Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 314

Chapter 314
Having trained in poison arts, I was capable of purging toxins using my internal energy, no matter the type of venom.
My training allowed me to force poison through my blood vessels, gathering it to one area before expelling it out.
Even basic internal energy could accomplish this, but the poison arts made the process significantly more effective.
Naturally, the results depended on the specific poison.
More potent toxins reduced the method’s effectiveness, and sometimes a full cleansing wasn’t possible. The meridians could also be injured during the process.
However, the flower-scented poison wasn’t deadly, so I promptly sat in a cross-legged position to begin the detoxification.
The creature that breathed in Sister Jeokwol’s Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly powder would soon fall into a deep slumber, likely not rousing until noon. I chose to cleanse myself first.
But I was taken aback from the very beginning.
While not fatal, the poison was exceedingly strange.
I was already aware that attempting to move my left leg resulted in my right leg moving, and that intending to move my right arm could make my left arm act instead.
I had believed it was a nerve-targeting poison that switched left and right—but now, even the flow of my internal energy was being disrupted.
When I tried to direct my energy to purge the toxin, I consciously followed the correct pathway, but my energy abruptly began moving in reverse.
‘What in the—? My energy is flowing backwards!?’
Grandfather had constantly warned that reversing one’s energy flow was absolutely forbidden. Alarmed, I forcefully stopped the circulation, sending a shock through my meridians.
“Gahk.”
The energy that had started moving near my lower abdomen dispersed violently, hitting my danjeon like a powerful blow.
A wave of sickness and lightheadedness washed over me.
Then, abruptly, the feeling changed into a acute pain in my legs and wrists.
When I attempted to wiggle my fingers, my toes responded. When I tried to open my eyes, my ears flickered.
Soon, all my senses were utterly scrambled, as if they had been thrown into a mixer.
–Tsrut!
I had been sitting up straight, but I now grabbed my forehead with my left hand and fell onto my back. Startled, Hyang hurried over.
–Tsrurur! 『Dad! Dad, are you okay?』
Thinking my forehead was in pain, she anxiously licked it while asking.
But the pain was in my abdomen, not my forehead.
My first priority was to ensure Hyang stayed quiet.
If she told Mom again, the situation would become difficult.
This time, Hwa-eun would be truly alarmed.
‘Hey, Hyang, Daddy’s fine. Don’t say anything to Mom, alright? It would only worry her.’
I didn’t trust my ability to speak, so I projected the thought directly. Fortunately, she understood it perfectly.
Hyang replied with concern in her voice.
–Tsrurut. 『But still…』
‘It’s truly nothing serious. I just need to rest here for a little while.’
–Tsr. 『Okay…』
Shortly after, the other children arrived, following Hyang.
Even Sister Jeokwol wiggled her antennae with worry.
–Tsrurur! 『Everyone, help!』
–Kkii!
–Kkukkuu!
–Kuuu!
I had fallen near a hole in the ceiling.
Noticing the damp floor, Hyang rallied the others, and together they pulled me onto the nearby reeds.
Lying on the reeds, roughly half an hour went by.
After about an hour, I knew my senses had fully returned when I was able to blink normally.
The poison was odd, but fortunately, it didn’t appear to stay in the system for long.
Staying motionless, I channeled my internal energy to check the state of my danjeon and body.
I detected some slight internal injury—a prickling feeling near my danjeon—but it wasn’t severe.
I resolved to go identify that individual immediately.
The harm didn’t seem significant, after all.
I hadn’t anticipated the process would take this long, but then I recalled—the rain could have dissolved Sister Jeokwol’s butterfly powder.
Sitting up on the reeds, I looked at Sister Jeokwol beside me and said,
“Sister Jeokwol, let’s go. We need to discover who that scoundrel was. I believe I’ve recovered now.”
–Chii.
–Tsrurur? 『Daddy, are you okay?』
“I’m fine, Hyang, no need to fret. It seems the poison’s effects were short-lived.”
–Tsrut! 『Liar!』
Since Hyang persistently questioned if I was truly alright, I felt compelled to perform a few jumps on the spot to prove it.
Simply to ease her concerns.
“See? I’m perfectly fine.”
–Tsrut.
After a few jumps, Hyang finally seemed at ease.
With her reassured, I draped on my raincoat and bamboo hat and went outside.
But perhaps she wasn’t completely convinced, as the children all clung to me.
I had no option but to take them all with me.
“Very well, then. We’ll all go together.”
The night was still dark and profound, but as I stepped out with Sister Jeokwol on my shoulder, her radiant red form provided a guiding light.
Outside the main hall of the derelict conduit.
Arriving at the far side of the corner where the hole was, a path of red powder led away from the hole in one direction.
As I suspected, the butterfly powder had been diluted and spread by the rain—yet remnants from that creature persisted.
“That direction, then.”
–Swoooosh…
Following the dispersed powder through the rainfall, we reached the back garden of the abandoned conduit.
Past the crumbled wall, the path extended straight into the flower garden.
“Over here.”
–Tsrurur.
Upon entering the flower garden, a powerful aroma of lilies saturated the air.
It was the identical scent I recalled from when I previously dug up lily roots—now pervasive throughout the area.
Only then did I recognize what the poison’s smell had brought to mind.
The toxin released by that rogue had mimicked the fragrance of lilies.
We advanced through the garden to its very center—only to find the trail had vanished.
Sister Jeokwol’s butterfly powder was spread broadly over the earth, carried by the rain.
“What’s this?”
The path had unmistakably led here, yet there was no indication of a burrow or any other exit in the vicinity.
I scanned the area but saw no sign of him.
‘Is he capable of concealing himself, much like Sister Jeokwol?’
I heightened my awareness to its utmost using Myoaham Stealth, yet I still could not sense him.
The children also scoured the area with their eyes, but he was nowhere to be found.
–Rumble!
–KWA-BOOM!
Just as I prepared to initiate a more detailed search—
A lightning bolt hit a stone pagoda close by.
Pieces flew out in all directions.
One fragment tumbled right to my feet.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
I wished to keep searching, but with lightning striking, we had to withdraw.
“Damn it…”
Therefore, we went back to the main hall of the ruined conduit.
I rekindled the fire, dried off, and sat down to think deeply.
“Where did he conceal himself?”
There had been no possible escape routes in the middle of the flower garden.
And given he was still affected by Sister Jeokwol’s butterfly powder, it was even more puzzling.
Just as I was pondering where that being could have gone, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Ah! Sister Jeokwol—could you perhaps try to summon your butterfly powder back to yourself and see from where it is seeping?
If it’s leaking from that fellow’s body, we might track it. If he’s hiding himself as you do, wouldn’t that provide a trace?”
If particles of Sister Jeokwol’s scales were inside his body, they should respond when she called to them. That was my reasoning—but Sister instantly refused.
–Chii.
“It can’t be done?”
–Chiiii.
‘Why not? Is it due to the rain?’
For some reason, she was indicating it was impossible.
Since she hadn’t attempted to retrieve the wet butterfly powder, I guessed it might be because of the rain—or maybe it was inside a body and couldn’t be recalled that way.
Perhaps her control didn’t extend inside another’s body.
‘But… you detoxified me when the powder was inside my body, correct?’
Even so, I couldn’t discern her exact reason for refusing. But if she declined, what choice did I have?
There had to be a justification. Just as I determined to devise another approach—
My stomach protested loudly from the sleepless night.
–Grrggh.
It was still dark outside, but dawn was approaching and hunger was setting in.
“Ugh, I’m so hungry.”
I decided I should eat something before continuing my thoughts.
It’s hard to think clearly on an empty stomach.
First, I retrieved the lily roots I had stored and placed them into the hot ashes.
That was how I’d been sustaining myself for the last few days—and it was surprisingly tasty.
The aroma was mild, and the taste was wonderful, reminiscent of roasted chestnuts.
–Ujik.
As I snapped the root from the lily stem, that recognizable scent rose.
I threw three lily roots, each the size of my fist, into the ashes.
“But this is truly a shame. If Hwa-eun were here, I would share some with her.”
My regret wasn’t about the roots, but the flowers.
Yes, I was roasting the roots for food, but the beautifully bloomed flowers had to be thrown away, which felt like a terrible waste.
They were fully open and so lovely—yet digging up the roots meant the flowers would wither or be burned like this.
The ones I had unearthed earlier in the night still held some moisture, so the blossoms remained fresh and vibrant.
Roasting the roots was practical, but the flowers were of no use—and I was on the verge of tossing the precious lilies into the flames when—
A realization struck me as I observed them in the firelight.
I hadn’t gotten a clear view of that thing—but I remembered the details I had ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) concerning it.
Pink lilies.
A flowery perfume.
A sharp, cutting force.
And wings.
‘It can’t be… is it possible?’
I was skeptical. What sort of insect could that be?
But then I recalled how many times “it can’t be” had proven me wrong before.
“It can’t be that a centipede so large exists”—and yet my children were living proof.
“It can’t be that a scorpion of such size exists”—and then there was Cheongwol.
‘It can’t be’ had consistently deceived me. So perhaps this time as well…
I dashed outside.
–Tsrurur!
–Kkukkuu!
–Chiiiii!
I heard the children and Sister Jeokwol calling out from behind, and the rain continued to pour—but I needed to verify it.
To check if my intuition was correct.
I sprinted into the flower garden.
–RUMBLE BOOM!
As lightning tore across the heavens, its brilliant flash revealed the thing I had been seeking.
I had completely overlooked it before when I wasn’t consciously looking for it—but now, knowing what to search for, I saw it plainly.
“There you are, you rascal—!”
What I clutched in my hand were two lilies—except they weren’t lilies at all.
It was the creature that had been holding onto a lily stem, fast asleep.
An Orchid Mantis.
But not an ordinary orchid mantis.
A venomous one.
‘GAHHHHHHHH!!’
A sound of pure astonishment escaped my lips unbidden.
***

Within the council of the Five Venoms Sect, gathered around a table engraved with the five poisonous creatures,
The Sect Lord of the Five Venoms inquired with a low, composed tone,
“So, what is the next course of action?”
“W-well, that is…”
At his question, the leaders only exchanged nervous glances.
No one responded. They simply continued to look at each other.
Irritated by their silence, the Sect Lord sharply flicked the bells on his wrist.
–Jingle.
Instantly, every leader grabbed their stomachs and thrashed on the ground in pain.
“Gahhhaaargh!”
“M-My Lord, we beg—”
“Please… have mercy…”
Their danjeons started to quiver and bulge.
It was the Dual Yin-Yang Parasites bonded to their cores—creatures that amplified their martial strength—now convulsing fiercely.
–Jingle.
With another flick of his wrist, the parasites settled, and the Sect Lord gazed down at them with contempt.
“Even after the loss of Cheongyu and the capture of the Four Kings, I graciously ordered you to formulate a new strategy. And yet an entire month has passed without a single proposal from any of you.
Was my generosity excessive?”
It wasn’t that the Sect Lord had grown soft. It was that all those accountable for the failed mission had already perished.
But none of the surviving leaders dared voice this.
At that moment—
A voice called from beyond the door.
“Sect Lord, this is Binghyeol Nanhwa of the Bloodshade Unit. I am here to report.”
“Enter.”
The woman who entered was clad in crimson robes.
She was the commander of the Bloodshade Unit, which had recently come under their command.
She had previously been part of the Blood Cult, leading a specialized intelligence unit that collected information throughout the Central Plains.
It appeared the Sect Lord had assigned her his own directives.
While the others had learned that several Blood Cult members had swiftly switched allegiance to the Five Venoms Sect, most leaders still found it surprising.
They were not yet confident in her loyalty.
As tension filled the room, the Sect Lord addressed her,
“So, did you verify what I commanded?”
The Bloodshade Unit commander bowed low.
“Yes, my lord. The target has been verified to be moving north from Yizhou in the direction of Hebei.”
“Hebei? What business has he in Hebei?”
“We suspect he may be making a short visit to the Peng Clan.”
“The Peng Clan, I see. He shares a blood oath with Do-ryong, correct?”
“Yes, as was reported earlier.”
“You mentioned he has not yet exhibited signs of attaining the Five Poisons state, is that accurate?”
“That is correct, my lord. We have detected no evidence that he has reached that stage.”
–Tap tap.
The Sect Lord tapped the arm of his chair, then spoke to the leaders of the Five Venoms.
“Although the Child of the Five Poisons is still youthful, he has already assembled all five poisons. It is uncertain when he may enter the realm of Five Poisons.
But he will attempt it soon.
Once that happens, apprehending him will become immensely more challenging than it is presently.
While he remains outside and unaware, this is our opportunity. Before he ascends to that realm, which of you will go and intercept him?”
“I will go!”
“No, bestow this honor upon me!”
“I will eliminate him without doubt!”
Shouts filled the Sect Lord’s hall as every leader competed for the task—but then the Bloodshade commander, still on her knees, spoke.
“My lord, I will take the remaining members of my unit and undertake this mission. Quietly. Unobtrusively. I will demonstrate the Bloodshade way.”
To this, the Sect Lord gave a smile and answered,
“Granted.”