Half an hour later, the bronze bird whistle in the council chamber let out a faint chirp. Jiang Yu lightly pressed its surface, and a weak black shadow slipped through the window, taking the form of a Shadow Raven and landing on the edge of the sand table.
"Reporting, my lord," the Shadow Raven's voice was hoarse and low. "We searched all ten li around the cliff, including the port, the cherry blossom forest, and the old city. We found no trace of a long-haired black-haired man matching your description. Even his traces at the cliff seem to have been deliberately erased. Only an extremely faint wind-element fluctuation remains."
Jiang Yu's face darkened at once. He stroked the hilt of the Bo Bo Sword, a grave look crossing his dark eyes. "To erase even wind-element traces so cleanly… he is a master of concealment."
Jiang Na sat to the side, clenching her fists. "Brother, he definitely hasn't left Sakura Port! Tomorrow I'll go to the candy shop in the port and show myself on purpose. He wanted to return my pendant, right? Maybe he'll come to me on my own!"
"No," Jiang Yu refused without a second thought, his tone stern. "If you show yourself voluntarily, we'll lose all initiative. We don't know if he's after the Luo Fei Sword, you, or the entire Sakura Port seal. If he is waiting for you to expose yourself to set a trap, not only you, but the people around the candy shop could be dragged into danger."
Jiang Na frowned, unconvinced. "But we can't just wait passively forever! He can erase his aura, and the Shadow Ravens can't find him. If we keep waiting, will he show up on his own?"
Jiang Yu walked to the sand table, his finger circling the location of the candy shop. "Passive doesn't mean waiting to die." He pointed to several routes outside the circle. "The candy shop is in a busy port area, with roads leading everywhere. If he makes a move, he can escape from seven directions. If we set up a barrier early, we'll only alert him. Instead…"
He looked at Jiang Na, a hint of calculation in his eyes. "You go to the candy shop as usual, don't deliberately expose yourself. I'll have the Shadow Ravens disguise as vendors and watch secretly. If he really comes for you, they will first record his path. After he leaves, we'll trace his route. That way, we won't alarm him and we can still track his movements."
Night and sea fog enveloped Sakura Port. A ramen shop on the corner glowed with warm yellow light. Shi Jin sat in the innermost seat, the cuffs of his light gray hoodie rolled up, exposing his wrist. He ruffled his slightly messy black hair, then pulled a black hairband from his pocket and tied his front strands back, revealing his smooth forehead. He looked less mysterious and more youthful than during the day.
Steaming tonkotsu ramen sat before him, with bright red char siu and green scallions floating on the soup. Shi Jin gently prodded the soft-boiled egg with his chopsticks, his gaze drifting toward the shrine outside the window.
Suddenly, he sneezed. His fingers trembled, and the egg on his chopsticks nearly fell back into the bowl.
Shi Jin rubbed his nose, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. He muttered quietly, "Is it really necessary? I only wanted to return a pendant, yet you sent so many hidden sentries after me. I can't even eat ramen in peace…"
He picked up a tissue to wipe his hand. His fingers accidentally brushed a few drops of soup splashed on the table corner—and the soup instantly turned into a wisp of faint black mist, dispersing like wind without a trace.
Then he tapped the edge of the bowl with his chopsticks. The clear sound echoed through the shop, just loud enough to drown out the almost inaudible bronze whistle from far away.
Shi Jin lifted his gaze toward the shrine, a hint of amusement flashing in his dark eyes. "Chiba Jiang Yu… quite a cautious opponent."
With that, he finally bit into the soft-boiled egg. The rich yolk spread on his tongue, as if the sentries and confrontation had been nothing more than a small interruption to his meal.
Late at night, candlelight flickered inside the council chamber. More than ten Shadow Ravens landed one by one on the edge of the sand table, their wings still dusted with night dew.
"My lord," the leader of the Shadow Ravens croaked. "We split into three groups and set up a sensing network within three li of the ramen shop. We tracked seventeen people matching the description, but one was extremely unusual. He ate slowly, but vanished the moment he turned into an alley. We searched every corner, even used water-element tracking talismans, and found nothing—not a single disturbance in the dust on the ground."
Jiang Yu stood before the sand table, holding the Bo Bo Sword. The sword's faint blue light reflected on his face, deepening his gaze. He did not speak immediately. He tapped the alley model on the sand table, then said calmly, "Water-element tracking talismans sense the moisture of all living things. Even breath can be traced for three li. To avoid it completely means he can not only hide his aura but also suppress all energy while moving—even the water vapor in his body. This opponent is not after the divine sword on a whim."
He turned to Jiang Na, his voice stern but steady. "The candy shop plan is canceled. Shi Jin is too alert. If we lure him out, he will only suspect a trap. Instead, we must make him think we've given him a perfect opportunity."
Jiang Na blinked in confusion. "But how can we make him think that?"
Jiang Yu walked to the window, gazing toward the cherry blossom garden in the back mountain, a strategizing smile on his lips.
"The Double-Sword Ritual. Tomorrow morning, we announce that to calm recent unrest in the port, we will hold the ritual ahead of schedule. You and I will wield the Luo Fei Sword and the Bo Bo Sword together at noon in the cherry blossom garden for resonance and prayer. To the public, we will frame the ceremony as formal as possible—even add that the swords' resonance requires the blood essence of their holders to unleash their full power.
Shi Jin wants the divine sword in its perfect state. Hearing about blood essence resonance, he will surely think this is when its power is at its peak. Even if he suspects a trap, he won't be able to resist coming to test it."
He paused and added, "And we won't set up defenses early. After announcing the ritual tomorrow, we'll have the Shadow Ravens disguise as townspeople, mix into the crowd heading to the garden, and secretly set up water-moisture sensors. Even if Shi Jin detects them, he'll assume they are normal ritual defenses, not a trap specifically for him."
Admiration flashed in Jiang Na's eyes. "Brother, you've thought of everything. This way, we can lure Shi Jin out and make him lower his guard."
Jiang Yu looked down at the Bo Bo Sword, the light on its blade rippling slightly, reflecting the gravity in his eyes.
"The smarter the opponent, the more trapped they are by their own desires. Shi Jin is obsessed with the two swords. Whether he wants the divine weapons themselves or to use them for some other goal—if he comes, we can learn his true intention from his reaction. That is the real purpose of the Double-Sword Ritual."
His fingers gently brushed the hilt, water power quietly flowing in his palm.
"The water-moisture sensors I set will not only trap him but also record his energy fluctuations when he approaches the swords. From those fluctuations, we can even tell if he has touched the Luo Fei Sword before… or if he carries something else related to the divine sword."
Jiang Na stared at her brother's calm profile, her worry fading. "Rest easy, brother. Tomorrow I will cooperate with you. No matter what Shi Jin is planning, we can handle it."
Jiang Yu nodded, his gaze returning to the night outside the window, his voice low and firm.
"Tomorrow's Double-Sword Ritual is not for prayer. It is to make the man hiding in the dark… step into the light."