Book 6 Chapter 33

Trapped in the storm with Na Yerim, the rain was falling steadily.

Ripples formed on the curved surface of the cave entrance as droplets fell to the ground,

causing another ripple in the already existing puddle.

Although the dampness from the rain clung to his entire body, Biryu-yeon felt good. The situation of being in a cave with a beautiful woman, shrouded in a dense rain-mist, was incredibly alluring, and he felt it was only right to thank heaven for its sudden whim of sending rain from a clear sky.

"Shouldn't we try to dry ourselves off?"

Biryu-yeon, having found dry leaves and twigs inside the cave, started a bonfire and spoke to Na Yerim beside him.

*Elegant appearance.*

Her clothes, soaked through by the rain, clung to her, revealing the curves of her body.

Na Yerim replied coldly,

"I'm fine like this. Don't worry about it."

*Cold indifference!*

Of course, she was in this situation unavoidably, but Na Yerim's attitude towards Biryu-yeon showed no signs of thawing.

"You've been holding a grudge for a very long time. It's not a good habit for making friends. Besides, it doesn't seem like a very wise thing to stay in that state in front of a man for long."

Biryu-yeon's words were like advice. In fact, Na Yerim's current appearance was more fitting to be described as *bewitching*. It was almost criminal.

However, the question of whether Biryu-yeon had the right to advise Na Yerim on forming relationships was questionable. In the short time he had been around, the tangled web of grudges Biryu-yeon had created was dizzying in its complexity. It was absurd to even discuss relationships when he received challenges to duels every single day.

Na Yerim seemed to know this. Her counterattack came swiftly.

"I have no desire to receive advice on forming relationships from someone who receives countless dueling challenges every day."

"Haha! I've been hit with one."

Biryu-yeon scratched the back of his head awkwardly at Na Yerim's retort.

Then, silence fell again. The wall surrounding Na Yerim remained as thick as ever. Her slightly aloof appearance was so beautiful that he wanted to kiss her.

The sound of the rain echoed in his ears.

"Why did it turn out like this?"

Na Yerim felt the need to seriously ponder this question for once.

She hadn't had any particular intention. She simply wanted to go for a walk alone, away from others. She felt uncomfortable being in a group of people. It was hard to bear the onslaught of so many thoughts simultaneously without consciously calming her mind.

So, she had walked away from the group and was walking on the mountain path. She was enjoying the feeling of being alone. Until she suddenly felt a murderous intent pressing down on her. There were seven assailants, and they launched a coordinated, sequential attack. Judging by their organized and interconnected movements, they were clearly not mere ruffians.

'Are they in league with the assailants from the Yangtze River?'

That was the most likely scenario.

What she couldn't understand the most was why such unknown assailants were swarming within Wudang Sect's territory. It was something that defied common sense.

Individually, their skills were not remarkable, but it seemed that the strength of martial arts was not an absolute prerequisite for killing an opponent.

For Na Yerim, who had only ever experienced fair fights, the battles against assassins who would do anything to kill their opponent were bound to be unfamiliar. With seven assassins forming a formation and constantly throwing poison darts, even she, the most skilled in the world, found it difficult to defend against them.

However, she was not yet struggling. The problem was that these seven were not the only assailants targeting her. She could clearly sense the presence of others who were hiding their presence and had not yet revealed themselves.

These assailants seemed to have boldly formed a encirclement within Wudang Sect's territory.

'If this person hadn't come then, what would have happened?'

Their attack strategy was to pre-emptively block the opponent's movements if they were a master, thereby nullifying their skill. In other words, they aimed to prevent the opponent from displaying their full capabilities by restricting their movement and disrupting their breathing. The meanness or ugliness of their methods was not a consideration for them.

They paid no mind to whether their comrades were being cut down by her sword.

Na Yerim's eyes stung from the murderous intent to kill. It was a fierce murderous intent that she had never felt before.

It might have been dangerous if Biryu-yeon hadn't appeared at that opportune moment. Although her martial arts skills were far superior to those of the assailants, she was not accustomed to this type of fight.

The immediate danger was dealt with, but then the weather became a problem. The dark clouds that covered the sky unleashed fierce rain as if to do their duty.

The downpour, so heavy that not a single strand of hair could remain dry, plunged the surroundings into darkness. The situation was even worse because it was a torrential rain encountered in a dense forest.

Such a torrential rain would undoubtedly be a great aid in masking the presence of the assailants.

First, she needed to find shelter from the rain. And that's how Biryu-yeon and Na Yerim ended up in this cave.

'But why?'

Looking at the blazing bonfire, Na Yerim asked herself in her heart.

She had clearly received help.

But why, despite clearly receiving help, did she feel no gratitude at all?

She found it strange herself.

'Why?'

Her heart offered no answer to her question.

"Swooooosh…!"

The rain falling in the darkness showed no signs of stopping.

"Are the others safe?"

Although she tried to act indifferent, her face showed a faint worry, as if she was concerned about those who remained.

"Elder Yeom is down there. I don't think there's anything to worry about. They're not the kind of people to be defeated by these pests, so don't worry. If they were that weak, their reputations would be in vain! You can trust them."

'Because they are my disciples.'

He swallowed the latter part of his words. If he had spoken them, they wouldn't have believed him anyway, and it might have even increased their distrust.

"That's probably true."

"Of course."

Biryu-yeon nodded his head vigorously. If they were defeated, he would not let them off. Only then did Na Yerim show a relieved expression.

Awkward silence fell again.