Hou Niao reappeared in the garden of the Heavy Gate Residence's North Courtyard, in precisely the spot where he had slapped down the talismanic decree and departed.
Twelve days had passed, but his position in space had not changed. Such was the wonder of dimensional space. Unfortunately, without reaching infant transformation, he could not comprehend its profound principles.
Carefully reviewing his performance during this Ghost Festival, he found it hard to say whether he had completed the mission perfectly or merely muddled through.
But however ugly the bride, she still had to face her parents-in-law.
He returned to the Minister of Justice Prefecture and found Li Biejia's office, his heart uneasy. Surely this Li fellow would not make things difficult for him?
Inside, Li Chuping held the Spirit Book, serenely detached from worldly affairs. The scene was so familiar, as though they were meeting for the first time. It also made Hou Niao understand where a cultivator's strength fundamentally lay: in ceaseless self-improvement, in enriching oneself at every moment.
He had carried himself with carefree ease along the way, but he had also gotten somewhat carried away.
A brief silence settled over the room, until Li Chuping's quiet voice broke it.
"How do you think you handled the Ghost Festival unrest?"
Hou Niao considered the question seriously. "Passably. Perhaps there were other choices besides killing the Underworld Bailiffs? As things stand, I ended up being used as a weapon by the Daoist Sect."
Li Chuping nodded. "If you recognize that, you aren't beyond saving yet.
"The abnormalities among the Netherworld's Soul Ghosts began several centuries ago. It wasn't a sudden transformation, but a gradual, imperceptible shift. There might be some scheme behind it, but it might also be a natural change brought about by the passage of time.
"Perfect rules