Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

When I infused the talisman with energy, the talisman crumbled away and flames flared up at my fingertips.

- Fwoosh.

The flames burned red, then soon turned blue.

As the red flames turned blue, Bulsiho’s voice came from within the flames.

[Hello, Elder. It has been a long time. What brings you to me? Did you want to hear this Bulsiho’s voice? Hehe.]

A friendly voice came from the other side.

Maybe it was because we had built definite closeness over Yubing’s matter, but Bulsiho’s voice carried familiarity.

I slowly began laying the groundwork.

“Bulsiho, have you been well? It is just that, should I call it a request? No, should I call it a consultation? There is that kind of problem.”

[A request, a consultation?]

At Bulsiho’s question, I quickly continued.

“It is just that my Senior Sister... no, I have an elder sister, you see.”

[Ah, so you have an elder sister?]

“Yes, we cultivated together.”

[You said you had a Peach Garden Map. So then?]

“But that elder sister is suffering from an incurable illness.”

[An incurable illness? Most who have ascended are freed from illness, though?]

“Well, I am thinking it may be something like heavenly punishment...”

[Oh my. So then?]

Maybe because we had built up closeness, when I said my elder sister was suffering heavenly punishment, I heard a sympathetic voice.

After all, it meant that she was suffering something like a natural disaster.

From here on was the real point.

First, I exaggerated Senior Sister’s symptoms as I explained them.

Because I had to make it so that permission could not help but be granted.

“Day by day, as though the life force of a dying tree were drying up, my elder sister is withering little by little in that way, and as it happens, they say there is a medicine that is best for that person.”

Before I had even finished speaking, Bulsiho spoke in a voice saying Bulsiho understood what I meant.

[So you want to ask for that medicine? Understood. I will search thoroughly from the First Heaven to the Eighth Heaven and obtain it at once. So then, what is it?]

Bulsiho probably thought that, since their side was the biggest and strongest among all sects and gatherings from the First Heaven to the Eighth Heaven, I was asking them to obtain it for me instead.

I explained that was not it.

“No. That is not it. We have already found out where it is.”

[Ah, then it seems another place possesses it? Then shall we put our name forward and try to conclude a deal?]

“No. We have even found out how to obtain it, but there is a slight problem, so I need Bulsiho’s permission.”

[Excuse me?]

A question full of not understanding what I meant.

I brought out the main point in earnest.

“I will explain in detail. In truth, the medicine to cure my elder sister is the venom of a certain Fierce Poison Water Louse. We came up to the Nine Heavens in search of it, and as it happened, we were fortunate enough to find that Fierce Poison Water Louse.

But that Fierce Poison Water Louse cultivator said that if we want help, we must fight and defeat that one.”

“Uh, then is there not really anything for me to help with?”

There followed a question saying Bulsiho did not understand, since Bulsiho had come out of the Eighth Heaven and fought me once, and also knew my realm.

Bulsiho knew that between the First Heaven and the Eighth Heaven, there were almost no people who could fight me and win.

Was I not at the Primordial Infant Stage, and also a brute-force cultivator?

Once they reached the Transformation Stage, everyone ascended to the Middle Heavens, so at present I was among the strongest ranks here, and because I was brute-force type, I was evaluated as another level stronger, so Bulsiho seemed unable to understand.

“Yes, but I cannot fight, you see.”

[It seems you have some circumstances? Then shall I step forward? Or shall I send some of my children to you?]

“No. The other side says that in a martial contest for marriage, that side will only grant the request of the one who defeats that side, and attached the condition that the opponent must be a man, and only a man.”

[Eh...?]

Though there were a few men mixed in who would be extorted later, that side was, for the most part, a group made up of women.

At my words, the sound from Bulsiho’s side cut off for a moment.

“Bulsiho?”

When I called Bulsiho again, Bulsiho answered in a flustered voice.

[Yes, uh, Elder, I... then it seems there is nothing I can help with...]

Now for the conclusion.

I brought up Yubing.

“In truth, since the other side is a Fierce Poison Water Louse, it seems the battlefield will be the Dark Sea ruled by the Jet-Black Sea in the Sixth Heaven, and the only cultivator here who can fight there without burden is Yubing...

The condition is that neither side uses attacks that endanger the other’s life, so Yubing will not be in danger. And I will also be treating Yubing from the side.”

[I understand what you mean. But Yubing is fe... ah... I, I understand what you mean.]

Bulsiho was about to say Yubing was female, then closed the mouth after realizing that was not so.

Soon, cheerful permission came down.

[Well, all right, Elder. Even if Yubing cannot defeat just anyone in a fight, Yubing will not lose either. Tell Yubing to do it.]

It was such a ready answer that I was the one who was almost startled.

It was not something I should ask, but I could not help asking.

“Really?”

[Yes, Elder.]

“I am grateful, but it is a martial contest for marriage...”

[Ah... hehe. I trust Yubing, so it is fine.]

“Oh, is this trust?”

It seemed Bulsiho trusted Yubing greatly somehow, but I was deeply flustered by the words that followed.

[And besides, girls are jealous. They always try to wedge themselves between two who are especially close, you know?

That is why in the Ten-Thousand Demon Forest, if the two agree, adding one or two in between them is not a big problem. It is more enjoyable if several do it together.]

“Huh.”

The Ten-Thousand Demon Forest was a very wicked group.

***

Since I had gotten permission too,

I decided to head for the Sixth Heaven right away.

“Who wants to come with me?”

The Lord’s Chamber.

When I asked whether there was anyone who wanted to come along on this trip, Ji-ryeon quickly raised a hand.

“Me, So-ryong. This time I will come along.”

“Then Ji-ryeon, Yubing, Cho, Yo-hwa, and just in case, Cheonhae. Anyone else?”

“I would like to go, but because of White Night City, I cannot leave my post.”

“We will definitely bring it back, so Senior Sister, please take care of White Night City.”

“All right, Junior Brother.”

I went down underground and asked the same question. I had tried to bring along any of my spirit-creatures at all, but not a single one of the children said they would go.

It felt like all of them had become serious about obtaining human-type bodies.

“Is there really no one who wants to come?”

- Krrrung. “We are busy with training.”

- Sia. “So-ryong, go and come back.”

In the end, there was no helping it. Leaving the other children behind, we decided to head for the Sixth Heaven by ourselves.

“Then I suppose we have to go by ourselves. Let’s go.”

Putting the children into my mind-space, I headed straight for the Second Heaven together with Cho.

There was no movement talisman up to the Sixth Heaven, so we had to fly there.

It took about ten days to reach the Sixth Heaven, and when we arrived near the center of the Sixth Heaven, a lake as wide as a great sea came into view.

It was a place I had not been able to see when I headed for the Eighth Heaven, since I had gone around along the outer edge of the Sixth Heaven.

The water color was utterly black, and the horizon stretched out before me, so it looked enough like the sea to be called one. It seemed the name of the group managing this place, Jet-Black Sea, probably came from here too.

“Everyone, come out and look. I think this is the sea.”

I brought everyone outside and showed them the magnificent sight.

“It is completely pitch-black?”

“Right?”

It was so black and dark that the water almost looked cola-colored, and then I heard Yo-hwa’s startled voice after tasting some of the lake water.

- Kishishi. “You’re right, Oppa. Oppa, but the water here is salty.”

- Tsrurur. “Really!”

“I told you, it is the sea.”

Here, from the First Heaven to the Eighth Heaven, the great islands floated in the sky.

Even if it was called the sea, I had thought it would probably look like a lake, so I had assumed of course it would be so, but Yo-hwa, Cho, and Ji-ryeon seemed to have been thinking of fresh water.

“For now, let’s find the Jet-Black Sea.”

“Then we will go back in for a while.”

After showing the lake to Ji-ryeon and the children for a moment, I moved at once to look for the Jet-Black Sea.

Since I had entered the territory of the group called Jet-Black Sea, I would have to receive permission to operate there first.

After putting away all the other children and flying around the lake together with Cho, I was able to spot a single large island far off in the center of the lake, and there I could see spirit-creatures standing watch.

Even around the island, things like the dorsal fins of fish were rising out of the water and vanishing again.

Maybe because this was the Sixth Heaven, there seemed to be many spirit-creatures of low realm, and many appeared to be maintaining spirit-creature forms.

“They are strange-looking spirit-creatures. That must be the place. Cho, over there.”

- Tsrut! “Yes, Dad.”

It was the moment I began flying that way.

- Splash!

- Splashhh!

Fish cultivators sprang up from the black water.

Perhaps they had not yet reached the point of learning Transformation Arts, because the urgent voices of the fish cultivators began ringing in my head.

[This Black Water Sea is the territory of the Jet-Black Sea, so how is it that a high cultivator casually crosses it while ignoring the laws of the lower river?]

Since the fish cultivators were fish without vocal cords, they were using a method of sending their voices directly into my head, and it seemed they had been startled when I, a cultivator of high realm, suddenly flew toward the Jet-Black Sea’s stronghold.

“My apologies. I am So-ryong of White Night City in the First Heaven.”

I stopped, cupped my fist, and revealed my identity.

[Th-the First Heaven’s White Night City!]

[The First Heaven!]

Then the fish were startled.

By now our White Night City was fairly well known, so they probably knew who I was.

As the fishes’ large eyes grew even larger, I explained the matter that had brought me.

“I have business in the territory of this Black Water Sea, so would it be all right if I stayed in this Black Water Sea’s territory for a while?”

For now I hid the exact purpose and asked whether I could stay in the territory for a while.

If I said I had come for a martial contest for marriage, it felt like I would be advertising that I had come to seduce some woman.

At my words, the fish answered.

[W-would you wait just a moment? We will inform the palace lord.]

“Understood.”

After I waited a bit, the fish swam away.

Once the fish that had swum to the Black Water Sea’s stronghold reached the island, they lifted their bodies and flew toward the central building.

Apparently that was how they moved outside the water.

- Tsrut. “Dad, the fish are huge.”

“You can say that again.”

It was Cho whispering quietly now that they were gone, unable to speak while they were here.

Cho seemed to find the giant fish fascinating.

So, while I waited in the air for a bit, cultivators came flying over.

This time, together with a giant octopus woman.

[It is my first time meeting you, Lord of White Night City in the First Heaven.]

The octopus approached and cupped the fist.

The octopus seemed to have transformed, but peculiarly was in a state that felt half-human and half-beast.

The face and limbs were those of a woman, but octopus legs hung down from the waist.

I cupped my fist in return and greeted the newcomer.

“It is my first time meeting you as well. I am So-ryong of White Night City in the First Heaven.”

[I have heard your business. Sua-nim, the master of the Jet-Black Sea, says you are to be received as a guest. Please come inside.]

I had meant to simply handle my business and leave, but it seemed the master of the Jet-Black Sea wanted at least to exchange greetings with me.

Since I was planning to stir things up here a little, it was awkward to refuse.

“Understood.”

I flew to the Jet-Black Sea following the octopus and the fish.

Once I arrived at the island, cultivators lined up in formation.

From the entrance of the island to the central building, cultivators who had transformed and cultivators who had not stretched out in rows.

[Welcome to the Jet-Black Sea.]

[We sincerely welcome you to the Jet-Black Sea.]

After putting Cho into Dokmul-hyang, I passed through the crowd welcoming me as though it were some kind of inspection ceremony, and the place I arrived at was one where many halls stood in rows. Then the door of the largest central hall opened wide, and one person walked out.

“So you are So-ryong of the First Heaven. Come in quickly. I welcome you.”

The one who appeared was a Primordial Infant Stage cultivator.

It was the first dragon-looking cultivator I had seen since ascending.

It was the form of a charming woman with deer-like antlers of blue jade rising from the head.