It didn't take long for everyone to see the originator of that voice. A blue spark flashed as a young man seemingly in his twenties appeared in the middle of the courtroom.
He had a handsome fair face, deep sky-blue eyes that seemed to hold the galaxy in them, a slender build, and flowing blue hair that was partly tied into a bun with a starry blue vine. His robe had a rhombus shape with the numeral IV inscribed in it and the words superior written above the rhombus shape.
On seeing the figure; Yang Qing, Mao Yunru, Yi Jie, and Su Jinjing all rose up as they cupped their fists in greeting as they said in unison,
"WE OFFER GREETINGS TO THE SUPERIOR DOMAIN JUDGE MENG CHAO,"
Their voices reverberated around the courtroom as an air of solemnness and deep awe spread about. The demeanor of Yang Qing and the rest startled sect master Han Qingling, Liu Yun, and Zhao Qi who couldn't help but wonder who the young newcomer was and why he elicited such a reaction from all the members of the Order present.
Deng Chao narrowed his eyes as he pensively gazed at the young man.
"A half-step soul formation expert and despite him reigning his fluctuations I can tell he is a couple of levels stronger than the one I faced," Deng Chao solemnly thought.
"Dispense with the formalities. Right now I'm just an interloper intruding on your case," Meng Chao lightly said as he offered a polite smile.
"It is not an intrusion we are the lucky ones to have you grace us with your presence," Yang Qing hurriedly and devoutly said.
The bootlicker Yang Qing had already come out to play. This was a superior domain court judge in front of him. As far as his clearance level allowed him to know, the superior domain court was the highest court level in the whole Order. Even though he definitely knew they had soul formation experts he wasn't sure there was a court that tried soul formation cases.
Soul formation experts were few and far in between and those that managed to reach that level were all sons and daughters of destiny. It was very difficult for soul formation experts to kill each other not unless one of them was in the early stages and the other in the late stages but even then the means a soul formation expert had to ensure their survival was too numerous to count. It was easier to kill one hundred domain realm experts than it was to kill a single soul formation expert.
It was, for this reason, Yang Qing never thought there was a court that judged soul formation experts when it would prove difficult to find one let alone entrap one.
However, there was a matter 90 years ago that led to the demotion of a rank 1 sect when said sect lost its only soul formation expert and over half its domain experts. The reason for that demotion was tied to the Order however that topic has always been a taboo topic to talk about in the Order. Yang Qing once tried to find some details from Lei Weiyuan only to be sternly warned against asking about things he shouldn't.
It was therefore commonly accepted within the Order that the superior domain court was the highest-ranked court and its members were the most powerful force the courts had to offer. They were all peak domain experts who stood out even among fellow peak domain experts. Most of the recorded soul formation experts in the Order since its inception to the present had come from the superior domain court with a few coming from the inner domain court or other branches of the Order such as the institute.
The principal of the institute was rumored to be a soul formation expert though Yang Qing has never seen him however there was credence to the rumor as the vice principal and a few deans were peak domain realm experts.
…..
"Haha, Lei Weiyuan he is just like you said," Meng Chao said with an amused look on his face.
"I'm sorry Yang Qing I don't handle the working schedules and leave days, especially in the palace courts. If I overstep my bounds I would get in trouble with my superiors too," Meng Chao said with an apologetic look though there was a scheming glint that flashed through his eyes.
Yang Qing was already beet red in shame that his little bootlicking scheme had already been seen through even before he could fully display it.
"This old fox Lei Weiyuan does he never rest? Just how many countermeasures has he put in place? Won't I ever get time off? All I want is to give soft life Yang Qing a chance at life," Yang Qing thought to himself as he threw an aggrieved look toward Lei Weiyuan who smirked coldly in return.
"You're a thousand years too young Yang Qing. The Order will make sure to squeeze every last drop of qi you have after which we will feed you herbs to rejuvenate it and squeeze it out once more over and over. Blood, sweat, and tears Yang Qing the Order welcomes you with open arms," Lei Weiyuan thought as he offered Yang Qing a gentle smile that hugely terrified Yang Qing.
"Though."
Meng Chao's voice quickly pulled Yang Qing back from that terrible bout of dread that was assailing him.
"If you were to make it to the domain courts I would be able to put a good word in for you with one of the administrators. I have much more latitude within the domain courts than in other areas. I'm confident I can help you out with whatever it is you were angling for," said Meng Chao as he exchanged a nigh imperceptible crafty look with Lei Weiyuan.
"Really?" Yang Qing who was beside himself with fear from Lei Weiyuan's smile was now beside himself with blissful joy as if he had received the greatest news ever.
"I give you my word. Though just so you know becoming a domain court judge we don't just evaluate strength but the cases you have worked on and your rulings but I'm sure you will make it, after all, Lei Weiyuan speaks highly of you and your work," Meng Chao replied.
Yang Qing who was about to foam in his mouth from excitement had cold water poured on him as he felt that something felt off with the whole thing.
"This seems a little bit too familiar. Wasn't this the same promise I was given by one of the palace court administrators which is the whole reason I worked like crazy and strived to break through to the palace stage? Not sleeping well for five years all for the dream of taking it easy once I reach the palace courts? Only to get punished for taking a well-deserved breather. I worked like a dog for five years and the Order punished me for taking an authorized three-month break. The nerve of them.
Will I really be alright in the palace courts?" Yang Qing couldn't help but worry as he was only six days away from finding out.
...
"Now then Yang Qing I guess you're okay with me establishing the contract?" Meng Chao suddenly said as his look turned solemn when he faced the concerned parties present more so when his look turned to Deng Chao.
"It's okay senior Meng Chao," Yang Qing said as he handed an old gold-brown parchment to him that had the details of the agreement made between the four parties. All that was left was the binding seal which Meng Chao would do.
"Such a shame. But who knows, that mighty palm may once again shake this continent again," Meng Chao sighed as he saw Deng Chao.
"I couldn't step in then but I may be able to help you find the answers you seek," thought Meng Chao.
Back then he was just at the seventh stage of the domain realm. He was confident of ensuring his safety but not enough to intervene and the Order at that time wasn't at a sufficient level where it could throw its weight on affairs that touched several rank 2 organizations and even had the fingerprints of a rank 1 organization behind the shadows.
But the current Order was very different from the fledgling sap it was back then. It now had firm roots that could be spread everywhere and Meng Chao had been using them to find out who were the masterminds behind the destruction of the Crystal palm jade sect 400 years ago. He wasn't doing it out of a sense of justice but out of a sense of respect he had for Deng Chao as a cultivator. A man who had the power to shake the world but chose to remain in obscurity providing a safe shelter for his sect and when the time came for him to act he did with so much brilliance that it blinded the sun. Meng Chao couldn't help but admire his resolve and character. This admiration was what made him decide to investigate the culprit behind their destruction.
After years of twists and turns, he made surprising discoveries and was just a step away from unveiling the culprit.
"If it is as I suspect, I wonder if you will be able to handle the real reason behind your sect's destruction. Not knowing may actually be a blessing for you senior," Meng Chao thought as he masked his worry with a polite smile and a nod that he gave to Zhao Qi, Han Qingling, Liu Yun, and Deng Chao.
…
"Let's begin," Meng Chao said as he gently threw the old parchment in the air which floated as ancient symbols and runes flashed from it.
"I Meng Chao on behalf of the Order stands as a witness and binder to the agreement contract made between Sect master Han Qingling of the Yellow lotus sect, Liu Yun of the Mount spring pavilion, Zhao Qi, and Deng Chan.
Bind!!," He slowly uttered.
Though the tone was soft it sounded like an enormous thunderclap had hit the courtroom as an octagram circle formed beneath his feet filling the whole courtroom.
The scenery within the courtroom seemed to have switched to the skies as a deep blue background enveloped the place with celestial symbols such as the moon, sun, and stars flashed around the circle. The parchment floated to the center as the ancient symbols turned into golden chains that tied themselves to the wrist of each of the members mentioned.
Their names all appeared simultaneously on the parchment once the chains had firmly bound one of their wrists. The golden chain then turned into mottles of light and disappeared once the final letter was written on the parchment as the courtroom resumed its normal appearance.
Han Qingling, Liu Yun, Zhao Qi, and Deng Chao could feel they were all interlinked together with some binding force in the deepest recess of their self that would only reveal itself when the agreement was completed or violated.
"This," Deng Chao's pupil froze as he felt the indescribable power invoked from the binding seal. It had managed to bypass his saint treasure which would form an automatic defense against anything threatening him. It had activated but it seemed to have been forcibly suppressed and put to sleep. That was a saint-grade treasure even if it wasn't completely activated it was still a bonafide saint treasure but in front of Meng Chao, it may have well been a toy.
From what Deng Chao knew, only a saint-grade treasure could suppress another saint-grade treasure but he didn't detect any treasure of that level in the vicinity. The parchment was a monarch-rank treasure at best. The only other explanations Deng Chao could think of were Meng Chao was a soul formation expert or he had executed a purple-grade art in which he had a high level of mastery in.
Either of these choices was something that sent terrifying waves in his heart.
"Why did someone of his caliber come here? Even if I'm a half-step soul formation expert but that is in name only. In my current state without the milky way crescent moon pearl's protection even a palace stage expert could harm me let alone a half-step soul formation expert who I have no confidence of defeating even in my prime."
