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..."

"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.