Guide of the Sichuan Tang Clan C49

Chapter 49

The moment something warm touched the back of his hand, Seowon’s body went rigid. It wasn’t hard to guess what that soft sensation was.

Don’t tell me… lips…

He wanted to see his own hand beyond the cave opening. The urge to break the hole wider surged so strongly that Seowon bit his lip.

Unaware of that turmoil—or perhaps knowing and ignoring it—Eunmyeong smacked his lips lightly against the back of Seowon’s hand.

“Mm… it’s still not enough…”

Even with lips pressed there, the amount of energy flowing through wasn’t much different. Wearing a serious expression, Eunmyeong stared past the cave opening before parting his lips.

A red tongue slipped out.

The lips that had been moving like lovers kissing lightly brushed over the back of Seowon’s hand.

It was the first time anyone’s lips had ever touched him. A man who had known nothing but training with his fellow disciples on Mount Hua would hardly be used to another’s lips. At the soft, pliant sensation, Seowon’s face flushed red.

“P-Physician…”

The anguished voice never reached Eunmyeong.

What mattered to Eunmyeong was finding a way to send more energy through.

At times like this, mucosal guiding is best.

The fastest way to pour energy in—there’s only that.

Of course, he couldn’t keep kissing indefinitely, but it would be faster than this.

Smacking his lips thoughtfully, Eunmyeong spoke.

“Sir Sword Master. This is a bit rude, but…”

“…Yes. Please, go ahead.”

Hearing the tension woven into Seowon’s voice made Eunmyeong cautious as well. Slowly stroking Seowon’s hand, he continued.

“Could you… offer your lips instead of your hand?”

“…What?”

At the heavier bombshell, Seowon froze completely.

“L-Lips… you say?”

“I know it sounds strange, but… the more surface contact there is, the more effective the treatment becomes…”

Seeing how awkward Seowon looked, Eunmyeong rushed to explain.

“It’s not that I want to do this. It’s really just to save you. There’s honestly no other meaning to it—”

The more he spoke, the more pathetic it felt. Like a sleazy street ruffian trying to pull a trick, Eunmyeong fidgeted with his fingers.

Kissing to heal—who would believe that?

If I weren’t Seowon, I wouldn’t believe it either.

…But unfortunately, that ‘physician’ is me now.

This was driving him insane.

Just as Eunmyeong was about to retract his words—

“…If I offer just my lips, will that suffice?”

The unexpected consent made Eunmyeong scoot closer to the cave opening.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“…Isn’t it for treatment? I have nothing else I can offer you.”

Offer.

At that word, Eunmyeong’s eyes widened.

Realizing his phrasing was strange, Seowon twitched and hurried to add,

“If it helps the treatment, then of course I should give whatever I can. You’re going this far for me.”

The awkwardness radiating from inside the cave made Eunmyeong grow shy as well. He cleared his throat.

At the center, holding hands or hugging lightly was the norm—and he did that more than ten times a day, so it wasn’t embarrassing. In the next room, and the one after that, another guide and Esper would be in contact too.

But here—

A physician treating with a kiss existed only in this place.

And the only one kissing Seowon was Eunmyeong.

With a complicated heart, Eunmyeong was just about to withdraw his hand.

“Is it truly necessary to go that far?”

Turning toward the voice, Eunmyeong saw Mujin standing there, arms crossed, staring relentlessly at the hole in the rock pile.

More precisely—at the hands the two of them were holding.

“There are other methods, aren’t there. Holding hands like you are now, for example.”

Mujin’s discomfort was written plainly across his face. The faint crease between his brows showed how twisted his mood had become. Feeling the air grow heavy, Eunmyeong spoke.

“That’s not enough. I can’t let him die just because of one kiss.”

“Why not?”

“……”

“He came here to die. Wouldn’t it be better to just kill him?”

Eunmyeong’s mouth fell open.

Is he serious right now?

When Eunmyeong shot him a crooked glare, Mujin turned his head aside and added,

“It would be better. For everyone.”

His long hair fluttered in the wind. It was a picturesque sight—but to Eunmyeong, he looked no different from Yuseong throwing a sulky tantrum when asking to be held.

“Do you not remember when I treated you, Young Master?”

“……”

“We kissed then too. You accepted all of that—so why is the Sword Master not allowed? Isn’t that a bit shameless?”

“…Shameless?”

“And where exactly is the person who ran away saying it wasn’t allowed back then?”

The man who had insisted it couldn’t be done was now forbidding it when it came to someone else. Even as his brows twitched, Mujin pressed his lips tightly together.

Seeing that, Eunmyeong played his final card.

“And my lips aren’t some priceless treasure. It’s just a kiss. What’s the big deal? If it needs to be done, then it’s done.”

“Physician.”

At the sudden call, Eunmyeong turned.

Seowon seized the moment and gently pulled Eunmyeong’s wrist toward him, as if asking him to focus. Drawn closer, Eunmyeong ended up sitting right against the cave opening.

“Please don’t speak of yourself so lightly.”

Seowon’s hand slid up from Eunmyeong’s hand—over his wrist, along his arm, to his shoulder. Then it cupped his cheek, tracing the slender line of his neck. It was a rough hand, calloused and scarred.

His fingertips brushed Eunmyeong’s lips. The touch was slow, as though imagining his face.

Tension coiled in Eunmyeong’s chest as he looked into the darkness of the cave.

“To me, you are a miracle. So please—do not speak of yourself that way.”

Seowon slowly guided Eunmyeong’s face closer into the cave’s shadow.

“It is not ‘just’ a kiss. It is a precious kiss. To me.”

Tilting Eunmyeong’s head slightly, Seowon fell silent.

The world went quiet.

Eunmyeong could no longer hear Mujin’s voice, nor the rustling leaves in the wind—only Seowon’s breathing inside the cave.

After a deep breath, Seowon spoke again.

“…May I?”

At the respectful question, Eunmyeong nodded slowly.

In the next instant, Seowon’s lips met his.

The plan had been to touch briefly—just enough to transfer energy, then pull away.

But Seowon’s firm tongue traced his lips, as if asking for permission.

“Mmm…”

At the polite, careful kiss that somehow suited Seowon perfectly, Eunmyeong opened his lips without thinking. The tongue that slipped in moved gently, swimming through his mouth.

When Eunmyeong tried to pull back, the hand cupping his cheek slid to cradle his head, holding him in place. Feeling Seowon’s tongue skillfully intertwine with his own, Eunmyeong opened his eyes.

He said he had no experience—then how is he this good?!

No matter who he compared it to, this easily ranked among the best kisses he’d ever experienced. Beautiful face, exceptional martial talent, a prestigious sect—and even this? It was unfair.

This kiss felt different from all the others he’d known.

There was something reverent about Seowon’s kiss—like worship before a god. Careful, asking permission at every turn, yet unfailingly responding to Eunmyeong’s tongue.

Just as Eunmyeong hurriedly began pouring energy into him—

Someone yanked Seowon’s hand out of Eunmyeong’s hair.

“Hng—!”

The moment their lips parted, Eunmyeong released the breath he’d been holding. Lifting his head, he saw Mujin, his face tight with urgency.

Pale, Mujin shouted sharply,

“Does it have to be now?!”

“…What?”

Mujin glared obsessively at Eunmyeong’s lips. Clearly displeased by the glistening saliva, he roughly wiped them with his sleeve.

“Ah—! That hurts!”

“I will keep him alive! I’ll keep him breathing even two days from now, so stop this!”

“How, exactly, Young Master?!”

“I said I’ll keep him alive!”

His hand pressed painfully against Eunmyeong’s lips. Eunmyeong twisted away, and at that moment, Seowon—having sensed the struggle—grabbed Mujin’s wrist.

“Stop this! The physician says it hurts!”

“Mount Hua should mind Mount Hua’s own affairs! This is Tang Clan business—I’ll handle it!”

“How can you be so rude!”

“You’re the rude one! Are all Mount Hua disciples so shameless that they jump straight to kissing?!”

Roughly tearing Seowon’s hand away, Mujin hauled Eunmyeong to his feet and tucked the warm body firmly against his side.

“There’s still treatment left!”

Despite Eunmyeong’s protests, Mujin didn’t let go. He simply suppressed the storm inside him and moved away from the cave.

Seowon’s anxious voice called out from behind, but Eunmyeong couldn’t respond—

Mujin’s large hand had covered his lips.

After that, Eunmyeong was no longer able to perform mucosal guiding.

Any time he so much as leaned in, Mujin would grab him and force him straight down the mountain.

Crying inwardly, Eunmyeong was left with nothing but hand-holding guidance—just barely keeping Seowon’s internal energy from exploding.

Except for accompanying Eunmyeong up the mountain, Mujin threw himself into training. Whether he truly intended to keep his promise, Eunmyeong couldn’t tell—he didn’t see even Mujin’s shadow, day or night.

And then—

At last, the day promised to Cheongwoo arrived.