"I have a question," Ye Huan said, raising a hand.
"Speak," Snake Woman said.
"Did you come from the outside, or did you originally exist within the Ether?" Ye Huan asked.
Snake Woman could not help but laugh. "Little fellow from Lantie City, have you all grown so ignorant these days? Of course I came from the wilderness."
"Do you intend to bring treasures out from this Ether world?" Ye Huan probed.
"It is exceedingly rare for an Ether world to open. Now that I am here, I must return with something." Her tone was resolute.
"I wish you every success," Ye Huan said.
"If you truly wish me success, you should marry me," Snake Woman said.
Right back to square one.
Ye Huan could not resist glancing above her head.
"Unaligned Demon."
"Identity Challenge:"
"1. Kill and devour several humans, arrange their skeletons into an imposing display, and await the arrival of monsters within the Ether to receive you;"
"2. Or attempt to become a dependent of a human, awaiting the Ether's recognition and the removal of its hostility;"
"As an alien species, you must complete the fundamental faction choice above."
"Upon completion, when the opportune moment arrives, you will obtain the corresponding identity."
The snake demon was actually serious!
Then again, though she could not see her own tag, a great demon like her surely had channels of intelligence. She knew she had to do this to advance her identity in the Ether world!
However, she hadn't chosen to test the waters by killing a few humans.
This bore out what she had said earlier. Before, she had wanted to make trouble for the Great Compassion Temple elder, but right now, she wanted to obtain the Ether's recognition and the "removal of its hostility."
An ordinary monster would probably have chosen the former.
Thoughts flashed through Ye Huan's mind. He spoke up: "I am a monk and cannot take a wife. But I have a way."
"What way?" Snake Woman asked.
"For us monastics, 'dependents' also include attendants, dharma protectors, and followers." Watching her expression, Ye Huan continued, "How about becoming my dharma protector?"
"Are you sure that counts as a dependent?" the snake demon asked.
"We can try. I will do everything I can to help you become my dependent," Ye Huan said.
"Fine, let's try it then," the snake demon said.
—How should they try?
The two stood facing each other in silence.
Just then, a piece of information surfaced in Ye Huan's mind. It wasn't newly acquired information, but an existing memory that had blurred with the passage of time.
In this world, Zhikong had been ordained as a monk in his youth, cultivating the Dharma and practicing martial arts. Over more than twenty years, while he might not have mastered every monastic ritual and code, he was at least thoroughly familiar with them.
A sudden realization welled up in Ye Huan's heart.
That was it.
The snake woman had actually been hesitating too. If she chose to "kill and devour several humans, arrange their skeletons into an imposing display, and await the arrival of monsters within the Ether to receive you," then whom she killed mattered greatly.
Killing a few villagers was killing, too. But if she could kill an executive elder of Great Compassion Temple, devour him, and display his bones, that would truly establish her reputation on the Demon Path.
—Once her fame spread, she would be accepted immediately, perhaps even gaining a high-ranking position and identity on the Demon Path!
Snake Woman was not content with being an ordinary demon. With her strength, she would only enter the Demon Path by pulling off something magnificent and illustrious!
That was why the elder had panicked like a frightened rabbit, commandeering the carriage to make a run for it. And had conveniently tossed the demon-subduing pestle, which represented his identity, to Ye Huan.
It was to lure Snake Woman to the small temple!
And now?
Snake Woman couldn't find the Great Compassion Temple elder and couldn't achieve that legendary feat to make her name, so she shifted her aim and decided to take the second path.
—Good and evil hung upon a single thought!
Ye Huan's mind cleared completely. In a gentle voice, he said, "This humble monk happens to know the rite of a dharma protector. If the female benefactor would please take refuge alongside me."
"How does one take refuge?" Snake Woman asked.
Thus, Ye Huan sat cross-legged at the temple doorway and had Snake Woman sit outside the temple. First came prostrations to the Buddha, kneeling with palms together, reciting the Triple Gem liturgy, invoking the holy ones as witnesses, repentance and formal transmission, reciting and bowing thrice, repeatedly taking vows, making aspirational commitments and exhortations, and dedicating merit with bows of gratitude.
Throughout the ritual, Snake Woman maintained a noncommittal demeanor, but she followed Ye Huan's directions and completed it step by step.
Ye Huan watched with his own eyes as the Identity Challenge above Snake Woman's head vanished.
—Leaving only: "Identity Challenge completed. When the opportune moment arrives, your identity will be advanced."
It seemed it had succeeded!
Yet Snake Woman was unaware of this. And he himself did not know what this "opportune moment" was.
"Little brother, we've fussed about for so long—is it done?" Snake Woman asked with a smile.
Ye Huan glanced at her.
This demon was truly unfathomable. The entire rite had taken nearly two hours, yet she hadn't uttered a single superfluous word, obediently following through from start to finish.
"It is done," Ye Huan said.
"Is that so?" Snake Woman asked.
Just as she was about to ask further, her willow brows furrowed, and she turned to look outside the temple.
On the hillside outside the temple stood a large tree, upon which perched a figure in a blackish-blue brocade robe.
Meeting their gazes, the figure called down to Snake Woman: "Hah! You puny snake demon, why haven't you slaughtered everyone in the temple before coming to see me?"
A smile gradually emerged on Snake Woman's face. She turned back and glanced at Ye Huan.
A chill ran through Ye Huan's heart. The murderous intent radiating from Snake Woman was on the verge of breaking loose.
—For the identity tag of the brocade-robed figure in the tree read: "Goshawk Shape-shifter, Demon Path Rank 76."
Rank 76 was naturally not very high, meaning his strength was modest. Furthermore, he was a hawk. Hawks and snakes were mortal enemies.
Clearly, he had come on behalf of the Demon Path to receive Snake Woman. Yet they had sent a hawk—it was meant to intimidate Snake Woman and lay down the law for her.
How could Snake Woman not be enraged?
Her glance toward him was seeking confirmation.
—Had what they just did actually worked?
"Dharma Protector Sister," Ye Huan said, a warm smile suddenly spreading across his face as he took an object from his pocket and tossed it to her. "Allow me to lend you a hand."
Snake Woman caught it and looked down at her hand.
It was the demon-subduing pestle.
—This treasure possessed considerable dharma power, enough to have sliced off one of her fingers earlier. Yet at this moment, it lay peacefully in her palm without displaying the slightest hostility or strange sign.
It was no longer hostile to Snake Woman!
Was this not clear proof that Snake Woman's identity had transformed?
Snake Woman weighed the demon-subduing pestle in her hand with great curiosity, murmuring, "To think that one day, I too would wield a human dharma artifact."
Suddenly, she vanished from where she stood.
An earth-shattering blast resounded from the nearby tree. The figure in the blackish-blue brocade robe was blasted into the air by lightning, screeching shrilly midair: "Puny snake demon, you just wait! I'll have your life for this!"
"Is that so? Come try, then."
Snake Woman held the demon-subduing pestle and crooked a finger at him.
The figure shook himself, transformed into a goshawk, and flew clumsily out toward the mountains, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.
With a shift of her form, Snake Woman landed back in front of the temple, toying with the demon-subduing pestle. "I resented the Ether, blaming it for favoring humans. Little did I expect to receive such treatment today. A joyous occasion indeed."
With a gentle toss, the demon-subduing pestle returned to Ye Huan's hand.
"Since the rite is complete, come inside to rest," Ye Huan said, turning back toward the fire and sitting down to rest.
—At the same time tossing the demon-subduing pestle to the pale-faced Liu Le.
It had worked. Snake Woman probably wouldn't attack him anymore. At least for now.
Snake Woman stepped into the temple, knelt opposite Ye Huan, brought her palms together solemnly, and said softly, "Now that I have taken refuge with you, what instructions do you have for me?"
"None," Ye Huan said.
"None?" Snake Woman was surprised.
"Your Ladyship possesses extraordinary martial arts and heaven-reaching cultivation. Having attained this station of dharma protector, you surely know best how to conduct yourself going forward." Ye Huan continued, "Every word and deed is witnessed by heaven and earth, attested by the Ether. What need is there for a humble monk like me to meddle?"
—Now that you have chosen a faction, you must act in accordance with it. If you casually became a turncoat, even the Demon Path would look down on you. Why would I need to state the obvious?
Snake Woman understood immediately. She asked again, "May I ask Master's dharma name?"
"Zhikong," Ye Huan said.
Snake Woman nodded. Her killing intent had finally dispersed completely. Rising to her feet, she bowed courteously and said, "Very well, I will be your dharma protector. But if any other bald donkeys try to boss me around, they'll be asking for death."
Then she stepped up in front of Ye Huan, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "This humble woman's surname is Yu, given name Kongqing. In this Ether, I can be your dharma protector, but once we are outside, each of us goes our own way."
"Agreed," Ye Huan said gladly.
It was settled!
He didn't have to die!
Chapter 66