Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

From above, Cho watched Sister Seol and me, asking what we were doing.

Unable to contain my curiosity, I immediately called Cho down.

”Cho! Come down here! Hurry!”

‘Dad is getting impatient! Hurry up and come down!’

Since the Green-Mane Grasshound’s mane had grown stronger, I was incredibly curious to see what kind of transformation my eldest daughter would undergo.

Chrrt?

Responding to my call, Cho spiraled downward like a spinning helix, wrapping around my body before asking,

Chrrrt?

”It’s nothing big. Auntie just taught me something new, so I wanted to check it out.”

Chrrrt?

As Cho asked what exactly was new, I patted her head and quickly shouted to Sister Seol.

I couldn’t wait a single moment longer.

If the Green-Mane Grasshound had grown a mane, then my Cho would surely surpass it.

After all, my daughter was a Ten-Poison Cultivator, a master of the Peerless Venom Art!

‘If a mere single-poison creature transformed like that, how incredible will my Ten-Poison Cho become?’

”Sister Seol, this isn’t just about infusing energy once, right? Please hurry and teach me!”

However, instead of immediately answering as she had seemed ready to, Sister Seol examined the Green-Mane Grasshound, whose mane had now receded, and made an awkward expression.

”Wait a second, So-ryong. Let me try again. I really wasn’t expecting this outcome.”

”...Huh?”

She had sounded so confident a moment ago, yet now she was backtracking.

I looked at her in confusion, and she explained with a serious expression.

”Normally, this technique just makes them a little faster and stronger. I never expected something as dramatic as a full mane growing out.”

She hesitated before adding, ”I think we need to check this further. It doesn’t seem like something we should just experiment with carelessly. This little guy looks exhausted, too.”

Checking the Green-Mane Grasshound in her arms, I could see its eyes drooping.

Not only that, but the telltale sign of hunger—its bloodshot eyes—was clear.

It was both drowsy and starving.

As Sister Seol placed a strip of jerky into its mouth, the creature devoured it in an instant.

It had always had a strong bite, but this wasn’t just about that. It wasn’t even mealtime, yet it was eating like a creature that had been starved.

”When beasts use this ability, they’re supposed to get a little tired—but not this tired. This looks like how martial artists exhaust themselves when they drain all their internal energy.”

After several more bites of jerky, the creature dozed off right in Sister Seol’s arms.

As she had said, it really did seem like it had burned through its energy reserve.

After making sure it was comfortably wrapped, Sister Seol gently covered its face with a large leaf.

Then, holding another creature in her arms, she spoke with intrigue.

”This is fascinating. This has never happened before. Is it because they’re enchanted beasts? I need to check with another one to figure out exactly what’s happening, So-ryong.”

I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t immediately see what kind of transformation Cho would undergo.

But it was better to be careful and verify things first.

”Alright, Sister Seol...”

Seeing my slightly dejected expression, she chuckled and infused energy into the next creature in her arms.

Just like before, when she set it down, it trembled before letting out a high-pitched cry.

Chiii!

Sister Seol watched with anticipation.

”This time, I need to take a closer look at the mane. Just how sharp did it become?”

”Should we try plucking a few strands?”

”Maybe we should—Ah! It’s changing! Huh?”

However, both of us had expected the mane on its back to grow again.

Instead, something strange happened near its snout.

Its whiskers twitched before suddenly growing longer and thicker.

”Huh? Its whiskers are growing?”

”They really are...”

”Are they sharp too? They don’t look like they are... Let’s check.”

The previous transformation had resulted in sharp, dangerous mane spikes.

But this one—its whiskers had simply grown longer.

There was no indication that they were sharp or particularly useful.

As Sister Seol carefully examined the whiskers, the creature suddenly wiggled its nose.

Then, without warning, it scurried toward the rock where I had been sitting earlier.

”Hey, where are you going?”

Chii!

It frantically dug into the dirt beneath the rock, pulling out several plump, wriggling grubs.

”Huh? Were you looking for those?”

The Green-Mane Grasshound species did have an exceptional sense of smell, but this?

It had somehow found deeply buried grubs underground.

This was incredible.

A scent enhancement?

It had to be.

It had located food buried deep beneath the rock, and the sudden whisker growth fit the theory.

”Sister Seol, could it be that this one’s sense of smell has improved?”

”Scent? Let’s find out!”

Sister Seol must have given it a mental command because it began searching its surroundings.

In the blink of an eye, it uncovered several more grubs and even found two snakes, depositing them before Sister Seol’s feet.

”So-ryong, you were right!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The way it scoured the area, pulling creatures from their hiding spots, was remarkable.

After about half an hour of hunting, its whiskers suddenly began shrinking.

Like the previous one, its eyes turned bloodshot, and it devoured the snakes and grubs it had collected.

Then, the moment it swallowed the last grub, its eyes returned to normal, and it collapsed in exhaustion.

”It really does drain their energy...”

Sister Seol placed it beside the other sleeping one, then spoke with fascination.

”Normal beasts just get a little faster and stronger, but enchanted beasts... They’re completely different! Even within the same species, their transformations are unique! And the duration of their abilities varies too!”

Her Green-Mane Grasshound had showcased an incredible ability, and its diverse transformations made her eyes shine with excitement.

Unable to hold back any longer, she called forth the last one and spoke with eager anticipation.

”I wonder what this last one will turn into!”

One had developed razor-sharp mane spikes.

The other had gained an enhanced sense of smell.

I, too, was dying to know what kind of transformation this last one would undergo.

What could it be?

As the creature curled up, trembling from the surge of energy, Sister Seol and I observed its back and snout, expecting a change there.

However, once again, we were wrong.

This time, the transformation occurred in an entirely different place.

Its tail.

”This time, it’s the tail!”

The creature’s tail thickened, its color deepened, and its length nearly tripled.

Even Cho was so startled that her antennae shot straight up.

Chrrk!? 『No way!?』

”Yeah, Auntie said that since you received Dad’s energy, you could also show off an amazing ability like that.”

As Cho looked at her own tail, momentarily surprised, the Green-Mane Grasshound swung its tail like a whip.

Whip! Crack!

Sister Seol let out a gasp of admiration at the sight.

”A-Amazing! It’s just like a whip!”

She was right—the creature’s tail had transformed into something resembling a whip.

When it lashed out, it was strong enough to leave marks on the rock.

The creature maintained this state for about ten minutes before returning to its original form.

Just like the others before it, it then hastily devoured its food before falling asleep on the spot.

One had enhanced mane.

One had enhanced scent.

One had an enhanced tail.

Despite all being Green-Mane Grasshounds, each had undergone a completely different transformation.

Sister Seol, who had been marveling at them, eventually spoke after carefully observing the creatures.

”So-ryong, this won’t do. We need to wait a few days. I have to figure out whether their enhancements are fixed traits or if they change each time the ability is used. Got it?”

She meant that she needed to determine whether the enhanced body part was predetermined for each individual or if it varied with each attempt.

”And I also need to check how long it takes for them to fully recover after using this ability. If we wait a few days, I’ll be able to give you a proper answer.”

She was planning to track how much time it took for the creatures to regain their strength.

It seemed like this would take some time.

As I smacked my lips, wondering how I was supposed to just sit around and wait—

Chrrrkt!

Beside me, Cho, who had been listening to Sister Seol’s explanation, eagerly sent me her emotions.

She was brimming with anticipation.

She wanted to try it out right away.

As expected of my first daughter.

It seemed Cho and I had very similar interests.

***

Sister Seol, who had been watching over my training every day, suddenly disappeared the next morning.

She had shut herself away, fully focused on researching how to infuse enchanted beasts with the energy of Beast Heart Art.

She didn’t even appear at mealtime. When I asked Taeheo, he told me that she had gone to a secluded spot in Mount Kunlun.

”Sometimes, we lend out places for closed-door training.”

”I see.”

I hoped Sister Seol would return soon.

As I was thinking that, Taeheo, who was applying a medicinal ointment to my wounds, made a serious expression and said,

”By the way, your wounds are almost completely healed now.”

At first, I hadn’t put ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) much faith in Kunlun’s Golden Wound Ointment. It reminded me of the old tiger balm my family used in my past life.

But surprisingly, it was very effective.

Aside from a few faint scars left behind, all the torn flesh had healed within just fifteen days.

”I’ve already finished the necessary healing techniques, so as long as you don’t injure yourself again, you’ll be fully recovered.”

”I owe Kunlun a great debt.”

”You always say that, but we’re the ones who owe you.”

As we were exchanging polite refusals over who owed whom, I suddenly heard Sister Seol’s voice from outside.

”So-ryong, are you there?”

It had been five days since she vanished to research the effects of Beast Heart Art on the Green-Mane Grasshounds.

”Yes, Sister Seol! Hold on a moment, I’m just finishing up with the medicine.”

”Alright, take your time.”

Once Taeheo finished wrapping the bandages, we opened the doors and stepped outside.

Sister Seol stood there with the Green-Mane Grasshounds, smiling brightly.

”Let’s go! I’ve figured everything out perfectly!”

”Really!?”

”Of course!”

It seemed like she had gone over all the uncertainties and potential dangers before returning.

I hurried to Huaon’s residence, carefully searching among the scattered little ones inside to find Cho and call her outside.

I made sure not to alert the others.

Bini wouldn’t be a problem, but if Yo-hwa or Hyang noticed, things could get troublesome.

‘Cho, Auntie says she’s ready! Come out quietly. Dad is waiting outside.’

Chrrrt!

Cho carefully slithered out from the door’s crack.

Chrrt?

”Let’s go! It’s time to see what kind of transformation you’ll go through this time!”

Just as we had taken a few steps forward—

Darkness suddenly clouded my vision.

My face hit the ground as Sister Seol’s panicked voice echoed in my ears.

”So-ryong!”

***

Hyang was spending a dull moment in the room with her mother and siblings.

Just as she rolled over on her mother’s soft belly, she caught sight of Cho sneaking toward the door.

Chrrt? 『What’s this?』

Something about it seemed suspicious.

As she followed Cho’s tail and peeked out of the door—

She saw Dad.

Hyang was about to click her tongue and scold Cho for trying to slip away when—

She heard the words that froze her in place.

”Let’s go! It’s time to see what kind of transformation you’ll go through this time!”

Chrrrt! 『Another... transformation?!』

Hyang had never transformed even once, yet Cho was about to undergo another one?

Her antennae shot straight up.

But just as quickly, they drooped.

Dad had said he’d find a way for her to grow stronger...

Yet here he was, helping Cho transform again.

Disappointment washed over her as she turned away and went back inside.

Chrrrt, chrrp.

Hearing a sound behind her, she turned her head.

What she saw—

Was Hwayang, applying makeup.

Hyang stared blankly at her.

A slow-burning flame flickered in her heart.

Now that she thought about it—

Dad sure talked a lot.

But he only ever pampered her sister and Bini!

She couldn’t stand it anymore.

Hyang rushed forward, leaped into the air, and shoved Hwayang’s face aside, clinging to the Fire Crystal instead.

Biiieeek!

At the moment Hwayang let out a startled shriek—

Flash!

”A-Ah! What is this!?”

With Mom’s shocked voice ringing in the air, a brilliant flame erupted from the Fire Crystal.

As Hyang’s consciousness faded, only one thought lingered in her mind—

Just don’t let me grow bigger...