Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

‘Damn...’

To think the master Ji-ryeon had gained was someone this formidable.

I’d thought they were just those peculiar older sisters who’d spent thousands of years unmarried and obsessed only with naughty things, but she turned out to have the staggering background of being a ruler from the First Heaven to the Ninth Heaven.

In fantasy terms, it was like an empire ruled by three empresses—and my wife had effectively become the unified disciple of those three.

And those empresses didn’t even have children.

Ji-ryeon was the heir.

Well, I didn’t know if she was the only heir.

‘Isn’t Ji-ryeon going to inherit all this later?’

I briefly imagined Ji-ryeon becoming the ruler of the Nine Heavens.

Of course, since the empresses were immortal and ageless, the odds were low—but wouldn’t you get tired of ruling for too long?

So there was hope.

As I whistled in admiration along with that hopeful fantasy, the people who couldn’t even dare turn their backs began backing away.

Just like how one withdraws backward without showing one’s back before an emperor, the cultivators started retreating.

No one dared raise an objection.

Because she was the ruler here.

When the ruler of the Nine Heavens spoke, there was no one who would dare argue.

Even Makjeong of the Heaven-Crippled Assembly—the heavenly terrorist who claimed he would burn the heavens—kept his mouth tightly shut and withdrew without a word.

If he tried to add anything here, wouldn’t he be sliced down immediately?

Before they all retreated, I shouted,

“Wait! Everyone, stop where you are!”

At that, Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo, in Ji-ryeon’s form, looked at me and asked,

[Why? Do you wish to take revenge? I would rather you did not. We promised your wife we would raise you to be an emperor. An emperor should be more magnanimous...]

It seemed she thought I meant to take revenge for being attacked.

But that wasn’t it.

“No, Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo. I simply wish to clear up a misunderstanding.”

[A misunderstanding?]

“Yes, a misunderstanding.”

I stepped out beside Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo and spoke toward the retreating people.

“It seems there’s been some confusion. The reason I call that person my master is because I learned the martial arts he left behind in the lower realm. That is why I revere him as master and follow his traces—it’s not that I’ve formally become his disciple yet. So I don’t think there’s any need for such hostility.

If I do find him, I’ll tell him to return the wives you lost. Taking someone else’s wives—that’s something that makes no sense.”

I wasn’t denying my master.

But we had to live here until I reached the Huashen stage and ascended to the Middle Heavens.

That meant these people were our neighbors.

At the very least, the hostility had to be resolved.

No one would attack while Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo stood behind us, but there were several reasons it still mattered.

First, even though we owned an entire city within Dokmul-hyang, we weren’t self-sufficient.

Our agriculture wasn’t fully running yet, and we had no ore—so once we used up our current food and metals, we’d have to buy more.

And that wasn’t all.

We’d need more skilled artisans. We needed information about my master. And above all, we needed information on the venomous jellyfish spirit beast required to heal Senior Sister.

So at minimum, the hostility had to be cleared away.

No matter how powerful Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo’s backing was, if relations turned hostile, we wouldn’t be able to obtain information.

Even if she was the ruler here, there was nothing she could do if people chose to be uncooperative.

And this wasn’t the kind of matter I could keep troubling such a lofty being with.

At my words, the leaders of the various assemblies and sects clasped fists and spoke.

“Khmm. We thank you for repaying our mistake with kindness. I offer my apologies once more for the discourtesy.”

“Thank you. I’ll come to visit later and apologize properly for today.”

“You are a righteous man. Thank you. I too will come in person and apologize.”

“Thank you, elder.”

It didn’t feel like they were putting on fake politeness just because Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo was present.

They’d probably thought I might try to take revenge by relying on her, so hearing that I’d instead ask my master to return their wives seemed to make them genuinely grateful.

As those who’d finished greeting began to withdraw one by one—

Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo suddenly called out to someone who was moving away, as if remembering something.

[Ah, right! You there, child. You said you were from the Nine-Heaven Demon Tower, did you not? The ones who serve us?]

The one she called was a female cultivator dressed in garments like a celestial maiden.

She had been the last to withdraw, and earlier, when greeting, she’d introduced herself as the one who led the Nine-Heaven Demon Tower.

From her retreating spot she leapt forward and threw herself flat before Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo.

“Y-yes, N-Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo. I-I am Huiyang, mistress of the Nine-Heaven Demon Tower that serves the three of you. H-huhu...”

From what she said, it seemed they served Hyeonnyeo, Chaenyeo, and Sonyeo.

Just like in the lower realm there were shrines serving the Eight Immortals or other Daoist immortals of the Central Plains, it seemed there was a similar group here devoted to those three.

The difference was that Ji-ryeon had been personally recruited by the three themselves—like a direct hire—while that side seemed more like voluntary devotion.

The woman was trembling all over, tears of emotion streaming down her face.

If the deity you served appeared in person and spoke to you, how happy would you be?

It was probably similar to the shock of your favorite idol from a past life suddenly appearing and talking to you.

At her reaction, Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo looked like she didn’t quite understand why she was like that, and gave an instruction.

[The owner of the body I have manifested through is a child I personally took as disciple, and this man is her mate. Assist them so that they may settle here without inconvenience.]

You served me, right?

This one is my disciple, so take good care of her.

That was basically the request.

‘...I kind of feel bad?’

Hearing Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo’s words, I wondered if this was really okay.

It felt a bit awkwardly apologetic.

Ji-ryeon had been taught dual cultivation personally, and when it looked like I might get beaten to death, she’d even appeared herself to protect me—while that side had probably been serving devotedly all along.

And yet all they got was errands.

But maybe that was just my perspective, because the moment Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo finished speaking, the woman said with a face overflowing with emotion,

“To entrust such an undeserved task to someone as lowly as me—I am moved beyond words.”

Well, if the deity you serve gives you a mission, maybe you feel joy rather than resentment.

Thinking I should accept the support gratefully, I heard Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo say while looking at me,

[In my haste to act because you were in danger, this child has overstrained herself. I leave the rest to you.]

“...Pardon?”

A thought flashed.

Since Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo had descended into Ji-ryeon’s body, the same thing as before was bound to happen.

Ji-ryeon’s body went limp and collapsed.

I darted forward and caught her.

“Haaah.”

Hot breath puffed against my ear.

Ji-ryeon’s body clung to me, sticky and needy.

‘Well... nothing to be done about this.’

It wasn’t some pointless descent—she’d come to save me. What could I do?

This was mine to handle.

I needed to take her in quickly and cool her body.

Just as I was about to switch positions with the Primordial Infant I’d left inside Dokmul-hyang while holding Ji-ryeon—

I noticed the woman called Huiyang, mistress of the Nine-Heaven Demon Tower, still prostrated there.

I looked at her and said,

“You said your name was Huiyang?”

“F-for someone as lowly as me to have my name spoken... Y-yes! Please command me.”

“I need to stabilize the body of my wife, which Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo just passed through. If you could leave some kind of communication talisman, then later—”

Stabilizing Ji-ryeon came first, so I was saying she could leave a talisman and I’d contact her afterward.

But the woman flattened herself again and said,

“N-no, it is fine! I will wait here, so please go without concern.”

“No, it will likely take a long time...”

Last time it had taken from evening until dawn—an entire night—to stabilize her.

So this time it would probably take even longer, which was why I told her to leave a talisman.

Didn’t Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo say Ji-ryeon had overstrained herself?

Even now in my arms she kept pressing kisses against my neck—her condition looked severe.

She felt like a female spirit beast in heat.

But she insisted on waiting.

After a brief thought, I told her,

“Then take my Primordial Infant with you to your base.”

If she insisted, she could take my Primordial Infant.

By the time I finished stabilizing Ji-ryeon, they’d reach her base, and afterward I could speak with her there.

The woman nodded, apparently thinking that better.

“Understood, elder.”

Holding Ji-ryeon, I switched positions with my Primordial Infant.

The Primordial Infant that emerged outside climbed onto the woman’s shoulder and headed toward her base, while I entered my residence in Blood Market Tower holding Ji-ryeon, who had already half-undressed and burrowed into my arms.

“So-ryong, hurry... haa...”

Soon after, inside my residence wrapped in a sound-blocking barrier, Ji-ryeon’s cries began to echo.

***

It took a full day to stabilize Ji-ryeon.

Half a day longer than last time, which had taken one night.

By morning, the bed was soaked with sweat, and the two of us looked as though we’d just finished bathing.

As I brushed the damp hair stuck to Ji-ryeon’s forehead aside, she spoke with a blissful expression.

“So-ryong.”

“Yes?”

“I think I’ll ask Hyeonnyeo to use my body from time to time.”

“W-why?”

I was the one responsible for dealing with the backlash of her manifestation, yet Ji-ryeon was saying she’d ask her to come more often.

At my question, Ji-ryeon smiled and said,

“Well, then I get to be held by you all day like this, So-ryong.”

To cool the heat in her body, I’d had no choice but to give it my all.

So I’d been even more intense and relentless than usual, and it seemed Ji-ryeon liked that.

Meanwhile I’d had to keep my sword sheathed all day, only barely half-drawing it now and then—it had been exhausting.

Still, since Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo had helped me this time and I couldn’t disappoint Ji-ryeon, I said with an awkward laugh,

“Nine Heavens Hyeonnyeo saved my life and even improved the harmony of our marriage, so sh-she’s a v-very kind benefactor. Hahaha.”

“Right? She really is someone to be grateful to.”

With Ji-ryeon finally calmed, I checked the outside situation.

Specifically, where my Primordial Infant was and what it was doing.

‘Let’s see what this guy’s up to.’

The place my Primordial Infant had reached and was resting was a low hill covered in profuse peach blossoms.

It seemed to be an area created by Dao techniques, and the spiritual energy density was extremely high.

My Primordial Infant was reclining in utter luxury at the very top of that peach-blossom hill, in a pavilion roofed like layered peach petals.

Laid on plush golden bedding, it was being attended by female cultivators.

“Lord So-ryong, are you comfortable?”

The women slowly waved banana-leaf-shaped fans at its side, and before it were laid out various delicacies.

Most notably, a peach rich in spiritual energy, already bitten once, lay in front of it, giving off a fragrant aroma.

While I’d been through hell all day here, that guy had been lounging in comfort.

Eating delicious immortal peaches, no less.

‘The main body’s been worked like a beast, and you’re just lazing around there? Does that make sense?’

No matter how I thought about it, something felt reversed.

I gathered my energy to dry my body, quickly dressed, and switched positions with my Primordial Infant.

As I did, I felt its regret at not having finished the peach.

I tossed the peach in front of me into the place where the Primordial Infant now was and said,

“Summon Huiyang, mistress of the Nine-Heaven Demon Tower. I have matters to discuss.”

From my master’s affairs, to where the spirit beast needed to heal Senior Sister might be, to where would be a good place to live—there were many things I needed to ask her.