Chapter 22 - Shedding His Skin

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On the day of their departure for the Namgung Clan, Dong Bongsu gathered his few travel necessities and led Yeoro out of the estate early. Had he gotten up too early? No one else was in sight yet.

A quiet morning. As always, a good time to think. Holding Yeoro's reins, he quietly resumed the deliberations he had begun the day before.

How was he to learn martial arts?

For now, his only option was to copy what he had picked up by watching. The previous evening, he had tried recreating martial arts from memory—the movements of the Unorthodox Faction leaders and the warriors he had seen at the estate. He could imitate their outward forms, but it had not gone well. It was imitation, nothing more and nothing less.

Ultimately, if he wanted to acquire martial arts, he would have to study them.

How, then, should he go about it?

He could either read books or study under someone. Of the two, the former was the inferior choice and the latter the better one. Whatever the pursuit, learning from someone who had already taken their knocks was faster than stumbling through it alone. That way, he could advance to the next stage without making the same mistakes.

Dong Bongsu took stock of himself.

As he was now, no one would welcome him. As far as remaining inconspicuous went, Sosam, the barely speaking hired servant, provided the perfect camouflage. But it was hardly an appearance suited to seeking instruction.

Simply leaving the Danri Family and becoming someone's disciple would not be easy. He was already eighteen by this world's reckoning, and from what he had heard, beginning martial arts at that age was difficult. Even if someone did accept him, chances were they would not be an outstanding teacher.

'Let's set this problem aside for now.'

He had yet to experience Murim properly. It would not be too late to decide how to learn martial arts after seeing more of it.

This visit to the Namgung Clan should broaden his horizons considerably. There was a good chance he could find a solution there. If nothing else worked, he could always learn from books.

Clearing his mind once more, he stood quietly and waited for the others to emerge. But that was only how it looked. He was by no means idle.

Beneath his clothes, grains of sand were continually appearing and disappearing all over his body. He was training his Inventory Divine Art. It had no proficiency score or level of its own, but looking back on everything he had done to survive, it had been his most useful technique. The Inventory Divine Art was superior even to the Skills granted when he leveled up.

What was more, he had recently realized that he could improve this technique too: he could take out or store two objects simultaneously. He had not mastered it yet, but he could now manage it to some extent. Given more time, he would probably be able to take out or put away three or four objects at once.

Like a duck paddling furiously beneath the water to glide across its surface, he continued practicing the Inventory Divine Art as he stood there.

How much more time had passed?

As sunlight gradually began to warm the earth, those bound for the Namgung Clan started appearing one by one.

The Black Crow Unit members emerged first and quietly lined up before the estate's main gate. They were probably waiting for Gi Daehyo and Gi Manji.

Watching their reactions, Dong Bongsu quietly moved to an out-of-the-way spot. He was staying true to his role as Sosam. That was certainly what Sosam would have done.

A little later, Gi Manji appeared, neatly dressed in the Black Crow Unit's martial uniform, and checked the departing party.

"The entire Black Crow Unit is here."

Having counted all the unit members, he cast a glance toward Dong Bongsu as well.

"And Yeoro is here too."

To him, Dong Bongsu—or Sosam—was little more than an accessory to Yeoro. Gi Manji next checked the other congratulatory gifts they would be taking to the Namgung Clan, along with the number of people who would transport them. Everything was in order there as well.

"Hmm. All in order. Who hasn't come out yet?"

"Everyone is here except the young master and the young lady."

One of the Black Crow Unit members answered Gi Manji's question. By the young master, he meant Danri Ganghae, Danri Cheon-u's eldest son; the young lady was his second daughter, Danri Hui. Gi Daehyo had not appeared yet either, but since Gi Manji was to report to him once everyone had assembled, there was no mention of him.

Gi Manji thought little of Danri Ganghae and Danri Hui's absence. Their lateness was routine, and he had expected it anyway.

"Then everyone's here."

Gi Manji quickly swept his eyes over the party for another head count, then went back into the estate. Before long, he emerged again. This time, however, Gi Daehyo was in the lead.

As soon as Gi Daehyo came out, he walked straight through the ranks of the Black Crow Unit without a word. It was an unspoken signal to depart.

Gi Manji called out loudly in his stead.

"Let's go."

At his words, the entire party followed Gi Daehyo, beginning their journey to the Namgung Clan.

The two most important members were missing, but no one found that strange. Dong Bongsu was no exception.

Everyone in the Danri Family already knew exactly what sort of people Danri Ganghae and Danri Hui were.

Without a doubt, Danri Ganghae would be drinking and fondling women at some inn in Fengyang's entertainment district, while Danri Hui would still be inside the estate.

She had an almost pathological aversion to traveling with her inferiors. There were probably other Black Crow Unit members still at the estate, apart from those assembled here, who would escort her from a distance. She would set out a little after their departure and follow the party.

The party continued along the road and soon reached Fengyang's entertainment district.

"Everyone, halt. We'll wait here a moment."

At Gi Manji's command, everyone stopped where they stood. As they all knew, they were stopping to pick up Danri Ganghae.

It was still early, and the entertainment district was quiet. Except for one place.

CRASH!

A noisy commotion, as though someone were fighting, came from an inn bearing a handsome sign that read "Bold Wayfarer Inn."

"Again?"

Muttering under his breath, Gi Daehyo walked toward the inn. He alone had said it aloud, but everyone except Dong Bongsu was thinking the same thing.

Danri Ganghae, Danri Cheon-u's eldest son, was a martial prodigy blessed with exceptional understanding and aptitude. Fengyang might not have been a particularly large city, but everyone agreed without hesitation that he was its greatest talent.

Unfortunately, he was frivolous by nature and far too fond of wine and women, so unsavory rumors always followed him.

That was why Gi Daehyo had told Danri Cheon-u yesterday that the Namgung Clan might want neither of them. Danri Ganghae's abilities were excellent compared with those of his peers, and his foundations were outstanding. In terms of skill, he was more than qualified to become an outer disciple of the Namgung Clan. The problem was his character.

Gi Daehyo had no choice but to undertake this mission on the patriarch's orders, but in truth, he held little hope. His only reliable asset now was Yeoro, the sweat-blooded steed known as a Heavenly Horse. All he could do was pray that the rumors about Namgung Byeok collecting fine horses were true.

Gi Daehyo shook his head and approached the inn.

Even then, the sounds of fighting inside did not stop.

THUD-THUD-THUD!

As he walked toward the entrance, Gi Daehyo felt considerable puzzlement.

Who in Fengyang could possibly fight Danri Ganghae like that?

Whatever his character, Danri Ganghae was a rising young talent fairly well known throughout Anhui. Among the members of Fengyang's small and midsized sects, no one would dare challenge him, much less withstand so many of his moves. Recently, with no one able to stand up to his abusive behavior, the inns he frequented had actually tended to be quiet.

'Who on earth is it?'

Just as that thought crossed Gi Daehyo's mind—

CRASH!

With a loud crash, someone flew out of the inn and tumbled to the ground. It was a young man whose face was flushed with drink, but who was still strikingly handsome. Danri Ganghae.

"Hmm!?"

An exclamation of surprise escaped Gi Daehyo's lips.

What was going on? Whoever was inside the inn had not merely exchanged blows with Danri Ganghae; they had actually defeated him and driven him out.

A sudden sense of foreboding crossed his mind.

Dong Bongsu, on the other hand, felt something different as he watched. He had already stopped practicing the Inventory Divine Art, which he had been training constantly all the way from the estate.

[An enemy at least 10 levels higher than you has approached within 20 meters. 20.]

His Spirit Eye had activated.

There could be no doubt that the person who had thrown Danri Ganghae out of the inn was the one it had detected.

"Damn it! You bastard, I'll kill you!"

Danri Ganghae spat curses as he struggled to rise. Needless to say, they were directed at whoever had driven him out of the inn.

When he was halfway up, Dong Bongsu saw a brown figure shoot out of the inn like lightning.

FLAP-FLAP-FLAP!

The figure's long brown robe billowed, its fabric making a peculiar snapping sound against the air. The moment the brown-robed figure appeared, he lunged straight at Danri Ganghae and stamped down on his throat before he could dodge.

"Ghk!"

As the man's foot forced the half-risen Danri Ganghae flat onto the ground again, Dong Bongsu looked toward Gi Daehyo.

SHING!

As expected, the sight of Danri Ganghae being attacked made Gi Daehyo draw his sword without a moment's hesitation.

"Stop!"

The middle-aged man in brown turned toward Gi Daehyo, his foot still planted on Danri Ganghae's throat.

Only then could Dong Bongsu get a good look at him. He was a middle-aged man of average height with an icy, impassive face. The chill in his eyes suggested that, regardless of his martial prowess, his very nature was ruthless.

In a voice as cold as his face, he addressed Gi Daehyo.

"What is it?"