Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

Moji and Soji were certainly larger than ordinary larvae, but they were noticeably smaller than the silver cocoon I had discovered inside the termite nest.

The silver cocoon I had found within the termite burrow had been nearly 25 centimeters in size, just shy of a full span. Since a larva must be at least 20 centimeters long to pupate within a cocoon of that size, Moji and Soji clearly did not measure up.

Of course, since they were still Third-Stage larvae, the difference in size was natural. They hadn’t fully matured yet, and the growth of larvae varied depending on their diet and environment.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel concerned. The size of the cocoon was directly influenced by the larval stage. A larva’s final size depended on how well it ate and grew. For that to happen, it needed to develop properly—but neither Moji nor Soji showed any signs of advancing to the Fourth Stage, nor did they seem to be growing larger.

They weren’t particularly active either. All they did was sleep every day, which only made me worry even more.

However, when larvae skipped straight from the Third Stage to the Fifth Stage, they would undeniably surpass the 20-centimeter mark.

Now, Moji and Soji had grown well past 25 centimeters, as thick as an adult’s forearm, plump and firm. That was the appearance of Moji and Soji, who had bypassed the Fourth Stage and directly evolved into Fifth-Stage larvae.

Even more astonishingly, their bodies had begun to shimmer with a silver hue.

Their shells now gleamed with a golden radiance.

‘...Damn... This is the Silver Silk Caterpillar!’

I called the Silver Cocoon Bug by its English name, and it definitely had a certain grandeur to it.

It was like how calling something “Sanha Honey” made it sound luxurious, while just calling it “honey” felt mundane.

‘I used to scoff at this kind of marketing nonsense in my past life, but now I totally get it.’

I remembered reading news articles about how a product sold better when it had a fancy name, and I used to laugh at those reports.

But now, I understood exactly why that worked.

Silver Silk Caterpillar.

Doesn’t it just sound incredibly elegant and prestigious?

‘If these had existed in my past life, people would’ve lined up just to reserve one.’

I marveled at their English name and their newly refined appearance, fully convinced that, in my previous life, these creatures would have been sold through exclusive pre-orders.

Meanwhile, the subtle interplay of flickering light and darkness that had once danced across their bodies had now completely faded.

I could sense it—their growth and molting had finally been completed.

I turned toward the window to check how much time had passed.

Even though the glow surrounding their bodies had vanished, the surroundings still felt strangely bright.

Morning light was beginning to seep through the gaps in the window.

“Is it already morning? Haahh.”

A yawn slipped out.

Lately, I had been exhausting myself through rigorous mental training. Even though I had only woken up a little before dawn, I still felt incredibly drained.

Even witnessing the growth of my little ones firsthand hadn’t been enough to shake off the fatigue.

Normally, seeing a child grow would fill a parent with a rush of adrenaline, wouldn’t it?

Yet, despite that, I was still utterly exhausted. It seemed my mental training had really taken a toll on me.

Even though I had been getting enough rest, the fatigue I felt wasn’t physical—it was mental.

I grabbed a blanket from the bed and spread it out on the floor, settling down right in front of Moji and Soji.

I was tired, and I wanted to sit comfortably while waiting for them to start moving.

Larvae didn’t need much time to dry off after molting, so it wouldn’t take long.

‘Alright, I’ll wait until they start moving.’

Just as I lay down and focused on Moji and Soji—

I felt something nudge its way next to me, wiggling its backside.

It was Hwayang.

From the way he was acting, it was clear that he wanted more praise.

I reached out and scratched his chin, indulging him.

It was the first time he had ever sought affection rather than food.

“Yeah, you did well today. I’ll pamper you plenty.”

“Biiiii...”

As I stroked him, Hwayang closed his eyes, purring in satisfaction.

Then, with a faint rustling sound—

Tsrrr... Tsrrrk...

It seemed Bin was waking up from sleep, as the little plant creature curled up beside me.

And soon after, Yeondu and Hongdan joined in.

On the table, Seol, Bing, and Dong had also woken up and were watching Moji and Soji with a hint of surprise.

Finally, I felt something land on my back, prompting me to turn and look.

It was Hyang.

For some reason, he seemed a little sad as he slowly crawled down my back.

‘What’s wrong?’

I briefly wondered about Hyang’s unusual mood, but my main focus right now was on Moji and Soji.

Turning my gaze back toward them, something brilliant and silver immediately caught my eyes.

Startled, I flinched, just as something soft and smooth latched onto my face.

When I touched it with my hands, I felt a texture similar to suede—silky and luxurious.

It had to be either Moji or Soji.

That unmistakable smoothness, like the body of a silkworm caterpillar, was now pressed against my skin.

‘Damn, this is soft.’

Most people found wriggling larvae to be disgusting, but silkworm caterpillars actually had an incredibly pleasant texture.

It was like running your hand over the finest suede fabric.

Hwayang was soft too, but his body had a slight dampness to it.

Meanwhile, the larva’s body was dry, plump, and incredibly smooth to the touch.

“Alright, Moji, Soji. You can move now, huh?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

As I reveled in the soft sensation, I suddenly felt a rhythmic pressing against my face.

In my past life, cat owners used to call this “kneading” when cats pressed their paws against their owners.

Now, either Moji or Soji was pressing their tiny feet against my face, just like a cat.

‘What kind of behavior is this?’

It felt pleasant, but I had no idea why they were doing it.

As I wondered about its meaning, the world in front of me seemed to grow slightly brighter.

Each time Moji or Soji’s tiny feet pressed against my face, I felt an odd sensation—a refreshing lightness in my mind.

During my meditation training, I had constantly felt as if heavy weights were pressing against my thoughts, but now, with each gentle press against my skin, that burden seemed to lift.

Before I even realized it, my eyes began to close, and I quietly drifted into sleep.

***

Hwa-eun woke up at the break of dawn. After washing up and dressing herself properly, she immediately set out for So-ryong’s quarters.

She was worried because So-ryong had collapsed onto his bed and fallen asleep just like that the night before.

Lately, he had been looking utterly exhausted due to his mental training—it seemed like he had reached his limit.

Yesterday, he had fallen asleep the moment he lay down.

Creak.

As she opened the door, a faint chill greeted her.

It must have been because the weather had turned slightly colder after the rain from a few days ago.

Just as she stepped outside—

Creak.

At almost the same time, the door to the room next to hers opened.

And stepping out from within was Seol.

“Hm? Hwa-eun?”

“sister Seol?”

The two of them met each other’s gaze and exchanged small smiles.

It was obvious they were thinking the same thing.

“You’re going to see So-ryong too?”

“Yes, he just collapsed into sleep yesterday, so I was worried.”

“Let’s go together. I was heading there early for the same reason.”

“Alright, sis Seol.”

With that, Hwa-eun and Seol left their respective quarters and began walking toward So-ryong’s residence.

They had barely taken a few steps when Seol muttered to herself in concern.

“But still... So-ryong looks like he’s struggling a lot. I wonder if we should push him any further.”

“So you think so too, sister Seol? I was also thinking he might need some rest.”

“We’ll see how he is when we get there. If it looks bad, let’s tell him he can take a few days off. Normally, he wouldn’t be this exhausted, but since he’s dealing with a spirit beast, I did push him a bit harder...”

By the time they reached So-ryong’s quarters, worry was evident on both their faces.

And then, they saw it.

A group of Kunlun disciples was gathered in front of So-ryong’s quarters, forming a tight perimeter around it.

Hwa-eun and Seol exchanged looks.

Something big was happening.

Their eyes widened in alarm.

Otherwise, why would so many Kunlun disciples be standing guard around So-ryong’s room like this?

“W-what’s going on?!”

“Why is everyone gathered here...?”

Rushing over, they hurriedly questioned the disciples in front of So-ryong’s room.

Just what was happening here?

At that moment, one of the older Kunlun disciples stepped forward with a troubled expression.

“Oh, I see. You must have been startled seeing us surrounding his quarters. So-hyeop is currently guiding a spirit beast through rebirth, so we are standing guard in his stead.”

“Rebirth?!”

Hwa-eun gasped in shock, while Seol seemed to realize something.

“Oh... so someone’s grown again?”

“Ah...”

It seemed that one of the spirit beasts had undergone a transformation.

Seol turned to the Kunlun disciple and asked,

“Then, can we go inside?”

“Of course.”

Since they were merely standing watch, there was no reason to stop them from entering.

With that, sister Seol and Hwa-eun quickly stepped inside.

As they approached the entrance, they called out to So-ryong.

“So-ryong, we’re here! Can we come in?”

“So-ryong, it’s me. Can I come in?”

But there was no response from So-ryong.

Exchanging glances, Hwa-eun and Seol hesitated before quietly opening the door.

He must have been asleep.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by an astonishing sight.

It seemed the rebirth in question referred to Moji and Soji.

The two larvae had grown considerably larger, their bodies now a shimmering silver. They were wrapped around So-ryong’s head, their golden antennae emitting a radiant glow.

The entire room was filled with pure energy, and the moment they opened the door, that refreshing energy flowed toward them like a gentle breeze.

“This is...”

“This is exactly what we thought, isn’t it?”

Both of them knew that Moji and Soji could release pure energy to help recover internal strength.

Seeing that energy flowing into So-ryong, it was clear that the two were tending to him.

It was a truly mystical and awe-inspiring sight.

Yet, what caught their eyes even more was the figure at the center of it all.

As they stepped inside, they saw So-ryong lying fast asleep, completely surrounded by his spirit creatures.

Dozens of wooden dolls encircled him protectively, as if keeping watch.

At the heart of that cluster, So-ryong slept peacefully, with his spirit beasts guarding and caring for him.

The entire scene looked less like the human world and more like a vision of the legendary Taoist paradise, Peach Blossom Spring.

Seol and Hwa-eun both thought the same thing.

***

When I woke up, my mind was completely clear.

The mental fatigue I had accumulated from days of training had vanished.

It felt strange, but before I could dwell on it, I heard Hwa-eun’s voice from the dining area.

And right after, Seol’s voice followed.

“You’re awake, So-ryong?”

“Did you sleep well, So-ryong?”

As I moved my hand toward my face to sit up, I felt something damp.

I must have drooled in my sleep, since I had been lying face-down.

Sluurp.

I quickly wiped my mouth and sat up—

And immediately, Hongdan, Hyang, and Yeondu rolled off my back.

It seemed they had been perched on me while I slept.

The three creatures, having fallen to the floor, cried out in protest, sounding incredibly displeased.

Tsrurrr!

Shyaaa!

Kiii!

“A-ah, s-sorry.”

After apologizing to them, I sat up completely.

Then, I finally noticed just how many of my creatures had gathered around me.

Carefully stepping through the cluster of creatures, I made my way to the dining table and took a seat.

A meal had already been ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ prepared and set out.

“Sister Seol, you came to wake me up because I overslept? I’m sorry for being late.”

I figured I must have overslept, prompting Seol to come fetch me.

But she simply shook her head with a smile.

“No, I was planning on letting you rest today. You look exhausted, so let’s take a break for the day.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Her words were tempting.

But could I really afford to take a break when Cheongwol was still waiting?

Shaking my head, I replied,

“No, I can’t. I need to finish my training and bring Cheongwol back as soon as possible. I can’t just stay in Kunlun forever.”

Seol smiled knowingly.

“I knew you’d say that. But still, I don’t think you should push yourself too hard. Just rest for today, just one day.”

“Is that so?”

Her reasoning made sense.

As she spoke, she pushed a bowl of hot soup and some warm dumplings toward me.

“Just go see Cheongwol today, then.”

During my training, I had been spending time near Cheongwol, trying to form a bond with him.

I was also trying to raise my affinity with him.

So what she was saying was that even if I didn’t train, I should still go check on him.

That much was obvious, so I nodded.

“Of course, sister Seol.”

My mind felt clear today.

I figured it was about time to test how much progress I had made in my training.

‘Yeah... it’s time to see for myself.’