Chương 44: Chapter 41 - A Friendly Family Competition

Two dozen Lees sat tall upon their horses, glaring at their counterparts across the circle from them. If mere looks could defeat the enemy, then truly everyone was already dead! A crowd had begun to form as others finished up their work for the day, or simply came over to see what was happening. Pickup games of Kokbar weren't exactly common in Nakjo, but were always entertaining when they did happen. The epitome of man and horse, locked in a deadly tangle of hooves, teeth, feet, and goat!

And maybe there'd be blood! Exciting! Jinu laid the 'goat'-ball down in the center of the circle, then adjusted his red armband and ran over to jump on his gelding at Song's side. Song gave his friend a sardonic look.

"Was the ritual really necessary?" Jinu grinned back.

"Hey, if it intimidates even a single opponent, then it worked! And maybe the Golden Emperor will be pleased with the blood of our hard work and grant us victory in the form of roast goat."

"Or maybe, the Great Ineffable Being won't care," Dami scoffed.

"And maybe he will. I don't complain about your family being weird poison brewers, you don't complain about our rituals." Jinu shot back.

"Quiet. It's about to start," Song hissed.

"Are you two sure you want to do this?" Dami shuffled her horse closer to the line and gave a Song a pat on the back.

"We're cultivators. We can handle a little horseplay. Just because we're not Lees doesn't mean we aren't proud riders of Nakjo." Suddenly, Seojoon and Juwon snapped their reins, sending their horses trotting slowly around the inside of the circle. They stared at each other, Seojoon with a smiling face filled with surety and pride, Juwon with an uncaring air of aloof power.

Slowly the goat horns upon their heads filled with green qi, and masses of ethereal green brambles and bone sprouted out to form a full rack more like an elk than a goat. The Crown of Thorned Horns! With his qi-enhanced vision, Song could see the faint specs of Wood qi sparking between the pair as they circled closer and closer. The other horses on the edge of the stone circle whickered and whinnied and the players were forced to work hard to keep their mounts under control.

["I thought qi techniques weren't allowed,"] Cyrus whispered. Song ignored him. Who cared about the rules!? This was the epitome of what it meant to be a man! Seojoon and Juwon both let out a shout, sending their horses surging over the goat. Their massive wooden horns crashed, locking together with a splintering of wood and bone. Seojoon was taller, and his black stallion heavier and more muscled. He bore down on Juwon, his horns crunching down until they were nearly touching Juwon's horse.

Seojoon's feral smile turned into a smirk as he clearly dominated his cousin. But Juwon's aloof air never faltered. Even as he was borne down, he slid off his horse, keeping his arms on the saddle while his foot hooked the goat. With an easy flick of his ankle, the goat was sent soaring into the ranks of his team. Then he was under and past Seojoon, and he swung easily back onto the saddle. He gave a lazy wave at Sejoon as he trotted off to join the scrum.

Seojoon stared daggers at the eldest son of the Patriarch, but he had no time to glare. The game was on! ["Sweet move! Juwon keeps his eyes on the prize!"] Cyrus crowed. Song really hoped the Canadian would be more help than hindrance for this. Song sent Bonbong surging past a blue-deeled player, and came alongside the red-hatted teammate holding the goat. Using his feet and fists, he kept other players away while they moved in the direction of the flag.

Dami crowded in front of him, her hair streaming out of its usually well-coiffured state. She was laughing uproariously as her tentacle slapped any horse that came by on its flank or nose and sent it careening away. ["Isn't that – "] Cyrus complained, then caught himself. ["I'm guessing Sign isn't technically a 'Technique?' But what about the rules–"]"Now you're getting it," Song laughed.

"Stop being obsessed with the rules! There are no rules in the Jianghua other than those we place on ourselves!" ["So If I tell you to kick the nuts of the guy trying to come in just behind you on the left…"] The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement." Other than the ones we set for ourselves!" Song shot back in horror. What kind of a monstrous place had this Canadian come from!? ["Yeah yeah, boot coming at your back!"] Without looking, Song leapt from his saddle.

As his body rose into the air, he kept his hands braced on Bongbong for leverage to swing his legs back. For a moment, he was parallel to the ground. He felt his heels connect with something soft, and he pushed. Using the momentum of the push, he drove himself back into the saddle with an Omph. ["In front –!"] Just in time to get a boot in the stomach. Song was blown off of Bongbong and came to a rolling stop, doing his best to dodge incoming horses as he did so.

Ahead of him, a wave of blue fell upon the red arrow and swept back with the goat towards the other flag. ["Sorry. I was distracted by how awesome that was."] Cyrus said when Song's head stopped spinning. ["You kicked that guy in the face. On a moving horse!"]"We learn trick riding from when we're young," Song explained under his breath. He stood and whistled for Bongbong.

As the gelding came galloping over, Song didn't even wait for the horse to stop, simply grabbing the cantle and swinging himself up and over onto his steed's back. ["So cool."] Cyrus said, clearly with stars beyond those of the mindscape in his eyes. Song felt pride well in his heart. He didn't really understand what cool mean, but the reverence in his Spirit Guide's voice was clear. Song spurred Bongbong to join the chase once more, nipping at the heels of the competition.

He may be among the smallest here, but that didn't mean he couldn't bite as well as any tiger!!! Wook swung up beside him, his elder brother giving him a quick eye over.

"Good fall. I'm sure everyone found it a fun watch. I think I saw Mother nearly faint."

"Everyone?" Song looked up to see that the crowd around them had grown. He blanched at the sight of his mother and Mae in the throng. Mae waved, then pointed behind Song and shouted something unintelligible. ["Yo, Song! Head in the game!"] Cyrus snapped. ["They've come around the flag and are headed for the circle!"] Song looked up to see that while the blue wave had thinned, a single rider rode ahead of the pack of blue and red, the goat in his arms and victory in his sight.

Dami's tentacle was snapping at his arm, and he kept her at bay with kicks from the Fox's Footwork. He spurred his horse faster at the sight of Wook and Song ahead, daring them to come at him. In answer, the two brothers snapped their reins, sending their own horses surging forward. They charged directly at the oncoming horse, and while Bongbong tried to shy away, Song kept him moving straight ahead with a firm pat on the neck.

The crowd roared in appreciation at the oncoming impact, but Song couldn't hear it over the beating of blood in his ears. His brother rode at his side, forward onto victory. The goat would be theirs and they would eat well tonight! Wook edged his horse closer to Song, setting up a wall of horse and muscle that would hit the other player like a Demonic Ox! But their opponent was a Lee to the bones. He didn't falter, and didn't fall back.

He bellowed in challenge, choosing to try and shatter their formation rather than dodge. Behind him thundered a sea of red and blue, ready to bury whoever fell beneath the waves. At the last instant, Song and Wook split, moving to either side of the oncoming blue player and allowing him to slip between them. Their opponent had a bare moment of shock to consider what'd just happened when a pair of outstretched arms connected with his chest with a Crack! and launched him, goat and all, into the oncoming players.

["Bro Bomber! Very nice."] Cyrus commented as goat and player were buried under another scrum. — Play continued for another two hours. Until the sun had begun to set. In the end, it was Seojoon's team that won. Their elder cousin lifted the thoroughly tattered goat dummy up into the air and rode a circle of triumph with his team before heading towards the cookfires. Wook and Tae sat beside a despondent Juwon, who looked a little worse for the wear, but he held his head high; it'd been a well-won game.

"Ah well, that was a good match." Jinu declared, bringing his horse up alongside Bongbong. He held his thumb up to one nostrtil, snorted, then spat some blood out.

"I call dibs on the hooves when it's our turn."

"You just finished healing," Dami complained, coming up along Song's other side.

"Couldn't you have been more careful?"

"You're one to talk," Song chuckled, pointing at the young woman's black eye. She held her hand to her cheek, then grinned back.

"Who says that jade beauties can't have a few scars here and there. They're as much a badge of honour on us as they are on any other cultivator."

"That's not what Harin says. She says that any mark on a flower's face is –" Jinu began, but was cut off as Dami's tentacle wrapped around his mouth and began forcing its way down his throat. He choked and tried to fight her off while Song laughed at his dear friends' antics. ["Man, you were so close. Like that time you had the goat, and were about to toss it, and then Seojoon just kinda picked you up off your horse and tossed you instead! Good game, my man. Good game! Want to do an after-report?"]"A what?"

Song chuckled.

"No. I think I'll go get whatever is left of the goat when Seojoon's team is done devouring it, then turn in. We have a busy day tomorrow." ["Right. The move. Guess I'll finally see what all the fuss was about."]"Yes. There's nothing else quite like it in all of Murim." Song sighed, looking upwards to where the first stars had begun to peek through the setting sun.