Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 363

Chapter 363
Seated atop Geumdo’s broad back, I gazed out at the path ahead. The shimmering glow of distant lights gradually became visible. These twinkling points of illumination came from the city of Taian, nestled before Mount Tai, and just then, the boatman who had been surveying the watercourse called out in a rush.

“So-ryong, look there!”

He was pointing toward the spot where the Yellow River’s current forked into two separate channels. It was the right-hand path between the two. The very moment a light ignited in a tower constructed at the divergence, I called out swiftly from my position on Geumdo’s head, which was disguised as a figurehead.

“Geumdo, take the right side!”

– Bughrrrr.

Acknowledging my command, Geumdo promptly planted his right foreleg into the riverbed and pivoted his left leg with speed. The vessel mounted upon his shell started a gradual turn to the right, mirroring his motion.

– Budududuk.

The wooden frame groaned as the boat swung right. Following a brief tremor at the fork, Geumdo thrust with his powerful hind legs, and we were rapidly drawn into the right canal—the Tongjijeo.

– Chwaa!

Our reason for taking this route was simple: to journey from the Yellow River to the Yangtze, we needed to utilize the Grand Canal linking them. We had originally arrived from Yizhou by sea, but with a canal connecting the two great rivers, it was the logical path back to the Tang Clan. While Geumdo, as a spirit beast, could likely have endured the sea voyage again, the river route was undoubtedly preferable.

After roughly ten minutes of travel within the Tongjijeo—

Geumdo emitted a contented sound.

– Bughrr.

– Tsrut. 『Dad, Geumdo says it feels nice. The water is cool.』

Hyang, who was coiled around me, interpreted Geumdo’s call, conveying that the water felt pleasantly cool. Given that Geumdo is a turtle and doesn’t extract air from the water like a fish, he wouldn’t feel choked by its quality. It surely meant the water was clear and refreshing. Having spent his life in the murky flow of the Yellow River, entering cleaner waters seemed to lift his mood. The canal water wasn’t perfectly clear, but it was certainly purer than the Yangtze and a vast improvement over muddy currents.

Hearing Geumdo’s satisfaction, I tapped the wooden structure covering his head and made a promise to let him bask in the sun at Yi Tae’s stronghold within the Yangtze’s Three Gorges.

“Once we reach the Three Gorges, I’ll remove the boat and give you time to soak up the sun.”

I had held this plan for some time. Because Geumdo is a golden turtle, sunbathing would draw far too much notice, making a secure location essential—and there was no place safer than Yi Tae’s base. I intended to moor there for a spell, allowing him to sunbathe and fortify his shell.

– Bughrrrr.

Delighted by my promise, Geumdo let out another happy rumble. Smiling, I gave his head an affectionate pat and surveyed our surroundings. The sky had grown dark, and the waters of the Tongjijeo moved with a gentle calm. Apart from the earlier fork, this stretch was peaceful enough to simply drift along safely.

“Geumdo, if anything occurs, cry out to alert the boatman.”

– Bughrrr.

Assuming it was time for the evening meal, I used qinggong to leap lightly toward the bow.

“Boatman, if Geumdo makes any sound, please immediately inspect the area and inform me.”

“Understood, So-ryong.”

“Assuming no trouble, we should arrive at the Yangtze in two days’ time?”

“Yes, So-ryong.”

“I doubt anything will happen over these two days… but should it, day or night, notify me at once.”

I was concluding my instructions with the boatman when I heard Cheongyu Sojeo’s excited voice carry from the cabin.

– Shia. 『Ah! I truly believe I can emerge at night now!』

Turning, I saw Cheongyu Sojeo’s cheerful face as she appeared from the cabin. It wasn’t the vacant expression of the Golden Crown Demon Queen, but an animated one—this was unmistakably Cheongyu Sojeo. Evidently, her desire had been granted: the Golden Crown Demon Queen held sway by day, and Cheongyu Sojeo by night. A complete division.

‘Has it shifted to a cycle of twelve hours each?’

She had emerged not deep in the night, but just after dusk, suggesting control of the body now alternated every half-day.

At that moment—

Hwa-eun, who had followed her out, inquired through our mental connection.

『“Could you be Cheongyu Sojeo?”
– Shia. (Yes, Hwa-eun Sojeo.)
“So it seems, as So-ryong suggested, you now appear during the night?”』

In response to Hwa-eun’s question, Cheongyu Sojeo replied happily in the group chat.

『– Shii! (It appears so!)
“That is wonderful. Oh, So-ryong, please come inside for dinner. Cheongyu Sojeo, you as well. We can converse as we eat.”
– Shiia. (Alright, I understand.)』

Perfectly on time, it seemed the meal was prepared, and Hwa-eun invited us in. Following Hwa-eun inside, I found Sister Seol waiting in my cabin with the food.

Typically, meals on the boat were handled by one of the boatmen cooking in the galley, then bringing the food out in a large pot to be eaten on the deck. If outdoor dining wasn’t feasible, everyone would eat in the galley or take their portions to their rooms. So tonight, with the sun down, the food had been brought to the cabin.

“Welcome, So-ryong. I hope you stayed dry? I have prepared a warm soup for you, so please eat.”

“Yes, I’m fine. Oh, that smells wonderful.”

Steam rose from the heated broth. It seemed to be made from a variety of catfish common to the Yangtze, and as it was locally caught, it carried a slight earthy scent. It was not off-putting, however, so I tore off a piece of a dumpling, dipped it into the broth, and raised it to my mouth—just as a message from Cheongyu Sojeo arrived in the group chat.

『– Shia. Shii… (Ah! So-ryong Senior, from what I overheard within the Golden Crown Demon Queen… it seems you entered the Imprint Realm and returned. What transpired? Was the Gate opened?)』

She must have been curious about the events of the morning. Hearing this, Hwa-eun also asked.

“That is correct, So-ryong. What happened? Dong ran off when the snow began, and then with all the visitors, I neglected to ask. Did you enter the Imprint Realm? Dong claimed you did not.”

Then Sister Seol added her own question.

“Yes. So-ryong, what occurred with you?”

It occurred to me then that I had completely forgotten about the incident in the Imprint Realm. Nodding, I resolved to explain what had taken place there. I had meant to discuss it after emerging, but as Hwa-eun said, with Dong fleeing the snow and guests arriving immediately after, it had slipped my mind.

“I did enter the Imprint Realm. And I opened the Gate, as well.”

『– Shia, (Truly!?)』
“Is that so?”
“Really?”

They all appeared astonished to learn I had entered the Imprint Realm and opened the Gate. Cheongyu Sojeo stared at me, her eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.

『– Shia. (Then… did you open the Gate of the Snake?)』

She was undoubtedly wondering if I had opened the gate associated with the snake, the one we had pledged to open together. But before addressing that, I needed to describe the unusual events within the Imprint Realm, so I turned to the three of them.

“Before that… something peculiar happened inside the Imprint Realm.”

“Peculiar?”
“Something odd?”
– Shia?

When I mentioned something strange, all three looked at me with curious, tilted heads. I focused on Hwa-eun as I explained.

“Ordinarily, upon entering the Imprint Realm, one awakens in a chamber of carved stone. This time was no exception. The sole difference was that the centipede I selected previously was now etched upon the ceiling. And… just as before, there were five doors once more.”

“Well, opening a door does not cause it to vanish. If there were five before, naturally there would be five again, correct?”
“Right?”
『– Shiaa. (Precisely.)』

I had presumed that since I had already opened a door, and the centipede—along with Hyang and Bini—was engraved above, the door itself should have disappeared. But the three of them seemed to believe it was logical for the door to remain even after being opened once.

‘Was I applying the logic of games from my previous life too rigidly?’

In many choice-based games, selecting an option removes it for next time—so I had naturally assumed that. Upon reflection, their perspective made sense: a door being opened doesn’t necessitate its disappearance.

Still… what if Hwa-eun was depicted on that door?

“Well, you may have a point… But that particular door had an image of Hwa-eun carved upon it.”

Finally voicing my true concern, all three women blinked rapidly, as if unsure they had heard correctly. Then their attention shifted to Hwa-eun.

“Hwa-eun?”
– Shia? 『Hwa-eun Sojeo?』

Hwa-eun turned to me with a startled expression. She seemed genuinely unable to believe what she had just heard.

“Me? My likeness was there?”
“Yes, Hwa-eun. Your image was upon it.”
“But I am not a venomous creature, so why would I be…?”
“Y-Yes, exactly.”

After a moment of stunned silence, Cheongyu Sojeo spoke, her expression a mix of resignation and dawning comprehension.

『– Shia. Shiiii. (Then you must have chosen that door, correct? I mean, despite your promise to me… If Hwa-eun Sojeo was depicted there, it is understandable you would select hers.)』

She clearly assumed I had chosen Hwa-eun’s door. I rapidly shook my head.

“Ah, no. I did not.”

Cheongyu Sojeo’s eyes widened in surprise, and she glanced apprehensively toward Hwa-eun. Simultaneously, Sister Seol’s gaze also shot toward her. When I looked at Hwa-eun, startled by their reactions, her lips were quivering. It was a look brimming with unspoken reproach—as if to say, you saw my face there and still you did not choose me?

Alarmed, I hurried to explain.

“P-Please, everyone, hear me out. Recall that when I opened the door linked to Cho, Hyang, and Bini, I could communicate with child-like spirit beast manifestations and seek their aid. Now, consider what might have occurred had I opened Hwa-eun’s door. What do you imagine would have happened?”

I said this all in one breath, and Sister Seol started to answer casually—then halted, her mouth falling open.

“Then… a version of Hwa-eun herself might have appeared…!”
“!”

This was the most profound shock I had witnessed on the three women’s faces all evening. I looked at them and gave a slow nod.

“I might have acquired an ability akin to a soul-binding art—or perhaps individuals would have begun to feel an unconditional fondness for me.”

Do you have any idea how intensely I struggled with that choice inside the Imprint Realm? But making such a selection was simply impossible.

“That is… profoundly dangerous.”
“Indeed. It sounds like the sort of martial art employed by those… practitioners from seductive sects.”
– Shiaa. 『Y-Yes, it truly does.』

I had heard previously that the arts used by such individuals, whom Hwa-eun termed yin-based practitioners, revolved around Yin-Yang union to accumulate internal energy—essentially hypnosis-based martial techniques.

Regardless, I continued, outlining my deductions within the Imprint Realm and my intended approach to Hwa-eun’s door.

“It appears that because I have learned the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art combined with the Beast Heart Art, the aspect of the technique concerning the registration of venomous creatures has diverged significantly from its original form. The fact that Hwa-eun has somehow been registered within this art must be a consequence of that divergence… Therefore, regarding the door bearing Hwa-eun’s image… I will first seek to understand clearly what opening it would entail, and then decide whether to attempt it or seal it away forever.”

The three of them commended my decision.

“You considered that wisely, So-ryong.”
“Yes. Well done, So-ryong. You truly are my little brother.”
『– Shiaa. (That is the correct choice.)』

They seemed gratified that I had resisted temptation and opted for caution.

Then, as if coordinated, the three of them asked in unison—
“Then… which door did you select?”
“Yes, which one?”
『– Shia. (So… what was your choice?)』
“Well…”

Just as I began to answer—

A languid, drawn-out male voice cut in, followed by a female one.
– Skah. 『Oof. I hope our Hyung-nim hasn’t talked his way into another predicament… You see, this is why a man should only keep one woman around…』
– Shaa? 『Huh?』
– Skaaah. 『Ah, no, no. Yeondu, pay no mind to what I said.』

Even though I had not yet formally registered them, the voices of Orange the Ji-yeong Snake and Yeondu came through with perfect clarity.