Fabre in Sacheon's Tang-Chapter 207: Growth (3)

Even though they were all sisters, there was never a situation like this when Hyang was with Cho, whom Dad had designated as her elder sister, and Bini, whom he had designated as her younger sister.

When the three of them were together, no matter who it was, if anyone harbored bad intentions toward Dad, they would immediately feel the bite of their terrifying fangs and the sting of their poison.

Harboring ill intentions toward Dad?

Biting them was the natural response.

However, now, Cho had grown after consuming Yeondu’s Neidan and could no longer stay with Hyang. Bini, too, had absorbed dark energy, leaving Hyang as the only one remaining on Dad’s body.

At first, she had thought this was a very good thing.

With the other two gone, Dad’s body was all hers to claim.

Dad’s wrist, Dad’s warm embrace—Hyang could monopolize it all.

But now she realized something.

Without Cho and Bini, she couldn’t protect Dad on her own.

Dad didn’t have fangs, nor did he have a hard shell. She absolutely had to protect him.

And what’s more, through Dad, she had learned something shocking—Dad couldn’t even shed his shell?

If he got seriously hurt, the wounds would remain on his body forever.

Why was Dad’s body so fragile?

Even though Dad’s body was always so warm, that warmth made him far too vulnerable.

That was why she had come.

To seek out the strongest venomous beast she knew.

There were plenty of venomous and spirit creatures around her—Cho, Bini, Yo-hwa, Seol, Bini, and Hwayang—but the strongest of them all was Cheongwol.

Even that thing that had stabbed Dad had fled the moment it saw Cheongwol’s form.

If her big sister was the strongest, if she shone like a fountain of light, then surely she would have a way.

— Krrr... 『You want to get stronger?』

Cheongwol, who had been resting with a pleasant expression, opened one eye slightly and asked in a languid voice.

— Chorot! 『Yes!』

Without hesitation, Hyang answered the moment her sister asked.

Cheongwol, keeping one eye half-open, stared at Hyang for a moment.

Then, after a brief silence, she slowly nodded.

— Krrrng... Krrr. 『Ah, now that I think about it, the other large centipedes said you were all sisters born from the same clutch, didn’t they?』

— Chorot! 『Yes, big sister!』

— Krrrng. 『Hmm...』

Cheongwol rubbed her pincers against her chin, lost in thought.

As the sun began to set, her body started glowing brighter.

At the same time, her languid voice continued.

— Krrrrr? 『Is it because you’re the only one who hasn’t grown?』

It seemed that Cheongwol thought Hyang was asking this because she hadn’t grown as large as Cho or Bini.

But that was unfair.

When they had first seen Yeondu’s Neidan, they had all desired it.

The radiant energy contained within it had captivated them, and it even looked delicious.

But after seeing how massive Cho and Bini had become, it was clear that growing bigger wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

They could no longer stay with Dad.

The only reason Hyang wanted to become stronger was to protect Dad from being hurt.

She had no desire to grow larger.

— Chorot. 『No! I want to protect Dad!』

— Krrng. 『You want to protect Dad?』

— Chorot! 『Yes!』

Hyang’s antennae stood upright as she responded.

Now, as the sun had fully set, her big sister, now glowing brilliantly, looked up at the rising moon and spoke.

— Krrrrr. 『Well, humans are rather weak, after all. No hard shells, and if they bleed too much, they die. If they lose a limb, it doesn’t even grow back.』

— Chorot! 『That’s right! That’s why I have to protect Dad!』

— Krr. 『Yeah, he does seem pretty fragile. Still young, too.』

— Chorot. 『That’s right, exactly!』

Finally, someone who understood how frail Dad was.

Cheongwol nodded several times at Hyang’s words before speaking again, as if it were nothing special.

— Krrrr. 『Well... If you want to get stronger, you should just grow bigger.』

— Chorot! 『G-grow bigger?!』

— Krrrrrrr. 『It’s the simplest way. The bigger you are, the stronger you become.』

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Hyang shuddered at the idea of growing larger.

After all, if she grew too big, she wouldn’t be able to cling to Dad’s body anymore.

Sure, she would probably become as strong as Cho or Bini, but she didn’t want that.

So, with a cautious voice, she asked again.

— Charrng. Cha! 『Is there another way? If I grow bigger, I won’t be able to stay on Dad’s body...』

Cheongwol scratched her chin with her pincers before replying.

— *Hmm... If you don’t want to grow bigger, then... Well, you should get tougher instead.』

To get stronger, she needed to become tougher—at least, according to her big sister.

— Charrng? 『Get tougher?』

— Krr. 『Yes. Look at me. I’m strong because I’m tough, right?』

At her words, Hyang curled her body forward and pressed against it with her legs.

She was somewhat firm, but nowhere near as hard as Cheongwol.

Tilting her head, Hyang asked.

— Charrng? 『How do I do that?』

Her body wasn’t naturally that tough.

She couldn’t just become solid all ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) of a sudden.

But then, for the first time, she heard something she had never considered before.

— Krrrr. 『Don’t worry. There’s a way. Training.』

— Chutchut? 『Training?』

Hyang tilted her head at the unfamiliar concept.

Training could make her stronger? Tougher?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

She had seen Dad doing something similar before, but was that really the same thing?

She quickly pressed on, eager to learn.

— Chorurut? 『How do I do that?』

She wanted to start immediately.

***

The morning after I received the Mystic Recovery Technique, I woke up feeling truly refreshed.

The tingling sensation in my meridians and blood vessels had completely disappeared.

It seemed that after pushing my energy circulation to its limits, my meridians had been shocked, but now they had stabilized.

I would need to receive the technique a few more times, but even after just one session, the effects were remarkable.

“How do you feel, Young Hero So?”

“It feels good. Circulating my inner energy feels much smoother.”

Taeheo, who had come expecting me to be looking for breakfast, inquired about my condition.

When I gave my assessment, he smiled with great satisfaction.

“That’s a relief. If you receive the technique two more times, your meridians will stabilize. Then, we only need to focus on healing your waist injury. The elder also said the same.”

He then added with a smug expression, “Not to boast, but our Kunlun Sect’s Golden Wound Medicine is renowned for its effectiveness. Your waist injury will heal in no time.”

From what I’d heard from Hwa-eun, the Tang Clan was supposed to be the best when it came to treating deep wounds and cuts with Golden Wound Medicine.

So, who was actually right?

‘They all claim to be the best.’

Everyone in this field seemed to think their own sect was superior.

I decided to take such claims with a grain of salt.

Besides, for now, I was receiving help from Kunlun, so I simply went along with it.

“I’ve heard that as well. When it comes to Kunlun, the Golden Wound Medicine is famous.”

“Haha! Then you must have met a well-informed scholar of the martial world!”

“...Yes? Ah, right, a scholar. Haha...”

After exchanging a few words, I had breakfast with the food Taeheo brought.

I was taking a short rest when I suddenly heard Hwa-eun’s voice from outside.

“So-ryong, did you cough?”

It seemed like she was worried about my condition and had come to check on me.

“Ah, Hwa-eun, you may come in.”

When I invited her inside, the door to the medical hall opened.

Not only did Hwa-eun step in, but a whole group of children rushed in after her.

Yo-hwa, who looked just like Hwa-eun, followed, along with Cho, Bini, and Hwayang, who was nestled in Hwa-eun’s arms.

On my right shoulder were Seol and Bing, and on top of my head was Dong.

Wrapped around my arm was Yeondu, while Moji and Soji clung to my left shoulder.

It seemed like my whole family was worried and had come to visit.

“How are you feeling, So-ryong?”

— Kisi!

— Kkoggong!

— Shaaa!

The children echoed Hwa-eun’s concern.

I welcomed my visitors with a warm heart.

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”

However, something was odd.

Normally, they would have leaped onto me right away, but now they were hesitating.

I glanced at Hwa-eun, who smiled and explained.

“If Dad says he’s okay, you can go to him now.”

Only then did Seol and Bing jump off my shoulders and rush toward me, followed closely by Cho and Bini.

It seemed that Hwa-eun had told them not to pounce on me because I was hurt.

Even though we had only been apart for about a day, the children acted as if it had been several days.

“Haha, alright, you little ones.”

This was the joy of raising children.

Their actions were a little excessive, but I looked each of them in the eyes and showered them with affection.

“Hwayang has been calm lately, which is a relief. Cho and Bini, don’t fight and give your mother a hard time while I’m not around, okay?

Let’s see... Dong, you’ve grown a lot!

Seol and Bing, you’re taking good care of the younger ones, right?

Moji and Soji, it’s a relief that you’re no longer spreading bad energy around Mom.

Yeondu, as always, you’re doing great.

Yo-hwa, you—”

I had intended to express my love for them, but somehow, I found myself nagging instead.

Perhaps it was the spirit of all Korean parents residing within me.

— Kisit!?

Yo-hwa widened her eyes at me.

Feeling flustered, I scratched my head and averted my gaze.

That was when I suddenly noticed something missing.

Two figures were absent.

Only now did I realize that Hyang and Hongdan were nowhere to be seen.

‘Wait, where are those two?’

“Hwa-eun, where are Hyang and Hongdan?”

Those two always stuck together.

If they disappeared, they disappeared together.

Tilting my head, I asked, and Hwa-eun nodded knowingly.

“Ah, right. Sister Seol went looking for them. When we woke up this morning, they were both gone, so she took the Blood-Eyed Green Fur Weasel to track them.”

Sister Seol’s Blood-Eyed Green Fur Weasel still didn’t have a name.

She had been pondering a fitting name for it for a while now.

Those creatures had excellent senses of smell and could detect vibrations well.

With them assisting, they would surely find the two soon.

Still, I couldn’t shake off a bit of concern.

Would those two cause trouble for the Tang Clan or Kunlun?

Would they disturb someone else’s household?

‘They’re not going to embarrass me, are they?’

A vague feeling of unease crept up inside me.

Just then, Sister Seol burst through the door of the medical hall, panting.

“So-ryong! So-ryong!”

“What’s wrong, Sister Seol?”

Her expression was flustered, and she seemed to be in a hurry.

I tilted my head, puzzled by her excitement.

Sister Seol finally spoke, her face still full of disbelief.

“If you can move, you should come outside and see this. Hyang and Hongdan are doing something strange.”

“...Excuse me? Hyang and Hongdan?”

Something strange?

Though moving wasn’t easy, I followed Sister Seol outside.

I was too curious to ignore it.

We arrived at Kunlun’s training ground.

It wasn’t just any training ground—it was one specifically prepared for Cheongwol.

Kunlun had generously offered it for her use.

And inside, I witnessed something bizarre.

Hyang and Hongdan were doing something unusual.

They were scurrying up Cheongwol’s body, then leaping off her head.

At first, it looked like they were just playing.

But then came the real shock.

After launching themselves off Cheongwol’s body, the two twisted mid-air and landed on their backs.

— Thud.

A cloud of dust rose as they hit the ground.

Then, flipping over, they scrambled back up Cheongwol’s body once again.

‘What in the world...?’

Was this supposed to be some kind of falling technique?

Watching their short legs attempting to perform acrobatics, and their tiny bodies repeatedly climbing and jumping off Cheongwol’s head, I couldn’t help but find it adorable.

But I had no idea what they were doing.

When they climbed back up for another jump, I reached out and caught them mid-air.

“What are you two doing here?”

I asked the two creatures what exactly they were up to.

They flinched, their antennae trembling, before they both responded at the same time.

— Chorurut... 『Training...』

— Kkii...

“...Training?”

I asked again, bewildered.

That was when I heard Cheongwol’s voice inside my mind.

— Krrrrr...

She explained that they were training to protect me.

And just like that, tears welled up in my eyes.

‘Gyaaaaaah?!’

They had seen me get hurt and had decided they needed to train to protect me?

How could I possibly endure this?

I hugged them tightly and turned to Sister Seol.

“Sister Seol, how does one train the heart?”

If it was about training the heart, the goal didn’t matter.

If these little ones were trying so hard, then I had no excuse.

I needed to start too, as soon as my body healed.