Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 195

Chapter 195Since the Kunlun Sect elder had hastened through the initial greetings, Ji-ryong, feeling apologetic for missing the chance to present me first, gave a slight bow in my direction.

As the head of this party, protocol dictated I be introduced first, but the elder’s abruptness had let the moment slip by.

“I was just getting to that. There is someone important I wish to present.”
“Hmm? Present someone?”

At the Kunlun elder’s query, Ji-ryong motioned toward our group and started the introductions.

“This is our leader, So-ryong, successor to the Beast Palace. He is also the son-in-law of the Tang Clan and husband to the clan’s young lady. This is also Elder Seolpyo of the Beast Palace.”
“What? The Beast Palace and the Tang Clan are here too? I believed only the Martial Alliance had arrived!”

The Kunlun Sect elder was visibly startled upon learning of our affiliations.

True to her spirited nature, Sister Seol immediately stepped forward and offered a courteous bow.

My initial impression of him hadn’t been favorable, but there was little to be done about it now.
As I often maintained, formal greetings were a necessary ritual.

“I am So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace Lord and son-in-law of the Tang Clan.”
“I am Tang Hwa-eun, daughter of the Tang Clan. It is an honor to greet you, Elder Ji-ryong.”
“I am Elder Seolpyo of the Beast Palace. My father is the lord of the palace.”

After we had paid our respects, the Kunlun elder’s face brightened with delight, and he returned the bow with deep respect.

“Oh! The Tang Clan and the Beast Palace? We have long enjoyed a firm alliance with them, and to think you’ve journeyed all the way to Qinghai to assist us… On behalf of the Kunlun Sect, I offer my most sincere gratitude.”

Though my first impression had been soured by Hyang’s reaction, his manners were at least impeccable.

Once the introductions were complete, Ji-ryong indicated Cho and Bini and started to clarify.
“And these beings are spiritual beasts reared by the Tang Clan. You need not be concerned.”
“The Tang Clan raises spiritual beasts?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“Haha, I had heard the Tang Clan kept venomous creatures, but now spiritual beasts as well?”

The Kunlun elder narrowed his eyes, studying Cho and Bini with intense scrutiny.
A moment later, his look became one of worry.

“But… they don’t injure people or consume livestock, do they? There has been some disturbance in the village recently, so before we allow entry…”

What was this man implying?!
My daughters—my own daughters!—being likened to mindless predators?
Irritation caused a vein to throb at my temple.

His first impression had already been poor, and now this?
Still, it was to be expected.
For ordinary folk, the sight of a giant centipede would naturally provoke fear.
This world was in dire need of a changed perspective on venomous creatures.
I steeled my resolve—I would propagate the culture of venomous beast companionship throughout all of Zhongyuan.

“These children have been with me since they were born. They are as dear to me as daughters. You may regard them no differently from the sheep grazing in those fields.
Furthermore, as spiritual beasts, they have no need to consume food, and their intelligence ensures they would never attack without cause.”
“Daughters…? That enormous centipede is your daughter?”

Even after my clarification, his doubt remained.
So, I took the necessary step.
I called them forward to greet him personally.
In situations like these, nothing was more effective than good manners.
Witnessing a six-to-seven-meter-long centipede offer a polite bow was enough to persuade anyone.
Because it was utterly endearing.

“Cho, Bini, come and greet the elder properly.”

Obediently, Cho and Bini moved forward, took their places on either side of me, and gave slight bows.
“Chorit.”
“Choru.”

As expected of my well-mannered daughters—their etiquette was flawless.
The Kunlun elder’s eyes widened in astonishment.
His disciples wore identical expressions of disbelief.

“They… they comprehend human speech and can even bow? Are they not almost human?”

Bowing was just the start—my children were superior to most people.
In my previous life, I’d frequently heard pet owners claim, “Dogs are better than people.”
Now I comprehended their sentiment completely.
My children are far better than most people.

“Indeed, so you have no cause for concern.”
“…Very well. If the Tang Clan’s heir assures it, then I shall place my trust in you.
Now, let us proceed inside—I am eager to learn the specifics regarding the Blood Cult.”
“Understood.”

A short-lived dispute arose at the village entrance concerning whether Cho and Bini should be permitted entry.
However, after a word from the Kunlun elder, the village chief and inhabitants had no option but to acquiesce.
Ji-ryong mentioned that martial sects held significant sway here, meaning the Kunlun Sect effectively served as the local authority.
It seemed the rule of law was distant, but the rule of force was immediate.

“I will take responsibility for them, so set your minds at ease.”
“If the Kunlun elder gives his word, then it must be so.”

With that, we were allowed into the village.
As we entered, murmurs rippled through the air.

“What are those peculiar creatures?”
“That gigantic centipede—is it not some kind of monster?”
“How bizarre… how unnatural.”

Then, from within my clothing, Hyang’s voice chimed in.
“Churut? 『Dad, what does “bizarre” mean?』”
…Wait. You don’t even know the meaning of “bizarre”?!
Judging by her tone, she didn’t grasp its exact meaning but sensed it wasn’t a compliment—so she had reacted intuitively.
Which meant there was still an opportunity.
I swiftly comforted her.

‘Bizarre? Oh… well, it’s another term for extraordinarily cute and beautiful!’
“Chorut… 『That doesn’t seem accurate…』”

Her doubtful tone felt like a direct pierce to my heart.
‘No, the trust between father and daughter…!’

***

This area was characterized by red soil, and every structure in the village was built from a blend of grass and clay, giving them a unique, earthen appearance.
Guided by the Kunlun elder, we entered a building made of mud bricks and settled inside.

Once seated, I lost no time in asking,
“Could you provide a detailed account of the circumstances here?”
“Certainly, where should I start…”

The Kunlun elder stroked his chin, deep in thought.
Then, Taeheo, the younger Kunlun disciple, spoke up from the side.
“Would it not be best to begin four months ago, when the Western traders first appeared?”
“Ah, yes. You are correct, Taeheo.”

The elder nodded in agreement and commenced his explanation.
“…Four months ago, a caravan of Western merchants reached Yumen Pass, journeying along the Silk Road.
Rather than taking the customary route via Lanzhou, they came into Qinghai through Dunhuang, intending to travel westward alongside the river toward Chengdu.”

‘So this truly is the Silk Road from history lessons?’
Hearing that term evoked an odd sense of recognition.

The elder continued,
“They journeyed along the foothills of the Kunlun Mountains and reached Deokryeoman. You may be unaware, but Deokryeoman is the nearest city to the Kunlun Sect.”
So, it fell within the Kunlun Sect’s domain.
I nodded, and the elder went on.

“The merchant leader came to Deokryeoman and sought an audience with the Kunlun Sect.
He provided a substantial donation and requested our aid.
He had lost three camels and two merchants while crossing Qinghai and asked for a search party to be sent.
One of those missing was a scribe.”
“A scribe?”
“Yes. Given the donation, we could not disregard the plea.
We promptly sent disciples to scour the region, but after several days of searching, found no trace of the missing merchants or their camels.
However… we did observe something unusual.”
“Something unusual?”

Hearing that something was amiss, everyone focused their attention on the Kunlun elder.
He nodded and continued,

“Indeed, vanishings in the desert are not rare. However, they typically occur during the sandstorm season. This time, however, people disappeared despite the absence of sandstorms—that was the first oddity.
Moreover, they vanished one by one during the night, which was even more suspect.
Initially, we suspected grassland bandits. We thought they might be plundering goods under cover of darkness, as similar events had occurred before.”
“Grassland bandits?”

Unfamiliar with the term, I tilted my head, and Hwa-eun clarified through our mental link.
[Bandits operating in the mountains are termed mountain bandits, and you’ve encountered river bandits before, correct? Bandits who roam these plains are called grassland bandits.]

So it was just another type of bandit.
This land was overrun with lawlessness due to inadequate enforcement.
If they preyed in the mountains, they were mountain bandits.
If they struck from the rivers, they were river bandits.
And if they wandered the grasslands, they were grassland bandits.
I found it absurd that bandits were categorized by their environment—as if they possessed elemental affiliations.

Not wishing to disrupt the conversation, I simply nodded as if recalling the term.
“Oh… those grassland bandits.”

The Kunlun elder nodded as well.
“So, we pursued them and questioned them to determine if they were behind it. But none admitted to assaulting the Western merchants.”
“What occurred afterward?”
“The leader of the merchant caravan… grew restless.
In the end, he chose to continue on to Zhongyuan. However, he asked that we recover the bodies should we ever find them.”

It appeared he had already abandoned hope for the missing individuals’ survival.
“After his departure, the Kunlun Sect could not simply drop the matter.
So, we broadened the search perimeter beyond where the Western merchants had vanished and began making inquiries.
That was when we started receiving reports from nomadic tribes—they too were suffering disappearances.”

As the search zone expanded, accounts from nomadic families multiplied.
“We understood that something was gravely wrong.
Thus, we enlisted the aid of the finest trackers from the Qingcheng Sect.
However, the desert terrain made it difficult even for them to find any tracks.”

At that juncture, the narrative matched what we already knew—as we had heard this part from the Qingcheng Sect’s leader.
“I see. We learned the subsequent details from the Qingcheng Sect’s leader.
Now, it appears we must explain our purpose in coming here.
And it all begins with the Blood Cult…”

After the elder concluded his account, we elaborated on our reasons for traveling to Qinghai.
Though Ji-ryong had given a summary earlier, they had requested the full story.
So we disclosed everything—how the Five Venoms Clan had formed an alliance with the Blood Cult, and how those villains were conducting some scheme in this region.
“…And that is the situation.”
“So, the Five Venoms Clan has joined forces with the Blood Cult, and those poisonous scoundrels are active in Qinghai…
And you suspect this is linked to the disappearances?”
“Yes. The members of the Five Venoms Clan are infamous for their brutality—they would not think twice about feeding humans to spiritual or venomous creatures.
As one who raises spiritual beasts, I suspect they may be nurturing some massive venomous creature in the desert.
Something sufficiently large to consume camels and people.”
“Hmph! Such monsters in human guise…”

The Kunlun elder clenched his fists in fury.
After expressing his anger, he turned back to me, his expression now more guarded.
“…Do you have any notion of what sort of spiritual beast or venomous creature it might be?”
“Not at present. But we intend to discover it.”
“…Hmm. I regret posing this so soon after our meeting, but…
How long do you anticipate it will take to track them down?”
“Why do you ask?”

The elder’s tone had become urgent.
He directed his gaze toward the village outskirts and continued.
“It is no longer solely camels that are disappearing.
Now, even the sheep belonging to the nomadic tribes have begun to vanish in recent days.
Because of this, nearly every major settlement in northern Qinghai is now inundated with nomads.
You observed the sheep outside, did you not? They have congregated near villages and towns instead of roaming freely for pasture.”

I recalled what I had seen on our approach.
Initially, the sheep had appeared dispersed across the plains.
But upon nearing the village, I had observed a tremendous number of them.
“So that explains the multitude of sheep near the village…”

For nomads, sheep were not merely livestock—they represented wealth and sustenance.
This constituted a severe crisis for them.
‘He is urging us to make haste.’

We still did not know precisely what was devouring camels and humans, but if the Five Venoms Clan was involved, a venomous creature was the most probable culprit.
And given the desert setting, the possibilities were limited.
Few venomous creatures could endure such an extreme environment.

I nodded in comprehension and responded.
“We will act with all possible speed.
This falls within my field of specialization, after all.”
“Specialization?”

The elder tilted his head, curious about my wording.
Before I could reply, Hwa-eun answered with a smile.
“The term expert denotes someone with specialized knowledge in a particular area.
So-ryong possesses extensive ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) understanding of venomous creatures, even within the Tang Clan.
If this incident is the work of a venomous beast, So-ryong will resolve it.”
“Yes! My brother will undoubtedly handle it.”

Sister Seol and Hwa-eun radiated confidence as they spoke of me.
Seeing their expressions, I understood—
The time had finally come for me to apply my expertise as a venomous beast authority.

‘Just wait, Five Venoms Clan! Let us see which of your cherished pets I will be examining first.’

Now that the introductions were concluded, it was time to assess the situation and shorten the list of potential creatures.
I might not yet know the exact nature of our adversary, but soon enough—
It would be right within my grasp.