Daily life of a cultivation judge

"Wasn't I supposed to be the one haggling?" Yang Qing wondered to himself, smiling wryly at the look Meifeng was giving him. With her nervous, guilty eyes, she seemed one second away from amending her price and claiming the scallion pancakes were more than enough as payment.

If it were anyone else, Yang Qing would have jumped at the chance to exploit them, but with Meifeng—and that look—he didn't have the heart.

Sighing inwardly, he transmitted, "For brokering such a good deal, I'll give you seven. One for each day. How's that? Deal?"

"Deal!" Meifeng blurted immediately, stretching out her hand—only to recoil in embarrassment when she realized she had shouted the words aloud instead of transmitting them.

A mix of guilt and embarrassment flushed her face as her eyes darted nervously to the many guests around her, clinging to the desperate hope that maybe they had all gone deaf during her outburst. But the skylark laughing tauntingly above, its melodious tune carrying through the air, made it clear they had all heard her.

"Deal," she whispered meekly to Yang Qing, this time making sure it was under secret transmission. Yet that did little to ease her shame. She lowered her head, eyes glued desperately to the ground as if it hid wondrous secrets she would miss if she dared look away.

Leaving Meifeng to her silent battle with embarrassment—one not made any easier by the skylark, which only increased its tempo, chirping and laughing melodically, even gliding beneath her lowered head for greater effects—Yang Qing turned his attention back to Queen Lihua.

"When Meifeng told me about you, my plan was to borrow honey from you... not for free, of course. That was what I had in mind," Yang Qing said. "But from your reaction, it seems you thought I intended to take you and your hive with me?"

"Isn't that the case?" Lihua asked.

"No," Yang Qing replied with a slight shake of his head. "No, it isn't," he repeated firmly.

Glancing around him, Yang Qing softly asked, "What do you think about this place?"

"It's amazing." The response was curt, but it captured everything Lihua truly felt. She had never imagined a place like this existed within the range. Granted, she had never left her hive due to the risks, but still, such a place subverted imagination, especially given how perfectly suited it was for her kind.

If they cultivated here, even if she herself failed, she was certain her hive would one day produce a dream ambrosia bee that reached the palace realm. She even held the audacious hope that producing a prince was not out of the question. The environment was heavenly, and the owner was exactly the type of person she had always dreamed of cooperating with.

Though she felt naturally at ease around Yang Qing, it didn't stop pessimistic thoughts from creeping in, like fears that he might mistreat them. But she had spent enough time around Meifeng to gain a solid grasp of her character, and that character made her the most ideal partner for her and her hive. In truth, that mattered even more to Lihua than the environment itself.

Seeing through her thoughts, Yang Qing smiled and said, "I feel it would be best if you and your hive remained here."

"Meifeng would likely love that too," he added, his knowing gaze drifting to Meifeng, who glanced up briefly before quickly looking back down.

"Your Dao and hers fall along a similar path. Being around one another might benefit you both, not to mention that you can also look out for each other. I wonder what the spiritual abilities of a dream ambrosia queen and an amazing purple-flower spore sycamore tree would be like if combined.

Probably the most powerful illusion the world has ever seen," Yang Qing added, throwing in the last part for Meifeng's amusement. Sure enough, she immediately perked up, her head snapping up as she blurted, "It would definitely be amazing!"

After her little outburst, she quickly lowered her gaze again, though this time, her head didn't follow.

"For both of you, I think it would be beneficial to be around one another," Yang Qing said softly, his gaze shifting between Meifeng, who was twiddling her fingers like a guilty child, and Lihua.

He guessed her earlier act of haggling downward was likely a reflection of the internal struggle she was under. Lowering the number of peonies might have been her way of mustering the courage to speak her true thoughts—but in the end, she couldn't.

She might look and act naive—and in certain cases, she truly was—but naive or not, she was still a palace realm expert. More than anyone, she would have known that having the dream ambrosia bees with her was likely to benefit her cultivation. It might even have been the very reason Gu Xing brought them to her.

Given that, how could Yang Qing, in good conscience, take them away? But that larva queen... now that was a heaven-sent opportunity.

"You can bring her with you, but I don't need the peony," Lihua said with a sigh. "Being allowed to remain here is already far more than I deserve. And as for her..." Her tone drifted as her attention fell on the hive.

Nothing outwardly about her seemed to change, but Yang Qing sensed subtle fluctuations in her soul, like tiny ripples disturbing still waters.

"If you must give it—since I have a feeling you'll insist—then give it to her," the queen said in her characteristically even tone, though Yang Qing could tell she was anything but calm when she spoke those words.

"I will give it to her then," Yang Qing replied with a nod. No sooner had he said that than seven more spirit pearl peonies appeared in his hands.

"These are yours, Meifeng," he said, handing them over to her.

Meifeng shook her head. "It isn't a fair trade, Brother Yang Qing. After all, the hive is remaining here," she added in a soft, guilty tone.

"But I am leaving with a queen, which is essentially like leaving with an entire hive of my own. And besides, earlier you were willing to hand the hive over, which would have been a huge disadvantage to you, yet you did. Think of these peonies as my reward for my little sister's selflessness and consideration, and my admiration of her character," Yang Qing said sincerely.

"If you refuse, then I won't pick your calls for a week... no, a month... no, a month and a half... no, two mo—"

"Fine! I accept! I accept! I will take the peonies!" screamed Meifeng, immediately leaping for them.

"You really are shameless, Senior Brother," she said with a soft pout as she hugged the peonies. Her expression softened into a smile as she brought them closer. "They really smell beautiful."

"Thanks," she said softly, smiling brightly at Yang Qing.

"You're welcome," said Yang Qing.

"Oh, seems like I came at just the right time. Where are my flowers?" said another voice.