Cultivating in a Cringey Erotic Novel – Chapter 3

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Several days passed.

Fortunately, I blended in seamlessly with the other disciples.

At first, it had felt a little daunting, but I’d made a few friends.

“Is everyone here?”

“““Yes!”””

The second-generation disciple acting as our instructor looked over the probationary disciples gathered in the training grounds.

He was more than just an instructor; he was our de facto teacher.

Satisfied with the resounding response, he nodded.

“Hmm. Last time, I taught you the Six Harmonies Technique, our foundational breathing exercise. Today, I’ll assess your progress. Those who have achieved a certain level of proficiency will begin learning the Mount Hua swordsmanship.”

“Ooh…”

The Mount Hua Sect was renowned for its unique swordsmanship, embodying the principles of swift and elegant bladework.

Anticipation filled the air around me.

I felt it too.

“Swordsmanship…!”

“The foundation is internal energy.”

The second-generation disciples constantly emphasized this, but it hadn’t quite sunk in yet.

After all, a mere week of basic internal energy training yielded no noticeable results.

I’d diligently practiced the Six Harmonies Technique, but all I felt was a slight improvement in my abdominal breathing.

Nothing more.

But swordsmanship felt different.

No, it had to be different.

Perhaps because it was the first step towards practical application.

I felt a thrill of excitement.

Then, the instructor spoke.

“Now, everyone, focus on your breathing. Begin circulating your energy.”

Inhale!

I entered a meditative state.

I breathed in and out, letting my breath flow naturally without force.

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

The instructor nodded.

“Good. You’ve all made decent progress. No glaring issues.”

“Whew.”

It seemed he hadn’t been looking for faults from the start.

Frankly, expecting mastery from the lowest-ranked disciples would have been absurd.

Satisfied that we had grasped the basics of internal energy, the second-generation disciple began his explanation.

“The Three Powers Swordsmanship consists of three basic movements.”

“…”

“Simple and straightforward. A horizontal cut, a vertical cut, and a thrust. That’s it.”

Whoosh!

The instructor swung his sword.

A faint gust of wind brushed past my ear, hinting at the force behind it.

“Now that I’ve demonstrated, practice the Three Powers Swordsmanship for the rest of the day.”

“…Understood!”

Observing from among the probationary disciples, I thought, ‘I have a long way to go…’

I needed to build a solid foundation, step by step.

Knowing this, I saw my entry into Mount Hua as an invaluable opportunity.

‘I don’t want to just scratch the surface of martial arts.’

If I was going to commit, I should aim for the peak.

I didn’t want to live a pathetic life, constantly avoiding the protagonist just to escape death.

‘I won’t make living quietly in this world my goal.’

Typical transmigration stories prioritize avoiding tragedy.

But my situation was slightly different.

By leaving the Silver River Trading Company and joining Mount Hua, I’d already avoided entanglement with the protagonist.

I’d likely escaped the fate of dying by challenging him.

‘If that was all I wanted, I wouldn’t have chosen Mount Hua.’

I sat down.

While the other boys eagerly grabbed their wooden swords and attempted the Three Powers Swordsmanship, I believed focusing on the fundamentals was more important.

They looked at me curiously, wondering why I wasn’t joining them.

But I was going to do things my way.

‘First, the Microcosmic Circulation…’

Unlike my earlier perfunctory breathing exercises, I decided to properly circulate my energy.

I closed my eyes.

Since I’d only recently started cultivating internal energy, impurities still clogged my meridians.

I focused on expelling the stagnant energy, starting from my head and shoulders, down through my abdomen and waist, and finally to my legs.

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

[Focus your mind. Imagine expelling all the waste and impurities from your body.]

I remembered the second-generation disciple’s instructions.

They were basic, but it was important not to lose sight of the fundamentals.

Even stairs and pillars needed a foundation.

Whether that foundation was wood, stone, or steel depended on one’s mindset.

And upon that foundation, built by one’s will, you laid the cornerstone, erected the pillars, and completed the roof.

That was how the foundation was tempered.

I recited passages from the Six Harmonies Technique, the Mount Hua Sect’s foundational breathing exercise.

[Though the heavens are ultimately the heavens, the human heart is tied to the earth. Thus, the spirit, surpassing even the strongest will, shall ultimately reach transcendence.]

I clenched my fists.

Breathing was key.

I carefully regulated the rhythm of my inhalations and exhalations.

After an unknown amount of time, I slowly opened my eyes, swallowed, and stood up, dusting myself off.

“…”

“…”

Several people were watching me intently.

The second-generation disciples and other senior disciples.

Their gazes were filled with interest.

Enduring their gaze silently, I picked up the wooden sword beside me.

‘Horizontal cut, vertical cut, and thrust. A limited swordsmanship, but there must be something to learn.’

Even a sliver of belief was enough.

The important thing was that I sincerely believed in and followed someone’s teachings.

Mutual trust was irrelevant.

The path I was walking was one countless others had trodden before.

No one would be foolish enough to abandon a proven and effective method.

“…”

Swish!

I raised my head.

Gripping the wooden sword firmly, I executed horizontal and vertical cuts with controlled force.

Whoosh!

The sound of my wooden sword was barely audible over the chaotic swings of the others.

But I persisted.

‘…If I keep doing this over and over, the calluses on my hands will surely build up.’

I chuckled inwardly.

If anyone knew the heir to the Silver River Trading Company was doing this, I’d be a laughingstock.

I had a life of comfort and privilege laid out before me.

The Silver River Trading Company was one of the largest and wealthiest in the Xi’an area of Shaanxi.

It was almost comical that I, the heir, was here at Mount Hua, learning the Three Powers Swordsmanship and the Six Harmonies Technique.

‘But this is what I have to do.’

I stared at the tip of my sword with a determined gaze.

Sweat trickled from my pores, down my cheeks and neck.

Suddenly a thought crossed my mind.

‘That protagonist bastard is probably out there collecting every fortuitous encounter and every beautiful woman.’

Could I deny feeling envious?

No.

That damned protagonist was incredibly talented and lucky.

How often did someone stumble upon heavenly treasures and miraculous elixirs just by walking down the road?

The probability seemed infinitesimally small.

Someone might ask,

“Then why not steal the protagonist’s opportunities?”

I’d considered it.

But by the time I’d transmigrated into Eun Ha-seong, all the easily obtainable treasures and elixirs in the area had already been snatched up.

The protagonist had undoubtedly claimed anything I could have easily acquired in Shaanxi.

He was probably already cultivating some Sword Immortal’s legacy technique.

So, unfortunately, from the moment I’d possessed this extra, the chance of stealing the protagonist’s destiny was practically zero.

‘The Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng buried in Mount Woonheng, the Azure Sky Stone Oil hidden in the Valley of No Return, the legendary Sword Immortal’s peerless technique… the protagonist’s probably already consumed them all…’

I gritted my teeth.

This wasn’t what I’d expected.

In most transmigration stories, the protagonist would steal the original protagonist’s opportunities and rapidly grow in power.

But here, I’d arrived after the story had already begun, and considerable time had passed.

The original protagonist was likely already incredibly powerful.

‘All I can do is work like hell.’

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

The sound of my wooden sword echoed through the training grounds.

“Ugh, I’m exhausted…!”

“How much longer do we have to do this…?”

Many of the disciples were already exhausted and sprawled on the ground.

But I continued swinging my sword.

‘Someday, this effort will bear fruit.’

With an unwavering gaze, I raised my sword.

Only through unwavering determination could I reach the next level.

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