Boran’s birthday celebration came quickly as the weekend made its way in. Lushi had gotten the decorations up in the main hall where lunch was going to be served. She had ordered for the chef to make his favorite dishes as well.

In the middle of the table was a refreshing bowl of scorching mapo tofu soup, which was his number one favorite dish while to the sides were a braised eel noodle dish, crispy and crunchy sweet pork dish, a veggie buddha’s delight dish, a platter of dumplings, a platter of crispy spring onion pancakesand a delicately steamed sea bass.

Lushi was dressed in a lavish light purple colored robe with her hair neatly done.

“You had the chef make so much food!” Yang Sun stepped into the main hall, shuffling her cream-colored cotton robe behind her on the ground. “Are you sure we’re all going to finish them all?”

“Yang Sun Jie!” Lushi smiled as she watched her walk in. “Yes, these are all Boran’s favorite dishes!” She had a happy face on. “Besides, I’ve invited my parents to come, so you don’t have to worry about finishing the meals.” She whispered.

“What? You’re parents?” Her eyes looked a bit surprised. "You finally allowed your parents to know where you are?" She teased.

“I thought about it, why not!” Lushi shurgged her shoulders cutely. "I mean, they were worried sick about me..."

Yang Sun noticed the love in Lushi’s eyes, “It looks like you really do like him.”

Lushi gently poke her on the side as the servants and maid set the table up to very neat and colorful.

“Stop teasing me.” Lushi blushes. “Eh, can you do me a favor?” She grabs her hands then.

“Sure,”

“I left Boran’s shoes in my room. Can you help me fetch it before he gets here?”

She hesitates for a second, “Hao ah,” Yang Sun nods slightly.

“I would go get it, but there’s so much to do here.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go grab it. You just focus on having the celebration ready in time.”

“Thank you!” Lushi thanked her and turns around to finish setting up.

Yang Sun smiles and turns to leave the main hall and walks through the quite corridors out front. She turns into the East Wing of the Dong Manor, heading towards Lushi’s room. As she places her fingers in front of her walking in a patterned pace, she slowly comes to a slight pause and roams her eyes around secretly.

Not seeing anyone around the area, she quickly turns away and into another room.Whose room was it? It was Boran’s study room. As she closes the door shut, the large wolf appeared sitting in the middle of the room.

‘Yang Sun,’ It spoke to her through their minds.

“Is it here?” She asked and walks over to the wolf.

‘Yes. Over here!’ The wolf said and points with his eyes over to the large wooden book shelf.

What was she looking for and why was she being all secretive? More importantly, how in the world did a large wolf get into the Dong Manor without alarming anyone? Answers only they know. She quietly hops over to the book shelf and begins searching for something.

‘Top shelf. 5^th book to the left.’ The wolf told her as it continued to sit there in the middle of the room, behind her.

She reached up and over and pulls out a thick wooden book cover. It was more of a box disguised as a book it seems. She opens it and there sat a 6-inch sliver copper dagger and a pouch of sliver powder.

She quickly thought about the night when she had purposely bumped into Boran in the bamboo forest during their first meet. How she came to know about the items hiding place was because she had hypnotized Boran that night into telling her where it was located and erasing his memory using black magic. That was why Boran woke up the next day feeling like he was missing a piece of what actually happened.

“It seems you were right,” She pulls out the dagger out of the box. “Boran is the blood pact.”

The wolf stands on its four legs and moves back a little, ‘Of course! I’ve never been wrong before.’ The wolf lowered his body a little and then growled underneath his breathe.

She peeks over and noticed the anger mix fear in the wolf’s eyes, “Sorry.” She tugs the dagger and pouch of sliver powder into her sleeves quickly, “I forgot that this is dangerous for you.” And places the wooden box back onto the shelf like how it was before.

‘Don’t worry about me. Focus on getting a bottle of his blood before the next full moon.’ The wolf told her.

Why did they need his blood? Full Moon? Blood pact? What were they talking about?

“I understand, don’t worry, we still have a few more days until the next full moon.” Yang Sun walks over to the wolf and suddenly, they both hear footsteps coming towards the room.

‘Someone is coming,’ The wolf shivered a wave of nerves down her spine while Yang Sun froze, staring at the door.

The door to Boran’s study room swings open and walks in was none other than himself.

“Are you sure you left it in here?” Weiting drags his feet in after him.

“Yes, just give me a second.” Boran replied and walks over to his desk.

Weiting walks into the middle of the room and sighs through his nose as he waited for Boran to grab what he was looking for. He roams his eyes around the room and noticed a change to the air temperature.

“Is it me or does it seem… Colder in here than before?” He asked and turned to face Boran.

“What do you mean?” Boran asked as he looks over with his fingers fliping through the things on his desk.

Weiting noticed the pot of wood burning at the side that was used as a heater and peeks over his shoulders.

Boran continued to dig around his desk, “Maybe you’re just sensitive, Autumn is just around the corner, of course it’s going to get colder.”

Weiting couldn’t scratch it off, but he could feel a slight change from moments ago when he was standing in the room with Boran. He quickly felt a brush of soft wind that ran through behind his ears; but kept his silence.

“Did you find it?” He changed the subject back.

“Yes!” Boran smiled as he held up a yellow envelope. “I knew I left it here.” He giggles and walks over to Weiting. “Let’s go,” He said and walks out first.

Weiting took one more look around the room and follows out after Boran. The doors shut completely and Yang Sun removes herself from the wolf’s fur, and became visible again. They waited for a few moments until they began to chatter.

‘That was close.’ The wolf said as he stood on his legs.‘Are you okay?’ He sniffs her hands.

“I’m fine,” She replies softly, trying to catch her breath, rushing her hands through his grey fur.

The wolf was no ordinary wolf. He was an immortal animal that was created by the black witch’s blood. His fur had an ability to go invisible mode whenever its powers were shifted. But only the wolf can walk amongst the human’s unseen, while those who tries to hide underneath his fur, would have to hold their breathes for its magic to happen.

‘You look pale…’

“I’m fine... Since we have the dagger and powder now, I will get his blood and meet you at Huaijiu Hills during the next full moon.”

‘Hao. Be careful.’

“Um, be careful making your way out.” She nods once and the wolf takes a few steps backwards, disappearing into thin air.

A few more minutes passes by and Yang Sun secretly exits Boran’s study room. She headed straight for Lushi’s room and grabs the cotton shoes and then back to the main hall.

"SUPRISE!" Lushi shouted with everyone standing behind her.

Boran smiles with a tint of confused look, "You even invited your parents?" He saw them and didn't want to walk into the room.

He stood there just outside the room.

"Yes!" Lushi nods cutely as she came running out. "I invited them to come!"

"Haha," Lushi's father laughed over, "How could we miss your birthday? If I knew my daughter was with you here, I wouldn't have been worried like I was."

"... Uncle," Boran greets him with a bow to his head.

"It's been a while since I last saw you. You've grown up so much!" He hugs his nephew.

"Yeah. 3 years!" Boran hugs him in return.

"This is..."

"Uncle," Weiting greeted him next.

"Weiting?" Lushi's father sequenced his eyes to get a clearer look at him. "Is it Weiting? General Chan Weiting? Wow, you've grown a lot too!" He pats Weiting's shoulders.

"Yes," Weiting smiles softly.

"Father, you're holding them up!" Lushi pulls her father away and grabs onto Boran's left arm. "Come inside! I made all your favorite dishes!" Her eyes sparkles like fireworks.

"You mean you order the chef to make all his favorite dishes?" Her father and everyone in the room laughed.

"Father~!" Lushi pouted as she stomps her feet cutely.

Just then Yang Sun walks by with the shoes in her hands. "Yang Sun Jie!" Lushi spotted her and rushes to her side. "You're late!"

"Sorry, I couldn't find where you had put it." Yang Sun lied.

Weiting and Boran both looks over to Yang Sun and scans her together, one with soft eyes and the other with a dark gaze.

"It's okay. Piao-Ge hasn't walked into the room yet." She giggled and grabs the shoes from Yang Sun's hands. "Boran, look, I bought you new shoes!"

"O-Oh," Boran gasps softly.

It was a black and white colored cotton pair of shoe that she had bought. Simple and neat.

Weiting peeks at Yang Sun and there they met through their eyes again for a brief moment. He brushes his brows back and looks away as soon as she stared at him completely.

"Hao le," Lushi's mother then spoke and everyone looks over to her sitting at the table. "Are you going to stand there and talk all day?" Her tone of voice was scarier than her fathers.

"Put these on first," Lushi said and placed the shoes onto the ground.

Boran gave a weak smile and begins changing his shoes. "... Aunty," Boran greeted her calmly as he approaches her in his new cotton shoes.

She held a cup of warm tea in her hands, blowing cold air into it. Her eyes were not fixed on anyone but her tea. She had feline looking eyes that could cut like a sharp object. Lushi noticed that her mother was a bit angry.

"M-Mother,"

She was upset that Boran had lied about her daughter not being at his resident when she asked a few months ago.

"Hao le, we'll talk later about our personal problems." Her mom stopped her before she could cry like a baby and places her cup of tea down.

"Yes," Boran nods and takes his seat.

Yang Sun walks through the doors side by side with Weiting and the two of them were escorted to sit next to each other opposite of Boran and Lushi.

"Happy birthday!" Lushi's father reached over a wooden box to Boran.

"What's this?" He took it into his hands carefully.

"Open it."

Boran didn't hesitate to open the box and found a beautiful green colored jade piece pendant lying neatly in white satin silk.

"This... This must of cost a lot!" Boran exclaimed. "Uncle, you didn't have to--"

"Eh--" His uncle interrupted him with his right hand in mid air, "You're a grown man now, every grown man needs a jade pendant to keep him looking young... I noticed that your father hasn't given you one to carry around with yet, so use this one until he does give you one."

It's a tradition in their country that a young man who is not married yet shall carry a designed jade pendant around their waist to let themselves known that they're still single.

"Father," Lushi frowns at her own father with an upset look.

"Hahaha..." Her father laughed at her. "Don't worry. I didn't mean to harm your feelings."

Boran didn't know how to respond to this lavish gift, and instead he tucks the pendant back into the box and shoves it to the side carefully, "Thank you uncle."

Yang Sun secretly smiled to the side and Weiting took noticed of it quickly. Again, her smile was rather similar to someone he once knew. He felt a little, comfort by it.

"When your Aunty and I was traveling here, after getting Lushi's invitation for today's event, we met a great Jade maker, so we tasked him to make this piece solely for you. There is only this piece in this world, no second."

"Thank you Aunty..." Boran thanked Lushi's mother as well. "I've bother you for this favor."

She sighs, " I don't know why my older brother hasn't given you one yet, considering your age and being the only male heir of his family... But, it's like your uncle said, you're a grown man now, it's only right if you carry one of those around and stop making my daughter crazy for you...." She said and Boran lowers his head to the side.

"Mother," Lushi tugs her mother's sleeves secretly with a pout.

"Hao le," She shrugs her arms onto her lap and rolls her eyes softly, "Don't take it to heart, I love you like your my son and I know that my brother wants a marriage between you and Lushi; but before I hand you my daughter, I want to give you a chance to find someone you think is worthy of your taste..." She picks her cup of tea back up to her lips.

"Fu Ren (Wife)," Lushi's father stops her harsh teasing. "What are you saying? Marriage isn't something you can just openly talk about here. Besides, it's a good thing to wed the two kids... you saying that, what if Boran--" He stops himself from finishing his sentence and peeks at his nephew.

"What? I don't want him to think that we're bullying him in marrying our only daughter. What if he doesn't like Lushi like we think? You're going have her live a life with no affection?"

Boran tries his best to smile as he looks at them one by one awkwardly, while Lushi blushes in embarrassment.

"Enough," Her parents argue. "This is no time to be talking about this issue. We are guests here at the Dong resident, save it for another day."

Yang Sun pokes her eyes down to her hands on her lap quickly rolling her two thumbs into a triangle a few times, as she tries not to pry too much into the heavy conversation regarding their family issue. Weiting noticed her thumb motions and quickly took a flash back down memory lane.

Flash Back:

"What are you doing?" Weiting asked Taiyang as he approaches her chambers.

She was sitting outside her chambers bathing in the sun, rolling her thumbs in a form of a triangle.

"Weiting?" She jumps onto her feet cutely and reaches out her hands to the side.

The bells that dangled on her hips ringed a nice tune into his ears, but her eyes were pale and dead as soon as he looked into them.

"... Were you waiting for me?" He grabs her right hand and allows her to move closer to him.

"Yes!" She smiled cutely like a child and he gave a warm smile back to her.

It look too familiar to him, but he disregarded it for the time. Weiting then takes in a deep breath and pulls out from his sleeve pockets, a dark blue colored pouch.

"Happy birthday," He interrupts the conversation on the other side and reaches the pouch over to his friend.

Perfect timing, Boran was thankful towards his reaction. "What is this?" He asked as he takes it into his hands.

Thanks to Weiting's quick thinking, the topic changed. Boran gave a satisfied smile and thanked him through his mind for the save.

"I remember you telling me that you were searching for the 9 dragon head daggers that were scattered many generations ago... So, I ordered someone to search for the daggers for you." He replies and watches Boran pulls out 4 dark sliver daggers.

They were four 6-inch dark colored daggers with a specific dragon head carved as each handle (for each dagger).

"I was only able to find four... Taotie, Baxia, Suanni and Bixi..."

Taotie looked a bit weird- crafted as a monster like dragon head with Baxia that looked more like waves with a bridge craved in the middle of his face, while Suanni looked more like a regular lion head than dragon and Bixi looked more like a tortoise.

Boran carved an excited smile, "Thank you, Weiting! I've searched high and low for these 4!"

"The 9 dragon head daggers? Eh, from what I recall, you have the Yazi dagger?" Lushi's father asked him as he peeks over.

"Yes, I found the Yazi dagger during my station in Muban a few years ago. I was only able to find one of the 9 daggers, but Weiting found four of them! You're really capable!"

Weiting chuckles softly, "I'm not capable, I didn't actually find these daggers myself, I had my men search for them on my behalf... But, it makes it a total of 5 daggers that you have now. The remaining 4 daggers, you'll have to really keep your eyes open."

"I know, thank you!" Boran was happily contempt and tucks the daggers back into the pouch.

"What's so special about a bunch of small knives?" Lushi pouts.

"Knives? They are not knives. They are daggers!" Boran exclaims gently. "They are the 9 dragon head daggers that were forged many years ago and was lost during the Ruan Dynasty. These were used to assassinate Emperor Wenzong."

"And why would you want to keep something so filthy?" Lushi fought with him.

"Filthy? They are gold!" He showed them to her more clearly. "Look,"

She leans forward to take a closer look, "They look old and boring. Also dull and in need of someone to sharpen them up." She peeks quickly and then leans back into her chair.

Boran stands on his feet to walk over to the red curtain hanging by the door way. He grabs the Taotie dagger into his right hand, and with one swing from it, half of the red curtain fell onto the ground. Everyone was amaze at how sharp the daggers still worked over the centuries.

He sits back in his chair and shakes his head cutely side to side pulling the 4 daggers back onto his lap, "You don't know how valuable these are. They come from a legend that happened centuries ago."

Lushi never really liked all those fantasy stories that Boran always talked about and enjoyed. But she could tell that he was really interested in them and thus pretended to be interested in them herself.

"Legend says, he married a princess and later became known as Emperor Wenzong who established the Ruan Dynasty. But... He was a cruel ruler and lusted to rule over the world... He even wrecked havoc in the heavenly kingdom. So, these daggers were forged to kill Wenzong and soon enough, they brought peace back."

"I also heard that he lusted for power so much, he even killed his own wives." Lushi's father nods his head.

"What? He is really cruel! What kind of man kills his own wives?" Lushi frowns.

"This Emperor Wenzong," Yang Sun spoke finally and everyone stares at her. "Is the Dragon King, isn't he?"

"How did you know?" Boran nods with a pleasant smile. "Not a lot of people know about that fact."

Weiting stares back and forth at them both secretly.

Yang Sun chuckles softly and brings her head up a bit, "Of course I know... The Dragon King fell in love with a mortal woman named Su-An and later married her after divorcing his 9 dragon wives and stayed in the mortal realm. But he began lusting over power when his mortal wife's father: Emperor Cai of Shang Dynasty started to belittle him. He killed his wife's father and later became known as Emperor Wenzong who established the Ruan Dynasty... He indeed wrecked havoc in the heavenly kingdom and killed over 100 godly general and costed the lives of many humans in the process... So, the 9 sons of the dragon King forged these daggers using their blood to kill Wenzong... Only a true blood of a dragon can kill another dragon."

This made Boran even more interested in her. "I didn't know that you like these kind of stories too."

"I'm not a picky person. Anything that seems interesting will eventually catch my eyes." Yang Sun smiles sweetly.

Lushi bites her lips with a bit of jealousy and allowed herself to crouch down into her chair. Her mother saw the saddness in her daughters eyes.

"I heard that these nine dragon head daggers are very hard to find... Even Lord Su couldn't find one, and he's already reaching 100 years old!" Lushi's father said and they all giggled at his joke."But legend did say, whoever posses them will do great things in life. It seems like Boran will have plenty of good luck to come!"

"Not at all, luck depends on the person who works for it." Boran kindly denied his uncles complement and then peeks at Yang Sun who sitting across from him, "... Eh, miss Yang Sun, besides knowing so much about this legend... You... Don't have a gift for me?" He eyed her with a bland expression.

Everyone looks over to her again and she blushes in a pink color through her cheeks, "O-Oh?" She gasped in surprise and clears , "I... I didn't have to time to get you one. Also, I've only met you recently... I don't know what you like and dislike. So, I didn't prepare one."

Boran teases her, "It's okay. I'll take the story that you just told as my gift." He smiles cutely at her.

Lushi noticed again, the light in Boran's eyes when he talks and looks at Yang Sun and frowns deeply. "Hao le, are we going to eat or talk about fantasy stories all afternoon?" She growled in between them and picks up her chopsticks first.

"Oh," Boran gasped.

"Let's eat." Lushi's father allowed everyone to start eating and picks up his chopsticks as well.

Yang Sun had forgotten that Lushi was deeply in love with Boran and threw this birthday gathering to catch his attention, but realized too late that she has jut caused a rift between them. She was too immersed in the story of the daggers and had forgotten where she had stand.

She could see the jealousy and rage coming off Lushi's body and knew that she had to get out of the situation somehow. After lunch they all moved into the main hall to have some more tea and chat more about life. Yang Sun excused herself and decides to walk herself back to the guest chambers where she was staying at, not allowing herself to get involve with Lushi's issues any longer, by using an excuse of not feeling well.

She walks back into the front garden near the small pond, and stops to view the scenery for a moment. She pulls out from her sleeves a small jade pendant shaped as a heart with one word carved in the middle of it: 'Chan'.

"Is that what you lost the other day?" Weiting walks over to the pond, interrupting her thoughts.

She hides the pendant back into her sleeves before he could see what it was, "General Chan."

He noticed her secretly putting the pendant away but didn't question her, "You don't have to greet me in that way. I'm not wearing my armor, just call me causally." He excused her as he stops a few feet from her.

She brings her body back into a straight line and peeks up to his level, "... What brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be having tea in the main hall with the Dong family?"

Weiting gave her a long stare before speaking, "You..."

Her heart pounded so hard, as she tried to calm her mind by looking else where, but failed to. Just being stared at by him, his deep burning brown eyes, her thoughts flutter like butterflies and scattered into an empty space behind her brain.

"... Taiyang," He called her and her eyes glared into his with shock. "You... Taiyang," He calls her again and she begins to hold in her breathe.

How? Just how did he know? She begins going through a nervous breakdown at this moment.