Daily life of a cultivation judge-Chapter 1112 - So even they know what wary is

1112: So even they know what wary is?

1112: So even they know what wary is?

“So that’s what happened,” Yang Qing murmured, his expression turning heavy.

Chaos, at its finest, was the great equalizer.

Mortals who couldn’t cultivate lived under the heel of cultivators, treating them as deities or emissaries of death.

Among cultivators, the same cycle repeated—those weaker bowed before the strong, and that distinction extended from individuals to entire organizations.

But despite all that, never in a million years would he have imagined that even the mythical races could suffer such a fate—that they, too, could be stripped of the right to decide their own destiny, their lives and deaths resting in the hands of another.

Yes, external circumstances may have played a role in the downfall of the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe, but it was still shocking nonetheless.

Like most, Yang Qing had grown up revering the mythical races—dragons, phoenixes, kunpengs, the black tortoise, the white tiger—beings surrounded by tales of unfathomable power, so much so that some even considered them gods.

Yang Qing wouldn’t go so far as to deify them, but he had always held a healthy respect for their strength—one that only deepened the more he learned.

Take the roc, for example.

Beyond its unparalleled speed—capable of covering the entire continent in just a few hours—it was born with the innate ability to traverse the void and wield its energy effortlessly, without any training.

From the moment they hatched, the void was as familiar to them as their own backyard.

In contrast, human cultivators had to reach the Domain Realm just to gain access to the void, and even then, they could only travel within it safely upon reaching the Soul Formation Realm.

A feat that rocs achieved effortlessly from birth.

Then there were the dragons, who could freely manipulate and wield any element with near-perfect mastery—and that was just the tip of their heaven-defying abilities.

From what Yang Qing had read, their powers of comprehension were so profound that they could decipher countless cultivation arts at the Blue Grade and below with just a mere glance.

Countless cultivation arts, spells, and techniques scattered across the continent owed their existence to dragons, especially those at the Blue Grade and above.

This was particularly true for techniques at the Gold Grade and Purple Grade.

Some of the core legacies within the Thousand Battle Hall Pavilion were proof of this.

During his time training there, Yang Qing had seen a few of their legacy disciples using such techniques.

It wasn’t just the Thousand Battle Hall Pavilion, either.

Many of the more prominent rank-one organizations, and even the holy lands, likely possessed cultivation techniques and arts created by dragons.

These techniques were often treated as prized legacies, guarded fiercely within their walls.

Even the Order had a few dragon-created techniques within its repository.

Sadly, they were only Blue Grade arts, but they were stable and excellent for establishing and solidifying one’s foundations in the early stages of cultivation.

Looking at what all these mythical races were capable of, Yang Qing struggled to reconcile the image of these powerful beings with the reality of one so downtrodden that they were reduced to chains, used like dogs to sniff out treasures.

“Didn’t the other tribes of the Treefolk step in?” Yang Qing asked.

Ren Shu and Shao An exchanged glances, with Ren Shu sighing before answering.

“At the time, most of them could barely take care of themselves, let alone help others.

Besides…”

Ren Shu paused briefly, his eyes locking onto Yang Qing’s.

“Even if they hadn’t been in dire straits, I doubt they would have acted honestly.

Some might have even celebrated their demise—like the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe.”

Yang Qing’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why?”

“They may be mythical races, but at their core, they are still cultivators.

As such, they behave no differently than human cultivators—albeit they’re often less crafty and less prone to acting on impulse.

But make no mistake…” Ren Shu said, his voice trailing off as his expression turned solemn.

“Their actions and thought processes are often similar to ours, especially when it comes to profit and self-preservation.

Take the Green Fog Region, for example.

Human cultivators are vastly outnumbered by spirit beasts, yet how many would actually rush to aid another if they were attacked?

Most would remain spectators, waiting to see how things unfold before deciding whether to act.

And those who do get involved usually have their own interests at stake.

It’s the same for the mythical races—except, in some ways, it’s worse.

While they may not scheme against one another due to their pride, they are indifferent to each other.

Fiercely so.

Because of that pride and indifference, they rarely ask for help or offer it—unless they already have an established relationship.

If it had been the Black Yin Water Oak tribe facing the same fate as the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe, the Black Tortoise mythical race would have stepped in to help them,” Ren Shu explained, pausing briefly.

Without waiting for Yang Qing to ask why, Ren Shu continued,

“They would only do that because the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe possesses innate abilities that allow them to transform water bodies into dark yin water—an ideal breeding and nurturing ground for the Black Tortoise mythical race.

Because of these abilities, they share a close relationship.

The Dark Yin Water Oaks provide excellent nesting grounds, while the Black Tortoises offer protection.

Additionally, the spiritual qi released by the Black Tortoises is one of the few types that the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe can absorb freely.

It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.

So, if the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe were ever in danger, the Black Tortoises would intervene—because their interests are aligned.”

Ren Shu then shifted the conversation.

“Now, let’s consider the relationship between the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe and the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe.

They may both belong to the same race, but their connection is distant because…”

He trailed off, giving Yang Qing a meaningful look, as if expecting him to complete the thought.

“They compete for the same resources?” Yang Qing guessed.

“Exactly,” Ren Shu answered succinctly.

“That’s part of the reason they took pleasure in the misfortunes of the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe.”

Yang Qing frowned.

“And the other?”

Ren Shu’s expression turned even more meaningful.

“Dominance,” Ren Shu answered.

“The Dark Yin Water Oak tribe can absorb and utilize nebulous yin qi just like the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe, but there are key differences in how efficiently they do so.

The Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe extracts far greater benefits from even a small amount of nebulous yin qi.

For example, what would take the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe 40 catties to achieve, the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe could accomplish with just 10 catties—and that gap only widens at higher levels.

All of this boils down to one simple truth,” Ren Shu said, clasping his hands together.

“The Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe completely dominates the Dark Yin Water Oak tribe in terms of ability.

And it’s not just them.

While I don’t know exactly how many treefolk tribes exist, what I do know is that despite the challenges of their cultivation path, at their peak, the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe was considered one of the most powerful among the treefolk.

Some even argued that, if not for the scarcity of nebulous yin qi, they might have been the strongest of them all.”

“That powerful?” Yang Qing asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

Ren Shu nodded.

“While I can’t say for certain whether they could be the strongest of them all as I’ve encountered some incredibly powerful tribes over the years—there’s no denying their strength.

More importantly, few in the world could match them in extracting the full benefits of nebulous yin qi.”

He paused briefly, taking a sip of tea before continuing.

“Nebulous yin qi can be considered one of the most primal forces of power in the world.

As such, it contains some of the deepest profound mysteries and truths, tied not only to the Supreme Yin Path but to countless other Daos as well—some even linked to other supreme paths,” Ren Shu explained, pausing to place his teacup back on the table.

“Extracting these profound truths and mysteries and refining them into one’s understanding is no different than trying to gain mastery over a Purple Grade art.

Some might argue that using nebulous yin qi is even harder, as those profound truths and mysteries are countless and far less structured than a cultivation art would be.

“This places immense demands on one’s soul and powers of comprehension.

One must avoid being overwhelmed while parsing through those countless mysteries and truths, and it takes an even greater effort to extract anything meaningful and make it their own.

Yet, the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe can do this with ease.”

Ren Shu’s expression quickly turned solemn.

“This makes their powers of comprehension among the most formidable in the world, even when compared to other mythical races.

As a consequence, they are able to produce experts with remarkable consistency.

“For us, producing a Domain expert requires tremendous effort, resources, skill, time, and a significant bit of luck.

Even then, some may still fail despite having all these advantages.

But for the Aurora Dark Winter Jade Spruce tribe, as long as nebulous yin qi is available, they can produce Domain experts with near-guaranteed success.

And when it comes to the Soul Formation Realm, their odds of success are among the highest.”

“The only thing that restricts them is the qi.

If it were readily available—or even just less scarce than it is—I doubt the two holy lands would dare allow themselves to be called that in their presence.

Even with those restrictions, at their peak, the tribe was just as powerful as them, if not more.

Alas, for all their unparalleled comprehension, the very thing that gives them strength also shackles them,” Ren Shu said with a sigh.

“So now you understand why the others didn’t step in?” he asked, directing the question at Yang Qing.

“Mmh,” Yang Qing nodded.

“So even mythical races know the feeling of wariness,” he murmured softly.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS

Daynightdreamer

I wish you all a happy new month..

edits are up to chapter 44