A Daily Life of a Fire Dragon

14.Gong Jin

(back to present)

This kid has some real potential. He’s not bad at martial arts, either. But the damn cockiness is a huge hindrance. Shi Lang thinks about his new disciple as he watches the kid with his sparring partner. Master Gong had the right call to let his grandson study with the best teachers, but none has ever managed to bring the self-centred kid down a bit. Talent goes a long way, but it’s all about the person’s attitude when it comes to making friends, or enemies. The way this one is heading is more towards many enemies.

“Gong Jun, Gong Jun,” Shi Lang shakes his head as he mutters to himself. “You spoiled him way too much.”

“Who are you talking with?” Dayin asks. He knew she came up to him. She can’t surprise him and just sneak up to him. Out here, all his senses are on high alert.

“Myself,” he answers. “I think this one will be a tough nut to crack.”

“The young Master Gong?” Dayin inquires. “Why did you agree to it then?”

“I don’t know. I must be going soft in my old age,” he chuckles.

“Keep telling yourself that, you just might believe it,” she laughs.

“Now, you’re mocking me? Don’t make me ask Master Gong for that bracelet. You won’t like the results,” he glares at Dayin. Her playfulness can get overboard really fast. She is not beneath teasing him, either. Sometimes he can’t tell what is going on in her mind. Does she do it on purpose? Or, is it simply not thinking?

“Oh,” Dayin mouths, almost inaudible. She runs away and leaves him to his observation once again. He can deal with her later. When his anger cools down. She is the only one that can treat him like this, any other would be dead by now.

“Gong Jin! Raise your arm higher! No slacking with the sword. Any mistake can cost you your life,” Shi Lang scoffs.

“Easy for you to say, sitting up there!” Gong Jin shouts back.

“Talking back?” Shi Lang shakes his head. This boy has the nerve to object? He must teach him some respect for his Elders. It’s a principle he can’t forsake. So, he stands up slowly and walks down a few steps. The winter here is so mild he doesn’t need a coat, but he’s wearing one just for show. The lapels are flapping with the slight breeze he stirred up, the fur tickles his neck which reminds him of Dayin.

Shi Lang conjures up his sword to show the hothead how it’s done. The other boy with Gong Jin steps back tentatively. He’s afraid of him, but not the Young Master Gong. No, this boy has no fear in him. Some might think that the lack of fear makes a great man, but they are wrong. No fear means no self-preservation. Fearless people are reckless and dangerous. Gong Jin is mostly a danger to himself. Without his grandfather watching over him, this boy should be long dead by now.

“You don’t listen, you don’t follow instructions. I see now why all your teachers quit. It’s not them, it’s you. Even as a man of high status, you have to follow sometimes. You are not a leader, yet. And, let me tell you,” Shi Lang pauses to demonstrate the correct way of attacking. “If you only do your moves halfway and half hearted, you will not get to be a leader. Not even of your own clan. There will be a man, a guard, or even a servant, that won’t fear your name. He will take you out because, right now, you are incompetent of leadership.”

“You can’t talk to me like that!” Gong Jin shouts. His temperament gets the better of him again, and he attacks Shi Lang. All his moves are clumsy, easy to defend.

Shi Lang plays along for some time and lets him take out his anger. There is no way this kid can accomplish anything with the level of skills he has. He might beat his sparring opponent by sheer luck, or the other kid lets him win just because he’s the Young Master of the house. This has to end. No real opponent will ever give him the slack. Being the leader of a clan is much more than just having the right family name.

“Stop!” Shi Lang orders. He has enough of playing. “You have to get your act together. What kind of school is this? Having multiple teachers should not result in such a poor style. I can’t recognise any of your moves. I have seen your clan members fight before, this is not it!”

“I don’t need you to lecture me!” Gong Jin glares at him.

“You have no choice. I promised your grandfather,” Shi Lang smirks. “I know you are perceptible to spirits, but I don’t see how you would be able to catch anything stronger than Dayin. Even she is out of your league when she remembers to fight back. She just didn’t see you as a threat.”

“I use talismans,” Gong Jin shrugs. “They never fail.”

“Ha!” Shi Lang laughs. This kid has the nerve to admit that his lazy ass takes such shortcuts? This might turn out hilarious. “Want to try?”

“No! It’s immoral to use talismans on humans,” the kid protests. Shi Lang can’t really see him as the Young Master when he acts so stupidly. Titles have to be earned in his book.

“Oh, I’m not human,” Shi Lang chuckles. At least the kid is entertaining, but he has to let him know that talismans are not infallible. There is nothing the kid can throw at him that Shi Lang can’t rebuke.

“Cultivators are humans,” Gong Jin looks at him with annoyance. This will be a long three months, Shi Lang thinks to himself.

“Not always. You haven’t earned the right to know what I am, but I can tell you that I’m not human,” Shi Lang shakes his head. “Now, get on with your training and stop wasting my time.”

“You asked for it,”Gong Jin smirks. That expression of superiority has to be wiped off of his face immediately. Preferably, the hard way. The kid has no idea who he’s dealing with.

“Get on with it then,” Shi Lang says. He shows the kid a picture of total boredom. Two can play the loftiness game, and Shi Lang is an expert. There has not been a talisman invented that could do any damage to him.

Gong Jin fires his talismans from the tips of his fingers with rapid speed. Nothing new comes his way. The fire talisman is no match for a fire dragon. He can catch those with his bare hands and send them back the way they came. It’s mildly amusing seeing Gong Jin dodge the fireballs he created. A blast of pure red energy comes his way next. This is something he hasn’t seen in a very long time. The boy has no idea who he’s fighting, so he tries random things, not knowing that he’s unintentionally charging Shi Long up. Fighting magic with magic is basically useless.

He catches the red orb between his fingers. Looking straight into Gong Jin’s eyes, he eats it. Licking his lips to exaggerate the mocking intent: “Thank you for feeding me. I haven’t had such a considerate pupil in a long time.”

“What?” Gong Jin sputters. The surprise is evident. The kid has no idea what is actually going on here.

“I told you talismans don’t always work. I’m an exception to many rules you have heard,” Shi Long demonstrates with a fire ball of his own. “I don’t use talismans, just magic.”

“There is no way you can dodge everything,” Gong Jin glares at him. The boy takes another talisman. A fast stroke of his fingers and a shimmering net comes flying at Shi Long. He strikes with his sword to cut it in half. Nothing stands in the way of a fast victory. A few moves to distract his opponent, and the boy is down on his knees with a sword tip at his neck.

“How can you get out of this one?” Shi Long asks. “I doubt your internal energy is great enough for a transportational talisman?”

“I never tried. There is a whole series of spells you have to master for that one,” Gong Jin admits. “I surrender.”

“Wise of you. Talismans are a support when needed, but you can’t rely on them all the time. You might never meet a demon, or a level 8 spirit, but if you do…” Shi Lang shakes his head. “You don’t stand a chance in hell to win.”

“What are you?” Gong Jin inquires.

“You haven’t earned the right to know. Maybe, if you start training for real, and learn some useful things from me, you will,” Shi Lang tells him.