The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Chapter 108 Intrigues of the Everstone Clan

Everstone Clan, Internal Affairs Hall.

Aria Everstone, the Head of Internal Affairs, was stamping her seal onto an endless stack of documents as usual. Her eyes skimmed the hastily written characters while her hand moved rhythmically.

At times, Caleb, her bodyguard, wondered if Aria was a machine designed solely for stamping seals. The repetitive motion was strangely captivating, and it felt like time slipped away just watching her.

Still, there was always that nagging thought:

'If only the room were bigger.'

A larger room would mean more to clean, more to organize, more distractions.

But the reality was that Aria's office wasn't spacious—not because it lacked space but because every inch was crammed with shelves and crates overflowing with documents.

Today, though, something was different.

The sound of her seal stamping was louder than usual.

That only happened when she was particularly annoyed.

"…Hah."

With a heavy sigh, Aria placed the seal back on its ink pad and cradled her head in her hands.

It was all because of Valen, her uncle.

"This wasn't supposed to happen…" she muttered under her breath.

Caleb, aware of the situation, knew what she meant.

Her uncle, Valen, had disappeared—having followed the Light Emperor's Envoy of the DEMONIC SECT.

It was an unforeseen development, a scenario no one could have predicted.

Not the Akrest Clan.

Not even the almighty Swordmaster Zephyrion Akrest.

"At a time like this… if only Aiden were here…"

Aiden was never fazed, always finding a solution. At least, that was her impression of him.

Her finely trimmed nails grazed her scalp as her slender fingers ran through her black hair.

Caleb watched her silently.

As her bodyguard, there was little he could do to help.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door—two quick taps, two slow ones, then two quick taps again.

Cautiously, Caleb rested his left hand on the hilt of his sword before opening the door.

"Hey, now, why the hand on the sword, Caleb?"

"I thought perhaps you'd met your end somewhere and spilled our secrets, Jordan."

"Ha! And how would you, at the mere peak of Supreme Mastery, kill someone like me?"

Caleb squinted at the man.

"Still as rude as ever. That confirms it's you."

"We're both over fifty now. Don't you think it's time to stop calling me rude over a mere four-year age gap?"

"You've always been rude, and you'll always be rude to me," Caleb retorted.

Jordan simply chuckled, his confidence undiminished. The two shared a familiarity born of years of banter, though it was clear that Jordan's calm self-assurance stemmed from having reached the Kingdom of Harmony Realm at a much younger age.

Still, his presence at the Everstone Clan was nothing short of ominous for Aria.

Not because he was a disaster himself, but because he only ever brought disastrous news.

Her throat felt dry, and she swallowed hard.

With a heavy sigh, she reached for her seal—then hesitated, letting it fall back onto the desk.

She couldn't focus on work.

"So, what is it this time? For the great Little Celestial Sword, Jordan, to grace the Everstone Clan with his presence… Don't tell me it's more bad news about the Light Emperor's Envoy?"

Her tone was laced with barbs.

Ignoring her sharp words, Jordan fetched a chair and sat across from her without invitation.

Though she was young enough to be his daughter, her extraordinary intellect and cunning had become the backbone of the Reverse Heaven Unity—even in its fragmented state.

"You've been eating properly, haven't you?" he asked, grinning.

"Please, Senior. Just tell me what's going on, or I might actually collapse," she replied, her brow furrowed in frustration.

Despite the improbability of collapsing from sheer irritation, her exasperated tone bordered on a threat.

Amused, Jordan burst into hearty laughter.

"Alright, alright. Can't have that happening. No, it's not the Light Emperor's Envoy—thankfully. But someone else is coming."

"…Who?" Her voice carried a mix of dread and suspicion. "Don't tell me it's the resurrected Sword Demon?"

Her words betrayed the mounting pressure she felt.

Jordan shook his head, though it did little to ease her worries.

Then he spoke a name—a name that briefly lifted the weight from her shoulders.

"Aiden is on his way here."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Aiden? Here?"

"Yes. You'll hear the details when he arrives."

"…I see. Is he coming alone?"

Even as she spoke, her mind worked rapidly.

She didn't know much about the disciple, but at fourteen, they had shown unprecedented talent. Whatever it took, she had to bring them into the Reverse Heaven Unity.

"You've got that look, Head of Internal Affairs," Jordan noted, smirking.

"At this moment, I'm thinking as the Unity Leader," she replied.

The Internal Affairs Hall of the Everstone Clan was protected by intricate formations.

Voices could not be overheard from the corridor, and even with the door open, eavesdropping was impossible.

"That talent—you know as well as I do that they must be on our side," she said firmly.

"Impressive, truly," Jordan agreed, leaning back in his chair.

"So, even Jordan, the great hero, has such high praise for him?"

"It's not just the talent—it's the spirit."

Aria tilted her head slightly at his remark. She glanced at the intelligence report she had painstakingly extracted from the Nomads' Sect.

"Resolute and sharp-minded, but quiet and composed… There's no mention of spirit here. Have you spoken to him personally?"

"Of course. I just came from seeing Aiden."

"Ah…"

"He told me this: If he's fated to bring calamity, then he'll do it on his own terms."

Aria blinked in surprise.

In some ways, it was an obvious statement. Every Celestial Blade Star, destined to stir chaos, had wreaked havoc entirely on their own terms.

But she understood what Vera meant.

"…Revolutions always bleed," she said softly.

"That's right, Alliance Leader. And that kid—barely fourteen—already knows it," Jordan replied with a solemn nod.

From behind, Caleb, who had been silently listening, nodded as well.

They weren't simply trying to take lives.

They were aiming to dismantle an entire system.

And such an act would inevitably result in rivers of blood.

Because this wasn't merely a fight between individuals.

It was a clash of ideologies.

When a person dies, their sword stops moving.

But when an idea dies, it is passed on to another, who picks up the sword to continue the fight.

Killing a person is easy.

Killing an idea is nearly impossible.

"…It's good that he already understands this," Aria murmured.

"Well, it saves us some trouble. Didn't you see him once, Leader?"

"Briefly, yes."

As the one who had offered the Heavenly Iron Sword as a prize for the Peak Assembly, Aria had seen Vera from afar during the event.

A blinding talent.

A monstrous prodigy housed within that small frame—something unlike anything she had ever encountered before.

"In any case, since Aiden and Vera are coming, I need to prepare," she said, shifting her focus.

"By the way, do you know where Immortal Pharmacist is?" Jordan asked.

"He's likely at Celestial Sword Sect right now," she replied.

Jordan stroked his chin thoughtfully. He could guess the reason.

"Celestial Sword Sect… Is it for that elixir?"

"Yes, the Supreme Harmony Elixir, or something along those lines."

"I believe in him. He's the one who reconnected my severed tendons and mended my shattered core," Jordan said, his words carrying the weight of genuine reverence.

Neither Aria nor Caleb could refute him—the living proof of his miraculous recovery stood before them.

"He's been busy lately, gathering the ingredients for it," she said.

"And did you tell him about that kid?"

"About Vera? Yes. It's made him even busier."

"Good. Then I'll help Immortal Pharmacist for a bit," Jordan replied decisively.

Aria paused, considering his words, before speaking again.

"…I'd like you to continue watching over Vera for a while longer."

"Damn it. Until when?"

"Hmm. Until Vera surpasses you?"

Jordan frowned deeply. Was she serious?

Aria, avoiding his gaze, let her eyes wander elsewhere.

"…That kid has already passed the early stages of Supreme Mastery and is heading toward the mid-stages. I don't think she needs protection."

"But you're only at the beginning of Kingdom of Harmony Realm, aren't you?"

"And now you want to use this esteemed Kingdom of Harmony Master as a babysitter?"

She wasn't wrong.

But Jordan owed her.

"Fine. I'll just have to tell Immortal Pharmacist that the great Jordan refused my request," she said with mock resignation.

"…Damn it. They say debts of gratitude are harder to sever than life debts. Fine, I'll do it. But I have one condition."

"What is it?"

"Let me visit Immortal Pharmacist for two days. That's fair, right?"

He held up his trembling left hand as he spoke.

He still needed the medicine. While his body had been restored, the lingering effects of the potent drugs used in his treatment continued to haunt him.

"You're still feeling the effects…"

"I've no complaints. I came back from death, after all. Besides, the dependency is gradually fading."

"Alright. I'll give you four days."

"I should thank you with a bow or something," he muttered, sighing heavily before rising from his seat.

"By the way," she called out.

"What now?"

"When exactly are they arriving?"

Her hands had already returned to the seal, her mind oddly at ease with the knowledge that Aiden's arrival would help resolve her dilemmas.

"Probably setting off tomorrow."

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"…Then they'll be here soon."

"That's right."

"Thank you for letting me know. Things have been chaotic within the clan lately…"

"What's going on?"

Aria let out a bitter chuckle.

"What else? The brothers are starting to fight over the successor's position."