Daily life of a cultivation judge-Chapter 1104 - I know you
1104: I know you
1104: I know you
Ren Shu’s Courtyard
“Senior Ren Shu, are you here?” Yang Qing strolled into Ren Shu’s courtyard as casually as if it were his own home—because, in a sense, it was.
While Ren Shu wasn’t technically Yang Qing’s master, he had fulfilled that role in many ways.
Both of them were simply too casual to put much stock in titles.
Yang Qing’s cultivation art, the Universal Resonant Light Art, a rare purple-grade technique, might have been officially bestowed by the valley master.
However, it was her husband, the deputy valley master, Ren Shu, who had insisted Yang Qing receive it.
More than that, Ren Shu had personally guided him through its complexities in the early stages.
As gifted as Yang Qing was at dissecting and understanding cultivation arts, even he would have struggled to grasp the fundamentals of a purple-grade art on his own.
His Yin Yang Peerless Jade Physique granted him certain advantages in comprehending the technique, but it wouldn’t have been enough to bypass the immense difficulty of mastering such a profound art.
Without Ren Shu’s meticulous guidance, who knew how long it would have taken Yang Qing to achieve even a preliminary understanding, let alone advance to the blooming phase—the level he was currently at?
Ren Shu had selflessly guided Yang Qing through the intricacies of the purple-grade art.
Beyond that, he had been the one to propose integrating the Yang Clan into the Medical Valley and had consistently supported their research into the secrets of the Body Refinement Realm.
Of course, his help may not have been entirely altruistic—Ren Shu clearly had an agenda.
He had hoped to recruit Yang Qing into the Medical Valley, but that plan ultimately failed when Yang Qing, in his youthful naivety, chose to become a judge instead.
He had thought the workload would be much lighter.
That misguided assumption remained one of his greatest regrets to date.
Agendas and regrets aside, Ren Shu was still someone Yang Qing felt deeply close to.
Among the handful of people he held in high regard, Ren Shu was undoubtedly at the top of the list.
It was precisely this bond that made Yang Qing feel no shame yelling in Ren Shu’s courtyard, striding about as though he owned the place, and loudly calling his name—even though the man he addressed was a Soul Formation expert.
As Yang Qing’s voice echoed through the courtyard, a much gentler, more composed voice responded, “We’re back here.”
“We?” Yang Qing murmured to himself, heading toward the backyard.
“Who could he be with?
The Valley Master, perhaps?
If it’s her, my chances of solving the mysteries of that yin energy might just increase.”
Another thought crossed his mind.
“I hope Dean Zhu Lao is there too.
I wonder what became of that artifact I gave him?”
His mind wandered to the mysterious weathered clay tablet he had gifted the dean during the celebration marking Zhu Lao’s return from his so-called fifty-year seclusion—a seclusion the dean had been forced into by his wife rather than chosen.
It was thanks to the origins of that tablet that Yang Qing had first been exposed to the lore of the ancients and their descendants.
That weathered relic had once belonged to one of those descendant races—the Blue Fairies.
Still, Yang Qing shook his head to dispel those wandering thoughts.
As curious as he was about the mysteries that tablet concealed, he had much bigger fish to fry at the moment.
When he stepped into the backyard, still wondering who might be with Ren Shu, his curiosity was promptly answered.
Seated opposite the deputy valley master was a familiar figure.
“Vice Warden Shao An, I didn’t know you’d be here,” Yang Qing said pleasantly, cupping his fists in greeting toward the two figures.
“Junior Yang Qing,” the vice warden replied with a polite nod, his expression as taciturn as ever.
Ren Shu, however, narrowed his eyes at Yang Qing, suspicion evident in his gaze.
“So, what brings you here?
If it’s to harvest more of my fruits, herbs, spices, or whatever else your greedy eyes have set upon, I doubt you’d have announced yourself with such enthusiasm.
So… what do you want?”
“What kind of person do you take me for?
Can’t I simply come to visit one of the seniors I respect and admire so deeply?” Yang Qing asked, feigning an aggrieved look.
“I thought you knew me better than that…” he added softly, his voice dropping to a low, deflated tone.
His theatrics earned a shake of the head and an exasperated smile from the deputy valley master, while the taciturn vice warden shot him an incredulous look.
“It’s precisely because I know you better than most… so out with it,” Ren Shu said, waving a hand helplessly.
Yang Qing smiled sheepishly and joined them at the table.
Shamelessly, he reached for the teapot, poured himself a cup, and finally sat down.
Only then did he pull out Bai Chen’s soul lantern.
“It’s about this,” Yang Qing said, his demeanor shifting to a more serious tone.
“I stumbled upon a missing person case, and I need your help unraveling some of its mysteries—specifically the yin energy contained within.” He gestured toward the dark gray flames flickering ominously in the lantern.
“Natal bone of a bluefin spine-tailed swift at the seventh…
no, eighth stage of the palace realm.
Hmm, quite the pure power of the water Dao it possesses—much more potent than what I’ve seen in others of its kind at a similar stage.
Must have stumbled upon some treasure.
Ingenious design to use its bones for a soul lantern.
A gold-grade craftsmanship, perhaps.
What do you think, Shao?” Ren Shu said, casually resting his chin on his palm, his gaze flickering with interest as it lingered on the soul lantern.
“Seems to be so,” Shao An replied, his focus fixed on the flame rather than the lantern itself.
It was right to come to them, Yang Qing silently thought as he took a sip of tea.
His eyes instantly brightened at the flavor, a momentary distraction from the serious matter at hand.
While Yang Qing could only roughly deduce that the natal bone belonged to a spirit beast at the palace realm, Ren Shu, with just a brief glance, had already identified the spirit beast, its stage, the density of its strength, its likely circumstances, and even the craftsmanship level of the soul lantern forged from its bones.
The gulf between a palace realm cultivator and a soul formation expert was on full display.
“You mentioned a missing case.
What happened?” Shao An asked, his eyes still fixed on the flickering gray flame.
