Chapter 84 — The Journey Afar
劍問蒼天 · Page 6 of 6
With that, his gaze drifted—whether by design or not—to Lin Jinghong, who stood among the crowd; then he turned and walked toward the inner hall. The assembly bowed him farewell, and once his figure had vanished, Xiao Yichen turned back and began dividing up the personnel.
Over to one side, Lin Jinghong said to Qi Hao: "Well, Brother Qi, you're not going this time?"
Qi Hao laughed despite himself. "Brother Lin, I can't get away now."
Lin Jinghong understood, and his face reddened. "Ah—Brother, you are already the head of your branch. I hadn't thought of that."
Qi Hao clapped him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "This is your first time traveling the world; it is a fine opportunity. I am counting on you to display your mighty powers and make a name for yourself in one stroke!"
Lin Jinghong laughed. "Brother, you jest."
Qi Hao smiled, but then his expression darkened somewhat. Seeing no one else nearby, he said to Lin Jinghong in a low voice: "Brother Lin, to be frank with you—ten years ago our master... Daoist Cangyan betrayed Qingyun, and the result is that our Dragon Peak branch has never been able to lift its head. The disciples of Chaoyang Peak and Luoxia Peak in particular look on us as though we were their enemies. This seat of mine is a bitter one to hold, and so I very much hope that on this journey you can win back a measure of pride for Dragon Peak!"
Lin Jinghong was silent. After a moment he gave a slight nod and said quietly: "Brother Qi, I know. Rest assured—I will not disappoint you."
Qi Hao smiled faintly, his face easing a little, and reached out to pat Lin Jinghong on the shoulder.
Just then Song Dayi came over, glanced at the two of them, and said with a laugh: "What's this—is Dragon Peak sending Brother Lin this time?"
Qi Hao smiled. "Just so. And who is going from Dazhu Peak, I wonder?"
Song Dayi chuckled. "At first it was to be me, your unworthy senior brother, but then my master's wife decided I was too dull, so she sent my sixth brother, Du Biyan."
Qi Hao smiled. "Brother Du has always been quick-witted. With him along, our Canglan Sect gains wings to the tiger."
Song Dayi's eloquence was naturally not so smooth and polished as Qi Hao's. After a few more words of light talk he was about to move off, when he suddenly turned back and said to Qi Hao: "By the way, Brother Qi, my master's wife has been missing my junior sister Ling'er lately. When you go back, tell her to return to Dazhu Peak for a few days."
Qi Hao laughed. "Brother Song, you don't know—this very morning, before I left Dragon Peak to come here, Ling'er had already gone back to Dazhu Peak, saying she missed her mother. It seems mother-in-law and daughter are truly of one heart."
Song Dayi was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, a hearty sound that echoed through the Yuheng Hall.