After ordering YeongJae and the rest of the surviving Segye troops to return what they had stolen to their owners, Bai Lu, Ling Fei and Lee Gon continued their journey accompanied by Kang Taeshin, as well as Asahi who would be traveling with them from today on.
"Are you guys seriously going to accompany us on our journey?" asked Ling Fei to Asahi and Taeshin.
"We have already decided to accompany you on your journey. After all, we do have the same goal don't we? To find the sacred red stone, and eliminate Aeshin forever."
Asahi looked so excited. As long as her grudge against Aeshin had not been avenged, she was determined to accompany Han Yuram and his two brothers wherever they went.
"We don't know when our journey will end, Asahi. And, perhaps, at any time your lives could be in danger if you decide to follow us."
Lee Gon added. He did not mean to scare, but from the beginning of their journey, there were already a lot of obstacles. Starting from the enemies who kept wanting to attack them, to their new enemies that sprung up as time went by.
"Why are you so eager to find the sacred red stone, Asahi? If we manage to find the sacred red stone, we will return the stone to its original place. And, there's no way we can make the sacred stone our own."
Ling Fei and Lee Gon agreed to what Bai Lu said to Asahi. However, the sacred red stone would not become their personal property. Because they were afraid that if humans or other creatures obtained the sacred stone, they would misuse the sacred stone, causing unwanted things to happen in the future.
"I only want to help obtain the sacred stone, not to possess it. My original goal was just to defeat Aeshin. Avenge myself, and then return to the Yeongdam forest in peace."
"One more thing," he said with a sudden seriousness that made Taengshin stare at his face with eyes that were hard to interpret, "I want to find my friend who was taken away by Aeshin."
Taeshin immediately turned his face away. The expression on his face seemed to hint at something. An expression that looked like deep regret.
Seeing Kang Taeshin's expression like that, Bai Lu felt that there was something Taeshin was hiding from him. Asahi was right, Taeshin was very mysterious. He never told her where he came from, what his purpose was in approaching her and his two brothers.
Did he have some ulterior motive in suddenly coming to her attention and also helping her?
"When we reach Ogumsha's place, we will rest there for a few days. After that, we will continue our journey. Oh yeah, while on the way, the gold coin that Yeongwan once gave to Yuram kept giving signals. The gold coin kept glowing."
Ling Fei took out the gold coin Yeongwan gave to Yuram the other day from her bag. He showed it to his two brothers, Asahi, and Taeshin.
"Isn't this a map of the Sacred Waterfall Valley's territory?" asked Taeshin to confirm.
"Yes, Asahi said that too." Bai Lu answered quickly.
"Why don't we just follow the rules of this gold coin? Try, I want to meet the half-wolf who gave this gold coin."
"That can't be, he will only appear if Yuram's life is threatened." Lee Gon answered later.
"Of course you can, Gon~ah. Only Yuram can summon him. He will definitely hear it. Yuram~ah, try calling Yeongwan here."
"How?" asked Bai Lu in a half-whisper.
"Call her name in your heart 3 times, then prick your sweet finger until it bleeds."
Bai Lu nodded his head, then he immediately did what Ling Fei told him earlier. As soon as she finished stabbing her ring finger until it dripped blood, Yeongwan finally appeared.
"Noona, did you call me?" asked Yeongwan as soon as she appeared.
"Yes, Wan~ah. I called you."
Yeongwan smiled widely. She looked at Bai Lu with admiration.
"Listen, Wan~ah. Starting today, you won't be staying in Ruixilin realm anymore. You will come with us, and accompany us on our journey outside." Ling Fei told Yeongwan as he gently held her head.
Upon hearing that, Yeongwan smiled widely and looked very happy. Instead of thanking or hugging Ling Fei, Yeongwan ran towards Bai Lu and hugged him so tightly.
"That brat! Instead of thanking you, he hugged Yuram just like that. He's Yuram's golden boy!"
Lee Gon snorted in annoyance, causing Ling Fei to smile a little at his brother's rant.
"Yeongwan, where did you get this gold coin? Isn't this gold coin an invisible territory map?" asked Taeshin, who looked very curious.
"I stole it from Halmae Gwishin. When I was being chased by that evil granny spirit, I managed to steal it from her hair."
"Hair?
Ling Fei, Lee Gon, Bai Lu, Asahi and Taeshin looked puzzled as Yeongwan said he got the gold coin from the old granny's evil spirit's hair.
"Why would she keep the gold coin in her hair? And, why are you being chased by Halmae Gwishin?" Asahi asked not understanding.
Yeongwan picked up the gold coin in Taeshin's hand and stared at it with his fiery red eyes. "Long story short, when my parents were killed and I was living alone in a forest of dark spirits, Halmae Gwishin appeared and tried to attack me.
"He said I was a special being who could help him get what he wanted. She also said she wanted to live forever as an evil spirit. He finally took me to a place where there was an Aeshin."
"Aeshin?" they all exclaimed in unison.
It was completely unexpected. As it turned out, they all did have a complicated relationship with Aeshin. In fact, their lives were connected to Aeshin.
"Yes, Aeshin. When I was about to be made an offering to Aeshin by Halmae gwishin, there was someone who came to help me. But, I forgot, who it was who helped me.
"Halmae gwishin asked Aeshin so that she could live as an immortal and invincible evil spirit. In the end, they made a pact by making me an offering. When Aeshin couldn't get me, I saw Halmae Gwishin steal the gold coin from the bag of someone who had helped me. However, I don't remember who that person was."
Hearing Yeongwan's story, they really did not expect it at all. This little half-wolf kept such a special power that Aeshin wanted him so badly.
"Do you know how to defeat Aeshin?" asked Bai Lu later.
"I don't know, Noona. All I know is that Aeshin is one of the most powerful gumiho on earth, and has lived for thousands of years. And, what I've also heard is that if she manages to get her hands on the sacred red stone, she will live forever until the whole world is under her power and belongs to her."
Taeshin seemed to be thinking about something. His two eyeballs seemed to be narrowing. He folded his hands and looked at Yeongwan with probing eyes.
"Yuram, can you tell me why the sacred red stone went missing? What I heard was that the sacred red stone went missing when Yeonseok was chasing Aeshin. Do you know where it went missing?"
Bai Lu was silent. She herself didn't know how the stone went missing. However, there were some of her memories that felt like they were severed and cut into pieces. It was like Han Yuram's memories of the past. And, Bai Lu himself couldn't remember it at all.
However, all of a sudden Bai Lu stared at Ling Fei. The voice in Ling Fei's mind seemed to be audible to his ears.
I don't know everything, Yuram~ah. Only you know the original story, because Yeonseok has told you everything. Try to recall your memories, Yuram~ah. Come on, go back to remembering about Han Ling Gon's lost scriptures. Ling Fei said in his mind.
Ling Fei and Bai Lu exchanged glances. Is it possible that Bai Lu is starting to be able to read people's minds? As stated in the Han Ling Gon book, that one of her advantages was reading people's minds.