章 223: Ancestral essence

And strangely, instead of floating to the surface as one would expect, I found myself sinking towards the bottom of the lake, thereby defying logic. 

And added to the fact that I had no experience in swimming, a crucial piece of information which I may have temporarily forgotten due to my current circumstances, made it difficult for me to swim back to the surface.

Fortunately, a beacon of bright yellowish light penetrated through the dense liquid, guiding my gaze upwards. And before I knew it, several vines emerged from beneath the lake's floor and entwined around my body, effortlessly lifting me towards the surface.

As soon as I resurfaced, I clung to the land, pressing my palms firmly against its surface to keep myself afloat. Despite the absence of any perceived need for air, as the lake had provided me with an ample supply of one, as if I had never been deprived of it, I exhaled loudly, relieved to be back on solid ground.