Daily life of a cultivation judge Chapter 1468: Her instincts are never wrong

"The Frozen Serenity Sect," Tang Xiadan softly repeated, a wave of relief washing over him internally.

He felt certain he had explored more extensively over the years than most individuals. However, the continent remained an immense expanse. When considering its entirety, his centuries of wandering and discovery, however vast, might only represent a meager two or three percent of the total area – and that was a generous estimation. In reality, he suspected it was less than one percent.

Over time, he had uncovered no fewer than five hundred concealed ruins, approximately a dozen enigmatic realms scattered across the landscape, and three grotto-heavens. Yet, he understood that despite these impressive figures, he had merely skimmed the surface. The Southern Continent's depths were profound, and with his cultivation at the peak of the Palace Realm, his ability to venture into those unfathomable depths was inherently limited. The feather from his senior offered some assistance, and his innate talents as a Gold Jade Treasure Mouse facilitated exploration. Still, even with these advantages, there were domains he had no right to know about, let alone enter. His own homeland served as a stark reminder of this. He had resided there for over a millennium, yet even after all that time, half of the Green Fog Region remained an enigma, simply because he dared not set foot there. Doing so would undoubtedly mean his demise, and the same peril extended to the rest of the continent.

He had briefly feared that Yang Qing might inquire about something beyond his knowledge. Fortunately, that scenario had been averted.

"I have visited a few locations with connections to the Sect," Tang Xiadan stated. "Is there any specific information you seek?" he inquired, casting a questioning glance at Yang Qing.

Yang Qing, unable to conceal his elation, beamed, inwardly celebrating the fortunate turn of events since his arrival here. "These places..." he began, his voice tinged with unconcealed eagerness. "You are, of course, free to decline if you deem the request too demanding," he added, his expression shifting from excitement to a more somber mien.

"Please, proceed," Tang Xiadan gestured, encouraging him to continue.

Yang Qing nodded gratefully before stating his purpose. "While I am interested in any historical findings you may possess regarding the Frozen Serenity Sect, certain circumstances prevent me from elaborating at this moment. What I require are coordinates linked to the sect rather than details about its contents."

He paused, meeting Tang Xiadan's gaze directly. "I recognize my request might be considered excessive given its nature, so I leave the extent of your disclosure entirely to your discretion. Whatever you choose to share, the flame is yours to command," Yang Qing declared, indicating the flame before them.

"Even mere rumors about locations connected to the sect would suffice," Yang Qing added, then fell silent, allowing Tang Xiadan ample time for consideration.

Under different conditions, he would not have readily made such a plea, as it infringed upon certain unspoken taboos within the cultivation world. His current request extended far beyond the boundaries of mere confidentiality.

As was customary, when a cultivator discovered a hidden ruin, a legacy, a sacred place, or a valuable item, they maintained absolute secrecy regarding the information and its whereabouts. A disciple might conceal such a find even from their own Sect, their fellow disciples, or even their Master if necessary. A clan member would hide it from their entire clan, including their parents, close kin, siblings, and offspring. Even sworn siblings who had faced countless life-and-death trials together were prone to the same behavior.

The reason for this? Birds perish for sustenance, and men die for riches.

The more valuable the treasure, the greater the reluctance to share, or the more apprehension one felt about revealing it. In either case, the outcome was identical: secrecy. The most securely guarded secrets were those known only to oneself. Any additional person privy to it increased the risk of exposure.

Consequently, maintaining discretion had become an ingrained practice in this world, and Yang Qing was asking Tang Xiadan to completely disregard this established norm.

Even after meticulously searching and extracting every possible resource from a hidden ruin, including dismantling the very stones of its walls and floors, and salvaging the timber from its gate – even after stripping such a ruin bare – a cultivator would still harbor profound reservations about divulging its location to anyone else.

What if some hidden gem remained undiscovered within? Countless tales spoke of cultivators unearthing treasures in places presumed to be utterly depleted, only for it to later emerge that a rare artifact, a profound technique, or an invaluable treasure had been concealed in plain sight, or behind an intricate hidden mechanism.

Such tales invariably made cultivators exercise extreme caution when divulging information about any ruins they discovered.

Yet, here was Yang Qing, making precisely such a request. And it wasn't for just any dilapidated ruin, but one connected to an ancient bloodline that had once commanded the stature and might of a Holy Land. Some factions would even contend that it held greater prestige than the Holy Lands of the current era, owing to the profound nature of their foundational cultivation art: the Frozen Serenity Scripture.

Yang Qing, despite possessing a self-aware, seasoned, and utterly shameless demeanor, still felt a sliver of embarrassment as he articulated his request. This was despite him not intending to visit these places himself or attempt any daring exploits. In fact, he harbored absolutely no desire to set foot in any of them; his sole interest lay in the karmic value these ruins might possess concerning their potential link to Bai Chen’s abduction case. Nevertheless, the awkwardness persisted.

But what choice did he have? Feelings of shame paled in insignificance when weighed against the value of a life.

"Is that all you desire?!" Tang Xiadan exclaimed, his expression one of genuine astonishment.

Yang Qing mirrored his reaction. He had mentally prepared himself to wait for perhaps an hour while Tang Xiadan deliberated before giving his verdict. Astonishingly, it took mere seconds, and when Tang Xiadan finally spoke... Yang Qing found himself Puzzled as he moved to formulate his response, his own tone echoing Tang Xiadan's bewilderment.

"Yes," he affirmed, a note of uncertainty coloring his voice and expression.

"Truly, just that?!" Tang Xiadan's bafflement deepened, leaving Yang Qing even more perplexed as the entire exchange unfolded in a manner entirely contrary to his expectations.

"Yes," Yang Qing confirmed. "If it proves too much, the request can be modified," he added, his own doubts escalating with each passing second.

For what felt like an epoch to Yang Qing, though in reality, it spanned only a few moments, the two individuals remained seated, exchanging glances and blinking in mutual confusion. The tension was finally broken when Tang Xiadan let out a laugh, a sound that only served to deepen Yang Qing’s bewilderment as he questioned what exactly was transpiring.

Once his amusement subsided, Tang Xiadan cupped his fists and spoke, "Pray forgive my lapse in decorum. I was merely..." He paused, then continued, "...surprised by your request," he stated.

"I accept your request," Tang Xiadan declared, a subtle smile gracing his lips as he produced a rectangular talisman fashioned from white jade. He closed his eyes, holding the artifact near his temple for approximately two minutes. The talisman pulsed with a soft, silver luminescence during this time. Upon opening his eyes, he presented it to Yang Qing. "Within, you will find a record of the locations I have visited and the times of my sojourns, accompanied by some intriguing observations regarding their layouts and my findings. You will also discover rumored sites, along with my personal conjectures and estimations of their veracity," Tang Xiadan elaborated.

"I possess similar information from other lineages, should you be interested," Tang Xiadan offered, proceeding to enumerate several names. "The Eternal Blossom Sanctuary Sect. The Myriad Beasts Sect. The Four Sacred Wings... Ah, there was one, though I am not entirely confident about it, but I did find something connected to the Seven Star Sword Sect, albeit with some reservations. After all, I am not a sword cultivator, and the site lacked definitive artifacts to corroborate the link, save for some faded inscriptions on a whetstone," Tang Xiadan recounted, his voice fading into a whisper towards the conclusion before his demeanor abruptly brightened. He leaned closer to the table, a smile suggesting he was about to share something even more captivating.

"I have it on good authority that the Order maintains a presence within the Deer Mountain Range," Tang Xiadan disclosed gradually.

"Indeed, we do," Yang Qing responded, feeling significantly more grounded, though a fresh wave of astonishment was quietly gathering within him. Yang Qing pondered, a flicker of envy igniting within him, which he promptly extinguished as his focus returned to the ongoing dialogue.

With an enigmatic smile, Tang Xiadan lowered his voice slightly. "If it is not to your objection, Fellow Daoist, given your existing foothold there, you might consider visiting their branch and investigating the surrounding range. It may not appear remarkable at first glance..." He paused, then resumed with a renewed sparkle in his tone. "...but that entire region was once integral to the Bi Xie Empire. I wonder if you have encountered mention of it..."

"I have," Yang Qing interjected softly, a smile of amusement playing on his lips.

"Excellent, excellent," Tang Xiadan affirmed, maintaining his mysterious aura as if about to unveil a divine secret. "For reasons unknown to me, the range still contains relics from that empire. There is even a grotto-heaven within its confines... although it possesses peculiar characteristics, so exercise caution should you decide to venture forth," he cautioned gravely.

"Furthermore, take heed of the Deer Mountain Kingdom," he added, his expression growing more somber.

"Why?" Yang Qing inquired, his posture straightening as he faced Tang Xiadan, the earlier amusement and carefree demeanor vanishing from his expression.

"I lack any concrete evidence, beyond..." Tang Xiadan’s gaze drifted upward, towards the ceiling. "I’ve mentioned my significant debt to the senior you wish to meet, and that she has rescued me countless times," Tang Xiadan stated.

His eyes returned to Yang Qing. "Due to my experiences with her, I’ve come to place my trust in her instincts above my own." He paused for a moment before continuing. "We once journeyed to the Deer Mountain Range for sightseeing. Considering the abundance of spirit beasts residing there, we were intrigued by their way of life, contrasting it with our own in the Green Fog Region. Furthermore, we had a friend in the Green Fog Region who originated from that area, and I had also discovered rumors concerning the range’s history and its connections to the Bi Xie Empire."

We explored the range extensively before eventually arriving at the Deer Mountain Kingdom. In my quest to uncover traces of the Empire, it seemed logical to search there as well, and given their lack of Domain experts, the associated risks were not overly substantial. However..."

Tang Xiadan’s gaze intensified. "The instant we neared the border, Sister Yanyu’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. She frantically urged me to depart, warning that we might never have another chance. I had never witnessed such profound fear in her. When I questioned her later about her premonition, she simply conveyed that she sensed the very essence of death and chaos residing within that place, and that stepping foot there would mean being consumed by it. I have not returned since that day."

"How long ago did this occur?" Yang Qing inquired, pondering the implications. After all, the Bi Xie Empire had been forged from the remnants of a fallen kingdom, a catastrophe brought about by the Blood Fiend Sect’s heinous act of sacrificing the entire populace. The founder of the Bi Xie Empire had been among the scarce survivors of that brutal massacre. His survival was credited to two unassuming Bi Xie statues positioned outside the shop where he was employed. This is why, upon establishing his empire, he bestowed its name in their honor.

"Seven centuries ago," Tang Xiadan replied after a swift mental calculation. "It was among the very first locations we visited after departing the Green Fog Region," he added.

"I understand you do not know her," Tang Xiadan affirmed earnestly, "but my senior’s intuition regarding such matters is seldom mistaken. There may indeed be something perilous concealed there," he concluded, his tone laced with genuine apprehension.