Chương 74: Chapter 71 - Brotherly Combat

Wook let out a loud shout as he struck, his bellow sounding like a cross between the scream of a goat and a man's deeper yell. His blow came in hard and fast at Juwon's left shoulder aiming to drive his shorter brother downwards. But it was a feint; at the same time, his rear left foot swept forward, shining with green qi and aiming for Juwon's side. Cloven Hoof Strike! But Juwon hadn't been standing still.

His own left arm glowed with wood qi as he activated the Mother's Wooden Brace and came up to block Wook's blow, redirecting into his younger brother's wrist and preventing a clinch. At the same time, he stepped into Wook's range, moving past the kick and catching Wook's thigh under his arm. He continued pushing forwards, trying to bring the larger man to the ground. Wook grunted, lowering his center of gravity to bring his horns to strike at Juwon's face Juwon laughed, "A mistake, Wook!"

Wood qi suffused Juwon's curled goat horns, causing them to grow rapidly with bony vines and brambles. They rushed forwards to meet Wook's smaller spikes. Crown of Thorned Horns! But the move required focus, and Wook used that moment to launch his body into a horizontal spin, ripping his leg out of Juwon's grasp and swinging his other foot up at Juwon's chin. The weight of the thorns on Juwon's head kept him from properly dodging the blow, and he was forced to block with his arms once more.

The weight of Wook's blow cracked into Juwon's forearms and he was driven back in the mud. Wook used the impact to balance himself, and the Fox's Footwork to land feet-first with a loud squelch. Juwon winced, shaking out his arms.

"Your Cloven Hoof Strike has gotten stronger." Wook rubbed away a thin streak of blood where thorns had scratched his cheek. He grinned.

"And you've gotten faster at activating the crown. I'm surprised you had time to practice."

"We're cultivators, there's always time to practice," Juwon said matter-of-factly. He took a ready stance once more.

"Do you always talk so much when you fight?"

"Only when I'm enjoying myself!" Wook laughed and launched himself forwards once more.

"I still get two more strikes, so don't go falling too easily, brother!" Beside them, Mae, Tae, and Song were watching with rapt fascination. Any opportunity to watch a higher ranked cultivator was to be appreciated.

"Why is Cousin Juwon giving him two more strikes? Didn't he punch, kick, and headbutt?" Mae looked down at her counting fingers, confused.

"When a senior offers you the first strike, it refers to an exchange of blows," Song explained helpfully.

"It's meant to help you learn."

"You'd never improve your Thousand Fist Dharma Blows if your Senior knocks you out after the first three," Tae said, laughing.

"Oh. But is Cousin Juwon really that much stronger than Cousin Wook?" Mae asked.

"He doesn't look stronger." Tae huffed.

"Don't let Wook hear you say that, he'll strut around like one of the Emperor's peacocks."

"You do that enough for all of us, Elder Brother," Song scoffed. To Mae he replied, "Just because two people use the same martial arts doesn't mean that they use them the same way. Wook seeks to draw out the raw power of Wood by emulating a goat's charge. He strengthens his body to give his qi a sturdier frame to work with. Juwon's movements emulate the springing leap of a kid, using wiles and quick jerky movements to throw off an opponent's rhythm." ["Like how Master Crane uses a beak, and you get to use a stick. Doesn't seem fair."] Cyrus commented. ["Man, Wook would be an MMA star back home. Just look at that body. He's so ripped I can see his shoulders through his deel."] This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Which method's better?" Mae asked, her eyes sparkling as the two Lee brothers met in the center of the ring with a muddy splash for the second exchange. Juwon let out a yelp when Wook's fingers caught his hair and horns, and Wook let out a similar cry of surprise as Juwon deftly shifted to the side, slipping free and delivering Wook's face into the mud.

"Wook's. It's why he and Seojoon both advanced faster than Juwon," Tae drawled.

"But Juwon has neither the temperament nor the body to emulate them." Mae looked Tae's slim form and nonchalant posture up and down.

"Is that why you –""Juwon's done well mixing the Fox's Footwork into the Way of the Ram, and even Father appreciates his deft application of the Crown of Thorned Horns," Song interrupted, saving Tae's dignity as best he could.

"Wook's direct style struggles with sudden fast movements, look – see?" In the ring, Wook had stood back up for his third and final strike, going for a flying kick that put his entire body behind a Cloven Hoof Strike. Juwon ran forward and dropped low to slide in the slick mud and bring himself under Wook's airborne body.

"Can't dodge in mid-air, Wook!" Juwon shouted with a note of disapproval. He placed his hands on the ground for leverage and tried to kick upwards with glowing green feet right into Wooks unprotected back. But instead of a satisfying Crack of impact, there was a spurt of brackish water as Juwon's hands slipped, and he dropped with a splash into the wet mud. A moment later, Wook fell on top of him.

"Get off me, you pregnant mare!" Juwon shouted, squirming in the mud.

"Haha! Finally got you, you slippery marmot!" Wook laughed, twisting around to try and get a good grip. But his hands were now coated in mud, and Juwon slipped away, getting behind him and putting Wook's thick neck into an arm-bar.

"Is this a neck, or a tree!?" Juwon complained in disbelief.

"What have you been eating??"

"Same as you! Plus all my special tonics from the Yus. I told you to try them!" Wook used his weight to bury Juwon in the mud, then rolled around. Soon the two of them were both liberally coated in thick oozing earth, and their shouted insults had begun to turn personal.

"Think we should stop them?" Tae asked, looking increasingly nervous.

"Probably," Song said, wincing as Wook made a particularly pointed remark about Juwon's lacking self-esteem.

"Hey, you two! Are you martial artists or street brawlers!" Wook and Juwon ignored Song's yell, focusing on their muddy combat. Mae stood and stamped her feet, tears in her voice.

"Cousin Juwon! Cousin Wook! This is shameful! Stop it right now!" The brothers immediately stopped fighting, Wook with his right hand raised to punch Juwon in the face, and Juwon with his horns rioting with green qi that slowly dissipated. Juwon coughed, standing slowly and brushing mud off his sodden clothes. It just smeared.

"I apologize, Cousin Mae, for showing you such a shameful sight."

"Ah, it wasn't that shameful. You put on a good show for a desk-bound official," Wook laughed, then spat out a wad of blood.

"You need to practice more and worry less, Juwon."

"Practice…" Juwon clenched a fist and looked down at it.

"Maybe you're right. My basics have been lacking."

"Good!" Wook slapped Juwon on the back.

"Now that that's all dealt with, why are you here, Eldest Brother?"

"Father has made his announcement," Juwon said, touching his face and wincing. He turned to face Song.

"You'll be leaving for Chengdu the day after tomorrow." Song's eyes sparkled, and in his mindscape he could hear Cyrus's 'All right!'.

"You'll be escorted by Aunt Eunji, of course." ["Awwww, but Eunji's a stick in the mud."] Cyrus complained. Song wasn't sure what a stick-in-the-mud was, but he was pretty sure he agreed. Beside him, Tae's face fell. Juwon sighed and continued.

"Tae and Wook will also be going along, to help keep you out of trouble while Aunt Eunji deals with the imperial officials."

"YES!" Tae shouted, raising a fist into the air and jumping for joy. His feet slipped out from under him, and he fell into the mud with a wet splatch. A moment later, he was sweeping his arms and legs in the mud like a pleased pig.

"Keep an eye on them, will you, Wook?" Juwon sighed.

"No guarantees, brother." Wook grinned.

"You'll also be joined by Patriarch Yu, who plans to register his new poison at the medicine God pavilion," Juwon continued.

"He'd like you to swear to its efficacy, Song. Elder Minsu has also asked him to share the results of Mae's recovery." Song blinked. He hadn't expected that. He and the Yu family Patriarch got along well enough.

"Is–" he began, but Juwon cut him off with a smirk.

"Yu Dami will be going too, along with Jo Jinu. Father thought you might have more fun in the city if your friends went with you, and isn't it a rare thing for our village's youngsters to take part in imperial culture? It will be good training." So saying, Juwon gave a short nod to Wook, then did his best to majestically walk away, mud dripping from his clothes the entire way. He only slipped once. Song's eyes glittered at his eldest brother's back. They were all headed to Chengdu!