Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The young martial artist’s reaction to the offer of a reward was perplexing.

When prompted to name his desire, they anticipated something typical for a youth or common among martial artists. To their surprise, his answer was entirely unforeseen.

“There is indeed something I wish for…”

“And what might that be? Speak openly—a rare pill? Wealth? A special weapon? After such a deed, no request is too great. I will do everything in my power to grant it, so speak without reserve,” Zhuge Hu urged with an encouraging nod.

Looking somewhat embarrassed, the young man paused before responding.

“Well, you see… what I truly need is… details concerning poisonous beings.”

“Details concerning poisonous beings?” Zhuge Hu echoed, his brow furrowed.

“Yes. My… passion—or more accurately, my goal—is to collect venomous creatures from throughout the martial world to aid the Tang Clan’s progress. To do that, I require knowledge of their locations.”

“You wish to gather poisonous beings?”

Zhuge Hu already found it strange that the youth had subdued the Golden Wasp Kings, but now to hear he aimed to collect and raise deadly creatures? It was an unusual desire, to say the least.

Just as Zhuge Hu was reflecting on how peculiar this wish was, the young man pushed up his sleeves, revealing his forearms.

“These here are some of the specimens I’ve been caring for…”

“Hm?”

At first, it looked as though something yellow was coiled around his arm like a bracer. A closer look made it clear that the movement on his arm was not armor at all.

Gently, the young man unwound what was wrapped around one arm and set it on the table. It writhed for a moment before trying to climb back onto him.

“What… is that?”

When questioned, the young man gave an awkward smile and replied, “It’s a juvenile Blue-Spotted Centipede that I’ve been raising.”

“A juvenile Blue-Spotted Centipede?!”

Indeed, the reports from the Tang Clan had mentioned this. Though Zhuge Hu had only heard a summary—something about the youth using a Blue-Spotted Centipede to defeat Tak Wonyang—he never imagined it was the offspring of that very creature.

“Ah, now I recall. I was told you used a Blue-Spotted Centipede to overcome Tak Wonyang…”

“Yes, these are the ones,” the young man affirmed.

To treat the Golden Wasp Kings as pets and to wear Blue-Spotted Centipedes on his arms—it was simply astounding.

Even in the long and varied history of the martial world, filled with countless odd figures, Zhuge Hu could not remember anyone quite like this young man.

‘How remarkable. How can venomous beings be so docile toward a person?’ he wondered. Raising and even carrying such creatures was unimaginable for an ordinary individual.

Poisonous beings, no matter how controlled, could deliver a fatal bite if provoked. Yet this young man showed no trace of fear. His bravery was remarkable.

Then, as Zhuge Hu observed this bizarre display, a nearly forgotten memory resurfaced.

The young man had inquired about venomous creatures years earlier. He hadn’t taken it seriously then, unsure if it was a genuine request.

“Hmm… I believe I can fulfill part of your wish immediately. Would the poisonous creatures you seek include… lizards? Are lizards venomous?” Zhuge Hu ventured cautiously.

“Lizards? Truly?!”

“Yes, is that acceptable?”

“Absolutely, sir! Lizards carry venom in their eyes, you understand. Historically, lizards are…” The young man’s eyes lit up as he launched into a fervent explanation.

Most of what he said was difficult to follow, but one thing was clear: the young man was overjoyed.

Watching his excitement, Zhuge Hu scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

The martial alliance had rewarded countless warriors for their deeds—legendary blades, precious medicines, even lovely companions—but never before had someone been so delighted by the prospect of learning where a lizard resided.

‘Without question, he is an eccentric,’ Zhuge Hu concluded.
***
The deafening crash of falling water resounded from the cliff face.

Amid the overwhelming noise, the voice of his nephew, Zhuge Yongcheon, broke through.

“Uncle, I believe we’re here! Just as the ancestral texts said—there’s the waterfall and the Turtle Rock. And over there, the summit of Mount Gongga is visible.”

To the right, a tremendous waterfall poured down the rock face.

In the distance, the snow-capped peak of Mount Gongga shone white, while before them sat a rock shaped like a crouching turtle. They had unmistakably found the place documented by their ancestor.

Zhuge Hu acknowledged his nephew’s words and dipped his hand into the water, jerking it back from the cold.

As the snowmelt from the mountain peak flowed downward, the water was bone-chilling. He turned to the warriors and his nephew who had accompanied him and called out, “Everyone, remain here! Yongcheon, follow me carefully—the water is freezing!”

“Yes, Uncle!”

“Understood, Master Zhuge!” the warriors responded together.

Without delay, Zhuge Hu jumped into the river where the waterfall met the current. Using the technique Stepping Across the Waves, Flying Swallow, he landed lightly on the turtle-shaped rock midstream before springing forward again. This time, he landed on one of the sharp rocks protruding from the opposite cliff.

Though not yet at his destination, he pressed on. He propelled himself upward, scaling the cliff by stepping on the scattered stones that jutted from its surface.

After a short climb, he saw it—a large, moss-covered rock shaped like a clenched fist. The spray from the waterfall had hidden it from view until now.

“There it is, Yongcheon!” he called back.

“Go ahead, Uncle. I will follow soon!” his nephew replied, his voice confident.

Pleased with his nephew’s composure, Zhuge Hu leaped once more, landing on the fist-shaped rock. There, a narrow crack just wide enough for a person to squeeze through came into sight.

“Uncle, it’s exactly as the ancestor described,” Yongcheon said, having reached him.

Zhuge Hu nodded, drawing his trusted weapon, the iron whip sword. Though the cave entrance was high on the cliff, the ancestor’s writings had suggested it wasn’t the only way in. If any creatures dwelled inside, they needed to be ready.

“I will enter first. Follow closely.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

With senses heightened, Zhuge Hun bent low and crawled into the damp crevice. Cold droplets fell from above, and the ground underfoot was slick with mud. However, the tight passage soon began to widen, and before long, it was high enough to stand in.

Light filtered in from ahead, just as the writings had indicated. As they moved toward the light source, an enormous cavern opened before them.

The ceiling arched high overhead—tens of meters easily. Sunlight streamed in from an opening at the top, filling the space with a warm glow that contrasted with the icy conditions outside. Despite the cold stream they had left behind, the cavern felt as mild as a spring day.

The ground was blanketed with bright flowers and unusual fruits, creating an almost enchanted atmosphere. It was precisely the kind of environment where a legendary spiritual herb might flourish.

“Incredible,” Yongcheon whispered in awe.

Zhuge Hu nodded, advancing slowly toward the center of the cavern. Their objective was just ahead. As they drew near, the sunlight illuminated the object of their quest—a plant with pale leaves, growing between two large, slanted rocks.

“That… that is Snow Ginseng!” Yongcheon exclaimed, his voice shaking with emotion.

It was indeed Snow Ginseng, one of the rarest spiritual herbs, infused with extreme Yin energy. After a century, it was known as Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng, and after a millennium, Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. This specific plant had been found by their ancestor a hundred years prior, but it had been too immature to harvest then. Now, a century later, it was ripe.

Though the Zhuge Clan had originally intended to let it mature further, the Namgung Clan’s urgent need for a Yin-type herb to treat their daughter, born with severed meridians, had prompted the exchange. In return, the Zhuge Clan would receive a two-hundred-year-old Black Fleeceflower Root, a peerless elixir for their martial artists. It was an offer they could not decline.

Zhuge Hu and his nephew knelt respectfully before the plant.

“We, your descendants, Zhuge Hu and Zhuge Yongcheon, offer humble thanks to the ancestors for their guidance.”

After paying their respects, they started to carefully excavate around the Snow Ginseng, clearing the moss and soil from its roots.

Then came the sound—a sharp hiss followed by the distinct shaa! of something striking.

Zhuge Hu reacted immediately, jumping back and raising his iron whip sword.

Clang!

A blue spark flew from the weapon’s surface as something hard hit it with tremendous force. The shock traveled up his arm, leaving it numb. A less skilled martial artist would have had an arm shattered by the blow.

“Uncle! Are you hurt?” Yongcheon cried out, alarmed.

“I’m fine! Stay vigilant—it’s coming again!”

As Yongcheon moved nearer, another streak of blue light shot between them.

Slash!

Zhuge Hu swung his weapon with precision, feeling it slice through something solid. A piercing, unearthly screech echoed as the creature withdrew into the foliage behind the Snow Ginseng, leaving behind glistening blue droplets.

Looking at his blade, Zhuge Hu saw it coated in frost, a cold radiating from where it had struck.

“What was that?” Yongcheon asked, drawing his weapon with wide eyes.

Though Yongcheon’s martial arts were not yet refined enough to see clearly, Zhuge Hu had caught a glimpse of their assailant.

“A lizard.”

“A lizard?” Yongcheon repeated, disbelieving.

Yes, Zhuge Hu was certain. The creatures that had ambushed them were two venomous lizards.
***
The intelligence provided by Zhuge Hu, a military leader of the Murim Alliance, was sweeter than honey.

A blue lizard!

Yes, the account involved a blue lizard—a poisonous creature said to thrive by absorbing the energy of spiritual herbs. To be honest, the specifics were unimportant. What mattered was that it was a lizard.

And it was blue, no less!

Natural blue is exceedingly rare, making the blue lizard the ultimate prize. Moreover, lizards are among the most satisfying creatures to raise. They are charming, pleasant to handle, and when irritated, they bare their tiny teeth and sometimes nip—utterly endearing.

Even better, the sighting had occurred near Mount Gongga in Sichuan.

According to Zhuge Hu, it wasn’t far from here. And the best part? He pledged to inform me whenever venomous creatures were spotted in the Central Plains. Here, they call a man who shows such understanding a “true hero,” and Zhuge Hu certainly deserved the title.

‘What an exceptional man.’

However, despite this fantastic lead, there was a minor complication: thanks to the recent trouble stirred up by those cursed Blood Cult followers, it would be challenging to leave the clan grounds for now.

If I wanted to capture the lizard, I would probably have to wait for either my father-in-law or grandfather to return so one of them could escort me. Until then, I would have to be patient.

That was why I was seated in the Four Harmony Pavilion, examining Bini’s antennae and wondering when my father-in-law would come back.

“Where is So-ryong? So-ryong!”

The powerful voice of a man echoed across the entire Tang Clan mountain, loud enough to make the ground tremble.

Even Bini, coiled around my hand, flinched and drew her antennae back in surprise.

Moments later, my father-in-law, accompanied by members of the Venom Blood Squad, stormed into the pavilion. Normally, only direct family were permitted in the Four Harmony Pavilion, but an exception was clearly being made.

‘Perfect timing.’

It appeared my father-in-law had just returned from leading the Venom Blood Squad on an assignment.