Xin woke up from being hit with something that felt like a wooden bowl.
"Wake up, buttercup."
Xin jumped up, his pupils expanded. Wu Lei. Wait, that's what the wood is, his arm!
"Am I a joke to you? The fuck is wrong with you?"
"Look, a new arm! Slapped you good! Haha! You've been sleeping for hours!"
"Are you looking for some sort of verbal exchange? I just woke up, fuck off."
"'Verbal exchange'. We've got a scholar here, maybe a court eunuch, huh?"
"My balls aren't missing, left them in your mom."
"You'll have to dig them up, I know a guy who can bring a truffle pig."
"So, how's your new arm?"
"Nothing about my mom being that pig? You are lame. My arm is great, look." - Lei moved it around, the shoulder part was pretty functional, the fingers moved slowly and in limited motions, though.
Xin grabbed it and asked Lei to pull. Lei's arm was indeed a bit weaker than that of an average man.
"Eh, it's weak, I know. But I can still somewhat work my instruments, and it's durable. The wood is pretty solid, protecting the grass inside. As long as the internal roots aren't torn, I can take any hit to it, and it doesn't hurt! The lack of a limb hurt my meridians, so I had less qi, but now a wooden arm compensates for it and feeds my fire qi!"
"So your qi reserves are about the same?"
"There is a slight metal qi deficiency now. Luckily, I am just a mortal, so I will get by with just a new diet. I don't mind eating more bloody steaks. And by my breakthrough I'll hopefully have a real arm. Thanks for taking my side with that usurer cunt, I appreciate it."
"That's what friends do. Let me grab some water and rice balls, and let's go and train. Where to, though?"
"I know where. There is this abandoned building, no one there, and it has an empty playground. Grass, ground, all we need."
"Good, let's do it your way."
"Oh, and I forgot to mention. People say that you were rude to them, what's that about?"
"I wasn't rude to anyone. Who is 'people'? Spoke just fine with Jia Li."
"Cha Dai, the ponytail shittalker, of course. Don't pay attention to his scenes much, he is a good guy, just got dropped head down as a baby. Jia Li seems weirded out, said you both impressed and confused her. What's that about?"
"No idea, we just talked and I told her my thoughts about her garden."
"Yeah, sure, and are you hitting on her?"
"No, but if I were, would you forbid me?"
"No, I am just taking care of her, had to ask. So, should I tell her that you don't see her that way, huh?"
Instead of answering, Xin stared at Lei's gray eye.
"Whatever, man, it's not why I am here in this city, we both know it. Let's go."
After a snack break and twenty minutes of walking, they reached an abandoned apartment. A part of it was half-burnt, while the other parts were in disarray. It had an internal garden, and as they reached it through the broken gates, Xin noticed that it housed a bunch of life that you won't often see in the city: some sort of a bird nest, not a pigeon's or any small birds'. A hedgehog was trying to hide from his gaze, and there was also a small grass snake. The animals all hoped he didn't notice them, but Xin clapped his hands, scaring them away.
"Don't need to step on a hedgehog."
"You mean drop your face down on a hedgehog? Let's do this!"
As they prepared to spar, they discussed some rules. Half strength, focus on speed and showing an opponent his weak sides, pretend that the opponent's stopping power is more than it actually is, no damaging Lei's arm, no qi abilities, no artefacts, no dishonorable tricks. Seemed pretty reasonable to both of them.
"Hey, Xin, one more thing. I know you promised to get my arm back, but there is a part of our loot that I want to claim."
"That being..."
"The bag of holding."
"I found it, and it's not a part of the treasure that we agreed to split. It was a container of the treasure, not the treasure."
"And I opened the chest!"
"You know it's different, the chest was inside the bag."
"I could argue that the bag was a part of treasure, though. Let's make a bet, we fight at full strength, if I win - you give me the bag. Is it with you right now?"
Xin became worried. What's his deal?
"My things are mostly back in the safehouse, I assumed it was safe, you know? Given the name. What are you plotting?"
"Nothing, I win - you give me the bag. I fight by the rules, except at full power, and that's it."
"And what's in it for me? Sounds like a trash bet."
"You beat up a cripple and I drop this issue. I promise. You'll win anyway, right?"
"I want five spirit stones if I win."
"Five? I only have three now, I'll owe you the other two."
"Sure."
The bet was unequal, but Xin was confident in himself. He saw Lei fight and wasn't too impressed. Determined, but not skilled, that's how he evaluated his friend. They adjusted the rules a bit and shook hands. Lei undressed, only leaving himself in his training trousers, and was barefooted.
"We won't learn much if we just fight at full strength, don't you think?" - Xin also took his robes off, and realized how toned his opponent's body was compared to his. Xin is trained and used to physical labor, but it was mostly walking or running. His other forms of training included gymnastics and training with his own weight, occasionally, when there weren't more pressing matters. Xin concluded that his working out style is more practical and realistic, while Lei's was focused on being liked by women. He then took off his endurance bracer, as per rules.
"Let's do this!" - Lei took a battle stance, standing tall, his knees barely bent. His right leg was in front, which was unusual. Is he a leftie? His right arm was also stretched forward, as if to probe his opponent, and his left was protecting his chin, with his palm open. Weird stance. Xin decided to invite his opponent to attack, and took his normal battle stance, which was a more practical mix of mantis and snake styles. Need to catch him off-guard and outgrapple him.
The fight began, and Xin's opponent lazily strolled around him, walking sideways. He looked for an opportunity to punish him.
Boom! In just one moment, Lei unleashed his explosive power, and delivered a low kick with his shin, twisted at an angle, slightly above Xin's knee! Xin was preparing to counterattack and threatened with his fists, yet there was no way for him to reach his opponent, who switched his balance and moved around like a falling feather. Need to be mindful of low kicks. He might even pull a spinner.
Counterattack, raise your knee, punish with your ankles if he kicks higher. Fundamentals.
Xin's thigh hurt. Lei probed some more with his wooden front arm, stopping in an engaging distance. Come on, grab my arm, he said with his body language. Come on, move in, grapple me!
Xin understood. His opponent's right arm is his weakest point, that he can abuse to win a grappling battle. And he is teasing me to do just that. The mind game is to stop me from doing this? No, I'll bite!
He tried to grab the opponent's arm, but Lei jumped back. Xin used this space to make a feint step forward, slightly raising his knee. My opponent will expect a kick, but I'll feint it into a grab again! Lei looked very excited, Xin had this look when he chased after a yaoguai.
Lei tried to deliver a punch with his wooden arm, yet Xin easily deflected it and attempted to grab it. Not so fast! Yes, Lei couldn't retreat it swiftly, but his body balance and agility were top-notch. He used his shoulders and torso spinning to displace his arm, and it just barely slipped Xin's grab. Lei delivered a counter-attack.
A crescent kick with his right leg, under Xin's ribs!
He wouldn't normally have much space to perform it from this distance, but Xin opening up with a grab and Lei's agility enabled him to lean back slightly. Given his explosive speed, it was more than enough. Devastating! Xin felt his lower rib resonate with pain, and delivered a counterpunch, which Lei only partly blocked. It slipped and hit his chin, leaving a bruise. Lei licked it and smiled.
"You can't do shit. You don't know how to fight a kicker. It's over. Give me the bag."
Was that his scheme? Beating his ass? Xin was angry, he expected a trap card outside the battlefield. So arrogant, he was too used to being on top of a mortal world! But his world wasn't very wide, and his experience shallow.
Refusing to give up, Xin broke their distance and punched Lei's wooden shoulder. No effect, it seems. He then delivered a powerful hook, which Lei barely blocked. When he tried to deliver a jab to follow up, Lei went for a low kick again!
I catch one more and it might be over, Xin felt. But the hunter was trained against these and raised his knee! Boom! Lei made another movement with his body and redirected a kick below his raised knee, towards the shin of his other leg.
Xin tried to avoid, but this leg held the whole body, with his knee raised, and was thus locked in place.
The hit swooshed as it hit his heel, and Xin lost balance. He had no momentum to deliver a counterattack, as Lei grabbed him and kicked him with his knee, probably breaking a rib.
"Ugh!"- Xin rolled back and stood up, then went all-in and delivered a series of attacks, but his punches couldn't cut human flesh or endure blades, like when he used his qi. A barrage of punches, mostly blocked. With both of his legs hurt, it was much harder to move, while Lei kept jumping away and poking him with jabs and low-kicks. After some time, Xin could barely stand and breathe, he was covered in bruises and even his left fist hurt after colliding with a wooden fist.
"It's over. You got outplayed." - Lei also breathed heavily, but displayed having a bit more energy left, and wasn't hurt nearly as badly. Xin evaluated his situation. My knee and heel are damaged, some ribs broken, got lots of bruises. Will need stamina to win the grappling battle, and need to initiate it first, which I can't, with his disengaging. He could feel his head start spinning. Fuck.
"Fine. You get the bag."
"And some bragging rights. Wait till you see me fence. Fheeeeeew, you know how hard it was for me not to show that I am tired?" - He dropped to the ground.
"I recommend you stand up, this place is filled with ticks, I promise."
"Oh fuck you, I'll savour the moment."
"Sure. Now, can I ask you for a favour?"
"Yeah, what?"
"Tell me what I did wrong."
"Your body is shit."
What? Xin was of high opinion about his training, he won in some local tournaments and never lost to a person his age! Is he rubbing salt into my wound?
"Go on." - he was still breathing heavily, and he almost choked on these words.
"Grip strength? Weak. Speed? You are built like a peasant who carries stuff around. Many of your smaller muscles are underdeveloped. You ever climbed?"
Fuck you, I am a good climber, Xin thought. Wait. Right, I use qi to augment my climbing.
"I am very good at climbing, but I use qi techniques."
"And that hindered you, you never thought about it?"
"I thought it wouldn't be that bad if I don't overuse it."
"You clearly overused. Spine? Weak. Footwork? Slow. Grip strength? Think I could take you in grappling even with this arm. Did I give you a wrong impression since I was carrying a dagger in that hut? Did you assume I was weak since I was the one to get hit by that surprise attack? It was just bad luck.
You need to train more, and your endurance won't do you any good if you are forced to use untrained muscles. You should train to exhaustion without qi powers, and use the qi powers once your training is over to deplete your pool and refine your moves. Your combat style is optimized for your qi abilities, without them you are a bit of a clown. Mantis style my ass." - He raised his arms mocking Xin's praying mantis pose he used at some point in their bout.
Fuck, what a humiliation. He is a year younger, as well!
"Fine, now chill, you've seen me fight and you know I am not a weakling, give me some face." - Xin hoped the ground he was sitting on would open up and hide him away.
"Sure, but will you thank me for my advice?"
What a prick.
"Sure. Thanks. Let's go get your bag."
When they returned, they were both beaten and tired. The safehouse met them with leisure and drinking, and everyone looked at them as if they didn't fit the atmosphere.
"What's that with you again, guys?" - A brutish guy asked.
"You guys alright? Need any help?" - Cha Dai, a ponytailed young man asked with care, surprisingly.
"We are fine, met some trouble, but Xin had my back. Pour him some rice wine, it's on me." - Lei was very amiable, too, yet Xin found it patronizing. That attitude from him was unbearable, Xin preferred the times when Lei owed him and was a helpless city boy amid the beast tide, needing his guidance.
Jia Li brought the drinks, but she was worried about the guys.
"Come to my storage room after you drink, I'll help you bandage." - She said.
And so they did. She applied some ointments onto their injuries, and Xin felt them sucking on his bruises. Interesting, strong stuff. Won't fix my ribs, but I can meditate and focus my qi on restoring them now, luckily the element of metal deals with this sort of stuff as well, although not as well as earth. Once she was fully done with Wu Lei, who she gave a priority, he left, and Xin and Jia Li ended up alone again. He looked at her, slightly captivated. So caring, deep mahogany eyes, this soft kind face. Her hair is chestnut coloured, is it dyed?
"Xin, did you want to speak about something?"
"Did I?"
"Well, I thought maybe there is something you want to tell me, you know." - He didn't know. What is she talking about? What does she want?
"No, I don't think so. Thank you for your help." - he stood up and left. What was that? He spent the whole evening drinking with Lei and his buddies, and for a brief moment, he felt home. He looked outside, and he saw a bunch of beautiful paper lanterns, lit in the evening, people all going their way, with diverse clothing and looks, and pondered his next course of actions.
For now, it's just sleep.