“ mmn. ” Liu Qingge barely acknowledges his companion as his attention is currently invested in adjusting his appearance. while Bai Zhan Peak's lord isn't necessarily one for self-imagery, he isn't all that inclined to leave himself looking disheveled in the eyes of others either. he's not vain, but he also isn't a slob. therefore, when not engaging in the activities he's most famous for ( fighting, teaching, fighting-- ), he does take care give himself something of an acceptable appearance. at the moment, he's fussing with the clasp of his cape, trying to fasten it correctly so the garment doesn't hang lopsided off his shoulders. they're about to depart, sure, but he still has to leave an impression on those around him as he goes – he is a peak lord after all. “ you're long past the age of forming a golden core, but as you've told me, you used to be a swordsmith. it can't hurt to try giving you a weapon and see what happens, even if you can't become a cultivator like the rest of us. plus… i refuse to carry dead weight with me wherever i go. ” the last part is said rather sharply in a less-than-kind tonation, but someone like Liu Qingge isn't infamous for his gentle disposition. acting in such a way was unbecoming of him – would frighten the wits out of every disciple and master of the twelve peaks.
he opens his mouth to relay another thought to him, only for his hand to grab hold of Cheng Luan's hilt a split-second later. “ YOU-- ! ” Liu Qingge hissed. “ just because that Jing Yuan can get away saying what he wants to our sect leader, doesn't mean i'll let you do the same. hold your tongue, unless it's Cheng Luan you want to taste. ” as Ren has the audacity to coronate him with such an insulting statement, he shouldn't be surprised to find Cheng Luan's tip now pressed against the underside of his chin, as the sword's master glowers at him. metal gleams ominiously in the sunlight, waiting for a chance to taste flesh and blood. by now Ren should be accustomed to Liu Qingge's irascibility – his quick temper a betrayal of his otherwise beautifully crafted features. he might be known among the twelve peaks the most pulchritudinous, but he also held the title as the most terrifying as well, due to his poor temperament and brute strength. they say it takes a mind of tempered steel and a body of stone to survive on Bai Zhan Peak, and Liu Qingge was the immaculate proof of that statement. alluring, fair skinned, the impeccable figure of what any woman dreams of marrying – and wholeheartedly fears.
rather than give in to the irritation swimming in his veins, however, Liu Qingge takes a couple of deep breaths and slowly returns Cheng Luan to it's sheath. he's still glaring daggers at Ren, but he has to remind himself that this man is neither a disciple of Bai Zhan Peak, nor a native of their world. he'd spent some time cooped up in Yue Qingyuan's mountain after being vaulted onto Xian Shu Peak and offending the women there unintentionally, but after some investigation and interrogation, he was released based on the conclusion that it wasn't his fault. and… it really wasn't. his companion Jing Yuan had been far more fortunate than him – if you could count accidentally falling into the arms of the Sect Leader of all people as fortunate, but at least he hadn't ended up in a place that was technically forbidden. Yue Qingyuan took pity on him, but could only house one of the two for the time being, so the subject of where Ren would go had been passed around by all twelve peak lords until Liu Qingge – much to everyone's astonishment – stepped up and demanded to have him. not for noble reasons, mind you, but because he wanted to test him.
Jing Yuan was lazy in Liu Qingge's eyes. he was taking advantage of Yue Qingyuan's kindness, and that annoyed him to no end, so he resolved to not let Ren do the same. even if his interpretation of Jing Yuan's relationship with Yue Qingyuan wasn't the truth, he didn't care to find out. it wasn't his business. he was perceptive to a point it was near disturbing, and he could sense there was something within Ren that Liu Qingge could find companionship with. he hadn't discovered what that intuition was quite yet, but that's precisely why he was dragging him out on a hunt this time around. they also hadn't spent all that much time together yet, so he couldn't completely fault him for not being familiarized with his habits. “ we're hunting beasts. demons. whatever's strongest. i'm always hunting; i don't stop. i rarely stay on this peak for longer than i need to. ” Liu Qingge mentioned this as more of a passive statement than anything whilst unexpectedly unfastening Cheng Luan from his hip and, holding it by it's sheath, suddenly tossed it toward Ren. “ it's not me you should worry about getting injured, but you. with or without my sword, i can still fight, but we're three days out from the swordsmith and i won't have you dragging me down, so take Cheng Luan for now. it should protect even you. ” whether this was an act of kindness or an act of disdain, it'd be impossible to divulge from the derisiveness hanging in his tone.
with a flick of his sleeves, Liu Qingge swept around and headed out of the War Pavillion's front door with his robes billowing behind him. for once, he wore his hair almost completely down save for a handful of it tied up in a bun and with a silver ornament adorning it. snow drifted in a lazy haze from above, collecting on clothes and hair alike. he hardly paid it any mind as he took care to descend Bai Zhan Peak with various acknowledgements of ‘shizun’ as he passed by a great deal of his disciples along the way. he only vaguely acknowledged each one with a stiff nod of his head – the road in front of him was long, and he needed to focus on what he planned on doing, and how he'd accomplish it. he typically didn't have anyone else with him, so he was now forced to take extra precautions when it came to his approach on hunting.
@yingren | continued from x
