Since I had finished registering Sister Jeokwol, I thought I would return straight to reality.

But when I opened my eyes, I found myself instead in the underground stone chamber.

“That’s strange. I didn’t have any business here today.”

I was puzzled—because I truly had no reason to be here.

No one had advanced, and I’d decided to put off upgrading anyone for the time being.

Just as I wondered if I had somehow come in by mistake and was about to leave, the stone tablets around me suddenly began to shine.

“What!?”

Before my eyes, every stone tablet except those of the centipede, the snake, and the gecko burst into light.

The toad, the scorpion, the hornet, the spider—and finally the butterfly tablets.

Along with the tablets of Hwa-eun, Gun Hye-rin, and the Princess.

I immediately understood what this meant.

“When Ji-ryeon advanced into the Flower Realm, the gates didn’t open... but now that Sister Jeokwol the Butterfly has been registered, the Four Gates must have opened!”

If the tablets were glowing like this, then there was no doubt: contrary to my expectations, the Four Gates had opened—the next stage of the special ability of the Five Poisons Returning to the Origin Divine Art.

Originally, the gates were supposed to open when the spirit beasts I registered through the Beast-Heart Technique grew stronger. Yet last time, when Ji-ryeon entered the Flower Realm, the Four Gates had not opened.

I had found that odd, but in hindsight, it made sense.

Of course it did.

Think of it like leveling up in a game. The higher the level, the more experience you need—that’s only natural.

So by the time of the Four Gates, the growth of just one spirit beast clearly wouldn’t be enough to trigger it.

“But this is strange. I thought more of the children would need to grow for it to open... yet just registering Sister was enough?

Well, whatever the reason, isn’t it good that it opened?”

I had been sure more growth was needed. Yet simply registering Sister had opened the Four Gates.

I didn’t understand why, but I wasn’t going to complain.

I was, after all, the icon of positivity.

So I chose to accept it.

As long as the gates opened, it was a good thing.

Because it meant I could commune with new venomous creatures—and that was never a bad thing for me.

“Does this mean I’ll be entering the Manifestation Realm right away?”

At the same time, I felt a surge of anticipation.

After reaching Six Poisons and entering the Flower Realm, no one could say for ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) sure when the next stage would arrive.

Even Grandfather Mandok Shingun, already at the level of Super-Absolute, could only help guide me as far as the Flower Realm—when it came to the Manifestation Realm, it was already too far out of reach.

So when he spoke of it, it was like trying to describe an elephant by reading from a book.

“The Manifestation Realm is no longer just about inner energy. Realization becomes essential.”

“Realization?”

“It is the process of fully establishing your personal martial art—becoming the flawless pinnacle in that field.”

“Could you... put that more simply?”

“From this point on, no one can give you advice. You must come to the realization yourself.”

“Ugh.”

Gun Hye-rin knew her own path well enough—but that was the way of demonic arts of the Heavenly Demon Cult, not poison arts.

So she could only help me somewhat. Whether I would reach the Manifestation Realm at Seven Poisons or at Eight Poisons, no one knew.

But if the Four Gates had suddenly opened now, then I had reason to hope.

It could mean accumulated experience points, or it could mean I had already reached the Manifestation Realm.

‘That wicked wife Ji-ryeon... Just wait. I’ll show you your husband’s majesty properly—on the bed!’

I promised myself I’d find out exactly what Chinese waxing was and then prove my husbandly dignity, grinning as I looked around at the glowing tablets.

I erased from my mind the tablets of Hwa-eun, Gun Hye-rin, and Ji-ryeon, and fixed my gaze on the one I had decided to register.

Last time I hadn’t planned in advance, but this time I already knew what I wanted next.

“This time, I’ve already decided.”

My eyes turned to the round body.

The cute eyes.

The flames burning from its back.

It was the tablet engraved with our household’s silly little cutie, Hwayang.

I stepped forward, stroked the tablet carved with Hwayang, and said:

“The spirit beast of the Four Gates will be you, Hwayang!”

Yes—my choice for the spirit beast of the Four Gates was Hwayang.

And I had a good reason for it.

In the Central Plains, by the standards of the world I was reincarnated from, there were three families, eight genera, and ninety-four species of toads.

By registering Hwayang, I’d be able to commune and converse with all of them. And since even in my past life the distinction between frogs and toads was never clear, if the scope expanded to include all amphibians, that meant three families, ten genera, and three hundred forty-six species of amphibians I could interact with.

Of course, as I’d said before, amphibians lived closer to water, so compared to the others they weren’t as versatile.

So three families, ten genera, three hundred forty-six species wasn’t so impressive on its own. But still, the reason I had to register Hwayang—

It was because through Hwayang, I might be able to communicate with the World-Destroying Golden Toad.

“I haven’t found the World-Destroying Golden Toad yet... but if registering Hwayang expands the ability to commune with all amphibians, then when I do meet it, I’ll be able to approach it easily. That’s the calculation.”

My whole reason for registering Hwayang was because of the World-Destroying Golden Toad.

Since the boundary between frog and toad species was unclear, registering Hwayang could mean increasing the chance of favorable rapport later on.

And even just being able to speak directly with it—wouldn’t that already be huge?

That was why I had chosen Hwayang as the spirit beast of the Four Gates.

You could call it... opportunism.

‘Heheh. Please. Please let it apply broadly!’

Praying fervently in my heart, I laid my hand on the tablet and shouted:

“I choose the toad as the beast of the Four Gates!”

—Click.

Suddenly the tablet clicked and sank inward, and all the surrounding light vanished.

Then, the eyes of Hwayang engraved on the tablet gleamed.

My consciousness began to blur.

‘Let’s gooo!’

***

When I opened my eyes, it wasn’t the ceiling I was used to.

I had clearly begun the registration process in the Sacheon Tang Clan’s underground cultivation chamber, but before me there had been only darkness.

“Hm?”

As I blinked in confusion, a familiar voice reached my ears.

—Chi-i-i. 『So-ryong, my little brother, have you awakened?』

“Sister?”

—Chi-i. 『Yes. I am right here.』

As her voice sounded, the thing that had been blocking my vision slowly faded away.

Light began to seep in from around me, the glow of Night Pearls spilling gently into the surroundings.

I realized that although I had sat down cross-legged, my body was now lying flat—and the reason I hadn’t been able to see anything was because Sister Jeokwol had been sitting on my chest, covering me with her wings.

As if to protect me.

‘But butterfly wings are flat—they shouldn’t be able to cover a body like that, should they?’

Just as I thought it strange, her body began to shimmer with light.

It seemed she was generating radiance with her ability—and the sight left me utterly astonished.

Because her appearance had changed drastically.

The plumpness she once carried was gone; she had become slender, and far larger in size.

Her body had grown to the size of a person, and when her wings spread, they reached nearly three meters across.

And at their tips, something like a bloody aura shimmered faintly.

I couldn’t help but cry out.

“Gyaaaah! Sister, why have you become so beautiful? No, you were always beautiful, but now you’re even more so!”

She answered in a voice tinged with embarrassment.

—Chi-i-i-i. 『R-really? After doing that thing you call registration with So-ryong, I suddenly grew like this. I don’t know why.』

Ordinarily, once a butterfly emerged from its cocoon and became an adult, it lived its entire life in that form.

But her appearance was different—changed as if she had grown again.

‘Because she’s a spirit beast?’

That was the only explanation I could think of.

And if that were true, then I finally understood why the Four Gates had opened.

Because she had grown at the same time as her registration.

‘Ah... though it’s a bit disappointing.’

I was thrilled at her new form, but also slightly regretful.

Looking inward, I could tell I hadn’t reached the Manifestation Realm.

Compared to before registering Sister, my qi circulation was faster and my inner energy reserves greater, but the difference wasn’t overwhelming.

The hallmark of the Manifestation Realm was being able to use internal energy without obstruction or lack. But when I tested mine, there were still snags and insufficiencies. Clearly, I hadn’t crossed that threshold.

—Chi-i. 『Why, little brother?』

She must have noticed my disappointed expression, for she tilted her head and asked.

I gave her an apologetic smile.

“Ah... I didn’t advance my realm.”

At that, she touched my shoulder with her antennae and said:

—Chi-chi-i. 『Even if not now, you’ll rise soon. So don’t be disheartened.』

“Of course. Sorry for looking gloomy. This should be a joyful day—your day of becoming even more beautiful.”

As I apologized for my sour look on such a happy day, she brushed her long proboscis along my cheek and then asked hesitantly:

—Chi-i-chi-i. 『So-ryong, may I... make one request?』

“A request?”

—Chi-i. 『Yes. You can think of it as a gift, if you like.』

“A gift... for me?”

—Chi-it. 『No. A gift from you, to me. Since you said I’ve become prettier...』

From her words, I already guessed what she wanted.

Insects, after molting or growing, consumed a great deal of energy.

She had just grown, so of course what she craved was what she had longed for inside her mental world—my blood.

Rolling up my sleeve, I said:

“A small cupful—about one glass—should be fine.”

—Chi-i! 『Thank you!』

Without hesitation, she plunged her proboscis into my arm and began to gulp, pausing between swallows to shower me with fervent praise.

—Chi-chi-i-i. 『Ah, it’s so delicious. So-ryong, how can you taste this good? This sister will never yield you to some wasp woman!』

I wasn’t even sure if that counted as praise.

‘Well... “tasty” is a new kind of compliment, I guess.’

***

After offering Sister her drink of blood, I opened the stone chamber door myself and stepped outside.

The guards waiting there immediately saluted with cupped fists.

They must have been posted to stand watch.

“So-ryong-nim! Are you unharmed?”

“As you can see.”

“We’ll inform Lady Hwa-eun and the clan head at once!”

One warrior rushed off toward Hwa-eun, while I followed the others outside. The sunlight was wonderfully warm.

—Flap, flap.

At the same time, Sister emerged behind me, her wings beating.

A great wind whipped up, and my body floated upward.

I turned my head and saw her clinging to my back, carrying me into the sky.

—Chi-i. 『I always wanted to fly together with you, So-ryong. This should make it possible, shouldn’t it?』

She must have wanted to fly with me like Cho and Yeondu did. And with her body grown so large, she could lift me with ease.

We flew faster than the guards could run, heading for the pond where Hwa-eun was likely to be.

And reflected on the water’s surface, I looked like a fairy with enormous butterfly wings sprouting from my back.

‘Magnificent.’

—Buuuung. Buung.

“It’s fine, kids! It’s me!”

The children of Nanghu, startled at seeing Sister’s changed form, rushed toward me—then relaxed when I called out.

Down below, my wives saw me and cried out.

“Yong-nang!”

“Master!”

“So-ryong!”

Hwa-eun, blushing, had finally given up calling me “Master” and instead called me “Rang.” Likely to avoid overlap with how the Princess addressed me.

When we landed together, everyone hurried up to check my condition.

“So-ryong, are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Ji-ryeon.”

“I saw Sister Jeokwol grow larger... but Yong-nang, you didn’t reach the Manifestation Realm?”

“No, probably not.”

“Master, at least your qi feels stable.” 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

“Yes. After registering Sister Jeokwol, my body feels more at ease. I think soon I’ll be able to register Moji and Soji as well. Then, surely...”

Though a bit disappointed, I still had Moji and Soji waiting.

It would take time for my body to stabilize, but I would likely cross into the Eight Poisons more quickly than I had expected.

And by then, I would surely reach the Manifestation Realm.

Just then, Ji-ryeon, the Princess, sent me a secret transmission.

‘So-ryong, even if you didn’t reach the Manifestation Realm, I can’t wait any longer. Tonight. I’ll come to you.’

It was a declaration of war.