Yun Qing raised a hand toward those two "minor supporting characters" in the image, deliberately keeping his voice calm. Yet, on closer listening, the faintest tremor lurked beneath his words. "May I ask, miss, who are these two...?"
Yun Hua followed his finger with her gaze and answered breezily, "They're companions of the dragon and phoenix prodigies, though they're from the Human Race. They were fighting over here earlier, so we got a clearer look. Do you know them, fellow cultivator?"
Yun Qing: "..."
He closed his eyes and drew a deep, slow breath.
The little ball of a Little Radiant Chick in his palm seemed to sense his complicated mood. It tilted its head up to look at him, then-
"Chirp."
A soft chirp brimming with schadenfreude.
Yun Qing: "..." Oh, venerable ancestor, please don't make this worse.
"Please wait a moment, you three. I have some... family matters to attend to. I'll be back shortly." Yun Qing suppressed the vein throbbing at his temple and gave Yun Hua and her companions a warm smile, then turned and walked expressionlessly toward the Yun Clan group.
The Yun Clan members had all been "busy" with their own affairs: Yun Jinglei was crouching on the ground, "vanished"; Yun Baojian was pretending to admire the scenery; and Yun Tianluo was fanning himself as he enjoyed the show.
Yun Qing approached without breaking stride.
"Come."
One word, as placid as water, yet all three jolted at once.
"Come with your elder brother and collect those two troublemakers."
Yun Jinglei sprang up from the ground, instantly dispelling the Seamless Secret Art, and craned his neck curiously. "Collect who, Eldest Brother? Did we leave some other Yun Clan members here?"
Yun Qing ignored his questions and turned, his crimson robes threading through the crowd like