Chapter Twenty-Four: Su Mo
Shen Yu immediately noticed the tranquil gaze of the young man. His eyes were bright and clear. It was a comforting sight—a first impression that lingered in Shen Yu’s mind, for in all the long years, only the venerable scholar at the academy had possessed such a demeanor.
The young man smiled softly and waved at him.
Shen Yu recalled some words Dao Fan had once spoken; after confirming his own location, he took another careful look at his surroundings, then nodded in satisfaction.
Following the path among the flowers, Shen Yu walked forward. As he passed the pool, a swimming koi hurriedly vanished beneath the water.
...
“My name is Su Mo.”
His voice was crisp and steady. Shen Yu had just come before him when he heard the young man state his name.
Shen Yu looked at him and said, “So it’s true. It seems the rumors among the disciples below the mountain were not mere fabrication after all.”
He possessed no cultivation whatsoever.
No one would have expected that the leader of the second generation disciples of the Dao Sect, the Master of the Abyssal Sanctuary, the only personal disciple of the Sect Master, would have no cultivation at all.
He was simply an ordinary scholar.
It was said that after the Sect Master brought him back to the Dao Sect, he never once read any cultivation texts nor attempted to sense or practice spiritual energy; instead, he spent his days engrossed in books, reveling in reading.
Had he been at the Imperial Academy in Central Zhou, he would surely have been popular. But here, within the Dao Sect, and as its senior disciple, his preference for books over the Dao seemed almost heretical.
Strangely, the Sect Master paid it no mind; even when elders from other halls came to advise him, they were turned away.
Thus, the first among the second generation disciples, the senior brother of the Dao Sect, had been on the mountain for so long and still possessed no cultivation.
Su Mo gave Shen Yu a gentle smile and said, “Cultivation is a troublesome affair. I dislike trouble, and since Master has made no arrangements for me, I simply do what I enjoy.”
Shen Yu replied calmly, “To do what one loves in life—that is already a great fortune.”
Su Mo glanced at the rising dawn, and with genuine admiration, said, “Uncle Dao Fan told me this was your first time climbing the mountain. I did not expect you to arrive in just half an hour. Truly remarkable.”
Shen Yu said, “The spirit koi in the deep pool, the maze among the woods, and the ancient Daoist temple—it was rather simple.”
Su Mo looked at the youth and said, “There was one more trial, but you have already passed it.”
Shen Yu was surprised, and after a moment’s thought, asked, “You?”
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Su Mo nodded and said, “Master says my judgment of people is always accurate. Anyone I dislike will surely be sent down the mountain.”
Shen Yu sighed, “This peak truly is a marvel of heaven and earth—not just spirit creatures, but people who embody the fortune of heaven and earth.”
Su Mo pointed skyward and smiled, “Master is still in seclusion. Junior brother, you will reside here from now on. I’ve heard a few things about you; I think this place will suit you well.”
Shen Yu said nothing, but the term Su Mo had just used lingered in his mind...
“Junior brother.”
A rather interesting title.
...
Shen Yu remained atop the Flying Peak, where the Abyssal Sanctuary stood.
It was quiet here, and peaceful.
He found a small courtyard for himself. By day, he fed the spirit koi by the pool; by night, he lay upon the grassy summit, gazing at the stars.
The house in the courtyard was small but had a bed, a table, and some jars and bottles—much better than the stone cave down the mountain.
Su Mo usually read books, and when not reading, tended the flowers and bamboo, loosening the soil and watering them. The two rarely spoke to each other, but their days were relaxed and easy.
Of course, when bored, Shen Yu would water the flowers by the gate; several times, Su Mo saw him and seemed on the verge of saying something.
One night, beneath a sky full of stars, Shen Yu lay in the grass, silently watching the streaks of light crossing the heavens.
Su Mo walked over and said, “Junior brother, you seem to have many worries.”
Shen Yu said, “The main reason I came here was to ask the Sect Master some questions.”
Su Mo asked with curiosity, “Why do you need to ask Master?”
Shen Yu replied, “The higher a person stands, the farther they can see. And Master stands very high indeed.”
Su Mo laughed, “It seems your questions are very, very large.”
“Yes, extremely large.”
Shen Yu sighed, “I have been here for quite some time, and this world changes too quickly. This feeling of ignorance is troubling. Besides the big questions, I also have some small ones.”
Su Mo said confidently, “I’ve traveled a bit, met some people, seen some things. I know a little about the mountain and the world outside. Perhaps I can answer your small questions.”
Shen Yu rested his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and said, “On the summit of Treasure Cliff, someone tried to kill me.”
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Su Mo’s expression remained calm. He glanced at Shen Yu and began to ponder.
Shen Yu continued, “That day, he said the Dao Sect had too many prodigies, hindering their prospects. So, this little question—I don’t understand it.”
Su Mo said, “Elder Yang Kaitai, who passed on the teachings at Sitting Forget Peak, disappeared a few days ago. Chief Zhang said he went traveling.”
Shen Yu nodded and said openly, “I killed him, then threw him from the cliff. Naturally, he disappeared.”
...
Shen Yu did not conceal anything; he spoke of the killing without hesitation.
Yet Su Mo’s demeanor remained placid throughout, as if it mattered not at all.
“The strongest cultivator on this continent is Master,” Su Mo suddenly said.
Shen Yu looked at him, unsure of his meaning.
Su Mo continued, “Master has lived a very long time. He stands at the pinnacle of the Ascension Realm. One step further, and he enters the realm of immortality, or... returns to dust.”
The mountain wind blew, carrying a chill.
Shen Yu raised his head, his eyes filled with awe. All the small clues gradually formed a line, and many mysteries finally became clear.
The Sect Master, whose cultivation had reached the world’s summit, would eventually depart—and that day was drawing near.
Thus, those people had begun to lay their plans, doing things that seemed incomprehensible.
Thinking of this, Shen Yu asked, “Is the position of Dao Sect Master really so important to them?”
Su Mo shook his head and said earnestly, “I don’t know either.”
Shen Yu gazed calmly into the distant darkness and smiled, “You have no cultivation, and the Master’s line has had no new disciples. So, they thought to sever the Abyssal Sanctuary’s legacy by such methods, fearing that in years or decades, a prodigy might rise here and block their path to that position.”
The young man sighed, “Demons and tricksters, plots and schemes, those underhanded methods—how tedious they are.”
Su Mo smiled, “But to their disappointment, you still came, junior brother.”
Shen Yu glanced at him. One blessed by heaven and earth could hardly be truly without cultivation. Judging by the wisdom Su Mo displayed, to deduce the whole affair from a few subtle hints—such a person, and they had overlooked him.
Su Mo stood with hands behind his back, and suddenly asked, “Junior brother, if these are merely small questions, what then is a big question in your eyes?”