Daily life of a cultivation judge Chapter 5 5: Last Week As A Superior Core Court Judge (5)

Yi Jie proceeded towards an alternative entrance, distinct from the one they had used initially. This doorway opened into a separate corridor where defendants and plaintiffs involved in ongoing disputes were held by other inquisitors, awaiting their summons from the judge.

The corridor was densely populated with cultivators, their varied robes a testament to their presence as they each anticipated being called into different courtrooms. Despite the sheer volume of individuals, a sense of order prevailed. This was partly attributable to the vigilant inquisitors present among them and, significantly, to the formidable reputation the Cultivation Order Courts had meticulously built over their years of operation, particularly towards any disruptive elements within their premises.

"Sect Master Cheng Yuan of the Green Fog Swamp Sect and the Emerald Leaf, your case will be heard first. Please make your way forward," Yi Jie announced in a measured tone to the gathered crowd.

While Yi Jie attended to this, Yang Qing occupied himself by thoroughly acquainting himself with the details of the case before them.

The Green Fog Swamp Sect, identified as a Rank 4 sect, signified that its most powerful cultivator had reached the Core Formation stage. The categorization of sects, clans, royal dynasties, merchant consortiums, and other cultivation-affiliated organizations commenced with the Order's establishment.

This ranking system was integrated into the very structure of the Order's administrative framework. The types of cases the Order undertook and their subsequent allocation were, to some extent, determined by the rank of the involved parties.

These various factions were assessed and ranked based on their strongest extant powerhouse, alongside other fundamental prerequisites, although raw strength remained the paramount consideration.

A total of five distinct ranks existed, with Rank 5 representing the lowest tier and Rank 1 the apex. Rank 5 sects boasted a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator as their strongest member, Rank 4 had a Core Formation expert, Rank 3 a Palace Stage practitioner, Rank 2 a Domain-level cultivator, and finally, Rank 1, the highest echelon, was spearheaded by a Soul Formation expert.

However, two categories remained outside this established ranking: families and sects whose peak cultivators were at the Qi Formation stage, and another distinct group designated as 'Holy Lands'.

Across all the continents of the Blue Origin planet, thirteen Holy Lands were scattered. The central continent housed the largest contingent with five, followed by the western continent with three. The southern and eastern continents each hosted two, while the northern continent had but a single Holy Land.

What distinguished these Holy Lands was the persistent rumor that their leading powerhouses operated beyond the Soul Formation stage. Even setting aside the veracity of this claim, their inherent might was sufficient to render them virtually unchallenged, capable of easily dismantling several venerable Rank 1 organizations, multiple times over.

The Cultivation Order Society itself could be regarded as a Holy Land, given its comparable capacity to achieve such feats, despite its comparatively shorter history than the two Holy Lands situated in the southern continent.

Inhabitants of the southern continent often pondered why these two ancient Holy Lands permitted the establishment and subsequent proliferation of the Cultivation Order Society. Ostensibly, it appeared counterproductive for another entity to emerge and disrupt the established order of the continent. Yet, those privy to certain circles, or perhaps individuals weary of prolonged closed-door cultivation seeking a diversion, might engage in hushed conversations within opulent pavilions, their discussions shrouded by sound-dampening formations. These individuals hypothesized that the Radiant Sword Sect and the Flowing Valleys Sect, the two southern Holy Lands, had covertly established the Cultivation Order Society to serve as their enforcers, thereby preventing other sects from ascending to their level.

Over the ensuing years since its inception, several events lent a degree of credibility to this conjecture. One such incident involved the complete annihilation of a long-standing Rank 1 sect. To this day, the precise catalyst for the Order's drastic action remains unknown; all that is certain is that the Order solidified its status as a formidable power from that moment onward.

Nevertheless, such hypotheses were best regarded with skepticism, likely originating from those harboring resentment towards the Order, possibly individuals who had recently experienced the sharp end of its judicial pronouncements. The alternative hypothesis, which carried considerably more weight, suggested that the two Holy Lands harbored greater apprehension towards Holy Lands on other continents than any internal threats. The incursions by external forces during the continent-wide conflicts in the southern region further bolstered this rationale.

Consequently, they tacitly supported the Order's formation, despite offering no material contributions. Not a single low-grade spirit stone, nor even a discarded cultivation mat worthy of a dog's dismissal, was ever provided. Such overt parsimony was truly remarkable.

The silence from the higher powers, their lack of intervention, served as an unspoken blessing for the Cultivation Order Society to continue its existence. Through the Order, the southern continent's lifeblood would be safeguarded, and the two prominent sects would ensure a consistent flow of promising talents, preventing them from being extinguished in the fires of conflict.

The gravest threat to these sects wasn't some lecherous young master who might bring ruin upon their doors. It’s a lingering, unknown rumor about certain cultivation holy lands having a penchant for lusting after 'swan meat.' This baseless gossip severely impacted their recruitment of female disciples. Despite extensive searches across the continent, employing karmic spells and various divination techniques, the source of these rumors remained undiscovered—a perplexing mystery to this day.

However, the most perilous danger a Holy Land faces, particularly if it aims to endure and maintain its competitive edge against other Holy Lands for millennia, is a generational talent gap.

This issue arises when a sect lacks new blood or when incoming disciples possess insufficient talent to match their predecessors. Since immortality has not been definitively proven or achieved, sects require a steady influx of talents to ensure continuity. Should the young cultivators at the lower echelons exhibit poor talents, they will inevitably fail to equal their predecessors or those from rival Holy Lands. Consequently, when they ascend to leadership positions, the cultivation levels they achieve may not align with their status as a Holy Land. Such weakened sects become vulnerable, likely to be