Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 326

Chapter 326
A soft, intrusive light filtered through the slits of my eyelids.
Its strength suggested the sun was already high, likely past noon.
Having only fallen asleep at daybreak, I estimated I’d managed three or four hours of rest, which felt sufficient to rise.
Six to eight hours was always plenty.
Ah, that was a deep and satisfying sleep.
I stretched slightly and opened my eyes.
I was alone.
Everyone else had already gotten up, leaving me the sole occupant of the bed.
But as I shifted, a faint, sweet fragrance from Hwa-eun, lingering on the sheets, wafted up and unsettled me.
Immediately, I recoiled internally—the memory of her eyes just before sleep took her flashed vividly in my mind.
I had never seen her gaze hold such clear resentment toward me before.
I’d been «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» anxious about facing her upon waking, but… perhaps her absence was for the best?
I straightened my robes and stepped off the bedding, moving outside.
“Ah, So-ryong.”
“Sister Seol, did you rest well?”
“Yes. I only woke up a short time ago myself.”
As I opened the door, I found the children gathered in the courtyard, engaged in lively conversation.
Sister Seol appeared to be preparing to go out.
She typically wore the short skirts and hats of the minority tribes, but today she was dressed in the style of the Central Plains.
Since men from the Central Plains often stared at the traditional dress of minority women, she always chose Central Plains attire for public outings. Her current clothing meant she was planning to leave.
“Where are you off to?”
“The magistrate’s office. We need to report the Blood Cult scoundrels. Hwa-eun and I are handling it. We also need to question the ones we captured yesterday.”
“Ah.”
So that was it—she intended to turn over the Blood Cult members Orange had buried in the ground yesterday.
As I nodded in understanding, Sister Seol suddenly leaned close and whispered into my ear.
[So-ryong, your sister went through all that trouble for you, and you just put Hwa-eun to sleep? She gathered all her courage, and you… Are you an idiot? My little brother is such a fool…]
[It’s not like that, there were complications…]
[Hwa-eun is truly angry right now.]
So it’s true, then?
It seemed Hwa-eun was genuinely upset about the previous night’s events.
She had steeled her nerves, only for the situation to collapse.
Still, I felt a profound sense of injustice.
I had been anticipating it as well—the children were entirely to blame.
*[I don’t know how much you heard, but the situation was… complicated. It wasn’t on purpose, I promise… Right at the most crucial moment, the children burst in… They demanded to know what we were doing together on the bed—what else could I say?
I tried to explain that Hwa-eun was frightened from the ambush and couldn’t sleep, so I was comforting her… but then they suggested if that was the case, we should all sleep together, and…
Well, we all ended up sharing the bed…]*
[What?]
After hearing the full story, Sister Seol tried to suppress it but exploded into laughter.
It was a personal disaster for us, but from an outside view, it must have been incredibly funny.
“Puhahaha! So that’s what occurred?”
“Yes…”
“And here I believed my brother was a world-class simpleton. A poison-obsessed dolt who understands nothing but toxic creatures.”
“I am not a fool…”
Just as I was defending myself to Sister Seol—
“Everyone, the food is ready.”
It appeared a combined late breakfast and lunch had been prepared. As we walked to the pavilion, steaming dumplings were arranged on the table.
“Oh, these look wonderful.”
I attempted to sound upbeat to improve the mood and attract notice, but Hwa-eun didn’t even look my way.
Exactly as Sister Seol had warned, she was visibly still upset with me.
Or perhaps she was more deeply wounded.
I could have invented a better excuse for the children, but my foolish explanation had ruined everything.
I should have just said, “I need to speak with Mom privately right now, you all go ahead to sleep,” or something similar.
Haa… Why didn’t that occur to me then…
I’m usually so quick-thinking—why did I choose such a pathetic excuse at that moment?
Cursing my half-asleep self from earlier, I took a seat with everyone in the pavilion.
Hwa-eun started handing out the dumplings.
“Everyone, please eat.”
“Wow, these look amazing. Thank you, Hwa-eun.”
Even when I spoke, she only made eye contact with Sister Seol.
Without a single word from Hwa-eun, the meal commenced.
The dumplings were warm, but the mood was frosty.
“The meat dumplings are delicious, Hwa-eun. They’re so generously stuffed, it makes them even better.”
“Eat plenty, unni.”
“I think our little Hwa-eun is truly ready to be married now?”
“Unni, please…”
While Sister Seol, possibly trying to assist me or lift Hwa-eun’s spirits, chatted cheerfully, I noticed something strange.
Huh? Meat dumplings?
What was odd? My dumplings contained no meat.
In the Central Plains, even plain steamed buns without any filling are called dumplings, and that was precisely what I had—empty dough dumplings.
When I glanced at the dumplings Hwa-eun and Sister Seol were eating, they were packed with meat.
Yes, I absolutely needed to reconcile with Hwa-eun.
She was clearly broadcasting her anger, and I had to answer that signal.
I briefly considered how to mend things, then recalled a skill Grandpa had taught me—and decided to use inner voice transmission.
I hadn’t previously possessed enough internal energy for it, but now I had reached the Three Flowers Converging Stage.
I could now project palm strikes and send mental messages.
Pretending to eat a dumpling, I covered my mouth and directed a voice transmission to Hwa-eun.
I could have just thought the words to her, but I believed using my first voice transmission for her would be more impactful.
[Hwa-eun, can you hear me? This is my first time using voice transmission.]
She gave a slight start as she chewed her dumpling.
Maintaining a neutral expression, I continued, pretending to eat.
*[I’m sorry about last night, Hwa-eun. I truly never intended for it to happen that way… I just couldn’t devise a better explanation at the time.
But I understood your feelings completely. So next time, I will ensure the children are sound asleep and I will come to find you. So… even if you’re angry or hurt, please don’t remain upset with me.]*
I stole a glance at her expression.
Hwa-eun also used her dumpling to hide her face.
Her face was so small the dumpling obscured most of it—but I could still see a flush of red rising on the curve of her cheek.
Perhaps her anger was subsiding.
As if to confirm my suspicion, a moment later she took a sip of water and discreetly exchanged the plain dumpling in my bowl for one of her meat-filled ones.
Meat is indeed a language of love.
It truly was. Meat was love.
***

When we reached the site where Orange had planted the Blood Cult warriors at dawn, the view of them neatly embedded in the earth came into sight.
They were arranged in impeccably straight rows and columns—remarkably orderly.
Nineteen had been captured; three were already dead, and the survivors were petrified with fear.
This was hardly surprising, as Cheongyu’s snakes were coiled beside them, hissing threateningly as if poised to attack.
—Ssshhk. Ssshhhk.
The snakes, radiating palpable venomous energy, seemed to be executing Cheongyu’s commands perfectly.
“Cheongyu, can you please calm the snakes and have them move away for a moment?”
—Ssshaa.
The instant the snakes withdrew, the warriors erupted into panicked screams.
“P-please, have mercy!”
“We beg you, spare our lives!”
As their pleas continued, Hwa-eun’s voice cut through the noise.
“Hmm? This one!?”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
I followed Hwa-eun’s gaze and saw a woman—only her head protruding from the soil—who had been the last one brought in by Yo-hwa.
It had been difficult to see clearly in the dark, but now her face was unmistakable.
She bore the exact same face as that woman, Nanhwa, the vice commander of the Bloodshade Unit we had captured previously.
I had definitely seen her being taken away, brain-dead, and later heard she was executed—there was no possibility she had survived.
Therefore, this had to be someone else…
“A twin?”
As I posed the question, Hwa-eun gripped my arm tightly and exclaimed.
My apology must have been effective, as she was now clinging to me.
“So-ryong, I believe this woman was the unit commander of the Blood Cult!”
“This woman?”
“Yes, she was the one leading the other warriors!”
The woman’s eyes were shut, but at Hwa-eun’s words, she turned her head slightly.
Convinced by Hwa-eun’s assertion that this woman was the commander, I addressed the other warriors begging for their lives.
“Is this woman the commander of your Blood Cult unit?”
The warriors sealed their lips.
We had come to discover why they attacked us, but as none of us were trained interrogators, Sister Seol looked somewhat worried.
“It seems she is. But how do we get her to talk?”
I draped my arms over the shoulders of Sister Seol and Hwa-eun and asked with a playful grin.
“Sister Seol, Hwa-eun, do you know what form of torture inspires the most primal fear in people?”
“Torture that causes fear?”
“Torture that causes fear?”
The two tilted their heads in response to my question.
They seemed to be contemplating what could be most terrifying, and then offered their answers.
“I would think physical disfigurement. It’s permanent.”
“I believe starvation. I’ve heard it’s the most agonizing.”
Their views differed, but among ancient methods of torture, one was infamous for striking the deepest chord of dread.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment and called upon my companions from the First Gate I had communed with last night.
〈Everyone, please come here for a moment.〉
—Chrrrrrrrr.
At my summons, countless centipedes that had been concealed nearby swarmed over, their collective movement creating a rustling chorus.
The Blood Cult warriors and the woman believed to be the commander were instantly consumed by terror.
“Wh-what is this!?”
“O-O-gong!?”
Just like at dawn, the O-gong congregated around me.
Smiling, I asked:
“A quick question. Why do you suppose my friends are here?”
“Umm… to bite them?”
“But So-ryong, O-gong venom is painful, but too many bites could be fatal. It doesn’t seem ideal for interrogation, does it?”
Sister Seol and Hwa-eun assumed I intended for the centipedes to bite the prisoners—but that wasn’t my plan.
The most feared torture from antiquity was not so direct.
Keeping my smile, I addressed the Blood Cult dogs.
“O-gong despise the light. They always seek out darkness. Now, what do you imagine will happen when I ask all these friends to find a dark place?”
〈Please make your way toward their mouths, noses, and ears.〉
—Chrrrr.
—Scritch. Scritch.
At my command, the centipedes began advancing toward the heads of the captives.
As they moved in obedience to my words, the Blood Cult warriors’ eyes widened in sheer horror.
Even Hwa-eun and Sister Seol shuddered and held onto me tighter.
The scene that was unfolding was evidently too dreadful to witness.
The innate human fear of insects is profoundly powerful.
“Eeek! So-ryong, this is too extreme…”
“S-So-ryong… a-are you actually going through with this?”
“They threatened Hwa-eun’s life. I cannot let that go.”
The moment the centipedes reached the captives’ heads and began to climb onto them, the Blood Cult warriors broke into screams.
“I-I’ll talk! Yes, she’s the unit commander!”
“Please, I beg you! Aaaaaagh!”
***

“I—I am Nanhwa, commander of the Bloodshade Unit of the Blood Cult. Hic… I defected to the Five Venoms Sect and was implanted with the Dual Yin-Yang Parasites. My orders were to eliminate Wei Su Long—no, Lord So-ryong—which is why I came here. Huuuk… P-please, remove this creature from me…”
Sniffling, with a centipede lodged in her nostril, Nanhwa spoke between sobs.
Indeed, insect-based torture was remarkably effective.
Merely having the centipedes crawl on their faces was enough to break most of them and force them to divulge their secrets.
Even those who held out capitulated the instant a centipede started entering an ear or nose.
How many individuals could endure that?
Probably no one in the Central Plains except for me.
“So why were you trying to kill me?”
“They said you had to be stopped before you mastered the Five Poisons…”
“So it was for that reason, after all?”
Cheongyu Sojeo had informed me of this last night.
When Hwa-eun mentioned the Blood Cult seemed focused on me, Cheongyu Sojeo suggested it was likely to prevent my mastery of the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art.
『So their target isn’t Hwa-eun, but me?』
—Ssshh. Yes, So-ryong.
『Why?』
—Ssshhya. (They likely fear you will gather all five venomous creatures as spirit beasts.)
『That’s their reason?』
—Ssshhh. (I told you the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art is viewed as a failed martial art, remember?)
『Right.』
—Sssshaaa. (That is precisely why the Five Poisons Implosion Art was developed. That device implanted in my skull. It serves two purposes.
One is to strip away reason and enforce obedience. The other, as you know, is to generate a Neidan. Some, like me, experience both effects, but it places a severe strain on the body, so typically only one is active.
Ah, recall the creature from the Beast Palace we sent into battle? That one lacked a Neidan—it was configured solely for obedience.)
『Ahh… and how does that connect to me?』
—Ssshhyaaa. (Even if you unlock the Five Gates, spirit or venomous creatures will see you as a friend and assist when asked—but they will not necessarily sacrifice their lives for you.
However, if you populate the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art with spirit beasts and unlock each corresponding gate, you will gain the ability to issue commands—via the Implosion Art—that they will obey, even unto death.)
So the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art functions as a broadcast station, and the Five Poisons Implosion Art is the receiver.
If I complete the Five Poisons technique with spirit beasts, I could potentially seize control of the artificial venom beasts created by the Five Venoms Sect. That is why they want me dead.
Snakes, scorpions, toads, centipedes, and lizards—these are the core venomous creatures in the Central Plains.
This would mean the Five Venoms Sect could no longer produce artificial spirit beasts from these five types.
“So it unfolded exactly as Cheongyu Sojeo foresaw yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“If they learn you’ve mastered the Five Poisons, they may dispatch even more assassins. We should return to the Tang Clan immediately.”
Hwa-eun advised a swift return, but I disagreed.
How long were we supposed to remain on the defensive?
I had attained a respectable level of strength now, and I had allies—the children, Sister Jeokwol. It was time we took the initiative.
After all, the best defense is a good offense, correct?
“No. We will make the first move.”