Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cultivation Through Copulation.

Episode 5: In Search Of A Cultivation Sect.

Escaping from his hometown village, Yuk-gyeong.

What awaited Yuk-gyeong was not a land of dreams and hope filled with happiness.

What awaited him was the beginning of a brutal journey marked by blisters, sweat, and discomfort.

Yuk-gyeong was walking for days, clutching the few coins from his father’s stolen coin pouch and a few lumps of rice taken from the rice cooker.

Without a compass, he couldn’t determine direction, and without a map, he couldn’t find his way, so he had to wander aimlessly along the faintly visible path.

What Yuk-gyeong believed in was the story of a slightly larger village he could encounter by following the path.

According to the village gossip, Mr. So, if I follow the path, I will come across several villages. They were said to all be larger and more bustling than my hometown, places where you could find anything.

Mr. So’s words were half to be believed and half to be taken with a grain of salt, but at least the story about the big village seemed credible. Because even the adults didn’t particularly refute it.

Yuk-gyeong walked. He walked and walked again.

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.

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“Where are the immortals?”

In the Yue Kingdom, the existence of cultivators is no secret.

The common people knew about the would-be immortals called cultivators and were aware that they were extraordinary beings.

Even if they didn’t know much, they at least knew that much.

What Yuk-gyeong aimed for was that by asking around, he would eventually find a cultivation sect.

However, the common people were more ignorant about cultivators than he thought.

“Huh? A cultivation sect? I have some green onions, do you want some?”1

“Immortals? I’ve heard there are people wanting to become immortals. Was it over there on that mountain peak?”

“Ah, a cultivation sect! You’d probably have to go to the capital to find out about that.”

What era is it now?

The civilization level was akin to the Warring States period, so the communication network was rudimentary, and information transmission was barely more than oral storytelling.

The existence of cultivators wasn’t a secret, but that didn’t mean everyone was aware of it.

Many people were unaware, and even more had completely misguided notions.

What troubled Yuk-gyeong were the ones with misguided notions rather than those who were unaware. It was common to demand payment for information, and often, after paying, the information turned out to be absurd.

And when he went to find the mountain where immortals supposedly lived, it was just a local hill.

Several days were wasted like that.

“Damn people. If you don’t know, just say you don’t know. Pretending to know and saying all sorts of things just to earn money.”

Then it was sheer luck that Yuk-gyeong met people who truly had accurate information.

They were a group of peddlers.

The peddler team consisted of two young peddlers and one older peddler, traveling together for trade.

As peddlers, they had heard many things from different places, so they had a broad spectrum of knowledge.

Among them, one young peddler seemed particularly interested in immortals and cultivators, and shared a lot with Yuk-gyeong.

“You’re looking for a cultivation sect? There are hardly any cultivation sects in the Yue Kingdom. But if you really want to find one, you should go to Manho. Manho has many mountain ranges and, what’s it called, Spiritual Qi? They say it’s abundant there. So, the cultivation sects are gathered there.”

“Manho?”

“Yes, Manho. It’s a rugged area in the southern part of the Yue Kingdom. It’s called Manho because it has a lake.”

“You’re saying the cultivation sects are gathered there?”

“Of course. Many people claim to have seen immortals there. They say they fly through the sky with ease. Sometimes they open the gates to recruit young men and women.”

“Oh, so it’s possible to join them?”

“Indeed. Those who dream of becoming immortals often go to Manho to test their fate. Why? Are you interested?”

I have a single Spiritual Root, of course I’m interested.

When Yuk-gyeong nodded, the peddler laughed heartily.

“Do you think immortals accept just anyone as disciples? The criteria for selecting a disciple are extremely strict. Stop dreaming and wake up.”

Look at this guy. Who does he think I am? I’m someone with the legendary single Spiritual Root, right? If they don’t take me in, who are they going to take?

Yuk-gyeong held back, thinking what would this commoner know.

Don’t you know of the single Spiritual Root? The single Spiritual Root! Even if I say this, there’s a high chance they don’t know about Spiritual Roots itself.

To commoners, Spiritual Root might just sound like a mispronunciation of lotus root.2

Yuk-gyeong, not expecting much since they wouldn’t know, asked just to make conversation.

“What are the criteria?”

“Of course, it’s the appearance of a sage. Look at the immortals. They all have the demeanor of a sage. If one looks thin and likely to make women cry, like you, they won’t be accepted.”

Would they really select someone based on appearance for cultivation? How does appearance help with cultivation?

And what’s wrong with my appearance? I look good enough.

Yuk-gyeong always believed that his appearance would benefit him rather than cause any harm.

Being handsome is always the answer.

Yuk-gyeong hummed a tune inwardly.

Jealousy from those who aren’t good-looking can be tiresome for those who are. But since it’s my first time being this handsome, even that feels pleasant.

The elderly peddler gently advised Yuk-gyeong.

“It’s not too late to return home now. There, you can at least make a living. If you venture out, you’re likely to starve or get beaten to death. Abandon your dream of becoming an immortal and go back.”

Of course, Yuk-gyeong had no intention of giving up on his dream despite the old peddler’s advice.

How could he give up after obtaining the single Spiritual Root? Besides, he couldn’t return home.

The cultivator who discovered Hye-chun’s single Spiritual Root must have turned everything upside down.

Hye-chun’s Spiritual Root disappeared, and so did her man.

There were too many suspicions.

In fact, he had no way out. He had no choice but to become a cultivator. If not, he would just have to work to gather capital for business or settle down somewhere.

For now, he would aim to become a cultivator as much as possible.

I am the possessor of a single Spiritual Root,

the man who will become an immortal.

“Ahhh! Just spare me!”

“Hand over everything you’ve got!”

The chivalrous hero of Murim, Yeon Mu-hee, detected the commotion coming from not too far away.

Using his lightness skill, he approached and clearly saw the situation.

The bandits armed with swords appeared to be professional bandits preying on merchants. This traveler seemed to have been unlucky to get caught and was being threatened.

Of course, there were times when the supposed victim and bandits colluded to rob the person who came to help, but Yeon Mu-hee, with his years of experience as a chivalrous hero, had the keen eye to see through such schemes.

Moreover, Yeon Mu-hee had the skills to overcome the bandits’ tricks, so he was not afraid of them.

‘No matter what, could they be stronger than a cultivator who can fly and summon storms?’

Would the people of Murim not know of the existence of cultivators?

They are beings who defy the heavens, transcending human limits.

Even at the very first stage known as the Qi Refining or Qi Condensation stage, they would surpass all the renowned experts in Murim.

Yet, Yeon Mu-hee did not feel inferior to them.

They are beings who defy the heavens, avoiding ties with the human world and distancing themselves from worldly affairs. To her, they felt more like natural disasters than people.

Moreover, the heroes of the martial world are ‘people’ who struggle to uphold justice and righteousness.

People live among people, not secluded on mountain tops, solely cultivating and seeking enlightenment.

Yeon Mu-hee was someone who held such beliefs.

That’s why she embarked on this heroic journey.

‘I cannot forgive those who commit wicked deeds.’

As Yeon Mu-hee rushed into the scene of the highway robbery, everyone’s attention was drawn to her.

The five bandits, dressed in their own version of martial attire, and the somewhat shabby victim fleeing from them.

Yeon Mu-hee shouted loudly at the scene of wrongdoing.

“Stop right there! How dare you commit highway robbery in the Great Yue Kingdom governed by King Yue! I will not forgive you!”

“Girl! Who are you!”

“I am Yeon Mu-hee, the Little Sword Hee of the Water Chrysanthemum Sword Sect! If King Yama asks who sent you, tell him this name!”

The bandits were terrified by Yeon Mu-hee’s declaration.

The name of the Little Sword Hee was widely known across Murim, so even ignorant bandits had likely heard it at least once.

One of them turned around and shouted as they fled, wondering if anyone had heard of Little Sword Hee’s name.

“The Little Sword Hee of the Water Chrysanthemum Sword Sect? She’s a master! Run away!”

“Ugh! But there are five of us!”

“Five, you say! Little Sword Hee is the one who destroyed an entire bandit hideout!”

Hearing that she had destroyed a bandit hideout before, the bandits scattered and fled in all directions.

One of them even dropped his sword in his haste, looking quite desperate.

“Are you all right?”

“Thank you, thank you!”

Upon saving him, the victim turned out to be quite a handsome man.

Among the men that the renowned chivalrous heroine Yeon Mu-hee had seen, he was one of the most strikingly handsome.

She had seen Baek Mi, the famous swordsman known for his looks in Black Dragon City, and Ok Myeon, the renowned handsome scholar from Seocheon, but they paled in comparison to this man.

Of course, it could also be a matter of Yeon Mu-hee’s taste.

Yeon Mu-hee, who liked slender and delicate features, found this man to be her ideal type. Men with a boyish charm somehow triggered her protective instincts.

“Ahem, please be careful from now on.”

“Well, I don’t have much to offer, but…”

As the man rummaged through his belongings, he didn’t notice that his collar had slightly come undone.

Yeon Mu-hee’s gaze was captivated by the chiseled muscles that peeked through. His muscles, honed through labor, were finely defined and had their own charm without being excessive.

‘He has quite a good physique. Even if he doesn’t seem to know how to fight.’

Yeon Mu-hee’s cheeks flushed red.

Traveling through Murim, desires tend to build up. Yeon Mu-hee had suppressed all her desires until now, but meeting a man who was her ideal type made her feel those desires explode.

Why is this happening? It was an uncontrollable explosion of desire.

Sure, I’m quite the beauty. Would this man be able to resist the allure of a beauty?

Indeed, Yeon Mu-hee was a stunning woman. Her martial arts training had sculpted her physique to be well-balanced and firm. With curves in all the right places, especially emphasizing her hips, her body was captivating enough to catch the eyes of men throughout the martial world.

Yeon Mu-hee suddenly grabbed the man’s wrist.

“Could you come here for a moment? I think I’ve found a way for you to repay me.”

TL/N: The word ‘Sect’ in Korean sounds the same as ‘Green Onions’ ↩️

TL/N: The two words ‘Spiritual Root’ and ‘lotus root’ sound the same in Korean ↩️