Chapter 19 — Reunion
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 7
Wenpei smiled. "I would not dare, I would not dare. How could I presume to contend with Senior Brother Qi? And as for the title of Xiaozhu Peak's foremost expert, I could never live up to it."
Qi Hao frowned. "Senior Sister Wen, you are too modest—"
Wenpei laughed. "Not at all. My master, Master Shuijing, is a scholar of heaven-deep learning, but my own aptitude is dull, and I have not received even a tenth of her true transmission. Our branch has other prodigies among its sisters—Senior Brother Qi had best be careful."
The keen light in Qi Hao's eyes blazed brighter, though he smiled. "So much the better. Whoever can make Senior Sister Wen concede must surely be a rare genius of the age. I truly long to meet such a one soon."
Wenpei gave a light laugh, nodded in acknowledgment, and said no more, drawing away the still reluctant Tian Lingsu to one side.
Just then a shrill whistle came from above the plaza, like a thunderclap, shaking the whole assembly. Several hundred Qingyun disciples on the plaza all looked up and saw a streak of red light shooting toward them. In an instant it halted above the plaza: a crimson immortal sword scattering threads of immortal qi, hovering in midair, with a Daoist of the head branch of Jietian Peak standing upon it. He called out clearly to the disciples of the various branches gathered on the plaza:
"Senior Brothers, the Sect Master and the various masters have issued an order: all senior brothers taking part in the Seven-Branch Martial Gathering, please come up to Yuheng Hall to confer."
The mountain wind blew, white clouds drifted, and the several hundred Qingyun disciples on the plaza stirred for a moment; then, one after another, people stepped out and headed toward the front of the plaza.
Zhang Qingyue had assumed that those disciples of profound cultivation would simply summon their treasures and fly there, but to his surprise none of them seemed inclined to; every one of them walked honestly on foot. He walked alongside Lin Jinghong and glanced left and right: Tian Lingsu was walking with Wenpei and the other women of Xiaozhu Peak, her face wreathed in smiles, her mood clearly excellent, while Song Dayi and the other Dazhu Peak disciples followed behind them.
As for the Long Peak branch, seven or eight men had come out from among Qi Hao's group, but they had now drifted elsewhere and were exchanging greetings with disciples who had likewise stepped out from other branches. Qi Hao in particular called out the names of disciples from other branches with easy familiarity, greeting them all, smooth and sociable in every direction, and the disciples of the other branches all met him with smiling faces—clearly he had a wide circle of acquaintances.
"Senior Brother Qi is very good at making friends," Lin Jinghong, walking beside him, remarked, noticing that Zhang Qingyue's gaze stayed fixed on Qi Hao. "And his cultivation is profound, and he enjoys the trust of our master, Master Cangsong. That is why everyone in the Canglan Sect gives him face."
Zhang Qingyue took this in without changing expression and only nodded slowly.
At the end of the plaza was the Rainbow Bridge, one of the Six Scenes of Qingyun. Zhang Qingyue and Lin Jinghong had both crossed it five years ago when they were rescued and brought up Mount Canglan. Now, revisiting the old ground, they could not help feeling a pang of emotion.
Setting foot on that bridge, a work of uncanny craftsmanship, and gazing at the clear water that flowed down both its sides and still refracted a dazzling, beautiful seven-colored rainbow, the two boys who five years ago had known nothing of the world were now disciples of the Canglan Sect. Walking at the rear of the crowd, Lin Jinghong suddenly sighed softly. "Five years!"