Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 250

Chapter 250
Grandfather and Sister Seol mentioned they needed to discuss my situation further, and eventually, I was given the outcome—my induction into the Five Poisons had been temporarily postponed—as I left the training grounds.

I felt a faint sense of disappointment about not joining the Five Poisons immediately, but my mind was so occupied with thoughts of Yeondu’s prospective husband that I wasn’t overly troubled by it.

‘It’s not as if I was ever that passionate about martial arts to begin with.’

Martial arts didn’t rank highly among my life’s ambitions, and although there was a slight delay, it was an issue that would resolve itself once Cheongyu ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ reached full maturity. Once Cheongyu matured, I would be able to find a suitable partner for Yeondu, and—while not certain—I would probably also gain entry into the Five Poisons.

‘The venomous creatures are the main priority; martial arts are more of a bonus. Similar to how a sponsor might contact you during a YouTube stream.’

Locating the Bi-cheon Shin-sa would be challenging, but since I possessed two snakes connected to him, my odds were better than sending someone out with no leads. Based on how Yeondu was determined to follow me in the rain, it appeared that Nanghu and Ranghu must have some innate sense that activates when the Golden-Crowned Snake King is near.

The span between the Tang Clan and the location of Cheongyu’s first molt was twenty li, approximately eight kilometers. Once within that range, whether the signal came from their side or ours, they would detect each other’s presence.

‘Having that alone is a significant advantage.’

I looked behind me—there was Cheongyu, trailing along, her body moving in gentle S-curves as she advanced.

“So graceful. Truly graceful.”

I had some concerns that her untamed nature and primal instincts might make her rebellious or disobedient, but Cheongyu proved to have a calmer disposition than I anticipated. She rested quietly in a corner of my room at night and never had any real conflicts with the others. Yeondu had been gently blowing air through her lips, attempting to play matchmaker between her and the other venomous creatures, but still.

‘She has a rather laid-back nature. What a relief.’

Housing multiple venomous creatures together, known as cohabitation, presents numerous challenges. They might engage in fights, or even without meaning to, their differing behaviors could create issues for one another. But this particular cohabitation seemed to be working very well.

‘I hope everything continues to go this smoothly.’

I was just moving through a shaded area when—

Abruptly, a cascade of hair descended in front of my face.

“Wah!”

Startled by the sudden veil of black obscuring my vision, I leaped backward—only to see Yo-hwa hanging inverted before me, suspended from a strand of spider silk. Her hair drifted like a misty curtain, brushing against my face with every sway.

I had been so absorbed in contemplating Yeondu’s future husband that I didn’t notice I was passing by the large tree near Yo-hwa’s well—her dwelling. She must have spotted me and descended to greet me.

“Hello, Yo-hwa. Did you rest well?”

–Kissh.

When I spoke to her, she didn’t take my arm as she normally would—she only offered a slight nod. Then she descended her thread to the ground and cast a look toward Cheongyu, who was following me. She approached Cheongyu directly and began to communicate.

–Kiiit. Kissh-shi.
–Shyaa?

There had been little interaction the previous day because many people were present during the introductions, and after that, we had a lengthy journey. Cheongyu had mainly coiled up in a corner and slept. It seemed the two were now making up for the conversation they had missed.

Then Yo-hwa suddenly looked in my direction, raised one of her legs, and displayed it to Cheongyu.

–Kiit.

A red thread was fastened around her leg. It was the same one she and I had tied together—and now she was presenting it to Cheongyu. Cheongyu gazed at it with wide eyes, then turned her look to me. This was followed by a soft inclination of her head.

–Shyaa.

At that, Yo-hwa motioned to Cheongyu with a peculiarly dignified and refined manner—as if to say, “Come with me.”

‘Hold on… what’s happening now?’

–Kissh-shi.
–Shyaa.

After leaving me with a few enigmatic sounds, the two of them began to move away.

“Huh? Where are you two off to?”

‘Surely… she’s not being invited to follow on some land-based excursion, is she?’

It appeared the two were going somewhere together. I discreetly followed at a distance, just in case the situation deteriorated—like the previous event involving Cheongwol and the Golden-Furred Wasp Queen, Ranghu. Cheongyu had a calm nature, but I was somewhat concerned that Yo-hwa might exhibit territorial behavior. Her sense of possession could sometimes be… rather strong.

So I shadowed them from a moderate distance.

They went into the back garden where the pond was located. Peering over the wall, I observed the Golden-Furred Wasp Kings take to the air upon noticing the arrival of Yo-hwa and Cheongyu.

–Buzzz. Buzzz.
–Kissh. Kissh.

But then Yo-hwa communicated something to them, and the buzzing was soon replaced by the sound of the wasps hurrying toward the main hall.

–Buzzz, buuuuzzz.

Ranghu emerged from the side of the hive, flew around Cheongyu, lightly moved her antennae, and then withdrew back into the hive. I wasn’t privy to the specifics, but the atmosphere didn’t seem antagonistic—unlike the previous encounter with Cheongwol.

‘What’s going on? Are they simply here to exchange greetings?’

Even though they are all spirit beasts, I didn’t imagine they would engage in such sociable practices, like offering welcoming gifts.

However, the subsequent events supported my initial theory.

Along the path to the pavilion, the two exchanged greetings with the Ho-ye residing in the pond. Their ultimate destination was none other than Cheongwol—the enormous scorpion.

–Kissh-shi.
–Shyaa?
–Krrr. Krrrk.

Yo-hwa addressed the coiled-up Cheongwol, and he gradually uncurled, responding to Cheongyu. This sight brought about a sudden understanding.

I had been pondering why Yo-hwa was escorting Cheongyu around to meet everyone—but then I recalled that Cheongyu had not been formally introduced to any of the creatures on this side of the estate.

‘Ah, that’s correct. She never had the chance to meet those on this side, did she?’

The companions on this side were either too large or inhabited environments that prevented them from entering the main manor—so separate introductions were necessary. However, due to the long trip and possibly because of her molting, Cheongyu had fallen asleep early the previous day and missed meeting any of them.

Watching the two of them now, it became evident: Yo-hwa was personally taking Cheongyu around to introduce her to the rest of the group.

‘Yo-hwa, you… That is incredibly considerate… I feel remorseful for having doubted you. Really, who could wish for a more admirable lady of the house—wait, lady of the house?’

But the more I reflected on it, the more something seemed peculiar. This wasn’t merely considerate—it bore a striking resemblance to scenes from the drama series of my previous life, where the principal wife would personally show the new concubine around the household grounds.

***

I have raised Cho, Hyang, and Bini from their youth, along with Seol and Bini who became part of the family early on, and even Hongdan, whom I acquired just after her birth. For every one of them, Hwa-eun and I naturally assumed the roles of mother and father. They were small when I began caring for them, and I have consistently viewed them as my own children.

Cho, Hyang, and Bini are now enormous, but I still recall their tiny, yellow, charming forms—so that feeling of deep affection persists. Seol and Bini were little, endearing lizards, so referring to myself as their parent always felt natural. And Hongdan? Well, that requires no elaboration.

However, for the Golden-Furred Wasp Kings, the Ho-ye beasts, Yo-hwa, Yeondu, Hwayang, Cheongwol, and Cheongyu, the situation was different. I took them in after they were already fully grown, and given their immense sizes, I couldn’t realistically behave as their father—so I became more of an older brother figure.

Which implies… Yeondu’s husband would essentially be my brother-in-law.

And so, the investigation to find a suitable brother-in-law commenced. It wasn’t solely about finding her a mate—there were additional considerations involved.

Flip. Flip.

In Hwa-eun’s room, I rapidly turned the pages, searching for the one that featured the venomous creature I sought. I was examining the Secret Compendium of Venomous Creatures, attempting to collect information on the Jiyeong Snake—a candidate husband for Yeondu.

“Jiyeong Snake, let’s see…”

After the segment on the Ten Great Venomous Creatures and at the beginning of the Twenty-Three Venomous Branches, I found a page depicting a snake that resembled Bi-cheon Shin-sa—who looks similar to Yeondu—and there, a different snake was presented. The Jiyeong Snake had horns like Yeondu and fin-like extensions along its back.

“Jiyeong Snake.
Its body is the color of blood. It seldom initiates attacks, but when it does, it emerges abruptly from below the ground to strike.
It can move through earth as though it were water.
Its venom causes bleeding from the Guan-yin Meridian and induces immediate vomiting of blood.”

Its body was apparently a bright, blood-like red. But, as is typical for this compendium, the details were sparse. It only provides fundamental information.

‘Not surprising… there isn’t much helpful data.’

The most useful detail was that, living up to its name, it excels at tunneling underground.

I stopped and left the book open to that page. I turned to the section where an ancestor of the Tang Clan had written about the Golden-Crowned Snake King.

Flip. Flip.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

After turning a few pages, I reached the part concerning the Golden-Crowned Snake King from the Ten Great Venomous Creatures. There had been nothing on the page before, but now text became visible. The luminous writing had disappeared, but the golden letters stayed. Grandfather had been concerned they might fade, but it seemed only the radiance had diminished. The golden script remained unchanged.

‘Let’s see. Is there anything new…?’

Even without the glow, the information was identical to what was there yesterday.

I was just beginning to question where I might obtain more details about the Jiyeong Snake when—

Creak.

The door opened, and Hwa-eun and Sister Seol entered. I had mentioned I would be reading for a time and requested they bring some refreshments, so I assumed that was what they were providing.

“So-ryong, we have brought some snacks.”
“So-ryong, have something to eat while you study.”
“Thank you, Hwa-eun.”
“The sunlight is pleasant outside—I will open the window.”

Hwa-eun placed the tea and fruit platter on the table and went to the window. When she opened it, brilliant sunlight flooded the room. It streamed through the window and across the table, illuminating the open page of the compendium.

‘Wow, that’s intense.’

It was nearly too bright to see. I considered closing the window to continue reading the book comfortably. The sunlight landed directly on the section about the Golden-Crowned Snake King—and that was when I observed something unusual.

‘A stain?’

As the light touched the page, it became somewhat see-through, exposing a large mark beneath. At first, I assumed it was an ordinary stain. Older books often have them. But there was something about it that seemed recognizable.

I looked more intently at the marked page.

Then Hwa-eun inquired,
“So-ryong, what is it? Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s just… with the sunlight shining on it like this, the compendium looks unusual.”
“A stain?”

Sister Seol tilted her head, curious, and both she and Hwa-eun looked where I indicated. Then Sister Seol suddenly spoke in a tone of surprise.

“Huh?”
“What is it, Sister Seol?”

When I asked, she provided an unexpected response.
“It’s a map.”
“A map?”
“It’s faint, so I cannot be certain—but it is undoubtedly a map.”

She was adamant it was a map, but I couldn’t comprehend how this smudge could possibly be one. She continued.

“It’s not just any map. This is a map of Yunnan. How could I not recognize my own homeland? There is a similar map at the Beast Palace. I have seen it countless times.”

I didn’t understand how she identified it as Yunnan, but if Sister Seol said so, it must be accurate. According to her, the peculiar mark wasn’t a stain but an ancient map—the outline of Yunnan visible on the aging paper.

“It seems an ancestor left it here. But why would they conceal it so obscurely?”

Hwa-eun gazed at the page with wonder, as if examining something sacred. Then she turned her attention to the other page and tilted her head curiously.

“If that is a map, then this side must be one as well… but I cannot determine what location it represents. That side is definitely Yunnan, but this one? I have never seen anything like it.”

As she said this, I looked at the other page, glimmering in the sunlight.

‘If that is also a map… then… hmm?’

I began to think carefully: what if it truly was a map? Suddenly, a place came to mind. It was logical—it looked very recognizable.

“Hwa-eun, I believe I know where this is.”

If it was indeed a map, I was sure. Because in the entire Central Plains, there is only one place that has that shape. Well—technically, it isn’t part of the Central Plains in this era.

‘Correct, not anymore—not in this period.’

“Could you please get a brush and ink for me?”

I asked Hwa-eun for writing materials and sketched a map of the Central Plains. Then, beside it, I included the location from my memory: Seonnam Province. And then—

Hwa-eun’s eyes opened wide as she looked at my drawing.

“This is Iju County, is it not?”

That is what it was named in this era—Iju. But in my previous life, we knew it by a different name.

Taiwan.