18.Bows and arrows
1600 Words
(back to the present)
“Master Shi! Master Shi!” Gong Jin shouts outside in his courtyard. “There is an archery competition coming up. Why don’t we go?”
“Are you any good?” Shi Lang asks. He hasn’t seen his young disciple shoot a bow before. But, it might not be a bad idea. Especially if this competition is hosted by a cultivator clan. It would be amusing to see what these kids can do.
“I have been practising archery since I was five,” Gong Jin smirks. His superiority shines through again. He needs to be put down fast.
“There is nothing to be so smug about it,” Shi Lang glares at the kid. “Dayin! Get out here. It’s time for some fun.”
Shi Lang measures the yard in his mind. There is just enough space to hold a small competition. He snaps his fingers and two targets appear on the far side. The wall of bamboo there should be dense enough to hold any stray arrows. The house that Gong Jun has given him doesn’t have a traditional yard, but it’s cased in on three sides by a dense bamboo forest. His old friend knows that dragons don’t really like walls. If he gives Dayin his bow it might be an unfair advantage for her, so he conjures a rack with standard bows and arrows. It’s just practice, anyway.
Dayin appears next to him. Her excitement is contagious: “Oh, goodie! Arrows!”
“I am to compete with her?” Gong Jin glares. There is that contempt with which he treats everyone around himself. The kid is just too full of himself.
“You didn’t think I would practise with you?” Shi Lang pours just enough poison into his voice to make it count. “I’m here to supervise and judge.”
“But, a girl?” Gong Jin gestures at Dayin.
“If you can beat her, I will allow you both to enter that competition,” Shi Lang tilts his head a bit. It’s a sign to Dayin. She knows what to do.
Watching Dayin shoot a bow is a pleasure for Shi Lang. He knows she can hit the bullseye with all five arrows. Will she take his hint and miss one? Does she want to try her abilities in the competition? The unknown factor is Gong Jin. How good is the kid with a bow? Talking is easy, but can he deliver as well? The bows are standard practice bows. It should be no problem to use one if the kid is a decent bowman. He watches carefully how they will select the bows. Dayin doesn’t care much for colour or ornaments. She chooses her bow according to size. The one that fits her the best is the one she will use. Gong Jin tests every bowstring in turn, and ends up with a bow that is painted red and has golden ornaments. He shakes his head at the ostentatious bow, but uses it anyway.
“Why did you choose that one?” Shi Lang wants to know.
“It has the best string,” Gong Jin answers. “I wouldn’t be caught dead with it outside, but it will do for this test.”
“If you make it to that competition, you will be using your personal bow,” Shi Lang nods. He wonders what kind it is, but distracting his disciple is not fair. Beating Dayin at her favourite game is hard enough without his influence.
“Are we going to start, or do you need to chat some more?” Dayin glares at them.
“I'm ready,” Gong Jin smiles. Is he warming up to Dayin? Any kind of feelings have to be quenched in the bud. Shi Lang can’t have another man encroaching on his woman.
“You each get five arrows. The bullseye counts three points, anything outside of that is one point,” Shi Lang states. “Eyes on the target!”
“Yes, Master!” Gong Jin answers sharply. Sometimes, this insolent kid can actually remember that Shi Lang is his Master.
“Suckup…” Dayin mutters under her breath. She doesn’t like Gong Jin at all. Does it mean that one obedient act from Gong Jin will cost the kid his entry at the competition? Is Dayin jealous? Could it be?
Shi Lang watches them get ready. Dayin’s style is to shoot fast, but Gong Jin observes the bamboo trees behind the targets before he shoots.The first arrows find their way to the bullseye. Dayin glances at him and winks. She got his hint. The fourth arrow she fires misses the centre spot by a hair's breadth, and the last one lands in the dead centre again. Gong Jin was not just mouthing off as it seems. All his arrows are neatly arranged in the bullseye. The smug expression on his face vanishes when he sees that he won by chance.
“Does that even count as one point? It looks like it’s just on the line,” Gong Jin asks.
“It’s out,” Dayin shrugs. “Aren’t you happy?”
“I didn’t expect you to be this good,” he grumbles. The knuckles on the hand that grips the bow turn white with pressure. He’s holding back a snarky remark. Maybe there is hope for this one? Shi Lang makes everything disappear before he walks closer to them.
“When is this competition and who is organising it?” Shi Lang wants to know.
“Next week,” Gong Jin answers. “Master Wei sent the invitations. He’s a senior cultivator, but their clan is small. They don’t accept any outsiders.”
“All right. I’ll talk to your grandfather. Maybe some other boys from your clan could go, too. There are not many chances to compete with others,” Shi Lang nods. He has never heard of Master Wei, but then again, he is not keeping up with small clans. Master Gong will fill him in on the details later.
“Why bother?” Gong Jin frowns. The kid has another of his selfish moments.
“They are your clan members. They matter. You have to learn to respect that. Even if they are not as good as you, you need them. You can’t have a clan of one,” Shi Lang scoffs. This one is a long way away from being a clan leader. Master Gong better live a few more decades.
Shi Lang walks casually into the great hall. Master Gong is, as usual, at the far end. Reading a book as it seems. His old friend is showing the advanced age rather drastically. He really doesn’t want to be here to lose another friend. Immortality might seem nice, but it has a huge downside. Everyone around you dies. That is not something one can get used to. Spending his long life alone is even less appealing. He knows humans have a short lifespan, but having friends is more important. Watching them die is hard, so he will avoid it when possible. The three month deadline is almost up, so he can leave Junmeng behind for a while.
“You look like you want to bite someone’s head off,” Master Gong raises an eyebrow in question, but he makes his sentence a statement. “What did my grandson do?”
“Nothing. For once,” Shi Lang chuckles. “There is a matter of an archery competition I want to discuss with you.”
“Master Wei is hosting it. They make a big production with several stages, but the prizes are rather symbolic. It’s all about fun for the kids,” Master Gong tells him.
“Who is this Master Wei? I don’t know of him,” he asks. It’s more for Dayin than his young disciple. He has to know what dangers lurk around her.
“The Wei clan is small. They live just outside of Junmeng. Master Wei is about half my age, but his sons and daughter are promising cultivators. I think the daughter might take over. She is much more mature than the boys,” Master Gong explains.
“Do they cultivate for glory?” He wonders.
“You mean to ask if they are a danger to you?” Master Gong laughs. “You can relax. They don’t dabble in Night Hunts for ghosts or spirits. They are martial artists.”
“Good. Dayin really wants to go to this competition,” he nods.
“How is she? I haven’t seen her around since the day you came here,” Master Gong inquires. He has no hidden agenda. Shi Lang can trust his old friend.
“She’s making progress. The books you have are better suited for her than my extensive library,” Shi Lang smiles gently. Dayin is his soft spot. He never thought that books for beginners are just right for her. If he treats her like she’s five and just started her lessons, it is just right.
“I’m glad. She seemed nice,” Master Gong nods.
“Yeah…” Shi Lang trails off. Dayin is the one for him. The only one. No one can compare to her in any way. “She’s the only one I will ever love.”
“Your soulmate?” Master Gong asks.
“Yes,” Shi Lang doesn’t have to explain anything. Gong Yun only had one wife in his long life. He never heard of a concubine, or paramour either.
- Writer
