The next day.
Hei Long arrived at the Ocean City royal estate again, this time walking calmly past stunned guards who were told not to stop him.
The whispers trailed behind him.
"That's the guy?"
"The one who stole from Lady Yinyin… and lived?"
"They say she invited him back. Voluntarily."
He didn't bother to acknowledge them. His eyes were focused ahead, where a private archway led to a serene garden no outsider had stepped foot into in over a decade.
Inside the Garden
The scent of ocean dew and wild jasmine filled the air. Blue roses—delicate, glasslike petals—lined the winding paths. Water streamed from floating lotus fountains, enchanted to form soothing musical notes as they flowed.
Lan Yinyin stood in the center. Dressed in flowing pale blue, her long hair braided with pearls, she looked less like a cultivator and more like a divine priestess awaiting a god.
Hei Long paused at the entrance.
She turned slightly. "You're late."
