As soon as Shi Jin stepped into the backstage room, the door slammed shut behind him. He turned around to see more than ten Shadow Ravens spread out in a fan shape, blocking all exits. The water-blue magic on their short blades glinted coldly. Jiang Yu and Jiang Na stood ten steps away. The former's knuckles whitened around the Bo Bo Sword; the latter clutched the pendant she had just retrieved, her fingertips pale with force. There was no guilt in her eyes, only vigilance at being deceived—after all, Shi Jin had triggered the Luo Fei Sword's resonance on stage.
"Speak. Who are you really?"
Jiang Yu's voice shook cherry blossoms from the beams.
"A tourist in Sakura Port would not possess such powerful magic, let alone deliberately trigger the Luo Fei Sword!"
Shi Jin slowly took out his Cherry Blossom Hotel key card and waved it.
"I'm Shi Jin. I'm here traveling. A few days ago at the market, your sister bumped into me and dropped this pendant. I called out, but she didn't hear. I came to the ritual today to return it and join the fun—didn't expect you to be so… enthusiastic."
Jiang Na suddenly stepped forward. The Luo Fei Sword slid three inches out of its sheath, pink light reflecting coldly on her face.
"Stop pretending! If you only came to return the pendant, why did you trigger my sword's resonance on stage? You approached me, you approached the Luo Fei Sword—what is your true purpose?"
Her voice left no room for doubt. She was not convinced by the "returning the pendant" excuse.
Jiang Yu nodded. The water patterns on the Bo Bo Sword's sheath spread instantly, forming an invisible water net on the ground.
"Jiang Na is right. Too many coincidences are a conspiracy. Either you tell us your real goal, or you stay here until we uncover your identity."
Shi Jin looked at the sword in Jiang Na's hand, then at the water net on the ground, and smiled.
"If I wanted to harm the Luo Fei Sword, I would have acted on stage. Why follow you backstage? Besides… with these Shadow Ravens and the two of you…" He shifted slightly, and his magic suddenly spread out, yet without any hostility.
"You can't stop me."
Jiang Na's grip tightened. She could feel how terrifyingly powerful Shi Jin's magic was—and yet he truly showed no hostility. Jiang Yu also sensed this, his frown deepening.
"Even if you mean no harm now, that doesn't prove you have no motive. From today on, the Shadow Ravens will watch you. If you dare step within half a step of the Luo Fei Sword—"
"Not even half a step," Shi Jin interrupted, putting his key card away.
"I have no interest in stealing someone else's sword. I only came to return the pendant. I'll be touring Sakura Port for the next few days. If you want to watch me… be my guest."
He nodded toward the door.
"Can I leave now?"
Jiang Yu stared at him for a few seconds, then waved at the Shadow Ravens. They sheathed their blades and stepped aside. Shi Jin turned and pushed the door open; cherry-blossom wind swirled petals into the room. He looked back at Jiang Na, his gaze falling on her sword.
"Don't drop your pendant again next time. And don't draw your sword on someone who's returning it… if you ran into a real villain, you wouldn't be this lucky."
Jiang Na's hand froze. She watched Shi Jin disappear into the cherry blossom rain, her eyes complicated. Jiang Yu walked to her side and spoke solemnly.
"Don't be influenced by his words. The calmer he acts, the more confident he must be. No matter what he's planning, we must protect the Luo Fei Sword."
Jiang Na nodded, tucked the pendant into her clothes, and gripped the Luo Fei Sword again. She knew that from the moment Shi Jin triggered the sword's resonance, Sakura Port would no longer be peaceful.
Inside the backstage room, Jiang Na stood holding the pendant, her fingertips still carrying the warmth of Shi Jin's touch. Jiang Yu sheathed the Bo Bo Sword and turned to order the Shadow Ravens.
"Immediately check the check-in records of the Cherry Blossom Hotel. Pull up surveillance from the market and the ritual site. Find every move Shi Jin has made these past few days. Assign two men to watch him 24 hours a day. Report any unusual activity at once."
The Shadow Ravens acknowledged in unison and quickly dispersed. Only the siblings remained. Jiang Na looked at her brother's tense profile and spoke softly.
"Brother… do you really think he's here to steal the Luo Fei Sword?"
Jiang Yu turned back, his gaze firm and unyielding.
"Jiang Na, don't be fooled by appearances. A stranger who arrives in Sakura Port, shows up at the Double-Sword Ritual, and can trigger the Luo Fei Sword's resonance? That is no coincidence. The more indifferent he acts, the more he has to hide. We must protect the sword and leave no opening for anyone."
Jiang Na lowered her head, her fingers brushing the cherry blossom pattern on the pendant. She recalled the way Shi Jin waved on stage, the tone in which he said, "If I wanted the sword, I would have acted already." There was no provocation in it—only a strange kind of openness.
"But… he had every chance to hurt me, and he didn't. He even came specifically to return the pendant…"
"That could just be his act!" Jiang Yu interrupted, though his tone softened.
"I know you're kind, but people can be dangerous. Shi Jin's magic is strong, and his origins are unknown. We cannot risk Sakura Port's safety. Remember: stay away from him from now on. Do not meet him alone again."
Jiang Na nodded silently, but her doubts did not fade. She looked out the window. The cherry blossom rain still fell, and the direction Shi Jin had left was empty. She did not know who Shi Jin really was, or why he had come to Sakura Port. But she faintly felt that his appearance was not for destruction—but for a secret even her brother did not know.
A secret connected to the Luo Fei Sword.
Jiang Yu watched his sister's thoughtful expression and sighed softly.
"I know what you're thinking. But all we can do is protect the Luo Fei Sword. No matter what Shi Jin's goal is—if he dares lay a hand on it, I will never let him go."
His voice carried the resolve of a guardian. Yet Jiang Na saw a trace of hidden worry in his eyes—worry about the force behind Shi Jin, worry about the storm approaching Sakura Port.
For the next two days, Jiang Na followed her brother's instructions. Every day, under the pretense of running errands, she secretly observed Shi Jin's usual spots.
On the first morning, she saw him at the cherry blossom sushi shop by the dock, sitting by the window, eating sushi while watching fishing boats outside, chatting and laughing with the owner like any normal tourist. In the afternoon, she ran into him on the mountain path of Sakura Mountain. Shi Jin was crouching by the roadside taking photos of cherry blossoms, not noticing her approach until she accidentally stepped on a branch. He turned around and greeted her with a smile.
"What a coincidence, Miss Chiba. Climbing the mountain too?"
On the second day, Jiang Na saw Shi Jin buying cherry blossom candy at the market. The way he haggled with the vendor was almost cute—nothing like a powerhouse who could resonate with the Luo Fei Sword. Even in the evening, when she passed the seaside, she saw Shi Jin sitting on a reef, facing the sea breeze, holding a newly bought cherry blossom wind chime that tinkled softly.
During those two days, Shi Jin did not go anywhere near the Chiba estate, nor did he mention the Luo Fei Sword again. His every move was that of a traveler just relaxing in Sakura Port. Jiang Na's doubts faded more and more. She even began to think her brother might be too sensitive.
Until the second night, when she returned home and saw Jiang Yu reviewing surveillance records from the Shadow Ravens in the living room. She couldn't help but say,
"Brother, I watched Shi Jin for two days. He really is just a tourist. No strange behavior at all."
Jiang Yu looked up at her, his expression still stern.
"Jiang Na, do not let your guard down. The calmer it seems, the deeper the storm may be hiding."
Jiang Na said nothing, but in her heart, she thought that perhaps tomorrow, she could tell her brother to stop watching Shi Jin.
The next evening, Jiang Na returned home to find Jiang Yu replaying the surveillance in the living room. The screen showed Shi Jin's movements over the past two days: chatting with the sushi shop owner, taking photos of stray cats on the mountain, haggling over cherry blossom candy. Every scene was as ordinary as could be.
Jiang Na walked over and spoke softly.
"Brother, I followed him for two days. He didn't even glance toward the Chiba estate, let alone touch the Luo Fei Sword. Maybe… you really misunderstood him?"
Jiang Yu turned off the monitor, his gaze still sharp.
"Jiang Na, the fact that he could trigger the Luo Fei Sword's resonance is already abnormal. The stronger the magic user, the better they are at hiding. You cannot be fooled by these daily details."
"But I truly don't think he has any ill intent," Jiang Na clenched the pendant in her pocket.
"And if he really wanted to harm the sword, he would hide from us. Why would he appear so openly in the market and on the mountain?"
She paused, her voice turning firm.
"Tomorrow, I want to take the initiative to talk to him. Not because I trust him, but because I want to confirm for myself. I'll ask him to his face why he could resonate with the Luo Fei Sword, and who he really is. That way, we can clear up the misunderstanding… and you can rest easy too, right?"
Jiang Yu looked into his sister's earnest eyes and knew she was not acting on impulse, but trying to share his burden. He fell silent for a moment, then finally relented.
"Fine. But you must take the Shadow Raven tracking talisman. At the first sign of danger, notify me immediately. And under no circumstances are you to take him anywhere near the Luo Fei Sword."
Jiang Na nodded, hiding the tracking talisman in her sleeve, though her heart was uneasy. She was not blindly trusting Shi Jin. She simply thought that rather than letting her brother remain tense, she would find out for herself. If Shi Jin really was an enemy, she could detect it early and protect her brother and the sword.
On the morning of the third day, Jiang Na went to the cherry blossom sushi shop as planned. Shi Jin was sitting by the window, holding a Sakura Port travel brochure, reading intently. Jiang Na took a deep breath and walked over.
"Shi Jin… do you mind if I sit here?"
Shi Jin looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes when he saw her, then smiled.
"Of course not. Why have you come to find me today, Miss Chiba?"
"I want to talk," Jiang Na looked straight into his eyes, no beating around the bush.
"My brother suspects you approached the Luo Fei Sword with an agenda. I want to ask you myself—on stage that day, why could you trigger the Luo Fei Sword's resonance? Who are you, really?"
Shi Jin closed the travel brochure, rested his chin in his hand, and looked at her, his smile playful.
"You're quite direct, Miss Chiba. I'm a little surprised. But… aren't you afraid I really am a villain, like your brother says?"
Jiang Na squeezed the hand holding the tracking talisman, her voice still firm.
"If you are, I will protect the Luo Fei Sword, and I will protect my brother. But I don't want to wrong an innocent person over a misunderstanding."
Shi Jin looked at her serious expression and suddenly laughed.
"Alright, I'll tell you. The reason I could resonate with the Luo Fei Sword is that… I share the bloodline of Sakura Port, just like you. As for who I am…"
He leaned slightly closer and lowered his voice.
"I'll take you somewhere later. I'll tell you everything."
Jiang Na's heart tightened, and she almost refused. But the sincerity in Shi Jin's eyes made her hesitate. She recalled her brother's warning, pressed her finger on the tracking talisman, and finally nodded.
"Alright… but don't go too far."