Daily life of a cultivation judge



He continued to sit there, but now he had chosen to just empty his mind and soak in the sounds of life around him. The birds chirping in excitement over something, the insects' cacophony of noises as they foraged and built more homes on the trees around, and the sound of the gently swaying of leaves around him.

Yang Qing stayed that way for ten minutes, completely lost to his surroundings, and unbeknownst to him, the trees, the grass, the shrubs, the birds, and the insects, started swaying to his breath.

The trees released leaves that went through the window and fell on his head, almost as if comforting him. The same could be seen with the birds and the insects, whose sounds had a charm of comfort to them. 

A gentle light filled with a myriad of colors, with the most prevalent being green was produced from Yang Qing's body. It leaked out from him and spread to his surroundings. It didn't seem to have an effect at first, but some of the trees, grass, and animals around him got soaked in it, and from that bunch, there were some that started to experience visible changes to their features, due to being soaked in that light.

An oak tree had its leaves turn from green to blue-green, which formed dew drops of similar color; there was a sparrow that had its wings turn from brown to orange,as it released a gentle orange glow from them, that had purifying abilities to them; there was a skylark whose melodious voice created an illusory image of a calm river with its chirp; a firefly that had its light turn to a deep green light that seemed to affect some of the flowers around it as it made them bloom; a beetle whose body turned into the luster of a diamond. Every time the rays from the sun hit it, it would create a rainbow; a moth whose wings turned crystal clear with a crescent moon shape on its wings. A flick of its wings would create the sound of water waves, and its accompanying breeze; and finally, an azalea that flickered with aurora lights every few seconds.

In those ten minutes, Yang Qing felt the stifling sensation in his heart and mind, get repeatedly cleansed, over and over.

When he opened his eyes, even though the guilt was still there, and he could still remember the faces of those he had killed today, especially the innocent ones, he felt lighter in his heart and mind.

Baffled by the change, he looked around and was instantly shocked when he detected the changes around the courtyard.

The vegetation had more than doubled, and the sizes seemed to have decreased, however, the vitality and richness of air produced by them seemed to have doubled by a few levels, and there were seven living organisms that seemed to stand out in the midst of them.

Yang Qing felt a connection with every living organism in the area, but he felt the most kinship with those seven organisms.

"So it was you.." Yang Qing muttered in realization as he detected the warmth coming from the leaves on top of him, the vine that had coiled around his fingers, the soothing melodies from the birds and insects that still lingered in the air, and the air released by the trees, shrubs, and grass, that seemed to relieve his burdens.

"I guess I am a really glorified tree like Grandpa said.." Yang Qing chuckled as he thought to himself.

"Thank you..." he gently said to them increasingly surprised by the abilities of the purple grade art he was given. Its abilities kept surprising him over and over.

He could feel all the trees, grasses, shrubs, and animals around him, had been soaked with his universal qi, and it had even seeped into the ground, and of them, there were seven of them that had the densest universal qi in them. It was; an oak tree, a sparrow, a skylark, a firefly, a moth, a beetle, and an azalea.

Even though they seemed normal in terms of strength and abilities, with no cultivation base, they seemed to have changed fundamentally. Yang Qing could even feel their emotions, which was one of gladness and the gladness was directed toward Yang Qing.

"How did this happen?" he wondered. 

Whenever he cultivated at his abode, nothing like this happened. While the vegetation would grow rapidly as per the norm, none of them retained his qi like all the organisms here. He had been completely oblivious to what had been happening in those ten minutes. 

He had only been immersing himself in his surroundings, and before he knew it, the heaviness he felt seemed to have been soothed, which was why he opened his eyes.

But now, other than the changes to the surroundings, he could feel even within himself something had changed or more aptly unlocked, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it yet, he intrinsically felt it had something to do with the mysterious jade tree within the deepest recess of his body. The one he suspected was the representation of his yin yang peerless jade bone physique.

To taste the theory he produced a gentle wind from his hands, and revolved it around his palms.

"Serenity.." Yang Qing muttered as he detected his qi's ability to induce calmness seemed to have jumped in levels. He felt he could help those within the core formation realm quell their internal demons with a boost from his qi.

Yang Qing gently rubbed his palm, dispelling the wind. He would investigate the matter deeply later, but for now, he needed to return back and give Ma Yuan the news, and his wife's last message.

With his mind cleared a bit, he now had the heart to go back. But before he did, he picked up the body of Sect Master Wang Yi, along with the board he had, and the painting he had given him.

He dug a grave next to the oak tree with green-blue leaves, and gently placed the sect master there. Above it, he placed the wooden board sign with the name 'Clear River Sword Sect' and the painting.

He took out a piece of wood from his storage ring and carved out 

'Herein lies sect master Wang Yin, who loved, lived, and died for his sect, the Clear River Sword Sect. A worthy sect master and cultivator and loyal to the end.."

The calligraphy was beautiful and had solemnity to it. Yang Qing placed that wood next to the signboard and painting.

"Take care sect master, and thank you..."

"Can you look after him.." Yang Qing said to the trees, birds, insects, and grass around, which all responded with fervor in their own ways.

"I'll come back here after some time to check on you all.. take care until then.." Yang Qing said as he waved his hands goodbye and left the area.

The little budding forest and its inhabitants shook in gladness and a bit sad, as they bade Yang Qing, farewell.

In a thousand years, the little forest would turn out to be the home of hegemons of the Deer Mountain Range, a place clamored to be the most beautiful but also the most dangerous in the whole range, as it was headed by seven stars of restoration and destruction.

Countless cultivators lost their lives in search of fortune in the area, due to how blessed the ground was, and others would have their lives transformed. It was a hell to some and a blessing to others which was why it came to be known as the dual fate forest, seclusion place of the Yin Yang Emperor. But that is a story for another day.