Yang Qing injected a few streams of green colored into the three brothers. Minutes later they started groaning as the cracks on their skin healed at a visible speed to the naked eye. Once Yang Qing saw they were regaining consciousness and no longer in any mortal danger he stopped and just stood at the side.
Shen Tian was the first to regain consciousness followed by Shen Shi and finally Shen Ding. They were all groggy at first and could barely speak. Their bodies felt like they weighed a tonne and their innards were madly roaring in pain. Yang Qing may have healed but he only did enough to ensure their lives were not at risk and their dantians would not be crippled. As for the rest, the three Shen brothers would have to heal them naturally using the vitality accorded to core formation experts or using other means they had at their disposal.
As rogue cultivators who spent most of their lives flirting with danger and death, they must have measures in place to deal with the critical injuries they suffer such as potions, pills, or life-saving herbs and treasures. Yang Qing was still dissatisfied with them, he wasn't going to go out of his way and let the Shen brothers save up on their resources.
"Now that you're all awake your sentence begins from today," Yang Qing's cold voice sounded above the three brothers who were trying to get their bearing together while still in shock that they were alive. But when they remembered they barely survived four seconds their moods instantly plummeted.
pαndα`noνɐ1--сoМ Hearing Yang Qing's voice sent tremors all over their bodies as they nervously looked at him. Shen Tian couldn't help but lower his head in shame and fear. He had walked in here today believing his talent and experience would make him worthy to match up with anyone from the Order whose cultivators in his eyes were like sheltered birds. But the experience from seconds ago had given the three brothers a rude awakening. Whatever pride they had was smashed mercilessly by just a single finger.
"We couldn't even measure up to a single finger," Shen Tian thought as he shook his head in depreciation.
"Shen Shi, Shen Ding, and Shen Tian as agreed since you failed to remain conscious for 10 seconds during my attack 2 years has been added to your sentence and you will now be serving a 12-year sentence of hard labor.
As I mentioned earlier please ensure your work is of the highest quality. You will be regularly monitored and graded on the quality of your work and if you get anything less than 7/10 in your evaluations you will be penalized by having six more months added to your sentence.
Zheng Hu please take them to the penalties and rehabilitation offices and ask the chief administrator to decide the order of the labor they will start with and also the disbursement of personnel to monitor and evaluate them throughout their sentence.
Mao give Zheng Hu a copy of the proceedings so he can give it to the administrator.
Zhong Quan, Zheng Hu will guide you to the restitution and reclamation offices to get your owed dues. You can go with him as he heads to the penalties and rehabilitation office since they are just adjacent to each other.
With this I declare the case of Zhong Quan the owner and proprietor of the earthvine restaurant vs the Shen brothers in regards to the damage and compensation of the earthvine table closed," Yang said in quick succession as he brought the gavel down.
"Thank you judge Yang Qing," Zhong Quan said as he gave a respectful bow. Things had gone differently than he anticipated especially toward the end. Truly only those who had passed through the doors of the Order could know how fearsome this lurking beast is. He may have not looked down on the Order like the Shen brothers but he wasn't as wary of it as he was now.
"Truly this is a place packed to the brim with crouching tigers and hidden dragons," Zhong Quan thought.
The Shen brothers on the other hand looked pitiful. Their legs were wobbly like newborn calves. They had to support each other to have some semblance of balance. Mentally they were also shaken as they now had to serve hard labor for 12 years and they were not too sure if they would be alive till the end of the sentence. About the safest job for them was being miners but their sentencing schedule had them working in the mines for only 6 months.
"We can only do our best and take it a day at a time," Shen Shi said to his brothers who nodded agreeingly in return.
"Thank you judge Yang Qing for your favor of sparing our lives and even healing us despite our lack of manners. We will strive to work our sentence to the best of our abilities," Shen Shi said as he tried to bow that almost sent him and his brothers tumbling down.
"I sincerely hope at the end of your sentence you will be different people with a developed sense of prudence and alertness. Not everything you see is as you see it, and not everyone you see is as you see. Exercising an abundance of caution and prudence is sometimes a necessary tool if you want to live and grow to your fullest potential instead of being another could have beens. Hopefully, your time at the Order during your sentencing will help expand your horizons and perspective," said Yang Qing as he sighed. Complacency and arrogance were dangers he had to warn himself against every single day and it was one of the high do not's of the institute. A lot of young inquisitors at the start when the Order was making strides and rising in power had their heads swollen in pride treating themselves as the special ones looking down on everyone else. The highest inquisitor mortality and even judges was during that period. It was one of the dark periods for the Order that the older cultivators had to undertake those roles to fill in the manpower gaps as the institute came up with a way to address that issue.
One of the methods was the life-and-death duels with the convicts. The convicts chosen for this role were among the best at combat and deviousness. Students that suffered at their hands couldn't help but be grounded by the experience. And the other method was the work programme where the students get to work in inns, and restaurants as servants and have their characters be secretly judged by the judges during their time there. Even though the sense of conceitedness wasn't completely removed it had been drastically reduced as compared to before.
Zheng Hu escorted Zhong Quan and the Shen brothers out with the golden eagle phantasm still parched on his shoulder. Mao Yunru had also handed him a white jade talisman that had the recording of the court proceedings as the other copy was given to Yang Qing who sent it to the higher-ups using the array attached to his podium.
"Which case should I handle next? This day has just been one thing after another. Yi Jie cross your fingers with me so the next case becomes an easier one," Yang Qing said with a serious expression as he crossed his fingers in an attempt to break today's curse that he was still convinced was Lei Weiyuan's doing. He would not put it past him doing something that would result in him expending every last drop of qi for the Order.
Yi Jie ignored Yang Qing as he snorted in contempt. Though Yang Qing managed to notice a strange gleam in his eyes like that of someone gloating at another person's misfortune.
"Yi Jie you?!! Are you sure this is how you want to do things? blatantly mocking your boss. Fine if you cross your fingers I promise I'll diligently do ¾ of what Lei Weiyuan has in store for us later," Yang Qing said in concession.
"Three-quarters, you? The same conniving person I know," Yi Jie said derisively not buying it at all.
'Fine half I'll do half," Yang Qing said in embarrassment at being obviously called out in his lie. Yi Jie stared at him for a while seemingly trying to see through him,
"You better," Yi Jie said as he reluctantly crossed his fingers too.
"Mao Mao you too and before you say no remember you owe me," Yang Qing said as he gave a mercantile smile. Mao Yunru who was just about to refuse glared back at him before she too joined the curse-breaking bandwagon using the time-tested finger-crossing technique.
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