Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

—Ssshhhhaaaa.

As Mingsha Mountain began to “sing,” clouds of sand and dust rose thick into the air.

The wind, now harsh and sharp, scooped up sand from below and flung it in every direction, so I quickly wrapped my scarf around Hwa-eun’s nose and face.

“Wow. This sandstorm is insane. Hwa-eun, use this to cover your eyes and face.”

Clothing in the Central Plains is made with exceptionally wide sleeves.

Wide enough that you could sew a full T-shirt out of just one sleeve’s fabric.

So normally, Hwa-eun could have covered her face herself—but that’s only if she weren’t from the Tang Clan.

In the Tang Clan, it’s common to store hidden weapons or needles inside their sleeves. If you casually cover your face with them, you might end up skewered by your own poisoned needle.

Not that Hwa-eun would ever make such a mistake. She’s reached the Flower Realm and is immune to most poisons by now.

Still, I had my reasons for doing this myself.

Even though Hwa-eun gave me permission, I basically postponed our wedding and dragged her out here to catch a spirit beast.

Yes, she gave me her blessing—but in truth, this entire trip came about because our wedding was delayed, and I used the opportunity to quietly go on a spirit beast hunt.

Which meant I had to take good care of Hwa-eun on this journey.

If she ended up feeling even slightly neglected, all those unspoken issues we’d tiptoed past could come back to bite.

And let’s be honest—this wouldn’t be the last time something like this happened.

Sure, Gun Hye-rin had joined us this time, but in the future, I might end up going spirit beast hunting with just Hwa-eun again. I needed to lay the groundwork properly now.

Let’s also be honest—I say “just the two of us,” but that could just as easily mean “sneaking out alone.” Still, once we’re married, asking permission will probably become standard.

If this kind of trip turns into a bad memory, there won’t be a second chance.

In my past life, most people obsessed over different hobbies, not venomous creatures like I did.

One of the most classic examples? Fishing.

After watching those maniacs, I swore to myself I’d never be like them—and I was now putting that vow into action.

Here’s what I mean:

In my past life, fishing-addicted husbands often clashed with their wives over their hobby after marriage.

It’s weekend getaway time, but the guy just wants to go catch fish. What wife would enjoy that?

And so, right after marriage, these men would run into conflict over their beloved hobby. Their solution?

“Let’s take the wife fishing too!”

If they could get their wives into fishing, they could go together—perfect, right?

So they’d bring their wives to the fishing spot. But most of them failed right there.

How?

Because after that one time, the wives would flat-out refuse to ever go again.

Which led to no one going.

The reason for this failure is obvious:

They never considered the other person’s point of view.

Fishermen often think, “Once they catch a fish, they’ll fall in love with it.”

But that’s a huge mistake.

They’re bringing along total beginners.

Worse yet, they’re ignoring that their wife is a woman beginner.

A typical fishing trip means enduring mosquitoes, mist, staying up all night staring at a bobber in the dark.

Veterans don’t think about the discomfort or boredom—they’re used to it.

But from a beginner’s perspective?

Mosquitoes constantly buzzing in your face, peeing in the bushes, sleeping in a cheap tent on a rock floor—that’s hell.

And if you’re a woman, it’s even worse.

That’s why these fishing maniacs always fail to hook their wives into the hobby.

If you really want to get your wife into fishing, rent a luxury fishing bungalow with heating, air conditioning, and a clean toilet.

Then, while watching the float at night, whisper something like “I’m so happy when I’m with you” just loud enough to be heard.

If I’d put my mind to dating in my past life, I could’ve made dozens of women cry.

“I understand. Thank you, So-ryong.”

As I was wrapping the scarf around Hwa-eun, I heard her joyful voice.

I delivered my prepared line mentally.

“No need to thank me. It’s nice being here with you in a new place.”

“S-So-ryong, you really...”

Perfect so far.

We were already used to accommodations and long travels. A single good line like that, and everything else would fall into place.

I quickly moved to cover her eyes one last time—

But then Cheong-yu Sojeo spoke up awkwardly.

—Shiaa. “Uugh...”

When I turned my head, she was struggling against the rising sandstorm.

The winter outfit made from Yohwa’s silk was flapping in the wind and not covering her face properly.

Why now, of all times?!

I wanted to focus all my attention on Hwa-eun so she’d feel the “special treatment,” but now it seemed I had to check on Cheong-yu Sojeo too.

I feared this might make Hwa-eun’s good mood waver, but I couldn’t leave Cheong-yu Sojeo like that either, so I moved toward her—

Just then, Cho and Yeondu’s voices echoed beside me.

—Tsrrt. “Everyone, inside.”

—Shaiya. “So-ryong-nim, we’ll block it for you.”

They spread their bodies like a dome to shield us from the swirling sand.

“Look at these two—so thoughtful!”

In an instant, they formed a shelter.

Yeondu became the wall, and Cho the roof, enclosing us inside. The wind was still blowing, but much weaker now.

Inside, Cheong-yu Sojeo brushed sand off her head and spoke.

—Shiaa. “That wind was intense. Thanks, both of you.”

—Shaaa. “No need to thank us, Miss Cheong-yu.”

—Tsrrrt. “Yeah, big sis.”

It almost turned into a mishap, but thanks to Cho and Yeondu, the situation was resolved smoothly.

When I looked at Hwa-eun, she gave me a bright smile.

It seemed like I’d succeeded in making this trip a good memory after all.

Phew...

Sheltered inside the dome Cho and Yeondu made, we were still feeling some wind trickling in through the gaps between their bodies, but the sand had decreased noticeably.

I peeked out through the sleeve I was using to shield my eyes.

—Ssshhhhaaaa.

About the time it would take to drink a cup of tea passed.

Slowly, the swirling sand began to push outward in a circular pattern—and eventually, the storm of sand and dust settled entirely.

“Is it over?”

As the dust fully settled, I looked through the gap between Cho and Yeondu’s coiled bodies. The wind was [N O V E L I G H T] still blowing—but only in a wide circle about a hundred meters out. At our center, it was calm, like the eye of a typhoon.

As we brushed the sand off our clothes and uncoiled from the kids’ protective dome, Hwa-eun’s voice called out.

“So-ryong, look over there. Look!”

She had already removed the cloth I’d wrapped over her eyes and was pointing to a particular spot in the moonlit sand field—bright and clear under the full moon.

Everyone followed her gaze. Ahead of us, the ground was sunken in, revealing a large opening at the center of the depression.

That had to be it—Heavenly Demon Cult’s sacred ground.

Just then, Gun Hye-rin’s voice rang out.

“What are you people even doing?”

“?”

She was asking what we were doing.

At first, I thought maybe she was sulking because she wasn’t included under Cho and Yeondu’s makeshift dome. But looking at her, she was spotless—completely untouched by the sandstorm.

Surprised, I blinked at her, and she turned to Hwa-eun.

“I taught you how to manipulate the Qi Veil to block the wind. Why didn’t you use it? You could’ve easily expanded it into a circular barrier.”

Wait, you could use it like that?

I honestly hadn’t realized it was possible to adapt it that way to shield from wind and sand.

Gun Hye-rin continued.

“Someone like you wouldn’t have failed to think of that.”

Then Hwa-eun, stepping toward the hole ahead, glanced over her shoulder at Gun Hye-rin and said:

“Little Heavenly Demon, have you ever had a man?”

“Uh... n-no, never.”

“Not even once?”

“Not even once. Why are you asking me that?”

Hwa-eun turned fully to me and gave a sweet smile.

“When the man you love is desperately trying to do something for you, sometimes... even if you know a better way, you pretend not to. It’s cute.”

...Hrrkk.

So she had realized all along that my efforts were deliberate.

***

Still caught off guard by Hwa-eun’s sharp intuition, I followed the others toward the cave entrance.

The opening, carved into sandstone, still had a layer of sand built up over it.

But as soon as we reached it, Gun Hye-rin reached out her hand and stirred her energy—sending the sand piled in front of the entrance pouring outward.

It looked like some form of telekinetic Qi manipulation.

Once the sand was cleared, Gun Hye-rin turned to me.

“It’s in there.”

Before we went inside, I asked her a question.

“Wait, isn’t this supposed to be a sacred place? Are we really allowed to just walk in?”

“Of course.”

Well, I suppose once she becomes the Heavenly Demon, she’ll be the ruler of the cult. And the sacred grounds would be under her domain too.

It was just a formality to ask—but if even the future leader says it’s fine, then I had no reason to object.

“...”

“...”

I looked at Gun Hye-rin, expecting her to take the lead.

She stared at me and just blinked.

With a sigh, I said, “Could you please guide us inside?”

“Ah, r-right. Of course. The guide...”

Flustered, she quickly moved ahead.

We followed her into the cave.

It was made entirely of milky-white sandstone, forming a smooth and solid corridor.

For sandstone, the walls were surprisingly dense—clearly reinforced or treated after being carved.

As I looked around, taking in the surroundings, I suddenly walked face-first into something.

“Oww...”

“S-Sorry!”

Looking up while rubbing my nose, I saw Gun Hye-rin wearing an apologetic expression in the darkness.

It happened two more times after that.

Confused, I realized that she was slowing her steps.

“Why are you walking so slowly?”

“Ah, it’s just... it’s dark. Sorry.”

Dark? A martial artist who’s reached the Flower Realm would never struggle just because it’s dark... Could she be... afraid?

I asked cautiously as I followed her from behind.

“By the way... are those snakes really that powerful?”

“O-of course they are! Even I couldn’t handle them. Even when the elders joined in, we couldn’t win.”

As she spoke, Gun Hye-rin gave a visible shiver.

So she’d been defeated repeatedly... Was her spirit shaken?

Just as I was starting to suspect she’d really been scared, I heard Hwa-eun’s voice in my head.

“So-ryong, do you think it’ll be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean... we did make a promise, but there’s no document or formal contract. It’s just verbal. I can’t help but feel uneasy. What if they planned to deceive us all along...?”

Ah. She was worried whether Gun Hye-rin would truly honor the agreement we made.

But from what I’d seen so far, she didn’t seem like a bad person.

She taught us useful techniques during our journey, even offered help when we hunted deer out of hunger, and when Moji and Soji clung to her, she didn’t lash out—she just asked me to handle it.

I told her I didn’t think we had anything to worry about—but Hwa-eun’s concern wasn’t quite what I thought.

“She doesn’t seem like a bad person, right? And she’s clearly scared of the snakes, so I doubt she’s scheming anything personally.”

“True, but... sometimes a leader has to make decisions that go against their own desires.”

“Hmm...”

She had a point. Even if Gun Hye-rin had no ill intent, her subordinates might pull something.

At that moment, a sharp hissing sound echoed ahead.

—Kssshaaa! “Hooh. Even after all that last time, you still didn’t back down. I respect your tenacity.”

—Shakiii! “Right, sis. I thought she’d be too scared to return. Surprising, really. Looks like she brought someone with her this time, though.”

—Kssha? “I sense another similar presence. But even so... Huh? Wait, what’s this energy behind them?”

—Shakii? “T-that... that’s... that’s her qi!!”

I quickly stepped forward and looked ahead.

We had entered a massive underground chamber.

From the ceiling, grains of sand fell like stardust, and at the center of that space, two enormous snakes were staring at us, visibly startled.

They gazed at us in a daze—until Cheong-yu Sojeo peeked her golden horned head out from behind me.

At that moment, the two snakes shrieked and charged toward us like maniacs.

“Hiiieek!!”

And at the same time, Gun Hye-rin leapt behind me and hid.