The Cunning Treasure Hunter

Vera recalled the battle from that day.

The Fire Dragon Blade of Darian, engulfed in flames.

The technique of Reverse Scale Ignition.

That flame must have been his Sword Aura.

It wasn't fixed in a solid form, making it appear like real fire...

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"Because of that, the Heaven's Net Lord, who was practically the right hand of the sect leader, resigned from his position and retired to the countryside."

"...I see."

"If he's at the entry-level of the Supreme Peak, that would make him similar to your level."

Whether it was due to that or not, Vera did not know.

Perhaps he had realized something after losing someone as well.

Vera quietly lowered her gaze.

What good was it to realize something now?

Would his regrets bring back her dead parents?

No.

Would his remorse revive his dead son?

That too, was impossible.

The cycle of vengeance could not be broken.

Resigning and retiring to the countryside was likely just a means to move freely.

But now was not the time for revenge.

Not yet… She had to grow stronger.

"By the way, he came along."

"Did he now? That's good news. If Valen is involved, the subjugation should become easier."

"However..."

"What's the matter?"

"The head of the branch family lost his life in this incident. Only the young master and his youngest daughter remain."

Regis quietly observed Vera, then let out a deep sigh.

"It feels inappropriate to say this, but someone better than Darian of Unity Army needs to step up."

"If he's the leader of the Seventh Division, he must be strong."

"Indeed. It's said that the higher the division number, the stronger the leader. I hear the leader of the First Division is also at the entry-level of the Fire Realm, like Valen."

It was a peculiar feeling.

The relatives of the one she had killed.

The name of her victim leaving their lips.

Vera stood up silently.

"Have you gathered any information on Crimson Demon Gate or the Infernal Blade Corps?"

"The leader of the Blood Sword Corps, a combat group under the Crimson Demon Gate, is at the entry-level of the Supreme Peak."

"And the sect master...?"

"Nothing has been confirmed. They seem adept at hiding their information."

Clearly, more intel was needed.

And wherever one sought information, Nomads' Sect was the best option.

"I'll be heading out for a while."

"Where are you going?"

"To Nomads' Sect."

Nomads' Sect, Southern Branch of Eastern Mountain Province.

The place was in utter chaos.

Nomads' Sect was an organization anyone could join as long as they were beggars.

It was only natural that the Demonic Sect had infiltrated it.

"How much more information do I need to dig through...?"

The Branch Lord, Logan, felt his head about to split open.

Half of the Pristine Rank and Unified Division disciples had fled.

This happened the moment flames engulfed Eastern Mountain Fiery Blade clan.

It was inevitable.

No matter how well they hid their Demonic energy, a Supreme Peak-level martial artist like Logan could detect it if he observed carefully.

The only reason they had gone unnoticed until now was due to two factors:

First, there were too many members to conduct a thorough investigation.

Second, no one ever suspected that the Nomads' Sect would harbor individuals with Demonic energy.

"When did the Demonic Sect infiltrate us? When?!"

Logan furiously scratched his head, causing strands of hair to fall out.

The reports from the runaway disciples lacked credibility, meaning they had to be discarded.

But information was interconnected like a web.

If one piece was contaminated, the reliability of related pieces would be halved.

Since the Pristine Rank and Unified Division disciples were responsible for the majority of sources, how much of the information was tainted?

Logan began sifting through the intel related to the Demonic Sect first.

Fortunately, none of the Second Division disciples had fled.

This meant the intel from Second Division sources could be salvaged.

"Hah, damn it, only 20% is usable..."

Still, that was fortunate.

The Pristine Rank and Unified Division disciples could only gather rumors or hearsay anyway.

The Demonic Sect was just like that.

Thankfully, some crucial pieces of information had been preserved.

The remaining 80% had to be burned.

Just then, a Pristine Rank disciple stumbled into the branch lord's office, shouting in a near scream:

"Branch Lord! Someone from Mount Suncrest is here!"

"What? Mount Suncrest?"

Mount Suncrest was in Silver Crest Branch, far from here.

Why would someone come here instead of going to the Silver Crest Branch?

"Why would they come here from Mount Suncrest?"

"They... they said they were escorting goods to Eastern Mountain Fiery Blade clan."

"Escorting goods? At this timing, to Eastern Mountain?"

"They got caught up in the mess, it seems..."

What a mess.

Mount Suncrest was a prominent sect that couldn't be treated carelessly.

And an escort mission?

As far as Logan knew, Mount Suncrest rarely assigned escort missions to their Third Disciples.

Even if they did, it was typically around Silver Crest Branch.

"...Then it must be at least a Second Disciple."

The current Second Disciples of Mount Suncrest were young leaders in their thirties, having just concluded their Post-Heavenly Supreme Cultivation.

Among them was one called the strongest of the Post-Heavenly Supreme.

The Sword Dragon of Mount Suncrest, Kael.

A young martial artist, barely thirty, at the late stage of the Supreme Peak.

"Did you get their name?"

"They said their name was Vera..."

"Vera? Huh? That name isn't among the Second Disciples, is it?"

Logan had memorized the names of all the promising young martial artists from the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families, along with their levels and characteristics.

Yet, this name... it didn't ring a bell.

How could that be? It was strange.

It felt like he had heard the name somewhere before, but he couldn't place it...

"Where is the guest now?"

"We've invited them to rest in the adjacent room."

"Alright. I'll go see them immediately."

The Branch Lord, Logan, picked the best robe he could find and headed out of the office with haste.

To think someone from Mount Suncrest would appear at such a time.

Why had they come to the Nomads' Sect?

Was it to help after learning of the current situation?

He thought it was good news.

At least, until he opened the door.

"...What?"

Standing before him, bowing politely, was someone clad in the distinctive Cherry Blossom Robes of Mount Suncrest.

The figure was much smaller than he had anticipated.

No, it wasn't just their height.

They were smaller in build and even younger than he expected.

"You're... a Third Disciple of Mount Suncrest?"

Despite his astonishment, Logan managed to maintain a respectful tone.

After all, this was a disciple of one of the most renowned sects.

"Yes. I am currently out on an escort mission."

At that moment, Logan slapped his forehead.

He had been so focused on guessing which Second Disciple it might be that he failed to consider anyone else.

The name was familiar, though. The information had come to the Nomads' Sect not long ago.

A prodigy who had defeated Theron, the young master of the Akrest Clan, also known as the Thousand Sword.

A genius hailed as the next World's Greatest Swordmaster.

"...Could it be that you recently won the Peak Assembly?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"It is truly an honor to meet you."

"There's no need for such flattery..."

Vera's expression turned awkward. She couldn't understand why this man was acting so deferentially toward her.

She was aware of her reputation, of course, but this level of deference seemed excessive.

"Please feel free to speak casually."

"Oh, how could I possibly do that to a disciple of the main sect of Mount Suncrest? Now, what brings you here?"

"...I was hoping to ask for some assistance."

Logan smiled broadly and replied, "What kind of assistance?"

"I heard that the Nomads' Sect is an organization specializing in information. You must be aware of the recent incident involving the Eastern Mountain Fiery Blade clan, correct?"

"Of course. It's causing quite the commotion here as well."

"We wish to... help the Fiery Blade clan."

The smile on Logan's face faltered. Help them?

According to the information he had, this girl was fourteen years old.

Her martial arts skills were certainly impressive, but... only relative to her age.

The world of martial arts was filled with eccentric geniuses and masters.

From the reports he had received, Vera was at the peak of the Advanced Realm, near its limit.

But this incident involved the Infernal Blade Corps of the Demonic Sect and the martial outlaws of the Crimson Demon Gate.

What could one young martial artist, barely at the Advanced Realm, hope to accomplish?

"...Young Lady Vera."

"Yes?"

"I may be nothing more than a lowly beggar, but may I offer you some advice?"

"I am listening."

Logan cleared his throat. It wasn't often he gave heartfelt advice, and the unusual situation made him uneasy.

"Are you aware of the difference between someone at the entry-level of the Supreme Peak and someone at the peak of the Advanced Realm?"

"Yes. The difference is significant."

The ability to wield Sword Aura—it meant being able to freely extend the "length" of the sword.

In battles between martial artists, distance was crucial.

Sword Aura negated that distance by allowing the sword to strike farther than its physical reach.

Compared to Sword Radiance, which only enhanced power, Sword Aura was clearly superior.

A martial artist capable of using Sword Aura could control the length of their weapon at will, making it possible to land strikes that would otherwise miss.

"As you must have heard from the elders of the Fiery Blade clan, this incident involves the Infernal Blade Corps of the Demonic Sect and the Crimson Demon Gate."

"Yes, I've heard."

"Their key members are at least at the entry-level of the Supreme Peak or higher."

Logan spoke with the utmost seriousness.

However, Vera didn't seem to share his heavy mood.

She simply gazed at him calmly.

"For someone at the Advanced Realm to face those at the Supreme Peak..."

"Branch Lord."

"Yes?"

"Recently, I reached the entry-level of the Supreme Peak."

Logan's jaw dropped.

This was valuable information.

Valuable, but...

Was this even possible?