Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

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Evolution 1

“That little rascal really put us through the wringer.”

As the creature collapsed onto the gravel, the voice of Mandok God Grandfather echoed through the crowd gathering around it.

With the sun at their backs and all draped in Yo-hwa’s threads, it felt as if they were using some kind of shadow clone technique.

While searching for Grandfather amid the crowd’s identical silhouettes, a figure stepped forward, placing a hand on the rascal’s head.

“Now then, let’s see just how impressive that Inner Dan is if it allowed you to use the Heirloom Force (御氣衝溯). Ahem.”

As Grandfather placed his hand on the creature’s head, intending to locate its Inner Dan, the crowd tightened around us even further.

Everyone who had participated in the raid lost their sense of caution and gathered closer.

While I indeed found the creature itself to be the most intriguing subject, the primary focus for everyone else gathered here was undoubtedly the Inner Dan.

It was an elixir that could enhance either the martial skills or energy levels that martial artists held most dear.

At that moment, a voice could be heard approaching from afar.

“Did you catch it!?”

“Did you catch it, Long?”

It was Older Sister Seol and Hua Eun.

Having been too visibly outlined due to being enveloped in Yo-hwa’s threads, they couldn’t participate in the stalking and seemed to have rushed over once they heard the creature had collapsed.

“Yes, we did.”

The moment I nodded, the faces of the two brightened up.

In unison, they asked the same question.

“What about the Inner Dan?”

“And the Inner Dan?”

Even Older Sister and Hua Eun appeared most curious about the Inner Dan.

I replied while glancing at Grandfather.

“He’s currently checking it.”

Then even mellow Hua Eun, not able to contain herself over the Inner Dan, approached Grandfather, who was inspecting the rascal’s head, eagerly inquiring.

“Grandfather, how incredible is it? Based on its use of Heirloom Force, it surely exceeds the first cycle of Inner Dan, right? Right?”

When one mentioned the first cycle, it signified a level of skill that took sixty years of energy cultivation to achieve.

Everyone’s eyes and ears tuned towards Grandfather at Hua Eun’s question, as he raised his hand for a brief moment, gesturing them to wait.

After a while, he withdrew his hand from the rascal’s neck, mumbling to himself.

“Hm… At this level, one could surely achieve two cycles… Moreover, it’s not overly large, but it is a well-compressed good Inner Dan.”

“““Two cycles!”””

That single word fell into the gathering like a bombshell. ‘Two cycles’.

Since one cycle equals sixty years of cultivation, two cycles would undoubtedly mean one hundred and twenty years of mastery.

“Grandfather, did you say two cycles!?”

“Elder, are you certain it’s two cycles?”

The implication that this rascal possessed an Inner Dan that a person would obtain after one hundred and twenty years of cultivation caused the gravel by the valley to erupt into excitement.

“Soo-ryong, just cut it open… No, let’s just dissect it. We don’t have any attachment to it yet, after all.”

“Exactly, Long. It’s not just ten or twenty years; it’s one hundred and twenty. Even just absorbing half would mean picking up sixty years of cultivation. That means you won’t run out of energy for learning martial skills.”

We must decide while still detached, as Hua Eun rightly mentioned. Once an attachment formed, it would be harder to cut it open later, wouldn’t it?

The thought that it might be a goose laying golden eggs had faded from everyone’s minds at the mention of two cycles.

*

Ever since the notion that a One-hundred-and-Twenty-Year Inner Dan existed within the rascal’s body got out, I had been persistently pressured by the two girls.

It was all about cutting open the rascal.

“Soo-ryong, if blended well with the correct energy techniques, you might receive an energy level that transcends your current state. Then perhaps you might finally be able to escape the Ten Poisons Body.”

“Yes, Long. The Southern Barbarian Beast Palace and the Tang Clan will help you find energy techniques appropriate for the rascal’s Inner Dan, so let’s just go for it!”

Both of them, fully aware of how much I adored venoms, suggested we should just go ahead and cut it open since we hadn’t formed an attachment yet.

While I couldn’t absorb all of it, even half would be of tremendous value.

Furthermore, if I could absorb it all, it might improve my Ten Poisons Body…

The idea of improving my constitution honestly made me hesitant.

Having burned out all slots, it meant I might be unable to accept even one of the Ten Great Venoms, yet improving my constitution would mean gaining additional skill slots.

‘But adding slots is definitely not easy, right?’

While adding skills is common in games, adding slots themselves is no easy feat, making it hard to dismiss the girls’ advice completely.

But the problem was that this rascal was a super rare being.

It was not something I could give up on easily.

‘But still, the Flying Heavenly Snake is just too rare…’

With its cobalt-blue body and green horns, combined with the magnificent dorsal fin protruding from its back.

And it could even fly!

The fact that the Flying Heavenly Snake was evaluated as just below the Ten Great Venoms was due solely to its weak venom.

The reason it didn’t qualify in the Ten Great Venoms was purely because of its poison.

After confirming the Inner Dan upon catching it, Grandfather’s next task was to test its venom.

As the top master of the Tang Clan who was serious about venom, he then examined the rascal for venom potency after checking the Inner Dan.

It turned out, the venom ranking revealed the rascal was significantly lacking.

“Hm… While there are differences with each individual, it puzzled me how such an incredible Inner Dan could belong to a creature that isn’t part of the Ten Great Venoms, only to discover it was due to its poison.”

“Is the poison weak?”

“It’s certainly a paralyzing toxin, but it’s not nearly as effective as Yo-hwa’s. Being robust in physiology, it didn’t have to possess strong poison.”

Grandfather’s conclusion suggested that the rascal’s poison was an inferior version of Yo-hwa’s paralysis toxin.

If Yo-hwa’s toxin leaves an immediate effect while still keeping some consciousness, the rascal’s paralysis toxin completely numbs the mind, acting a bit slower than Yo-hwa’s version.

And then I realized the Flying Heavenly Snake lives alone in the jungle, while Yo-hwa relies on consuming human Yang energy.

Determining who was more dangerous to humans would clearly show that Yo-hwa posed a greater threat.

So perhaps that was why it never made it to the Ten Great Venoms? Grandfather voiced this notion cautiously.

“Long, you’re too kind-hearted to ignore what Older Sister Seol says, right?”

“Soo-ryong…”

The persuasions from Older Sister Seol and Hua Eun continued on the path home to the Beast Palace.

*

Traveling from the Abyssal Valley for two days.

As I lay down exhausted from the relentless nagging all the way back to the Beast Palace, Hua Eun’s gentle voice reached my ears.

[Soo-ryong, can we talk for a moment?]

[Ah, sure.]

‘Is it another one of those again?’

After enduring continuous suggestions between Older Sister Seol and Hua Eun for two days, to be called out immediately as soon as I lay down was unexpected.

Were they planning to keep me up all night until they wanted me to cut it open?

Following Hua Eun, I ventured into the overgrown grass.

There, sitting on a rock, Hua Eun beckoned me over to her side.

“This way. Soo-ryong.”

With a resolute expression, she firmly grasped my hand.

“Soo-ryong, at first, I didn’t realize how extraordinary you are and acted foolishly, but now it’s different. I genuinely understand how remarkable you are.

Because of that, I’ve been constantly thinking about you. How can I help you? How can I be of use to you? W-what I mean is, those kinds of thoughts.”

As Hua Eun, not holding back her shyness, tightly grasped my hand while stating her feelings eagerly.

I had a good idea what kind of conclusion would follow this, but it was much harder to withstand than the ongoing suggestions.

“Y-yeah, I see.”

“Yes, and since I’m saying this, I hope you’ll truly take it to heart. I know how much you love venomous creatures, but I’m saying this because it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

You mentioned achieving the domain of the Ten Poisons with the Ten Great Venoms, but those aren’t exactly common, are they? Even if you catch them, you won’t be able to extract their Inner Dan, correct?”

Just as Hua Eun pointed out, the Ten Great Venoms were my ultimate goal and a trophy I longed for.

I wouldn’t ever cut them open just because I managed to catch them, so I nodded.

“Y-yeah, that’s true.”

“So, what I’m suggesting is to focus on the Inner Dan of the Twenty-Four Poisons. If your martial prowess rises, capturing the Ten Great Venoms will become much easier!”

She looked up at me with an earnest gaze while still holding onto my hand, and I sensed that if I said no, this moment might stretch into eternity.

That wouldn’t be so bad, but under such tense circumstances, I couldn’t help but agree.

“Ah, understood. I-I’ll think about it.”

“I sincerely hope you make the right choice.”

After being led into the foliage by Hua Eun and hearing such heartfelt confessions, I began to return to my resting spot.

‘Well, this is draining.’

Just as I was making my way back to rest, shouts from the soldiers by the cart resounded in my ears.

“Awake, awake!”

“Bring the Grand Clan Head and Soo-ryong here!”

-Clatter, crash!

With the sound of something breaking, it was clear the Flying Heavenly Snake had finally awakened.

I had anticipated this, so I had already made preparations.

“Soo-ryong, look over there.”

The cart I arrived at with Hua Eun.

While rushing toward where the creature lay, I saw it thrashing about atop a cart whose wheels had collapsed.

-Crack!

Having been previously secured in Yo-hwa’s neatly made pouch three times in preparation for its awakenings, the snowy pouch now wriggled under the moonlight like a water balloon full of liquid.

-Shaya!

And within it came the creature’s warning sounds.

Having completely smashed the cart, it couldn’t seem to tear the pouch apart, floating right above its head.

“Finally awake?”

Though Grandfather rushed over, he quickly went to retrieve it again.

-Thud!

-Siiss!

Though it had floated like a balloon while remaining in Yo-hwa’s pouch, it hadn’t gotten very far before being pulled down again by Grandfather and the soldiers who had rushed over, holding onto the thread connected to the pouch.

-Shya!

It screeched several times in frustration but repeatedly was dragged down and ultimately seemed to have run out of steam, starting to exhale heavily inside the pouch.

-Shhhh! Hiss!

With the visibility absent, it released sounds filled with rage from all directions, promising it wouldn’t spare anyone who dared approach.

Grandfather gazed at the pouch containing the rascal, remarking.

“That thing is full of vigor. It’s not like it hasn’t eaten for days.”

Snakes can go for over a month without food.

The creature had collapsed from fatigue, not hunger.

Naturally, I didn’t think much of such a commotion since it was expected.

“Well, a snake can get by without eating for a month, you know.”

Grandfather nodded and replied while eyeing the creature.

“That being said, we’ve got a big problem. Now that it’s woken up, how on earth do we move it?”

Just as Grandfather stated, the makeshift cart was now in shambles.

We could rebuild the cart, but moving it would prove challenging given the vigorous thrashing.

While pondering on how to relocate it, he spoke somewhat reluctantly.

“Soo-ryong, you seem to really like it, so I haven’t mentioned it until now, but there’s a serious issue in taking it back to the Tang Clan alive. The other creatures are usually docile enough to rear, but this one… Where on earth do we put it? It really is a dilemma.”

Indeed, as Grandfather remarked, Ogong had been raised gently since hatching, and the Lizard had been mended when hurt, while Yo-hwa was nurtured by human hands and thus had less animosity toward people.

In the heat of obsession with capturing it, I hadn’t deeply contemplated that, but it definitely was a problem.

With the creature’s cries echoing, Grandfather’s voice followed.

-Shyaaa!

“Why not just kill it and extract the Inner Dan?”

At Grandfather’s suggestion, Hua Eun also nodded in agreement.

-Shya! Shyaa!?

Suddenly, the creature’s cries fell silent.

As I turned to observe the now-quiet rascal inside the pouch, Grandfather spoke again.

“It’s regrettable to let a spirit creature perish, but it may pose danger if it’s so furious. You should decide right here and now. Shall we kill it and extract its Inner Dan?”

Just as Grandfather finished his words.

-Kack! Kack!

Strange sounds resonated from within the pouch.

“What is that sound?”

“What’s going on, Soo-ryong?”

For a moment, a loud coughing sound emerged from the pouch, and then the creature seemed to start to retch, trying to expel something.

‘A reverse flow?’

It seemed like it was attempting to regurgitate.

Reverse flow refers to the action where a snake regurgitates undigested food, which larger prey tend to do when they become too encumbered and need to lighten their load to escape.

But this rascal had been starving for days, so it shouldn’t have anything to expel. A moment later, the pouch it was contained in began to deflate like a balloon, and a brilliant blue glow began to emanate from inside.

“W-what is this!?”

“What is that?”

With amazement, Grandfather, I, and Hua Eun moved closer to the radiant pouch, staring at the glowing energy pouring out.

It exuded a refreshing essence.

And then, Grandfather’s voice resounded, full of disbelief.

“I-It spat out its Inner Dan!?”

I had assumed it was trying to regurgitate something, but it turned out to be the Inner Dan instead.

Within the pouch, the now shrunken Flying Heavenly Snake—barely over a meter in size—gazed up at us, calm and compliant.

“Is it offering its Inner Dan to spare its life?”

Hua Eun’s question led the rascal to nod vigorously, tears streaming from its eyes.