Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 325

Chapter 325
“〈Could you turn in a circle for me?〉”

I sent the thought, and the centipede resting on my finger obediently traced a circle across the back of my hand. It then returned to my palm and wiggled its antennae, as if inquiring, “How was that?” I gave its head a light pat and carefully set it down on the earth, smiling as I communicated once more.

〈You can all return home now. Thank you for your help.〉

Upon my mental command, the multitude of centipedes that had surrounded me began to disperse in every direction. They vanished with swift efficiency into their hidden dwellings—sliding into wall fractures, under fence posts, and down into the very crevices they had initially emerged from.

“Ugh, the entire area reeks of centipedes now.”

As they departed, the potent, distinctive scent they carried saturated the air. My own spirit beasts didn’t produce this odor, but the wild ones had left its powerful trace behind. Seol sister crinkled her nose, clearly affected by the smell, but to me, it was as pleasant as a fine fragrance. I could detect the pheromones of contentment within it.

‘Hold on, am I actually interpreting pheromones now!?’

This was the Poisonous Five Realm, a stage of the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art. It granted more than just sensing their nearness, receiving their affection, or speaking mind-to-mind. The most extraordinary new skill was my capacity to comprehend their chemical signals. My olfactory sense could now decipher them.

This understanding sent a thrill through my entire body. My heartbeat quickened. My blood felt like it was singing. Excitement warmed my face. This was a martial art truly fit for one destined to be the patriarch of all poisonous beings. If I was to be their father, shouldn’t I naturally be able to perceive and understand their emotions? Even if it was only with centipedes at this point.

‘Incredible. This is unbelievable. I can actually sense their feelings through scent.’

As I was lost in awe of this new power, I heard Cheongyu Sojeo’s voice, bright with amusement.
『–Shiiiyaa? (So-ryong, are you pleased?)』
『‘Pleased? I’m overjoyed!’』

Of course I was. Now I comprehended why Cheongyu Sojeo had kept the results of mastering the Five Poisons a secret from me. Had I known about this phenomenal ability beforehand, it would have stolen the wonder of this moment. Sure, the anticipation would have been enjoyable—but I would have missed this staggering, overwhelming wave of pure emotion.

‘Honestly, knowing in advance would have been like drinking soda that’s gone flat.’

Cheongyu Sojeo was far more considerate—and impressive—than I had realized. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say she was a truly thoughtful venomous creature now. She continued her explanation.

『–Shiiyaa. (But you mustn’t rejoice prematurely. Attaining the Poisonous Five Realm is not the conclusion—it is merely the commencement.)』
『‘The commencement?’』
—Shii. (Now you must open the Five Gates. That is what we name them.)
『‘Five Gates?’』
—Shiaa. (Correct. By selecting the centipede, So-ryong has now unlocked the First Gate.)
『‘Wait—you can’t mean!’』
—Shiishi. (Yes, once you advance to a specific level, you will be capable of opening the gates for the other venomous creatures as well.)
『“Gyaaaaah!”』

Now I grasped why she had alluded to a “next time” before. My grandfather and I had believed that achieving the Five Poisons signified the technique’s completion. But as Cheongyu Sojeo clarified, it was not the end—it was the foundation. Registering all five types of venomous creatures unlocks the First Gate. To truly master the art, one must open all Five Gates.

In essence, for any being classified among the five venoms, I would ultimately be able to communicate and form bonds with them too. The state of achieving perfect unity with all five venomous beasts—that is the meaning of the Five Gates in the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art.

‘This is astounding.’

After my exhilaration subsided slightly, Cheongyu Sojeo started detailing the specific abilities I had acquired upon reaching the Poisonous Five Realm.
『–Shia. Shiia. You may now issue telepathic commands to your venomous creatures, comprehend their speech, and they will all hold you in deep affection. That is the power granted by gathering all five venomous types.
However, this applies solely to spirit beasts—it is ineffective on ordinary ones.』

Everything I had surmised was correct. The next part, however, was a slight surprise.
『–Shiia. (This is why the connection between you and Cho, Hyang, and Bini will become even more profound.)』
『‘More profound?’』
—Shiishi. (Yes. Even centipedes with no prior bond will follow and adore So-ryong as a companion, so for those who already share a father-daughter relationship with you… their devotion will intensify further.)
『‘Ah…’』

Well, it’s a positive thing for a father and his daughters to grow closer, isn’t it? I nodded in agreement.

Then Hwa-eun, who had been listening silently the entire time, finally spoke.
『“I still find this perplexing. This does not seem like something a sect such as O-dok would develop. Rather than transforming creatures into puppets, you claim they come to love you? It feels… peculiar.”』

‘Now that she mentions it…’

She was correct. The Five Venoms Sect was notorious for dominating venomous creatures or processing them into medicinal ingredients. This martial art, founded on being loved by those very creatures, seemed completely contrary to their nature. Their entire philosophy was based on ruthless control.

I nodded again, and Cheongyu Sojeo provided confirmation.
『–Shii. Shiia. (Yes, Hwa-eun is right. It is peculiar, is it not? This is because the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art is actually regarded as a failed technique.)』
『‘A failed technique?’』
『‘Failed?’』

Hwa-eun tilted her head, confused. I also found it strange—how could such a flawless technique be deemed a failure? But considering the perspective of the Five Venoms Sect, I could speculate.

They undoubtedly desired total control and supremacy over venomous creatures. Their expectation was likely a method to transform venomous beasts into utterly obedient extensions of themselves—tools to be commanded without hesitation.

Cheongyu Sojeo verified my hypothesis.
『–Shiishi. (The technique was initially created to achieve absolute subjugation of venomous beasts. If the creatures develop camaraderie instead of utter submission, then indeed—by their measures, it would be judged a failure.)』
『‘I understand… that is why it is labeled a failure.’』
—Shiaa. (It is likely because the original foundation was the Beast Heart Art, which was intended for forging bonds with animals. The technique never completely severed itself from that root.)

It was true; the Beast Heart Art from the Beast Palace is centered on building friendships with animals. That is its fundamental principle. If this technique was built upon that, it’s natural it couldn’t escape that core tenet. It’s akin to attempting to make sweet red bean paste without any beans—an impossibility.

As I nodded, Cheongyu Sojeo added something that delighted me even more.
『–Shii. (Also, now that you have reached the Poisonous Five Realm, you should be able to execute all the Five Poison Techniques: Centipede Poison Fang Claw, Venomous Snake Life-Seizing Hand, Scorpion Tail Swift Kick, Lizard Gecko Movement, and Toad Explosive Palm. You should test them tomorrow morning.
Your internal energy has grown as well, so you should now be capable of channeling Hwayang’s venom into the Toad Explosive Palm.)』
『‘Ooooh!’』
『‘Ah, that’s right. We haven’t reviewed So-ryong’s martial progress recently, have we?’』

So much had occurred since the Poisonous Three Realm—I had been neglecting my practice. Just as my grandfather foretold, I could now employ the Centipede Poison Fang Claw, releasing Cho’s poison from my fingertips. I could also imbue the Toad Explosive Palm with Hwayang’s venom.

‘Could that be… mana burn?’

A palm strike that incinerates the foe’s internal energy! What other capabilities might have awakened within me—I was eager to discover them.

***

Dawn had already arrived.
Even after our martial discussion concluded, I found I couldn’t sleep. With Cheongyu Sojeo finally free and moving about for the first time in fifteen days, we simply kept conversing until, without my noticing, the sky began to lighten.
—Chirp chirp.
The softly illuminating sky was alive with the calls of waking mountain birds.
『–Shiaa. (I thank you for remaining with me until daybreak. I believe it is time for me to depart. We will meet again in fifteen days.)』
‘Rest well, Cheongyu Sojeo.’
‘Pleasant dreams.’
After bidding farewell to Cheongyu Sojeo, I made my way to the barn to finally get some sleep with the kids after so long. But the moment I lay down, I heard Sister Seol’s voice from outside.
“So-ryong, have you washed?”
“Washed?”
I took a sniff of my own scent.
Yes, there was undoubtedly an odor.
I had, after all, been seated in the same position wearing the same garments for more than ten days.
“Ah. Now that you point it out…”
“I heated water and prepared what you need. Bathe before you rest.”
“Truly? My thanks, Sister Seol!”
A hot bath—particularly with warmed water—was a luxury not easily obtained unless one belonged to the Tang Clan. I was overjoyed and hurried on my way.
“I also laundered your clothing.”
“I would expect no less from you, sister. Children, your father is going to bathe. You may go to sleep first.”
—Skrrr.
—Squeeze!
—Peep.
Sister Seol passed me the freshly cleaned clothes. After instructing the kids to rest, I hastened to the well.

Holding the clothes Sister Seol had given me, I arrived at the well to find a large tub positioned behind a screen made of bamboo blinds. Tender clouds of steam rose from the water’s surface. I draped the clean garments over the blinds and dipped my hand in to check the temperature.

“Ahhh. Perfect.”

The heat was soothing against my skin. I swiftly removed my clothes and sank into the tub, scrubbing myself earnestly with a washcloth. Once I was thoroughly clean, I began my return to the barn.

As I walked past Hwa-eun’s room—the very chamber where I had undertaken my Poisonous Five Realm training—I heard the soft sound of a door opening.
—Creeeak.
Glancing over, I saw Hwa-eun looking out through the narrowly opened door.
“So-ryong.”
“Oh, you’re still awake?”
She had mentioned earlier that she was going directly to bed after seeing off Cheongyu Sojeo. It seemed she had not yet found sleep. Given we had recently evaded an ambush by the Five Venoms Sect, she must have been utterly drained.

“Yes, sleep would not come… So-ryong, would you… care to come inside for a moment?”
“Come in?”
“Yes… I only meant…”

Her sudden, vague invitation left me uncertain of her intention. She avoided my gaze, looking down at her feet instead. In that instant, I recognized my own lack of consideration.

‘Ah! Of course—she must have been terribly frightened, being alone.’

After being pursued by those wretched Five Venoms fiends, she was undoubtedly terrified. Lying down to sleep, the recollections likely flooded back, preventing any rest. She had, after all, just endured a close encounter with death.

What she truly wished to say was: “Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

I had been inconsiderate. So I moved nearer to her door and spoke softly.
“There’s no need to explain. I was being thoughtless, wasn’t I? Let’s go inside.”
“Th-thank you, So-ryong.”
“No thanks are necessary.”

Hwa-eun was a martial artist—admitting she was too scared to sleep would have been humiliating. I decided I would sit beside her, perhaps hold her hand until she drifted off, even sing a lullaby if necessary.

When I entered, a sweet fragrance permeated the room. It hadn’t smelled this way when I used it for training, which was a surprise. I followed Hwa-eun to the bed and sat down next to her.

She appeared to be on the verge of saying something.
“Well, I was thinking that…”

She was probably going to request that I hold her hand due to her fear, so I smiled and gently interrupted.
“It’s alright. Just lie down, Hwa-eun.”
“Lie down? Oh, ah, yes. Very well…”

Clearly flustered, her face flushed crimson as she lay down on the inner side of the bed, turning slightly to face me. Looking at her more closely now, her sleepwear was rather thin. Lying on her side like that, her shoulder and the curve of her calf were exposed where her skirt had ridden up.

Perhaps because my focus is usually on insect chitin and snake scales, but bare skin immediately captured my attention.
‘Wow.’
I nearly said it aloud. Hwa-eun was always beautiful, but I had never seen her like this before. It gave me the same exhilaration I feel upon discovering a new species.

Nevertheless, now was not the moment for such thoughts. She couldn’t sleep because she was afraid. This was no time for that. I took the rumpled blanket before her and drew it up to her neck.

“You must keep warm while you sleep.”

I carefully arranged the blanket around her, ensuring it covered her legs and came up to her neck. The mountain nights were chilly, after all. I silently commended myself: Well done, So-ryong.

But just then, I noticed a twitch in Hwa-eun’s eyebrow. She must have been so weary that her facial muscles were spasming. Then her voice came, cold and sharp.

“So-ryong, do you understand why I invited you in here?”

Abruptly, the atmosphere changed. Confused, I answered with a bewildered expression.
“Eh, because of the Five Venoms assault today? You were frightened and unable to sleep, so you wanted me to remain at your side until you fell asleep?”

At that, Hwa-eun suddenly flung off the blanket, climbed atop me, and pressed me down into the bed with a look of fury. Gripping both my shoulders, she stared down at me and stated,

“So-ryong, you are enough to madden anyone. Why do you imagine I called for you? I cannot endure this any longer. I will give you my answer regarding the lily at this very moment. After being hunted by that Five Venoms filth today, I saw there is no purpose in further delay.”

Then, without any warning, she kissed me.

As her scent filled my nostrils—I required no centipede pheromone ability to identify this one.
Desire.
‘Gyaaaaah! Is today the day Wei So-ryong becomes a man!?’

She was older than me, and I had always had a preference for older women. If this was my destiny, I would accept it enthusiastically. So, as I returned her kiss and slipped my arm around her waist—

—Creeeak.

Suddenly, the door opened and I heard the voices of the children.
—Skrrrk. 『Daddy, what are you doing in here?』
—Skrit. 『Did you not say you were going to bathe? Why are you here?』

Startled, Hwa-eun leaped back as if scalded. She hastily wiped her mouth and watched as the children approached. It was Hyang and Bini. I struggled to explain.

“U-umm… well, Mommy had a very difficult day today, correct? She was frightened and said she could not sleep by herself, so Daddy was merely—merely holding her hand until she fell asleep!”

—Skrit. 『Frightened?』
—Skrrrk? 『Mommy is frightened?』

Bini’s remark spread among the others rapidly, and soon all the children came rushing into the room. They encircled us on the bed. Cho looked at both of us and said sweetly.
—Skrrrk. 『Mommy, if we all sleep together like this, you will not be scared, will you?』

At that, Hwa-eun pinched my side.
Becoming a man, it appeared… would not be a simple matter.