The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Chapter 100 The Hidden Hand

Silver Crest Province, Mount Suncrest.

In the courtyard of the Headmaster's Abode,

Under a moonless, pitch-black night, Aetheris sat cross-legged.

"Ghhh… kuhk…"

Across from him stood Magnus, watching coldly.

Aetheris's pale, lifeless right arm was tightening around his own neck.

His face was red with strain, but his trembling hands tried to resist the cursed limb.

"Endure it," Magnus ordered, his voice cold and indifferent.

Aetheris's Inner Energy surged as he channeled the Clear Mind Technique.

Only then did the arm finally release its grip.

But at that moment, he coughed violently, blood splattering onto the ground.

The backlash from reversing his energy flow had taken its toll.

"Still, you've improved," Magnus noted, flipping through the scroll of the Great Blood Demon Sword Manual in his hand.

"Coughing blood is better than outright death."

"How much longer?" Aetheris rasped.

"Until you master the Reverse Heaven Techniques," he replied curtly.

"Follow the instructions in the manual and keep circulating your energy."

Aetheris clenched his teeth.

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Though the Great Blood Demon Sword Manual was genuine, its methods were dangerous.

The cursed right arm—the Young Cult Leader's severed arm—

Was slowly taking over his body.

Its influence was so pervasive that even his energy channels resisted normal circulation.

Magnus furrowed his brows, muttering,

"One page is missing… the final technique."

The last page of the manual, where the ultimate move should have been recorded, was gone.

One Month Later, Fiery Blade clan Manor

The Fiery Blade clan Manor was bustling with activity.

After a full month of rest, Regis had finally released Vera, Macus, and Ethan from his care.

The three of them stood beneath the manor's main plaque, dressed in black travel cloaks.

"Are you truly leaving now?"

Regis asked, his voice tinged with regret.

"Yes," replied Macus, bowing respectfully.

"We are deeply grateful for your hospitality and kindness. We will never forget this debt."

"No, it is I who must thank you all," Regis said,

Fixing his gaze on Vera.

"Especially you, Vera."

Her eyes widened in surprise as he bowed deeply, performing a martial salute.

"Your assistance was invaluable to the Fiery Blade clan. Thank you."

"Please, do not mention it," she replied, returning the salute.

"It was only my duty as a fellow disciple of the righteous path."

"If everyone followed their duty, there would be no need for heroes and warriors. The Fiery Blade clan will not forget this."

As they turned to leave,

A commotion erupted at the main gate.

"Clan Lord! Clan Lord!"

A young man burst through, panting heavily.

His face was pale as if he had seen a ghost.

Vera recognized him immediately.

"Alec?"

He was the heir to the Fiery Blade clan's Branch Family,

And the nephew of Valen, also known as the Master of Flamestrike, a famed warrior at the threshold of the Heavenly Realm.

"What's the matter, Alec?" asked Regis, his voice grave.

The young man struggled to catch his breath,

His words tumbling out in a panic.

"Master… my uncle…"

"They followed the Demonic Cult!"

The courtyard fell silent.

"What did you just say?"

Regis's expression darkened,

And even Vera, Macus, and Ethan froze in shock.

Deliberation

The departure of the three disciples was delayed.

Given their connection to Valen,

It was imperative to understand the situation before letting them go.

"What do you think this means?" Regis asked.

The three exchanged glances before Vera raised her hand.

"Speak, Vera."

"Lord, did you not mention before that the slain leader of the 13th Infernal Blade Corps was a member of the branch family?"

"Yes, he was Valen's son," the clan lord confirmed.

"Then perhaps the Demonic Cult lured him with the promise of vengeance," Vera said calmly.

Everyone fell silent, contemplating her words.

Valen had abandoned his position as a leader of the Heavenly Net Division

After the death of his son.

Revenge could easily drive a man of such stature to drastic actions.

The heavy atmosphere in the courtyard grew thicker.

If Valen, a warrior at the threshold of the Heavenly Realm,

Had indeed joined the Demonic Cult,

It was not just a family matter—it was a crisis for the entire martial world.

A Trail of Vengeance

Why did he follow them?

The answer was simple: vengeance.

In the martial world, blood is repaid with blood.

Those who do not repay grace are wretches,

And those who do not pursue vengeance are deemed dishonorable.

Valen, the Master of Flamestrike, was the epitome of a martial artist.

"Of course, if it's the Demonic Cult, that makes sense," said Regis, his tone thoughtful.

"Do you know something, Lord?" asked Macus, curious.

"Think about it," Regis began.

"As you know, Valen was once the Master of the Heavenly Net Division, the right hand of the Unity Leader.

The Unity holds records on almost every martial art in existence."

Both Macus and Ethan tilted their heads in confusion.

The connection wasn't immediately clear to them.

Regis, however, answered their unspoken question.

"Yet, even with all those records, Valen could not identify the martial art used to kill his son, Darian."

Macus's eyes widened.

"But surely the sword marks left on the body could offer a clue?"

"They could have," he admitted grimly, "if his head hadn't been buried elsewhere.

He was lucky to find it at all. He almost lost it entirely."

"Who would commit such a heinous act?"

The question hung heavy in the air.

Vera lowered her gaze,

Her hand unconsciously curling into a fist.

She knew the answer.

She had killed Darian with her own hand.

The blood of those she had slain would never wash away.

One day, her senior brothers would know the truth, too.

"Who knows," Regis muttered.

"But my guess is that it was one of those destroyed by Valen himself."

"And why would they do such a thing?" Macus asked.

From his naive question, Vera could tell he had never experienced the ruin of a sect or a clan.

"In the Heavenly Net Division, or even the Martial Unity, those executed for treason are decapitated."

"Decapitated?"

"Yes, Macus, and their heads taken as proof. The remaining family is left to bury a headless body."

Macus paled as the weight of such a grudge became clear.

It was a perfect reflection of Valen's own actions coming back to haunt him.

"Regardless," Regis continued,

"Valen could not trace the sword marks back to any known martial art."

"Not even the Unity scholars could identify it?"

"Not at all. They said it was something they had never seen before."

Of course, Regis was unaware of the truth.

The technique, Falling Cherry Blossom Sword, was a secret art.

Devised by the great masters of Mount Suncrest, it was hidden for the sake of the future.

A technique meant to defy fate, stop the flow of time, and even reverse heaven's decree.

It was a blade entrusted to Vera, a child of the Celestial Blade Star.

"To them, it must have seemed like demonic martial arts," Regis concluded.

But his assumptions were far from the truth.

Who could possibly guess that the Righteous Sect harbored techniques unknown even to the Unity?

"Perhaps," Vera said softly, agreeing only to avoid further suspicion.

She had no intention of revealing the Falling Cherry Blossom Sword until the day came when it would pierce Sword Sovereign Akrest himself.

"Still," Regis mused,

"The Demonic Cult is known for strange and unusual martial arts.

It's likely they tempted Valen with promises of answers—answers about the art that killed his son."

"Lord," Macus interjected cautiously.

"What is it, Macus?"

"The Master of Flamestrike was not known to be ruled by emotion."

Regis smirked bitterly.

"That's because you didn't know him long enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. He abandoned his position as Master of the Heavenly Net Division and went into seclusion.

That alone tells you how deeply affected he was."

"That's… true," Macus admitted, nodding.

"But I still don't understand one thing," Regis said, turning to Vera.

"How did you come to travel with Valen?"

"Valen visited Mount Suncrest during the Peak Assembly," she explained.

"He isn't someone who would normally attend such an event…"

"Was anyone from the Everstone Clan present?"

"Yes, Aria, the Internal Affairs Elder of the Everstone Clan, was there."

Hearing this, Regis clapped his hands together in realization.

"Aria! That explains everything!"

"What connection does he have?"

"Aria's mother was Valen's sister. That makes him Valen's nephew."

The pieces fell into place for Vera.

She now understood why Valen had come to Mount Suncrest so suddenly.

"After the Peak Assembly, the champion was sent on an escort mission, and Valen joined us as far as Eastern Mountain , since it was on his way," she concluded.

"That makes sense," Regis nodded.

He summoned Alec, the heir to the branch family.

The young man entered, kneeling respectfully.

"So, who exactly did Valen follow?"

"It wasn't the Infernal Blade Corps," Alec stammered.

"They've been destroyed."

"Well, who then?"

After a long pause, Alec finally answered.

"He said it himself… they were from the Blackened Arm of the Demonic Cult."

The Blackened Arm, one of the Heavenly Demon's closest guards.

The room grew cold as the weight of the revelation settled over them.