Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 55

Chapter 55

We were ready to get off at Wuchang’s main port, so it came as a surprise when our vessel continued sailing, leaving the lively harbor behind. The intended stop grew smaller in the distance.

“Wait! I believe we just missed it!” I exclaimed, startled.

My sister gestured calmly toward a more secluded pier emerging ahead. “Not at all, So-ryong. We are docking over there. That is the Murim Alliance’s private pier. It is reserved for martial artists.”

“Ah, I understand.”

It then became clear why we had transferred to a ship run by the Zhuge family, one of the Seven Great Clans, back in Yichang. It was undoubtedly to grant us access to this exclusive dock.

The Murim Alliance appeared to be a collective organization for martial artists, and based on the private facilities, it was evidently a wealthy one.

Deputy Gu Pae, standing nearby, elaborated, “So-ryong, Wuchang is called the Gateway of Nine Provinces. It links Anhui and Guangxi in the east, Chongqing and Sichuan in the west, Henan and Shaanxi in the north, and Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangdong in the south.”

‘So it’s the central hub for travel in the entire area,’ I realized. It was no surprise the Murim Alliance had established its headquarters here.

While listening to Gu Pae, I followed my sister’s look toward the formidable, fortress-like walls and grand buildings lining the Yangtze River’s edge. The Murim Alliance’s compound commanded a vital position, bordered by the river on one side and connected to the city of Wuchang on the other.

— Thud!

The ship eased against the private dock. The instant we were secured, a unit of armed guards, radiating authority and equipped with swords, boarded using light steps.

Their leader approached a representative of the ship’s owner, the Zhuge family. “Declare your purpose for coming to the Murim Alliance.”

“This is the Zhuge family’s regular vessel,” the crew member answered, sounding annoyed. “Must we do this each time? You know who we are.”

“The rules are the rules. Let me see the passenger manifest,” the warrior insisted.

“Very well, here.”

Despite recognizing the Zhuge family, the guards rigorously confirmed the ship’s business and everyone on board. Their tight security felt more like entering a fortified castle than arriving at a dock.

“Passengers, step forward and show your faces when your name is called,” the leader instructed, conducting the procedure like a strict attendance check.

When our names were read, the warrior captain’s expression changed to one of astonishment as he looked over the list.

“Are there members of the Sichuan Tang Clan on this ship?” he inquired, a note of interest in his voice.

The Zhuge family representative promptly nodded. “Yes. Lady Tang Hwa-eun, a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, is aboard.”

“You should have informed us of that immediately. Where are they? The strategist is expecting them.”

“Weren’t you the one demanding we follow procedure…?” the representative mumbled quietly.

Hearing her name, my sister moved forward with composed grace, offering a respectful salute to the warrior leader.

“I am Tang Hwa-eun of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

“Greetings, Lady Tang. I am Mak Gyeol, captain of the Yellow Dragon Squad in the Murim Alliance’s internal division. The strategist has been anticipating your arrival,” he stated with a bow.

“Captain Mak? Would you be able to lead us to the strategist? We have brought the items he requested,” my sister responded.

“Of course, Lady Tang. Everyone, notify the strategist and provide an escort for the Tang Clan members!” Mak Gyeol commanded.

One of the warriors jumped from the ship and dashed toward a distant, towering pavilion, while the others guided us toward the Murim Alliance headquarters.

As we moved through the grand courtyards, heading for the tallest structure, a group of three young martial artists appeared from around a corner. They were in the middle of a loud argument as they drew nearer.

The group included two men and a woman. The woman, who carried a sword, was pulling one of the men, a spearman, by his ear. Their heated disagreement reached us before they did.

“Ow, ow! Let go! I was merely teaching that idiot a lesson!”

“And does your clan know you roam the Murim Alliance starting fights? We are here to confront the Blood Cult, not challenge our allies to duels!” the woman scolded.

The third member of their group, a swordsman, sighed and said, “You acted too quickly, Seong-hoo. You should have verified their story first.”

“What was there to verify? It concerned Lady Tang’s honor! I could not stand by!” Seong-hou argued.

As the three passed by us, one of them suddenly called out.

“Lady Poison Blossom? Tang Hwa-eun?”

“Poison Blossom?” I whispered, taken aback. My sister halted and turned to the group, acknowledging them with a courteous bow.

“It has been some time. Blade Dragon, Sword Phoenix, Spear Dragon. We last saw each other at the Yongfeng Conference.”

“Well, well, to think we’d cross paths with you here, Poison Blossom. It has been too long,” Blade Dragon said with a wide grin.

“It really has been a while, Hwa-eun,” Sword Phoenix added warmly.

“Indeed… a long time,” Spear Dragon stammered, his face flushing red.

Hearing their titles made me inwardly wince. I now understood that such epithets were bestowed upon martial artists of renowned skill, often with a certain dramatic flair. Their names translated to “Blade Dragon,” “Sword Phoenix,” and “Spear Dragon.” How could they say them without embarrassment? Then again, my sister’s title, “Poison Blossom,” was no less extravagant.

Sword Phoenix, who seemed very sociable, looped her arm through my sister’s and beamed. “We saw each other just last year, correct?”

“Yes, we did, Sword Phoenix. In Sichuan,” my sister answered politely, though she seemed slightly uneasy.

“Oh, please, no need for such formality. We agreed to use our given names, remember?” Sword Phoenix teased, holding on tightly despite my sister’s subtle attempts to pull away.

“Only because you insisted…” my sister murmured quietly.

Ignoring her, Sword Phoenix suddenly grinned mischievously. “Actually, I’m glad we ran into you. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”

“What is it?” my sister asked, tilting her head curiously.

“Well, a peculiar rumor has been spreading through the Murim Alliance,” Sword Phoenix began, her tone playful. “They say you’ve taken a lover. Is it true?”

“A lover?” my sister repeated, clearly surprised.

“Yes. The warriors are all gossiping! Apparently, this fool—” she said, pointing at Spear Dragon, who turned bright red, “—challenged some of them to duels to protect your reputation.”

Spear Dragon quickly objected, “It isn’t like that! As a fellow warrior, I simply could not permit Lady Tang’s honor to be sullied!”

My sister looked at him with a neutral expression and replied, “The rumor is false.”

‘Is she hiding it?’ I wondered. At the Tang Clan, she had introduced me to her father and the strategist as her betrothed. But now, she was denying the rumors. Was it to prevent unwanted attention?

Spear Dragon’s face brightened instantly. “You see? I told you so!”

“Ah, so it was just empty gossip. You’re in the clear, Seong-hoo,” Blade Dragon said with a laugh.

“Clear? I was never in trouble! Anyway, I’ll go and correct those warriors—” Spear Dragon began, pushing up his sleeves, when my sister placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke with a smile.

“The rumor is mistaken. He is not my lover. He is my fiancé.”

‘Fiancé!?’

While “lover” suggested a romantic affair, “fiancé” meant someone formally pledged in marriage. The impact of her words struck me like a massive rock. Failing my mission to gather the venomous creatures was now completely unthinkable.

Sword Phoenix, typically very poised, looked genuinely astonished. “Fiancé? But he seems so young!”

“Indeed, this is Wi So-ryong, my fiancé,” my sister stated smoothly. “So-ryong, please introduce yourself. These are Blade Dragon, Sword Phoenix, and Spear Dragon.”

For a moment, I was too stunned to react, but I managed to offer a proper greeting. I resolved to ask my sister about her intentions later.

As for the spearman, it was obvious he held unrequited feelings for my sister. But what could be done? Young men learn from experiences such as this.

“It is all part of growing up.”

With that thought, I stepped forward and gave a polite bow to the trio.

“It is an honor to meet you. I am Wi So-ryong, Lady Hwa-eun’s fiancé. I look forward to your guidance.”

The three, initially speechless, quickly regained their composure and returned the greeting.

“Ah, yes, of course. A pleasure to meet you, Young Hero. I am Seon-hwa from Mount Song’s Daoist sect, though I bear the exaggerated nickname Sword Phoenix,” the woman said, offering an slightly embarrassed smile.

“To think someone so young has earned the favor of one of the Murim Blossoms… I am Blade Dragon, Paeng Gyu-seong,” said the man with the sword.

The spearman, who had been staring at me blankly, finally reacted after his companions nudged him. “Ah, yes… I’m Yang Seong-hoo. A pleasure to meet you,” he mumbled.

Once the introductions were over, the warrior captain reminded us of our schedule. “The strategist is waiting. We should not delay him further.”

“My apologies. We must be going for now,” my sister said with a polite smile. As we walked away, I glanced back to see the other two patting Yang Seong-hoo on the shoulder in consolation. It seemed someone had just received a difficult lesson in maturity.

***

“Well, look who has arrived! I did not expect the two of you to come personally.”

“Greetings, Strategist,” my sister and I said together as we entered his office.

The strategist, Zhuge Hu, welcomed us warmly and motioned for us to sit. After pouring tea for each of us, he came directly to the matter at hand.

“So, how much venom were you able to acquire this time?” he asked.

“We prepared all that was possible. Approximately three bottles’ worth,” my sister replied, setting the box we had carried onto the table.

— Thud.

She opened it to reveal three large bottles, each filled completely with venom.

“You must have endured great difficulty. I witnessed the venom extraction process during my time in Sichuan—it is exceedingly demanding work. Please extend my deepest thanks to your family,” Zhuge Hu said, his appreciation evident.

Considering the rarity and value of this quantity of venom, his words were significant. Extracting venom from snakes is not only painstaking but also involves handling deadly creatures. Even for highly venomous snakes like the Russell’s viper, the average yield is only about 12 milliliters per snake. To fill a single 1.5-liter bottle, one would need venom from at least 125 such snakes. For smaller species like the Hobanyu, the number could easily surpass 500 per bottle.

Therefore, filling three bottles would have required harvesting venom from close to 1,500 snakes.

“I will be sure to convey your gratitude,” my sister replied with a slight bow.

Zhuge Hu smiled and nodded. “Good. Now, while you are here, you should take the opportunity to see the Murim Alliance. It would be a good chance to form bonds with disciples from other sects. And, So-ryong, I wish for you to meet the Alliance Leader. He has expressed a desire to see you.”

Though his offer was appealing, we did not have time to spare. While sightseeing and networking could be postponed, the survival of our lizards could not. If we did not find the Ice Jade soon, they would likely starve.

“We must depart at once, Strategist,” I stated firmly.

“At once? Why such haste? Do you have another destination in mind?” he asked, blinking in surprise.

I explained our predicament. “We do. The lizards you spoke of appear to subsist on the energy from Snow Ginseng. To keep them alive, we require the Ice Jade. We intend to visit the Namgung family, who are said to possess it.”

Hearing this, Zhuge Hu nodded thoughtfully but responded with concern. “Ah, I understand. So, in a way, I have taken their food source… I see your urgency. However, I must caution you—the Namgung family has been handling some strange troubles lately. I am uncertain if they will be in a position to host visitors. In fact, they could not even spare anyone to aid us in apprehending the Blood Cult agents.”

“Strange troubles?” I asked, a wave of worry hitting me.

If something was amiss with the Namgung family, it could greatly complicate our mission. A sense of foreboding began to settle over me as I considered what we might be walking into.