Cultivating in a Cringey Erotic Novel – Chapter 5

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Time flowed like a river.

My once-frail body had filled out, and my mind had grown stronger through constant training.

‘But it’s not enough…’

I swallowed a sigh.

I’d been working myself to the bone, but the protagonist was still growing at an alarming rate.

Perhaps all my struggles were meaningless against his meteoric rise.

‘Still, it’s good to have a goal.’

I nodded slowly.

Over the past few months, I’d made significant progress.

‘My proficiency in the Six Harmonies Technique and the Three Powers Swordsmanship has noticeably improved.’

I glanced at the worn wooden sword beside me.

It had been my constant companion throughout my training.

“…”

I remained silent.

The other disciples had started to see me as an oddity.

It was understandable.

Cutting falling plum blossoms with a rusty sword, going for a morning run every single day…

There was a saying about enduring hardship in one’s youth, but these youngsters didn’t seem to grasp its meaning.

‘Well, at least I don’t have to deal with many distractions.’

I chuckled.

The sun was high in the sky.

I brushed off the plum blossoms that had fallen on my head as I meditated.

Then—

“Gather around!”

“Yes!”

The instructor called us to the training grounds.

It was still our break time, so the other disciples grumbled as they assembled.

I joined them.

‘What’s going on?’

I tilted my head.

There wasn’t usually any need to gather us like this for announcements.

My curiosity was soon answered by the instructor’s booming voice.

“There will be an examination in a week. The elders will evaluate your progress over the past few months.”

“…!”

The examination was simple.

It consisted of two parts.

The first involved dividing the probationary disciples into groups of four and having them spar against each other twice.

A tournament format.

‘I’m confident about sparring against other disciples.’

I was sure that I was the most skilled swordsman among the current probationary disciples.

It was a point of pride.

“…The details of the second examination will be announced on the day.”

The second-generation disciple’s words caused a stir among the disciples.

For the past few months, they had only practiced basic swordsmanship.

While they occasionally sparred in the training grounds, they’d never had a formal competition like this.

‘…This is going to be noisy for a while.’

With a wry smile, I shook my head and left.

I didn’t want to waste time.

I’d rather practice my swordsmanship than gossip with the others.

“…”

I usually kept to myself, so no one paid me much attention.

But then, someone caught my eye.

He seemed to have made up his mind and approached me.

‘This one is…’

I narrowed my eyes, with my hand resting on the hilt of my sheathed sword.

This was going to be annoying.

It was a girl, another probationary disciple.

Unlike the others, her swordsmanship had a sharp edge to it, so I remembered her.

She’d been persistently trying to talk to me, which I found bothersome.

‘The only one who bothers me.’

I sighed.

The girl, with her characteristic bright smile, asked,

“Do you dislike me that much? You’re actually sighing, and you’re always so expressionless.”

“…You’re just annoying.”

“Hehe! Don’t look at me like that. Even I have feelings, you know?”

She smirked slyly.

I openly glared at her and walked away.

“Hey, hey!”

She seemed flustered, then quickly followed me.

‘Actually, it’s not her I dislike, but the jealousy and envy of the idiots who follow her around…’

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

I glanced around.

Jealousy and envy were directed at me from all sides.

The reason was obvious.

‘Seol Ah-yeon, the only daughter of the leader of the Mu Gyeong Clan, one of the Mount Hua Sect’s martial factions.’

The Mu Gyeong Clan was one of the most powerful factions within the Mount Hua Sect.

It was impossible to predict how influential someone related to its leader would become.

But that wasn’t the only reason I avoided Seol Ah-yeon.

‘She’s destined to become one of the protagonist’s heroines. If I remember correctly, she’ll receive his help during her adventures in the Jianghu as an inner disciple of Mount Hua.’

As befitting a future heroine, Seol Ah-yeon was remarkably beautiful.

She still had a youthful innocence, but it was easy to imagine her becoming one of Mount Hua’s greatest beauties in the future.

‘…That’s why everyone is so jealous.’

I sighed in exasperation.

To her, this was probably just a game.

No, it almost certainly was.

It was understandable that she’d be interested in someone like me, who acted so unpredictably compared to the other generic disciples.

‘…Well, she’s probably never met anyone obsessed with cutting plum blossom petals like a madman.’

But I wouldn’t tolerate her disrupting my training.

The protagonist was growing stronger every day, and I couldn’t afford to be held back by a girl destined to become his heroine.

‘Besides, I don’t want to waste time on someone who’s just going to end up as the protagonist’s concubine.’

I started jogging, ignoring Seol Ah-yeon’s chattering.

She tried to keep up, but she was no match for my pace, honed by rigorous training.

Thud, thud!

“…Finally lost her.”

Cold sweat dripped down my face.

I leaned against a nearby pine tree, exhausted.

Then—

“…Hey!”

“…?!”

A voice called out from behind me.

Too tired to turn around, I responded verbally.

“Who is it?”

“…You’re asking who I am?”

The voice sounded incredulous.

He quickly approached, growling.

“I’m Lee Tae-ryang.”

“…Hmm.”

It was another probationary disciple, one who’d always given me dirty looks.

He often caused trouble with his followers.

He was a petty, lecherous, greedy, and face-saving scoundrel.

I hadn’t bothered to remember him, so I was slightly taken aback by his sudden hostility.

“…Why are you doing this? Why follow me just to act like this?”

“You’re asking why?”

Lee Tae-ryang glared at me with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

I met his gaze with a calm stare and sighed.

“Haa… Don’t you start too.”

“…What?”

“I’m already exhausted from Seol Ah-yeon pestering me. If you’re going to cause trouble, where am I supposed to train?”

“…Crazy training maniac.”

Lee Tae-ryang looked at me with utter bewilderment.

Frankly, I didn’t care what he did.

I could just ignore him like I always did.

But the fact that this was happening because Seol Ah-yeon was interested in me, not because of anything I’d done, was incredibly frustrating.

‘Plus, this Lee Tae-ryang’s father is the leader of the Jae So Clan, so no one dares to touch him. That’s why he runs around with his gang, bullying others.’

While the Jae So Clan wasn’t as powerful as the Mu Gyeong Clan, it was still a force within Mount Hua.

It wasn’t something to be ignored.

I could easily guess why Lee Tae-ryang was confronting me.

It was obvious.

He was angry that the girl he liked was showing interest in me.

‘Damn it, I don’t want to get caught up in the romantic drama of these brats.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

I’d lived twice as long as these kids.

That’s why this situation was so irritating.

My words came out curtly.

“…So? What do you want?”

“Don’t approach Seol Ah-yeon like you did earlier. Don’t talk to her like you’re close…!”

“She’s the one approaching me. Why are you yelling at me instead of her? And I’m not acting close. I’ve been trying to push her away.”

My sharp retort rendered Lee Tae-ryang speechless for a moment.

But it was short-lived.

Expecting rationality from someone consumed by jealousy and rage was foolish.

He sneered.

“Hah, you idiot. There was a time I almost pitied you, seeing you always huddled in a corner swinging your sword like a fool… But now, I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”

“…”

“I’ve taught everyone who dared to approach her without knowing their place a lesson. And you’re no different…!”

You’re the idiot, not me…

Chasing after me like a lunatic just because the girl you like showed some interest in someone else… what are you, a psycho?

The words rose to my throat, then I swallowed them back down.

“First, I’ll beat him senseless, then I’ll go back to the dormitory.”

“Tae-ryang, is this the right guy?”

“Huff… huff… I’m tired.”

As Lee Tae-ryang glared at me, his lackeys arrived one by one.

Some of them looked like they were about to collapse from running such a long distance.

Ignoring their condition, Lee Tae-ryang raised his sword.

“I’ll teach you a lesson right here.”

“…”

I remained silent.

My attitude seemed to irritate him further. He snapped,

“…Why aren’t you drawing your sword? Are you giving up?”

“…Haa.”

I sighed.

I’d decided to act as I pleased.

“I’m contemplating whether I even need to draw my sword against the likes of you.”

“W-What…!”

My provocation had the desired effect.

Lee Tae-ryang and his lackeys flushed red.

A typical reaction from immature boys.

I watched them with an indifferent gaze, then chuckled and unsheathed my sword, which I’d been holding in a reverse grip.

Shing!

For some reason, a chilling sound echoed through the air.

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[T/N: This chapter includes an illustration. Check Discord for it.]

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