Chapter 18 — Answering the Summons
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 7
The anger deep in his heart passed in the blink of an eye, but it was so fierce that it nearly suffocated him.
He lowered his head and gripped that ugly black iron rod tightly. Its familiar chill spread through his palm.
"Xiaofan," Tian Lingsu suddenly stopped smiling and said soberly, "I'm sorry."
Zhang Qingyue's body jerked, and he raised his head.
Tian Lingsu said, "I meant to give you a treasure to save you some face, so you wouldn't be laughed at by the other disciples when you went out. But these days Mother has been driving me so hard at cultivation that I forgot."
Zhang Qingyue shook his head instinctively. "Senior Sister, your cultivation comes first. Don't give me another thought."
Tian Lingsu patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "It's nothing, though. Everyone knows what you're capable of. This trip, just treat it as broadening your horizons." She lowered her voice. "If anyone bullies you, you come and tell me at once. Hmph, I'll stand up for you right away."
Zhang Qingyue looked at his senior sister's warm gaze and did not doubt her promise in the least; he could even feel the goodwill in the talk of everyone around him. And yet—and yet, what feeling was it that still surged so within him, what flame was it that blazed so fiercely deep in his heart that he could scarcely breathe?
Tian Lingsu, still grinning, patted the shoulder of this, her favorite junior brother, and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret: there are all sorts of fun places on Jietian Peak. This time, let's sneak off and play. How about it?"
That beautiful face hovered before Zhang Qingyue's eyes, and suddenly he dared not look at her directly. He lowered his head, his heart by turns sweet and troubled—a youth's heart, as if a hundred feelings crossed at once. In a low voice he said, "Yes, Senior Sister."
Tian Lingsu's face broke into a smile. Then she heard He Dachuan behind her: "Master and Mistress are here."
Everyone turned. Out of the Shoujing Hall came Tian Buhui and Su Wan. Tian Buhui wore a sky-blue long robe and cut a rather solemn figure; had he been a little taller and his belly a little smaller, he would truly have had the revered bearing of a grandmaster. As for Su Wan, she made everyone's eyes light up. Always striking in looks, today she wore a pale green dress, a jade-carved flower and gold hairpin in her hair, brows like distant hills veiled in dark green, skin like polished white jade, eyes like water, red lips smiling—truly a beauty to overthrow the world.
Song Dayi followed behind the couple, his face as proper as could be. But the moment the junior brothers laid eyes on him, odd, half-smiling expressions rose on every face. And behind Song Dayi came the yellow dog, Da Huang, and the monkey, Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui seemed by now quite used to riding on Da Huang's back. Catching sight of Zhang Qingyue standing ahead, he gave a few "chee-chee-chee-chee" cries, leaped down from Da Huang, darted over to Zhang Qingyue, and scrambled up onto his shoulder in a few bounds.
Tian Buhui looked over the disciples and nodded. "Let's go." With that, he waved his right hand, and where the seal in his palm drew forth the spell, a red light flashed. His long-famed immortal sword, the Crimson Spirit, was raised aloft, its red radiance blazing ten thousandfold—truly a supreme treasure of the immortals. Tian Buhui was just stepping forward when his trouser leg was suddenly tugged. He turned to look: Da Huang had caught it in his teeth. The yellow dog he had raised from a pup shook his head and wagged his tail, "woo-woo"ing ceaselessly around the mouthful of trouser leg, his tail wagging furiously, his dog eyes fixed unblinking on Tian Buhui.
Tian Buhui hesitated, muttered something indistinct, but in the end waved his sleeve and swept Da Huang up with him. Then he floated onto the Crimson Spirit, exchanged a nod with Su Wan, and was the first to cleave the air and depart.