Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

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Chapter 125: Poisoned 5

No, it wasn’t just a simple mistake; the judgment for the two involved in the mishap concluded with a forced wedding ceremony.

“I should probably tell the elder brother that, um, we need to hasten the wedding… At this rate, the heir might be born before the wedding itself…”

“No, no! I swear I’ve only had contact, nothing else!”

“Huh?”

“It’s not that… Uh, what I mean is… Huwaaaang…”

Oh, truly, had some sound carried out by his internal energy? The woeful wailing of Eun-bong reverberated sadly.

Eun-bong cried out in anguish over her unjust circumstances, but in this day and age, according to Hua Eun, even contact could be seen as intimate between a married couple, right?

Well, they were said to be betrothed, so maybe it was all leading toward a conclusion they would both be happy with.

Thus, the incident involving the Earth Dragon turned out to be merely a mistake made by two young individuals unable to control their passions, but the repercussions of the event would impact me, Hua Eun, and our children as well.

What that means is, while both Hua Eun and I recognized the poison due to our low Venomous Power levels, we could not extract the venom now spreading through the body.

To treat Earth Dragon, we would need a high-ranking member, either a master artisan or the Mandok God, which meant that Shin Tu had to go back to the Heavenly Houses to fetch one.

It’s best to treat poisoning as soon as symptoms affect the nerves.

If you leave frequent twitching and nervous issues unattended, they can lead to permanent nerve damage.

Nerves are incredibly sensitive; they can become damaged in an instant if subjected to prolonged excessive stimulation.

When I informed the military officer Zhuge Hu about this fact, he decided that Shin Tu should be the one to bring someone back quickly.

In the Martial World, there’s no one faster than “Martial Bullet Taxi” Shin Tu.

Thus, our journey would be delayed for a few more days.

“No, you’re asking me to carry that old Mandok God?”

“I beg of you, dear Shin Tu. They said the details wouldn’t worsen, but extended symptoms aren’t good…”

“Can’t we just send a nimble fellow to fetch that old man?”

“No, there needs to be a speedster like you…”

“Ugh. That old Mandok God! Just being nearby makes me feel poisoned…”

Initially, even Shin Tu balked at this.

It appeared he had a bit of a grudge against grandpa.

However, once the top elder of the Martial Forest Alliance interjected, Shin Tu had no choice but to rush off to Sichuan.

“Shin Tu, I have a favor to ask. Right now, with matters regarding the Blood Cult, can we afford to have a military officer distracted with family issues?”

“Ah, I suppose. Since you say so, Kwonhwang…”

One could sense Shin Tu felt a bit constrained under the authority of the leader of the Martial Forest public institution.

“Just make sure you tell the children it will be delayed by a few days.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Even the often reluctant Mandok God accepted the request after receiving a letter from the leader, and eventually, he arrived at the entrance of the Martial Forest Alliance looking displeased, about three days later, faster than when we came!

And the treatment for Earth Dragon commenced.

As a bonus, they treated Eun-bong too.

“First, I’ve managed to extract some of the lingering poison from the body, but it seems you’ll need a prolonged treatment.

The duration of poisoning was long. It wouldn’t be possible to extract everything in the short term; you should be able to move comfortably soon and return to normal. However, you might experience some tremors in your eyes or mouth, and your arms or legs may go numb. Thanks to So-ryong’s advice, we treated it quickly, but since it’s been a prolonged poisoning, it will take a while before you feel improvement.”

“Thank you, Mandok God.”

“And you, come here. Since we ate together without ill effects, it merely means symptoms haven’t shown yet. You might also be severely poisoned.”

That evening, once the Mandok God returned from his long treatment session, I made my way to the guest hall with Hua Eun.

Was it to check on our welfare?

Since Zhuge Hu was a member of one of the Seven Great Families, it was only polite he come to inquire about the situation.

As we arrived at the front of the guest hall where Earth Dragon was staying, laughs echoed from within.

“Now your nickname isn’t Earth Dragon anymore; it’s Lizard!”

“Wa-hahaha! Lizard!”

Within, it sounded like the voices of Earth Dragon, his girlfriend Eun-bong, and friends like Sword Dragon, Fist Dragon, and Gong-bong.

“My, what about Heavenly Wolf? Can’t you do something about this?”

“Hey, tell these guys to stop already!”

“Seriously, enough! Eun-bong is feeling awkward! But why is she feeling awkward?”

‘Lizard? Isn’t that a term for geckos?’

It seemed they were joking around as true friends; still, Lizard was a term for lizards.

Curiosity piqued, I inched closer.

After all, I was about to enter anyway, and the topic was captivating.

“Is Earth Dragon in here? This is So-ryong, from the Heavenly Houses.”

“Oh! Junior Hero So-ryong! Come in quickly!”

As soon as they heard my voice, cheers filled the room.

Stepping inside, I found not just my friends, but the remaining members of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes along with enticing treats.

Eun-bong’s cheeks were burning red, though.

“I dropped by to see how you’re doing since the treatment has concluded.”

“Oh dear, I should have been the one to check on you. Hearing about Eun-bong, I owe you a great debt, Junior Hero.”

The first time we met, he had a somewhat gruff, rigid demeanor, likely due to mercury poisoning. Now he spoke softly, his expression warm.

“No need to speak of debt, Mandok God. You healed me, and I merely added a bit of information.”

In response to Earth Dragon’s gratitude, I humbly acknowledged my part, yet Earth Dragon’s acknowledgment turned serious.

“No, of course, I owe my thanks, as you figured out what we were poisoned with, thus saving both me and Eun-bong.”

He was still trembling with one hand, the other twitching due to the effects of the poison, but he still managed a bow in my direction.

After our polite exchange, when Eun-bong poured tea for us, I took the opportunity to ask about the earlier mention of “Lizard.”

“By the way, sorry for eavesdropping, but I overheard the Lizard nickname earlier. What’s that all about?”

-Poof!

-Poof!

At my question, tea shot out of the mouths of Sword Dragon and Fist Dragon.

Gong-bong, caught in the crossfire, looked as if he had received a shock.

Gong-bong stared vacantly at them.

“Uh…”

Handing Gong-bong a napkin while bursting into laughter I could hardly hold back.

“Cough, cough…”

“Sorry, Gong-bong. Pfft…”

With no clue about the context, Hua Eun and I exchanged glances, while Earth Dragon scratched his head, looking awkward.

“Well, since you’re asking, I can’t just refuse the inquiry…”

“Say, Heavenly Wolf!”

“No, if you’re curious, I have to explain it…”

“H-however…”

Eun-bong tried to shush Earth Dragon, but he kept explaining.

“That Cinnabar isn’t generally for human consumption, right? Ahem…”

“Yeah, true.”

“The only thing that might consume Cinnabar is… um, the Lizard, right?”

“The Lizard?”

If they meant Lizard as in the creature, then why on earth would it consume mercury?

Seeing my confusion, Hua Eun chimed in, explaining in a gentle voice, “Oh, the Su-gongsha is for checking purity through Lizard breeding, isn’t it?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Oh…”

What a strange discussion we were having. This must have been a story I had once heard from the Nangong Clan.

They raised abused lizards, feeding them Cinnabar throughout their lives to create a substance for imparting color to women’s bodies, maintaining that if a woman was a virgin, the stain would never wash off.

“Yet why are we mentioning Lizard all of a sudden?”

As I puzzled over why we were discussing these mistreated creatures, Eun-bong kept making signals for Earth Dragon to stop talking.

Avoiding Eun-bong’s gaze, Earth Dragon continued explaining.

“Ahem… So, in order to check for Su-gongsha, the Lizard is meant to verify a woman’s purity, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so?”

I wasn’t sure if it actually did verify anything, but I nodded, recalling how the daughter of the Nangong Clan had proved her innocence.

Then came the revelation.

“Indeed, that means I safeguarded Eun-bong’s purity by consuming the Cinnabar-infused container. Hence, I preserved her honor. Those friends were just saying that it was akin to the behavior of a Lizard raised for checking purity…”

“Eh?”

“But, since I’m a Dragon, rather than a Lizard, I thought ‘Wall Lizard’ might suit me better, you know… as a joke…”

So the fact that they had been stealing kisses frequently yet hadn’t gone further meant it was being compared to a Lizard raised to preserve virginity.

“Ugh…”

I tried to keep a straight face but ended up bursting into laughter.

So these so-called Dragons turned out to be quite the amusing bunch!

*

“Wa-hahaha! Really? You’re on close terms with Knife Dragon? Then call me elder brother too!”

“Ah, if you call Knife Dragon your younger brother, then we’re all siblings.”

“Wait! Why are you making my benefactor your little brother?”

“Isn’t that how we become brothers with you, since So-ryong saved your life?”

“What!?”

“Uwahhahaha!”

Sword Dragon was a direct descendent of the Munjam Clan, while Fist Dragon’s name was Hwang Bo-young, the eldest son of the Hwang Bo family.

They had bold and extroverted personalities, and it felt like we clicked instantly, making the atmosphere lively.

“Is it true that saving a life creates that bond of brotherhood?”

“Yeah?”

Gong-bong seemed a bit foolish, but he was a disciple of the mysterious sect, Myohwa-gung.

[Oh, don’t mind Gong-bong, he’s just like that.]

[Gong-bong has this pure charm.]

Although drinking wasn’t allowed within the Martial Forest Alliance, today seemed like a good day for a drink, and we quickly set up a drinking venue.

“You must have a drink too?”

“I’m still too young for that…”

“I’ve been drinking since I was twelve, so it’s all good.”

As soon as the alcohol arrived, the music didn’t take long to follow, urging Eun-bong to sing for us.

After teasing her like that earlier.

“Eun-bong, you must play the jade flute for your benefactor!”

“Right! You must entertain your benefactor with a tune!”

“Haa…”

Eun-bong looked reluctant, but having never witnessed the art of the jade flute, I was curious and asked.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could we enjoy a performance? I’ve never seen someone play a jade flute before.”

“Well, if it’s for you, Junior Hero So-ryong…”

Eun-bong pulled out her jade flute.

– Piiirii.

A truly sorrowful and beautiful melody played, and just as I marveled at its beauty, she transitioned into a demonstration of the jade flute skill.

Was it out of spite toward Sword Dragon and Fist Dragon? Whatever the reason, she made them doze off with a soothing sound effect before jolting them awake with a sharp note.

‘What the!?’

I stared in surprise at that final sharp note as Eun-bong turned to me and asked, “Did you find our Jade Flute’s performance from Wol-yeong Palace enjoyable?”

“Yes, most certainly! I was captivated.”

Hua Eun nodded in agreement, and at our praise, Eun-bong flashed a pleased smile, but then she reached into her sleeve, only to reveal a Mother-of-Pearl Box with a look of dismay.

It was the very box containing the substance we had struggled with earlier, making her suddenly uneasy.

“Oh… I’ve developed a habit… Even though it was something given by Heavenly Wolf, I suppose I should just toss it away.”

“Next time, I’ll get you one made of rose petals.”

“But that’s not too suitable for the lips…”

During the back-and-forth stories, I got the sense something deeper was involved.

Asking the two about why she fixated so much on applying something to her lips, I learned the reason behind her obsession.

Having polished her jade flute technique, she used it as her main weapon and (ahem) practicing as such often dried out her lips.

Her sect, Wol-yeong Palace, was martial-based, so they traditionally didn’t pay much heed to these concerns. But if it became problematic, they were accustomed to using oils; thus, as a token of sympathy, I bought her lipstick as a means to maintain her soft lips, leading to the start of their romantic connection.

The kisses they shared turned out to be a confirmation of whether her lips would stay moist enough or not—a unique sort of healing check-up, per se.

“Oh, so that was your story?”

“Yes, well…”

Feeling shy, Eun-bong’s cheeks flushed as she shared her tale.

The atmosphere grew a little awkward for a moment, but to lighten things up, I decided to ask about her performance’s highlight I’d pondered earlier.

“Oh, Eun-bong, I had a thought while listening to your tune. If it’s not too much trouble, could I seek your advice?”

“Advice, you say?”

At my words, Eun-bong tilted her head, smiling as she nodded.

“Of course! Since you and Heavenly Wolf saved my life, I must assist in return.”

“Actually, in your earlier performance, I recently encountered a piercing sound similar to that sharp note you played. When I heard it, I found myself dazed. Do you perhaps know how one can prevent that sensation?”

“Eh? You’ve experienced the sound of the jade flute?”

What came to mind was the sound resembling the flutter of the Gremlin Tiger’s wings—a sound rendering people unconscious.

If Eun-bong was a master of the jade flute, perhaps she would know a method to counter it.

“Um, it’s a secret, but none of you look like the type to leak information. It was during an incident in Yunnan…”

It might have been classified info, but it felt necessary for when the time comes. Besides, with the Five Poisons Sect allying with the Blood Cult, the chance of encountering strange tigers rising in the Central Plains couldn’t be ruled out, which made this knowledge valuable.

“Thus, this is what happened.”

“Oh, so that’s why So-ryong didn’t explain the details about the Black Phoenix and the others earlier?”

“Yes, Hwang Bo-hyung.”

“How is Black Phoenix doing?”

“Rest assured. The trio is being treated over at the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Once I wrapped up my explanation and questions concerning Black Phoenix were raised among the friends, Eun-bong filled a half-drunk cup for the feast prepared with tea.

Then she made Sword Dragon produce rhythmic sounds by tapping the cup with his chopsticks.

– Ting. Ting.

“Sounds, like stones dropped on water creating ripples, will spread out. If we can find the contrary sound and let them clash, we can negate each other.”

As Eun-bong concluded, she played the flute, and strangely enough, the sound of her flute and Sword Dragon’s clinking cup both faded away.

‘Oh! Is this some sort of noise-canceling trick?’

I thought she was just infatuated with kissing, but she turned out to be a talent beyond my expectations!

Eun-bong was a debuffer capable of weakening foes!

A counter specifically that could neutralize the special Gremlin Tiger!

I swiftly began to think of a deal I could propose to her.

“Eun-bong, whenever I ask for a favor, could you accompany me when I venture to capture that Gremlin Tiger, to help block its unsettling sounds? If you could assist with just that, I would be willing to make something both of you would greatly appreciate.”

“Seeing it as a matter for the Martial World, I must assist, but… what would that be?”

Sensing her curiosity over what I intended to gift them, I confirmed the details.

It was none other than the non-toxic lipstick that would keep their lips moist, allowing them to kiss to their hearts’ content!

‘True freedom for those kisses! Don’t worry about it!’