Chapter 14: Court recess

"I think we should take a break for now while we wait for Feng Xin to bring the rest in—provided they're still within the vicinity. Otherwise, it will take considerable effort to find them later," Yang Qing said as he stood up.

Cheng Yuan visibly flinched at the suggestion.

"Yi Jie, Mao Yunru, how about it? I'm a bit hungry. I didn't even get a proper breakfast this morning because Yi Jie rushed me. Let's head to the Thousand Flavors restaurant. We'll resume the other cases once this one is settled. I don't want to start anything new while loose ends from this case are still lingering."

Yang Qing turned to Cheng Yuan and added, "Sect Master Cheng Yuan, you should join us. The food here might help soothe your nerves, even if only a little. Plus, it's rich in spiritual essence. It's way better than relying on fasting pills or other cultivation pills. The food is truly delicious—though I'm sure it's nothing compared to the spirit rice your sect produces. Still, the chefs here try their best."

He patted Cheng Yuan on the shoulder as he spoke, his tone light and inviting.

For some reason, Cheng Yuan caught a peculiar glint in Yang Qing's eyes when he mentioned his sect's spirit rice. This left him a little perplexed. Sure, their spirit rice was renowned for its flavor and quality—it was one of their main sources of revenue, along with their potions and herbs. But was it really exceptional enough to draw the interest of a judge from the mighty Order?

Surely, the Order had access to food and ingredients that were far richer in quality and energy than their spirit rice.

Cheng Yuan quickly shook off his brief wonder, refocusing his thoughts on what truly worried him: Wen Chang.

"Judge, what about Wen Chang? I don't want to leave her alone. Wouldn't it be risky to leave her like this? What if something happens?" Cheng Yuan asked, his voice tinged with worry as he kept his gaze fixed on the massive black cocoon, which remained ominously still.

"I won't tell you not to worry, Sect Master," Yang Qing replied gently. "Her situation is indeed precarious. But there's nothing more we can do, whether we stay here or wait elsewhere. Wen Chang is completely isolated within that cocoon. The battle she's facing now is hers alone to fight.

If you're concerned about her rampaging or exploding, rest assured, that won't happen. Her qi flow, meridians, and internal organs are all safeguarded by the liquid circulating within the cocoon," Yang Qing said in a reassuring tone.

"Physically, she's completely safe as long as she remains inside it. There are only two ways she can emerge. The first is if she becomes powerful enough to break out on her own, which is highly unlikely since she needs to be stronger than me to do that. The second—and the normal route—is if she regains consciousness.

The cocoon is a healing spell with restraining measures, and its effects grow stronger the greater the disparity between the caster and the subject. This spell is specifically designed to preserve individuals who've suffered soul attacks. Once Wen Chang regains even a fraction of clarity and self-awareness, the cocoon will dissolve, and she'll be free."

Yang Qing placed his hand gently on the cocoon, causing it to shimmer faintly. The deep blackness began to recede, dissolving like ink dispersing in water, until it revealed Wen Chang curled within. Her closed eyes trembled faintly, as though she were trapped in a nightmare.

"The spell continuously monitors her qi flow, blood circulation, and internal processes. Currently, everything is being sustained by the spell's energy. Once her body can resume its functions independently, the cocoon will naturally release her," he concluded, withdrawing his hand from the cocoon. The fading blackness returned, enveloping the cocoon once more and obscuring Wen Chang from view.

"However," Yang Qing paused, his tone growing serious, "if she doesn't recover, she'll remain in the cocoon indefinitely. As long as I'm alive, the spell will persist, even without my direct qi input. The ambient qi in the courtroom is sufficient to sustain it.

"The only other way to release her is for me to dispel the spell manually, but I strongly advise against it. If I do, she'll immediately revert to her previous rampaging state due to the uncontrolled exposure to surrounding qi."

Yang Qing placed a reassuring hand on Cheng Yuan's shoulder. "Trust me, Sect Master. Right now, this is the best and safest option for her."

Cheng Yuan's worry seemed to have eased slightly, though not entirely. However, his expression soon darkened again, his brows knitting as another troubling thought took root. He glanced at Yang Qing with a fidgety demeanor, clearly hesitant to voice what was on his mind.

"Just ask, Cheng Yuan. You're my senior here—what are you so worried about? Go on, out with it," Yang Qing said gently, gesturing for him to speak.

Cheng Yuan's face tightened in a strained expression before he let out a resigned sigh. His shoulders sagged as though he had accepted his fate, as if asking this question would lead to his doom.

"What if someone tries to steal her while we're gone? Coming to the Order, and even walking through the hallways, I saw how many people looked at her with greedy eyes. What if someone breaks in and takes her while she's in this defenseless state?" Cheng Yuan blurted the words out quickly, as if trying to get through them before his courage failed.

He avoided Yang Qing's gaze as a flicker of unease crossed his face. In truth, there was more to his question—something he dared not admit. Though he had already made his peace with being cleanly sliced in half for his question, he saw no need to court further disaster by elaborating on his suspicions.

The real reason for his concern, the part he kept firmly locked away, was that among all the greedy eyes he had noticed, the one he feared most belonged to their assigned inquisitor, Feng Xin.

From the moment Feng Xin laid eyes on the emerald leaf cow, Cheng Yuan had sensed something was off. At first, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but as time passed, he became more certain—it was greed, carefully concealed beneath a veneer of professionalism.

But Feng Xin's greed was unlike the others who had gazed at Wen Chang as to her potential within the sphere of cultivation. They sort to use her as a cultivation resource, be it as a mount, guardian, or use her for part. Feng Xin's gaze, however, was different. It wasn't the calculating, opportunistic gaze of someone seeking power or benefit. It was a gaze Cheng Yuan was intimately familiar with from living in the Green Fog Region. It was the look the spirit beasts there gave them and gave each other. The look that designated one as prey to be eaten.

"As an inquisitor, Feng Xin could freely enter the courtroom when we're not here," Cheng Yuan thought, his worry deepening. "What if he comes back while we're eating and, in that same spirit, decides to feast in the courtroom with no one around to stop him?"

The notion gnawed at him relentlessly, a persistent unease that wouldn't let go. Cheng Yuan couldn't shake the feeling that, if given the chance, Feng Xin wouldn't let Wen Chang go unscathed.

Yang Qing, as if reading his mind, offered a gentle smile. His calm demeanor only added to Cheng Yuan's nervousness, causing the sect master to instinctively take a step back, a small gulp betraying his anxiety.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about," Yang Qing said, his tone steady and reassuring. "As long as Wen Chang is within these walls, she's under my care."

He paused, his gaze briefly sweeping the room. "And besides, this courtroom is equipped with multiple arrays that record everything that happens here, at all times."

A trace of lament flickered across Yang Qing's expression as he finished speaking.

Those arrays had been his undoing more times than he cared to count. On several occasions, his schemes had been foiled because of them—particularly during his earlier years, when he didn't even know they existed. Once he discovered them, he tried to tamper with them, only to realize he had grossly overestimated his skills with formation arrays. The result had been disastrous: he found himself trapped in a vivid illusion array, forced to relive his worst nightmares. The traumatic episodes from that day still haunted him.

Yang Qing couldn't help but cast a long, grievous look at the ceiling of the courtroom, as though staring down a long-time nemesis.

"Mao Yunru, let's go. Yi Jie, you'll walk Sect Master Chen through the other entrance. We'll meet at the building's hallway and then make our way toward the restaurant," Yang Qing said, turning toward the entrance he had come from, with Mao Yunru following closely behind.

Yi Jie gave a nod in response, leading Sect Master Chen Yuan out through the regular entrance.

......….

Meanwhile, in the southwestern part of the southern continent, a massive white bird streaked across the sky at breakneck speeds. Every time it passed, the clouds in its wake disappeared completely, leaving behind a clear, wide-open sky. The bird resembled a giant kite, its length nearly 50 meters, with each of its wingspans measuring twice that.

It was pure white, with piercing red eyes and golden talons, one of which was adorned with a bracelet bearing the symbol of a golden eagle and intricate cloud patterns on its chest.

A voice suddenly rang out above the bird.

"Looks like I might make it in time. With the fog already in sight, the swamp isn't far behind. Good job, Ellie, I'll be sure to get you some fish in the core formation realm once we get back."

The voice carried a note of relief.

The kite screeched in response, narrowing its eyes in delight. The sound was sharp and powerful, sending visible waves through the air. The force of it cleared all the clouds ahead of the bird and reverberated across the area, sending other birds fleeing and causing fish in the nearby river to dive deeper out of fear.

"ELLIE!! What are you screeching for? Do you want to attract a random beast in the palace stage or a cultivator with designs on you? There may not be any recorded rank 3 sects in this swampy region, but given how treacherous it is, I wouldn't be surprised if some rogue cultivators with a higher realm have made this place their hiding spot," the voice scolded in a hurried tone.