Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

[S-senior martial sister?]

My senior martial sister, Tang Cheongcheong’s voice carried a faint note of fluster as it echoed softly inside the hole in the tree.

Hearing that trembling voice, a realization suddenly struck me.

Was it really okay for me to call her senior martial sister?

The relationship felt kind of ambiguous, so I scratched my head and spoke cautiously.

“Ah, well... The fragment of Master’s Nascent Soul acknowledged me as a disciple. So if you’re Master’s daughter, you must’ve inherited Master’s martial art, and if so, I thought it would naturally make you my senior martial sister, but...

Is that a little... much? It’s not exactly official, so it’s a bit awkward, right? A Nascent Soul fragment is just a fragment and all... Hahaha.”

In this vast cultivation world where I didn’t know a single soul, the joy of meeting Master’s blood relative made the words senior martial sister slip out before I could stop them.

But all I’d received was recognition as a disciple from a fragment of Master’s Nascent Soul. Calling myself a formal disciple still felt like there was something off about it.

The fragment of Master’s Nascent Soul had said it would be fine, but wasn’t it true that I still hadn’t met Master’s true self?

In the murim, a master-disciple relationship was never something to treat lightly.

You had to perform the full bowing rite, and be directly acknowledged as a disciple by the master himself—only then could you proudly call yourself a fellow disciple of the same sect.

Then, from beyond the talisman, a firm voice flowed out.

[No. No, that’s not it. It’s not like you only learned the martial art Father left behind—if the fragment of Father’s Nascent Soul acknowledged you as a disciple, then you’re obviously a disciple.

Of course. I’m your senior martial sister. That’s right. I’m obviously your senior martial sister. Call me senior martial sister. Call me Cheongcheong, senior martial sister.]

That voice was soaked in deep affection and warmth, like a spring breeze gently smoothing over my heart.

Thankfully, Master’s daughter—my senior martial sister—was clearly an extraordinarily gentle and generous person.

If she was Master’s daughter, she must have raised animals since childhood and grown up with a rich sensitivity.

It made sense.

Not everyone who raises animals is a saint, but people who grow up with animals have a chance of being kind that approaches one hundred percent.

That she would welcome someone like me—who wasn’t even a formal disciple—made gratitude surge through my chest like waves.

Carving that kindness into my heart, I opened my mouth carefully.

“Cheongcheong, senior martial sister...”

Then, from the other side, her delighted voice followed.

[Yes. That has a good ring to it. Junior martial brother, so where are you right now? I’ll send people immediately.]

She was saying she’d send someone right away to come get me.

At her question, I looked around, and all I could see was the inside of a dark hole in a tree.

“I don’t know where I am... Ah! It’s a forest with enormous trees shooting up everywhere. No—tell Hwangwoo to guide you to the place where I fought him.

I’ll draw my way there, so you can send people to that side.”

As I spoke, I realized how we could meet.

[Ah! That method works. But you fought?]

“It’s nothing.”

[All right, then. I’ll send people there right away.]

I’d gained a connection in Hwangwoo, but the problem was he wasn’t exactly reliable—yet now I’d gained a connection who was Master’s daughter and my senior martial sister.

My life in the Ninth Heaven, which had felt a bit bleak, suddenly seemed like it was about to improve drastically.

Because a senior martial sister was basically the same as real family.

Like suddenly having an older sister.

The talisman’s flame had already died out.

So I immediately told my wives this happy news.

That I had a martial sister—what happier news could there be?

『”Hwa-eun, Zihwa, Ji-ryeon, Hye-rin, it looks like I had a martial sister!”』

“Martial sister?”

『”Yes! Tang Hwa-seong, that ancestor—his daughter is the Tower Master of Blood Market Tower!”』

“Really?!”

“Is that true?!”

Smiling at my wives’ disbelieving questions, I answered.

『”Hwangwoo tried to get information on Master Tang Hwa-seong for me, but he got caught by Blood Market Tower. I guess he told them about me.

They contacted me, and as we talked, it turned out she was my senior martial sister.”』

“What an unbelievable thing.”

“Maybe this is fate?”

“And anyway—Hwangwoo betraying you in less than a day after swearing to serve you. Absolutely ridiculous.”

“Well, we didn’t exactly have high expectations, did we?”

“That’s true.”

After everyone had a word to say about untrustworthy Hwangwoo,

I decided to clean up the hole in the tree and head to the cliff where my senior martial sister said she’d send people.

I called Cho out and asked it to fly straight to that cliff.

-Tssrrr. 『Dad!』

“Cho, you remember that cliff from yesterday, right? There.”

-Tssrt! 『Okay, Dad!』

I was flying quickly through the predawn sky toward that cave when Hwa-eun’s flustered voice came through the group chat.

『”Ah—So-ryong. What do we do?”』

『”What happened?”』

When someone suddenly says what do we do, of course I had to ask what happened, but once I heard it, it made perfect sense why she’d said it.

『”Th-the Blood Market Tower cultivators we’ve got tied up...”』

『”Oh, right.”』

The Blood Market Tower cultivators we’d subdued and sealed with a major technique.

Turns out they were my senior martial sister’s subordinates.

Sure, they attacked first, but still—weren’t two of them not exactly at fault?

I hurriedly asked Miss Cheongyu.

『”Miss Cheongyu, c-can’t you undo the major technique?”』

They did attack first, but if we could return them in one piece, then at least I’d have some dignity when facing my senior martial sister, wouldn’t I?

『”R-right now it’s difficult. We have to remove the spirit stones once... If we remove them now, they could die.”』

An awkward situation.

It looked like when I met my senior martial sister, I’d have to start with an apology.

***

“Cho, go inside.”

-Tssrrr. 『Yes, Dad.』

When we arrived below the cliff where I’d fought Hwangwoo, I put Cho into Poison Fragrance.

Then I used a nearby rock as a chair and waited for the people who were coming.

That was when I felt the presence of people from one side of the sky.

When I looked that way, Hwangwoo, a woman I’d never seen before, and several cultivators flew down and landed near me.

The woman rushed out and greeted me with a clasped-fist salute.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Mong-a, the chief steward who serves Tang Cheongcheong, the lord of Blood Market Tower.”

She looked sharp enough that it made sense she’d be a chief steward—and sure enough, she was.

I greeted her warmly as well.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m So-ryong.”

“Please come this way. We will escort you to the city at once.”

“Yes. Understood.”

I nodded and started toward Mong-a when Hwangwoo, standing at her side, spoke tearfully.

“I-I’m sorry, elder. I, Hwangwoo, held out as hard as I could, I held out until I became a eunuch...”

He seemed to be apologizing for spilling my information in detail.

But I could understand his situation, at least a little.

He’d only served me for a day, so his loyalty would’ve been low, and when your life is on the line, how many people would keep faith with someone they’ve served for one day?

And he said he endured torture until he became a eunuch—that wasn’t bad at all.

At least it meant he didn’t blurt everything out immediately.

“Don’t worry. I don’t particularly mind.”

“Sniff... Elder.”

I patted his shoulder and stood beside Mong-a, and then I heard Mong-a’s mind-message.

[Elder, it’s awkward to say this when we’ve just met, but what that man said is somewhat different from the truth.]

[Different how?]

[In my urgency, I made a mistake and used torture, and as soon as it ended, that man said he would have talked even without torture.

So keeping him at your side is, frankly...]

[Hmm...]

So he claimed he held out until he became a eunuch, but now it was obvious he’d already spilled everything, then tried to clean it up by acting like we were on the same side.

A woman can cover many faults with beauty, but for a grown man to tell a lie that will obviously be exposed...

This wasn’t the place to say anything, so I decided I’d call him aside later and give him some “education.”

And then, at the same time, another thought came to mind.

‘Wait. He’s not a man anymore, is he?’

Sure, he still had chest hair where something else should’ve been, but still.

***

Mong-a’s spell activated, and after only enough time to blink once, I found myself in a place that felt like the underground level of a building.

A soft, clear voice reached my ears.

“So you are my junior martial brother!”

I turned my gaze toward the voice, and a short woman was lifting her head slightly to look up at me.

Short as in... maybe around five feet?

That delicate frame looked slender and fragile, like a willow branch swaying in a spring breeze.

Uniquely, her hair—an even blend of pale blue and white—flowed softly down to her shoulders, giving her such a light, airy impression that it felt like she might float up into the sky with the slightest breeze.

She wore a smile infused with a pure, clear aura, and seeing that smile made my chest feel warm.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m So-ryong.”

She strode right up and, boldly, clasped both my hands tightly, beaming. Her touch was warm and soft, carrying a familiarity that felt like meeting long-lost family.

“To think I’d meet Father’s disciple here. I can’t believe how happy I am. Thank you for coming.”

Overflowing with joy, my senior martial sister guided me to the very top floor of the building, to a cozy space that felt like her personal office.

Outside the window, an endless sea of clouds stretched across the Ninth Heaven. Spiritual energy drifted through the room, making it feel peaceful—but the moment I sat down, I bowed my head deeply.

“This is a happy first meeting, senior martial sister, but I should apologize first.”

“Apologize? All of a sudden?”

At my senior martial sister’s words, like she didn’t know what I meant, I explained what had happened so far.

“In fact, after arriving in the Ninth Heaven, this happened...”

“Oh my... So that’s what happened?”

Her pupils wavered slightly, and a flicker of fluster crossed her face.

But soon she smiled softly and brought up what happened to Hwangwoo.

“I injured your person as well, junior martial brother, so don’t hold that in your heart. And our side attacked first. Let’s leave it at that between us.”

“Understood.”

She was saying we should acknowledge both sides’ fault and settle it amicably.

Thinking she was someone reasonable and deeply generous, I felt my chest grow lighter.

Even in the murim, how many people were there who didn’t understand reason?

Meeting such a forgiving senior martial sister felt like heaven itself had helped me.

As I nodded, thinking she truly seemed like a good person, I heard her question.

“Then where are they now?”

“Ah—Poison Fragrance. No, I put them into the Heavenly Heart Linked Poison Peach Garden Map.”

Just as I was thinking it was time to introduce my wives, my senior martial sister shot to her feet and cried out in shock.

“You completed the Heavenly Heart Linked Poison Peach Garden Map in the lower realm?! Junior martial brother, you not only inherited Father’s true legacy, you even surpassed it!”

I wondered why she was so shocked, and then I remembered—Master Tang Hwa-seong hadn’t been able to complete the Heavenly Heart Linked Poison Peach Garden Map even up until the day he ascended.

Even the fragment of his Nascent Soul had been astonished.

I scratched my head awkwardly, and she asked again.

“Junior martial brother, how old were you in the lower realm?”

“I just turned a little over twenty—”

“T-twenty?!”

“Twenty?!”

Even Chief Steward Mong-a, without meaning to, shouted in shock after hearing my age.

My senior martial sister covered her mouth lightly with her hand as she looked at Mong-a, and Mong-a, eyes wide, stared back at her.

After a silence that felt like time had stopped, my senior martial sister came back to herself and looked at me with eyes full of awe and admiration.

“Junior martial brother, you’re an incredible genius. Then you might be able to help even more!”

“Help with what?”

At my question, she looked out the window and began to explain.

Without giving me any chance to introduce my wives.

“Right now, this White Night City is in a major crisis.”

“A crisis?”

“In the center of White Night City, there is an artifact planted there.”

“Ah, yes. I heard.”

I’d already heard that from one of the people we’d captured.

As I nodded, an astonishing fact came out.

“It’s an artifact Father planted.”

“Master did?”

“Yes. He planted it for me. No matter what I did, my realm wouldn’t increase. Since he couldn’t take me up into that dangerous upper world, he planted it so I could live here in peace.

If you practice the martial art, I’m the only one inside the barrier who can exert great power. Because only I, as his blood relative, or someone who inherited Father’s true legacy, can touch the artifact.”

From what she said, it seemed Master Tang Hwa-seong couldn’t take my senior martial sister with him into the world above—where the strong were everywhere—so he left her here.

It sounded like her aptitude was low, and she might have a body that couldn’t rise beyond a certain level.

He must have wanted her to live well here.

I don’t know all the details, but I’d heard that the higher you go, the more dangerous the world becomes—and that there are places where, if your realm is too low, you can’t even breathe.

So he couldn’t take her, and he left her here.

I nodded and asked, and it was right then—

“But?”

“That artifact is leaking energy, and the barrier is about to break.”

It was the moment she finished saying the barrier was about to break.

The jade ornament hanging at my senior martial sister’s waist began to flash with a red light.

-Woom.

And it even made a dangerous sound as it did.