NOVEL WEB Chapter 136
Chapter 136: Fabre in the Four Heavenly Houses
Silver three.
I quickly received the Tang Clan’s Secret Record of Venomous Creatures that Hua Eun brought and examined it more closely.
Silver Silkworm Moth.
The name consists of ‘silver’ and ‘silkworm moth.’
If I translated it into Hangul, it would be ‘Eunnuena-moth.’
“This must be the same guy with high probability!”
Half of my life, no, half of my previous life, and in this life, I was wildly in love with venoms, so my instincts were kicking into overdrive.
“Silver Silkworm Moth.
It is a moth wrapped in a brilliant silver body, about the size of half a kanji character. When its wings are spread, they reach up to three feet.
It has a gentle temperament but releases silver powder when threatened, causing unbearable itching upon contact with the skin, leading one to scratch until their bones are visible.
When one inhales the powder, the insane itching felt in the mind compels them to tear themselves apart until they perish.”
Upon reading the description, it was clear that the Silver Silkworm Moth indeed had a body entirely covered in silver.
I turned my gaze from the book to the freshly restored silver chrysalis and the silver cocoon.
With the silver chrysalis and cocoon so strikingly visible, the probability that the moth emerging from them would also be silver was high, causing my heart to race.
If the Silver Silkworm Moth mentioned in the Tang Clan’s Secret Record was indeed these cocoon and chrysalis, then I couldn’t help but feel excited.
“Calm down, it’s not concluded yet, right?”
Of course, there was still a chance that it could be otherwise.
There wasn’t a system of classification in this era; it may just be a name rather than being related to silkworms or the same species.
Furthermore, moths undergo complete metamorphosis.
Complete metamorphosis means that the insect in its caterpillar stage completely melts within the chrysalis before the new body is created. Thus, even if the chrysalis and cocoon are silver, the emerging creature could be entirely different.
Take butterflies, for instance; a worm can transform into a dazzling butterfly within the cocoon.
But no matter how much I tried to calm myself, my intuition was already leaning heavily toward the idea that the two were the same.
If my intuition was leaning this way, then it was highly probable that the Silver Silkworm Moth referenced in the Tang Clan’s Secret Record was indeed the owner of the chrysalis I restored.
It was the instinct of the expert, Spicy Fabre, after all!
The thought of a moth that’s one of the ten great venoms made me involuntarily smile.
Just thinking about the cuteness of moths put a grin on my face.
“Oh my gosh! A freaking cute moth! A moth is one of the ten great venoms!”
The reason for my joy was that although O-gong was currently raising the three sisters, Yo-hwa, Seol-i, Bing-i, and the Golden Hair Bee King, if I had to choose the cutest insect in the world, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick the moth.
Objectively speaking, the moth is undoubtedly the cutest insect in the world.
People package butterflies as spring’s messengers and flower fairies, praising them as beautiful insects, but moths receive a harsher evaluation.
They’re considered icky or useless insects, and women scream when they see a moth, unlike butterflies.
But honestly, that’s just because they don’t recognize the moth’s cuteness.
The true fairy-like charm belongs to moths!
“Really, why do they hate moths so much? Butterflies get too much hype, and moths get too much disrespect!”
It was the same in my previous life.
When I introduced moths on my broadcast, the chat was filled with criticism.
Moth powder might be a real hassle, and people living in country houses mostly found them gross when they landed on their windows.
“Alright, today’s broadcast features the cutest insect in the world: the moth!”
“Moth? A moth? You think moths are cute?”
“Spicy Fabre, what’s wrong with you? Now you think moths are cute? Can you even live your daily life?”
“Is there a suspicious guy who likes moths?”
“Moth fanatic, what a joke!”
“Do you know how to use a fly swatter? Spicy Fabre, you need to take a few more military trips.”
But even the viewers from my previous life eventually changed their opinion after seeing a single photo I posted.
“Could this be possible?”
“I respect Spicy Fabre’s taste!”
“Don’t lie, Spicy Fabre! There’s no way a moth can be this cute!”
“I apologize to all the moths I’ve killed! Sob! I’ve been garbage!”
“You killed that kind of moth? Ah, you’re a devil!”
The reason I insist that moths are the cutest insect in the world is due to their astonishing cuteness.
The reason viewers from my previous life felt remorse after seeing just one photo was because…
When viewed from above, moths might evoke fear or disgust in some people, but when faced directly, it’s impossible to show disdain toward them.
Their antennae resemble rabbit ears, their bodies are fluffy with hair, and their legs, along with their big eyes, contribute to their charm.
Bees are synonymous with cuteness, but they can’t hold a candle to moths in terms of adorableness.
Thus, I held the belief that anyone who could look directly into the eyes of a moth and swat it down was inherently wicked.
“Of course.”
“So-ryong, does it seem right?”
Caught up in thoughts of cute moths, I was pulled back to reality by Hua Eun’s question.
I felt a bit regretful for being dragged away from imagining just how cute they were, but soon, I would meet the real thing depending on my efforts.
Nodding, I pointed to the chrysalis I restored and said, “Look at this. Doesn’t it seem like a Silver Silkworm Moth will come out of here?”
“Oh! You were busy because you were working on this? It really looks alive, So-ryong. And I think it really will happen as you said.”
As expected, Hua Eun shared a similar opinion to mine.
Now, it was time to find out how the Heavenly Silkworm became the Silver Silkworm.
*
To find out why the Heavenly Silkworm transformed into the Silver Silkworm, I needed help from the clan, and for that, my father-in-law’s approval was essential.
I decided to visit my father-in-law and report what I discovered while requesting assistance.
My father-in-law had said he’d support my hobby anytime.
“It seems that the Heavenly Silkworm is evolving into one of the Ten Great Venoms, the Silver Silkworm.”
“Really!? That’s a remarkable fact, right!? And evolving? So, that means moving forward and becoming another existence?”
Thinking back to the cases of Chao and Bin, if the normal Heavenly Silkworm is trying to become the Ten Great Venom, it must require evolution.
Since evolution was the only option, I relayed that concept and information, and my father-in-law nodded in agreement.
“Yes, father-in-law. The Blue-Spotted Centipede is a low-grade venom, yet it evolved into the superior poisons like the Flying Heavenly Centipede or the Ink-Shadow Demon. So, the term ‘evolution’ fits perfectly.”
“So, the Heavenly Silkworm will evolve into the Silver Silkworm?”
“Yes, I think so for now.”
“Considering the two kids, that makes sense. But finding a method may not be easy…”
“Yes, but since we have two previous examples, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Of course. It seems I need to take a trip beyond the Tang Clan’s mountain for a bit. Can you grant me some warriors?”
“Warriors?”
When I asked for warriors, my father-in-law tilted his head in curiosity.
He seemed curious about what I intended to do with them.
But it wasn’t anything major.
What I wanted to do with the warriors was to examine the two previous evolution cases that I had a fair amount of information on and identify their commonalities.
This would likely help me figure out why the Heavenly Silkworm transforms into the Silver Silkworm.
One of the evolution cases I could gather information on was Chao’s evolution.
I knew how that evolution occurred.
However, I remained unaware of the reason for Bin’s evolution.
The reason I asked for warriors was that to find out the cause of Bin’s evolution, I needed to check the place where she had hidden after leaving home.
“You’re planning to find where Bin was hiding?”
“Yes, father-in-law.”
“I understand. I’ll send the Poison Blood Team and your Venomous Insect Team with you.”
“Understood!”
As expected, my father-in-law understood me perfectly.
After receiving his permission, I quickly left the Clan Head Hall and went to find Bin.
“Bin-ah!”
I called out to Bin, who was sunbathing in the garden with the other creatures. She raised her head lazily in response.
Looking stunningly adorable as she had grown, her charm was irresistible.
-Tch…?
“Bin, I have a favor to ask.”
-Tch, tch? ‘F-favor?’
“Right, it’s nothing else, but I’m curious to know where my beautiful girl has been after leaving home…”
Although it had felt like a child’s heart earlier, perhaps due to her evolution, she now seemed to possess more of a girl’s heart.
As expected, her tsundere tendencies hadn’t vanished even after evolving, and she seemed to grumble a little when I asked for her whereabouts.
But it was clear she was pleased.
-Tch… tchur… ‘Uh, if dad really wants…’
“It’s not far, right? You could get back in a day?”
-Tch… ‘Yeah…’
Having received Bin’s approval, I took the warriors granted by my father-in-law and headed to the unexpected location.
I didn’t expect it to be this close.
The place was the Rat Cave, where I had once risked my life for the Tang Clan.
The area Bin led us to was the place where Yin energy gathered, known as the Blood Spring.
The only difference now was that while it used to feel like something sinister lingered, it appeared now just as a large hole.
The cave looked completely different, welcoming us.
“How foolish of me not to notice. Who knew Miss Bin was here… I apologize for not searching thoroughly.”
The Deputy Commander of the Poison Blood Team expressed a remorseful expression as he gazed down at the Rat Cave. He seemed genuinely sorry for missing the spot despite checking nearby multiple times.
Finding it might have been fortunate, so I replied carelessly, “It’s easy to miss a place like this. By the way, what has changed so much?”
“I feel like all the Yin energy has disappeared.”
Previously, it felt like something dark was seeping out, but now that energy had completely vanished.
When I was about to check inside, ready to descend the large hole, I received a message from Bin.
-Tch…
The message conveyed to me was, “I’ve consumed it all.”
She was claiming she had absorbed all the energies flowing inside.
“Consumed it?”
-Tch…
I reflected on Bin’s answer.
“Chao evolved by consuming the Flying Heavenly Snake’s Inner Dan, and Bin evolved by consuming the Yin energy piled up in the Rat Cave?”
Chao had evolved in one go by consuming the Flying Heavenly Snake’s Inner Dan.
While Bin had absorbed the Yin energy from the terrain, allowing her to evolve in a single step.
The conclusion was that both had evolved after consuming something.
“Both Chao and Bin evolved by consuming something. So, did the Heavenly Silkworm consume something when it was transforming into the Silver Silkworm?”
Inner Dan or Yin energy.
If so, when the Heavenly Silkworm tries to become the Silver Silkworm, it’s likely that it also consumed something rich in energy.
Since I suspected that there might be some energy hidden within the ant mound that we had failed to discover earlier, I rushed back to the clan.
It seemed I needed to visit the area where the Buddhist Stupa Termites had gathered once more.
Just as I arrived back at the clan and was headed toward the Clan Head Hall, I heard a voice while passing by the entrance of Mandok Hall.
“So-ryong, where are you rushing off to?”
“Oh, grandfather.”
The voice calling me belonged to Mandok God, my grandfather.
He was carrying something out from inside Mandok Hall.
“I was heading to see my father-in-law. What is that you have?”
“Oh, this? It’s what you brought with you.”
What my grandfather showed me was a mushroom the size of a thumb, one I had picked from the White Ant’s mound and asked the Tang Clan to cultivate.
They had already begun test cultivation, and surely this was something I’d picked.
“Why is that out?”
“Oh, I found something fascinating.”
“Fascinating?”
When I asked why he was bringing out a mushroom, he exclaimed it was something interesting.
Tilting my head in response, he fiddled with the mushroom and said, “Though it’s not even as good as the lowest grade, it’s a kind of Spirit Herb. It contains a faint natural energy.”
“That’s incredible!? Doesn’t that make it a big deal?”
When I inquired if the mushroom I had picked was a Spirit Herb, which made it ‘fascinating,’ Mandok God shook his head.
“It’s too crude for martial arts to use as is. For some reason, there’s too much foul energy contained in the mushroom, which causes more harm than good for a person.
While one can accumulate necessary energy from natural energies through breathing and qi cultivation, consuming this would also accumulate foul energy.
But to the venomous insects you raise, they may not mind it as much. They are more attuned to natural energies than people. That’s why the ants consume it too.”
He was implying it could be used somewhat like a pet snack, but a sudden thought struck me.
“Wait!? If the queen ant has eaten that for fifty years…?”
I could guess there was plenty of natural energy stored within the queen ant.
“And if the Heavenly Silkworm consumes that queen ant!? Gulp!”
The Heavenly Silkworm, previously thought to be a mere thief in the White Ant’s mound, seemed to be giving birth to a major thief capable of eating the owner, perhaps due to being passed on from Shin Tu!