Chapter 19 — Reunion
劍問蒼天 · Page 2 of 7
He Dachuan glanced at her and smiled. "It is that every quarter hour he remembers Senior Sister Wen once, and every quarter hour after that he speaks her name once—that is why he says he does not think of her constantly."
Everyone howled with laughter. Song Dayi shot He Dachuan a murderous glare, yet from the corner of his eye he looked at Wenpei and saw the smile at the corner of her lips, and that she did not seem angry at all. Secret delight welled up in him, though he stammered, "Junior Sister Wen, they just love to joke, don't—don't take it to heart."
Wenpei smiled, turned her head to hush her younger sisters, who were shaking with laughter, then looked at him deeply and said, "Then what is it that you think in your heart?"
Song Dayi's face twisted in distress; he stammered "I—I—I" several times but could not get a word out. At the sight of him the young women could not help laughing again. Wenpei shook her head, shot him a glare, and paid him no more mind. She walked over to Tian Lingsu, took her jade-white hand, looked her over carefully, and said, "You must be Junior Sister Ling'er?"
Tian Lingsu said in surprise, "Yes. Senior Sister Wen, how did you know me?"
Wenpei smiled. "You often came with our Martial Aunt Su Wan to Xiaozhu Peak to visit our master, so we have known you for a long time. After several years apart, you have grown even prettier."
Tian Lingsu held Wenpei's hand and smiled. "Not at all—how could I compare with Senior Sister Wenpei's flowerlike beauty?" Here she lowered her voice, leaned close, and whispered, "My senior brother has been utterly bewitched by you, Senior Sister Wen."
Wenpei darted a glance at Song Dayi, who immediately put on a foolish grin. She shook her head and said softly, "That senior brother of yours—he really is a block of wood."
Tian Lingsu burst out laughing, and at once felt she had found in Senior Sister Wenpei a kindred spirit too late. Wenpei gave her hand a gentle tug, and Tian Lingsu followed her into the midst of the Xiaozhu Peak women. A few chirping exchanges later, she was thick as thieves with them, and peals of laughter kept drifting out from the group of women, leaving Song Dayi and the others standing to one side.
Song Dayi stood there, longing to step forward and speak with Wenpei, yet at a loss for how to begin, and so he stayed where he was. It was not only the others—even Zhang Qingyue, watching from the side, shook his head mightily.
Just then Zhang Qingyue heard Du Biyan beside him say, "Here come a lot more people."
Puzzled, Zhang Qingyue turned to look—and his body gave a sudden jolt. A crowd was approaching from the distance, thirty-odd people in all, every one clad in white, brimming with martial spirit—or, put another way, one might as well say swaggering with arrogance. But the few at their head carried themselves with uncommon distinction, especially the foremost man, whose white robes were like snow and whose bearing was elegant and free. Who else could it be but Qi Hao?
Qi Hao!
Zhang Qingyue stared at the approaching group and repeated the name heavily in his heart. At the same time he heard his fourth senior brother, He Dachuan, give a sudden laugh beside him and say in a low voice, "The Long Peak branch really does have the numbers."
Qi Hao had by now also spotted the Dazhu Peak group and came straight over, his followers trailing behind him. Reaching them, he cupped his hands to Song Dayi with a smile. "Senior Brother Song, we meet again."
Song Dayi did not dare be remiss; he returned the salute. "Senior Brother Qi, you have come too. Will you be entering this gathering?"
Qi Hao smiled. "I had originally not intended to, but my master felt my cultivation still needed tempering and ordered me to take part, so I have shamelessly taken up one of my branch's places."
Song Dayi nodded with a smile. "That is excellent. With Senior Brother Qi's talent, this victory can only be yours."