The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Only those born into the right families, graced with favorable circumstances, could ever hope for acceptance. Certainly not the daughter of a house marked by the Unity. Yet, there Vera stood, a question lingering in her voice, daring to hope.

"…Are you saying that Suncrest Sect is willing to take me in?" Her words hung in the air, her tone balanced precariously between skepticism and longing.

"Yes," Aiden replied, his voice calm, certain.

Without hesitation, Vera raised her slender hand and pressed firmly against her acupoints. In an instant, the sealed meridians within her burst open. Dormant internal energy, once constrained, surged through her body with overwhelming force. The courtyard filled with the potent fragrance of Cherry blossoms, their scent rich and all-encompassing.

At that moment, Vera was no longer merely a girl. She had transformed. A Black Dragon—fierce, untamed—lay hidden within the fragile shell of her young frame. For now, she was weakened, her potential shackled by years of starvation and neglect. But Aiden could see it clearly: she was a weapon in the making, forged by vengeance and destined to rip apart the world if nurtured.

"…You've mastered the Eternal Blossom Sutra," Aiden murmured, his eyes narrowing. From the ebb and flow of her energy, he discerned her lineage with ease.

She met his gaze unflinchingly. "I am Vera, disciple of the Bloomspire Sect, offering my greetings."

Aiden nodded thoughtfully, recognizing her lineage. "Did you inherit the sacred relics and divine techniques of the Bloomspire Sect as well?"

"…Yes," she answered.

The Bloomspire Sect was once renowned for three treasures, passed down through generations: the Eternal Blossom Sutra, a foundational cultivation technique; the Cherry Blossom Falling Song, a divine-level martial art; and the ancient relic, the Falling Blossom Sword. Gifts from the Suncrest Sect, they had become symbols of envy and pride. Yet, the Cherry Blossom Falling Song had long remained unused, its activation dependent on mastery of the Eternal Blossom Sutra. Even then, the energy alone was insufficient to bring its blossoms to full bloom. The Falling Blossom Sword, on the other hand, was infamous for being a blade that could not be drawn, a mystery unsolved for centuries.

"Those tools are useless as they are," Aiden observed.

"My father knew that as well," Vera replied.

"And yet, he entrusted them to you?" His curiosity deepened.

"Yes."

It was perplexing. Had The Black Cherry Blade, the sect's leader unraveled the mystery of these relics before his demise? The implications were too intriguing for Aiden to ignore.

"So, he solved their secrets before passing them on?"

"He did."

"Ha," Aiden exhaled, intrigued. "Can you demonstrate?"

Rising with deliberate grace, Vera untied her intricately styled hair, allowing her jet-black locks to cascade like a waterfall. With quiet confidence, she spoke. "First, no sect would create a martial art meant to destroy its own foundation, would it?"

"True," Aiden conceded.

"Second, has Suncrest Sect ever taken in a disciple born under the Celestial Blade Star?"

"Never," he admitted.

"That's why the mysteries were left unsolved."

Vera clenched her hand lightly, as though grasping an invisible blade. What followed left Aiden breathless. Her movements, precise and fluid, resembled a hypnotic dance. Her steps seemed to glide across the ground, her grip slicing through the air with elegance. The overwhelming scent of Cherry blossoms filled the space, saturating the atmosphere. At last, from her fingertips, a single black Cherry blossom emerged—dark red, nearly black, its descent hauntingly graceful.

Unlike the radiant blossoms of the Suncrest Sect, this was something altogether different. Something darker.

"…Do you remember the preface of the Cherry Blossom Falling Song?" Vera asked, her tone measured.

Aiden's knowledge of the original text was clear. "'For a day when the Cherry blossoms never wither, for the eternal prosperity of the Great Suncrest Sect…'"

"That is incorrect, my lord," Vera interrupted gently. She lowered her sleeve, sitting back down. The overwhelming scent of Cherry blossoms faded into an eerie stillness.

"My father once told me… this martial art is a dirge to make the Eternal Blossoms fall."

"…Ah," Aiden breathed, the realization dawning upon him.

The Eternal Blossoms, revered as flowers that would never wither, were bound by natural laws. No flower could escape the inevitable cycle of blooming and withering—not even the Cherry blossoms.

"…Is that blade meant to destroy Suncrest Sect?" Aiden asked.

"It is a blade to bring blossoms to their end," she replied. Her black eyes seemed to pierce through him, their depths consuming all light.

Every disciple of the Suncrest Sect prayed for the eternal glory of their blossoms. But Vera's father had uncovered a truth no one dared acknowledge.

"Why didn't your father wield this blade?"

"Because this blade… is a sword of death meant to sever life itself," she explained, her voice steady, unyielding.

Aiden's gaze remained locked on hers. The Celestial Blade Star, etched deeply into her soul, was a harbinger of death. It was clear now: the Cherry Blossom Falling Song was a martial art of the Suncrest Sect, designed to be mastered only by one born under such a cursed star.

"If you wish to retract your offer to make me a disciple, now is your chance," Vera said, her tone calm yet heavy with meaning.

Aiden hesitated, weighing the consequences. Bringing her to Suncrest Sect would undoubtedly invite chaos. Her blade was not merely a threat to the sect but to the very notion of eternal prosperity—an enemy to immortality itself.

But his resolve did not waver. "No. I will not retract my promise."

Vera's dark gaze scrutinized him. "Then, I too have a question for you, my lord."

"…Ask," Aiden said, bracing himself.

"Why do you wish to end the current world order?" she asked, her voice quiet but piercing.

Aiden sighed deeply, his bitter smile softening. "…There are moments when a human wishes to kill another."

"I understand," she said, her tone laced with an eerie familiarity.

"When do you think that desire is strongest?" he asked.

Vera paused, her past offering an answer that came with painful clarity. "When they've lost someone dear to them."

"Correct," Aiden said, his voice laced with sorrow.

"Did you lose someone, my lord?" she asked, her voice steady but curious.

His bitter smile deepened, and his gaze turned distant. "I lost the one I loved."