Daily life of a cultivation judge

"Do you have a way to get their services?" Yang Qing asked after some thought. For Fan Mei to suggest using them implied she likely had a method to get them on board.

"Yes, I do. One of their vice leaders owes me a favor," Fan Mei replied, confirming Yang Qing's suspicions.

"A favor, huh?" Yang Qing said meaningfully, flashing a teasing smile.

"Not what you're thinking." Fan Mei snorted before letting out a sigh. She continued,

"I've done a few appraisals for them at a discount and referred them for a fair number of commissions, among other things. So yes, they owe me a favor."

"And if you dare throw in another snarky comment, I might just raise the payout—or limit how much I'm willing to do on the trade-offs..." Fan Mei said slowly, flashing a menacing smile.

"You wouldn't do that, would you?" Yang Qing asked warily. "You'd be losing out on the commission yourself too," he added, narrowing his eyes to see if Fan Mei might be bluffing.

"I would. But I don't care," Fan Mei said with a carefree shrug. "As you saw earlier, I'm already worn out. A break or two wouldn't be bad for my health," she added, leaning back in her seat and adopting a more relaxed posture, a smug grin tugging at her lips.

Yang Qing studied her for a few seconds before finally raising his hands in defeat.

"Fine, you win," he said at last, letting out a sigh.

Even though he suspected Fan Mei might be bluffing, the miser in him wasn't willing to test it out. Forty million high-grade spirit stones looked like a hefty sum, but every stone that left his coffers was one less in his reserves.

If he could spend less, there was no need to risk spending more—all for a little fun and petty vengeance. At least not for now. Maybe closer to the end of the year, when the next annual disbursement rolled in, he could afford to make an attempt. But for now, Fan Mei had the upper hand—and she knew it.

"I wonder how much she earns from these commissions each month," Yang Qing mused as he observed Fan Mei's calm but triumphant smile, her shoulders lazily flexing with self-assurance.

The commission he was preparing to send out carried a payout of 60,000 high-grade spirit stones. However, spirit stones weren't the sole currency for these transactions. The payment could either be the quoted amount in spirit stones or something of equivalent value.

For instance, if the Silver Frost Eagles accepted the commission, their payout would amount to 20,000 high-grade spirit stones or an item of equal worth. At that value, the reward could range from a low-tier monarch-grade artifact to rare herbs, natural treasures, or even a dozen top-tier orange-grade cultivation techniques.

The possibilities were broad. Recipients could also exchange the spirit stones for merit points and acquire something else entirely from the Order—perhaps access to specialized facilities like a cultivation chamber or a library. Alternatively, they could request a service trade in lieu of direct payment.

Take, for example, an appraisal service. In such a case, there were two potential approaches. The first involved completing the commission, converting the spirit stone payment into merit points, and redeeming those points for an appraisal.

The second approach was simpler: if the commissioner happened to be an appraiser, they could handle the appraisal personally. This way, they could keep the spirit stones as their own payment while performing the service directly.

Those undertaking the commission often preferred the second option. With merit points, the appraisal's quality was tied strictly to the points redeemed, ranging from a broad overview to an in-depth analysis based on the merit points available.

In contrast, when dealing directly with an appraiser, the level of detail provided could be more flexible. A decent working relationship with the commissioner could mean a more thorough appraisal, offering far greater leeway than the rigid structure of the merit point system.

Fan Mei had already revealed herself to be an appraiser, which explained Yang Qing's curiosity about her earnings. From this commission alone, if the Silver Frost Eagles opted for an appraisal instead of spirit stones, the 20,000 high-grade spirit stones would go straight into her pockets.

And just like roaming inquisitors, external logistics handlers weren't bound to a single judge.

Who knew how many other appraisal jobs Fan Mei had lined up from commissions with other judges?

Yang Qing couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as he imagined the numbers she was likely raking in—and that was just from side earnings. A faint sense of dejection crept over him as he compared it to his own modest income. But the feeling was fleeting, quickly replaced by the sobering realization of what it took to become an appraiser.

Nothing in the world was ever easy, but being an appraiser was undoubtedly among the most demanding professions.

When he was younger, in his more impressionable years, there were moments when he dreamed of becoming an appraiser. He imagined unraveling the mysteries behind objects, tracing their origins, unearthing the stories buried within them, and bringing those tales to light. There was a certain romantic allure to it, but those aspirations had been ruthlessly crushed when he came to understand the immense effort it required.

Appraising wasn't some magical process where one merely touched an object, extended their spiritual sense, and instantly gleaned all its secrets. If it were that simple, appraisers wouldn't exist.

True appraisers had to be masters of countless crafts, dedicating endless hours to continuous learning. Their knowledge base had to be vast, constantly expanding, and spanning multiple disciplines. The amount of information they had to consume seemed bottomless, and the most competent appraisers were often jacks of all trades. Even with all that knowledge, their job was never straightforward.

There was a reason Fan Mei's office was steeped in the scent of spirit-calming and spirit-rejuvenation incense. The aroma didn't come solely from the four incense sticks burning on her desk—it permeated the air from years of constant use. Her shelves, packed with books, scrolls, and parchments, weren't just for decoration or to evoke a scholarly atmosphere; they were necessities of the trade.

Yang Qing knew he couldn't sustain such a life. It wasn't a matter of capability—his love for researching history, uncovering hidden tales, and his natural curiosity would have made him well-suited to the role. Delving into the world of appraisals would have been a perfect match. But the demands of the job were unsustainable, especially for someone like him, who also had a deep passion for researching lost and broken cultivation arts, dissecting them, and recreating or inventing new ones.

Both paths required immense dedication. Ultimately, for Yang Qing, his love for the stories behind cultivation arts outweighed his fascination with appraising. So, he chose the cultivation route and left appraising behind.

Still, the allure of appraisal never entirely left him. If his frequent visits to cultivation markets in search of obscure, forgotten treasures were any indication, that particular bug continued to bite him now and then.

"It seems my luck really did turn for the better once I came to the palace courts. My logistics advisor is an appraiser," mused Yang Qing as his gaze heated up while settling on Fan Mei.

"What's with you?" Fan Mei asked, her brows furrowing slightly. She felt a sudden prickle of unease under Yang Qing's intense stare. "Is he appraising me?"

"With her around, I won't have to worry about paying out commissions through the nose… The groups I'll have access to because of her connections won't be small either… hehehe, what a teammate to have…" Yang Qing thought, snickering inwardly. Then another thought crept up on him, wiping the grin off his face. "Is this how the Order usually feels when it exploits us?"

"Yang Qing?" Fan Mei called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," Yang Qing said, flashing a sheepish grin. "You said you wanted twelve kettles? I'll do you better and make twenty," he added, standing up with newfound enthusiasm to fulfill his end of the deal.

"What's with him?" Fan Mei wondered, her gaze narrowing as she eyed him suspiciously.

This was her first time working with Yang Qing, and as always, she'd done her homework beforehand. With what she'd dug up about him, his sudden burst of generosity—and uncharacteristic friendliness—set off warning bells in her head.

Unaware of the storm of doubts he'd stirred in Fan Mei's mind, Yang Qing pulled out a kettle of his own. It held snow ginseng tea and could brew up to 30 liters at a time. Humming softly, he began the brewing process, dropping in ten green-flamed leaves before infusing the mixture with his universal qi.

"So, who's the last group you wanted to use?" he asked, focusing on the tea as he stirred it.

Fan Mei didn't respond right away. Instead, she studied him closely, as if trying to peel back the layers and see what lay underneath. But after a few seconds, she sighed and gave up.

"Forget it. If he could be easily seen through, he wouldn't have gotten away with more than half the things he's done," she thought, resigning herself to the mystery.

"The last one isn't a group," Fan Mei finally said. "It's a person…"

"A person?" Yang Qing repeated, pausing mid-motion as his interest was piqued. He turned his gaze to Fan Mei, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"Yes," Fan Mei replied with a nod. "It's a rogue cultivator. He's well-connected within their community, with friends and favors scattered almost everywhere. I've worked with him a few times before, and he's reliable—good at digging up things. Plus, he needs the spirit stones, so he's sure to put in the effort."

"Needs?" Yang Qing asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. The way she said it suggested there was more to the story.

"He's on the verge of breaking through to the domain realm," Fan Mei explained.