He Juan could not believe his eyes. "Wu Yuan!" He cried out in shock and disbelief. "How could you—" But then, he suddenly realized that Wu Yuan would not be acting like this without a reason. Or in other words, Luo Xuan must have done something to incite and spur him to do so. He snapped his eyes to the man in the wheelchair who was gauging him with a calm and inscrutable gaze, seething. "What have you done... what have you done to him?!"

Luo Xuan stared at him for one long moment, then he shook his head and let out a wistful sigh as if... as if he was disappointed that He Juan was still behaving like this after years – even after he had lost all of his memory. "Wrong question, XIU. You should have asked what I have done ’for’ him. But it seems like we won’t be able to see eye to eye regarding this matter, will we? It was the same seven years ago and... it is still the same now." He patted Wu Yuan’s arm and He Juan was livid to see that Wu Yuan stepped aside without a word, just like a puppet that was molded into perfection. No! This was not how Wu Yuan was supposed to be!

Luo Xuan continued to say, "I was going to welcome you back to Xuanlong. As long as you’re still the same old XIU, I believe that we can make it work once again. But at this rate, all of my efforts will only turn to naught. So..." he trailed off.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the air subtly changed.

It was subtle, so subtle that He Juan would have missed it had his Alpha not warned him. ’Danger!’ it clamored. Amidst the hazy sweetness of AX-03 in the air, another scent began to mix in. Sweet yet tinged with a metallic rust, just like a field of poppy flowers that were splattered in blood. He Juan could not actually smell it since he was wearing a scent filter mask on his face, but every single hair on his body abruptly stood up on its end once he perceived the growing pressure in the air. It was the kind of pressure that bore down on him like a mountain and sent terrifying chills down his spine. It was the kind of pressure that forced him to bow down and submit.

— And the very source of it came from the man sitting on the wheelchair.

He Juan finally realized the source of the faint smell he had picked up once he entered the harbor, the one that had set his Alpha in a restless mood ever since. It was the familiar scent of Luo Xuan’s pheromones!

Luo Xuan pressed his palms on the arms of the wheelchair and slowly... stood up to his full height, taking off the katana that was strapped to the side. He finished his sentence, "...It will be better for me to root off the seed of rebellion before it can sprout."

In that split second, this image of Luo Xuan overlapped with the one that had just crossed his memory. He Juan’s breath hitched on his throat. He began to feel phantom pain searing across his chest where the largest scar on his body was – caused by this very person. He could feel his Alpha’s agitation rising to the peak, wishing for nothing but to wreck the whole world apart so that it could appease his wrath. But He Juan desperately stomped it down, snapping at it to keep itself in check.

Something was wrong with him, he noted. His emotions were going wildly out of control, it was something he had never experienced before. But why? He was wearing this mask, so the AX-03 in the air could not have messed with his system. So why was he feeling like this?

Luo Xuan drew out his katana, the sharp blade gleaming in a dangerous light as it sliced through the air. Without a word, he charged straight toward He Juan!

He Juan pulled his lips back into a snarl, his entire body tensing in preparation to meet Luo Xuan’s attack. Yet one second before they could clash, someone dashed ahead to block Luo Xuan head-on!

Tak Jung-Hwa tossed his head back in laughter, in his hands were double daggers that curved akin to a scythe. The blades made a sharp clang as they collided with each other, causing sparks to fly like a burst of crimson firework. It was the same weapon he had used against this person seven years ago – but this time, he would not lose again!

"Your enemy will be me!" He grinned widely, his eyes blazing with a crazed light of finally encountering a lifelong nemesis.

Luo Xuan’s eyes grew cold. He made a twist and tried to evade Tak Jung-Hwa, yet the man was hot on his trail, his presence solid and intimidating. Tak Jung-Hwa used one of his daggers to block Luo Xuan’s katana while the other was pointed right at Luo Xuan’s throat. "Fight me!" He growled. "Let’s settle this debt once and for all!"

Luo Xuan’s slender arm was trembling from the strength he exerted to press Tak Jung-Hwa back. A flash of irritation crossed his eyes and his pale lips finally curved into a beautiful yet savage smile. "Very well."

Seeing that Tak Jung-Hwa was keeping Luo Xuan occupied, He Juan finally tore his gaze off them. Yes, he wanted to defeat Luo Xuan, wanted to kill him and tear him to shreds. The murderous intent his Alpha emitted at the mere thought was overwhelming. But He Juan reminded himself that he was more than mere primal instinct and emotions. He was very clear on what he came here to do – to bring his best friend back. Thus, seizing the advantage when the two of them were engaged in a fierce fight, He Juan marched toward the container with Mu Yuze close behind!

His pupils dilated when he caught sight of Wu Yuan who had been waiting for them – or him. He was standing in front of the door, his intention unmistakable – he would not let He Juan get through him.

And sure enough, he heard Wu Yuan say, "Teacher He, I’m sorry..." His expression was remote and detached, yet his thin and slender frame was trembling ever so slightly. "I’m sorry, but... I can’t let you pass."