Daily life of a cultivation judge

Yang Qing had lost count of how many times he had been left shocked since setting foot here. From the moment he walked in, to now—just as he was about to leave—the stream of shocking information hadn't let up in the slightest.

Never in a million years had he thought that some random case he picked up would lead him to one of the most terrifying battlefields on the continent.

The place Shao An just mentioned was unofficially known as the Unforgotten Graveyard of Blood and Sword Qi—a name that was true in every sense of the word.

It spanned a 100-kilometer radius, filled with nothing but blood and sword qi—a constant reminder of the devastating battle that took place there 24,000 years ago between two titanic forces. On one side stood the illustrious holy land, the Radiant Sword Sect. On the other was the Crimson Wave Tide Sect, a legendary and infamous sect, revered by blood refinement cultivators as a holy land in its own right.

Its founder was idolized as a god among them, having achieved legendary feats such as singlehandedly destroying a rank-one sect—his former sect—and creating a complete blood refinement cultivation art that solved one of the greatest weaknesses blood refinement cultivators faced: rationality.

Blood refinement arts offered rapid progress with little effort and required minimal talent. All one needed was a technique that allowed them to absorb another cultivator's cultivation. It was modeled after the cultivation system of spirit beasts, who grew stronger by devouring one another—though not all of them did, nor did they have to.

Those with stronger bloodlines relied on their innate talents to improve, while those without either devoured other spirit beasts or preyed on human cultivators. Most preferred the latter, as devouring humans yielded far greater results than consuming their own kind.

Regardless of their choice, the result remained the same—spirit beasts, who would otherwise struggle to advance their cultivation, could achieve tremendous gains at astonishing speeds by devouring spirit beasts, human cultivators, or even spiritual plants, sentient or not.

However, there was no free meal in this world. Such rapid progress always came at a cost—one's sanity and clarity of mind. Spirit beasts were commonly associated with violence and bloodthirstiness, and for good reason. They were ruthless, both to other races and to their own kind. Some were simply born that way, their aggression ingrained in their species. But for others, their volatility was a direct consequence of rapidly increasing their strength through devouring others.

It was commonly said that one needed to cultivate the mind just as much as the body. Neglecting one would inevitably lead to the detriment of the other. If one cultivated only the mind while neglecting the body, they would end up with a weak physique, unable to fully interact with or withstand the world their mind could perceive. Conversely, if one focused solely on the body and neglected the mind, they would never be able to make full use of their strength.

This was one of the guiding precepts the instructors at the Institute used when teaching students to master cultivation arts.

Mastering a cultivation art was not merely about executing its moves flawlessly. True mastery lay in internalizing its techniques and adapting them to oneself. Two people could cultivate the same technique, yet their interpretations and understandings would differ.

To help students develop such understanding, instructors emphasized sharpening their senses, deepening their judgment, and refining their thinking—things that could only be gained through wisdom and experience. That was why students were subjected to countless life-and-death duels against all manner of opponents and scenarios. Only by surviving and internalizing the insights gained from these battles could they gradually refine their cultivation arts, shaping them to suit their own strengths.

They controlled the art, not the other way around.

Blood refinement cultivators usually suffer because they neglect this crucial aspect. The ease of cultivation, the lack of talent or effort required, and the rapid results it produces always end up being their downfall. They gain strength far beyond what their minds, understanding, and willpower can control. They lack the experience to wield it properly, and because their growth is so rapid, their minds quickly become lost in the frenzy of rapidly and easily gaining strength from devouring other cultivators. Before they realize it, they become slaves to that feeling—consumed by their bloodlust, often turning even more berserk than spirit beasts once they develop a taste for it.

Beyond that, they also suffer from weak foundations, making them ineffective despite their strength. Unlike spirit beasts, whose robust bodies and physiology naturally help them assimilate power, blood refinement cultivators lack such advantages. Spirit beasts that manage to develop wisdom pearls even overcome their inherent bloodthirst, transforming from mindless killers acting on instinct into calculated predators. This was what made spirit beasts with wisdom pearls so dangerous.

Blood refinement cultivators, however, have no such luck. They cannot form wisdom pearls like spirit beasts, nor do they possess the bodies needed to contain and assimilate their acquired strength properly. Their only real advantage is their tremendous vitality, with some even capable of surviving decapitation.

But in the end, all that means is that they become nothing more than glorified, enduring meat shields—possessing strength yet unable to wield it to its full potential.

However, everything changed when the founder of the Crimson Wave Tide came into the picture. Unlike most who turned to blood refinement cultivation due to a lack of talent or resources to pursue the orthodox path, the founder was someone blessed with both—exceptional talent and abundant resources. He used these advantages to devise a complete blood refinement system that finally addressed its greatest flaw: the mind.

He discovered a way to strengthen and elevate the mind so that it could keep pace with the rapid growth in strength that blood refinement cultivators gained so easily. With this breakthrough, he eliminated the frenzied state that had long plagued blood refinement practitioners, allowing them to fully control and utilize their power. For the first time, they had their own equivalent of a wisdom pearl—one embedded within the cultivation art created by the Crimson Wave Tide's founder. It was rumored to be so profound that some speculated it had reached the gates of the purple grade.

Given the magnitude of his achievements, it was no surprise that countless blood refinement cultivators came to revere him as a god. His influence sparked a shift across the cultivation world, with more and more people turning to blood refinement—even those from orthodox sects. Many pledged their loyalty to the Crimson Wave Tide Sect, eager to learn the art that had revolutionized their path.

From what Yang Qing had read, even a few rank-two sects and an empire had joined the wave.