Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 207

Chapter 207
Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter, adhering to all the specified requirements.

***

Even though they were all sisters, circumstances had never been like this when Hyang was together with Cho, whom Dad had named her older sister, and Bini, whom he had named her younger sister.
Whenever the three of them were united, if anyone, no matter who, held any malicious thought toward Dad, they would instantly feel the slash of their fearsome pincers and the burn of their venom.
Harboring ill will toward Dad?
Biting them was the only logical reaction.
But now, Cho had grown immense after consuming Yeondu’s Neidan and could no longer remain with Hyang. Bini, too, had been changed by absorbing dark energy, leaving Hyang as the sole [N O V E L I G H T] still upon Dad’s body.
At first, she believed this was an excellent development.
With the other two gone, Dad’s body belonged to her alone.
Dad’s wrist, Dad’s warm hold—Hyang could have it all to herself.
Now, however, she understood the truth.
Without Cho and Bini, she was incapable of protecting Dad by herself.
Dad possessed no fangs, nor did he have a protective shell. She absolutely had to be his guardian.
Furthermore, she had learned something deeply alarming through Dad—he couldn’t even molt his skin?
If he was badly injured, the damage would stay on his body permanently.
Why was Dad’s form so delicate?
Even though his body was always so wonderfully warm, that very warmth made him terribly susceptible.
That was her reason for coming.
To find the most powerful venomous beast she knew.
She was surrounded by many venomous and spiritual creatures—Cho, Bini, Yo-hwa, Seol, Bini, and Hwayang—yet the strongest among them all was unquestionably Cheongwol.
Even that entity which had stabbed Dad had instantly fled upon seeing Cheongwol’s true shape.
If her eldest sister was the most powerful, if she glowed like a spring of pure light, then she would certainly know a method.
— Krrr… 『You seek greater strength?』
Cheongwol, who had been resting with a contented look, partly opened one eye and posed the question in a drowsy tone.
— Chorot! 『Yes!』
Hyang replied without a moment’s delay the instant her sister finished speaking.
Cheongwol, keeping one eye half-lidded, observed Hyang for a long moment.
Then, after a short silence, she gave a slow, deliberate nod.
— Krrrng… Krrr. 『Ah, now I recall, the other great centipedes mentioned you were all sisters from the same brood, correct?』
— Chorot! 『Yes, big sister!』
— Krrrng. 『Hmm…』
Cheongwol rubbed her pincers against her jaw, deep in consideration.
As the sun started to dip below the horizon, her form began to shine more intensely.
Simultaneously, her lazy voice carried on.
— Krrrrr? 『Is this because you are the only one who has not increased in size?』
It appeared Cheongwol assumed Hyang was asking because she hadn’t grown as large as Cho or Bini.
But that was unjust.
When they had first laid eyes on Yeondu’s Neidan, every one of them had wanted it.
The brilliant energy it contained had mesmerized them, and it seemed utterly delectable.
But after witnessing the colossal sizes Cho and Bini had achieved, it was obvious that getting bigger wasn’t entirely beneficial.
They could no longer remain at Dad’s side.
Hyang’s sole desire for more power was to shield Dad from harm.
She had no wish to become larger.
— Chorot. 『No! I wish to protect Dad!』
— Krrng. 『You wish to protect Dad?』
— Chorot! 『Yes!』
Hyang’s antennae shot straight up as she answered.
Now, with the sun completely gone, her big sister, shining with a brilliant light, gazed up at the emerging moon and spoke.
— Krrrrr. 『Well, humans are quite fragile, when all is said and done. They lack hardened shells, and if they lose too much blood, they perish. If a limb is lost, it does not regenerate.』
— Chorot! 『Exactly! That is why I must protect Dad!』
— Krr. 『Yes, he does appear rather vulnerable. Also still very young.』
— Chorot. 『Right, precisely!』
Finally, here was someone who comprehended how delicate Dad was.
Cheongwol nodded several times at Hyang’s words before speaking again, as if it were the most ordinary thing.
— Krrrr. 『Well… If you want to get stronger, you should simply become bigger.』
— Chorot! 『B-become bigger?!』
— Krrrrrrr. 『It is the most straightforward method. The larger you are, the more powerful you become.』
Hyang shuddered at the notion of increasing in size.
After all, if she grew too large, she would be unable to cling to Dad’s body any longer.
Certainly, she would likely become as strong as Cho or Bini, but that was not her desire.
So, with a tentative voice, she asked once more.
— Charrng. Cha! 『Is there another path? If I grow bigger, I cannot remain on Dad’s body…』
Cheongwol scratched her chin with her pincers before answering.
— *Hmm… If you do not wish to grow bigger, then… Well, you should become more durable instead.』
To gain strength, she needed to gain toughness—so claimed her big sister.
— Charrng? 『Become more durable?』
— Krr. 『Yes. Look at me. I am strong because I am durable, am I not?』
At her words, Hyang curled her body forward and pushed against it with her legs.
She was somewhat firm, but not nearly as resilient as Cheongwol.
Tilting her head, Hyang asked.
— Charrng? 『How do I achieve that?』
Her body was not naturally that tough.
She couldn’t just suddenly turn solid.
But then, she heard a concept she had never before contemplated.
— Krrrr. 『Do not fret. There is a way. Training.』
— Chutchut? 『Training?』
Hyang tilted her head at the unfamiliar term.
Training could make her stronger? Tougher?
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
She had observed Dad doing something like it before, but was it truly the same thing?
She pressed on urgently, keen to understand.
— Chorurut? 『How is it done?』
She wanted to begin right away.
***
The morning after I was treated with the Mystic Recovery Technique, I awoke feeling genuinely rejuvenated.
The prickling feeling throughout my meridians and blood vessels had vanished entirely.
It seemed that after driving my energy circulation to its absolute limit, my meridians had been jolted, but they had now settled and strengthened.
I would need a few more sessions, but even after just one, the results were outstanding.
“How are you feeling, Young Hero So?”
“Very well. The flow of my inner energy is noticeably smoother.”
Taeheo, who had arrived expecting me to be ready for breakfast, asked after my state.
When I shared my assessment, he grinned with immense satisfaction.
“That is a relief. Two more applications of the technique should fully stabilize your meridians. After that, we can concentrate solely on mending your waist injury. The elder concurred.”
He then added with a proud expression, “Not to sing our own praises, but the Kunlun Sect’s Golden Wound Medicine is legendary for its potency. Your waist will be healed in short order.”
From what Hwa-eun had told me, the Tang Clan was supposedly peerless in treating severe wounds and lacerations with their Golden Wound Medicine.
So, which one was actually true?
‘Everyone claims to be the best.’
It seemed every faction in this field believed their own was superior.
I resolved to take such boasts with a degree of skepticism.
Besides, for the time being, I was under Kunlun’s care, so I simply agreed.
“I’ve heard that said as well. The Golden Wound Medicine of Kunlun is famous.”
“Haha! Then you must have conversed with a very knowledgeable scholar of the martial world!”
“…Yes? Ah, correct, a scholar. Haha…”
After a brief exchange, I ate the breakfast Taeheo had brought.
I was resting for a short while when I suddenly heard Hwa-eun’s voice from outside.
“So-ryong, are you awake?”
It seemed she was concerned about my condition and had come to see me.
“Ah, Hwa-eun, please come in.”
At my invitation, the door to the medical hall swung open.
Not only did Hwa-eun enter, but an entire troop of children surged in behind her.
Yo-hwa, who was the image of Hwa-eun, came along, followed by Cho, Bini, and Hwayang, who was cradled in Hwa-eun’s arms.
Seol and Bing were perched on my right shoulder, and Dong was on top of my head.
Yeondu was coiled around my arm, while Moji and Soji were affixed to my left shoulder.
It seemed my entire family had been worried and had come for a visit.
“How are you feeling, So-ryong?”
— Kisi!
— Kkoggong!
— Shaaa!
The children chorused Hwa-eun’s concern.
My heart warmed at the sight of my visitors.
“I’m alright. There’s no need for you all to worry.”
However, something felt unusual.
Normally, they would have jumped on me immediately, but now they were holding back.
I looked at Hwa-eun, who smiled and provided an explanation.
“If Dad says he’s fine, you can go to him now.”
Only then did Seol and Bing leap from my shoulders and dash toward me, with Cho and Bini close behind.
It seemed Hwa-eun had instructed them not to leap on me because of my injuries.
Even though we had been separated for less than a day, the children behaved as if it had been weeks.
“Haha, alright, come here, all of you.”
This was the happiness that came with raising children.
Their enthusiasm was a bit much, but I met each of their gazes and gave them plenty of affection.
“It’s good to see Hwayang has been so calm lately. Cho and Bini, you mustn’t fight and trouble your mother while I’m away, understood?
Let’s see… Dong, you’ve gotten so much bigger!
Seol and Bing, you’re looking after the little ones well, yes?
Moji and Soji, I’m relieved you’ve stopped spreading negative energy around Mom.
Yeondu, you’re doing wonderfully, as always.
Yo-hwa, you—”
I had meant to express my love for them, but somehow it came out as gentle scolding.
Perhaps it was the essence of every Korean parent living inside me.
— Kisit!?
Yo-hwa’s eyes went wide at my words.
Feeling abashed, I scratched my head and looked away.
It was then that I abruptly noticed an absence.
Two were missing.
Only now did I realize that Hyang and Hongdan were not there.
‘Wait, where did those two go?’
“Hwa-eun, where are Hyang and Hongdan?”
Those two were always together.
If one vanished, the other did too.
Tilting my head, I asked, and Hwa-eun nodded in recognition.
“Ah, that’s right. Sister Seol went to search for them. When we got up this morning, they were both missing, so she took the Blood-Eyed Green Fur Weasel to try and find their scent.”
Sister Seol’s Blood-Eyed Green Fur Weasel still hadn’t been given a name.
She had been considering a suitable one for some time.
Those creatures had an exceptional sense of smell and were very good at detecting vibrations.
With their help, they were sure to locate the two soon.
Still, a thread of worry persisted.
Would those two make trouble for the Tang Clan or Kunlun?
Would they bother someone else?
‘They aren’t about to embarrass me, are they?’
A vague sense of dread began to uncoil within me.
Just then, Sister Seol hurried through the medical hall door, out of breath.
“So-ryong! So-ryong!”
“What is it, Sister Seol?”
Her expression was alarmed, and she seemed to be in a rush.
I tilted my head, confused by her urgency.
Sister Seol finally spoke, her face still a mask of astonishment.
“If you can walk, you need to come see this outside. Hyang and Hongdan are acting very strangely.”
“…Pardon? Hyang and Hongdan?”
Acting strangely?
Even though moving was difficult, I followed Sister Seol outside.
My curiosity was too powerful to resist.
We reached a training ground at Kunlun.
It wasn’t just any ground—it was one specially designated for Cheongwol’s use.
Kunlun had courteously provided it for her.
And inside, I saw a most peculiar sight.
Hyang and Hongdan were engaged in a bizarre activity.
They were scrambling up Cheongwol’s body, only to then jump from her head.
At first glance, it resembled play.
But then came the true surprise.
After hurling themselves from Cheongwol’s form, the two contorted in mid-air and landed squarely on their backs.
— Thud.
A puff of dust bloomed where they impacted the earth.
Then, righting themselves, they scurried back up Cheongwol’s body to begin again.
‘What on earth…?’
Was this meant to be some kind of falling practice?
Watching their short legs attempt these acrobatics, their tiny bodies repeatedly scaling and leaping from Cheongwol’s head, it was undeniably endearing.
But I had no clue what they were attempting to do.
As they climbed up for another attempt, I reached out and caught them in mid-air.
“What are you two doing?”
I asked the two creatures to explain their actions.
They flinched, their antennae quivering, before they both answered in unison.
— Chorurut… 『Training…』
— Kkii…
“…Training?”
I asked again, completely perplexed.
It was then that I heard Cheongwol’s voice resonate in my mind.
— Krrrrr…
She conveyed that they were training themselves to protect me.
And in that moment, my eyes welled with tears.
‘Gyaaaaaah?!’
They had seen me get injured and had decided they must train to be my defenders?
How was my heart supposed to withstand this?
I clutched them tightly to my chest and turned to Sister Seol.
“Sister Seol, how does one go about training the heart?”
If it was a matter of heart, the objective was irrelevant.
If these little ones were putting in such effort, then I had no justification to hold back.
I needed to begin as well, the moment my body was healed.