21
Chapter 21: Wedding Gift
"Who knows. Whatever it is, he must have prepared something quite good. According to the rumors I've heard, the Danri Family Head is making tremendous efforts to form a marriage alliance with the Namgung Family. So wouldn't he have prepared a gift befitting that?"
The conversation between the two continued afterward, but it was unrelated to Dong Bong-su anyway. He was completely immersed in his role as Sosam and indifferently passed by those chattering about the Nameless Vigilante or the Namgung Family's wedding.
For him, rather than such trivial matters, the immediate challenge of how and in what manner he should hunt martial artists next was far more important.
While thinking about that, he arrived at the Family's main gate before he knew it.
After entering the Danri Family estate, Dong Bong-su headed straight to his quarters, the eastern stables.
Even while walking to the stables, various thoughts came to mind, but he hadn't yet decided on any single one. That decision would be made after arriving at the stables, carefully reconsidering everything one by one.
It was when he and Yeoro had passed through several halls of the Danri Family estate and nearly reached the stables.
[An enemy with a level difference of 10 or more has approached within 20 meters. 20.]
'Spirit Eyes activated?'
Thud.
His steps instinctively stopped.
Dong Bong-su's gaze naturally fixed on his home, the stables.
Since the eastern stables were located in a particularly isolated area within the Danri Family estate, if someone had come here, it was obvious without even looking that they would be inside the stables.
'Why?'
Such a question suddenly arose in his mind.
The reason the question 'Why?' rather than 'Who?' came to mind first was because the answer to 'who' was already apparent. If it had been a little while ago, there would have been three options, but now that he had reached Level 7, there was only one answer.
[7, 6, 5…….]
Dong Bong-su didn't find the answer to 'why,' but he continued approaching the stables. This was because he was confident that the 'enemy' inside the stables had come looking for him for something non-threatening. If they had come to kill or capture him, they wouldn't be waiting here.
Even so, he continued contemplating in his mind the reason the other party had come.
Eventually, he found one reason.
The other topic people had mentioned in the marketplace earlier besides the story about the Nameless Vigilante.
For a very brief moment, Dong Bong-su's teeth showed before disappearing. It seemed his next move had been decided by an unexpected turn of events.
He very carefully grasped Yeoro's reins and entered the stables.
Creeeeak. Thud.
Inside the stables.
As expected, an elderly man with a splendid white beard draped down to his chest stood there. With both hands clasped behind his back, he was watching Dong Bong-su and Yeoro entering the stables.
He was none other than.
Danri Cheon-u, the Danri Family Head and Flying Heaven Beautiful Sword.
"So you are Sosam."
As soon as their eyes met, Dong Bong-su prostrated himself flat on the ground. As a servant of the Family, it was naturally what he had to do.
Swoosh.
Danri Cheon-u approached Dong Bong-su and Yeoro as if gliding. Since Dong Bong-su was prostrated with his head slightly raised, he could naturally see Danri Cheon-u's feet.
'That is……!'
Danri Cheon-u's movement was only for a brief moment. But a tingling current flowed through Dong Bong-su's brain as he watched it. From what he saw, Danri Cheon-u's movement completely defied the laws of physics.
'Could something like that even be called walking?'
Humans can move forward because of the friction between their feet and the ground. If friction were zero, one couldn't walk forward or backward. No matter how small the value, there must be friction to advance or retreat.
However, when the coefficient of friction of the floor material is very small, walking forward is not easy. Because one slips. So in such cases, humans wear shoes that increase the coefficient of friction to move forward well, or reduce the surface area in contact with the ground to allow forward sliding. Mountaineering shoes and ice skating boots are such examples.
But the shoes Danri Cheon-u was currently wearing were ordinary shoes made of silk. Above all, the floor here was just ordinary dirt. Though he hadn't measured it, the coefficient of friction would be high.
However,
Right now, Danri Cheon-u was moving 'as if flying' across the ground, as if ignoring the laws of gravity and friction.
"……."
Dong Bong-su had seen several people with martial arts until now, but he had never seen anything like that.
'Is that what real Lightness Arts are?'
The Lightness Arts he had seen so far—those of the Black Agents and ordinary martial artists—were truly inferior Lightness Arts and body techniques.
Moreover, the Lightness Arts he was using as a skill were completely different from that in another sense. That too defied the laws of physics and operated according to game rules, but that was merely making the body faster and more agile as a 'skill,' incomparable in dimension to this.
That.
In other words, Lightness Arts as a martial art was nothing less than a unique enlightenment that moved specially using this place's natural laws. A new world different from the laws of physics. Dong Bong-su could feel and see its actual existence in that single step of Danri Cheon-u.
At that moment.
'I must learn it.'
For the first time since coming to this place, Dong Bong-su made a proper resolution to learn martial arts. Until now, he had felt that raising his level was sufficient, but right at this moment, a change came to that thought.
One small step of Danri Cheon-u brought great change to Dong Bong-su. Though no one knew except Dong Bong-su himself, the murderer was once again approaching evolution.
Meanwhile, Danri Cheon-u reached Dong Bong-su's side.
Dong Bong-su was still watching Danri Cheon-u's feet, and Danri Cheon-u simply raised his hand and stroked Yeoro's nose.
"So this is farewell to you as well."
Hee-hee-hing.
Yeoro whinnied softly, welcoming his master's gentle touch.
At this, Dong Bong-su knew that his prediction made in front of the stables had been correct. The reason Danri Cheon-u had appeared here was to see the wedding gift to be sent to the Namgung Family.
While Danri Cheon-u was stroking Yeoro's mane.
A shadow cast long over his head.
"You're here."
"Yes, Family Head."
Dong Bong-su never forgets a voice he's heard once. He had heard the voice of the person who just appeared before.
'Is it Gi Dae-hyo?'
As he expected, the person who appeared was Black Five Group Leader Gi Dae-hyo.
Gi Dae-hyo actually still didn't know what wind had blown to make the Family Head call him to such a place. If he wanted to ride Yeoro, he could just have servants prepare it in front of the estate, so why had the Family Head personally come to this smelly place, and moreover, why had he called him here?
As if sensing his mind, Danri Cheon-u said with a subtle smile.
"No need to make that expression. I simply wanted to see Yeoro one last time."
"……!"
Gi Dae-hyo was greatly surprised. It was because of Danri Cheon-u's word 'last.' Of course, for Dong Bong-su, who was listening to their conversation with his head bowed, these were words he had already anticipated.
"Hehe. I tell you not to be surprised, yet you are anyway."
"But……."
"On the coming full moon day, the second daughter of the Namgung Family Head is getting married."
"Ah!"
Namgung Byeok, the Namgung Family Head and Sword Immortal.
The head of the Namgung Family, which currently has the most powerful influence among the Five Great Families of the Central Plains, and one of the greatest swordsmen in the Martial World.
Above all, the authority of Namgung Byeok, or rather the Namgung Family, was absolute in Anhui Province. It might have been a bit better if there were competitors, but in Anhui Province, aside from the Namgung Family, there were no Nine Sects and One Society or other Five Great Families of the Central Plains. There were no restraining forces at all. Even large heretical sects were completely absent.
In other words, the wedding of the second daughter of the Namgung Family Head meant an event that could shake all of Anhui Province.
The fact that Danri Cheon-u had personally come to this place meant he had made the decision to send Yeoro as a wedding gift to the Namgung Family's wedding.
"Will you be alright?"
Gi Dae-hyo knew well how much Danri Cheon-u cherished Yeoro.
However, despite having made the decision to send Yeoro, Danri Cheon-u's face overflowed with composure. Rather, a faint smile was spread across his entire face.
"Of course I'm alright. If I can send one of our children to the Namgung Family, I could send even more than this, couldn't I?"
"……!"
Only then did Gi Dae-hyo realize what Danri Cheon-u was truly aiming for. Sending Yeoro as a wedding gift was an expression of will to establish a connection with the Namgung Family in some way, using this wedding as an excuse.
That was certain.
Indeed, to establish a foundation in Anhui Province, entering under the Namgung Family's shadow was the best option.
Of course, there would be various methods for that, but the two most certain methods were clear.
"A hundred-year marriage vow? Or the nine prostrations ceremony?"
Hundred-year marriage vow. A promise to be together for a hundred years, meaning marriage.
Nine prostrations ceremony. A ritual of nine bows. The ceremony is performed when a disciple forms a relationship with a master.
Those two were marriage alliance and master-disciple relationship.
While listening to Gi Dae-hyo's words, Dong Bong-su once again predicted Danri Cheon-u's answer. And this time too, it hit the mark without fail.
"Didn't I just say it? One of our children. Isn't it more convenient to cross a stream with two logs rather than one?"
"But…… the Namgung Family might not want either."
At Gi Dae-hyo's words, Danri Cheon-u smiled while stroking his long white beard.
"Hehehe. That's why I called you, isn't it?"
"……."
"I don't care what methods you use, but make it happen without fail."
"Who do you have in mind as the target?"
Target. Gi Dae-hyo didn't specify what target he was referring to. Nevertheless, Danri Cheon-u seemed to understand and said while stroking Yeoro's nose once more.
"Thunder Hegemon Sword."
"Understood, Family Head."
Thunder Hegemon Sword.
It was the epithet of Namgung Hu, the third younger brother of the current Namgung Family Head and the youngest son of the previous Namgung Family Head.
With that, the main point of why Danri Cheon-u had called Gi Dae-hyo to this place was concluded. And with that, Gi Dae-hyo understood everything Danri Cheon-u was saying.
What Danri Cheon-u wanted was simply a small thread connecting to the Namgung Family. It wasn't something grandiose like aiming for the great power of the next generation's Namgung Family.
His son Danri Jiang-hae entering as Namgung Hu's disciple, or if not that, his second daughter Danri Hui becoming the primary wife or concubine of either Namgung Hu or one of Namgung Hu's sons.
That was it. He had chosen a stable foundation establishment over dangerous radicalism.
"When should I depart?"
"Leave tomorrow immediately. You'll have much to do there."
"Yes, Family Head."
Thinking the conversation was over, Gi Dae-hyo bowed his head once toward Danri Cheon-u and turned around.
Then, Danri Cheon-u's final words reached his back.
"Before leaving for the Namgung Family, be sure to take this child with you when you depart. This child will be absolutely necessary for managing Yeoro."
With the hand that had been caressing Yeoro's nose, Danri Cheon-u pointed to Sosam, Dong Bong-su, who was quietly bowing his head beside them.
Dong Bong-su was listening quietly to their conversation with his head bowed, his eyes gleaming.
"Yes, Family Head."
Gi Dae-hyo's short answer. With that, Dong Bong-su's departure from the estate was decided.