Chapter 36: Five judges

As the party made their way into the Thousand flavors restaurant, Cheng Yuan who was walking at the back, had a look of extreme shock on his face and it wasn't due to the use of red starlight wood by the restaurant. It was entirely because of the young man who was ushering them into the restaurant, Cao Ying.

From what Cheng Yuan could tell, Cao Ying was 14 to 15 years old, however, someone that young had a cultivation realm in the early stages of foundation establishment. From what Cheng Yuan could tell, Cao Ying was at the peak of level 3 and just needed a small nudge to break through to the fourth stage.

He couldn't believe just some servant at a restaurant had talent that wasn't even suitable to call genius anymore, as it was on the grounds of a monster. At his sect, the disciples who were labeled talents were those who had managed to reach the foundation realm at the tender age of 30.

Cheng Yuan couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he felt Cao Ying was vastly different and several levels more powerful than what a regular Foundation establishment member should be at within the same level.

Meeting someone so young at the foundation realm had shaken him. Even his ambitions of making the Green fog swamp sect great had wavered. If a servant was this powerful, what about the rest of the world? Rank 3 sects and above are bound to have stronger people and that's not even mentioning the Order. Yang Qing and the rest noticed his reaction but they did not say anything and just continued on their way.

The inside of the restaurant stayed true to the capabilities of one who could use something as precious as red starlight wood to make a whole restaurant out of it. The inside had qi three times richer than the outside world.

Cheng Yuan's pores opened by themselves swimming in the opulence of the qi around them. The chairs and seats were made of the same wood with a delicate and intricate design. It looked more like art than furniture. It was arranged into four rows with equal spacing between them. But what caught Cheng Yuan's eye, well his nose mostly, was the different food fragrances that filled the air. The weird part was, it was not convoluted or a mix and marsh of food fragrances. There seemed to be a rhythm and law to it, almost as if all the smells originated from one source.

Seconds later, there was a grumbling sound, and moments after that, there was an even louder one that sounded like the roar of a tiger. Cheng Yuan was embarrassed when his stomach grumbled but he didn't get to live through that embarrassment, as seconds later there was a louder one that almost gave him a heart attack. However, the culprit didn't show the normal embarrassed expression one would have in such a situation. He was instead patting his stomach with the expression of a bloodthirsty beast going for a hunt.

"Cao Ying, tell the chefs today not to slack off. I haven't had anything all day all thanks to Yi Jie here. I'll need a few bites here and there to tide me over." Yang Qing said as he kept slurping over and over staring at the door ahead that led to the kitchen.

Cao Ying could only drily laugh as he shook his head. Yi Jie and Mao Yunru were long used to it because there was an even bigger glutton, by the name of Feng Xin in the group. As for Cheng Yuan, he was the only one grateful for Yang Qing's roar like grumbling.

"Heeeeey!! Yunru over here?" Mao Yunru was soon called over by a few ladies seated a few tables to her right. They had the same blue color robes as her and were just as picturesque.

"Does the Order only accept beauties?" Cheng Yuan couldn't help but wonder to himself as he saw the crowd calling Mao Yunru over.

"See you, Yang Qing," Mao Yunru said as she waved back to her friends while going over. As for Yi Jie, he had long disappeared to the second floor with another friend, leaving only Yang Qing and Cheng Yuan together.

"Would you look it here, our soon-to-be model palace judge decided to grace us with his presence? Yang Qing what are you doing here this early, it's barely midday. Wasn't your old buddy supervisor Lei Weiyuan making rounds near your court today, no way you managed to pull a fast one." A teasing young man seated to the left of Yang Qing next to one of the windows said.

He was seated at a table with a party of five inclusive of him. It was three men and two women. The young man had yellow hair which was tied in a half ponytail. He had matching yellow eyes with the same average build as Yang Qing. His eyes had a crafty look to them with a goofy smile on his face. He seemed like the always goofing and making jokes type. He had on the same similar blue robes as Yang Qing with the same numeral IV at the back.

Just like Yang Qing, he was also a superior core court judge. In his group, two others also had the same blue robes and numeral IV inscribed inside a rhombus shape showing they were judges too.

One of them was a young woman with pink plum-like hair flowing smoothly down her shoulders. She was slender and taller than even the rest of the males there. Her beauty was breathtaking like a sakura tree in winter. She had a soft but silently bold expression. As for the other person with similar robes, it was a man with a slender build too with black hair tied in a top bun, his robe and demeanor were meticulous like that of a noble or a clean freak about to level up his skill tree. If a stranger was asked to pick out who among the group was a judge, he would be the most likely pick. He had the righteous aura to accompany his noble-like demeanor.

As for the remaining two in the party of five, one was a young man who had medium-length brown black curly hair that was tied loosely into a small ponytail, with a pink ribbon. He had a short coarse beard, one that was a cross between someone who wanted to shave but didn't want his face to remain completely naked. He had a wild freedom-loving look to him with a carefree grin. He looked completely dissimilar to the noble, as his robes were loosely worn with his inner robe slightly revealing his chest. And unlike the others, his robes were dark golden with the numeral I at the back.

The last member of the group was a lady. She was so small that she would be easily buried within the group. She had chin length bob hairstyle that was pure black with amber eyes. Her cheeks were fluffy and had a shy docile expression. She kept staring below every now and then or play with her food. Despite her looking down, her beauty could not be hidden, it was like the blazing sun. She too had a dark gold robe with the numeral I on the back.

"Of course, I need to come to this place and raise its standard a bit because a certain yellow-haired ruffian keeps classing down the joint, that reminds me, pay up the three thousand high-grade spirit stones you owe me. It's almost been half a month." Yang Qing said as he made his way over to their table stretching his palms out.

"Yu Huifang, Zhang Qingge, Dai Chen, and Xia Boqin, why do you all keep hanging out with him especially you Xia Boqin with your meticulous personality can you stand this walking heap of trouble?" Yang Qing asked as he stared at the judge with the meticulous robe and noble-like demeanor.

"I think of it as mental training, not like you are any different either." Xia Boqin softly answered.

"Hahahahaha you two are always at it. The next monthly competition will be held at Zhang Qingge's place right? Can't wait." Dai Chen the rough-looking young man in dark gold robes boisterously laughed as he gulped what looked to be rice wine.

"Huuh it….i..t..it….it….it is me this time? But I haven't made preparations since I was swamped with work and reprimands again." Zhang Qingge said with shy stuttering in her voice as it trailed off towards the end due to embarrassment.

Due to the shock of her hosting, she ended up looking up, which made Cheng Yuan inadvertently gulp at how someone could look this pretty. Even Yu Huifang at the side had a beauty that couldn't be overlooked. But Cheng Yuan dare not stare as he felt a faint unapproachable aura from her.

"Don't worry Qingge, I'll help you, besides there isn't much to prepare anyway." Yu Huifang gently said with a warm smile on her face as she looked at Qingge like one would look at their small sister who was helpless without them.

"YOU WILL….Thank youuu sister Huifang. That saves me a lot of trouble. I was worried about the food and drinks. Yang Qing eats like a million pigs and Dai Chen drinks like a deep abyss whale…eeeeeeeh!!! DID I JUST SAY THAT LOUD?" Zhang Qingge suddenly yelled as she quickly lowered her head and covered her face in embarrassment. She ended up blurting out what she thought due to her excitement about receiving help.

The table suddenly burst out laughing, even the meticulous Xia Boqin couldn't hold it in.

"I'll bring the food." Yang Qing said as he continued laughing

"I'll bring the drinks." Dai Chen added immediately after

"See, everything is well and sorted." Yu Huifang gently coerced her as she softly smiled at the side.

"Qingge never disappoints." Kang Huilang said as he pushed away Yang Qing's hand.

"Thank you." a soft mosquito-like reply came from under the table as the rest could only smile at this.

"Huilang, spirit stones please, don't think this little interlude will prevent me from collecting what is owed."

"Fine, fine, I'll pay at the end of the day. How can a palace court judge be so stingy? collecting every single debt even from a lowly superior core court judge like myself. You sully that post. Why can't you be magnanimous like Dai Chen or Qingge? They have the demeanor of palace court judges." Kang Huilang scoffed with bitterness in his tone.

"Accountability my good friend Huilang, accountability. I am the embodiment of order and justice. I will not bend the rules, even for friends." Yang Qing righteously said as he puffed out his chest. However, like a sleazy chameleon, Yang Qing immediately changed his bearing.

"Big brother Dai Chen, sister Qingge please play for this lowly one's meal as my seniors in the Palace courts. That old man Lei Weiyuan halted my payments for the past three months. I don't have much left. Please seniors take care of your junior in his hour of need." Yang Qing humbly said as he performed the best bow he could make. His righteous indignant aura from seconds ago was gone and replaced by a humble fawning underling's aura.

"I don't have much myself, it got taken away for reparations because of an accident. It is big sister Huifang who is paying my bill" Zhang Qingge softly replied as she still kept her face covered looking down.

"Reparations again?" Yang Qing asked in shock

"It wasn't my fault this time, I tried my hardest and things just ended up that way. It really wasn't me this time." Zhang Qingge suddenly raised her head as she defended herself like an aggrieved cat. However, her cheeks were red from embarrassment, and her eyes darting all over.

"It's definitely her fault." Everyone unanimously thought.

"Okay I believe you,.. Big brother Dai." Yang Qing still not giving up in the pursuit of a free meal

"Fine, but just the appetizer. Wait, forget the appetizer, I almost forgot you're shameless enough to order a million of them. I'll pay only a thousand middle-grade spirit stones for your meal. Anything above that you pay yourself."

"Thank you." Yang Qing said with some cheer in his voice.

Dai Chen wasn't fooled by his amiable expression because he heard Yang Qing click the moment he changed the idea of buying him appetizers.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it, ooh before I forget, this is Cheng Yuan, a diligent sect master of a rank 4 sect in the green fog region, Cheng Yuan these are my friends."

Cheng Yuan was too nervous to even say anything he ended up cupping his fist which was trembling and pale. The rest nodded at him as Qingge stared at him. Seeing someone this nervous made her feel emboldened enough to stare before she went back to her eating.

"Okay then and don't miss my ceremony. Huilang END OF DAY." Yang Qing said as he eyed Kang Huilang like a vicious loan shark before he made his way to a table a few steps over where Kang Huilang and the rest were. It was also next to a window and where the thousand flavors aroma was denser than in other areas. It was Yang Qing's spot. He had a satisfied expression as he sat down with the Cheng Yuan in tow.

"You'll cover that thousand from the 12,000 spirit stones you owe me, Huilang." Dai Chen said after Yang Qing left.

This left Kang Huilang coughing as blood drained from his face. Zhang Qingge at the side stared at him fidgeting almost as if she was debating asking him something, but on seeing his pitiful look, she shook her head and went back to eating.