Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

The young martial artist’s response to the offer of a reward was rather baffling.

When he was asked what he wanted, they expected something fitting for someone his age or perhaps something that any martial artist would desire. Instead, his request was completely unexpected.

“I do have something I really want…”

“And what might that be? Speak freely—an elixir? Money? A weapon? After accomplishing such a feat, you could ask for anything. I’ll do my best to fulfill your request, so don’t hesitate,” Zhuge Hu encouraged, nodding firmly.

With a shy expression, the young man hesitated before answering.

“Ahem. Well, what I actually need is… information about venomous creatures.”

“Information about venomous creatures?” Zhuge Hu repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, you see, my… hobby—or rather, my aspiration—is to gather venomous creatures scattered across the martial world to contribute to the Tang Clan’s development. For that, I need information about their whereabouts.”

“You want to collect venomous creatures?”

Zhuge Hu had already found it peculiar when the young man tamed the Golden Wasp Kings, but now hearing his intention to collect and raise venomous creatures? It was an odd request, to say the least.

Just as Zhuge Hu thought how truly unique this wish was, the young man rolled up his sleeves to reveal his forearms.

“These little ones are some of the creatures I’ve been raising…”

“Huh?”

At first glance, it appeared that something yellow was wrapped around his arm like armor. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the thing wriggling on his arm wasn’t armor at all.

The young man carefully unwrapped what was coiled around one arm and placed it on the table. It squirmed for a moment before attempting to climb back onto his arm.

“What… is that?”

When asked, the young man smiled awkwardly and answered, “It’s a baby Blue-Spotted Centipede that I’ve been raising.”

“A baby Blue-Spotted Centipede?!”

Yes, the stories from the Tang Clan mentioned this. Though Zhuge Hu had only heard a brief account—something about the young man defeating Tak Wonyang with a Blue-Spotted Centipede—he hadn’t expected it to be the offspring of that centipede.

“Ah, that reminds me. I heard about it—how you used a Blue-Spotted Centipede to defeat Tak Wonyang…”

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

To treat the Golden Wasp Kings like mere pets and to carry Blue-Spotted Centipedes on both arms—it was simply unbelievable.

Even in the vast history of the martial world, filled with countless eccentrics, Zhuge Hu couldn’t recall anyone like this young man.

‘How fascinating. How can venomous creatures be so obedient to a person?’ he thought. Raising and even wearing such creatures was something no ordinary person could ever imagine doing.

Venomous creatures, no matter how tame, could kill with a single bite if mishandled. Yet this young man showed no fear. His courage was astonishing.

Then, as Zhuge Hu marveled at the peculiar sight, a memory he had almost forgotten resurfaced.

The young man had asked for information about venomous creatures years ago. He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, uncertain whether it was a serious request or not.

“Hmm… I believe I can grant one part of your wish right away. Does the venomous creature you’re interested in include… lizards? Do lizards have venom?” Zhuge Hu asked cautiously.

“Lizards? Are you serious?!”

“Yes, is that acceptable?”

“Of course, sir! Lizards have venom in their eyes, you see. Traditionally, lizards are…” The young man’s eyes sparkled as he launched into an excited explanation.

Most of what he said was incomprehensible, but one thing was certain: the young man was ecstatic.

Watching his enthusiasm, Zhuge Hu scratched his head awkwardly.

The martial alliance had rewarded countless warriors for their achievements—legendary swords, rare medicines, even beautiful companions—but never before had someone been so thrilled at the prospect of learning where a lizard might live.

‘Without a doubt, he’s an eccentric,’ Zhuge Hu thought.

***

The thunderous roar of cascading water echoed from the cliff’s edge.

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

“Uncle, I think we’ve arrived! Just as the ancestral records described—there’s the waterfall and the Turtle Rock. And over there, you can even see the peak of Mount Gongga.”

To the right, a massive waterfall thundered down the cliffside.

In the distance, the snow-covered summit of Mount Gongga gleamed white, while in front of them lay a rock shaped like a crouching turtle. It was clear they had reached the place the ancestor had written about.

Zhuge Hu nodded at his nephew’s words and dipped his hand into the water, recoiling at its icy touch.

As the snow from the mountain peak melted and flowed down, the water was chilling to the bone. Turning to the warriors and his nephew who followed, he called out, “Wait here, all of you! Yongcheon, follow me carefully—the water is freezing!”

“Yes, Uncle!”

“Yes, Master Zhuge!” the warriors replied in unison.

Without hesitation, Zhuge Hu leapt into the river where the waterfall met the flowing stream. Using the skill Stepping Across the Waves, Flying Swallow, he lightly landed on the turtle-shaped rock in the middle of the water before springing forward again. This time, he landed on one of the jagged rocks jutting out from the opposite cliff.

Though he hadn’t yet reached his destination, he didn’t stop. Instead, he launched himself upward, climbing the cliff by stepping on the protruding stones scattered across its surface.

After a brief climb, he spotted it—a large, moss-covered rock shaped like a clenched fist. The mist from the waterfall had concealed it from view until now.

“That’s it, Yongcheon!” he called back.

“Go on ahead, Uncle. I’ll follow shortly!” his nephew replied, his voice steady.

Satisfied with his nephew’s readiness, Zhuge Hu leapt once more, landing on the fist-shaped rock. There, a narrow crevice barely large enough for a person to crawl through came into view.

“Uncle, it’s just as the ancestor described,” Yongcheon said, having caught up.

Zhuge Hu nodded, pulling out his trusted weapon, the iron whip sword. Though the cave entrance was high up on the cliff, the ancestor’s writings had hinted that it wasn’t the only entrance. If there were any creatures inside, they needed to be prepared.

“I’ll go in first. Follow closely.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

With heightened senses, Zhuge Hu bent low and began crawling into the damp crevice. Cold water droplets fell from above, and the ground beneath him was slick and muddy. However, the narrow passage soon began to widen, and before long, it was tall enough to stand upright.

Light filtered in from ahead, exactly as described in the writings. As they moved toward the source of the light, a massive cavern came into view.

The ceiling soared high above—easily tens of meters. Sunlight poured in from an opening at the top, illuminating the space with a warm glow that belied the icy conditions outside. Despite the cold stream outside, the cavern felt as comfortable as a spring afternoon.

The ground was covered with vibrant flowers and strange fruits, creating a surreal, almost magical atmosphere. It was exactly the kind of place where a legendary spiritual herb could grow.

“Unbelievable,” Yongcheon muttered in awe.

Zhuge Hu nodded, taking slow, deliberate steps toward the center of the cavern. Their goal lay just ahead. As they approached, the sunlight illuminated the object of their quest—a plant with white leaves, growing beneath two large, leaning rocks.

“That… that’s Snow Ginseng!” Yongcheon exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement.

Indeed, it was Snow Ginseng, one of the rarest spiritual herbs imbued with the energy of extreme Yin. After a century, it was called Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng, and after a millennium, Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. This particular herb had been discovered by their ancestor a hundred years ago, but it had been too young to harvest at the time. Now, a century later, it was ready.

Though the Zhuge Clan had initially planned to leave it to mature further, the Namgung Clan’s dire need for a Yin-infused herb to cure their daughter, who was born with severed meridians, prompted the exchange. In return, the Zhuge Clan would receive a two-hundred-year-old Black Fleeceflower Root, an unparalleled elixir for their martial artists. It was a trade that could not be refused.

Zhuge Hu and his nephew knelt in reverence before the plant.

“We, your descendants, Zhuge Hu and Zhuge Yongcheon, humbly thank the ancestors for their guidance.”

After paying their respects, they began to carefully dig around the Snow Ginseng, removing the moss and soil around its roots.

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

Zhuge Hu reacted instantly, leaping back and raising his iron whip sword.

Clang!

A blue spark flew off the weapon’s surface as something hard struck it with incredible force. The shock reverberated up his arm, leaving it numb. A less experienced martial artist would have suffered a broken arm from the impact.

“Uncle! Are you all right?” Yongcheon shouted, panic in his voice.

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

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

Slash!

Zhuge Hu swung his weapon with precision, feeling it cut through something solid. A sharp, otherworldly screech echoed as the creature retreated into the undergrowth behind the Snow Ginseng, leaving behind shimmering blue droplets.

Looking at his blade, Zhuge Hu saw it covered in frost, a chill radiating from the strike.

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

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

“A lizard.”

“A lizard?” Yongcheon repeated in disbelief.

Yes, Zhuge Hu was certain. The creatures that had ambushed them were none other than two venomous lizards.

***

The information passed on by Zhuge Hu, a military figure from the Murim Alliance, was as sweet as honey.

A blue lizard!

Yes, the story was about a blue lizard—a venomous creature rumored to grow by absorbing the energy of spiritual herbs. Honestly, the specifics didn’t matter. What mattered was that it was a lizard.

And blue, no less!

Natural blue is incredibly rare, making the blue lizard the ultimate find. On top of that, lizards are some of the most rewarding creatures to breed. They’re adorable, enjoyable to handle, and when annoyed, they bare their little teeth and sometimes bite—endearingly so.

Even better, the location where it was spotted was near Mount Gongga in Sichuan.

According to Zhuge Hu, it wasn’t far from here. And the best news? He promised to notify me whenever venomous creatures were discovered in the Central Plains. Here, they call a man who understands such generosity a ”true hero,” and Zhuge Hu absolutely fit the title.

‘What a remarkable man.’

However, despite this incredible lead, there was a small setback: thanks to the trouble caused by those damned Blood Cult members, it would be difficult to leave the clan grounds for the time being.

If I wanted to catch the lizard, I’d likely have to wait for either my father-in-law or grandfather to return so one of them could accompany me. Until then, I’d have to bide my time.

That’s why I was sitting in the Four Harmony Pavilion, checking Bini’s antennae and wondering when my father-in-law would return.

“Where is So-ryong? So-ryong!”

The booming voice of a man echoed across the entire Tang Clan mountain, loud enough to shake the earth.

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

Moments later, my father-in-law, flanked by members of the Venom Blood Squad, burst into the pavilion. Only direct family members were allowed into the Four Harmony Pavilion, but exceptions were clearly made this time.

‘Perfect timing.’

It seemed my father-in-law had just returned after leading the Venom Blood Squad on a mission.