Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 251

Chapter 251
Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

The two stains on those pages revealed themselves to be a map of Yunnan and a map of the island of Taiwan.
However, they were not like a typical treasure chart with a specific location marked by an X or any other obvious sign.
They were merely crude representations of the terrain, lacking any clear indicators or annotations.
Yunnan and Taiwan Island were rendered with an archaic, almost primitive cartographic style, their shapes indistinct and hazy.
The form of Yunnan was particularly difficult to discern, though the island of Taiwan was surprisingly accurate, nearly matching the precision of a contemporary map.
“Why would maps like these be here? Yunnan and Iju? They don’t appear to have any connection. Could this be pointing to where the Golden-Crowned Snake King—Cheongyu—might be located?”
“But that seems unlikely, doesn’t it? I was certain Cheongyu was found at Mount Paltaesan…”
Just as Hwa-eun stated, there was no apparent reason for these two distinct places to be illustrated together.
Even if her suggestion was correct and this indicated potential habitats for the Golden-Crowned Snake King, the logic still fell apart.
Based on intelligence gathered by martial artists from the captured Imokryong members during the manhunt, Cheongyu had indeed been at Mount Paltaesan.
Therefore, there was no credible link between these two regions—no tangible connection.
They were separated by a great distance, and the only commonality one could possibly draw was that they shared a similar latitude and consequently, a comparable climate.
Yes, one was an island and the other was landlocked, but Taiwan and south-central Yunnan did lie along the same latitudinal line.
So if a shared characteristic had to be identified, it would likely be the ambient temperature.
“I have to agree… but why?”
The three of us hunched over the book, gazing intently at the maps and pondering the reason such images would be on a page dedicated to the Golden-Crowned Snake King.
It was then that a sound came from the window.
–Shyaa.
–Shiaaya.
It was the snakes.
Glancing over, I saw Cheongyu and Yeondu poking their heads through the open window.
Their demeanor seemed to ask, *What are all of you doing?*
“What is it?” Hwa-eun inquired as she walked toward them.
But instead of providing an answer, the two snakes slid effortlessly through the window.
They moved across the floor of Hwa-eun’s study and came to rest beside me.
–Shyaa.
–Shiaaya.
Their vocalizations clearly expressed curiosity about our activity.
I offered a gentle explanation, interpreting their sounds.
“We’re researching information on the Ji-yeong Snake, one of the Twin Earth Serpents. Did you two come to see us? We’re a little busy at the moment, alright?”
The two snakes nodded as if they comprehended.
At that moment, Sister Seol, who had been watching Yeondu intently, suddenly clapped her hands together.
“Oh! Now I recall!”
“You do? Recall what?”
“Yunnan. That’s where we discovered Yeondu, wasn’t it?”
Her words immediately refreshed my own memory.
She was absolutely right. The instant she said it, everything clicked into place.
“Ah—yes. If that’s the case…”
“Correct. One side of the page concerning the Golden-Crowned Snake King shows Yunnan, and the other shows Iju. If both sides denote significant locations, then Yunnan was where Yeondu was found, and Iju must be where the Ji-yeong Snake resides!”
It was a highly convincing theory.
I had dismissed the shared latitude as mere coincidence, but if Sister Seol was right, it transformed into a crucial piece of evidence.
Bi-cheon Shin-sa and Ji-yeong Snake are a matched pair.
If that is true, it stands to reason they would inhabit similar environments—same latitude, same preferred temperatures.
Even as spiritual creatures, their ecological needs would be consistent.
“Then we absolutely must investigate Iju.”
Both Hwa-eun and Sister Seol nodded in agreement with my declaration.
“Yes, So-ryong.”
“So Iju is our next step, then?”
The island of Taiwan was sizable, meaning the search could take some time.
But with Yeondu—Bi-cheon Shin-sa—accompanying us, we would find a way.
Just as Yeondu had sensed Cheongyu from a great distance, the Ji-yeong Snake might also be able to sense Cheongyu’s presence.
And so, our next destination was decided: Taiwan.
An island means unique endemic species—Taiwan has devil lizards, burrowing geckos, tree-climbing lizards… While I’m there, I should catch a variety and start a new breeding project.
I’ve been raising only large creatures recently—I have a real craving for some smaller ones, you understand?
The moment I realized we were heading to Taiwan, the troublesome heart of Spicy Fabre began to beat with eager anticipation.
There was so much potential waiting there.

***

We gathered our discovery and went to present it to the Patriarch and the clan elders.
The saying is to act while the opportunity is fresh—so I intended to secure his approval immediately.
Locating the Ji-yeong Snake was not merely about finding a mate for Yeondu.
It was also tied to my Five Poisons promotion, Cheongyu’s ultimate evolution—so many vital matters depended on its success.
Nothing was more pressing for our household at that moment.
Naturally. This is about maximizing our future son-in-law’s potential.
When we reached the entrance to the Patriarch’s Hall, several guards moved to escort Yeondu inside.
I raised a hand to stop them and called out toward the main chamber myself.
“Father-in-law, are you available?”
His voice responded at once.
“Enter.”
With his permission, Hwa-eun and I stepped into the hall.
Inside, he was engulfed by a mountain of documents and scrolls.
Several elders were seated opposite him, deep in discussion about some matter.
“Very well, we will move forward with that strategy…”
“You will be the one to go to the Martial Alliance this time.”
“Understood, elder. I will take the juniors with me and ensure our safe return.”
He looked completely overwhelmed.
He was buried in work, with scarcely a moment to breathe.
I scratched my head, feeling somewhat hesitant to interrupt.
“If this is an inconvenient time, I can return later…”
He lifted his gaze from the paperwork and offered a kind smile.
“No, it’s alright. I am preparing a dispatch to send to the Martial Alliance. The affairs stemming from Paltaesan are not yet fully concluded.”
“What is the situation?”
Beyond the Five Poisons agents who had come to the Tang estate, some of those who had fled into the wilderness around Paltaesan had been apprehended or were being pursued by martial artists across Sichuan—though very few were actually captured.
The remainder were still at large across the land.
That was why messages were being sent everywhere and reinforcements were being requested—it explained the days of relentless activity. The incident was clearly ongoing.
Seeing how weary he looked, wiping his face as if to push back his fatigue, I decided now was an ideal time to share our news, hoping it might鼓舞他的精神 (gǔwǔ tā de jīngshén – boost his spirits).
“We may have uncovered a clue regarding the whereabouts of the Ji-yeong Snake.”
The moment I spoke, the Patriarch’s eyes opened wide.
The other elders halted their conversation mid-sentence.
“Truly?! Is this accurate?”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
“Explain it to me immediately.”
His face, which had seemed drained of energy, changed the instant I mentioned a trace of the Ji-yeong Snake.
As soon as the words were out, the Patriarch’s expression became alert and keen.
At his urging, I gestured to Hwa-eun, and she assisted in the explanation.
“In fact, while we were examining the Secret Compendium of Venomous Creatures in my study, we came across this.”
“So-ryong and I found it together.”
We opened the book to the relevant page and angled it toward the window, allowing the sunlight to pass through it for him to see.
As the light illuminated the page, the faint silhouette of the map of Yunnan became visible.
“Ohh! Another concealed secret? That is Yunnan, is it not?”
Unlike Hwa-eun, who had taken a moment to recognize it, the Patriarch identified it as Yunnan immediately.
He nodded, then turned the book to the opposing page and asked, “And this side?”
“Yes. The other side is Iju.”
“Iju?”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
“You are referring to Dayuan, then.”
“So it is called that as well? Regardless, the reason these two maps are presented together… Yeondu was discovered in Yunnan, so…”
Such is the nature of the Central Plains.
Too many ethnic groups, and no unified vocabulary. Terms do not solidify into a single form—every region has its own name for things.
Consequently, during this era, Taiwan appears to be known by both Dayuan and Iju.
The Patriarch, after studying both maps, nodded and stated,
“So you are proposing that the Ji-yeong Snake may be in Iju—that is to say, Dayuan?”
“Yes, Father-in-law.”
As one would expect of him, he understood the implication instantly, even with a minimal explanation.
After scrutinizing the book a while longer, he tilted his head and questioned,
“Still, something feels inconsistent. Typically, a map includes some form of marker. But these have none.”
It was a reasonable point. He acknowledged they were maps but wondered about the absence of X-marks or highlighted spots.
“Given that we are dealing with living beings, they are constantly on the move. It would be difficult to denote a single fixed point. Therefore, I believe the maps only indicate the broad areas where such creatures are likely to live.”
“Hm. That is a distinct possibility.”
Perhaps he was also considering the general imprecision of maps in this age. He nodded pensively.
But then he rested his chin in his hand, his brow furrowing with a trace of concern.
“Even so… if your assumption is correct, Iju… Iju, hmm…”
The branch elders all nodded in unison.
And I could easily surmise what was preoccupying them.
The reason for their reaction was straightforward:
During the recent arrests, it had been confirmed that the Five Poisons Sect was targeting me, and more significantly—Iju was not even considered part of the Central Plains.
The island of Taiwan—referred to here as Iju or Dayuan—had only become part of the Central Plains relatively recently in this world’s history.
People often mistakenly believe Taiwan was always part of the Central Plains, but in truth, its incorporation happened quite late.
At this point in history, it was still largely regarded as foreign territory.
So naturally, they were apprehensive about sending me—a person actively being hunted by the Five Poisons Sect—outside the country into foreign lands.
‘Securing permission isn’t going to be simple, is it?’
It was logical. I would be traveling abroad, beyond domestic borders.
There would be no assistance from the martial artists of the Central Plains, no backing from government troops—who were at least somewhat dependable.
As if he could perceive my thoughts, the Patriarch spoke again.
“I comprehend the situation. I will discuss it with my father.
However, in these current times, with the Five Poisons vermin explicitly targeting you, it is problematic to send you to a territory outside the Central Plains…
And even if you were to go, you would probably require official authorization or support from the governing powers. That in itself presents a significant obstacle.”
I nodded quietly and exited the Patriarch’s Hall.
‘So essentially, I need to enlist the help of a powerful figure if I want to leave the country—even though we don’t use passports here.
That means… should I attempt to contact that Commander I previously depended on?’
As I was contemplating who I might appeal to for backing—and how to smooth the path for permission—Hwa-eun’s voice resonated in my mind.
‘So-ryong, if we want to gain Father’s approval, I believe we need to seek help from that person.’
‘Who do you mean?’
‘If we are to sail to Iju, we must depart through the mouth of the Yangtze River. We will need to pass through Nanjing and head south from Mamen.
You recall who is stationed there, don’t you?
We aided her once before. She is unlikely to refuse a request like this.’
I pondered her words.
‘Nanjing… Mamen… south… who did we assist down there?’
Then I remembered.
That princess who is obsessed with martial arts.
Yes, not far beyond the mouth of the Yangtze, lies Wuzhang Island—where Princess Mu is stationed.
If I could secure her help, establishing a presence on Taiwan would be straightforward.
‘Ah, if it’s her, she will certainly help. We are fellow enthusiasts, after all.’

***

Naturally, the person most concerned for my safety was Hwa-eun.
So it would have been reasonable for her to object to my journey to Iju.
But when she began actively supporting me instead, I could not conceal my astonishment.
She simply sighed and replied matter-of-factly:
‘You would go regardless, even if I attempted to prevent it.
And truthfully… I can sense fragments of your desire surfacing in my mind from time to time. I cannot find it in me to outright oppose you.’
I once believed the heart-link we shared was nothing but a drawback, but in instances like this—it proved its worth.
Apparently, I had been unconsciously projecting a stream of silent appeals toward her.
Feeling that matters were progressing favorably, I promptly wrote a letter to the princess.
The courier was Yeong-ryeon, the disciple of Swift Walker.
Since we had an agreement to supply her with silver silkworm cocoons and watch out for one another, she did not hesitate to employ her lightness skill to journey all the way to the Zhu Mountain Islands.
Two weeks later.
She returned with the princess’s reply, finding me sitting in the pavilion, amusing myself with the children.
“You’re here relaxing while I’ve been away on your errand?”
She looked mildly annoyed to see me at leisure, but well—such is life.
“It’s not exactly relaxing, more like…”
“Never mind. Just take the letter.”
She pouted slightly and passed me the envelope.
Unfolding the letter, I was met by bold, dynamic handwriting—characteristic of the princess—and a concise, direct message.
“I understand your meaning.
It so happens that I also have matters to attend to in Iju. The timing is ideal.
We should speak face-to-face—there is a minor favor I require.”
It was excellent news that she also needed to travel to Iju.
But… the term “a minor favor” caused a slight tremor of apprehension.
The previous time she had asked for “a minor favor,” it was the sort of task that could cost a person their head if it were ever discovered.
‘It will be fine… surely?’