Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 180

Chapter 180
After three days, Hyang finally began to stir.
Having gone without nourishment for three full days, it was in the midst of sneaking toward the kitchen when Seon-hwa and I crossed its path and caught it in the act.

“Hyang, just where did you think you were going?”

Seon-hwa questioned it with her hands on her hips and a sharp smile I had never seen her wear before.

Squeak… Squeak…

Hyang glanced away innocently, as if it had done nothing wrong, but we weren’t about to be fooled.

“You were making your way to the kitchen, weren’t you?”
“Trying to slip into the kitchen, right?”

Squeak?!

It shook its head vehemently, denying everything, but let’s be honest—it had been without a meal for three days.
Remembering the saying that even a mischievous child deserves a reward now and then, I reassured Seon-hwa that the stone’s color would restore itself and asked her to offer Hyang another Fire Crystal.

True to form, Hyang showed no interest in seeking out fire for the next two days.
It really did appear that Fire Crystal held a more potent form of fire energy.
For Hyang, ordinary fire must be like simple rice, while Fire Crystal was more like high-grade steak.
A single serving was enough to satisfy it for days.
It’s similar to how eating meat leaves people feeling full and less likely to snack afterward.

“This settles it.”
“So… what Yang Seong-hu gifted me was actually Fire Crystal? I’ve heard rumors, but I never thought…”

Learning that her betrothal token was a Fire Crystal, Seon-hwa’s eyes widened in astonishment.
When I casually inquired with Grandfather about its worth, I discovered that Fire Crystal was just as scarce and costly as Ice Crystals.
No wonder Seon-hwa struggled to believe she had been given something so valuable.

“Yangrang, thank you… for such a precious gift…”
“Please, Seon-hwa. It’s truly no trouble…”
“Yangrang…”
“Seon-hwa…”

Their eyes met, and the intensity between them grew until, unable to restrain themselves any longer, they suddenly clung to one another like a pair of entwined octopuses.
Their unabashed affection once again drew collective groans from the rest of us.

“Honestly, you two, give it a rest!”
“At this point, I really need to find myself a partner too.”
“First Ji-ryong, and now Yang Seong-hu… This is just too much.”

The complaints came from Kyu-seong, Geom-ryong, and Kwon-ryong, the trio of warriors who remained unattached.

“Well, one of the three of you is still available—maybe you should make an effort?”

I glanced toward Gungbong, hinting that one of them ought to try his luck.
The instant I did, all three men stiffened and spoke at once, their expressions turning deadly serious.

“P-Please don’t say things like that, So-ryong. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Seriously, even the thought of Gungbong is enough to make my head hurt.”
“So-ryong, if you consider me your brother, never suggest something like that again.”

When I had met Gungbong previously, she struck me as somewhat spacey.
But clearly, within the Murim world, she wasn’t viewed as a desirable prospect.
‘Perhaps in this day and age, clever women like Seon-hwa are more favored? That might be why she was selected as one of the Three Blossoms of Murim.’
It seemed a woman of Seon-hwa’s intellect was the ideal admired in this era.

Feeling a sense of private triumph, I turned toward Yang Seong-hu, who was still wrapped up with Seon-hwa, and asked:

“Yang Seong-hu, could you tell me the precise location where you discovered the Fire Crystal? I feel somewhat guilty asking, since it’s your special spot, but I need to see about acquiring more for Hyang.”

I motioned toward Hyang as I spoke.
Yang Seong-hu agreed without a second thought, and Seon-hwa smiled warmly.

“Of course! If it weren’t for you, So-ryong, we never would have found it to begin with.”
“You not only saved our lives, but you also acted as the Old Man Under the Moon to unite us. You needn’t even ask—we’ll simply give it to you.”

I had only requested the location, but they were now offering me their Fire Crystal outright.
It was a kind gesture, but the first time Hyang consumed one, it lasted three days. The second time, only two.
Its color had also begun to dim slightly.
I assumed the hue would return after some time, but since this Fire Crystal was small, it likely took longer to regenerate its energy compared to a larger specimen.
Even with the Ice Crystals that Seol, Bini, and Dongi consumed, the absorption of surrounding Yin Qi varied with size.
Larger Ice Crystals drew energy more powerfully.
Smaller ones required more time to recharge.
It stood to reason that Fire Crystal, possessing opposite properties, would behave similarly.
The one Seon-hwa possessed was only about the size of a thumb.

“Thank you, but I suspect this one may be insufficient for Hyang. I’ll likely need a larger piece.”
“In that case, let’s do this, So-ryong. The place is somewhat difficult to describe, so I will guide you there myself. And if we cannot find a larger one, we will give you this one instead.”

That was exceedingly generous.
I nodded in agreement.
Then, Seon-hwa suddenly spoke up.

“Huh? Yangrang, we’re returning to that place?”
“Yes.”
“It brings back so many memories… Yangrang, you brought me this red stone, saying it was the color of my lips and… that we should be married…”
“Seon-hwa…”
“Yangrang…”

Mid-sentence, the two once again transformed into a pair of clinging octopuses.
By now, everyone around them could only look on in silent exasperation.
‘Honestly, get a room already.’

***

When I outlined our travel intentions to the elders, noting our destination was Yunnan Province, they immediately expressed alarm.
The original plan was to remain within Sichuan, but now we were venturing much further.
Sichuan was relatively secure, but Yunnan was another story—it was essentially the frontline in the conflict against the Blood Cult.
Even more worrying was that Tengchong, our goal, lay near Yunnan’s border.

“Yunnan? That region is much too hazardous.”
“With the Blood Cult operating there, the only escort we could provide is the Venom Blood Squad. Letting you go alone is unthinkable.”
“Yes, son-in-law. One can always find food elsewhere. Wouldn’t it be wiser to wait until the Central Plains are more stable? I can’t help feeling concerned.”

Surprisingly, even Mother-in-law, who typically stayed out of external matters, voiced her worry.
Normally, she was entirely focused on doting on her “precious son-in-law,” but now she was openly opposed.
‘Wait… even Mother-in-law is objecting?’

Thankfully, with the support of Elder Sister Seol and the Five Dragons of Wulong, we eventually gained approval.
The elders were comforted because Elder Sister Seol, as the effective leader of Beast Palace, held significant sway over the various tribal factions in Yunnan.
‘Well, I suppose that’s my homeland now, isn’t it?’
Moreover, the Five Dragons of Wulong were respected for their abilities, despite being younger; their involvement further alleviated the elders’ anxieties.
Their reason for joining was straightforward—none had fully recuperated yet, so they intended to use the hot springs as a pretext for rest and recovery.

“Technically, it is in Yunnan, but it is quite distant from the Blood Cult’s base in Dai Viet. The lands of Myanmar, Siam, and Nanzhang lie between, so the Blood Cult would find it difficult to cross over easily. They would need to cross two borders even to approach.”
“And the local tribes are on good terms with Beast Palace, so there is no cause for concern.”
“Yes, elders. Besides, we are visiting the hot springs to recuperate, so there is truly nothing to worry about.”
“The Five Dragons of Wulong are all accompanying you?”
“Yes, we also plan to rest at the hot springs.”
“Well… if that’s the situation…”

My father-in-law traded looks with Mother-in-law and eventually gave a reluctant nod of consent.
It appeared we had just barely obtained permission.
But just as I believed the matter was resolved, Father-in-law spoke up again.

“All right, everyone else may go, but you remain. We need to speak.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you—my son-in-law.”

‘Wait… did I make a mistake?’
His unexpected demand made me anxious.
As the others departed, I was left alone with Father-in-law, Grandfather, and Mother-in-law, all three watching me with troubled expressions.
After a silent exchange of glances, Father-in-law finally spoke.

“Do you know why we asked you to stay?”
“Uh… no? Not really?”

I wasn’t a mind reader—how could I possibly know?
Blinking in bewilderment, I saw Father-in-law release a heavy sigh.

“Hwa-eun informed us about the incident in the Three Gorges.”
“Wait… what?”

I halted, struggling to remember which event he meant.
Then it came to me—he was talking about when I had guided Hyang through its final evolution.
My eyes shifted nervously as my thoughts raced.
‘I might be in serious trouble here…’
Diving into a forest fire mid-air had certainly been rash, even for me.
I had to admit I might have gone a step too far.
But did Hwa-eun really have to tell on me?
After all the reprimanding from Elder Sister Seol, now this?
‘I mean, being scolded is one thing, but did she have to report me?’
Bracing myself, I prepared for the coming lecture.
Instead, Father-in-law approached, set a comforting hand on my shoulder, and offered a kind smile.
It seemed they had chosen to offer sympathy rather than reproach.

“We understand why you did it, but do you intend to make Hwa-eun a widow before you’ve even shared your first night together?”
“W-What?!”
“At the very least, shouldn’t you allow her that first night?”

All three of them—Father-in-law, Grandfather, and Mother-in-law—grinned at me mischievously.
Had they seen right through me?
In that moment, I realized I needed to be far more careful.
‘From this point onward, I must be exceedingly cautious.’

***

Fortunately, our trip to Yunnan included travel by boat.
We departed from Shuangliu, near Chengdu, and journeyed upstream on the Yangtze River.
Eventually, we would need to leave the boat at Ninglang, a border settlement between Sichuan and Yunnan.
Still, this was preferable to moving stealthily through the Central Plains under darkness.
At least within Yunnan’s thick jungles, we wouldn’t need to fret over encounters even if we traveled by day.

“Damn, Yunnan is unbearably hot.”

Returning to Yunnan after so long, the sweltering heat was almost too much to bear.

“So-ryong, I’m envious.”
“I know, right? It’s just not fair.”

The others cast jealous looks my way as we trekked through the jungle.
Even Elder Sister Seol and Hwa-eun received similar stares.

“I wish I could help, but these little ones are very selective…”

As I spoke, the three small Ice Beasts—Seol, Bini, and Dongi—perched on our shoulders, emitting their distinctive calls.

Kkuukku!
Kuuu!
Kkuyt!

It wasn’t that they were particularly finicky, but they outright refused to allow anyone else near them.
The source of everyone’s envy was simple: having an Ice Beast on your shoulder meant escaping Yunnan’s blistering heat.
Apparently, Seol, Bini, and Dongi had grown since our last visit.
Unlike before, they now acted like personal cooling units.
The moment they settled on our shoulders, our body temperatures immediately fell.
Sadly, they only permitted Elder Sister Seol, Hwa-eun, and me to carry them.
To everyone else, they were entirely untouchable.

As the complaints continued, Elder Sister Seol laughed lightly and offered reassurance.

“Well, we’re nearly there. We should make the village by nightfall. It’s the nearest community to Tengchong Volcano, so starting tomorrow, we’ll have the hot springs available.”
“That’s the most welcome news I’ve heard all day.”
“Oh, is this the same village we stayed in previously?”
“If my father brought you here, then it must be.”

Heartened by her words, we continued onward.
After several more hours, an unusual-looking mountain range emerged in the distance.
Though the region was blanketed in rich subtropical plant life, tendrils of white steam were visible rising from the valleys and ridges.

“That is Tengchong Volcano, So-ryong.”
“Oh… so that’s it?”

I had anticipated something more spectacular—perhaps lava flowing freely—but Yunnan’s volcanoes possessed a distinct beauty.
It was a fusion of mountains, jungle, and natural hot springs, producing an almost mystical feeling.

As we reached the village, a sizable crowd abruptly rushed out to welcome Elder Sister Seol with excited cries.

“Oh! The Lady of Beast Palace has come herself! Now we are saved!”
“…?”

I had no clue what was happening, but from the way events were unfolding, I could already sense…
‘This seems strangely familiar…’