Chapter 9: A Frenzy of Demons, Part 2

The Taoist smiled and asked, “Do you two know each other?”

“Of course not… I don’t know him,” Shi Xianyu shook her head in denial.

She watched the figure in the shadows warily, a head full of suspicion. Not only was this person’s entire body wrapped up so tightly that not even a glimpse of his face could be seen, but more importantly, she had arrived in this world alone. There was simply no way she could run into someone she knew.

How strange—this person had found the Taoist before she did and wanted to go to Spirit Mountain as well. Could it be… was he too a deity who could hear wishes?

Compared to Shi Xianyu’s apprehension, the Taoist was much more open-minded. He laughed heartily, “Countless people in this world wish to travel to Spirit Mountain, but few can truly divine its whereabouts. Since fate has brought the three of us together, let us journey as companions and look after one another along the way.”

Hearing this, Shi Xianyu felt somewhat reassured—so it seemed everyone in this world wanted to go to Spirit Mountain. Meeting a fellow traveler on the road was not so odd after all. Yes, he probably wasn’t here to snatch up her business.

Having reasoned this out, she calmly agreed, “You are right, Master. That’s what I was thinking too.”

“I am Shen Xiao, called ‘Watcher of the Sea’ in the Taoist way,” the Taoist introduced himself with a respectful salute. “May I ask your name, young lady?”

Shi Xianyu hopped down from her ram, imitated his gesture, and returned the salute, “My name is Shi Xianyu. You can call me Little Yu.”

Shen Xiao smiled, “Since we shall be traveling together, calling me ‘Master’ seems too formal. Just use my name.”

Shi Xianyu hesitated. Calling him directly by name felt somewhat impolite—after all, he looked much older than herself. Tactfully, she replied, “Then I’ll call you Brother Shen from now on.”

The Taoist was perfectly at ease. “Whatever rolls off the tongue is fine. You can even make up a nickname if you like.”

The target of her search proved so easygoing and friendly that Shi Xianyu relaxed. Meanwhile, her gaze drifted again to the figure seated in the shadows—she and the Taoist had exchanged names, but that person remained completely silent.

Just then, Shen Xiao let out a hearty laugh and addressed the other, “A name is an external thing, useful but not essential. Still, it’s inconvenient to interact with someone nameless. Since fate has brought you and Little Yu together, why not let us call you Lin Yuan from now on?”

Shi Xianyu was taken aback. “He doesn’t have a name?”

Did he need to be named on the spot?

Shen Xiao explained, “Beast spirits are solitary by nature, without a language of their own, and thus have no names.”

Shi Xianyu was stunned. So the figure in the black cloak wasn’t even human!

The Taoist continued, “This forest is called Black Abyss. Since we’ve met here, naming you Lin Yuan—‘By the Abyss’—suits the occasion. If you’re willing, nod your head; if not, we’ll leave it at that.”

The black cloak shifted slightly. The figure raised his head, and the hood slipped off, revealing his true appearance—

Shi Xianyu’s eyes widened in shock!

Before her was not a monster, but an extraordinarily handsome young man, his skin as fair as porcelain, hair as black as ink, and eyes a clear amber, gentle yet piercing. With his sharply arched brows, the youthful face took on a striking, heroic air—a truly stunning young beauty.

He parted lips pale as cherry blossoms and uttered a single word in a hoarse, low voice utterly at odds with his appearance:

“All right.”

The sound was unexpectedly rough and deep, entirely unlike his delicate looks.

“Little Yu, have you never met a beast spirit before?” Shen Xiao saw the surprise in her eyes and explained, “When beast spirits take human form, they are often more beautiful than ordinary people. But as they seldom leave the mountains, they’re not skilled in human speech.”

Shi Xianyu shook her head in a daze, looking every bit the inexperienced girl. “…I’ve never met one before.”

The boy in the distance glanced at her, his long brows knitting slightly, then quickly lowered his head and pulled his hood back up.

Shi Xianyu: “…”

Did that mean… he disliked her?

Shen Xiao chuckled. “Beast spirits have an extremely keen sense of smell. The scent of cosmetics on you is rather strong, Little Yu. Best keep some distance.”

Flushing, Shi Xianyu hurried to clarify, “It’s not perfume—it’s insect repellent.”

The misunderstanding was mortifying. She fished out her bottle and offered it to Shen Xiao. “Brother Shen, would you like some? In the forest, it’s easy to run into poisonous insects or snakes. This keeps them away.”

Shen Xiao laughed loudly. “Don’t worry, no poisonous creatures would dare come near here!”

Shi Xianyu: “Huh?”

Just then, the black-robed youth silently rose and dragged out from a nearby bush a massive shell—black and hard, with several jointed insect legs still attached!

Shi Xianyu was stunned; she recognized the remains of a giant centipede.

Shen Xiao explained, “A few days ago, I slew a centipede whose poison was strong enough to repel all insects and snakes from the area. I brought part of its remains on the journey. As long as the scent lingers, we need not fear any vermin or beasts.”

Who knew that was possible?

Suddenly, Shi Xianyu found the carcass quite endearing, and was even tempted to move closer to it.

“Brother Shen, you are truly formidable,” she praised the Taoist, then turned to flatter the beast spirit youth as well, “…Lin Yuan is amazing too.”

“You’re impressive yourself, being able to sense spiritual energy at such a young age,” Shen Xiao replied with a smile. “If the three of us support one another, perhaps we may truly find the legendary Spirit Mountain.”

Hearing this, Shi Xianyu beamed, “You’re right, Brother Shen. Together, we’re sure to find Spirit Mountain.”

The black-robed youth beside her gave a slight nod, though he said nothing.

After this round of introductions and conversation, the sun set, and the light in the vast, shadowy forest grew ever dimmer. The three prepared to rest and continue their journey in the morning.

Shi Xianyu was excited—she’d always returned home before nine whenever she went out, but now she was spending the night outdoors, and in a primeval forest no less! She felt as if her horizons had expanded immeasurably.

She’d also made two new friends: one an open-hearted, cheerful cultivator, the other a beast spirit in human form, beautiful and enigmatic. Even if their quest for Spirit Mountain failed, this rare adventure was already a priceless reward.

Happily, Shi Xianyu opened her backpack and took out bread and biscuits to share with her new companions.

Shen Xiao said he was currently practicing fasting and subsisted on wild fruits and dew.

Lin Yuan, uninterested in the scent of food, silently shook his head and remained hidden in his cloak.

So she ate by herself.

Two slices of whole wheat bread, a bag of strawberry milk—once she’d filled her stomach, night had fallen completely. Though there were no dangerous beasts or insects to fear, the eerie atmosphere was still a little unsettling.

She led her big-horned sheep to lie beside the fire, using its soft belly as a pillow while she wrote in her diary.

Before long, drowsiness overcame her. She yawned, tucked away her diary and pen, wrapped herself in a blanket, and fell asleep…

The firelight flickered across her sleeping face, highlighting her innocent and unworldly beauty.

Shen Xiao gazed kindly at the black-robed youth and asked in a low voice, “Are you certain you don’t know her? This Black Abyss Forest is rarely visited by people. For you two to appear here one after another—coincidence seems far too much of a coincidence.”