Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

At the brown wolf Oran’s mating proposal, my mind went blank.

It wasn’t just the sudden mating proposal the moment we met, but also because even though I had formed a deep relationship with Zihwa and tied the bond of husband and wife, husband-and-wife matters were only when she was in a transformed human form.

Since in these Nine Heavens, most spirit creatures had not yet achieved transformation, Oran’s mating proposal meant mating in the literal sense, transcending the boundary of species.

So how could I not be flustered?

“Th-th-that, wh-what do you...”

As I started stammering, Oran slid closer and began rubbing her big, brown, furry cheek against my leg.

-Kkiiing. “It looks like you’re flustered because it hasn’t been long since you rose to the Nine Heavens.

But you don’t need to be flustered. It’s not dual cultivation or anything, it’s just mating.”

Because of that action, goosebumps rose over my whole body, and a cold sensation seeped down my spine.

From the feeling in my spine, it seemed cold sweat was even running.

“N-no. If it’s mating, then those wolf people like you earlier...”

The moment I answered like, if you were going to do it, you have those same wolves who are your subordinates, what are you talking about—

Oran explained with an expression like I was saying something ridiculous.

-Kkiiing. “They’re all female.”

“All female?”

-Kkiing. “Yes, Elder. It seems you still can’t tell females of other species apart.”

It wasn’t that I couldn’t tell. To tell an animal’s sex, you’d have to look between its hind legs, but when you’ve just met, it’s not like you can stare there intently, is it?

If I did that, it would obviously be rude behavior.

Anyway, if that was the case, she should find another male of the same species, so why was she doing this to me? As I started to say that, Oran made a face like she’d just realized something and spoke.

“Then another male of the same species...”

-Wowoo. “Ah, Elder, it hasn’t been long since you rose to the Nine Heavens, so you don’t know the situation of the spirit creatures’ land here in the Nine Heavens, do you. My heart was in a hurry, so I made a mistake.

Then I guess I need to explain first. Sit on this rock for now. I think it would be good to explain before we go to the town.”

At her suggestion, I kept my distance from Oran and sat on the rock for now.

The wind blowing in felt strangely bleak.

Oran sat in front of me and began explaining the situation in this Nine Heavens spirit-creature territory.

-Wiu. “First of all, in this cultivation world, high-realm people are the object of every female’s longing. They can give birth to strong children, and if they’re lucky, they can even do dual cultivation.

Even being different species isn’t much of a problem. Here in the Nine Heavens, aside from common spirit creatures, it’s hard to find the same species, so when they want to have offspring, rather than looking for the same species, they look for a strong cultivator.

Aren’t we those who have ascended and already molted away our old body and species. There’s no need to insist on finding the same species.”

“I-I see.”

Certainly, to ascend meant escaping the shackles of reincarnation and transcending species.

So it meant what species a male was wasn’t much of an issue.

The moment you ascend, you slip out of the shackles of human, Demon Tribe, and spirit creature, and get bound under the single word that integrates them all: “cultivator.”

Just looking at how Zihwa and Zihwa had Jayo, even if they were different species, there probably wouldn’t be any problem having offspring.

It was the moment the “alpha male” thought I’d had earlier hardened into certainty.

If species didn’t matter, then here, I was the most attractive male.

‘Wow. I really need to be careful in the spirit creatures’ territory.’

Just as I was thinking I needed to be careful, Oran suddenly flopped down and showed her belly.

Like dogs fawning, she fawned over me and said,

“So what do you think? You definitely said you’d repay the favor, too...”

In a state like I was about to get dizzy, I pulled myself together and answered.

That our species was monogamous.

It wasn’t something that applied to me, but to get out of this crisis, I had to say anything.

“S-sorry. Our species only forms a mate bond once in an entire lifetime...”

Oran made a regretful expression.

It seemed she thought that since I hadn’t been cultivating for long, I still hadn’t escaped the thinking of the lower world.

“You’re such a high realm, but it seems you still haven’t escaped the thinking of the lower world.”

As expected, an answer with that nuance came, and she sat back down and seemed to think hard about something, then started muttering.

-Kkiing. “If I leave it like this, it’ll just be doing good for those other bitches...”

I was tilting my head at her words.

Maybe because she felt my gaze, Oran fixed her expression and, in a cautious voice, asked a favor.

-Kkiiing. “Ah, look at my mind. Then Elder, if your thoughts change later, can you promise that you’ll think of this Oran first?

Maybe right now it’s because it hasn’t been long since you started cultivating, but your thoughts can change. Faster than you think. Even so, I’m a body at late-stage Qi-Accumulation, looking toward Core Formation, so it won’t be bad for Elder to enjoy, either.”

If I could get out of this crisis, what couldn’t I say.

I hurriedly nodded and answered.

I could make promises all day long.

“I can’t understand everything you’re saying, but of course I promise. Didn’t you save me from a predicament?”

-Kkiing. “Understood, Elder. Then this way.”

I was worried she’d get even clingier, but maybe she was surprisingly straightforward, because Oran backed off obediently.

I let out a huge sigh of relief inside and followed after Oran.

That was when the wives’ voices came through the group chat.

“So-ryong, how did it go? Have you entered the spirit creatures’ territory?”

“Husband, was it a success?”

“Master, how did it go?”

“Dear, why are you still silent?”

Come to think of it, I was supposed to report to the wives once I entered the spirit creatures’ territory, but I still hadn’t.

I was going to do it once things got a little quieter around me, but because of Oran’s sudden proposal, my mind got pulled away.

My tension loosened at the wives’ voices.

Thinking I’d just had a horrible experience, I explained the current situation to the wives.

“Whew. For now, it worked. I didn’t really get suspected, and I’m moving to a nearby town.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Was there nothing else, Master?”

“D-don’t even talk about it. I had a horrible experience.”

“A horrible experience?”

“No, a big brown wolf said she wanted to mate... At the border, it turned into something like that wolf saved me, and when I said I’d repay the favor, she said it was time for her to have pups and she wanted to mate, of all things.”

Hearing the wives’ voices, I couldn’t not talk about this along with my situation report.

How horrible was it, a beast with thick fur wanting to mate?

Then, as expected, the wives began comforting me.

“So-ryong, that must have been horrible.”

“Master, are you okay? A worthless she-dog clinging to you.”

“That really must have given you chills, Husband.”

Since the wives knew I didn’t like furry beasts, warm comfort poured out.

But Zihwa, who didn’t know that, spoke in a voice like she didn’t understand.

“Well, you’re a strong male. That’s only natural. But why is it horrible? Even if you don’t accept her, isn’t it a good feeling to stand as a male?”

It seemed Zihwa asked that because she didn’t know I didn’t like furry beasts.

Well, being confessed to was something that, like Zihwa said, made your shoulders lift.

So I’m not dead yet. I’m still doing well.

You could think something like that.

But it’s not just a purely good feeling.

I heard that if the other person is cool and pretty, your shoulders lift, but if they aren’t, you get a different feeling.

‘No, has my state gotten so bad that I’m getting confessed to even by someone like this?’

You might think that.

It wasn’t to that extent for me. It was just not my type.

At that, the wives each added a word.

“Well, because it’s a furry beast.”

“That’s right. Master hates furry beasts.”

That was when it happened.

In the one-on-one chat, Zihwa’s cautious voice came through.

“Dear, don’t tell me you hate my feathers too?”

A voice full of worry.

It seemed she got worried.

Zihwa felt lofty and proud, so she seemed like she wouldn’t care, but at the cute question, I answered quietly.

“It’s complicated to explain, but an animal’s fur and a bird’s feathers are completely different, and, ah, right. If I hated them, would we have spent that kind of night on our first night?”

“Ah... I see!”

The joy mixed into Zihwa’s reply.

Maybe she liked my answer, because Zihwa said in an insinuating voice,

“Dear, you don’t have some other hidden taste or anything, do you?”

“Of course not.”

“Hm. Then I’ll be at ease and look forward to the next night.”

It seemed she liked the first night quite a bit.

***

Oran ran, and I used lightness art and ran for about two hours.

Then what came into view was a fairly large hill, and on that hill, several buildings rose up among bamboo.

And between them, well-maintained roads could be seen.

It looked similar to the humans’ territory.

‘Because they’re intelligent, they paved roads and built buildings?’

Aside from the fact the style was a little different from humans’ buildings, it didn’t feel very different.

Oran pointed there and said,

-Wiu. “There it is, Elder. The town closest to the border. It’s Changrang Fortress.”

“Changrang Fortress, so it’s a land of the rang, I guess?”

-Wiuu. “Yes, Elder. It’s where the rang live gathered together.”

Changrang Fortress, it seemed to be a town of wolves, and sure enough, as we approached the entrance, the wolves standing guard recognized Oran and greeted her.

They looked a little flustered when they saw me, though.

-Woong? “Isn’t that Lord Oran? And next to you... a m-male?”

-Grrr. “Ahem! This is a person who ascended in a high-realm half-human half-beast form, fell into the humans’ territory, and fled into the spirit creatures’ territory. I brought him here for now. Guide him to the Lord of the Fortress.”

-Kkiiing. “Ah, I-I see. Then I will guide you to the Lord of the Fortress.”

Oran said she would originally guide me only as far as the fortress, but now she was guiding me to the Lord of the Fortress.

Well, it seemed that was because my realm was high.

When one wolf on guard pulled a rope, a bell rang, ding-ding.

Soon, five or six armored wolves appeared, and they, too, made flustered expressions when they saw me.

-Wong? “A male?”

-Bark! “Why are you standing around instead of guiding him? Has Changrang Fortress’s discipline gotten this lax?”

-Whine. “S-sorry. This way, please.”

Thinking that even if I was an alpha, their reaction was a bit much, I followed after the wolves.

As we headed along the road toward the highest place on the hill, markets began appearing on both sides.

In the markets, not only wolves, but all sorts of spirit creatures were selling various goods.

“Noodles made with spirit herbs are two low-grade spirit stones! They’re delicious. Delicious.”

“Low-grade quick-step spell talismans are ten low-grade spirit stones!”

From food to talismans to artifacts, all sorts of goods were being sold, but the strange thing was that as soon as I appeared, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared with blank expressions.

It was no different when we met the Lord of the Fortress, either.

-Wowoo. “This Elder is a high-ranking cultivator. They say his name is Sogap. He ascended in a high-realm half-human half-beast form, fell into the humans’ territory, and fled into the spirit creatures’ territory, and this young one ended up saving him. He’s a ‘male.’”

-Yelp? “A m-male high-ranking cultivator!?”

The Lord of the Fortress was a white wolf, and maybe she was close with Oran, because at her flustered reaction, Oran frowned and shouted.

-Grrr! “Lady Baek!”

-Kkiiing. “Ah. I’m sorry. This concubine is Baek-a. Since it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a high-realm male cultivator, I ended up flustered.”

“Ah, it’s fine. I’m Sogap.”

For now, I ended up able to drink tea in the Lord of the Fortress’s office, and while drinking tea, I was able to understand why the spirit creatures who saw me were showing such an excessive reaction.

“But as I came here, everyone seemed surprised when they saw me. Why is that?”

-Wow. “Ah, that’s because in the spirit creatures’ territory of these Nine Heavens, males are extremely rare.”

“Rare?”

-Wow. “Yes, Elder.”

“How rare?”

“Hmm... maybe one male for every thousand females?”

‘Huuuuh! A world with a 1000-to-1 gender reversal!’

Spirit creatures’ territory.

This place, as it turned out, was a 1000-to-1 gender-reversal world.