Hearing this, Qian Qing did not hesitate in the least, nodding promptly to agree.
Chen Baiqing's gaze shifted to the old abbot and the little novice monk standing off to one side. She had no interest in pressing the two for the whole story; her tone was simply gentle:
"Thank you both for the help. This Qian Qing really does know my Master. You've gone to a lot of trouble — why not rest a while in our guest reception hall? A generous gift will follow."
The little monk of Daoxuan Temple, listening from the side, felt the heavens and earth turn upside down, as if caught in a dream.
Of all he had ever imagined — and he had imagined a great deal — he had never dared suppose that this pure-blooded mortal martial artist before him actually knew Chu Xingchen.
Truly, worldly affairs are beyond all forecasting.
The abbot glanced at Qian Qing. After a flicker of hesitation crossed his face, he cupped his hands and asked in soft tones:
"Are you certain, Fellow Daoist, that Qian Qing knows your revered Master?"
Chen Baiqing understood the abbot's worry perfectly well, and answered plainly:
"This is Tianyan Sect. There's no one here who would do it, and no one here with the free time to toy with a mortal martial artist."
Chen Baiqing had never actually met Qian Qing, but while gathering and sorting intelligence she had always taken an extra interest in what her Master was up to — because if, by some mischance, her Master was about to do something foolish, then as a disciple she would naturally have to try to stop him.
She had just run through her memories for a moment, and sure enough there was a record of this Qian Qing, a pure mortal martial artist, with ties to Yuan Kong as well.
The abbot nodded his understanding, then let out a breath of relief:
"Then thank you, Fellow Daoist. As for a generous gift — never mind. She is a donor we ourselves are answerable to; payment is out of the question. And no need to rest either. This poor monk still has some trifling business to see to, so we won't impose on your honored sect any longer."
Chen Baiqing did not press them to stay. She returned a slight bow: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
The abbot smiled lightly and nodded, then reached over to pat the little novice monk still standing there in a daze by the collar, and steered him away.
Chen Baiqing turned to a Tianyan Sect disciple nearby and asked:
"Where are they from?"
"They said they're from Daoxuan Temple."
"Then send a gift to Daoxuan Temple in my Master's name."
"Understood. I'll see to it right away."
"Much obliged." Chen Baiqing nodded, then looked over at Qian Qing. She raised a hand, lifting Qian Qing on a cushion of spiritual energy, and headed into Tianyan Sect with her.
In moments, three figures alighted on the mid-slope of the Peak of One Big Happy Family.
Chen Baiqing glanced up toward the summit and said softly:
"I don't claim to understand martial artist realms, but the middle of the mountain shouldn't be a problem for you. Shall we talk as we walk?"
Qian Qing came back to herself: "I wouldn't want to trouble an immortal — of course."
Lin Luoyu stood off to the side, sizing Qian Qing up. The girl's fluster showed plainly on her face, yet her tone stayed neither humble nor arrogant. That, at least, was interesting.
Qian Qing sorted her thoughts, ready to answer Chen Baiqing's questions about the who, what, and why of it all.
Only, what Chen Baiqing plainly meant to ask was not that at all.
Chen Baiqing set off up the mountain on light feet, her tone as easy as idle chatter:
"Yuan Kong — he and I have known each other since we were kids, only I've never much liked him."
"As a monk, he's dull. His head isn't exactly quick either. Not a shred of adaptability in him."
Qian Qing heard the words out without answering, head bent, eyes on the path beneath her feet.
Chen Baiqing watched her expression as she went on: "Still — all in all, he's a decent man."
Only at that did Qian Qing lift her head and echo a word:
"He's just a plain old pushover, that's all."
Chen Baiqing nodded knowingly:
"But if one day you really do see Yuan Kong — what would you want to say to him?"
At that, Qian Qing fell silent. Looking up at the immortal edifices growing ever more vivid ahead, she couldn't for the moment find any answer.
If she were asking herself in private —
then of course it would be a demand: why did the person who never said a word simply disappear?
Why did he dump her alone in a place he assumed was safe?
Why didn't he ever ask what she actually wanted?
Was a picked-up child, once raised, simply not worth looking after anymore?
Chen Baiqing waited a moment. Seeing no answer from Qian Qing, she let out a soft sigh.
Qian Qing's eyes came around.
"Figures. Immortal or mortal, some things just can't be put into words." Chen Baiqing's voice took on a touch of melancholy. "The main reason I came back this time was to make peace with my eldest Senior Sister."
"Back then we had a bit of a misunderstanding with Eldest Senior Sister, and we haven't been in touch in a long time since."
"Now that I'm back, I don't know what I'll say when I see her — and I don't know whether she can forgive me."
For some reason, hearing all that, Qian Qing suddenly felt a good deal closer to Chen Baiqing.
Maybe because the two of them carried the same trouble, or maybe because Chen Baiqing wasn't hammering away at the questions she had long since been asked to death.
Qian Qing thought for a moment, and in the end chose to offer some comfort:
"She's your Senior Sister, after all. Under one roof, a little misunderstanding from the past won't undo years of affection."
"Let's hope so," Chen Baiqing said softly.
The rest of the way up grew much quieter.
Now and then Chen Baiqing asked some incidental question — had the road all the way to Central Continent been dangerous, for instance.
Qian Qing answered briefly, and the rest of the spare time she spent drifting, stealing looks at what the immortals of legend actually looked like up close.
Only, the more she looked, the less she dared look.
All in all, the storytelling folks had far too little imagination — their most outlandish tall tales couldn't hold a candle to an ordinary sight like this.
Spirit beasts leaping through the forests, immortal cranes crying softly.
And now and then a curtain of light surging up with a tremor, arcing across the whole sky like a rainbow.
Motes of spirit-light scattering down from above, and far-off peaks with a flood dragon so absurdly huge it coiled at the mountain's foot.
Like a dream, like a dream…
A very long road — and yet when the top was actually reached, it felt like nothing but a heartbeat.
Qian Qing lifted her face to the plaque over the buildings — One Big Happy Family.
The brushwork was saturated with spiritual resonance; one glance, and it struck you as vigorous and commanding.
"Master named it," Chen Baiqing said with a light laugh. "Sounds a bit unserious, doesn't it? You said you've shared wine with my Master — you know how his speech tends to skip about."
"What your revered Master says, one doesn't understand at the time — but think it over, and there is really a method in his madness." Qian Qing took a deep breath, and her mind inexplicably went bright and clear. "Still, this name truly does carry your revered Master's otherworldly style."
Lin Luoyu, listening from the side, had to smother a laugh.
Never in a thousand years would she have expected the day her own Master's taste in names got praised.
The usual cultivator saw this and froze mid-step, expressions going strange.
Yanyun once turned it over and over, wondering whether the name hid some further meaning.
Could it really be that vulgarity pushed to the extreme becomes elegance?
Chen Baiqing nodded, satisfied. Whatever the reasoning, praise of Master counted as praise of her.
"Let's go. Since you've come, there will certainly be an answer to your business. After all, no mortal martial artist walks all the way to the gates of Tianyan Sect without an obsession in her heart."
Qian Qing nodded and fell in behind Chen Baiqing as they went inside.
Along the path they rounded a winding bridge over a little pool, walked the long gallery a short while, and came upon the broad courtyard beyond.
Two people sat at a table in the yard. One was a man in white with a thoroughly unsavory look on his face; the other a woman of exquisite, peerless beauty — with a strangely amiable air about her.
As things stood, though, the amiable-looking woman appeared to be giving the unsavory-looking man a dressing-down. The contrast was something.
Chen Baiqing quickened her steps and pitched her voice higher:
"Eldest Senior Sister! Second Senior Brother!"
Li Xingtian looked over, a hint of a smile surfacing on his face, and gave a gentle nod.
Li Yingling's gaze went to Chen Baiqing and Lin Luoyu too — then fixed on Chen Baiqing. She instantly folded her arms across her chest, tilted her chin up, and turned her head away:
"Hmph!"