Book 10 Chapter 21

Escape

With a sudden shock, the waterway burst open, and Na Yerin and Biryu Yeon were swept away by the current.

The current was stronger than expected, and Biryu Yeon and Na Yerin couldn't control their bodies at first.

However, Biryu Yeon had trained in Sulrae-bi (Water Lightning Flight) and had experience moving through water as if it were his own home. Sustaining himself underwater for half a shichen was a routine matter for him. He was skilled in water combat. It was Na Yerin who showed an unexpected side. Water combat was her weakness. Of all the things she excelled at, there was only one area she couldn't master: water combat. The reason Na Yerin was weak in water combat was less about talent and more about environmental factors.

Her already exceptional beauty, coupled with a form-fitting water-repellent garment that clung to her bare skin, would be akin to a murderous plot to enrapture thousands of impetuous men. Moreover, the danger to her was immense. Wolves eager to get their hands on her were swarming from all sides. Whom could she trust? Even eunuchs were untrustworthy.

Therefore, she never had the opportunity to learn water combat. Those around her absolutely forbade it. That's why she was weak in water combat. Prolonged submersion was fatal to her. Feeling difficulty breathing, Na Yerin soon lost consciousness. The waterway was still far from over.

"Damn!"

Biryu Yeon, holding the unconscious Na Yerin's hand, swam desperately. The problem wasn't himself, but Na Yerin. He had to get them out of this waterway before she suffocated.

"I will never let you die! Never!"

Biryu Yeon swam with all his might. Thanks to the Mukryonghwan (Black Dragon Rings) on his limbs, his swimming was more like light footwork than actual swimming. Each time he sank, his "kicking" propelled him forward.

Time was now his most formidable enemy.

A fisherman named Kang, who had made a living by fishing in Poyang Lake for 30 years, was one day treated as a madman by the villagers. He was told only the truth, yet he was treated as mentally ill, which drove Kang to the brink of insanity.

"I'm telling you, it's true! There's a dragon living in Poyang Lake! I saw it with my own eyes!"

However, the villagers ignored Kang's words. No one listened to him.

"Hey, Mr. Jo. I definitely saw a dragon in Poyang Lake yesterday. I'm telling you, it's true!"

Even Mr. Seok, his friend of 30 years, didn't believe Kang.

"You must be tired from working too hard lately. Go home, wash your feet, and rest for a few days. You'll feel better after a good rest."

Although it was Seok's kind advice, it was clear he didn't believe him.

"I saw it! I definitely saw it! With these eyes! I saw a dragon and a fairy living in Poyang Lake!"

He shouted as if in agony, but no one listened. Kang collapsed on the ground and muttered,

"I definitely saw it… I definitely did…"

It was last night, when the moon was shining brightly. Kang was casting his net into the dark blue lake, night fishing.

"Poo-ha!"

A human head emerged from the dark, rippling surface.

"Hieeeeek!"

Fisherman Kang, who was fishing by moonlight on Poyang Lake, was startled and fell backward. He almost lost his balance and fell into the water, but his 30 years of experience as a fisherman saved him from this crisis. At first, he mistook it for a ghost. But the moment he saw the beautiful woman the figure was embracing, he realized it wasn't a ghost and was relieved. One thing he could deduce from this was that a fairy lived in Poyang Lake, and she wasn't a good swimmer.

The man who suddenly emerged from the water raised a hand and said, "Hello! Lovely night!" Kang, in a daze, bowed in return. When he straightened up, both the man and the fairy had vanished.

"Huh? Huh? What?"

He felt as if he had been possessed by a ghost. So Kang looked around in all directions, searching for any trace of the two. Then, finally, he saw it. A long, enormous body swimming on the moonlit surface! It was undoubtedly the dragon spoken of in legends. There was no other explanation for such a large, long body. Kang's legs trembled with fear. He was gripped by the terror of being eaten. Fortunately, that didn't happen. The dragon wasn't swimming in the middle of the lake, but towards the shore. It seemed to be chasing after the two.

Even after the dragon's shadow disappeared from his sight, Kang could only slump onto the boat after a considerable time. Then, he offered his gratitude to the Dragon King for surviving the encounter. In truth, he would never have known that it wasn't a dragon but the Mukryonhyeolmang (Black Dragon Blood Net) being dragged by Biryu Yeon's Neungnyeongsa (Mind Spirit Capture), and that it was already dead. Biryu Yeon wasn't so incompetent as to abandon the blood net, which would clearly fetch a good price if dissected and sold, citing the difficult situation.

Biryu Yeon first pulled the unconscious woman to the shore and laid her on dry land. He checked her nose but found no sign of breathing.

In such a situation, there was nothing else to do but mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Biryu Yeon, after lying her flat on the ground, tilted her elegant neck back to ensure a clear airway. Having drunk more than twelve buckets of water while training in Sulrae-bi and surviving dozens of near-drowning incidents, Biryu Yeon was also skilled in artificial respiration and first aid.

Originally, artificial respiration requires chest compressions with enough force to break ribs, but Biryu Yeon, being a martial arts master, would never break Na Yerin's ribs. He just had to place his hand between her "prominent chest" and gently blow air into her.

Swish!

Biryu Yeon slowly brought his hand between her breasts. It was a sacred space that no man had ever dared to approach, and now he was presumptuously about to take his first step, or rather, his first hand.

Thump thump!

Suddenly, his heart rate quickened, and blood seemed to rush faster, as Biryu Yeon's face began to turn red.

'What? What's happening?'

Although he didn't particularly like this peculiar physiological phenomenon, Biryu Yeon only did what he had to do.

Biryu Yeon placed his palm on Na Yerin's chest and blew air into her. The purpose was to compress her heart through the flow of qi. While those who knew Biryu Yeon might be surprised, he did not harbor any impure thoughts or move his hand aside for a moment. Biryu Yeon was not so ill-bred as to do such a thing without permission.

The next step was to provide air to her lungs through her mouth. Of course, a kiss was unavoidable. Na Yerin's ruby-like lips, unconscious and fallen, came into his view. Biryu Yeon swallowed involuntarily.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat.

His heart felt like it was beating twice and a half times faster than before.

'What's wrong? Am I going to die of a ruptured heart? It wasn't like this before!'

However, he couldn't stop what he was doing just because of an abnormal heartbeat. Biryu Yeon's lips met Na Yerin's.

Whoosh!

With a reverent heart, Biryu Yeon placed his lips on hers and blew air into her. Of course, he didn't forget to pinch her nose.

Once, twice, thrice.

Biryu Yeon alternated between chest compressions and blowing air. According to the manual, chest compressions and breaths should be repeated in a fifteen-to-one ratio. However, as a martial arts master, Biryu Yeon was able to greatly simplify the procedure.

Chest caress (?) and then artificial respiration… What comes after artificial respiration…?

'Naturally, it's tongue-to-tongue!'

Biryu Yeon shouted in his mind. Of course, such a step didn't exist in artificial respiration. Biryu Yeon was just creating an additional procedure of his own.

"Cough, cough!"

Na Yerin coughed and vomited water. Soon, her breathing returned. At that moment, Biryu Yeon's face lit up. It was pure joy. He was absolutely, unequivocally not disappointed that he couldn't execute his own additional procedure. However, he might have felt a bit disappointed.

"Yerin! Yerin! Wake up, Yerin!"

Biryu Yeon kept calling Na Yerin's name. It took a little time for his voice to break through the barrier of the abyss and reach the surface of her consciousness. Fortunately, Biryu Yeon had the patience to wait for that short period.

"…Ryu Yeon?"

Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes like black jewels that contained the constellation of the night sky. Biryu Yeon's face was reflected in the lake, which held the stars of the night sky.

"Are you awake now?"

Biryu Yeon said with a smile.

"Did we survive?"

"Of course! We still have three or four hundred years to live!"

"That's a relief."

Na Yerin, still in his arms, smiled gently. Her smile was more beautiful and impressive than any precious jewel. It was a smile that captivated a person's soul in an instant.

"I always find myself smiling when I see you."

Na Yerin felt as though she had smiled more times after meeting Biryu Yeon than she had in her entire life. It was a fact she didn't want to admit but couldn't deny.