Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

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Secret Cave 1

Indeed, investigating the Five Poisons Sect was a necessity.

Both the Tang Clan and the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace had believed they were annihilated a century ago, yet here we were, uncovering their traces.

Moreover, those guys had even launched a preemptive strike.

Their last stronghold was rumored to be hidden in the jungles of Yunnan, and it seemed that Mandok God Grandpa and my adoptive father intended to conduct a joint investigation before the Tang Clan’s members returned to their family.

“We could not leave because we needed to check on you, but now that you’ve awakened, we are ready to assess you.”

“Right, So-ryong. I have already sent word to the clan head and received his approval, so I thought it best to confirm things now that we’re in Yunnan.”

If they had attacked the Beast Palace, we could very well be next. Instead of sitting around, it was better to hunt down and resolve the grudges left unsettled for a century.

In conclusion, neither the Beast Palace nor the Tang Clan were to be taken lightly—this wasn’t just casual banter.

Perhaps it was a given conclusion, and I nodded inwardly.

‘Well, if they managed to avoid annihilation, they should stay hidden. Why rush to their doom?’

Nodding along with their words, I replied.

“Oh, so that’s what happened. Then I must definitely accompany you, right?”

My stance was that one must be perceptive.

I was the adopted son of the Beast Palace and the son-in-law of the Tang Clan.

In a situation like this, it should only be proper that I join them.

So, I looked at both of them with determination, only to see them astonished.

“You? You want to come with us right after awakening?”

“So it’s you, Long? You just woke up not long ago!”

“I’m the son of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace and the son-in-law of the Four Heavenly Houses, after all! If it were the enemies of both our clans, how could I sit this one out?”

If it were about killing people, I might have hesitated, but investigating the ruins of a sect that fell a century ago was the kind of score I needed to settle.

One side resided in a place filled with my hobby—venomous insects—while the other provided support for my interests, so I had to earn some merit!

“Haha. Is that what you were thinking?”

“To think So-ryong was such a thinker; you have truly become part of our families!”

Mandok God Grandpa and my adoptive father beamed with delight, while Seol-i and Hua Eun seemed touched by my words.

‘In life, being perceptive is of utmost importance.’

*

“Oof, I feel so sluggish.”

A few days later, my adoptive father and Mandok God Grandpa decided to search the ruins where the Five Poisons Sect had fallen a century ago.

Leaving them to discuss the detailed schedule and plans, I stretched, feeling my stiff body as I stepped out of the Beast Palace Lord’s quarters.

After being inactive for fifteen days, my body felt like it had run out of lubricating oil.

As I shifted my joints and muscles groaned in protest, I heard worried voices from behind—Hua Eun and Seol-i.

“Shall we get you some rest? So-ryong?”

“Yeah, I might lie down for a bit.”

– Swoosh?

With worried faces, Hua Eun and Seol-i followed me, while Chao chimed in with her usual cheer.

Although Grandpa and my adoptive father had said there was nothing wrong with me, they still seemed concerned.

It was likely due to the mention of my consciousness being consumed, but I shook my head and said, “No, I’ve been asleep for fifteen days; I need to get moving. And more importantly, I need to check on the kids.”

“The kids?”

“The venomous insects I’ve captured.”

Even though I had been unconscious for fifteen days, I was far more worried about the other kids.

I had to check on them quickly.

‘Ugh, what kind of caretaker passes out for fifteen days?’

Those who keep pets should never get sick or be lazy. After collapsing for fifteen days, I absolutely needed to assess everything.

Then came a sharp noise.

– Swoosh!

– Swoosh-swoosh!

On Hua Eun’s shoulder, Hyang and Bin looked displeased, their anger evident.

As if to say, how could I worry about other kids when they still hadn’t vented their own frustration?

“Guys, Daddy didn’t mean to ignore you…”

– Soot!

– Soot-soot!

With Mandok God Grandpa and my adoptive father barging in, Hyang and Bin’s feelings of disappointment still hadn’t been alleviated.

Seol-i tried to soothe the kids with gentle pats, but both avoided her touch, looking expectantly at me.

It seemed I needed to first mend things with Hyang and Bin before addressing anything else.

From the side, Seol-i held back laughter at the kids’ expressions, reassuring me not to worry.

“I’ll have to resolve the kids’ feelings first. And you don’t need to worry about the other venomous insects; I shipped them all to the Tang Clan ten days ago.”

“To the Tang Clan?”

“Yes, So-ryong. When I sent word to your father at the Tang Clan, I had most of them shipped over.”

“Oh, so I see. You mentioned you’d sent word to my father; it seems they left together.”

“Yes, So-ryong.”

As most of the techniques for upkeep had already been explained, shipping them to the Tang Clan was no issue.

So I thought all was well, but I suddenly remembered a certain someone I had completely forgotten.

Looking back at Seol-i and Hua Eun, I asked, “What about the Flying Heavenly Snake?”

Since I hadn’t learned much about the Flying Heavenly Snake, I was a bit worried just sending it away.

I knew what it ate, but it had vomited out its Inner Dan and suddenly shrunk, after all.

“Oh, right. I completely forgot about that one!”

“Now that you mention it, I had forgotten about that little guy. Just days ago, Gu Pae was worried because it hadn’t eaten.”

Both of them seemed to respond as if they had completely forgotten.

Thinking I should quickly placate Hyang and Bin and then go see it, an idea popped into my head.

I could check on it while also calming Hyang and Bin.

“Hey kids, I know you’re upset, but how about this… I’ll go get two more Inner Dans?”

“You’re going to get more Inner Dans?”

“Get inner energy?”

– Swoosh?

Hyang, Bin, Seol-i, and Hua Eun tilted their heads at my suggestion.

I quickly led the four of us to where the Flying Heavenly Snake resided.

Whether I could genuinely find more Inner Dans was uncertain, but I could at least give it a try.

Arriving at a sharp rock in the first circular meadow where Yo-hwa made her home, Yo-hwa quickly approached, taking the form of Seol-i and showing her concern.

– Kiss! Kissihsihsih!

“Yo-hwa was really worried, you know?”

“Sorry for making you worry, Yo-hwa. Big brother is fine now.”

Because she didn’t seem as angry as Hyang or Bin, I calmed her down with a gentle head pat, and her mood lifted.

After soothing Yo-hwa, I checked beside the sharp rock for the Flying Heavenly Snake, finding a large water container filled with baby fighters and a structure I had never seen before used for keeping them.

Inside a bamboo structure with four walls was a semi-transparent tent made of Yo-hwa’s threads.

Inside was the Flying Heavenly Snake, coiled up.

I squatted down and spoke to it.

“Have you been well?”

– Shaa?

Hearing my voice, it lifted its head, looking around, clearly trying to pinpoint my location, likely confused by the web in the way.

Since I had mentioned losing my way to Yo-hwa, I requested her to open the top flap.

It seemed better to converse while seeing each other’s faces.

“Yo-hwa, would you open the top for me?”

– Kiss!

At my request, the top of the square confinement opened, and I peered inside, then continued speaking.

“Well… It’s our first time seeing each other like this, right? Nice to meet you; I’m So-ryong. The reason I’m talking to you is that I think there’s been some misunderstanding between us…”

– ?

Hearing that, it tilted its head.

I explained to it what misunderstandings there might be between us.

“I wasn’t planning to do anything bad to you! I wanted to bring you home and take good care of you because you’re just too beautiful! But things got out of hand because you were acting so fierce and wild? I want to return your Inner Dan, but my daughter has eaten it…”

– Shaa!?

In response to my words, the Flying Heavenly Snake looked baffled.

I gestured to Chao, who had followed us, to show it to her, and its reptilian slit pupils widened in shock.

Its mouth hung agape.

It seemed to sense something significant had happened.

– Sha, sha… Sha…

Then it began to shudder.

Having given up its life to save itself, it now found it incredibly hard to believe that my Inner Dan had been transferred to another venomous creature.

Would martial artists react similarly if their energy was stolen by another?

In an attempt to console the shaken creature, I said in the gentlest tone possible, “I know you must be surprised and incredulous, but why not consider this?

It would be too sad to leave you in this state, right? You’ve shrunk so much that you might get eaten by other venomous creatures, right?

So how about… we take care of you until you can regain your former self?”

“Sha?”

“I mean, we’ll feed you to keep you safe from being eaten by other creatures or animals.”

You haven’t eaten anything since you were captured, right?”

I reached to catch a shining, plump baby fighter nearby with a net-like tool and offered it to the Flying Heavenly Snake.

“Let’s eat something first; you must be hungry, right?”

– Gulp.

Noticing its hunger, I presented the baby fighter to it, and it gulped in anticipation.

“If it’s alright with you, we’d like to help you regain your strength. I’m not that bad of a guy. I have my daughter here, and also… Hua Eun, Bin, and Seol-i?”

“Oh, they’re eating in the room.”

If they were eating in the room, they were likely feeding off the Ice Orbs that Hua Eun and I had brought back.

Nodding along, I continued, “Along with a couple of Ice Lizards, as you know? I’m taking good care of them all. Oh, must be hungry; let’s eat and talk.”

As I introduced everyone, I leaned the baby fighter closer to it, but the creature turned its head sharply, letting out a warning hiss.

– Shaa! Shaa!

(Do you think I’m an idiot!? Do you really think I’ll fall for such nonsense!?)

Or at least, that seemed to be its sentiment.

Then, Chao, who had been observing silently, suddenly thrust her head into the facility and began scolding it.

– Swoosh!

(What did you just say to my dad!?)

With the ferocious aura of a flying girl, Chao startled the Flying Heavenly Snake, which backed away to a corner of the confinement, trembling.

I figured scaring it wouldn’t work in the middle of this conversational attempt, so I pulled Chao towards me with another arm, saying, “Chao, you shouldn’t act like that; you’re scaring him.”

– Swoosh!

Though I pleaded with her not to frighten it, Chao wouldn’t budge, tugging herself back onto my arm while also sneering at the Snake.

After some time, with thick tears rolling down its cheeks, the Creature approached me, accepting the baby fighter.

‘Was that a tactic to get it to try consuming something?’

– Sha, sha…

– Gulp.

“Good, you’ve got to eat.”

Seeing it eat made me realize it was a more timid creature than I’d thought.

It seemed an intimidating approach worked better than gentle persuasion.

Regardless, the Flying Heavenly Snake couldn’t be pleased to be in a situation where it was being fed by someone who had stolen its energy for over fifteen days.

After a while, having gorged on enough fighters, it hid its head deep into the confines in a pitiful state.

A feeling of self-reproach washed over me.

But now that it had started munching, I wouldn’t have to worry about future issues.

“I think you need some alone time for a while, so let’s head back?”

Returning, I turned to Hyang and Bin, saying, “I’ll make sure that little guy gets healthy enough to regurgitate its Inner Dan. Just a bit of patience, okay?”

Though I felt a bit sorry for it, what could I do? I’d have to ask for a little sacrifice for the sake of my family.

‘I’m sorry, but who knows how long it’ll take to develop Inner Dans? Let’s just get two more out of the way.’

At that point, Hyang and Bin exchanged glances, seemingly agreeing that my thought wasn’t so bad, and moved over from Seol-i’s shoulder to nuzzle against me.

*

Arriving at the place known as Nan Nuo Mountain, where the Five Poisons Sect supposedly perished a century ago, we searched for two full days. However, given that it had been a century, finding precise traces was no easy task.

The Beast Palace only noted, “The Five Poisons Sect perished at Nan Nuo Mountain,” without any recorded specific locations.

Therefore, on the third day, I decided to climb to the mountaintop to ask Chao for assistance.

“Chao, can you lift me up as well?”

– Swoosh!

At my words, Chao quickly wrapped around me.

As Chao flew upwards, my body lifted into the air as well.

With Chao’s legs moving swiftly in midair, it felt like her body glided across the ground.

“Whoa! Now, hold on a moment, Chao.”

Since I was flying alongside her, I asked her to stop to take in the surroundings.

I had thought rising high would allow us to spot something, but even at a height, nothing came into view.

The subtropical jungle becomes dense just days after disturbance, usually obscuring all visibility, making it difficult to uncover the ruins of a sect that vanished a century ago.

Just when I was pondering whether to go down after seeing nothing, I suddenly heard my adoptive father’s voice from below.

“Long, check out the north side.”

“The north side?”

“In the jungle, more people build homes in the shadier north, so check that area.”

“Understood.”

While I thought homes were typically east or west-facing, with the hot jungle, it made sense to check the northern side.

As I turned to look northward, a sight caught my eye amidst the dense greenery of sunset—the sight of a swarm taking flight.

Focusing my Eye Technique on it, I realized it was a flock of bats.

‘Just bats?’

It wasn’t until I touched down that I realized nothing but that had caught my attention.

My adoptive father called out again, “Did you find anything?”

“No, I saw a swarm of bats flying northward, but… nothing else…”

“Bats! Then we must check that area!”

After telling him I hadn’t really found anything, my adoptive father seemed delighted.

Why was he so pleased?

Brightening up, he explained, “If a swarm of bats is flying around, it means there’s a big cave nearby. Of course, we need to investigate it!”

It seemed those with a strong bond with beasts could think in wholly different ways.