Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 375

Chapter 375
“Truly worthy of the Alliance Leader’s chosen disciple!”
“Such skill, Young Master So!”
Though taken aback by the sudden shift in events, I scratched my head and replied sheepishly as the warriors continued to heap admiration upon me.
“It’s… really nothing all that impressive.”
It was clear that due to the Beast-Heart Martial Art, a component of the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin technique, some aspect of Cheongwol’s poison or physical nature had influenced my Iron Shell Technique. However, the Alliance Leader appeared convinced I had reached this stage through sheer effort and practice.
I felt a twinge of guilt over the misunderstanding, but since I hadn’t engineered it—and it had ultimately gotten me out of a tight spot—I played along without hesitation.
When it comes down to it, isn’t the ability to think on your feet what matters most?
That was true in my previous life as a streamer, and it holds just as true in my new life within the Murim world.
The Alliance Leader then spoke, his voice full of approval.
“There is no need for humility. Achieving the Seven Stars level in under a year is a commendable feat. I have nothing left to teach you.”
“Incredible! Seven Stars in less than a year!”
“Seven Stars! He has already mastered the Alliance Leader’s Iron Shell Technique to that degree!”
The warriors burst into excited chatter before quickly quieting down, remembering their place.
The Alliance Leader went on.
“It seems my judgment was correct. That young one appears weary, so you should all take your leave. Thanks to you, this was a most pleasant evening.
I have confidence in your path, but should you ever require guidance, do not hesitate to seek me out.”
He glanced toward Unmirang as he spoke—she had, in fact, been nodding off for some time.
With that, he rose, settled his bamboo hat back onto his head, and turned to depart.
“Thank you for the food and your instruction.”
I bowed respectfully to his retreating back. The warrior who had escorted us, a member of the Alliance Leader’s personal guard, turned and bowed in return. He then leaned in close and whispered:
[I am Iron Palm Jang Gil, Captain of the Alliance Leader’s Tiger Dragon Guard. Should you ever come to the Martial Alliance, seek me out. I will bring you directly to him.]
And with that, the Alliance Leader and his retinue were gone.
Hwa-eun moved to my side, her hand gently touching my arm as she inquired,
“So-ryong, this has to be the Beast-Heart Martial Art manifesting Cheongwol’s poison or her shell, doesn’t it?”
“Most likely.”
“But why did it become her shell and not her poison?”
“That’s what I wonder too.”
“Hm. We should consult with Lady Cheongyu and Sister Seol about this.”
“We should go now.”
Hwa-eun’s intuition seemed right, but the puzzling part remained—why a physical trait and not a venomous one?
As she suggested, it would be wise to discuss this with Cheongyu and Sister Seol together.
“Pfft… huff…”
Just as we turned to go, a soft, snuffling snore came from nearby.
“Hm?”
“Unmirang?”
We looked over and found Unmirang, her head drooping, sound asleep and entirely unaware that the meeting had concluded and everyone had departed.
She had been fighting sleep for a while and had finally succumbed.
Having been raised in the palace, Unmirang was accustomed to a rigid schedule. A late night like this was evidently too much for her.
Hwa-eun gently hoisted her onto her back. Even half-asleep, Unmirang managed to mumble,
“M-my apologies… Miss…”
She was conscious enough to feel apologetic.
Hwa-eun let out a soft laugh.
“Hehe. The poor thing is completely worn out. Let’s go, So-ryong.”
“If she’s too heavy, I can take her.”
Though she was a woman, she was part of our group, so I offered to carry her in case Hwa-eun found it difficult.
Hwa-eun quickly readjusted her grip and didn’t reply. It occurred to me that it might be cumbersome for her to carry Unmirang all the way back to the ship.
“What?”
Hwa-eun blinked as if she hadn’t heard me correctly—then she shot me a look of mild displeasure.
It felt like I had misspoken.
‘Did I say something inappropriate?’
Her stare made me recoil slightly. Then she continued, her tone firm:
“So-ryong, I know your heart is kind and considerate. But that kindness and your attention should be for me alone. That includes being the only one you carry on your back. Understand?”
It was a declaration of her exclusive right to that particular intimacy.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, as if she was embarrassed by her own boldness, but her expression was resolute. I nodded hurriedly.
“O-of course! That’s only right! Uh… but what about Sister Seol?”
“…”
I had agreed that only she should be carried—but then immediately asked if the same rule applied to Sister Seol.
I meant it practically. What if Sister Seol fell ill during our travels? Someone would need to carry her then, wouldn’t they?
But posing the question about Sister Seol was clearly the wrong move. I received a piercing glare in return.
A glare that was difficult to decipher.
‘Does that look mean it’s obviously allowed and I shouldn’t ask such things? Or does it mean it’s obviously *not* allowed?’
My eyes shifted nervously, unable to land on an answer.
***
The hallway on the first floor was silent as we descended—though the main door stood open.
It was only once we stepped outside that we heard any signs of activity from within the building.
Perhaps the establishment preferred not to involve itself with the affairs of martial artists and deliberately avoided checking on its guests.
Or maybe, because their guest was the Alliance Leader, they ensured absolute privacy.
Regardless, the night market we entered was enveloped in darkness.
The streets were swallowed by the deep black of the night.
We quickened our pace toward the harbor.
Looking back, we had been away for quite some time. Sister Seol and the children were likely anxious.
“Sister Seol and the kids are probably worried sick.”
“Ah! I forgot all about that because of the Alliance Leader. We must hurry!”
Just as we feared—when we reached the dock, Lady Cheongyu, Sister Seol, and all the children were gathered there, their faces etched with concern.
They had lit lanterns on the ship and were waiting for our return.
—Shiaa! [Young Master So, what’s wrong with Unmirang!? I woke up and you were gone! Sister Seol said you just went to the market, but you were gone so long we grew terribly worried!]
“Hwa-eun, is Unmirang alright? The children were ready to search for you, and I had to stop them. Was she injured?”
—Tsrrrk! [Daddy, what happened!? Auntie told us to just wait, and it was scary!]
—Kishit. Kishishi!
Their worry was palpable.
I should have asked one of the warriors to send a message to the ship—but encountering the Alliance Leader made us completely forget. That was our mistake.
“My apologies, everyone. You must have been so concerned. It’s nothing serious. The three of us went to the market for a meal, and we happened to meet the Alliance Leader. We couldn’t excuse ourselves easily. Unmirang simply fell asleep, that’s all.”
As Hwa-eun explained and apologized, everyone—and every creature—reacted with a mix of shock and confusion.
“What? The Alliance Leader?”
—Shiaa? [The leader of the Martial Alliance?]
—Kishit?
—Chii?
“He’s the elder who lives near where we delivered the Dragon Fangs. It had been some time since we last saw him, so he wished to talk—and time got away from us. I’m sorry. You were all truly worried, weren’t you?”
As Hwa-eun and I explained further, the initial tension began to ease.
However, it was quickly replaced by a chorus of disappointed chirps and what sounded like pointed complaints directed at Sister Seol.
—Siiia. [See, Sister Seol? You were mistaken!]
—Tsrrrk. [Auntie, really, what was that about?]
—Gguggwoo. [Auntie, you gave us the wrong idea! You were incorrect!]
“I, well, that is…”
Sister Seol, flustered, could only stammer in response to the children’s accusatory sounds—even though she couldn’t understand their words.
For some reason, it seemed Sister Seol had been cast as a public villain. I tilted my head and asked,
“What’s going on? Did Sister Seol do something? The children seem to be blaming her for something.”
—Shii. [It’s because Sister Seol said something strange… Ahem…]
“Strange?”
Puzzled by the comment, I tilted my head further. It was then that Cho answered with some embarrassment, and Bini stated things bluntly.
—Tsruruu. [When we wanted to go find you, Auntie said you and Mom were… having private time. That we shouldn’t interrupt. That you might be making a baby…]
—Tsrurut! [Come on, Auntie! You said they were off making a baby! We waited so long because of that!]
—Gyut! [A baby!?]
“What… What is the meaning of this? Sister Seol? What exactly did you say Hwa-eun and I were ‘making’? A baby?”
I turned to Sister Seol for an explanation, repeating the children’s words. She scratched her head and replied,
“So-ryong and I made something!?”
“No, I only meant… since you two were late, I thought perhaps you were somewhere… being carried away and enjoying each other’s company…”
“With Unmirang here?”
“Well, perhaps she was keeping watch…”
“Sister Seol!”
“Sister Seol!”
The moment Hwa-eun and I understood her implication, our voices rang out sharply together. Sister Seol immediately tried to dash toward the cabin.
“Ahahaha, children, it seems that baby will need a little more time, won’t it? Oh my, I’m so sleepy. This auntie needs to get some rest!”
Perhaps it was because Sister Seol was at that marriageable age?
Lately, her imagination seemed a bit… unrestrained.
As she tried to escape, I followed and caught her by the shoulder at the cabin door.
“Sister Seol…”
She turned her head, wearing a guilty expression at the touch of my hand.
“Sorry, So-ryong. You were gone so long, I just jumped to conclusions… Ahaha…”
She looked as if she was about to launch into another suggestive remark, so I stopped her quickly.
If left unchecked, she would undoubtedly escalate the situation.
“No, that’s not it. I actually need to speak with you about something—come with me.”
“Oh? You want to talk? I already said I was mistaken—”
“It’s not about that. It’s concerning martial arts.”
“Hmm? Martial arts?”
Mentioning martial arts made her blink in confusion, but she followed me nonetheless.
Hwa-eun walked past Cho and me, saying,
“I’ll put Unmirang to bed.”
—Tsruruu. [Daddy, I’m tired. I’ll see you in the morning.]
The children’s sleepy murmurs continued as they headed for their cabin.
—Gyut. [A baby…]
—Tsruruu. [Auntie tricked us. But how do you make a baby?]
—Gguggwoo. [Uh, maybe ask Father? Or… Mother?]
It looked like I would be fielding these questions for some time.
I shot a glance at the source of this trouble, Sister Seol, who answered with a sheepish grin.
“Hehe.”
Rubbing my aching temple, I guided her toward where Cheongwol was.
Lady Cheongyu had been following me quietly ever since I boarded the boat.
“Lady Cheongyu, please, you come as well.”
—Shiaa. [Understood.]
“So what is this about martial arts?”
I activated my Iron Shell Technique and explained,
“I met the Alliance Leader earlier. He inquired about my progress with the Iron Shell Technique he taught me, so I demonstrated it—and this was the result.”
—Shiaa? [Wait, this is…]
“What in the—? This is just like Cheongwol’s shell!”
Both Sister Seol and Lady Cheongyu reached out, touching my now-smooth, hardened skin, examining the sections that had taken on the likeness of Cheongwol’s carapace.
Lady Cheongyu then spoke, her expression thoughtful.
—Shiaa. *[When you learn the Scorpion Tail Swift Kick, I assumed it would only channel Cheongwol’s venom. It seems I was wrong. How did we overlook this?
When you employ Lizard Gecko Movement, the ability to scale walls indicates you are inheriting more than just poison from your spirit beasts, correct?]*
It was a perfectly logical deduction.
When I use Centipede Poison Fang Claw, I can release Cho’s poison from my fingertips.
Toad Explosive Palm channels Hwayang’s heat to generate toxic energy within my palm.
So, I had naturally assumed I was only utilizing the venomous aspects of the bonded creatures. But Lizard Gecko Movement proved otherwise.
That technique generated a peculiar energy in my hands and feet for wall-climbing—it wasn’t related to poison at all.
Because the first two techniques incorporated poison, I had mistakenly believed they all would.
Sister Seol added her thoughts.
“It must be because you have mastered the Beast-Heart Martial Art. It seems to have evolved beyond just employing poison, and now grants you the unique attributes of each spirit beast.
And since it is the authentic Beast-Heart art, not some diluted version, its power is sufficient to influence other martial arts you practice.”
She theorized that the true Beast-Heart Martial Art was potent enough to affect not only the Five Poisons Techniques but other styles as well.
This new understanding made me curious…
‘What abilities will Snake Life-Seizing Hand and Scorpion Tail Swift Kick bestow?’
The Golden-Crowned Mantis King was the only beast whose traits I hadn’t manifested yet.
Would my kicks become more fluid and precise?
As I contemplated this, Cheongwol let out a warm, rumbling sound.
—Grrrng. [S-So-ryong… You look very, very impressive.]
She was evidently delighted that I now shared a physical resemblance with her.
***
It had been some time since I last reviewed the Iron Shell Technique manual.
To attain the Seven Stars level, the manual stated that one must visualize the hardest substance imaginable and manifest it upon one’s skin.
The Alliance Leader had visualized steel and achieved it, so when my skin hardened, he naturally concluded I had reached Seven Stars.
“So that explains his error…”
While I hadn’t genuinely reached the Seven Stars stage, acquiring Cheongwol’s resilience had granted me a defense robust enough to turn aside blades—even if it might not yet withstand attacks fueled by inner energy.
Now that this martial art was augmented by Cheongwol’s power, I decided I had no excuse to neglect my training.
Just then, a voice called from beyond the cabin.
“So-ryong, the Dragon Fangs have returned.”
Hearing that the Dragon Fangs were back, I called out toward the deck.
“As soon as everyone is aboard, we depart.”
“Yes, Young Master So.”
As for martial arts… I would ponder them further later.
For now, our course was set for the vortex in Dongting Lake.
‘Well, I’m sure my martial arts will progress as they should.’