Chapter 61 — Old Acquaintances
劍問蒼天 · Page 2 of 6
Tian Buhui nodded, let out a long breath, walked over, and patted him on the shoulder, saying: "What is past is past. Let it be."
Zhang Qingyue felt his master's broad, warm hand pat his shoulder, and his heart grew hot. He nodded firmly.
Tian Buhui looked at him a while, then said: "Then let us go back."
With that, he walked back the way they had come.
Zhang Qingyue raised his head, drew a deep breath toward the sky above, and loosened the hands he had kept clenched all this time.
Only, that faint trace of bewilderment, vague and elusive, still clung to his heart.
He gave a bitter smile, pulled himself together, and followed.
By the time the two of them walked back to the row of mountain caves halfway up the slope, the various factions were already stirring, most of their people having risen. Tian Lingsu and the others were standing right at the cave entrance, anxious looks on their faces, gazing all around—clearly very worried.
Zhang Qingyue saw them from afar, and a pain stabbed at his heart. He lowered his head.
As soon as Tian Lingsu saw Tian Buhui and Zhang Qingyue return, she ran over. Without a word, she first looked Zhang Qingyue up and down, and only after confirming that he had not been "mistreated" by Tian Buhui did she say softly: "Xiaofan, so early in the morning—where did you and my father go?"
Zhang Qingyue saw her face full of concern, her bright eyes fixed only on him, and again an inexplicable pain stabbed at his heart. But he forced a smile onto his face and said: "It is nothing. Master took me out for a walk and gave me a few words of instruction. He has forgiven me now."
Tian Buhui, walking ahead, seemed to hear his young disciple's words. He gave a cold snort, his expression unreadable, and walked slowly back. Seeing his wife Su Wan standing at the cave entrance, watching him with a gentle smile, his face stiffened for a moment. He shot her a glare, said nothing, and went inside.
And so this small storm, too, was considered over and done with.
In the days that followed, Zhang Qingyue spent day and night with his senior brothers, from whom he had been parted so long. He had grown up from childhood under the watchful eyes of these senior brothers, and now that he had returned, it was all great warmth and familiarity. Song Dayi, being broad-minded, had not taken Zhang Qingyue's rudeness that day to heart; and Su Wan had, in private, hinted a few things to him, so that he understood the situation well enough. Instead, he doted on this youngest junior brother all the more.
The orthodox cultivators who had come to Liubo Mountain this time were, naturally, led by the three great sects—the Canglan Sect, the Fanyin Temple, and the Fenxia Valley—but there were also quite a few smaller orthodox sects.
Many of them Zhang Qingyue had never even heard of; no doubt they had all come for the sake of orthodox justice, to stand implacably opposed to the remnants of the demonic cult.
As for the three great sects, this time, apart from the Canglan Sect's Daoist Cangyan and Tian Buhui, the other two sects had sent no one of the elder generation. Thus, imperceptibly, the Canglan Sect came to lead in all matters.
Three days passed in this manner, and on Liubo Mountain Zhang Qingyue unexpectedly came upon several acquaintances one after another.
Among them were Li Xun and Yan Fei of the Fenxia Valley, who arrived at Liubo Mountain the next day; a little later, among the monks of the Fanyin Temple, he saw Shitou, and beside Shitou a thin, withered old man.
Zhang Qingyue went up rather happily to greet them. When Shitou saw it was him, he too grew greatly excited. After a few words, he wanted to introduce his master, the "Venerable Great Strength," and turning to the old man who was speaking with Facheng, he said: "Master, this is the Brother Zhang of the Canglan Sect I told you about."