A few days later, two masters of the Mystic Sect arrived. They did not linger, or even enter the monastery for a cup of water. After exchanging a few quiet words with the Abbot, they slipped unnoticed into the Underworld, then returned just as quietly.
They brought news: the Holy King Hall's Yin Souls had been all but wiped out in the battle at the Azure Cloud Monastery. Hardly any ghosts remained.
The Ghost Plague caused by the encirclement campaign was over for now. Everyone could go home.
Beside the old stone steps and the ancient pine hung with red cords, the two masters lingered, chatting with the Abbot beneath the tree.
The Abbot's blue robe was immaculate, her hair pinned into a meticulous bun. Her face was cool, but a trace of hesitation hid in her eyes.
"I... do not know how to treat the snake demon. After all, the snake lived on this mountain first, cultivating here before the Azure Cloud Monastery was even built. Those who follow the Dao must be reasonable. We cannot simply drive the snake away by force. But letting the snake remain on the mountain..."
She did not continue. What she left unsaid was obvious: having a demon for a neighbor was troublesome.
The long-bearded middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back. After hearing her out, he nodded slowly, approval growing in his eyes.
"Indeed, there is no justification for driving Black Snake away. Black Snake stopped the Ghost Plague from wreaking havoc in the mortal world, and the Five-Colored Demon Bird only came to help out of regard for Black Snake."
The other man smiled.
"From now on, the Azure Cloud Monastery must never let so-called righteousness weigh it down. The Dao follows nature. All the countless beings between heaven