I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel

Chapter 236

Why am I holding the Fung-Yuhwan in my hands?

Did I make a mistake without realizing it?

Sure, I shrank myself and used So-Ryong Deungcheonbo to escape, but if Cho-Do comes after me, I can just claim it was an accident.

This much should be fine.

After all, I gave Cho-Do some enlightenment.

In fact, keeping this relic could help prevent her from being tempted by it.

“Hmm... it wasn’t really suited for my younger sister, anyway.”

Gongbok gave a low grumble, trembling.

Now that I had her brother’s approval, I was completely innocent.

Even if there were any blame, I could just push it onto him.

“Grrk, grrk!”

Croaking, I headed back to my nest.

Returning wasn’t difficult.

If I had listened to Gongbok, I would have gotten lost, but since I didn’t, I arrived quickly.

“Grrk!”

The state of my nest, which I hadn’t seen in a while, was absolutely perfect.

The dense trees around it provided camouflage and could serve as defensive barriers in emergencies, being both thick and sturdy.

That wasn’t all.

The grassy patches for the Bicorns, which consumed the most food, were flourishing in one area. The grains and crops planted for Tang So-yeong were also thriving.

Since this place once housed the Dragon Gate, its effects seemed to linger even in my absence.

It was like a dreamlike hill and nest.@@@@

A fairytale-like scene.

Butterflies fluttered about, and horses galloped nearby.

“Polyg...! Amyyyyy!”

“Polyyyy... Andryyyyy...!”

Of course, these horses had horns on their heads, but what did that matter?

Wait, this Unicorn is lasting longer than I expected against them.

“Polyyy...”

The Unicorn, looking at me with what seemed like a gaze of resentment, was being dragged away by the Bicorns.

“Hehehe... polygamy...”

“Hahaha...”

“Polyyyy...”

Well.

I’m just an innocent lizard, so I don’t understand what you’re up to, but good luck with it.

I entered my nest.

I was curious about how they would welcome me.

The dogs would wag their tails, and the spiders would shake their rumps to celebrate.

But contrary to my expectations, the wolves didn’t wag their tails and approach me, and Tus and Pus were too preoccupied with something else to notice my arrival.

Only Nephila smiled and gave me a slight wave.

“Grrk, grrk...”

A little disappointed, I quickly realized what had captured their attention.

“Chirp... chirp-chirrrrp!”

A plump sparrow sat inside a cage, pecking away.

Ah, they were eyeing their meal for the day.

But why does it look so familiar?

“Chirp, chirp!”

...It’s Chirp-Chirp!

Why are you here?

[Sobung]

A white bird with the potential to become a Daebung (Great Peng).

It is said to eat spider silk and bamboo shoots and can fly nine thousand li in a single day.

Known for its love of shiny objects, it is also rumored to summon storms.

Sobung?

You’ve evolved since I last saw you.

No matter how I look at it, you’re still a big sparrow, but now you’re called Sobung?

...Well, I guess it’s a good thing.

But is it okay for you to evolve like this when your father is Argentavis?

Maybe your mother is related to the Peng lineage?

The Peng is one of the most famous mythical birds.

Legend has it that it can fly ninety thousand li in a single day and wields power comparable to that of a dragon.

Of course, that’s the Daebung, the Great Peng, so Sobung is probably a severely downgraded version.

Still, if it continues to grow, it might one day become a Daebung.

“Chirp!”

Chirp-Chirp flapped its wings excitedly as it recognized me.

Why is it even in a cage?

Did my followers not recognize its face and capture it just in case?

Well, at least they didn’t harm it.

...Wait, what’s that?

Below Chirp-Chirp, nestled awkwardly, was a head with a brown bun-like hairstyle.

Why does it look so familiar?

“Hero Go...!”

Wait. Why are you in there?

*

“People of the Tang Clan who use poison are considered to be on par with the next level of mastery.”

Still just first-rate, though.

And for the record, I can use poison too.

“Hero Go’s poison is impressive, but our Tang Clan’s poison is... unique. For example, we have poisons that only make your hair fall out.”

That’s terrifying.

How can a righteous sect justify using such poisons?

“By the way, Hero Go, what’s that green orb you’ve been fiddling with?”

She noticed.

“Grrrk...”

“You didn’t even try to hide it.”

I did try, but since she noticed, there’s no helping it.

Flash!

I revealed the Fung-Yuhwan to my followers.

“F-F-F-Fung, Fung-Yuhwan!”

So-yeong stuttered, clearly shocked.

Well, it’s understandable.

Unlike me, who has achieved enlightenment, foolish So-yeong is probably still obsessed with size.

And among everyone here, she’s the most slender and frail.

To her, the Fung-Yuhwan must seem like a divine relic.

“Fung... Yuhwan?”

Even Nephila’s red eyes showed interest in the artifact I held.

She doesn’t need it, though.

If it were the past, I might have thought otherwise, but now I’m happy with things as they are.

Besides, the texture of anything made with the Fung-Yuhwan is unfamiliar and not to my taste.

“Fung-Yuhwan? Hmm... is there any point in making it bigger? Wouldn’t that just be inconvenient?”

Baekrang, completely oblivious to So-yeong’s sorrow, chimed in.

“W-What did you say?!”

“For us spiritual beings, it’s a pointless organ anyway. Well, I suppose some lizards are oddly fixated on it.”

Baekrang crossed her arms as she said this, which naturally emphasized certain features.

“Aargh...!”

So-yeong clenched her fists and muttered angrily.

“See? It’s just heavy and useless.”

“Enough!”

Unable to hold back her anger, So-yeong charged at Baekrang, only to be effortlessly subdued.

“Huff, huff...”

“Ahaha! Stop, stop it!”

Pinned down by Ilrang and Chillang’s relentless licking, So-yeong finally gave up.

...I’m kind of jealous.

I’d like to play with the dogs too, but Baekrang always stops them.

She sternly warns the wolves to leave me alone when they try to lick me.

Of course, when no one’s watching, they sneak over and lick me anyway.

It’s a bit embarrassing to watch, but since they don’t do it in human form, it’s not really a problem.

It just feels like being licked by a big dog.

Now that So-yeong, who seemed to need the Fung-Yuhwan most, was incapacitated, I decided I might as well use it.

I turned to Nephila, who was staring intently at the Fung-Yuhwan in my hand.

Since I met her first, it was only right to let her use it first.

I handed the Fung-Yuhwan to her.

Nephila’s eyes widened as she looked at me in disbelief.

“For me?”

She asked as if seeking confirmation.

“Grrrk.”

I nodded, and her face lit up as she accepted it.

Staring at the Fung-Yuhwan in her hands, her face suddenly turned bright red.

“...This is bad.”

Does she not know how to use it?

It’s not like it just works by putting it in, and it’s not something you eat either.

To be honest, even I don’t fully understand how it works.

Asking Cho-Do about it would have been awkward too.

Imagine saying, “Hey, I stole this. How do I use it?”

Nephila moved closer to me and murmured softly, “I’ve lost.”

Her voice was so quiet that I had to lean in to hear.

“I’ve lost... to you.”

I heard her more clearly this time.

Lost?

Does she mean she wants to use the Fung-Yuhwan?

Nephila took another step closer, her face now so close that her breath tickled my ear.

Then she whispered, almost like a confession:

“I want to make... an egg sac.”

An egg sac?

What do you mean, Nephila Jurassica?