Chapter 99: Gazing at the Tide Mountain

Shen Yu finally settled in a small courtyard within the mansion that featured a rockery and a pond. This grand estate had few inhabitants, appearing even lonelier amid the desolate mountains and wild hills. At first the old servant maintained a vigilant yet self-assured demeanor toward the unfamiliar guest, occasionally approaching to observe him several times. However, after several days he discovered that the young man performed no actions beyond wandering around the pond every day, gradually lowering most of his guard. One morning the door creaked open slowly. Shen Yu leaned against the long bench outside the house as fragrant tea lingered on the table. The spring breeze stirred gently, lifting Shen Yu’s long hair and revealing his indifferent black eyes. Originally Yang Liu had asked him to come help observe the family affairs without elaborating much and without requiring him to reveal his Dao Sect identity. Thus Shen Yu spoke no superfluous words, simply observing if trouble arose and lending aid if needed. A head adorned with twin buns suddenly peeked out quietly from the moon gate. Shen Yu asked, “Watched for so many days, still want to watch?” A lively and charming girl jumped forth from behind the moon gate, pouting indignantly, “This young lady is warning you: the previous matter must not be spoken to others, or I will make you suffer.” Shen Yu gave a soft “oh.” The girl’s nature was spirited; after speaking she dashed aside and began twirling about. After a moment of quiet she squatted by the pond, bored, and asked across the void, “Hey, what exactly are you looking at these days? Staring at the pool for several hours at a stretch.” The girl blinked playfully. “Could it be that something precious dwells in my family’s pond?” Shen Yu replied indifferently, “Watching the world.” The girl stared in confusion. “Watching the world?” Shen Yu said, “You have lived here since childhood; how could you not know how many carp are raised in this pond?” The girl thought seriously, then shook her head. “Three hundred and sixty-five in total.” Shen Yu added, “Add an old turtle and two spirit frogs and the count becomes three hundred and sixty-seven living beings.” “...” The girl’s face twisted strangely as she asked, “Are you studying the world of fish? Do you always act this… bored?” “In Xizhou the Buddha once proclaimed: one sand is one world, one tree is one Bodhi.” Shen Yu closed his eyes and continued calmly, “This counts as cultivation. When you can count it clearly yourself one day, your swordsmanship will become exceedingly powerful.” Hearing of the sword, Yang Pan’er brightened at once. “I don’t need to count and I’m already powerful! My sister cultivates in the Dao Sect, but I dislike the Dao and love swordsmanship. In the future I’ll go to Sword Immortal City and become a great Sword Immortal.” Shen Yu smiled without replying. “Would you like to accompany me for a stroll?” Yang Pan’er inexplicably found the man pleasing and said happily, “This young lady can take you to the nearby Watching Tide Mountain; the scenery there is wonderful.” Shen Yu thought for a moment, shook his head, and answered, “Walking is too troublesome.” The girl seized Shen Yu’s sleeve and pulled him along, shouting, “We’ll ride horses.” … Watching Tide Mountain rose thirty miles beyond Qianliu City, its terrain steep and perilous. A narrow wooden plank path wound upward like a long snake, rugged and twisting. At noon two riders reached the mountain’s foot. Yang Pan’er seldom ventured out, so she played happily along the way, wasting considerable time. “All the cultivators say a beast tide unprecedented in a hundred years will appear soon, terrifyingly fierce.” The girl exclaimed cheerfully, “This mountain is reputed to be the finest spot to watch the tide, though I wonder on which exact day it will occur.” Shen Yu lifted his gaze, narrowed his eyes, and scanned the surrounding sky with a solemn expression. In the mortal realm locust plagues, floods, and fires raged, but the beast tide was a natural calamity unique to the cultivation world, appearing once every century. Countless spiritual beasts would surge forth along a predetermined route, devouring all living beings wherever they passed until not a blade of grass remained. For thousands of years the beast tide had become an emblem of the spiritual wilderness, perhaps delayed yet never absent. Though destructive, sages from the academy and other major holy lands had roughly mapped its approach. Thus young nobles accustomed to luxury now viewed the beast tide as a wondrous spectacle. Shen Yu suddenly closed his eyes, seeming to sense something profound. After a long moment he opened them abruptly. “Let’s go.” The two ascended the mountain along the rightmost plank path. Fierce mountain winds howled like surging sea water pouring down. Yang Pan’er struggled at first, yet after a while she remembered something, dashed back to Shen Yu’s side like a whirlwind, and all tension vanished. She gazed at the figure ahead, not especially tall, yet seeming able to withstand anything with effortless grace. The girl could not help praising herself inwardly for her cleverness. But soon she dismissed the thought; the path truly proved… far too long. Later the girl nearly sprawled across Shen Yu’s shoulder, pouting angrily, “I’m not going any farther. Shall we descend the mountain?” Shen Yu’s steps remained steady. “A hundred li covers ninety, and we have already traveled this far; what is the point of halting now?” The girl muttered, “What do you mean?” Shen Yu walked with hands behind his back, speaking slowly, “After one hundred steps you will have seen the scenery of ninety-nine. Sometimes the final step holds a different view.” Yang Pan’er dismissed the remark with a pout. “You always have such clever reasons; you must be a scholar.” Shen Yu asked, “Do you truly dislike scholars?” The girl, innocent and forthright, replied, “Yes, because the sour scholars I know, relying on having read a few extra books, look down on everyone. In truth, besides composing a few terrible poems, they cannot even kill a chicken.” The girl made a face and continued, “They often come to my house begging my father for money, claiming they must rush to the Great Tang to sit the imperial examinations and achieve fame. Yet the moment they step outside they head straight to the brothel to drink flowers and wine. Bah! They are nothing but useless good-for-nothings.” Shen Yu offered a faint smile and said nothing. Yang Pan’er blinked and asked, “Did I say anything wrong?” Shen Yu gazed at the rolling sea of clouds and shook his head. “Perhaps.” Shen Yu suddenly halted. The girl, still muttering, bumped into his shoulder, stood on tiptoe, and peered ahead. They had indeed reached a platform atop the mountain. Several simple stone benches and pavilions stood there. Around the stone railing a crowd had gathered: an elderly with immortals’ bearing and Daoist bones, handsome youths holding folding fans, and beautiful women whose charm remained. All held their breath, staring intently at some distant point on the horizon, faint immortal energy drifting through the air. Just as the two stepped onto the platform, a sharp, venomous voice rang out. “Who allowed you to come up! Quickly roll down, disturbing the immortals’ refinement. You would not have nine heads to use.” The man who had been fawning over the elderly cultivator immediately trotted over and began berating Shen Yu and the girl loudly. His voice dripped with venom. Yang Pan’er jumped in fright and hid behind Shen Yu. Though the esteemed second daughter of the Yang family in the mortal realm, she still felt some fear beneath the overwhelming auras of the cultivators on the platform. Shen Yu surveyed the surroundings once, then walked toward a certain direction. In the next instant the sour-looking scholar blocked his path, jabbed a finger at Shen Yu’s nose, and cursed, “Are you fucking deaf? Get the hell out of here! This is where the immortal masters dwell! Do you know who I am to the sect leader of Qingxu Sect in Qianliu City?” Some onlookers watched with casual interest; others simply ignored the scene. The young man like a tree in the wind maintained an indifferent expression, paying no heed. As for the elderly with immortals’ bearing and Daoist bones, his face remained calm, though his heart held a trace of satisfaction. In the mortal world nothing was done personally, lest one lose face; at such moments a smart dog was ideal. It could bite, it would obey, and this little fellow from Qianliu City’s Clear Void Sect suited the purpose perfectly. Just the next moment the three changed expression at once and turned their heads. A heart-rending scream rang out, and the fawning, venomous fellow instantly became an arc of flight, soaring from the mountain top and plummeting into the valley abyss amid the cloud sea in the blink of an eye. Yang Pan’er opened her red lips in astonishment. Countless gazes instantly locked onto the silent man who had acted without a word.