Ah, Lei Cai thought tiredly. Of course.
If there was a black sheep of the Jiang family it was this young master, a profligate scion with his own small gang of hanger-ons. Who now he paid attention he could see were sitting only two tables away, a quintet of fawning sycophants with more than one empty jug of Eight Blossom Wine between them, and all of them glaring threateningly.
"Who dares," Jiang Bai repeated loudly, "say this young master is drinking horse piss to his face?" He looked down at the seated trio with a displeased curl of his lip. "The coin-counters of the Lei clan now think themselves too good for the wine here? If you grovel and beg this young master for his favour, I could give you a few coins for a stall near the city walls - a place more suitable for your tastes."
The whole inn quietened as other patrons interrupted whatever conversations they were having to pay attention to the disruption, and a few whispers began in the background as they recognised Jiang Bai. Not all of them were disapproving, especially now the wine that they had been drinking was being insulted. The pleased quirk of Jiang Bai's lips made it clear he had noticed this, his shoulders straightening as he enjoyed the public approval.
"My friend misspoke," Tan Lin interrupted. "He was comparing another drink to Eight Blossoms Wine. As you can see, we have had our fair share."
Zhou Da nodded mutely, his fingers fidgeting. Lei Cai's eyes narrowed for a moment at the action, then he turned his attention back to the Jiang scion. "As you can see, there was no insult to the wine," he lied. "We have long been patrons here. Why would any of us say such a thing about Eight Blossoms Wine?"
Jiang Bai huffed loudly and flicked his sleeves. "The Lei family has some nerve, putting on such airs in front of this young master. If the fatty kowtows to us for his insult then he is forgiven, but if not…" Jiang Bai trailed off, his eyes alight with a satisfied malice. "Don't blame me for not being polite."
Any hint of friendliness vanished from Lei Cai's expression with the insult to his family, and Tan Lin's polite facade had been replaced by an intent focus. Only Zhou Da seemed not much affected, his fingers having stopped twitching and his ring finger now tracing minute circles in the air. None of them had their swords, but as all of Jiang Bai's hanger-ons pushed back their stools to stand it was clear that a beating was inevitable. There was no way that Lei Cai would allow Zhou Da to humiliate himself, even if his friend had tried to placate Jiang Bai. All they could do now was try to make a good account of themselves.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation outside," Lei Cai suggested icily. "To give face to the Eight Blossoms Inn."
Jiang Bai's smile only widened, his cultivation expanding until his 4th level Qi-refining aura pressed down on them. Lei Cai could already feel his own qi moving sluggishly in response, its normal flow interrupted. It wasn't as severe as suppression from the peak or another realm, but enough to make using techniques a struggle. "That won't be necessary," the young master said with clear satisfaction. "Maybe in future, dogs of the Lei family will remember their place in River City." Maybe in future you will remember to grovel in front of me, Jiang Bai.
Lei Cai's nostrils flared as he heard the unspoken message in the young man's domineering behaviour. If he did nothing now he would bring shame on his family, and Jiang Bai knew it. Lei Cai was about to stand and throw the first punch, despite knowing they were outnumbered and outmatched, when Zhou Da stood first with a suddenness that knocked his own stool over.
"Apologies in advance," the fatty said, his thumb pressing hard against the tip of his ring finger. Then his hand splayed apart and a circle of purple light bloomed to life, daedric runes flickering around its circumference. Then with a scorching crack that Lei Cai would remember for the rest of his life a bolt of lightning as thick as his wrist erupted from thin air right in front of Zhou Da's hand and slammed into Jiang Bai's chest. The young master was blasted off his feet and halfway across the room, bowling back into two of his lackeys and sending them spinning to the floor, then landing so hard he smashed his own table in half.
There was a moment of silence as his hanger-ons absorbed what had just happened, then one of them took charge. "Quick, help the young master!" he shouted, stepping back from the trio as his friends hastened to pick Jiang Bai from the ruins of their meal and carry him out. "This won't be forgotten," the thug insisted, his face coloured with angry humiliation. "Ask yourself where you went wrong when the Jiang family demands an explanation!"
Lei Cai opened his mouth to answer when Zhou Da cut him off, the runes still spinning gently in front of his outstretched palm. "Wait until Elder Jiang hears about the behaviour of his grandson," he replied coldly. "He might demand an explanation from you instead." In that moment Zhou Da looked undeniably powerful, his expression cold as his refusal to budge effectively chased the last of Jiang Bai's gang from the restaurant. Then the moment was over and under the careful gaze of the Inn's other diners he nodded to his friends. "Let's leave, before anyone else thinks to make trouble." With a derisive snort he flicked his sleeve, the runes vanishing into motes of purple light.
Lei Cai and Tan Lin trailed after him as he boldly walked away, the image of an unbothered senior as he picked his way over the ruin of Jiang Bai's table and out the door. The moment they were free though his demeanour crumbled and he took a great breath. "Gods above," Zhou Da groaned. "I think I'm going to die." His friends quickly took hold of his upper arms to support him. "I can't believe I threatened them with Elder Jiang."
"I can't believe you threatened them with Elder Jiang!" Tan Lin agreed, expression harried. "What are you going to do? And what was that attack?"
"Lightning Bolt," Zhou Da explained, frantically rubbing his hands. "It's an adept level spell I learned in the College. I've never used it before outside the game so I had to focus on the shape of my qi. Fortunately I'd already finished the spell matrix by the time he decided to try and suppress us. Otherwise I could never have assembled the spell without him noticing."
"Nevermind that," Lei Cai murmured, each step taking them further from the scene of the altercation. "What about Elder Jiang?"
Zhou Da sighed. "Elder Zheng agreed to owe me a favour for joining his team on Divinity. I hope he will intercede on my behalf with Elder Jiang."
Lei Cai glanced worriedly at his friend. "Are you sure he will do it for just a small favour?"
"No," Zhou Da replied morosely. "I'll probably have to agree to do some work for him in Elite. We haven't played Divinity since he reformed his Golden Core, and now he spends all his time in that game instead."
Tan Lin exhaled slowly. "Still, that you are confident you can get Elder Zheng's aid at all…the Immortal Computer Games Shop is not to be underestimated." He looked at his friend with admiration. "Standing up to Jiang Bai like that and finishing him with a single blow! I've never been more proud to be your friend."
Zhou Da smiled. It was a thin expression, as if he wasn't quite sure how to accept such honest admiration. But he straightened up a little and seemed a little calmer. "You're right, I did defeat him with a single blow," he agreed. "And I'd do it again to defend me and my friends, just like you defended me. We're brothers, after all."
"I'd offer a toast," Lei Cai observed dryly, patting Zhou Da on the back. "But I don't think the Eight Blossoms Inn will accept us back after that incident. If only to avoid any offence to the Jiang family or troublemaking by Jiang Bai."
"So what," Tan Lin sniffed. "We don't need the Eight Blossoms." His face turned sly. "After all, their wine tastes like horse piss."
Zhou Da barked a short laugh. "Join the College of Winterhold and maybe you can get a taste of Colovian Brandy as well."
"Maybe I will," Tan Lin smiled. "That lightning bolt of yours was very impressive. Tell me, how hard was it for you to learn?"
"Oh, well," Zhou Da said, sounding flattered. "Not so hard after all, once you've accounted for the flow from your dantian rather than a draw from Aetherius-"
Lei Cai hummed along as the conversation continued, his mind turning over the events in the Inn. Could he have done anything differently? No, he didn't think he could. At least Zhou Da could defend himself, and they hadn't let Jiang Bai's taunts pass without an answer. He glanced to his friends, both of whom were now in deep conversation, Zhou Da's withdrawal disappearing entirely as he began animatedly gesticulating about some magical process or another. If his sworn brother felt so confident now, maybe the fight wasn't such a bad thing.
"Well," Lei Cai murmured to himself. "A toast to new beginnings. And to horse piss." Then he sped up a little to keep pace as they wound their way through the streets towards the Computer Games Shop, its warm light a beacon against the dimming sky.
