He had to seal every loophole. He could not force Shi Jin into a desperate corner and risk harm to Jiang Na and the people of Floating Sakura Island. Nor could he allow the Luo Fei Sword the slightest danger, much less give the stranger any chance to spy.
After a long pause, Jiang Yu lifted his eyes, his voice cold and clear, every order layered with caution.
"First, send two more teams of Shadow Ravens. One returns to Sakura Mountain to check every inch from the foot to the viewing platform—every blade of grass he touched, every stone he stepped on. Use only attribute-neutral detection talismans. Do not touch them with your own magic—beware of magic traps he may have left to trace the Ravens in return. The other team watches Cherry Blossom Hotel. While monitoring comings and goings, secretly check his room and items he bought. Confirm if there is anything connected to divine artifacts or Floating Sakura Island."
"Second, the tracking Ravens keep a distance of a hundred zhang. Report his every word and action, even buying ramen or picking cherry petals. Watch closely when he mentions his past or touches things native to the island. Send word immediately at any abnormality."
"Third, post four more hidden guards outside Jiang Na's room, two visible, two hidden, rotating shifts. Guards only protect, do not disturb. If Jiang Na asks about the investigation, say 'no unusual activity so far.' If she meets Shi Jin again in private, do not stop her—send me word at once. I will handle it."
"Fourth, question everyone who contacted Shi Jin today—the sushi shop owner, the preserve vendor, the ramen seller, the fishermen by the sea. Confirm if he spoke privately, revealed information, or left tokens. If needed, lightly probe their memories to rule out spies. Also, quietly take samples of Shi Jin's aura from their belongings and seal them in water-patterned jade boxes. If he hides his aura and vanishes one day, we can track him across the island with these."
Every order was thorough, balancing immediate investigation with long-term preparation, blocking all of Shi Jin's escape routes and spying channels.
The three black-cloaked figures bowed in unison.
"We obey, my lord!"
With that, the Shadow Ravens turned into three blurs, shooting out of the council hall windows and melting into the dark night. One team raced toward Sakura Mountain, one toward Cherry Blossom Hotel, and one stayed on the tracking route—swift, precise, clearly divided.
Jiang Yu stood alone before the sand table. Water magic spread from his fingertips again, weaving an invisible, dense water-sense net between Sakura Mountain, the seaside reef, Cherry Blossom Hotel, and the Chiba estate. Faint blue light hid in the night; he would sense the slightest abnormal magic fluctuation at once.
He pressed the mark for Floating Sakura Island at the center of the sand table, his thumb pressing hard, the cool water condensation in his palm chilling. A hard, cold obsession settled in his chest.
Shi Jin. Since you dared reveal the flaw of having "lived a long time" on Floating Sakura Island, I will peel back your disguise layer by layer along this crack and uncover your true goal.
The Luo Fei Sword is the foundation of Floating Sakura Island. Jiang Na is my only sister.
You cannot touch either. You cannot plot against either.
Cherry blossoms fell silently outside the window, landing on the council hall's windowsill, touched by a cold water aura, and vanished at once.
The Shadow Ravens moved like an airtight net, quietly spreading to every corner Shi Jin had walked that day.
The night of Floating Sakura Island seemed calm, but undercurrents raged.
Jiang Yu's plan had only just begun.
Just as the Shadow Ravens withdrew and the candlelight in the hall flickered low, a stumbling black figure crashed violently through the window, sending cherry petals and cold night mist flying, slamming onto the blue stone floor.
The Shadow Raven's one wing hung limp, its feathers soaked in dark blood, stuck to the bone. The other wing barely supported the ground, yet his whole body trembled violently.
This was one of the Ravens sent to secretly investigate Cherry Blossom Hotel—now gravely injured, late to return.
He clutched a corner of coarse cloth tightly in his hand, stained with mottled blood, carrying an unshakable murderous aura.
As soon as he landed, he coughed up blood and crawled forward painfully, his voice broken but filled with extreme terror.
"My… my lord… I… I made a mistake…"
Jiang Yu's gaze turned ice-cold. He stepped forward in an instant, not daring to probe rashly with water magic, only locking down the chaotic hostile aura around the Raven with faint blue patterns. His brow knotted tightly.
At one glance at the cloth and the black lines creeping along the Raven's meridians, his heart sank.
This was the backlash of a weapon soul — and an extremely domineering one.
"Speak."
One word, and the air in the hall turned to ice.
The Raven lifted his head with his last strength, fear and regret filling his eyes.
"I followed orders to search Shi Jin's room. I saw this cloth-wrapped object by his pillow. No magic fluctuation at all… And he hadn't carried a weapon for days. I thought if I could bring this, I might uncover his origin and power. I acted on my own, wanting to present it to you.
But as soon as I touched the hilt under the cloth, an extremely vicious weapon soul exploded straight into my meridians… I couldn't resist at all.
The weapon seemed to have its own will. It could discern ill intent and protect its master on its own. It shattered my magic foundation in one blow.
The blade was pulled back into the room by its own soul. In my panic, I only tore off this piece of cloth…"
Before he could finish, his body convulsed. The black aura in his meridians erupted, and black blood poured from his mouth. His aura weakened further — clearly suffering a severe weapon soul backlash.
Jiang Yu's water magic surged, wrapping the Raven's heart to barely stabilize him. His gaze locked onto the cloth.
He reached to pick it up, squeezing the corner so hard his knuckles whitened from rage and wariness. The sharp edge beneath the cloth grazed his fingertip, only to be instantly frozen by his water power.
This aura was not demonic, but carried an overbearing, slaying might, along with a powerful self-awareness.
This was no ordinary weapon. Its soul was strong enough to detect malice, backlash on its own, and Shi Jin could hide all its aura so completely that even the Shadow Ravens' precise detection failed.
Chill spread through his body. His thoughts raced.
Shi Jin is indeed hiding deeply! He knew I would send someone to investigate. He deliberately left this divine weapon by his pillow, not carrying it, not revealing its aura — seemingly defenseless, but actually setting a trap with the weapon soul.
He calculated someone would touch the blade. He tested the Shadow Ravens' strength and used the backlash to silently intimidate Floating Sakura Island.
From the very start, he never took my plans seriously.
Jiang Yu looked down at the dying Shadow Raven, his voice cold but without rebuke.
"Withdraw and heal."
The Raven froze in surprise, then bowed painfully, helped away by the hidden guards who had rushed over.
Silence returned to the hall. Jiang Yu stood alone by the candlelight, holding the cloth, his pale knuckles still tight.
His mind grew clearer.
Shi Jin's power is far more terrifying than I expected. To wield a divine weapon with its own will and hide its aura completely… his magic foundation is immeasurable.
The casual, carefree act these days — feeding cats, buying preserves, watching cherry blossoms — was all a disguise. Even "not carrying a weapon while going out" was a deliberate flaw, luring others into the weapon soul trap.
He slammed the cloth onto the sand table. The vicious aura collided with the water-sense net, creating a tiny ripple before being swallowed by water power.
Jiang Yu's finger pressed heavily on the Cherry Blossom Hotel mark. Determined, cold light burned in his dark eyes.
In this round, Shi Jin struck first with the weapon backlash. But he may not win.
He tapped the table lightly. A faint water sound spread. Moments later, the Shadow Raven leader slipped silently into the hall, bowing and waiting.
Jiang Yu's voice was as cold as the night sea, every word holding new, crueler, sharper plans.
"Withdraw all visible investigators from Cherry Blossom Hotel. Leave only two hidden at the perimeter. Do not go near his room again. Order all Ravens: from today on, do not touch any of Shi Jin's belongings or room items. Anyone who disobeys will be punished by island law. He wants to intimidate with his blade — I will not give him the satisfaction."
"Also, send three more Raven teams to guard the Luo Fei Sword seal. Set up three more layers of water barriers, interlocking. From today, Jiang Na is not to leave the Chiba estate one step. All food and supplies are delivered personally by hidden guards. No unguarded contact with the outside."
He thought coldly:
Shi Jin dared to show his blade's edge, meaning he is no longer deliberately hiding. His goal is ultimately the Luo Fei Sword.
I will use the sword as bait, Floating Sakura Island as the board, and the water barriers as the net.
Let us see if his long-hidden divine weapon truly dares to unsheathe… and if it dares to face Floating Sakura Island's full defense.
The Shadow Raven leader acknowledged and withdrew at once, darting out the window to spread the order into the night.
Jiang Yu stood alone before the sand table. Candlelight painted his hard profile. Water magic at his fingertips connected to the net, faint blue light swirling in the dark, weaving a tighter, more dangerous web.
The night wind over Floating Sakura Island grew stronger. Cherry blossoms billowed into the sky, landing on the barrier's water patterns and vanishing instantly.
Jiang Yu's plan had escalated sharply because of the divine blade's backlash —
no longer passive investigation, but active setup, waiting for the prey to fall into the trap.
Shi Jin may be powerful.
But Floating Sakura Island was still his territory.
Night spread over the wooden eaves of Cherry Blossom Hotel. Cherry petals dotted with dew fell on the windowsill.
Shi Jin stepped back into his room amid the flower shadows.
The moment he opened the door, his gaze lightly swept to his pillow.
The Enchantment Demon Knife, wrapped in cloth, rested quietly by the headboard. It seemed calm, but the blade trembled faintly, leaking the faint, devoured warmth of a foreign magic aura.
He brushed the cloth lightly. The second his fingertip touched the hilt, he crushed the remaining Shadow Raven aura. A knowing smile flickered in his eyes.
The Enchantment Demon Knife under the cloth seemed to have spirit, humming softly, reflecting the scene of the backlash into his perception.
Shi Jin leaned against the headboard, his fingers casually stroking the cloth's texture, a faint smile on his lips.
Chiba Jiang Yu… you are truly worthy of being the Kiyotaki Sword's holder. You knew I left the blade as a test, yet you didn't make a fuss. You only sent one person to investigate quietly — both curious and keeping room to retreat. Such restraint is rare.
Your man failed and was backlashed. You must have adjusted your defenses already. You won't make the same mistake twice.
Calm, decisive… far more troublesome than those who charge in with brute force.
He looked out the window. In Floating Sakura Island's night, faint blue water fluctuations drifted past, denser and more restrained than before, showing no edge.
Jiang Yu's detection net had been upgraded.
Shi Jin tapped the bed lightly. The Enchantment Demon Knife's vicious aura vanished completely, not a single wisp of killing intent leaking out.
Under his casual appearance lay a silent game.
Interesting.
A opponent so clear-minded, so thorough in planning —
he was worth the game of Floating Sakura Island.
He leaned over and tucked the Enchantment Demon Knife under his pillow, movements lazy, yet avoiding every possible detection angle.
He then tugged his collar, revealing the cross necklace around his neck. His fingers pinched the slightly warm colored stone, gazing into the depths of Floating Sakura Island.
There, the clear water aura of the Kiyotaki Sword and the soft cherry light of the Luo Fei Sword intertwined, sending a faint, familiar energy fluctuation.
Chiba Jiang Yu, you weave your water net and protect your Luo Fei Sword.
But you may not know:
I never cared about winning or losing over a single sword.
Tonight, you may enjoy your setup.
I want to see how long your Kiyotaki Sword can protect Floating Sakura Island.
He had all the time in the world to play with them.
Shi Jin blew out the candle by the table. The room fell into quiet.
Only the soft cherry wind outside the window, and one extremely faint, waiting hum from the Enchantment Demon Knife under the pillow, gently rippling in the dark.
At the first light of dawn, morning cherry blossoms dotted with dew fell in the Chiba courtyard.
When Jiang Yu found Jiang Na, she sat at the stone table playing with a Sakura Festival wind chime. Its clear sound circled the railings, her face still holding confusion from their talk on the mountain the day before.
Jiang Yu stood beside her, his voice slow but unshakably serious. A wisp of light blue water wrapped the cloth's edge, placing the vicious-stained corner on the stone — deliberately isolating the aura to avoid harming her.
"Jiang Na. From today on, you are not allowed to meet Shi Jin privately, or go anywhere near Cherry Blossom Hotel."
Jiang Na's hand holding the wind chime froze. She looked up, confused, her tone stubborn.
"Brother, he just seems like a normal traveler! Yesterday walking the mountain, he even fed stray cats carefully. He's so calm. Why are you overreacting this much? Aren't you being too careful?"
She still remembered his casual sigh by the viewing platform, the ease when he handed her cherry blossom candy. The sorrow in his eyes felt genuine. Her brother's layers of plans felt like excessive worry.
Jiang Yu's brow tightened. Looking at her completely unguarded expression, helplessness flashed in his chest. His voice hardened.
"A normal traveler? You only saw he carried nothing when out. You don't know he hides this vicious divine weapon in his room. Seemingly casual and defenseless — actually, every step is a trap."
"This cloth wraps his personal weapon. Yesterday, a Shadow Raven merely touched the hilt rashly… and was backlashed by the weapon soul. Meridians shattered, nearly dead. That blade has its own will. It can discern malice. It's extremely vicious. I've never seen such a strong weapon soul."
The words struck Jiang Na like thunder. Her fingers squeezed the wind chime, the metal pendant clinking against the stone, unable to mask her shock.
The man who had picked preserves with her, fed cats, brushed cherry petals from her hair… hid such a terrifying weapon?
Under that calm exterior lurked such sharp power?
She stared blankly at the cloth on the table, fingers curling away from touching it. She felt a chilling, terrifying aura under the ordinary fabric — a complete opposite to the Shi Jin in her memory.
How could this be…
Someone so gentle held a blade that could devour people?
Shock flooded her. Earlier confusion and stubbornness faded, replaced by real astonishment. Her voice softened, disbelieving and dazed.
"He… he really has a weapon that terrifying?"
Seeing she was finally moved, Jiang Yu's tone softened but remained solemn.
"His power is far deeper than you see. The existence of that blade alone proves he is no random passerby.
All my precautions are not overthinking. They are to protect you. To protect the Luo Fei Sword. To protect Floating Sakura Island."
"Stay home from now on. Don't be willful. The hidden guards with you are not watching you. They are protecting you."
Jiang Na nodded silently, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the cold wind chime. Her heart was in chaos.
The mountain breeze yesterday, the talk at the viewing platform, his phrase "lived a long time" —
all now shrouded in a strange fog.
She finally understood: her brother's caution was not groundless.
But that vicious blade and that calm man overlapped in her mind, leaving her stunned and unbelieving.