Chapter 359 - 308: Searching the Inner Garden

At his command, the search party mobilized once more. This time, they were even more meticulous, not sparing even the easily overlooked dark corners and decorations.

Time ticked by, and with every passing moment, his unease grew.

"Captain, is it possible you've forgotten something?" a subordinate asked cautiously as he approached.

"Hm? What is it?" the captain said impatiently.

"This Xianya Garden is divided into inner and outer sections. We haven't found him in the Outer Garden, so maybe the thief ran into the Inner Garden."

The captain froze. A thought flashed through his mind, making his heart pound.

'Could it be...'

He muttered to himself, then spun around and shouted to his men,

"Everyone, follow me!"

Seeing the captain preparing to march into the Inner Garden, the Madams of Xianya Garden's outer section were utterly dumbfounded.

In the Outer Garden, no matter how much of a commotion they caused, their own responsibility wasn't that great.

At worst, they'd get a few scoldings and have some Spirit Stones deducted, and that would be the end of it.

After all, the people in the Outer Garden were nobodies, of no real consequence.

But the Inner Garden was different.

Every single guest in the Inner Garden was a formidable figure.

If they offended any of them, losing their jobs would be the least of their worries.

Losing their lives one day without even knowing why—now that would be a catastrophe.

This officer before them was protected by the Island Master's name, so perhaps he wasn't too afraid.

But they absolutely could not afford to provoke the guests of the Inner Garden!

Immediately, the Madams blocked the search party's path. Their previous fawning expressions vanished, replaced by cold, grim faces.

"Stop!"

"The Inner Garden is not a place where you can run rampant!"

"Never mind a mere captain like you, not even your superiors would dare to barge in without permission!"

The captain was taken aback.

He hadn't expected anyone to actually dare block his path.

In truth, he knew the Inner Garden was no ordinary place. Even for him, entering would carry great risk.

But now, he couldn't afford to worry about that.

Either way, he'd be dead if he couldn't find the person. Barging in might be his only chance of survival.

'So what was there to hesitate about?'

The captain's tone was resolute, leaving no room for doubt.

"I am acting on the Island Master's orders. Regardless of whether it's the Inner or Outer Garden, anyone who obstructs this search is making an enemy of the Isle Master's Mansion! You had all better think carefully about the consequences."

The Madams exchanged glances. They understood that the Island Master's command could not be defied, but the rules of the Inner Garden could not be trampled on either.

As the two sides stood at an impasse, a plan suddenly formed in one Madam's mind. She lowered her voice, her attitude slightly more respectful but still firm.

"Officer, we understand your predicament, but the Inner Garden is truly a special case."

"You merely wish to capture the thief who fled into Xianya Garden, and we at Xianya Garden are more than willing to lend a hand."

"How about this? We can announce your arrival and have the Inner Garden's Steward come out to assist with the search. That way, no etiquette is breached, and the problem can be solved quickly. What do you think?"

Hearing this, the captain weighed the pros and cons and reluctantly agreed to the compromise.

He knew that although he had authority, a head-on confrontation was not the best strategy in a place like Xianya Garden, with its deeply entangled network of power.

So, he nodded and said coldly, "Fine. But you'd better be quick. My patience is limited. Also, I'm going with you."

After speaking, the captain led his subordinates and the Madams to the border between the Inner and Outer Gardens.

Specifically, to the stone arch bridge.

...

Lou Yanguang stood in the center of the courtyard, with its ornate railings and jade-like masonry. His expression was no longer as serene as before.

The gentle, refined smile that usually graced his lips had vanished. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were deep with thought.

He had just received news from the Outer Garden, and this new information made it impossible for Lou Yanguang to maintain his usual calm and collected demeanor.

He had also learned that a captain from the Island Master's Guard Team actually dared to come and search his Xianya Garden.

And even intended to extend his reach into the Inner Garden.

In his eyes, this was an extremely dangerous signal.

At this moment, Lou Yanguang realized this search was no coincidence; there had to be some deeper meaning behind it.

He would never believe that a mere captain would have the guts to act so presumptuously here on his own.

Someone had to be backing him.

Various possibilities flashed through Lou Yanguang's mind, but he quickly dismissed them one by one.

'Could the Island Master be sending me a warning?'

Lou Yanguang carefully reviewed his recent actions, trying to find any clue that might have angered the Island Master.

But after some thought, he was convinced he had done nothing recently that could have caused the Island Master's displeasure.

Lou Yanguang told himself that he had always acted with caution, maintaining a delicate balance in his relationship with the Island Master. There was no reason he would suddenly become a thorn in the Island Master's side.

He couldn't help but suspect this was either a warning from the Island Master or the work of a rival fanning the flames from behind the scenes, trying to use the Island Master to strike at him.

'Or does the Island Master want to dig up old dirt?'

'No, that's impossible. No one could have known about that incident back then.'

Lou Yanguang was confident that the secret affair from years ago had been handled cleanly. Almost no one knew about it; even the Island Master should have had no way of finding out.

Therefore, the possibility of it being brought up again was infinitesimal.

But even so, Lou Yanguang didn't dare to let his guard down. After all, on Xiao Jin Island, any carelessness could be fatal.

Lou Yanguang stood in the center of the courtyard, his gaze piercing through the intricate flora, looking far off in the direction of the Outer Garden. The clamor and unease from there were utterly at odds with this tranquil courtyard.

And on the other side of this courtyard, Xiong Anling sat leisurely on a Cyan Glazed Wood Chair, his legs crossed and one hand resting lightly on the armrest, looking exceptionally relaxed and at ease.

Coincidentally, at some point, Xiong Anling and Lou Yanguang had swapped postures.

"Oh, I didn't expect this day to come so soon," Xiong Anling said with a laugh, his smile holding a hint of playful mockery, his words loaded with insinuation.

As his words fell, the air seemed to freeze.

Lou Yanguang spun around, his sharp gaze fixed on Xiong Anling, his tone thick with accusation.

"Xiong Anling, are you behind all of this?"

"Me?"

Xiong Anling feigned a moment of surprise, as if taken aback by Lou Yanguang's accusation.

"I'm not powerful enough to command the Island Master."

His answer seemed innocent, but the profound meaning hidden behind his smile made it difficult to tell if he was being truthful.

Lou Yanguang's intuition told him that things were not as simple as they seemed, and Xiong Anling's nonchalant attitude only fueled his suspicions.

"You must know something. Out with it. What are your terms?" Lou Yanguang said bluntly.

"Terms?" Xiong Anling appeared confused.

"Stop pretending. You came here, said all this to me... you must have a motive. Stop beating around the bush and just say it. This is giving me a headache."

Lou Yanguang rubbed his temples.

'Dealing with this guy is always so frustrating.'

'But he's just too useful in too many matters. I can't just kick him out.'

"Why are you making it sound like I'm blackmailing you?"

Xiong Anling looked innocent.

"I came here to give you a gift, Brother Lou. A magnificent gift."

Lou Yanguang stared at Xiong Anling, feeling his temples throb even harder.

...

"You are not an esteemed guest of the Inner Garden. You may not pass."

"Furthermore, you say you wish to search the Inner Garden."

"But everyone who is able to pass through this Restriction is an esteemed guest of our Xianya Garden."

"Anyone else will be instantly obliterated by the Restriction."

"So, are you implying that the criminal is one of Xianya Garden's esteemed guests?"

Jiang Xu had already canceled his Concealing Breath Spell and was hiding in the crowd, watching the captain talking with the Steward who had come from the Inner Garden.

He had hidden after sensing footsteps, only to find that the search party and a large group of Cultivators from the Outer Garden had arrived behind him.

It was perfect. Jiang Xu slipped back into the crowd and silently watched the Guard Team's captain waiting in front of the stone arch bridge.

Before long, a figure slowly walked out from the stone arch bridge.

He introduced himself as the Steward of the Inner Garden and seemed to pay the captain little mind.

"So what if it's Xianya Garden?"

"So what if it's the Inner Garden?"

"Is there anything on this island that the Island Master cannot do?"

"It seems to me that Xianya Garden no longer wishes to exist. Am I right?"