Chapter 21. Congratulatory Gift
"Well. I don't know what it is, but no matter what, they must have prepared something quite good. From the rumors going around, it seems the head of the Danri Family has been making tremendous efforts to form marital ties with the Namgung Family. If that's the case, wouldn't they have prepared a gift worthy of it."
Their conversation continued after that, but in any case, it had nothing to do with Dong Bong-su. Completely possessed as Sosam, he indifferently passed by people chattering about the Nameless Martial Hero or the Namgung Family's wedding.
For him, compared to such trivial matters, the far more important and pressing issue was how, and in what manner, he should hunt martial artists from now on.
As he was thinking about that, before he knew it, he arrived at the main gate of the family.
After entering the Danri Family, Dong Bong-su headed without delay toward his own quarters, the east stable.
Even as he walked toward the stable, countless thoughts crossed his mind, but he had not yet come to a decision on any single one. That decision would be made only after arriving at the stable, carefully retracing everything step by step.
It was when he and Yeoro had passed several halls of the Danri Family and were almost at the stable.
[An enemy whose level differs from yours by 10 or more has approached within 20 meters. 20.]
'Piercing vision activated?'
He stopped abruptly.
His steps instinctively halted.
Dong Bong-su's gaze naturally fixed on the stable, his own resting place.
The east stable was located in a particularly secluded area even within the Danri Family grounds, so if someone had come here, it was obvious without even looking that they were inside the stable.
'Why?'
That question suddenly flashed through his mind.
Why? rather than who? The reason that question came first was because the answer to who was already clear. If it had been a short while ago, there would have been three possibilities, but now that he had reached level 7, there was only one answer.
[7, 6, 5 ... ]
Dong Bong-su still could not find an answer to "why," but he continued to approach the stable. That was because he was certain that the 'enemy' inside the stable had not come for a dangerous reason. If they had intended to kill or capture him, they would not be waiting here.
Even so, he continued to contemplate in his head the reason the other party had come.
In the end, he arrived at a single reason.
Earlier in the market, besides talk about the Nameless Martial Hero, there had been one other topic people were mentioning.
For a very brief moment, Dong Bong-su's teeth flashed before disappearing. It seemed that an unexpected matter had determined his next course of action.
He gently grasped Yeoro's reins and stepped into the stable.
Creeeak. Thud.
Inside the stable.
As expected, an elderly man with a splendid white beard hanging down to his chest was standing there. With both hands clasped behind his back, he was gazing at Dong Bong-su and Yeoro as they entered the stable.
He was—
The head of the Danri Family, Flying Heaven Beautiful Sword Danri Cheon-u.
"So you are Sosam."
The moment Dong Bong-su met his eyes, he threw himself flat on the ground. As a servant of the family, that was only natural.
Swoosh.
Danri Cheon-u glided toward Dong Bong-su and Yeoro. Since Dong Bong-su was lying prostrate with his head slightly raised, his gaze naturally fell upon Danri Cheon-u's feet.
'That is…!'
Danri Cheon-u's movement lasted only a brief instant. Yet, in that moment, a crackling current ran through Dong Bong-su's brain. To him, Danri Cheon-u's movement completely defied the laws of physics.
Could that really be called walking?
Humans can move forward because there is friction between their feet and the ground. If friction were zero, one could not walk forward or backward. No matter how small, friction must exist to advance or retreat.
However, when the coefficient of friction of the ground material is extremely low, walking forward becomes difficult, because one slips. In such cases, humans either wear shoes that increase friction or reduce the surface area in contact with the ground to slide forward. Mountaineering boots or ice skates are examples of this.
Yet the shoes Danri Cheon-u was wearing now were ordinary silk shoes. Moreover, the ground here was nothing more than ordinary dirt. Though it had not been measured, its coefficient of friction would be high.
And yet.
Danri Cheon-u was moving across the ground as if flying, as though ignoring gravity and friction altogether.
"...…"
Dong Bong-su had seen many people who possessed martial arts, but this was the first time he had seen something like that.
'Is that what true Lightness Skill is?'
All the Lightness Skills he had seen until now—from black-clad bandits to ordinary warriors—were truly low-grade Lightness Skills and movement techniques.
Furthermore, the Lightness Skill he himself used as a skill was completely different from that in another sense. Although it too defied physical laws and functioned according to game rules, it merely made the body faster and more agile as a 'skill.' It was on an entirely different level from that.
That—
In other words, Lightness Skill as a martial art was nothing less than a unique enlightenment that allowed special movement by utilizing the natural laws of this world. A new world beyond physical laws. From that single step of Danri Cheon-u, Dong Bong-su could feel and witness its very existence.
At that moment—
'I must learn it.'
For the first time since coming here, Dong Bong-su made a firm resolve to properly learn martial arts. Until now, he had felt that simply raising his level was enough, but at this very instant, that thought changed.
Danri Cheon-u's single small step brought about a great transformation in Dong Bong-su. No one but Dong Bong-su knew it, but the murderer was once again approaching Evolution.
Meanwhile, Danri Cheon-u arrived beside Dong Bong-su.
Dong Bong-su was still staring at Danri Cheon-u's feet, while Danri Cheon-u calmly raised his hand and stroked Yeoro's nose.
"It's time to part with you as well."
Hihiiing.
Yeoro neighed softly, welcoming its master's gentle touch.
At that, Dong Bong-su realized that his earlier assumption in front of the stable had been correct. The reason Danri Cheon-u had appeared here was to see the tribute gift to be sent to the Namgung Family.
As Danri Cheon-u stroked Yeoro's mane—
A long shadow stretched over his head.
"You've come."
"Yes, head of the family."
Dong Bong-su never forgot a voice he had heard once. He had heard the voice of the person who had just appeared before.
'Gi Dae-hyo?'
As he expected, the one who appeared was Gi Dae-hyo, leader of the Black Five Group.
In truth, Gi Dae-hyo still did not know why the head of the family had summoned him to such a place. If he simply wanted to ride Yeoro, he could have had the servants prepare it at the front of the estate. Why had the head of the family come personally to this foul-smelling place, and why had he called him here as well?
Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Danri Cheon-u smiled faintly and spoke.
"There's no need to make such a face. I merely wished to see Yeoro one last time."
"...!"
Gi Dae-hyo was startled by Danri Cheon-u's use of the word 'last.' Of course, Dong Bong-su, who was listening to their conversation with his head bowed, had already anticipated those words.
"Hahaha. I told you not to be surprised, yet here you are."
"But..."
"On the full moon day when we return, the second daughter of the Namgung Family head will be holding her wedding."
"Ah!"
The head of the Namgung Family, Sword Immortal Namgung Byeok.
The family head of the Namgung Family, the most powerful of the current five great families of the Central Plains, and one of the greatest swordsmen in Murim.
Above all, the authority of Namgung Byeok—no, of the Namgung Family itself—was absolute in Anhui Province. It might have been different if there were competitors, but in Anhui, aside from the Namgung Family, there were no Nine Sects and Beggars' Sect, nor any other of the five great families of the Central Plains. There was absolutely no opposing force. Not even a major black faction existed.
That meant that the wedding of the Namgung Family head's second daughter would be an event capable of shaking all of Anhui.
The fact that Danri Cheon-u had personally come all the way here meant that he had decided to send Yeoro as a tribute gift for the Namgung Family's wedding.
"Will that be all right?"
Gi Dae-hyo knew very well how much Danri Cheon-u cherished Yeoro.
Yet despite having decided to send Yeoro, Danri Cheon-u's face was filled with ease. A faint smile even spread across his entire face.
"Of course it will. If we can send even one of our children to the Namgung Family, couldn't we send something far greater than this?"
"...!"
Only then did Gi Dae-hyo realize what Danri Cheon-u was truly aiming for. Sending Yeoro as a tribute gift was an expression of his will to form ties with the Namgung Family by any means, using this wedding as a pretext.
That was certain.
Indeed, to establish a foothold in Anhui, entering the shadow of the Namgung Family was the best option.
There were, of course, many possible ways to do so, but the most reliable methods were only two.
"A hundred-year oath? Or the nine-bow rite?"
A hundred-year oath. A promise to be together for a hundred years—marriage.
The nine-bow rite. A ritual of bowing nine times, performed when a disciple forms ties with a master.
Those two represented a marriage alliance and a master–disciple relationship.
As Dong Bong-su listened to Gi Dae-hyo's words, he once again predicted Danri Cheon-u's answer. And once again, it was exactly right.
"Didn't I say it just now? One of our children. Wouldn't placing two logs across a stream make it easier to cross than placing just one?"
"But… both might not be desired by the Namgung Family."
At Gi Dae-hyo's words, Danri Cheon-u stroked his long white beard and smiled.
"Hahaha. That is precisely why I called you here."
"..."
"I don't care what methods you use—just make sure it succeeds."
"Who do you have in mind as the target?"
Target. Gi Dae-hyo did not specify which target he meant. Even so, Danri Cheon-u seemed to understand and spoke again while stroking Yeoro's nose.
"Let it be Thunderclap Dominating Sword."
"I understand, head of the family."
Thunderclap Dominating Sword.
That was the nickname of Namgung Hu, the third younger brother of the current Namgung Family head and the youngest son of the previous head.
With that, the main point of why Danri Cheon-u had called Gi Dae-hyo here came to an end. And with that, Gi Dae-hyo fully understood Danri Cheon-u's intentions.
What Danri Cheon-u wanted was merely a small thread connecting him to the Namgung Family. He was not aiming for something grand like the next headship of the Namgung Family.
Whether his son, Danri Ganghae, entered as a disciple of Namgung Hu, or his second daughter, Danri Hee, became either the wife or a concubine of Namgung Hu or one of his sons.
That was all. He had chosen to secure a stable foundation over risky rapid advancement.
"When should we depart?"
"Leave tomorrow at once. There will be many things to take care of once you arrive."
"Yes, head of the family."
Thinking the discussion was over, Gi Dae-hyo bowed once toward Danri Cheon-u and turned around.
At that moment, Danri Cheon-u's final words reached his back.
"Before departing for the Namgung Family, be sure to take this child along as well. This child will be essential in handling Yeoro."
With the hand that had been stroking Yeoro's nose, Danri Cheon-u pointed to Sosam—Dong Bong-su—who was quietly bowing his head beside them.
Dong Bong-su kept his head lowered, listening to their conversation with shining eyes.
"Yes, head of the family."
Gi Dae-hyo's short reply. With that, Dong Bong-su's departure from the estate was decided.