The Cunning Treasure Hunter

On the night before the Peak Assembly, within Blooming Peak Pavilion, inside Vera's room.

As Vera was spreading out her bedding, she heard a voice.

— "Can you hear me, Vera?"

It was the voice of her master, Aiden, delivered through his internal sound transmission. As someone who had entered the initial stages of the pinnacle realm, capable of unleashing sword energy, such a feat was not surprising.

Vera did not panic; instead, she calmly scanned her surroundings.

— "Open the window."

When she opened the window, the cold night breeze filled the room. Sweeping her hair aside, she searched for her master. There, beneath her window, seated on the thick trunk of an old tree, was Aiden.

Without hesitation, Vera prepared to leap down. Having thoroughly practiced the essence of the Hidden Fragrance Steps, she was confident that such a fall would not harm her.

But Aiden stopped her.

— "Stay where you are. A nod or shake of your head will suffice."

Vera nodded. Drawing upon her inner energy, her gaze sharpened, and she could see her master's smiling face in the distance.

— "You may have realized by now, but the Sect Leader is not a good man. I refused to hand you over to him, and he will undoubtedly seek an equivalent price."

A month ago, Aetheris had introduced himself in a manner that left a lasting impression.

He was the next sect leader of the Mount Suncrest Sect, the disciple of the Cherry Blossom Sword Lord Magnus, and the senior disciple of the second-generation students.

Being the next sect leader meant that Magnus was a direct disciple of Gideon, the current Sect Leader.

Quickly understanding the implications, Vera nodded again.

— "The reason Jace and Dylan were taught the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword is no different."

The Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword.

A supreme art of the Mount Suncrest Sect, considered one of its most renowned techniques. Contrary to Gideon's narrow view, this technique was not inferior to others like the Ethereal Blade or the Buddha's Palm.

How else could Thorn, the Mount Suncrest Sword, have held his position among the three greatest masters of their time? He was not elevated by mastering the Thousand Cherry Blossom Sword. That art was only reserved for a select few. Instead, it was the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword that elevated the name of Mount Suncrest.

— "So, be careful. Those two will seek to harm you."

Questions flooded Vera's mind. Were those two as malicious as the Sect Leader? What should she do? However, here in the heart of the Mount Suncrest Sect, on the eve of the Peak Assembly, it was not the time or place to ask.

— "I must go now. Staying away too long will raise suspicion."

With that, Aiden's figure disappeared. There were no traces of his presence left, not even footprints. Vera stared blankly at the spot where her master had been.

A month. It had been a surprisingly warm and comfortable time. While not everything had been pleasant, she could not deny the faint comfort of human connection—a feeling she had long missed.

But she had not come here to seek warmth or comfort.

Her purpose was vengeance.

Her target: the Sword Sovereign Zephyrion, also known as the Leader of the Martial Unity, the unparalleled supreme ruler of the martial world.

Once the eldest son of the Akrest Clan, inheritor of the Royal Sword Form, blessed with the Heavenly Martial Body, and speculated to have reached the transcendental realm\u2014a feat shared only by the deceased Heavenly Demon.

Even at the age of seventy, his blade remained as sharp as ever—a true ancient monster. He was Vera's mortal enemy, the one who had ordered the annihilation of her family through the Flame Sect Elders.

"…Fifty years. Such a long reign," Vera muttered softly.

It was an unbearably long time.

Drawing her Falling Blossom Sword, she gazed at its pale shimmer under the dark moonlight. Despite its length, it was surprisingly light. A single swing awakened the deep inner energy dormant within her core.

Someday, she would use this blade to exact her revenge. She didn't think beyond that.

"Haa…"

With a heavy sigh, she sheathed the blade. Her master's words weighed heavily on her mind, lingering as an unshakable thought.

The reason for teaching the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword to two disciples… was to harm her.

However, her thoughts began to branch out. If the sole purpose was to harm her, why teach it to both? One disciple would have sufficed. Considering their similar levels, it wasn't as if one was a backup for the other. If Jace were defeated, Dylan's loss would be inevitable.

"…Two targets?"

Could there be another disciple under Aiden who might also be a target?

Suddenly, a realization struck her.

The Senior Disciple, Marcus, was required to participate in the Peak Assembly. If, by chance, Marcus failed to fulfill his duties as the senior representative…

The leadership of the Three Great Disciples would naturally fall to the two.

"…What a meticulous plan."

With a deep sigh, Vera laid out her bedding. Closing her eyes, she prepared for the nightmares she knew would come.

The faces of her parents, urging her to hide. The horrifying screams of that day.

Even so, she couldn't avoid sleep. It wasn't mere exhaustion that drove her, but a desperate need to remember her mother's and father's faces—even if only in dreams.

Throughout the night, the sound of Vera's muffled sobs escaped into the silence, hidden beneath her blankets.

On the day of the Peak Assembly, time seemed to rewind.

Inside the tent prepared for Aiden's participating disciples, Marcus couldn't shake the overwhelming scent of the Jade Elixir he had consumed. He tried to calm his restless mind, but it was no simple task.

'If I succumb to desire, I'll ruin everything.'

Anxiety crept in. Despite being the senior disciple, Marcus knew he wasn't exceptional. Among the Three Great Disciples, he could admit he had some aptitude, but he was no genius. He knew this all too well.

What if he lost here? It was one thing to be defeated in an even fight, but to be utterly humiliated? The thought alone was unbearable.

"Are you nervous?"

Aiden chuckled softly, patting Marcus's back. He gently read the disciple's inner flow of energy, noting its erratic turbulence. It was troubling but not dangerous, thanks to the remarkable purity of the Clear Mind Technique.

"I'm afraid of bringing shame to the title of Senior Disciple," admitted Marcus.

"Honest, aren't you? Don't worry."

Aiden shrugged and gestured towards Vera, who sat across from them, focusing on her breathing.

"I used to have a fellow disciple like that."

"You mean Kael the Breaker Sword, don't you?"

"That's right. Even now, that fellow surpasses me by leaps and bounds. I only recently broke through the pinnacle wall, yet Kael is already approaching its very peak."

The legendary Mount Suncrest Sword Thorne never accepted untalented disciples. In terms of pure martial talent, Aiden could never rival Kael. However, Aiden excelled in other areas: the discerning eye to recognize true potential and an unparalleled ability to interpret and teach martial arts.

Aiden smiled faintly. Until now, his talents had remained in the background. The ability to spot potential or teach effectively was not something proved by personal martial prowess alone. But over time, as he nurtured his disciples, the truth would emerge: who was truly the better teacher.

Marcus, too, had potential. While he might not yet possess such discerning insight, Aiden trusted that he would grow to become an exceptional leader.

Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from outside.

"The first match!"

It was the unmistakable cry signaling the true start of the Peak Assembly.

"The Third Disciple Archeon versus the Third Disciple Jace!"

At the mention of Archeon's name, Aiden raised an eyebrow.

"Archeon? Isn't that the disciple of Zayn, the Strange cherry Blossom Practitioner?"

The First Disciple Zayn, known as the Strange cherry Blossom Practitioner, was an eccentric who had taken an unusual path. Despite being part of the sword-focused Mount Suncrest Sect, he had chosen to master martial arts through fists. He was the inheritor of the Falling Blossom Shadow-Chasing Fist, the sole First Disciple to preserve this art in a sect otherwise dominated by swordplay.

While praised for this, he was not known for his teaching prowess.

"Let's go watch," Aiden said.

Even so, the Falling Blossom Shadow-Chasing Fist was a martial art worth observing. With Marcus and Vera in tow, Aiden stepped outside the tent. In the distance, he could see Noah and Ethan already seated, watching the duel.

"Master, do you already know who will win?" Vera asked, her dark eyes fixed on Aiden.

Instead of answering, Aiden simply patted her head. A silent affirmation. He then glanced at Marcus.

"Even without considering that Mount Suncrest is a sect focused on the sword, the opponent has learned the Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword," Marcus answered for him. He had a vague sense of Jace's skill level, far beyond his own.

However, Archeon, who stepped forward with clenched fists, was not that level of opponent.

"Archeon hasn't yet broken through the wall to the first-class realm," Marcus observed.

"It will be difficult for him to win," Aiden agreed.

This meant Archeon was even below Marcus. Vera nodded in agreement. From her perspective, it was the same.

Marcus was nearing the peak of the first-class realm, ready to encounter the next great wall. Meanwhile, Archeon had just begun to grapple with the wall of the second-class realm. Even against Marcus, Archeon would be no match.

Yet Vera's gaze shifted toward the tent Archeon had emerged from. Inside, a middle-aged martial artist in his forties chuckled as he watched his disciple.