Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 217

Chapter 217
Two scenes flickered in Hyang’s sight.
The divided bead, turning in a slow circle as it rolled over the table.
And the golden antennae of Moji and Soji, inching their way toward the bead, sparkling with intermittent, minuscule flashes of light.
—Churut!
The instant Hyang understood they were heading for the bead, it acted without pause. It shot around the side of the table and propelled itself ahead.
A living, crimson wall abruptly formed between the bead and the two younger creatures.
Hyang had thrust its antennae up and lunged, barricading the path to its siblings.
Because the bead was emanating a malevolent feeling, it needed to prevent them from approaching.
—Chorururung!
But despite its quick action to intercept them, it was ineffective.
Moji and Soji, who had been creeping toward the bead, only cocked their heads at the red barrier before them. Unbothered, they kept squirming ahead, clambering right over Hyang’s form.
—Chururut! 『Stop! It’s not safe!』
Hyang attempted to deter them again, cautioning that the power leaking from the bead was dangerous.
Yet they just scaled its body another time.
Every time Hyang got in their way, they would simply crawl across it. When it gently shifted them away, they squirmed back toward the bead.
This happened again and again.
Finally, Moji and Soji appeared to become impatient. They started emitting a power that felt much like the bead’s.
—Chorut!
An energy where brilliant light and deep shadow merged together.
Hyang was so taken aback it recoiled in surprise.
And with that, Moji and Soji continued their advance toward the bead.
Hyang understood that preventing them was futile.
Its eyes darted across the table’s surface.
It needed to return the bead to the wooden container.
It seized the box with its mouth.
Right then—
Something gently bumped into its side.
—Tap. Tap.
—Pii?
A gentle nudge and a soft cry.
Startled, Hyang jolted and the box fell from its mouth.
—Choruru!?
It looked to see what had touched it so suddenly.
In the dim light, it saw a drowsy pair of eyes, half-open.
—Pii?
It was Hyang, who should have been either asleep or eating.
Somehow, she had soundlessly wriggled next to Hyang, still holding onto something while half-asleep.
—Choru… 『Hold on, was that you, Hyang?』
Hyang settled its racing heart and spoke.
Hyang tilted her head.
—Piiing? 『What’s going on? Is it food?』
—Choruru! 『Ugh… This is serious. It’s about Moji and Soji!』
Hyang had only inquired if there was food, which made Hyang sigh in exasperation.
It snatched up the dropped box again and moved fast.
Then, it hastily collected the two bead halves and returned them to the container.
“…!?”
Just as it was about to secure the bead—
The bead disappeared from view right before its eyes.
Moji and Soji, apparently confused, waved their antennae around, looking for it.
Soon, they understood that Hyang had it.
They turned to stare, looking completely puzzled.
“……”
Then, that same disquieting energy started to emanate from them once more.
Their golden antennae shimmered, giving off that foreboding power.
And at that moment—
Hyang’s voice came again.
—Pii?
A soft pressure touched Hyang’s body another time.
Hyang held onto it, complaining and asking what was happening, insisting on seeing the thing.
For her, even a brief moment felt endless when she was hungry.
—Piiit!
Hyang objected, saying you can’t just give her something without explaining what it is.
But Hyang confidently stated that anything is fine once it’s eaten.
Hyang’s antennae went rigid with frustration.
There was no talking sense into her.
From Hyang’s point of view, hunger wasn’t such a crisis—just eat a bit less!
But finally, Hyang brushed off the worries and asked for the box, declaring she would manage it herself.
Seeing no other option, Hyang gave it to her.
At Hyang’s urging, Hyang also placed Moji and Soji down on the floor.
Hyang slid the wooden box in their direction.
Then, as she prepared to lift the lid—
—Chorut! 『Sister, wait!』
Hyang hurried onto the bed next to its father and stated firmly.
It announced that it was relinquishing all responsibility.
Since Hyang was adamant about handling it, she must accept all the blame.
And she must not tell a soul that Hyang had assisted her.
—Chorurururu!
—Piiit!
Hyang just nodded as if it were nothing.
Then, she opened the box and slid the bead halves toward Moji and Soji.
—Clatter.
The sound of the bead pieces striking the stone floor echoed.
Moji and Soji instantly clung to a half each.
The energy seeping from the bead was pulled into their forms.
Their antennae shimmered with a rhythm of light and dark.
And then—
The power from the Neidan started to consume Moji and Soji.
Bursts of brilliant light and profound shadow flashed in quick pulses.
In the middle of it all, a voice cried out.
“Gasp! Wh-what’s going on!?”
The noise roused Father, who jolted upright in bed with a shocked look.
Peeking through half-closed eyes, feigning sleep, Hyang watched as his gaze found Moji and Soji, his eyes opening wide in astonishment.
Father, now fully alert, sprang from the bed and ran over. He gazed at the empty wooden container and the two glowing creatures, then his eyes moved to Hyang’s sister.
It seemed she was about to be reprimanded for giving the young ones something hazardous.
Hyang quietly wished she would keep her word and not mention its part in it.
Then, Father spoke.
“They… they consumed the artificial Neidan? Are they alright? Ah! A Neidan holding both unclean energy and pure energy! I understand! Hyang, was this you? Did you break the Neidan for them?”
—Pii!
Demonstrating unexpected steadfastness, Hyang’s sister claimed all the credit.
Her naive and overly bright reply made Hyang anxious for her.
—Choruru. 『Sister… you’re really going to get it now…』
But instead of the reprimand Hyang anticipated, Father suddenly drew her into a hug, nuzzling his cheek against hers as he talked.
“You did wonderfully, my Hyang. Oh, you’re so smart. I believed all you did was eat, but I was mistaken, wasn’t I? How did you realize this was exactly what they needed?”
—Pii!
“Yes, excellent. Truly excellent. Just as one expects from the big sister, looking out for her younger siblings.”
Hyang’s mouth fell open in amazement.
It had been so sure its sister was heading for trouble.
Instead, she was receiving commendation.
***
Drifting in a dream, he suddenly felt like he was in a Jiangnan nightclub.
A pulsating strobe light flashed above.
Still mostly asleep, he grimaced and opened his eyes to see the whole room illuminated.
“What in the world?”
Shocked, he scrambled to sit up.
“Wh-what’s going on!?”
At the heart of the alternating brilliant light and deep shadow—
Were Moji and Soji.
The two little ones were throbbing with bursts of dazzling light and pitch-black darkness.
Hurrying from the bed, he tripped on something near his feet.
Shading his eyes from the intense light, he glanced down—
And spotted the wooden box by his foot.
The very box Grandmaster Gunryong had presented him yesterday.
‘Why is this here?’
He was certain he’d stored it securely in his robe.
It must have tumbled out while he slept.
As he confirmed its contents, his attention was captured by the origin of the glowing light.
Two separated portions of the Neidan.
Moji and Soji were each holding a piece, drawing in the energy emanating from them.
‘Wait, did they… consume it!?’
“They… they ate the artificial Neidan? Are they okay?”
His eyes widened with the realization.
Next to him, he detected another presence.
Turning, he saw Hyang observing Moji and Soji with an intensity he had never witnessed before.
‘It can’t be…’
Even if he’d dropped the box in his sleep, Moji and Soji couldn’t have relocated it to the table.
Which implied—
It had to be Hyang.
And now, witnessing how the Neidan’s properties aligned with the nature of his little ones, everything clicked.
The Neidan held both impure and pure energy, which caused its silvery sheen.
That was the precise definition of Silver Silkworms.
The characteristics of the Neidan and the traits of Moji and Soji were a perfect match.
“Just a moment… Ah! A Neidan with both impure and pure energy! I get it! Hyang, was this your doing? Did you locate the Neidan for them?”
—Piiit!
When he asked if she was responsible, Hyang answered with pride.
He had considered her nothing more than an endless stomach—
Yet she had performed such a considerate act.
Without a second thought, he hugged Hyang tightly and nuzzled his cheek against hers.
This was worth a hundred million points of praise.
“Well done, my Hyang. Oh, how clever you are. I thought all you could do was eat, but that wasn’t the case, was it? How did you know this was the best thing for them?”
—Pii!
“Yes, well done. Very well done. As expected of the eldest sister, taking care of her younger siblings.”
As he kept praising Hyang, he noticed Hyang shivering near the bed.
‘What’s the matter? Is he cold? Perhaps from the rain the other day?’
The idea fleetingly passed through his thoughts.
***
The abrupt flash of light attracted the Gunryong disciples, who hurried into the room.
“L-Lord Hero! What is happening!?”
“Ah, it’s nothing to worry about. My spiritual beasts are, well… Ah! Exactly! They’re experiencing a Rebirth Transformation. I apologize for the disruption.”
“R-Rebirth Transformation!? I-I understand! Then, we shall guard the door!”
“Wait, you really don’t hav—”
“We must not leave a Rebirth Transformation unguarded!”
The warriors had been on their rounds when the sudden radiance from the room startled them.
But after hearing his clarification, they withdrew with respect.
Not only that, they were adamant about keeping watch outside.
Initially, he had been doubtful, wondering if he’d used the correct terminology.
He’d just selected a martial arts term his grandfather had once referenced.
‘Was that not the right word?’
But either way, he could now watch the process undisturbed.
Time went by.
The Neidan had been fully absorbed by Moji and Soji.
Their shells began to fracture, one after the other.
And then—
The small creatures, previously just larvae, had now assumed the shape of the Five-Spirit Pupae.
—Buuuu.
The Five-Spirit Pupae.
The phase immediately preceding their ultimate change.
It would not be much longer before they matured into genuine Silver Silkworms.