4 4. Battle

"This son greets father." Bai Cong said and bowed to his father.

"Cong'er, you made it just in time to watch your brother's spar." Bai Gui said as he walked up to Bai Cong and picked him up. He then took him and Bai Ying Yu up to the viewing platform.

"Chen'er, Chang'er, you two may start fighting now." Bai Gui commanded his sons. They both nodded at him and turned around to face each other again.

"I wish you luck second brother." Bai Chen said as he got his swords ready.

"I don't need luck to defeat you." Bai Chang sneered as he dropped down to get in his fighting stance.

Bai Chen raised both of his arms and slashed at Bai Chang. Pivoting out of the way, Bai Chang quickly got behind Bai Chen and hacked his broadsword at him. Bai Chen blocked the strike and jumped away.

"I see that you've improved." Bai Cen chuckled as he flexed his muscles.

"Humph, Of course,' Bai Chang glared at Bai Chen, 'You expected me not to improve at all?"

"No, I just didn't anticipate you being this strong." Bai Chen clarified.

"After that disgraceful defeat by your hand last time, I've been practicing everyday." Bai Chang retorted.

"Okay, then show me what you have learned." Bai Chen sneered before he lashed out at Bai Chang.

Bai Chang sidestepped and held his sword tightly. He then raised it and chopped down at Bai Chen.

The battle went on for a few more minutes. Bai Chang was breathing heavily with a red face and disheveled clothes while Bai Chen, who was standing opposite of him, looked like he hadn't been in a fight at all. He was breathing normally and still had a small smile on his lips.

Bai Gui jumped out of the viewing platform and into the arena while he was still carrying Bai Cong. When he got down, Bai Gui landed between his two sons.

"You both can stop." He said with a booming voice.

Both boys bowed to each other and moved back.

"Cong'er."

Bai Cong raised his head and looked at his father in askance.

"Who do you think won this spar?" He asked while looking at Bai Cong intensely.

Bai Cong didn't waste any time thinking about it because the answer was in plain view.

"Your son thinks that eldest brother won." Bai Cong said in a barely audible voice.

"I think so too." Bai Gui said as he nodded his head.

"But,' he looked at all three of his sons, 'that's only because Bai Chen has practiced for a longer period of time that Bai Chang."

The three brothers nodded their heads in understanding. Bai Cong looked around the arena in curiosity and noticed a rack full of weapons on the far corner of the arena.

"Father, your son wants to go down." Bai Cong said.

Bai Gui looked at his youngest son and raised on eyebrow, but he still complied with Bai Cong's request. He set him down on the icy ground and watched to see what Bai Cong would do.

Bai Cong ran over to the weapons rack and looked around. He saw many different types swords, spears, and short knifes. But one specific weapon caught his eye. He moved away the weapons blocking his way and picked up a short, brown bow. A back of red-tipped arrows were lying on the side. Bai Cong held the bow in his hands and nodded his head in satisfaction.

"Do you like this bow?" Bai Gui as he strode over to Bai Cong.

"Your son like it." Bai Cong answered.

"Well, our Clan's main weapon is the sword." Bai Gui said.

"Can't your son learn both?" Bai Cong asked.

Bai Gui hesitated, "You can but that would be too much of a strain on your body, especially at your age." He warned.

"Father, your son has confidence that he can do it." Bai Cong insisted.

Bai Gui gazed at his youngest son with a thoughtful look in his face. Bai Chen and Bai Chang were standing a few feet away curiously watching the show.

A moment of silence later, Bai Gui snapped his finger and a target made out of ice rose up from the ground.

"Let me see you shoot." He ordered Bai Cong.

Bai Cong nodded his head and moved back until he was 50 feet away from the target. He go into shooting position and nocked an arrow into the bow. He then drew and anchored the bow. Bai Cong took a deep breath in and when he released his breath, he also released the arrow. The arrow whizzed to the target and struck it with a thud.

Bai Cong walked up to the target to see where the arrow hit and saw that the arrow was on the edge of the target. Bai Cong looked at his result appalled. His eyes grew wide and his mouth cracked open, revealing his bright red tongue and sparkling, white teeth.

"Haha, this is the first time I saw this expression on your face." Bai Chang laughed out loud as he walked out from behind him.

"Xiao Cong can't be good at everything." Bai Chen lightly said.

Bai Cong closed his mouth and his face changed back into its usual apathetic expression. After deep thought, he came to the conclusion that even though he was extremely good at the bow in his previous life, that was only in mind and not his body. Si Bai Cong decided that he had to put more effort in training his body.

"That is still pretty good for his first time." Bai Gui said as he too strode over to them. He picked Bai Cong up and patted his back with a face full of pride.

"You did better than I expected," he said, "I thought you were going to miss the target entirely.

Bai Cong stayed quiet and let his father speak his thoughts. Bai Chen and Bai Chang were also listening in at the side.

"That's to be expected, he's my son." All four of them turned around just in time to see Bai Ying Yu flying down behind them. She had a look of arrogance on her face that Bai Cong had never seen before.