Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 88

Chapter 88

“Centipede Formation!”
Tshrrr!
At my command, Cho, Hyang, and Bin-a emitted sharp hisses, wriggling across the ground to latch onto the bamboo stalks in front of us.
Then, they began to nibble at the bamboo with an almost charming delicacy.
Crack.
Crunch.
Their actions were met with soft, awed gasps.
“Oh, they’re so adorable!”
“Aww, how precious!”
The faces of Hwa-eun and Seol brightened instantly as they showered the little creatures with affection.
By combining the Beast Heart Technique from my adoptive father with the Beast Formation taught by Seol, I had successfully executed the Centipede Formation.
The Beast Heart Technique was meant to enable consecutive attacks through bonded creatures, but when performed by our young centipedes, the result was somehow overwhelmingly cute.
Even though they could move quickly to bite, their crawling pace along the ground—or perhaps their current skill level—introduced a slight delay to their motions. This only enhanced their endearing appearance as they inched forward to gently gnaw on the bamboo.
While Hwa-eun and Seol were clearly captivated, I couldn’t stifle a sense of letdown.
I had anticipated something far more formidable.
I had envisioned a sequence as fierce and dynamic as Seol’s own attacks, so why had it turned out so charming…?
Without meaning to, I murmured my discontent.
“This isn’t what I had in mind…”
Tshrr?
Churut?
Tch?
Hearing this, the little centipedes seemed to ask, “Did we do something wrong?” I immediately waved my hands to reassure them.
“No, no. You did perfectly. Well done, my little ones.”
I had hoped for a more powerful, biting assault, but it was evident they still required more time to mature.
Swallowing my disappointment, I called them back to me.
They weren’t even a year old, after all.
“You’ll grow bigger one day. I’m certain you’ll become giant centipedes, just like your mother was.”
“Alright, let’s return now. You all performed well.”
Churut!
Tshrrr!
Pleased with their efforts, the little ones happily crawled back and climbed up onto me.
I gently petted their small heads.
My own progress had been modest.
It had only been two weeks since my adoptive father taught me the Beast Heart Technique and I formally registered the centipedes.
Because the core of my Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art had evolved from the Beast Heart Technique, integrating its fundamentals into my practice came naturally.
Building directly on my existing knowledge, my proficiency grew quickly.
I had just recently decided to test the Beast Formation with my three registered centipedes, practicing it once as Seol had instructed.
Of course, I did not follow my adoptive father’s suggestion of lying down to let them drain my energy during the registration.
I could never bring myself to do such a thing in a sound state of mind.
It felt fundamentally wrong, as if I would be sacrificing a part of my own humanity.
Instead, I had completed the registration by allowing them to suck on my little finger.
“Honestly, that was deeply unsettling.”
Recalling that moment with a shudder, I turned to Seol.
“Seol, is there any news?”
“Hmm, the warriors went to investigate. It’s roughly a three-day journey from here, so we should hear something shortly. Just be patient a little longer. But you really do ask about this every single day.”
“Ha, haha. I’m simply curious…”
I was inquiring after news from the Bicheon Shrine, but Seol looked slightly hurt.
“You know, So-ryong, I’m a little disappointed.”
“Huh? Disappointed?”
“I understand your fascination with poison, but it feels as though if the Bicheon Shrine didn’t exist, my little brother wouldn’t have come to me at all.”
“Th-That’s not it at all!”
“Hmmm… I’m not so sure.”
After spending these past few days together, it seemed Seol had already formed a firm opinion of me.
I shook my head vigorously in response.
“No, really! I was just worried about whether someone like me could ever be worthy of being your younger brother. That was my main concern.”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely!”
Sigh. Having such a kind older sister was more intimidating than I’d anticipated. Honestly, if this were like my past life, I believe I would have preferred a sister who was less nurturing and more assertive.
I’d never had an older sister before, so I had no frame of reference, but the Seol of the present was far removed from the ideal older sister I had once imagined.
After listening to Hwa-eun’s stories, I was beginning to think that perhaps not all older sisters were like this.
“By the way, Hwa-eun, shall we take the centipedes to the flower garden today? There’s an abundance of mushrooms there. If we gather and stir-fry them, they’re quite delicious.”
“Of course, let’s do that.”
Once Hwa-eun and Seol became distracted by this new plan, I swiftly slipped away from the training ground and made my way toward where the Tang Clan warriors were stationed.
I knew that if I lingered too long, Seol would inevitably drag me off to the garden, so I chose to make an early exit.
It wasn’t that I was actively avoiding them.
Over the last two weeks, as I adapted to merging the Beast Heart Technique with the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art, the Tang Clan warriors had been stationed here at the Beast Palace, hunting venomous creatures in the vicinity. I was merely going to check on their progress.
I had been checking in daily, which provided a convenient excuse.
“Alright, we’ve been instructed to maintain cleanliness, so we’ll have this area sorted by today.”
“Yes, of course, Daeju!”
“Speaking of which, where are the scorpions the Venom Blood Squad captured yesterday?”
“They’re over here, Daeju.”
I approached the area where the Venom Blood Squad’s guests were being held and overheard Gu Pae Daeju speaking with the other warriors.
As I entered, Gu Pae greeted me warmly.
“You’ve come, So-ryong?”
“Thank you for your hard work, Gu Pae Daeju.”
I had submitted a report on a few points just yesterday.
“Not at all, So-ryong. As you directed yesterday, we’ve been tidying up and catching mice and locusts outside to use as feed.”
“Are they eating well?”
“Some of the younger ones haven’t eaten yet, but the adults are feeding without issue.”
“The juveniles might not eat for several days; that’s to be expected.”
I listened to a few more reports while inspecting the bamboo cages.
“So-ryong is here?”
Turning at the sound of the voice, I saw my grandfather, Mandok Shingun, entering the courtyard. He was followed by the deputy leader of the Venom Blood Squad and several other members.
They had left on a collection mission five days prior and were now returning, their task complete.
“Welcome back, Grandfather. You must be weary.”
“So, any progress with the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Art?” he inquired.
“Yes, I am advancing steadily.”
“Good, good. Now, take a look at this. Deputy Gu, bring it here.”
Grandfather gestured excitedly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation as he asked Deputy Gu to present his find.
I waited with keen curiosity, and soon Deputy Gu arrived with a small bamboo sieve and lifted its lid.
Inside was a single creature—a spider.
But this was no ordinary spider.
Its abdomen had a peculiar, truncated shape, marked with a pattern that resembled an ancient coin.
“This is! The Money Plate Spider!”
“Money Plate Spider?”
Hearing the name, Grandfather looked at me with interest.
Astonished, I pointed at the spider and explained.
“Yes, this is the Money Plate Spider.”
The Money Plate Spider, known in the West as *Cyclocosmia ricketti* or the Chinese Hourglass Spider, is an exceedingly rare ancient species. It is famous for the unique, disc-shaped abdomen that looks like a stamped coin. This is why in China it’s called the Money Plate Spider, while in the West it’s named for its resemblance to an hourglass.
It was an incredibly uncommon find.
In my past life, this was a species not found in Korea.
Though it is often said to use its abdomen to block its burrow entrance, that is not accurate. These are trapdoor spiders, dwelling in vertical underground tunnels. The flattened form of their abdomen is believed to be an adaptation to their narrow, vertical homes.
“I had a feeling you would appreciate it because of its unique look, So-ryong. It seems I was correct?”
“Hehe…”
I scratched my head awkwardly as Grandfather chuckled, though his curiosity clearly lay elsewhere.
“So, has the location of the Bicheon Shrine been found?”
“Not yet. The warriors sent to scout the area have not returned from the place they were investigating.”
“Hmm. Well, they know the Yunnan jungle better than anyone, so they should locate it soon. I brought people from the Beast Palace this time, and their assistance has been invaluable.”
“Is that so?”
Yunnan was essentially their backyard; it would be strange if they weren’t familiar with the region.
As I nodded, Grandfather continued.
“The Twenty-Four Poisons… I saw them only once when I was very young. It has been so long; I am eager to see them again.”
My attention was recaptured at the mention of the Twenty-Four Poisons.
Having never received a full explanation before, I seized the chance to ask.
“Grandfather, what exactly are the Twenty-Four Poisons?”
They were described as advanced poisons, not quite ranking among the Top Ten Poisons, yet significantly stronger than common venoms. It felt like a side quest had just unlocked within the main story, and I couldn’t simply ignore it.
‘It sounds like a collection of twenty-four distinct poisons. Assembling them should be engaging.’
To be honest, capturing Yo-hwa, though cultivated by humans, had been possible largely due to luck, as it displayed less hostility toward people. The other Ten Poisons would likely pose a true challenge.
Just subduing Yo-hwa alone, with its hallucinogenic mist, enhanced physical capabilities, and shapeshifting, would have been nearly impossible without a fortunate break.
The remaining Ten Poisons would undoubtedly be even more difficult to acquire.
‘It is a main quest, after all.’
That’s why, instead of idly waiting for the other Ten Poisons to simply appear, I considered focusing on the Twenty-Four Poisons as a secondary objective, pursuing them between the main quests.
I voiced my thoughts aloud.
Grandfather answered with an amused laugh.
“Ah, I never did explain the Twenty-Four Poisons to you previously. Listen closely.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“Well, first, the name ‘Twenty-Four Poisons.’ Consider how the twelve hours of the day are divided and associated with the twelve zodiac animals. In our Tang Clan, we divide the day into twenty-four segments, and each segment is linked to a specific poison.”
‘Oh, so this is a unique time system specific to the Tang Clan?’
Just as the twelve zodiac animals correspond to the twelve hours, they’ve partitioned the day into twenty-four parts, each tied to a different poison. It sounded perfectly logical, and I nodded in understanding.
“Furthermore, the Twenty-Four Poisons refer to the advanced venoms our clan has classified. They are not as potent as the Top Ten Poisons but are still far stronger than ordinary poisons.”
“I understand. They surpass common poisons yet don’t reach the level of the Top Ten. That is remarkable.”
“Yes, and there is a tale that our ancestors created the Twenty-Four Poisons out of regret, for they could not include certain venoms among the Ten Poisons.”
The excitement in my eyes intensified as I listened, and Grandfather smiled, amused by my enthusiasm.
“And if we are speaking of flying snakes, then the Bicheon Snake is foremost among the Twenty-Four Poisons. It corresponds to the first hour of the day, the hour of Tian—heaven.”
“Tian!” I exclaimed.
‘That is incredible. The very first poison is connected to the heavens, and its name is the Bicheon Snake.’
A shiver of awe ran through me at the profound meaning behind the first of the Twenty-Four Poisons.
Just as Grandfather concluded his explanation, I heard a voice calling out.
“Oh, So-ryong is here! I knew I would find you!”
It was Seol.
Had she tracked me all the way here? After offering a greeting to Grandfather, she smiled and said,
“Ryu, we have finally received news.”
“News?”
“The news you’ve been waiting for. The Bicheon Snake. Or, I believe the Tang Clan calls it the Bicheon Snake, correct? The warriors who ventured into the jungle spotted the flying serpent in the Xie Shui Valley. Your father said he wishes to depart tomorrow. Heh.”
“Woah!”
At long last, the awaited news regarding the Bicheon Snake had arrived.
It meant that the first of the Twenty-Four Poisons, Tian, was now within our grasp.