The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Such a person wasn't so bad.

Vera raised her small fist in the formal salute of martial courtesy.

"I will humbly learn from you, Senior Brother."

"Thank you."

The sound of two swords being drawn echoed simultaneously.

Both took the opening stance of the Cherry Blossom Sword Style, their movements sharp and deliberate.

Then, as if on cue, they lunged forward at the same time.

Clang—!

Their gleaming blades clashed, creating a resonant sound that filled the air.

Vera deftly twisted her wrist, deflecting Marcus's powerful strike. Her blade followed through with a precise thrust, aiming for an opening.

But Marcus stepped firmly, lifting his sword in a fluid arc to block her attack.

"…Tsk."

The sheer strength behind his counter forced Vera to slide backward.

The difference in their physiques and muscular strength was insurmountable.

A direct contest of power would never favor her.

But martial arts were not about brute strength; they were a test of skill and mastery.

Marcus activated his inner energy, channeling the pure, serene energy of the Clear Mind Technique into his blade.

Though he hadn't yet reached the peak where sword aura could manifest, the hum of his blade resonated with a clear, sharp tone.

Marcus was already at an advanced level, nearing the middle stages of a first-class master.

"I know you won't fall to someone like me," he admitted.

"A sword hum…" Vera murmured.

"That's why I will give it my all," he declared.

His blade danced in the air, forming the five-petal cherry blossom sequence of Full Bloom Desire, a technique from the Cherry Blossom Sword Style.

Each slash was swift and forceful, creating intricate, deadly patterns.

Yet, the core of the formation—the heart of the flower—remained weak and unstructured.

"You lack stability in the center," Vera remarked.

Her observation left Marcus stunned.

It was an accurate and precise critique.

Though she had claimed she wasn't capable of teaching, there was no reason to withhold what she could see.

Raising her sword, Vera aimed for the vulnerable center.

She didn't need an overwhelming or elaborate technique.

She only needed one simple and fitting move.

The first stance of the Cherry Blossom Sword, Flower Branch Greets the Sun.

The branch of a flowering tree always turns toward the rising sun.

As her breathing steadied, inner energy surged within her, guided by the ethereal presence of the Black dragon coursing through her meridians.

It coalesced at the tip of her blade.

Her sword began to glow faintly with energy.

For most first-class masters, the hum of their blade was the hallmark of their prowess. For grandmasters, the manifestation of sword aura signaled their level.

But Vera's blade radiated with sword light—the mark of true mastery.

"…Sword light," Marcus whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

It was proof of complete unity between blade and wielder.

At the tip of her blade, the essence of  Mount Suncrest's martial arts materialized: a single black Cherry blossom, delicate yet unyielding.

While the Cherry Blossom Sword Style could not rival the grand techniques of the Nine Thousand Cherry Blossoms, it could still bloom its own flower.

The black Cherry blossom, darker than crimson, swayed gently at the tip of her sword.

The first stance, Flower Branch Greets the Sun, was a graceful, fluid thrust.

Its mastery lay in the perfect balance of speed and stillness, movement and tranquility.

Despite her small frame, Vera executed the move flawlessly.

Before her, Marcus could only stare, mesmerized.

Her slender blade disrupted his sequence, shattering the rhythm of Full Bloom Desire.

"Already… you can make the Cherry blossom bloom," he muttered, lowering his sword as her blade stopped just shy of his throat.

Vera withdrew her sword and sheathed it with a graceful motion.

"I've had the opportunity to learn," she said humbly.

"You wouldn't tell me where you learned the Cherry Blossom Sword, would you?"

"Consider it a skill I picked up from a small, secular sect."

"I see…"

Marcus smiled bitterly as he sheathed his blade.

Before him stood a fourteen-year-old girl, yet she wielded sword light and made the Cherry blossom bloom.

The disparity in their talents was insurmountable, leaving anyone disheartened.

Even Marcus was no exception.

Vera noticed the shadow of inner turmoil in his eyes—despair, resignation, and self-doubt.

"…Senior Brother," she called softly.

"What is it?"

"Do you have a family to return to?"

The unexpected question made Marcus blink in surprise.

Still, he answered sincerely.

"I do. Of course I do."

"What about friends?"

"Ethan and Noah are not just my juniors but also my friends."

"Do you have any hobbies?"

His expression turned peculiar.

"…I enjoy fishing by the pond. But why are you asking these things?"

"I have none of those," she replied, her gaze fixed on the dawn breaking over the horizon.

The crimson sun chased away the dark sky, leaving no room for stars or the moon.

"I have no family, no friends, no hobbies… nothing."

"What do you mean…?"

"I only have my body and the sword passed down to me," she said, her voice hollow.

Marcus saw the emptiness in her dark eyes—eyes devoid of light, like ashes after a fire.

"Don't envy me, Senior Brother. I am not a happy person," she said, her tone as steady as her sword.

Such mastery, such sorrow—traits found only in those who had endured unspeakable tragedy.

Gently, Marcus reached out and patted her head.

"…I won't envy you," he promised.

Vera didn't push his hand away. She knew her own brokenness better than anyone.

The warmth of his touch was something she needed—a remedy for the void within her.

"But… you are not alone," he said.

"Pardon?"

"You have me, Ethan, and Noah. You have Master Aiden and Grandmaster Thorn. Even the sect leader is here for you."

"But—"

"The moment you became part of  Mount Suncrest, you were no longer alone, Vera."

Marcus knew she had spoken to comfort him, but her words had calmed the turmoil in his heart.

The despair, resignation, and self-doubt melted away, leaving only compassion.

"Remember this, Vera. I, Ethan, and Noah will always stand by your side. We are your brothers. Understand?"

"…Even if my lineage and past are tainted?"

"Of course."

Lowering himself to her eye level, Marcus smiled warmly.

"You're just our little junior sister. Talented and enviable, but still our sister. No past or explanation can change that. That is the bond of siblings."

It echoed what Grandmaster Thorn had once said—a truth of the Daoist path.

"…I will remember," she replied softly.

Marcus was indeed a romantic.

Whether he would hold true to these words after learning the full extent of her past, Vera didn't know.

But she wanted to believe him.