Daily life of a cultivation judge

"Merit points can't be stolen but the things you redeem them for can. The outer sect disciples who choose to become the lackeys of the inner sect disciples use their status no matter how lowly to mistreat their fellow outer sect disciples.

A slave of a king is higher in station than the chief guard of a commoner no matter how rich the commoner.

The same logic applied to them. Even though they were still outer sect disciples, their association with a particular inner sect disciple gave them an edge over the rest which they used as an outlet to vent their frustrations.

In some regard, they were even more cruel than the inner sect disciples themselves. Humiliating us wasn't enough they had to pit us against each other.

The factioned outer sect disciples would rob and intimidate those without into giving out whatever merit points they had or having them redeem them for something they wanted and if you didn't let's say I have seen my fair share of cautionary tales..."

"How so?"

"Though there have been no murders as of yet it doesn't mean there are no ways to put someone to the brink of death in a way that abides by the rules of the sect and one of them is through duels.

Disciples have various ways to handle disagreements and one of them is through supervised duels. Killing a fellow disciple during such a duel is forbidden but critically injuring them is accepted.

Weapons have no eyes so they say.." he sarcastically said.

"It's easy to manage what the outcome of such a duel will be if one disciple supported by an opulent disciple fights against a malnourished overexerted disciple who has only cultivated a low-tier red-grade meditation art that has no defensive or attacking abilities whatsoever and the icing on the cake is, the supervisor of said duel is a backer of one of the disciples having the duels.

After the duel whatever injuries you get, you deal with them yourself. If you're injured to the point you can't even reach the repository hall to redeem them, your only hope is maybe just maybe one of the outer sect disciples will have pity on you and share their potion with you.

But what are the odds of that happening? those disciples are barely getting by themselves, there's no way they'd have enough to help someone and even if they did, would they risk drawing the ire of the outer sect disciple with a backing and risk suffering the same fate?

We are told the outside world if you're without any roots to fall on is a ruthless place but I struggle to imagine if it could be any more ruthless than that place.

We barely have enough, constantly on guard against each other and those at the top. Every day is a constant battle and at the end of the day, we still lose. 

Any sort of self-worth you hold as a cultivator down to even as a human is beaten out of you along with any civility from the first day you step through those walls.

Your only chance of survival is to either join one of those so-called chosen one factions and become their dog where your only reward is you get to torment those like you giving you some sort of illusion and relief that you're not a worm in the mud like the rest of them or become a test subject for the alchemy hall.

If you do, then you're protected somewhat. The alchemy hall does after all want their subjects to be as healthy as possible so they can endure whatever it is that they give them for as long as possible until that is of course your body can no longer take it and you get thrown out back into the wild to be eaten by the wolves you were escaping from.

Judge, it's been a long time since I've felt like a human let alone a cultivator.." Ma Qi said as his voice trembled with tears forming in his eyes.

"I'm not asking for much from the Order other than please help me have a chance to be human again.." he pleaded as he bowed his head.

Yang Qing couldn't help but sigh as he reaffirmed himself that he had made the right choice in joining the Order. The reason he had avoided any other option was precisely because of these reasons. 

No matter how much talent you have, as long as you didn't have backing in such places, your talent would get easily buried.

He couldn't help but wonder how many talents got destroyed over the years thanks to cases just like the one of the Striding Falcon Sect.

"Are all of the outer sect disciples treated this way? or are there exceptions?" asked Yang Qing.

"Pardon?" Ma Qi asked not quite understanding the question.

"Earlier you said you needed to have an exceptional showing during the test to be made an inner sect disciple. 

That means only a few people meet the criterion for it. Among those taking the test the ones that don't meet the requirement surely there must be some with connections. Those disciples are they treated the same as those without.."

Ma Qi looked confused by the question some more before he said,

"There is no way those with connections will take the test. The entrance examinations are only for those verified to not have any background. Anyone with a connection gets an automatic entry to the sect.." said Ma Qi with a tone that seemed to imply that isn't this how things are handled everywhere.

If you have connections why would you jump in the mud with everyone else? He felt it was something common everywhere. Even in the village such a thing was seen. Would he barter something valuable so that his father would give him the blood and flesh of the spirit beasts he hunted? No, he would get it for free as his son, and he had priority even over the village chief no matter how precious a resource he bartered for it, his father would give him priority and he didn't have to do anything for it.

Having a connection was the ultimate ticket, it didn't matter how much talent you had. In the three years, there were a few disciples who had a talent that even the blind could see they were talented, but didn't they suffer the same torment as them? Of course, there were a few who couldn't swallow it and tried to retaliate but ultimately the hammer of connection and background rained on them bashed their teeth in and now they no longer had any problem swallowing the humiliation.

"What do you want Ma Qi, what is the ideal scenario for you?" asked Yang Qing.

"I just want to be let go and go back home without fear of retaliation from the sect. Otherwise, I'd rather get eaten by the green emerald caterpillar.." Ma Qi desperately said.

"Are there others who share the same sentiment and resolve as you?" 

Ma Qi paused for a moment before he answered,

"Yes.."

"Thank you for the testimony that you have given. That coupled with the recording you gave is sufficient for me to make a ruling on the matter.

If you don't would you accompany me to your sect to deliver the sentence?" Yang Qing gently asked.

"Me?" Ma Qi hesitantly asked as his body shook slightly. 

The thought of going back terrified him. It was one thing to testify in secret but it was another to do it in public.

"Don't worry I will be there with you so there's nothing to worry about. Besides, even if the entire sect decides to turn against you, even without the Order at my back I can guarantee your life against them even if the supreme elder came out of seclusion.

They would be unable to touch even one single strand of your hair.." Yang Qing calmy said.

Ma Qi was stupefied by the statement as his gaze and mouth widened while looking at Yang Qing who looked normal, a little carefree and slovenly, but he now radiated an unfathomable power that Ma Qi didn't think was possible to come from a human.

He found himself absentmindedly answering okay.

"Meili would you like to join me?"

"Sure.."