The Cunning Treasure Hunter

In the darkness, a figure dressed in black silently moved.

Covering their nose and mouth with a mask, they intentionally let their hair down in disarray.

It was to erase any distinct features.

A member of the shadow Division under the Akrest Clan, the Midnight Celestial Pavilion.

These individuals, known as the Night Shadows, were mobilized by the Sword Sovereign Zephyrion Akrest for "unofficial" executions.

Each member's combat prowess rivaled that of elite warriors from the Heavenly Peerless Army,

a minimum requirement of a Peak Realm or higher.

Among them, the one who accompanied the clan leader on external missions—this person was the Deputy Pavilion Master, a warrior at the entry-level of Absolute Supreme Mastery.

'I know they've taken the Jade Elixir tonight, meaning they'll be meditating to refine their energy. If I inflict just a minor internal injury...'

Even without inducing a energy Deviation, discomfort alone could tilt the balance in a high-level battle.

In such confrontations, even a split-second delay in internal energy flow could decide the outcome.

While crippling them entirely wasn't the goal...

If it became possible, why not?

This was the "monster" personally acknowledged by the Young Lord Theron.

Come to think of it, those eyes... they truly held extraordinary potential.

'...That means someone who could rival Akrest's hegemony.'

At least, while his master was the Clan Head, that couldn't happen.

It would tarnish the reputation of the Greatest Clan Under Heaven.

Moreover, the Grand Elder Sword Sovereign Zephyrion Akrest wouldn't tolerate it.

Even when passing the position of clan head to his lord, his dissatisfaction had been evident.

The Deputy Pavilion Master's movements suddenly shifted, becoming bizarre.

This was the martial art of Night Shadows,

the Shadow Veil Step—a technique combining footwork and light body skills.

How did they learn the martial arts of the Night Shadows?

Anyone who asked such a question would likely never wake again.

Their swift body blended seamlessly into the shadows.

Although not at the level of perfection,

this degree of achievement had ensured they never failed a covert mission.

'Let's see...'

Their figure, cloaked in night's darkness, rode the wind.

Avoiding the elders was all that mattered—those individuals who were either equal to themselves or superior: the Elite Disciples, the Sect Leaders, or the Elders.

No one below their rank could detect their presence.

Even the Demonic Cult had been unable to uncover the headquarters of the Night Shadows.

Their footwork was something that couldn't be traced or followed.

Thus, the Deputy Pavilion Master arrived at the Blooming Peak Pavilion.

From what they confirmed, only two female disciples resided among the Third Generation Disciples of Mount Suncrest:

Dylan and Vera.

Since it wouldn't be proper for them to share quarters with the male disciples, their room was likely the smallest one with the least belongings.

They focused their internal energy into their eyes to enhance their vision.

'...That's the room.'

However, the room was empty.

While everyone else had returned to lay out their bedding and prepare for sleep,

the spacious room contained only one person—Dylan.

The night air was crisp and cool.

Aiden quietly looked up at the sky.

Although he lacked the skills of the legendary mythical Crouching Dragon Sage to read heavenly signs,

his sensitivity to his surroundings was extraordinary.

he could detect the faintest traces of killing intent.

That is unless it belonged to a Shadow Killer, whose art had vanished with the fall of the Demonic Cult long ago.

"...You're taking your time," Aiden muttered as he turned to glance at Vera,

who was quietly seated, circulating her internal energy.

The straight posture and the proper alignment of her Vitality Acupoint were evident.

he had instructed her to sit with her back turned deliberately—just in case.

Aiden wasn't someone who easily trusted others, not even within the Mount Suncrest Sect.

The only people he trusted were Thorne, Damien, and his sole apprentice.

And at that moment, as expected, a chilling aura swept through the air.

"See? I knew it would come to this," Aiden muttered, drawing the Cherry Blossom Sword from their waist.

It wasn't a particularly outstanding blade,

but in the hands of a Supreme Expert,

the presence or absence of a famed weapon was irrelevant when imbued with Sword energy.

Before long, a powerful presence emerged from beyond.

If they'd already been discovered, stealth was meaningless.

Suppressing internal energy and aura for covert movements became pointless in a direct confrontation.

"...How did you notice?"

"I have sharp eyes," Aiden replied with a sly grin.

Spinning the sword in his hand, he assumed his stance.

The Nine Heavens Cherry Blossom Sword—

the ultimate technique of Mount Suncrest Sect.

The grin disappeared from Aiden's face.

"So, I don't know what rock you crawled out from..."

"A Taoist like you has quite the foul mouth."

"I can pretend to be refined in front of disciples, but with someone like you, it's impossible."

his opponent also assumed a stance,

and Aiden recognized it immediately.

That eerie, killing aura-filled posture was unmistakable...

The martial arts of the Night Shadows.

Among them, the Soul Slaughter Sword was the most fearsome technique.

It combined unparalleled speed and illusion, a swordplay designed solely for assassination, composed only of killing strikes and fatal blows.

"Do you really think you can defeat me, White Cherry Scholar?"

White Cherry Scholar—a name that, at first glance, sounded like praise for someone as lofty as the pure white Cherry blossoms.

But in reality, it was an insult, a reminder that they could never reach the heights of the crimson Cherry blossoms of Mount Suncrest.

To call someone a scholar implied they were neither a true swordsman nor a warrior.

"You seem to be mistaken about something."

As Aiden took a stance, their sword emitted a radiant Sword energy.

It was a luminous blade that carried the will and intent of a true martial artist, capable of ignoring distance and slicing through anything in its path.

This was the self-proclamation of a Supreme Expert, a proof of their mastery.

"You have to kill me to win, but for me, simply surviving means victory."

Mindscapes.

They were said to be the shapes of the heart—a reflection of one's innermost self, seen when a martial artist delved deep into their consciousness.

For Vera, it was an endless night devoid of stars.

A boundless expanse of water, illuminated neither by moon nor stars—an immeasurably dark and tranquil night.

Within this void crouched a Black dragon.

But not this time.

Now, the entire sky was filled with a shimmering Milky Way, and the Black dragon roamed the heavens, devouring the celestial river.

With every bite, its body grew larger, and its cries became more resonant.

All of this—no doubt—was the power of the Jade Elixir.

Vera sat still, watching the Black dragon.

Soon, the dragon became aware of Vera's gaze.

"Grrrrr..."

A low rumble echoed, though it wasn't a threat.

Rather, it was a gentle sound, as if to say, "I'll be with you soon."

Only after devouring half the stars in the sky did the Black dragon descend beside Vera, its body now magnificently enlarged.

"Well done," Vera said softly, reaching out to stroke the dragon's neck.

Beneath its tough scales, a fiery warmth emanated.

The dragon exhaled deeply, releasing a jet-black breath.

Each exhalation caused its massive body to shrink slightly, as if filtering out most of what it had consumed.

"Thank you," Vera whispered.

Normally, impurities would be expelled through the skin after consuming such an elixir, leaving the body drenched in a foul residue.

It was a deeply unpleasant process, though unrelated to true transformation.

But could anyone say with certainty that every impurity was perfectly filtered?

Not even those at the Supreme Expert level could claim so unless they were intimately familiar with the process.

However, Vera was not yet at that level.

Thus, the Black dragon performed the task instead, filtering and burning the impurities so that none would remain to seep into the body.

Instead of expelling impurities through the skin, they were expelled through breaths and exhalations.

After rubbing its soft, furry cheek against Vera's, the Black dragon leapt back into the air.

Once again, it began devouring the star-like energy filling the mindscape, this time with an almost desperate urgency.

"Take your time..." Vera muttered under their breath.

But it wouldn't, and couldn't.

While Vera couldn't see the world outside from within the mindscape, the Black dragon, as a spiritual entity, could sense danger.

If it was in such a hurry, the answer was clear—Vera's master had been right.

Someone had come to harm both master and disciple.

The Black dragon, despite its efforts, had barely grown larger.

Even if it devoured all the Jade Elixir's power spread across the mindscape, the result would be the same.

Time was limited, and there was no room for hesitation.

Closing their eyes, Vera focused inward, summoning a familiar sensation.

This was the mindscape, a realm where anything could be conjured by mere thought.

In an instant, a weapon appeared in their hand—a sword they could never forget.

The Falling Cherry Sword.

Vera began practicing the Cherry Blossom Descent Manual, step by step.

With each movement, a surge of power resonated through their body, eliciting cries of joy from the divine beast soaring in the starry sky above.

The Black dragon returned to Vera's side, leaving a single star untouched in the heavens.

It was the North Star's Breaking Light—

the final star of the Big Dipper, the harbinger of destruction and rebirth, the carrier of the dead, and the brilliance that heralds a new world.