Chapter 22 — Nightfall
劍問蒼天 · Page 6 of 6
Zhang Qingyue froze for a moment, then shook his head and said, "N-no, I did."
Du Bi said, "Then why are your eyes all bloodshot and red?"
Zhang Qingyue was just about to speak when He Dachuan, who had come over, cut in, "Old Sixth, mind your own business. It doesn't matter how poorly our little junior brother is feeling—he has a bye today anyway. But if you don't wash up soon and end up missing the matches, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."
Du Biyan was struck with sudden enlightenment. He no longer cared whether Zhang Qingyue had slept well or not. He rushed over, utterly ignoring Lü Daxin, Zheng Dali, and the others who were washing their faces, seized the basin, and splashed water wildly over his face, saying all the while, "Hmph, our little junior brother is just born lucky. Look at him, wearing that look like he's about to die and sleeping his life away. Good heavens—Old Fifth, give me back the basin, I'm running out of time!"
"Bah, I haven't even washed yet myself!"
Zhang Qingyue watched his senior brothers squabbling endlessly over a washbasin on the other side of the room, and felt a faint disgust rise in his heart. He stood up and walked out. Just as he reached the doorway, Song Dayi suddenly called from behind, "Little junior brother, have you washed yet?"
Zhang Qingyue turned his head and said, "I have, eldest senior brother."
Song Dayi nodded and said, "Good. It's fine for you to go out for a walk first, but in a little while you're to go to the dining hall for breakfast. Understood?"
Zhang Qingyue answered, "Understood." With that he stepped out. The monkey Xiao Hui gave two squeaks, ran over, and scrambled up onto his shoulder. Seeing Xiao Hui go, Big Yellow lazily clambered up too, wagged its tail, and followed him out. In the corridor, Zhang Qingyue saw on every side the busy figures of fellow disciples from the various branches of the Canglan Sect, all just risen from bed. He wandered along at an easy pace, and before he knew it had come to the Sea of Clouds Plaza.
The hour was still early, and only a scattered few Qingyun disciples were walking upon the sea of clouds. A cool mountain wind blew past, brushing Zhang Qingyue's face with a faint chill.
Just like last night!
A pain stabbed at Zhang Qingyue's heart. He was sixteen now, a youth in the first stirrings of love. He had lived on Dazhu Peak for five years, in daily company with Tian Lingsu, and since childhood had buried deep in his heart a profound affection for this beautiful, vivacious senior sister. But last night he had with his own eyes witnessed Tian Lingsu meeting Qi Hao in secret—a thunderbolt from a clear sky, throwing his heart into utter turmoil.
At this moment his mind was a jumble, and scene after scene from last night—each one stabbing him with deadly pain—flashed before him. He drifted along like a wandering ghost without a master, walking on without aim.
"Eh?" Suddenly a cry of surprise sounded at his side, giving Zhang Qingyue a start and rousing him from his tangled thoughts. He looked over and saw a young Qingyun disciple, delicate of feature, in a long robe, perhaps twenty years old, holding in his hand a fan traced in gold, upon which seemed to be painted landscapes and rivers. The man had drawn close to him, yet his pair of bright, large eyes never once glanced at Zhang Qingyue—they were fixed unblinkingly on the monkey Xiao Hui perched on Zhang Qingyue's shoulder.