mumbling something in the pond as it menacingly arranged pebbles like it was counting them.

By Yang Qing's guess those pebbles quite possibly symbolized those it held a grudge with and from the pebble count, that number was twenty-four, and after today it will likely be twenty-five.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Yang Qing's gaze turned slightly stern as it fell on the lady in red.

"Miss Luo Suyun did Han Lei not tell you not to attack any creature here, yet here you did?" asked Yang Qing as he slowly made his way to the center of the two.

The middle-aged man nodded slightly as he moved slightly to the side while the lady in red, Luo Suyun, looked surprised because of Yang Qing's current look.

Like a blown-out candle, the murderous aura, baleful energy, and crystallized sabers around her instantly disappeared as her cold gaze turned normal, as she gently floated to the ground.

"But the crab attacked me, and I ignored it the first time, and the second up to the fourth time, till I couldn't. Was I supposed to ignore it forever?" she asked with a lowered tone, as she looked downward, looking guilty as she did.

"I didn't even hurt it that much. I made sure to hold back and only sought to incapacitate him," she added, her voice lacking confidence and low like the buzzing of a mosquito as she took secretive glances at Yang Qing.

Seeing her look and actions, Yang Qing couldn't find it in him to keep up the stern expression.

"Not every action needs a reaction. No matter how much it attacked, none of its attacks could have reached you, and if you wanted to restrain it, considering the gaps in your realms, you have better means than using your baleful qi that has the potential of damaging its foundations even in small amounts," Yang Qing said.

That had been the real reason he had been slightly angry with her. It wasn't because she attacked the starlight crab, considering the beatings it has received from not only him but his friends too, he would not blame Luo Suyun for doing something similar, not when the starlight crab was the instigator.

But what he took great issue with was the means she used. Her baleful qi was no different than an extremely volatile and potent poison as indeed it was. The amount she had used on the starlight crab was indeed minuscule, but even such a small amount was capable of eating away at the starlight crab's foundation and damaging it permanently and if left unaddressed losing its life or severely shortening its expectancy was within the realms of possibility.

"I don't know any other means than that," Luo Suyun replied, finally mustering the courage to face Yang Qing as she answered.

"You don't?" Yang Qing asked, looking surprised at the answer.

"I really don't. I am not lying," Luo Suyun said, adding emphasis on the final part.

"You really don't.. " Yang Qing said with a resigned tone as he turned to face Han Lei, contemplating something before finally shaking his head.

"Fine, I will teach you a few methods of restraining those weaker than you without endangering them. It might work even those at the same level as you provided you use it well enough and your expertise in it is high enough," said Yang Qing, his response evoking an excited reaction from Luo Suyun who thanked him repetitively, her earlier nervousness vanishing in the process.

With her state relaxed, she energetically walked about Yang Qing's abode, complementing how full of life it was in the process with her being especially enamored by the green flame tree. She even ended up asking Yang Qing if she could move in there from the courtyard of endings and beginnings.

Yang Qing refused her, but not completely, choosing to use it as a bargaining and teaching tool. He would allow her daily visits as long as she learned to control her instantaneous murderous urges.

With Luo Suyun being under his care for a very long time, Yang Qing had to make sure she could function in society well without adding more troubles to his plate.

Luo Suyun ecstatic at the prospect of visiting the green flame tree, immediately agreed to the deal, quickly making her way to the tree immediately after, leaving Yang Qing and Han Lei the former assassin of the Ghost Viper Court behind.

"Think she will learn?" Yang Qing wearily asked, with his gaze on Luo Suyun who was incredulously examining the green flame tree, childlike excitement showing on her face as she did.

"She will. She has something motivating enough for her to do so, which is more than enough," answered the former assassin.

"How did you two end up that way earlier?" asked Yang Qing, referencing the tense state between the two.

"I asked her to remove the baleful qi from the crab, but she refused, I insisted slightly trying to appeal to her, and before I knew it she was getting ready to attack. However, from what I could tell, her actions may have not been a result of what I said.

I could not sense any battle intent from her, which I am sure you noticed as well,"

"Mmh," Yang Qing said with a slight nod.

"From how it looks, her actions seemed to have been born from her potentially being flustered from injuring your companion,"

"I suppose that could be a possibility," Yang Qing said as he turned to face Han Lei.

"Thank you for your intervention," Yang Qing added as he nodded in gratitude.

"It wasn't much," Han Lei courteously answered.

Yang Qing's gaze drifted over to his courtyard, to which he told the former assassin,

"You can bring out the guest,"

Han Lei nodded, disappearing into the courtyard, coming out a few seconds later flunked by an elderly man whose body betrayed his look. Looking at him was like looking at an immovable mountain.

"Elder Peng Zhen, sorry to have had you brought over on such notice. I hope I didn't pull you away from something important, considering the information that has been brought to my attention converting the Green fog region," Yang Qing said , wearing an apologetic smile as he faced the elderly man who was none other than the vice sect master of the Green Fog Swamp Sect.