"Dear brother!" Hyuk ignored Kwon Jiyong's threatening air and grinned at him. "How have you been? It's been a while! Is that how you greet your older brother?"

Kwon Jiyong's anger was flaring up inside him, but the fact that Sandara was in his arms made him hesitate to fight Hyuk. What if Sandara ends up getting hurt? When Hyuk noticed Kwon Jiyong's reluctance, his grin became even wider.

"What, little brother? Can't fight me? That's sad. I've been looking forward to this day!" Hyuk provoked and laughed some more. He tore the piece of cloth that covered his wounded skin and healed himself in an instant. "Next time, try harder!" Hyuk ran towards him at such a great speed, ready to claw his neck but a sudden white, blinding light blocked his way. When the light materialized, Hyuk realized it was a woman. She floated on air, and her long black hair swayed along with the breeze. The white crystal stone on her forehead shone light, blinding him and making him step back.

"I see, you haven't learned your lesson yet." The lady spoke in an annoyed manner. 

"White celestial dragon…" Hyuk recognized her before he snorted in annoyance. How come everyone is protecting Young? He flew up to a tree and signaled from behind him and in a snap of an eye, a group of Jurchen assassins surrounded Kwon Jiyong and the rest.

"Until we meet again, brother." Hyuk said before he vanished into thin air. Meanwhile at the ground, Moo Yeon and the other shadow guards surrounded the Jurchens. In the end, Kwon Jiyong did not arrive unprepared!

As Moo Yeon led the fight against the Jurchens, Kwon Jiyong leaped up with Sandara in his arms and returned to the estate. Meanwhile, the white celestial dragon helped the blue celestial dragon up to take him with her but the latter refused.

"I think my time is up." He smiled. "Please look after her."

"Blue celestial dragon!" The white one tried to persuade him but he only closed his eyes and soon, slowly and little by little, he started to fade away.

"Fool. How could you be weaker than I am?" The white celestial dragon scoffed and shook her head. "I guess emotions could really weaken someone." She used some of her energy and transferred it to the other celestial before helping him up.

"Leave if you want to leave. But make sure to tie the loose ends or things will just go worse. Sandara would definitely look for you once she regains consciousness."

The blue celestial dragon smiled weakly. "You really have a way of consoling me."

"Just don't get your hopes up too much. Now let's go and see if her mark's really about to show up!"

________________________

As soon as Kwon Jiyong landed in his residence, he carried Sandara to his chamber. This foolish woman! How could she be so hasty! Had he not arrived on time, the consequences would be unthinkable!

It was fortunate that the drug only had a little effect on him since he's only half human or else he would still be in deep sleep until now. Hearing Sandara's final words that night left him suspicious and when he went out to give orders to his men, he saw Lee Donghae rushing out of the estate and decided to follow him. Soon he realized they were both headed to the same direction, both of them able to find Sandara's scent.

But just as they were nearing Sandara's location, he noticed Lee Donghae's speed had become even faster. As he arrived, he realized there was no trace of Lee Donghae at sight but only the blue celestial dragon. If not for the fact that Hyuk was also there, Kwon Jiyong would have confronted the doctor for hiding his true identity all along.

Still, such discovery was overshadowed by the fact that Sandara's safety was put at risk.

As she lay her down his bed, he could not help but fear. Here she is, safe and sound, yet he could not remain calm knowing that Hyuk was looming in the shadows and could jump out any moment he finds a chance to take Sandara again. Preoccupied by his thoughts, it gave him a start when someone barged into the room. It turned out to be the white celestial dragon, who is now in her normal, youthful form after reviving her energy.

"Leave us alone." The celestial dragon ordered without batting an eyelash as she sat beside Sandara. When she saw Kwon Jiyong hesitate, she raised her voice.

"Delay furthermore and you will put her life at stake!"

Hearing this, Kwon Jiyong marched out of the room in a rush. He walked back and forth outside impatiently until Moo Yeon arrived.

"Your Highness!" Moo Yeon bowed. "We have defeated most of the Jurchens but we have suffered loss as well. It's because there were imoogans among them. They were all in almost human form now. Perhaps, that Hyuk had been feeding them nonstop."

"Did you manage to follow them?"

"I sent some shadow guards. We'll have to wait for their news in the meantime."

Kwon Jiyong nodded. "Take a look at Hong. He's wounded."

"Yes Your Highness!" Moo Yeon immediately retreated to find Hong. When he entered Lee Donghae's residence, he found his subordinate lying on the mattress while Ryung had his hand over Hong's wound.

"What are you doing, stinky rat!" Moo Yeon lifted the boy by his collar only to receive a kick from the kid. It sent him backing a few steps which made his eyes go round in shock.

"How dare you call someone older than you that way!" Ryung wanted to say but he still had no voice to support his annoyance. He glared at Moo Yeon but his small form and young appearance made it seem a little awkward. He cleared his throat and focused on Hong once more.

Moo Yeon was about to complain once more but Ryung seem to have lost his patience. With his sharp serpent-like eyes and pointed fangs, he gnarled at Moo Yeon making the man step back.

What a dangerous little fellow!

Shaking his head, Moo Yeon caught a glimpse of Lee Donghae on the other side of the room. He looked ghastly pale and his clothes were bloody. When he was about to approach him, Ryung blocked his way and kicked him in the shin.

"You!" Moo Yeon was balling his fist, his patience thinning. He only took a step towards the busy little boy when Ryung hissed back at him with fiery, snake-like eyes and sharp fangs once more. Moo Yeon backed away in an instant.

It's not that he was afraid of imoogis. In fact, he had encountered a lot of them enough for this lifetime. But since Ryung was an imoogi inside His Highness' abode, he dare not try to touch him. After all, his master hasn't even thought yet of what to do with this little monster. In the end, Moo Yeon could only go out and watch his master looking so anxious outside his chamber. He had never seen His Highness look so worried and troubled like this ever in his years of working for him. It was as if the cold and uncaring and unreachable Kwon Jiyong he knew suddenly disappeared and was replaced by someone unfamiliar. 

All day long, despite receiving countless messages and missives, Kwon Jiyong remained seated on the steps outside his residence. He didn't dare enter, for Sandara had been wailing in pain since he left her alone with the white celestial dragon. Her cries were like tiny poisonous needles that stuck his heart, the pain slowly spreading in his veins making him die a little at a time. Hearing her whimpering inside made him almost lose his mind, and the fact that she's going all through this because of him, for him, is making it even harder to bear.

When the night came, everything fell silent. Kwon Jiyong stood up and waited by the door, and soon the white celestial dragon finally emerged. She still looked youthful, yet her hair turned white as if a huge part of her energy had been sapped away from her. Smiling weakly at him, the while celestial dragon nodded as if giving him permission.

Kwon Jiyong did not waste time and charged into the room. There in his bed, Sandara was lying in her stomach, her upper body bare. Her eyes looked tired and dull, her face wet with both tears and sweat, and her pale lips were agape while she unevenly breathed. However, the mark on the back of her shoulder was visible and clear as daylight which illuminated the dim room. Planted on her soft, white skin was his mark, a sign that she only belonged to