Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 121

Chapter 121
“Keh-heh-heh-heh… I knew you had a thing for venomous beasts, but this is something else.”

Geolhwang erupted in laughter, while Xintu, who had at first seemed confused, abruptly understood and his eyes went wide. He spun toward me and exclaimed,

“Hold on—you want the Heavenly Silkworm eggs!?”

Xintu gaped at me, utterly stunned.

Since he was asking for confirmation, I gave a clear nod and replied,

“That’s correct, Elder. All three of them. And what a name—Heavenly Silkworm. It really suits them.”

A silkworm gifted by the heavens… Given how effortlessly they had come into my reach, the name felt perfectly chosen.

Hearing my answer, Xintu turned to Geolhwang with a helpless, bewildered expression, as though begging for support.

But seeing that look, Geolhwang completely broke down, clutching his middle and laughing uncontrollably as he rolled on the ground.

Here was one of the martial world’s most respected elders, throwing all dignity to the wind.

Then again, he was a beggar—maybe that was just part of his charm.

“Keh-heh-heh… Look at that face. The greatest thief in the Central Plains, getting robbed like some common highwayman! Keh-heh-heh…”

In the Central Plains, “bandit” referred to a roadside robber.

Essentially, Geolhwang was accusing me of openly stealing from Xintu right then and there.

Like some kind of… common thug.

“Now, that’s not fair. I’m no ordinary thief—I’m saving venomous creatures! This is a humanitarian mission!”

I’d already been told that several of the larvae had starved to death.

If the owner couldn’t even feed them, he had no right to keep them.

That wasn’t mere neglect—it was cruelty.

“An owner who fails to properly care for his pets has neglected his duty. It’s only right to remove them.”

Eagerly imagining what kind of larvae I would receive, I fixed my expectant gaze on Xintu.

Just then, my grandfather’s voice sounded in my mind through sound transmission.

[To see that old man make a face like that… Brilliant, So-ryong! Strip him of everything! Hahaha!]

I smiled at the prospect of securing the Heavenly Silkworm eggs.

Geolhwang smiled watching both Xintu and me.

My grandfather smiled at Xintu’s misery.

Everyone was enjoying themselves—except Xintu.

Flustered, Xintu stumbled over his words as he yelled,

“You! Did you not hear me when I said I need the silk from the Heavenly Silkworms!? What will I do if I hand them over to you!? This is my sacred treasure!”

“Really? But didn’t you say earlier that if I caught Xintu’s disciple, you would grant any wish? You promised to fulfill any request I made, not long ago at all.”

“Ah, that…”

It seemed he hadn’t fully processed my earlier comment about providing him with cocoons.

Now, cornered by his own promise, he was speechless.

Watching this, Geolhwang seemed even more entertained and added,

“I heard it clearly, So-ryong. Don’t you worry—I’ll stand as your witness!”

“Brother! Who are you supporting here!?”

Xintu turned to him with an expression of complete betrayal.

Geolhwang only laughed and gave him a hearty slap on the back.

“Support? Ha! An elder of the martial world must be impartial and just. Didn’t you clearly state you would grant any wish?”

“Khrrrgh…!”

At this point, Xintu seemed on the brink of tears, so I chose to show mercy and explain patiently.

He was a grown man, nearly weeping over three simple eggs.

“Come now, get a hold of yourself.”

“Elder Xintu, listen closely to what I’m saying. I’m not stealing from you. You said you require the silk from the Heavenly Silkworms to make the Heavenly Silkworm Thread, correct?”

“That… is true. That’s precisely why I cannot simply give them away!”

“True, but… are you actually familiar with silkworms?”

I paused, allowing the question to hang in the air before continuing.

“Are you aware that harvesting silk from a silkworm always results in its death?”

Sericulture was an ancient tradition, one that had been practiced for over 2,500 years in my previous life.

It was thought to have begun with the wild mulberry silkworm moth (Bombyx Mandarina Butler), which humans slowly domesticated.

Although silkworms had grown docile and charming over time, the method of gathering silk had remained unchanged.

My true interest in the eggs wasn’t solely because they were fascinating venomous beings.

It was for a much more critical reason—preserving the species.

“I assure you, my own reasons are just a small part of this… largely.”

Once silkworms reach full maturity as larvae, they start metamorphosis, spinning cocoons from silk produced in spinneret glands near their mouths.

The issue was that to retrieve the silk from these cocoons, they must be boiled while still alive.

The conventional method involved submerging the cocoons in boiling water, then using chopsticks to locate the silk thread’s end.

Once the thread was caught, the silk could be unwound from the cocoon.

But because the larvae inside were still living, this process boiled them to death.

Naturally, as spirit beasts, the Heavenly Silkworms likely produced silk with special qualities.

Still, the basic design of their cocoons was probably similar.

Xintu’s response indicated he had some knowledge of this, as he nodded.

“Yes, I’ve heard that from skilled silk craftsmen.”

“Exactly. Standard practice is to boil silkworms to obtain their silk.”

There was a scientific basis for this.

Silk fibers are pure protein, mainly consisting of fibroin and sericin.

Fibroin provides the silk’s structure, while sericin acts as a glue, cementing the threads into the cocoon’s shape.

Sericin breaks down in hot water, which is why boiling is essential for silk extraction.

One might ask, why not allow the moth to emerge naturally?

Unfortunately, that isn’t feasible.

If the moth hatches on its own, it will chew through the cocoon, shredding the silk threads and rendering them unfit for weaving.

This is why, even today, the boiling technique continues.

In my past life, silkworm pupae were a popular snack in Korea—these were simply the boiled larvae left after silk harvesting.

“So, by boiling them, you’re destroying a rare spirit beast, aren’t you?”

“But if I don’t kill them, I can’t get the silk! What alternative do I have!?”

“This man is casually executing silkworms without a second thought…”

To him, it was standard procedure, but to me, it was pure shortsightedness.

He required a fresh outlook.

“Oh my… You’re at a critical junction, and you don’t even see it?”

“A junction?”

“Indeed. You mentioned you only have three eggs remaining. I don’t know how much silk you need, but you might only get three cocoons. Then what?”

“…What are you implying?”

Xintu looked at me, perplexed.

I offered him a sly smile.

“Suppose you successfully gather a good amount of silk and hand it down to your disciple.

But what about your disciple’s disciple?

And their disciple after that?

Eventually, there will be a Xintu without a sacred treasure.”

“Hah…! He’s right!”

Xintu finally appeared to understand the severity of the situation, his eyes widening in alarm.

Until now, he hadn’t thought about the future. As a master, his role wasn’t just to obtain Heavenly Silkworm Thread now, but to ensure the Heavenly Silkworm bloodline endured.

Without foresight, the next Xintu would surely be a Xintu without a legacy.

“T-Then what do I do!?”

His voice grew urgent now that he realized the stakes.

“He’s nearly convinced. Why does my intelligence seem to peak whenever venomous creatures are involved?”

It was strange, but facing venomous beasts, my wits and instincts heightened dramatically, like a cockroach sensing danger.

Calmly, I delivered the final argument to close the deal.

“That’s exactly why I’m requesting the eggs. We must raise a breeding population of Heavenly Silkworms, ensure a stable supply of eggs, and expand their numbers so that future Xintus can have what they need.”

From what I knew, Xintu was a rover, journeying through the martial world without a fixed base.

“Do you have a secure, hidden place where you can raise them undisturbed? This could take years, maybe more.”

“Even if you delegate this task, can you be sure they will manage it properly?”

“Are you confident they will succeed?”

If confidentiality was crucial, it demanded strength to safeguard it—and no place was more secure than the Sacheon Tang Clan.

Naturally, we would distribute the Heavenly Silkworm Thread, but Xintu would have a reliable source whenever required, and the Sacheon Tang Clan would gain these venomous silkworms.

A mutually beneficial arrangement.

“Truthfully, this can hardly be called a wish—I’m being exceedingly charitable here.”

Xintu released a heavy sigh, deep in thought. When he looked back at me, his demeanor was wholly solemn.

“…Can you truly pull this off?”

A hint of worry tinged his voice.

Now, my go-to phrase was unavoidable.

“Elder, are you familiar with the term ‘expert’?”

“Expert?”

“Yes. Expert—‘Zhuan Men Jia.’

Zhuan: Specialized.

Men: Area.

Jia: Master.

It describes a person or family who masters one specific field.”

“For instance, the Sacheon Tang Clan are experts in poisons.”

“Oho… Go on.”

He was captivated.

“The instant I became the Sacheon Tang Clan’s son-in-law, the clan evolved from experts in poisons to experts in venomous creatures.

Without me, obtaining the Heavenly Silkworms would be out of the question.”

My assertive statement brought nods of approval from the clan elders, while Geolhwang smiled in agreement.

Meanwhile, Hwa-eun’s mouth hung open in amazement.

“Wow. My innate youthful charm, combined with these flashes of expertise? I truly excelled today.”

I must have dazzled her once more.

But then I noticed another pair of eyes on me.

Glancing over, I saw Xintu wearing the same awestruck expression as Hwa-eun.

“No, old man. You are NOT allowed to be smitten with me too.”

His stare was genuinely unsettling.

***

“Very well. Take them.”

—Clack.

Unexpectedly, Xintu wasn’t one to procrastinate.

Once his decision was made, he acted without delay.

Wordlessly, he produced a sizable medicine box from his robe and set it on the table.

—Ssk.

Using a burst of inner energy, he slid the box over to me.

My hands shaking slightly, I opened the lid.

Inside were three eggs, each about the size of a ping-pong ball.

“Oho… These are the ones!”

“Incredible. They’re enormous!”

Based on the egg size, the adult moths would be colossal—likely bigger than a person’s head.

[So-ryong!?]

Hwa-eun’s frantic transmitted voice broke my trance.

Without realizing, I had been caressing one of the eggs against my face.

Startled, I quickly set it down and reassumed a composed, solemn demeanor.

“Ahem. The eggs were so exquisite that I was briefly captivated… Ah, would you also hand over the deceased ones?

Their remains could offer crucial insights into the nature of these creatures.”

“Huh? You can deduce things from their bodies? W-well, here you are.”

He handed me a small pouch.

I poured its contents onto the table, and seven small, desiccated silkworm larvae spilled out.

They were pure white, slightly withered, yet unmistakably charming.

“Let’s examine… Hm? Wait—”

These larvae possessed Osmeterium glands.

The Osmeterium is a horn-like feature found in certain butterfly caterpillars. When scared, it extends, emitting a pungent defensive secretion.

The presence of this trait in a moth caterpillar was remarkable.

At that moment, my grandfather’s transmitted voice reached me once more.

[So-ryong, upon reflection, we should make that old man useful. Inform him you can’t assist right away.]

“Huh?”

Still studying the dead Heavenly Silkworm larvae, I glanced subtly toward my grandfather.

[We’ve already lost three days due to him. We must depart for the Martial Alliance shortly, so he should answer for the holdup.]

[If you raise this in front of Geolhwang, he will undoubtedly compel Xintu to assist. The Martial Alliance is too significant for him to disregard.]

Strictly speaking, I wasn’t heading to the Martial Alliance headquarters myself, but the rest were.

And it was accurate that Xintu’s message had set them back.

As I placed the medicine box and silkworm remains into my pouch, I nodded.

“…Understood.”

“You found something!?”

Xintu instantly brightened at my shift in tone.

Heeding my grandfather’s counsel, I adopted a tone of remorse.

“Not quite. I will keep looking into it… but I can’t aid you at present.”

“W-what!? But I already surrendered the eggs! Are you going back on your word!?”

Xintu’s anger flared instantly.

Before he could erupt, I explained calmly.

“The fact is, your letter set back our travel to the Martial Alliance by three days.”

“The Martial Alliance?”

Now even Geolhwang turned his attention to me.

As I recounted the events in Yunnan, the urgency of reaching the Martial Alliance, and the significance of the Blood Cult’s activities, Geolhwang leaped to his feet.

“You’re saying… THAT occurred!?”

“Yes. That’s why we must report this to the Martial Alliance without delay.

But because of Elder Xintu’s appeal, we’ve wasted precious time—”

“Then we must act now!”

Geolhwang suddenly struck Xintu on the back.

—Smack!

“Krgh! Why did you strike me!?”

“You caused this setback, so you must make amends!”

He then pointed a finger squarely at Xintu’s chest.

“As soon as your disciple is well, transport So-ryong and the Beast Palace young woman to Wuchang! You can make it in three days, can’t you!?”

“Ugh, Martial Alliance affairs, huh? Very well, I can’t disregard that… Alright. I’ll manage the journey to Wuchang. It’ll be a ten-day round trip, but I’ll see it through.”

“Wait… Wuchang in just three days!?”

Along with three Heavenly Silkworm eggs, I had just acquired a high-speed martial world transport service.

Total victory.