Chapter 22. Shedding
***
The day of departure for the Namgung Family.
Dong Bong-su, with simple traveling gear, left the family grounds early, leading Yeoro with him.
Perhaps because it was so early, not a soul was in sight yet.
A quiet morning.
As always, a good time to think.
Holding Yeoro's reins, he calmly continued the contemplation he had been immersed in since yesterday.
How does one learn martial arts?
For now, there was no choice but to watch with the naked eye and imitate what he had learned.
Last night, relying on his memories—such as the movements of the Black Five Group leaders and the warriors he had seen within the family—he tried to recreate various martial arts. He could imitate the forms, but it didn't work well. It was imitation in the truest sense. Nothing more, nothing less.
In the end, it meant that to learn martial arts, one had no choice but to be taught.
Then how should he do it?
One could read books, or one could take a master and learn directly. Of the two, the former was the inferior option, and the latter the superior one. Whatever the matter, learning alone by breaking and tearing oneself apart was slower than learning from someone who had already been broken and torn. That way, one could move on to the next stage without repeating the same mistakes.
Dong Bong-su reflected on himself.
In his current state, he would not be welcomed anywhere. In terms of not standing out, the half-mute Horse Stable Hireling Sosam possessed an appearance with optimal camouflage, but it was a form ill-suited for learning anything.
Running out of the Danri Family as he was and becoming someone's disciple would not be easy. Because he had already reached eighteen by the standards of this place, and he had heard that once one reached this age, learning new martial arts became difficult. Even if someone did accept him, it would rarely be a great master.
'Let's set this issue aside for now.'
He hadn't even properly experienced the martial world yet.
When it came to learning martial arts, it wouldn't be too late to decide after experiencing the martial world a bit more.
This trip to the Namgung Family would surely broaden his horizons greatly.
There, the chances of finding a solution to this problem would be high. And if all else failed, he could always learn from books.
Clearing his mind again, he stood still and waited for others to come out. Yet only on the surface did he appear idle—he was absolutely not standing still.
All over Dong Bong-su's body, hidden beneath his clothes, grains of sand continuously appeared and disappeared. It was the training of the Inventory Divine Art. Though it wasn't a technique with things like proficiency or levels, looking back on his survival thus far, it was the most useful skill he had. It was even superior to the skills granted upon leveling up. That was the Inventory Divine Art.
And more than that.
Recently, he had realized that this skill could be further advanced. That was by taking out or storing two items simultaneously. He hadn't mastered it perfectly yet, but it had become possible to a certain extent. Given more time, he would likely be able to take out or put away three or even four items at once.
Like a duck paddling furiously beneath the water to glide smoothly across the surface, he stood there and steadily trained the Inventory Divine Art.
How much more time passed like that?
As the sunlight gradually began to warm the earth, those who would depart for the Namgung Family started to show their faces one by one.
The Black Five Group members came out first and quietly lined up in front of the family's main gate. They were likely waiting for Gi Dae-hyo and Gi Man-ji.
Dong Bong-su, watching their reactions, quietly moved to a secluded corner and stood there. It was to faithfully fulfill the role of Sosam. A Sosam would surely have done just that.
A short while later, Gi Man-ji appeared, neatly dressed in the Black Five Group uniform, and began checking the departing members.
"All members of the Black Five Group are assembled."
After counting their numbers, his gaze briefly turned toward Dong Bong-su as well.
"Yeoro is out too."
To him, Dong Bong-su, a mere Sosam, was little more than an accessory to Yeoro. Gi Man-ji then checked the congratulatory gifts to be taken to the Namgung Family and the number of personnel to transport them. As expected, there were no issues.
"Hm. No problems. Anyone not out yet?"
"Everyone is assembled except for the young master and the young lady."
At Gi Man-ji's question, one of the Black Five Group members answered. The young master he referred to was Danri Ganghae, the eldest son of Danri Cheon-u, and the young lady was the second daughter, Danri Hee. Gi Dae-hyo had not yet appeared, but since he was the one Gi Man-ji would report to after everyone had gathered, he was not mentioned at all.
Danri Ganghae and Danri Hee were nowhere to be seen, but Gi Man-ji didn't think much of it. Their tardiness was an everyday occurrence, so it was already expected.
"Then everyone is out."
After swiftly checking the headcount once more with both eyes, Gi Man-ji went back inside the family grounds. Not long after, he came back out again. The difference was that, unlike before, Gi Dae-hyo now stood at the forefront.
As soon as he came out, Gi Dae-hyo walked straight forward through the Black Five Group members without a word. It was a silent signal to depart.
In place of Gi Dae-hyo, Gi Man-ji shouted loudly.
"Let's go."
At those words, everyone began their journey to the Namgung Family, following Gi Dae-hyo.
Though two key members were missing, no one found it strange. Dong Bong-su was the same.
Everyone in the Danri Family already knew well what kind of people Danri Ganghae and Danri Hee were.
Danri Ganghae was undoubtedly drinking at some inn in Bongyang's bustling district, fondling women's bodies, while Danri Hee was still within the family grounds.
She pathologically hated moving around with subordinates. Likely, apart from the Black Five Group members gathered here, other Black Five Group members assigned to escort her from afar were still in the family grounds. She would follow the group later, after they had departed.
The group continued along the road. Before they knew it, they arrived at Bongyang's bustling district.
"All halt. Wait briefly."
At Gi Man-ji's command, the entire group stopped in place. As everyone knew, the reason for stopping was to pick up Danri Ganghae.
Because it was still early, the district was quiet. Except for one place.
Crash!
From inside an inn with a splendid signboard reading Haengho Inn, loud noises rang out, as if someone were fighting.
"Again?"
Gi Dae-hyo muttered quietly and walked toward the inn. Though he spoke aloud, everyone except Dong Bong-su was repeating the same words in their minds.
Danri Ganghae, the eldest son of Danri Cheon-u, was a Murim prodigy with outstanding innate talent and aptitude. Bongyang wasn't a particularly large city, but when it came to Bongyang's greatest talent, everyone unanimously named Danri Ganghae.
However, his character was frivolous, and his excessive fondness for alcohol and women meant unsavory rumors constantly followed him.
That was why Gi Dae-hyo had told Danri Cheon-u yesterday that "both of them might not be wanted by the Namgung Family." Compared to his peers, Danri Ganghae's skill was excellent and his foundation superb, making him more than qualified to enter the Namgung Family as an external disciple, but the problem lay in his character.
Though he had no choice but to carry out this task due to the family head's orders, honestly, Gi Dae-hyo had little expectation. The only thing he could trust right now was Yeoro, the Blood-Sweating Horse known as the Heavenly Horse. One could only hope that the rumor of Namgung Byeok collecting fine horses was true.
Gi Dae-hyo shook his head once and approached the inn.
Even then, the sounds of combat inside the inn did not cease.
Bang bang bang!
As Gi Dae-hyo walked toward the entrance, he felt a deep sense of unease.
Just who could be in Bongyang, capable of fighting Danri Ganghae like that?
Regardless of his character, Danri Ganghae was a well-known rising talent in Anhui Province. Among those belonging to Bongyang's small and medium sects, there was no one who would dare challenge him, nor anyone who could endure so many exchanges with him. Recently, because there was no one willing to deal with his tyranny, the inns he frequented had actually been quiet.
'Just who is it?'
At the moment Gi Dae-hyo thought that to himself—
Crash!
With a loud noise, someone flew out of the inn and rolled across the ground. Drunk, with a red flush on his face, yet still boasting a handsome appearance—it was Danri Ganghae.
"Hm!?"
An exclamation of surprise escaped Gi Dae-hyo's mouth.
What had happened? The person inside the inn hadn't merely crossed hands with Danri Ganghae, but had actually driven him into defeat.
A sudden sense of foreboding brushed across his mind.
On the other hand, unlike Gi Dae-hyo, Dong Bong-su, who was watching the situation, felt something else entirely. He had already stopped the training of the Inventory Divine Art that he had been continuously practicing from the family grounds to this place.
[An enemy with a level difference of 10 or more has approached within 20 meters. 20.]
It was because piercing vision had activated.
Without question, the target of piercing vision was the one who had driven Danri Ganghae out of the inn.
"Damn it! I'll kill this bastard!"
Danri Ganghae spat curses as he pushed himself up. The target, needless to say, was the one who had forced him out of the inn.
As he lifted his body halfway, Dong Bong-su saw a brown blur shoot out of the inn like lightning.
Flap-flap!
The hem of the brown-robed figure's long coat fluttered, creating a strange tearing sound as cloth rubbed against air. The brown-robed man charged at Danri Ganghae the moment he appeared. Without giving him any chance to evade, he stomped down on his neck.
"Kugh!"
As Danri Ganghae, trampled by the brown-robed man, collapsed back onto the ground, Dong Bong-su looked toward Gi Dae-hyo.
Chachang!
As expected, upon seeing Danri Ganghae attacked, Gi Dae-hyo drew his sword without a moment to reconsider.
"Stop!"
The brown-clad middle-aged man, still stepping on Danri Ganghae's neck, turned to look at Gi Dae-hyo.
Only then could Dong Bong-su see him clearly. He was a middle-aged man of average height with a cold, impassive face. The chill in his eyes made his very nature seem ruthless, regardless of the depth of his martial arts.
In a voice as cold as his face, he spoke to Gi Dae-hyo.
"What is it?"