Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 122

Chapter 122
Xintu’s worried words were met by Seol’s sharp retort.
“We can’t take three people. If they were men, I might manage two on my back, but these are both women. Yeongryeon isn’t capable of carrying two while running.”
“I wouldn’t want to ride on her back regardless! I’d prefer to walk.”
“I—I said I was sorry! Isn’t that enough?”
“Do you think an apology fixes everything!?”

Even after repeated apologies, Seol’s frustration remained. The shame of having her acupoints sealed and her garments taken still burned in her mind. While her usual attire left little to the imagination, the violation felt entirely different.

“But no one else saw you, correct?”
“What!? You were the one who saw me!”
“I—I apologize!”

Amid the ongoing friction, deciding the travel party for the Martial Alliance became complicated. Those set to go were:

Myself (to provide details on the poison).
Seol (carrying both the Tang Clan’s letter of introduction and her adoptive father’s formal petition to join the alliance).
Hwa-eun (acting as the Tang Clan’s official representative).

Neither Grandfather (Mandok Shingun) nor Father-in-law (Tang Cheolsan) could attend—not due to inability, but because it would be undignified. The only way to reach the alliance in three days was to be carried by Xintu or Yeongryeon.

But that posed a problem:
No elder could be seen riding on a young woman’s back.
Nor could any elder ride on Xintu.
Hence, Hwa-eun had to go in their stead.

I couldn’t decline either—Seol and Bini might lay their eggs during my absence, but I expected to return in time.

Still, one issue remained:
There were only two “carriers.”
These martial express trips were single-passenger only, and only two were available.
That meant someone had to be left behind.

“Then… should Hwa-eun stay?”
“If Hwa-eun remains, So-ryong will lack knowledge of formal etiquette. The Beast Palace’s application to the Martial Alliance is a diplomatic affair—he must be properly guided.”
“You’re right, Father.”

Grandfather was correct. Neither Seol nor I understood the nuances of martial diplomacy. Without Hwa-eun, we might unintentionally cause offense.

As I pondered, something descended from above.
—Tssrrr?
It was Cho, circling overhead.
Sensing the tension, she had come to investigate.

“It’s alright, Cho. We’re not arguing. Just talking. Go on, play for now.”
I gave her a reassuring pat.
As she twirled mid-air, a thought struck me.

“That’s it! It could work!”
I’d found a way to bring Hwa-eun without forcing Seol to be carried by Yeongryeon.
I turned to Xintu at once.

“Master Xintu, are you familiar with flying kites?”
“Kites?”
“Yes, but it would need to be quite large and long…”
“The kind of kite that would make you famous instantly if flown at Han River Park.”

***

“…So, is everyone in agreement now? We even tested it.”
“Yes, yes, I understand, So-ryong. Tsk.”
“Then let’s set off at once.”

With matters settled, Xintu was impatient to depart without delay.

“Wait, Master Xintu! I must bid farewell to my creatures first. If I don’t explain, they may all try to follow.”
“Ah? Oh, the creatures… yes, I suppose that’s reasonable.”

Even Xintu, having seen my army of creatures, acknowledged the need.

Naturally, I was only taking Cho and Hyang.
Seol was nearing her egg-laying time, so she had to remain. And if Seol stayed, Bini must stay as well.
Snakes could survive weeks without food, but that was a last resort.
Yeondu required young koi every few days, making it unwise to bring her.

Seol, seeming to sense Bini’s need to stay, nodded quietly.
Yeondu, not yet deeply bonded with me, offered no protest.

But then there was Yo-hwa.
“Yo-hwa, just ten days, alright?”
—Ksss…
Yo-hwa crossed her arms, clearly displeased.
Perhaps due to the Yang energy absorbed from Yang Seong-hu, she had grown more tolerant of other Yang auras, so she acquiesced reluctantly.
Still, even agreeing to stay, she clung firmly to my sleeve.

“We’ll never leave at this rate.”

Then Yeongryeon unexpectedly approached.
“So-ryong So-hyeop, might I have some of that silk from before?”
“Silk?”
“Yes, that thick thread.”

She meant the Yo-hwa Silk I had gathered earlier.
Uncertain whether she wanted a keepsake or had another use, I agreed and drew two short strands from Yo-hwa.

“Alright, now both of you, offer me your wrists.”
“Huh? Our wrists?”
—Ksss?

Both Yo-hwa and I paused before slowly extending our arms.
Without a word, Yeongryeon bound our wrists together with the silk.
Then, addressing Yo-hwa, she said:

“Yo-hwa, listen. Now you have connected yourself to So-ryong with your own silk. Even when apart, you are still tied. So you can release him now, yes?”

Hwa-eun smiled with recognition.
“Oh, like the Red Thread of Fate?”
“The Red Thread?”
“Yes. There’s a tale of the Moon Elder—he binds a red thread around the ankles of two destined individuals, so they will always find each other. Tying it to the wrists is a promise of reunion.”
“Ah, the Red String of Fate?”

I recalled the myth and nodded in understanding.
I glanced at Yo-hwa, wondering if she would accept this.
But—
—Ksss!
She severed the threads angrily.
Both of them.

“Ah—! I thought you would like it…”
Yeongryeon quickly apologized, embarrassed.
Yet Yo-hwa’s response was not mere anger—she began spinning silk again.
This time, however—
The silk was vivid red.
“…Red?”

She had never produced red thread before, yet now it emerged as if dyed.
As I stood astonished, a thick strand coiled around my ankle and Yo-hwa’s—who had assumed Hwa-eun’s form.
It looped like a ring, with no visible knot.

Satisfied, Yo-hwa pushed me gently from behind, as if urging me to go.
— Kishishishi.

“Eh?”
“Huh?”
“What?”

Hwa-eun, Seol, and Yeongryeon stared at Yo-hwa, then at my ankle, their faces filled with disbelief.
I lifted my hands helplessly as I regarded the three of them.
After all, we were not even of the same kind.

“N-no way. This can’t… This doesn’t mean what I think, does it?”
Surely not, Yo-hwa? It can’t be. We’re… different species! This is an impossible affection!
I adore venomous creatures, but my thoughts went utterly blank.
Because if this was real—
What in heaven was I to do?

***

Flying a Giant Centipede Like a Kite

A enormous centipede glided through the air, cradling a person within its coils.
Towing it behind like a kite, we reached the Martial Alliance’s entrance, where a large crowd had assembled.

“O-O-gong!?”
“O-gong is flying!?”
“Isn’t that a Qinglong!?”

As anticipated, Xintu had become a spectacle beyond doubt.

The reason for this absurd display was straightforward: Seol refused to be carried by Yeongryeon, and there were too many travelers.
So, I had Cho envelop Seol, tied Yo-hwa’s thread to Xintu and Yeongryeon’s legs, and instructed them to run while pulling Cho behind.
Since Cho could use Yeogi Chongso (御氣衝溯) to hover, she felt almost no weight while aloft.

The overwhelming reception we received was, in truth, born of alarm—from a distance, it seemed a monster was approaching.
Only when Xintu confirmed his identity did the uproar settle and the crowd scatter.

“Is the Alliance Leader present!? This is urgent—notify the Alliance Leader at once! I am Xintu!”

He flicked his wrist, and the thread around my ankle swayed, making the nearby warriors flinch.
As the divine Tianjian Silk caught the light, scattering gleams around, the martial artists dropped to their knees.

“S-Xintu!”
“We greet Xintu, the God of Martial Strategy!”

***

Bang!

The Alliance Leader, upon receiving urgent word of our arrival, slammed the table in fury and shock.
He had just been informed that all operatives sent on a intelligence mission had been lost.

“What!? A-all of them perished!?”
“T-this is…!”

Even the trusted strategist, Elder Zhuge Hu, looked shaken.

“Yes. Nearly all twelve agents, including Vice Pavilion Master Bang Sun of the Flying Dragon Pavilion, are believed to have met the same end. As we fell back to the Central Plains, we combed the area, and even Mandok Shingun searched the borderlands… But we found no one alive.
The only survivors are Yang Seong-hu, Seon-hwa, and Do-ryong, who joined us along the journey.
Even they are severely wounded and will require at least three months of recovery at the Beast Palace.”

“Curse it… We ought to have sent stronger fighters… This was my error.”

It appeared the operation was Elder Zhuge Hu’s design, and he now bowed his head, grim with remorse.
However, the Alliance Leader shook his head firmly.

“This is no time for blame! Do not say such things, Strategist.”
“Here, take this.”

I passed a paper to the two grieving men.
Their sacrifices were not for nothing.

“What is this?”
“Vice Pavilion Master Bang Sun gave this to us before rushing into certain death. It notes locations suspected to be the Blood Cult’s stronghold.”

Seon-hwa offered the bloodied, spear-pierced document.
With trembling hands, the Alliance Leader received it.

“Thank you… Once again, the Martial Alliance is in your debt.”

Later, we introduced my sister to the Alliance Leader and shared news that the Blood Cult had allied with the Five Venom Clan.
We also explained that the Poison of the Blood-Drinking Tree may now be ineffective, and that a new toxin had likely been created.

“This time, it halts blood flow?”
“Yes, Strategist. Alliance Leader.”
“Hah…”
“This is a boon for the martial world.”

The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace’s entry into the Martial Alliance was met with warm welcome.
As the faction nearest the borders of Daeyue, where the Blood Cult was likely hidden, they would serve as a vital forward base to watch the cult’s activities.
Thus, their membership was approved without debate.

Envoys would be sent through Sichuan soon, and as we exited the Alliance Leader’s hall, a voice called out.
“Dok-hwa, it’s been some time.”

Turning, I saw two women and three men standing nearby.
Hwa-eun greeted the speaker with a respectful martial salute.
“It has been a while, Ji-ryong.”

Ji-ryong?
He seemed to be of the same faction as Do-ryong.

Hwa-eun introduced him to me and Seol.
“So-ryong, this is Ji-ryong, one of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes. Ji-ryong, this is my fiancé, So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace Lord of the Southern Barbarians. And this is Lady Seol, daughter of the Beast Palace Lord.”

“A pleasure, young warrior, Lady Seol. I am Ji-ryong, Zhuge Yongcheon. My uncle is Elder Zhuge Hu, strategist of the Martial Alliance. These are Kwon-ryong and Geom-ryong, and behind me are Yin-bong and Gung-bong.”

As expected, he was Elder Zhuge Hu’s nephew and a member of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
Ji-ryong and his companions offered polite greetings.

The men included the tall, pale Zhuge Yongcheon, the heavy-browed Kwon-ryong, and the silent Geom-ryong.
The women were the distant-looking Gung-bong and Yin-bong, whose lips were blood-red, as if she’d consumed something grim.

“What brings you to us?”

When I asked why they’d approached, Zhuge Yongcheon massaged his temple as if pained and replied.
“Well… I was concerned about Do-ryong, Yang Seong-hu, and Seon-hwa. My uncle mentioned Dok-hwa had news of them, so I came quickly…”
“Ah…”

It seemed they were anxious about their comrades.
Unable to reveal the entire intelligence team had died, I answered vaguely that they were well.
The strategist and Alliance Leader would handle the details.

“I cannot elaborate, but they are safe. There’s no need for concern.”
“…I see. Very well, then.”

Whether due to being Elder Zhuge Hu’s nephew or simply perceptive, Ji-ryong accepted this without further question.
As they weren’t especially close to Hwa-eun, the group exchanged farewells and left.

So they aren’t particularly familiar with Hwa-eun?

***

That evening.
While sharing wine and food taken from Wuhuan with Xintu, a sudden commotion arose.

“Here, try this. It’s ten-year-old Shaoxing wine.”
“…Did you steal this as well?”
“Naturally. Do you imagine I, Xintu, would pay for it?”

Then Elder Zhuge rushed in, desperate.
“Xintu, pardon the interruption, but Dok-hwa—can you assist me!?”

He wasn’t addressing me—he was asking Hwa-eun.
Hwa-eun tilted her head.
“Me, Elder?”

Zhuge Hu nodded urgently, his face ashen.
“My nephew Yongcheon has collapsed! The Alliance’s physicians suspect poison!”
“What!? Yongcheon—Ji-ryong!? Poisoned!?”

The strategist’s nephew had been struck down by poison—right within the Martial Alliance.
The noise from outside grew louder.