Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

Just as I was thinking it might actually be interesting that the place where those from the Nine Heavens arrived was a public recruitment ground—

Ji-ryeon’s voice came through.

“So-ryong, what happened?”

“Husband? Should we come out too?”

“Master, we going out too?”

The other wives’ voices followed as well.

Apparently they had heard from Ji-ryeon and were already in full readiness.

I calmed them first.

It didn’t seem particularly dangerous.

“Everyone, wait a moment. Stand by for now. The atmosphere isn’t hostile. It seems the situation here is better than in the Nine Heavens. The gathered people are probably trying to recruit me to their sides. I’ll find out more and tell you.”

“All right. Tell us immediately.”

“Master, if danger, say at once.”

“Got it.”

After settling my wives, I was just thinking I should ask more about the situation from the First Heaven up to the Eight Heavens—

When suddenly the nearby space tore open in several places and high-level cultivators appeared.

From the aura they gave off, they were at my level—the Primordial Infant Stage—or just below, around Golden Core.

From a woman cradling her own primordial infant child to demi-human beastfolk types, a great variety of cultivators appeared.

There were even demon-race figures like Gun Hye-rin.

As someone had explained earlier, it truly didn’t seem to be a place where everyone was mutually hostile.

Hadn’t I heard that in the Nine Heavens the demon race was extremely aggressive, wiping out anything in sight?

Yet even such demons here appeared restrained.

I had heard this wasn’t a newbie zone and that one had to be cautious, but that seemed to have been just rumor.

Still, just in case, I didn’t lower my guard.

The first voice I heard was a woman’s.

A very languid, seductive female voice.

“Pleasure to meet you. I am Bulsiho of the Ten-Thousand Demon Forest. I lead a place where demon beasts gather and help one another raise their realms.

I heard that a Primordial Infant cultivator with a Heaven-Earth Five-Element Body had appeared, so I hurried here.”

The first among the powerful figures to approach was a beast-human with fox ears.

A fox demi-human with no fewer than seven tails.

She had wrapped some of those tails around her waist and neck like a fox stole, letting the rest sway behind as she stepped forward to greet me.

Judging by her state, she was a half-beast type at roughly the same realm as me.

She wore flowing garments like those of courtesans and was smiling with her eyes.

’Heaven-Earth Five-Element? What’s that?’

I didn’t know the rest, but it felt like “Heaven-Earth Five-Element Body” referred to me.

But I had no idea what it meant.

Back in the lower realm, I had been judged not to possess a body especially suited for martial arts.

So it was slightly confusing; I thought I’d ask later.

She continued,

“Since I sense demon qi from you, it seems you cultivate demon-beast methods. If you’re willing, I would like to invite you to our side.”

Her tone dripped with suggestion.

An unmistakably seductive voice.

Since I cultivated poison arts, demon qi could be felt from me, and she was saying she wanted to bring me over.

Next I heard a somewhat eerie voice.

“Pleasure. I am Chujeong of the White Bone Range.”

Turning toward the voice, I saw a man returning my salute, ghostly energy pouring from his eyes.

Behind his back, something like spirits wore expressions of torment.

I had heard that in the cultivation world there were those who learned arts of controlling ghosts; he likely led such a sect.

It was a type of cultivator I had never once seen in the Nine Heavens.

Looking at the fox woman, he said,

“A Heaven-Earth Five-Element Body is one that can master any technique or art; there is no need to follow demon beasts.

In our sect, even if you die you may become a ghost and aid others, so you effectively gain an extra life. Choose our side.”

He was saying that following him was essentially gaining another life—but seeing the beings trailing behind him, I had no desire to join.

They looked full of resentment.

They even seemed to be suffering.

If that was what living once more meant, I absolutely declined.

Life ought to be long and thick, shouldn’t it?

There was nothing in this world that was better for being thin and long.

Even a man’s sword for dual cultivation was best thick and long.

’Those ghosts are really not it...’

Then another voice sounded.

A small child’s voice.

“I’m Makjeong of the Heaven-Crippled Assembly. Pleasure. It’s been a very long time since a Primordial Infant cultivator arrived from the Nine Heavens. Welcome.”

The third to greet me was a child, but true children were rare here, so it was likely a cultivator maintaining a youthful appearance.

From the name Heaven-Crippled Assembly, it felt like a gathering of rebellious types.

If “cripple heaven” was the meaning, it carried the sense of overturning heaven itself.

After that, figures who seemed to be leaders or high °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° ranks of numerous groups came forward: Blood Heaven Palace, Nine-Heaven Demon Tower, Falling Heaven Alliance, Ink Shadow Altar, Jet-Black Sea, Golden Eye Palace, Blood Demon Abyss, Seven-Kill Blood Alliance, and more.

Their purpose was my recruitment.

They wished to invite me into their sects or organizations.

After hearing all their greetings, I asked cautiously,

“I have heard the gist, but could someone explain the current situation in more detail? I don’t quite understand why you wish to recruit me.”

“Indeed, since you have come directly from the Nine Heavens, a fuller explanation is needed.”

It was Bulsiho of the Ten-Thousand Demon Forest who spoke.

She explained in a gentle voice,

“The Nine Heavens feel like a place where others are ground into spirit pellets at random, but this place is not so. Unless one is truly vicious, an unspoken rule is maintained that cultivators are not harmed lightly.

Most belong to some sect or assembly, so if you harm someone carelessly, you must face that entire group and the Primordial Infant cultivator at its head.

When one reaches the Nascent Soul—Huashen—one ascends to the Middle Heavens, so the strongest cultivators here are Primordial Infant.”

’Ah. So that’s why.’

I had wondered how anything like law could be maintained in this wilderness-like world, but it seemed most here led organizations like sects.

If, like in the Nine Heavens, one powerful figure was the city lord and the rest were merely subordinates or human resources, losing a few might not matter much.

You could just acquire more.

If people were treated as tools, the deaths of the weak were merely property loss.

But when bound into a sect, it became entirely different.

Wasn’t the bond of a sect sometimes stronger than blood?

If a sect member was killed, blood vengeance was standard.

From the First Heaven up through the Eight Heavens, this system likely persisted for that reason.

“And as for why we wish to recruit you: it is to gain help in raising the realms of each sect’s unique techniques and arts.

If an outstanding talent joins and elevates a sect’s methods or Dao arts to a higher level, many can walk the immortal path, can they not?”

“Hmm. So that’s the reason?”

I had indeed heard that, except for those from the Central Plains martial world, most here did not hesitate to teach their Dao arts or methods.

So they intended to bring in an outstanding cultivator to help elevate their arts by a stage.

If that was the reason, it made sense they would try to recruit someone at my realm.

An excellent late-stage talent for a sect’s future.

Someone like me, taken in almost like an instructor.

As I nodded, the fox continued,

“If you come to our Ten-Thousand Demon Forest, you will receive one hundred high-grade spirit stones each month, thirty flasks of high-grade spirit wine, and...”

The fox demi-human Bulsiho trailed off suggestively mid-sentence.

I prompted,

“And?”

She gave me a small wink and said,

“I will also permit dual cultivation with me.”

When I made a disgusted expression, she widened her eyes in disbelief.

“No... why?”

Her face said: a beauty like me offered dual cultivation—how could you react like that?

At my side, the man claiming to lead the White Bone Range laughed loudly.

“Heh-heh. Do you prefer males? Then I shall prepare a virgin boy for you.”

A virgin boy—meaning he would provide a cute young male.

My brows twisted fiercely, and the child called Makjeong of the Heaven-Crippled Assembly clicked their tongue.

Apparently thinking it absurd that a high-level cultivator would be recruited through satisfying such lower urges.

“Tsk tsk. Cultivators walking the immortal path, yet trying to obtain a high cultivator through matters of the five desires and seven emotions. Have you no shame?”

I thought he seemed fairly decent.

I even expected perhaps a different kind of offer from him.

But what came was even more absurd.

“Ahem. I offer something else. Will you join us in burning this filthy heaven?

You saw in the Nine Heavens that the weak are devoured by the strong. It is proof that those above regard us as worse than beasts. So we intend to strike back at those above. Join us.”

’What is this, some kind of terrorist?’

I had already thought the group seemed a bit dangerous, and hearing this, it truly felt like terrorists.

After that, more recruitment calls from other sects and groups continued—

When Ji-ryeon and Hwa-eun’s voices came again.

“So-ryong, what happened?”

“Husband?”

I had told them to wait, so they were worrying inside.

Pretending to continue listening to recruitment offers, I spoke to my wives,

“From the First Heaven to the Eight Heavens, everyone forms something like a sect and belongs to it. So they can’t harm cultivators carelessly. As I said earlier, they gathered to recruit me into their sects.”

“Why? You’re not a junior talent.”

“Indeed. Then what, a guest retainer?”

My wives, having belonged to the Central Plains martial world, seemed unable to understand why they would want someone already at my realm.

So I explained again,

“*It seems they want to obtain me to advance their sect’s Dao arts or cultivation by a stage. Here they’re generous about teaching arts and methods.

It looks like most of the high figures of sects from the First Heaven to the Eight Heavens have gathered.*”

Just then, a voice cut in.

Senior Sister asked urgently,

“Junior Brother, if all the high figures of every sect are gathered around you, could you perhaps ask about Father?”

“Ah, good idea. Then I’ll ask.”

Thinking about it, it truly was a good suggestion.

If I asked while everyone was gathered, I wouldn’t have to struggle searching for news of my master.

While continuing to hear others’ recruitment proposals, I said carefully,

“I already belong to a sect, so it would be difficult to fully affiliate elsewhere. However, I will provide the assistance you desire to whoever can give me the information I seek.”

The other cultivators showed disappointment.

“So you are already bound?”

“If it is a lower-realm affiliation, that bond is gone. Choosing a new place to remain would be proper.”

“To what place do you belong, that you say so?”

As questions rose from all sides, Bulsiho asked,

“What information do you seek?”

“Ah, could I perhaps obtain information on a cultivator named Tang Hwa-seong? He should be traveling with a serpent spirit called the Gold-Crowned Lion King... He likely ascended here three or four hundred years ago—”

Before I could finish—

The murmuring atmosphere fell instantly silent.

In the strange stillness, Bulsiho asked,

“What is your relationship to that man?”

“Ah, he is my master.”

In that instant, killing intent surged.

Everyone gathered here began releasing dense killing intent.

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in atmosphere, I heard a cold voice.

The man who had introduced himself earlier as Chujeong of the White Bone Range sneered,

“Are you truly that man’s disciple?”

“I-I am... but why—”

A very bad feeling.

As I answered with cold sweat, an absurd reply came.

“That bastard took my wife. Among the sects and assemblies here, there are not a few who lost wives to him.”

The spirits behind him began howling violently.

’...Master, why the NTR...’

What on earth had my master been doing?

It seemed best to get out of here immediately.