Ushi didn't deny his identity.

He leaned away from Yoon-Jae's hand and a bloodline tattoo of a black full moon appeared on his forehead.

It glowed with a dark light before it began to spread to cover his entire body. But it soon started retracted back to its original appearance of a moon before fading away.

During this process Ushi's disguise as Sol disappeared, revealing his real appearance.

He wasn't as good-looking as his disguise, but he could make both male and female take a second glance if he walked past them.

He had the hair at the sides tied at the back, which flowed together with the rest of his hair to reach his lower back.

He also wore the Alchemy Pavilion's yellow robes, along with a sword strapped to his waist. The sword was black, with the scabbard and hilt being carved with what seemed to be ghostly shadows.

Though the sword looked ordinary, these carvings would make one second guess that notion if they were to look at them more closer.

Yoon-Jae remained expressionless while watching Ushi transform. He pulled his left hand away from Ushi's hold.

Ushi didn't seem to mind this as he smiled and reapeated his question.

"So, how did you know it was me? I thought my disguise was flawless."

Yoon-Jae didn't answer his but instead frowned and said.

"You were at the Barbarian Tribe's public baths."

Ushi nodded, readily admitting it. His eyes were bright with excitement, but he suddenly recalled an incident that occured before his trip to the Eternal Desert. At that time he had been following Mar-Dule in secret.

Recalling those scenes, he suddenly stuttered out in a panic.

"I-I didn't see anything!"

However, realizing that his words sounded suspicious, he quickly said.

"I… Uh… I was following Brother Mar-Dule around the Academy as usual, when I… uh, found out he was going to the Eternal Desert, so I followed him. I swear I didn't secretly watch."

Ushi was blushing slightly by the end of his story.

Yoon-Jae didn't get why he was reacting like that or what he was saying, so he ignored it and asked with narrowed eyes.

"How much did you see and hear at the public baths?"

Ushi quickly forgot his embarassment and smile at Ypon-Jae. However, compared to Sol's smile which lacked any ulterior motives, his smile was playful, almost mischievous.

"Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae, you almost burnt me alive back then, you know? Thankfully, second Eldest Brother didn't point at the correct rock, ha-ha."

Ushi chuckled.

But his expression quickly changed to a slightly wronged look as he asked.

"What if I had been injured?"

Ushi, being a bit younger, was shorter than Yoon-Jae, though it would only be obvious after they stood next to each other.

Staring down at Ushi, Yoon-Jae was still wearing an expressionless face.

Neither of the two were answering each other's questions.

Soon, a period of silence suddenly fell between them.

They were still extremely close, but neither seemed to mind.

Though Ushi could tell that Yoon-Jae was waiting for him to move.

However, a determined look suddenly appeared on his face.

His hand then suddenly reached up and tapped Yoon-Jae's forehead before he could react.

A cold but confused look appeared on Yoon-Jae's face, but Ushi didn't mind and only tapped his own forehead before tapping the left side of his chest where his heart was.

He then went to tap Yoon-Jae's left chest as well, but Yoon-Jae's right hand shot out to stop him.

However, Yoon-Jae's shadow on the ground suddenly reached out and grabbed onto his hands.

With this delay, Ushi successfully tapped Yoon-Jae's chest.

The determined expression on Ushi's face increased tenfold before he suddenly leaned forward and kissed Yoon-Jae.

However, it was brief, and he immediately shot back after.

At that moment, several things happened.

The shadow restraining Yoon-Jae was burnt away, and he glared at a retreating Ushi.

Then, a black aura appeared on his forehead and chest where Ushi had tapped.

Similarly, black auras appeared on Ushi's forehead and chest.

Yoon-Jea stepped away from the wall to go after Ushi, but he paused and looked down at the black aura on his chest.

However, he couldn't feel anything from it or the one on his forehead. They might as well not be there.

Frowning, he looked up at Ushi and asked confused.

"What did you just do?"

Ushi didn't answer Yoon-Jae's question. He didn't even seem to register it as he only stared at the black aura on Yoon-Jae's chest with a serious look on his face. Though, if one looked closely, one would be able see that his eyes were flickering with nervousness. His heart was beating rapidly as well, and he could hear it in his ears.

Yoon-Jae's frown deepened when he saw this, and just as he was about to step forward to grab this bastard and make him talk, the black aura on his chest suddenly seeped into his body along with the one on his forehead.

A similar thing occured to the two black auras on Ushi's forehead and chest.

Ushi's breath hitched in his throat at their disappearance, but soon after, his face broke out into a smile.

Looking at Yoon-Jae, all of the nervousness he was feeling vanish a trace to be replaced by a warm and fussy sensation. He then said softly.

"So, you do like me, Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae."

"Huh??"

Yoon-Jae was even more baffled at what was going on, but his face still twisted into an ugly expression and he momentarily forgot about what just happened to refute Ushi's claim wholeheartedly.

"I'd rather be with a frog."

However, Ushi smiled and said nonchalantly.

"Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae, you can't deny it. The Secret Art I just use is one of my bloodline abilities, it's called Shadow Bounding. But it only works if the person I use it on has romantic feelings for me."

Yoon-Jae's face fell. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Why is it called Shadow Bounding?"

Ushi was still smiling, but he suddenly took a few steps back from Yoon-Jae before saying.

"Ah, Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae promise you won't get mad."

Yoon-Jae's expression turned cold and the temperature in the alleyway suddenly dropped to freezing levels in an instant.

"Answer my question."

Yoon-Jae's voice was so cold it caused Ushi to shiver a bit.

"I-Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae, the situation isn't as bad as you think it is. All the Shadow Bounding does is tie our fates together."

"Meaning?"

Yoon-Jae stepped forward; a long sword suddenly appeared in his hand causing the temperature to drop even further.

Ushi shivering intensified. It felt like Yoon-Jae was going to pounce on him and tear him to shreds. However, he still decided to say his next words since he truly believed the situation wasn't that bad, after all, Yoon-Jae liked him too.

Smiling, Ushi said.

"Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae, having our fates intertwined means that we'll always be together... whether in life or death."

"Bastard!"

The instant Ushi said those last few words, Yoon-Jae suddenly lunged at him and stabbed out with his sword.

A rush of frigid Aether Energy surged towards Ushi.

However, he only smiled and closed his eyes.

Seeing this, Yoon-Jae's eyes narrowed, but he suddenly clicked his tongue and halted his attack.

The sword stopped just inches away from Ushi's neck, but the frigid energy the sword carried washed over him, causing his hair and robes to flap uncontrollably.

This wave of energy went on to shoot out of the alleyway and shocked the disciples who were walking by. Thankfully no one was hurt.

Inside the alleyway, everything was frozen over. There was also a layer of frost covering Ushi's hair and eyebrows, and some parts of his yellow robes.

Ushi opened his eyes and was met with Yoon-Jae's cold gaze.

Yoon-Jae's sword was still against his neck, but Ushi didn't seem to notice it as he shook his body, causing the frost on him to fall off.

Seeing the cold look in Yoon-Jae's eyes, Ushi said softly.

"Eldest Brother Yoon-Jae don't be angry. I just wanted to know if you like me the way I like you. So, I used this ability. It has a small side effect, but since we like each other it shouldn't be a big issue, right?"

Yoon-Jae held his sword against Ushi's neck with one hand and clenched the other tightly.

"You call that a small side effect?"

Ushi's words from before, about being together whether in life or death, meant that if one of them died then the other would die as well.

To Yoon-Jae this brat was absolutely unhinged. He was completely insane!

Why else would he think to do something so overboard? Couldn't he just ask?

Yoon-Jae could now feel the black auras and they had seeped into his heart and soul. He could also sense the same aura from Ushi, and as time went by, that sense of connection grew stronger and stronger.

With this, Yoon-Jae knew Ushi was telling the truth. Not only that, but he had felt a sense of danger when his sword was about to pierce Ushi's neck.

Staring coldly at this idiot, Yoon-Jae growled out.

"Get rid of it."