The Cunning Treasure Hunter

The wall was as it had always been.

It was as though the left arm of Young Master was still stored there.

No, it was even worse than before.

The entire wall squirmed, constantly writhing.

As if it was the belly of a monster that had swallowed him whole.

Magnus tried to avoid touching the wall, even when necessary, using the tip of his sword to feel around.

Every time the tip of the sword touched it, it tore into the wall like flesh, embedding itself within.

The entire cave trembled as though it were a living monster, letting out silent screams.

It was a horrifying sight.

A foul smell, like something decaying, filled his nostrils, clouding his senses.

And then...

From deep within, Magnus felt an instinctive pull.

Something was beckoning him.

It called directly to his soul.

He shook his head in an attempt to ignore it.

The voice, though silent, was so direct that even Magnus, who had long yearned for the powerful strength granted by the demons, could sense it.

But he would never realize, not even as he died, that this was the trap.

The whisper echoed in his mind, silent yet persistent.

Because of that whisper, he never truly understood what real poison was.

It was the greed that had already rooted itself deep within his heart days ago.

The greed for that very power.

"Playing games now, are we?"

Magnus channeled theClear Mind Technique deeper into his body.

Pure qi surged from his core, enveloping him.

It was this energy that shielded both his body and mind.

Now, no more voices could penetrate his soul.

For someone who had already reached the very edge of the Kingdom of Harmony, such distractions were mere trifles.

The realm was an unyielding one.

Even if Aetheris was carrying such a potent demonic artifact, Magnus never once thought he would lose.

And soon, he reached the deepest part of the cave.

The blackened, rotting wooden door that Gideon had opened.

The gold cords and chains that wrapped the door were not entirely broken yet.

However, black demonic energy could already be seen leaking through the gaps in the door...

Breaking through was only a matter of time. The barrier's durability had nearly run out.

He drew his Cherry Blossom Sword from his waist.

As he infused more energy into it, a chilling glow emanated from the blade.

This was unmistakably sword intent.

In fact, it was the peak of sword intent, at the very edge of Kingdom of Harmony.

The sword had grown longer than its original form, now capable of striking with unimaginable precision, making a blow reach distances it never could before.

It was the symbol of a true martial master.

The power to split even stone and steel like soft tofu.

Normally, someone who hadn't reached the Kingdom of Harmony wouldn't be able to sever the gold cords or chains that bound the door.

But these had already been corroded by the demonic energy leaking from within.

The cords and chains had been in place for decades.

But now, they were at their limit.

Magnus slowly raised his sword.

And with a clean, simple swing, he brought the blade down.

The radiant sword energy cleaved through the chains and cords, cutting through the thick door and releasing it.

Gripping the door handle, he swung the door open...

Inside, Aetheris was leaning against the wall, staring at him.

"If you had just stayed quiet, you wouldn't have had to die."

Magnus clicked his tongue, adjusting his grip on the sword filled with sword intent.

However, Aetheris did not respond to his words.

No, he couldn't respond.

He had long since fallen beyond the boundaries of human sanity, now a beast, no longer even resembling a human.

"Grreeee…"

The black claws on Aetheris's hands had grown sharp, extending like talons.

Demonic energy twisted and distorted everything it touched.

It was the power that kept one alive, forcing everything to bend and break in unnatural ways.

From the distant, cold night sky, from the void between stars, the energy descended.

It could transform life itself, turning it into something lifeless.

It could turn a human into something unrecognizable.

Just like the fanatical followers of the demonic beast.

Aetheris had long lost all reason, all trace of his former self. He was nothing but an animal driven by instinct.

And now, Magnus pointed his sword at his own disciple.

"Come, then."

...Or so he thought.

Far in the distance, the sun began to rise.

Vera pushed aside the lingering discomfort from earlier and followed Marcus's instructions.

The priority now was simple: gather everyone, count their numbers, and then send each disciple back to their respective masters.

It didn't take long.

The three major disciples who had committed the outrageous act of fleeing from the volcano the previous night were, of course, absent.

"This feels a little too much, don't you think? Is it really necessary?"

Ethan voiced his complaints, and perhaps that was only natural.

But Noah, standing beside him, interjected with a sharp remark.

"So, we're really going to wait until someone goes missing before we start searching? Do we need to fix the barn after losing the cow?"

"I'm saying, we haven't lost the cow yet, so why bother fixing the barn when it's still standing?"

"You'll lose the cow if you don't fix the barn."

"…Is that so?"

Ethan wore an expression that was half understanding and half confused.

Jace, watching, simply shrugged his shoulders.

Once Marcus had dismissed everyone, he made his way to where Vera's group was gathered.

"Alright, we'll head out now."

Vera nodded quietly and followed Marcus, walking behind him.

There was still much to learn.

It was true that after inheriting the full power of Great Master Thorne, his inner strength had grown exponentially in a very short time.

But how to wield this power accurately, how to handle it, that was something she could only learn through experience.

The sudden surge of power couldn't be controlled easily.

In fact, Vera couldn't even feel how strong her own power was at this moment.

She vaguely understood that she was at the very edge of Supreme Mastery—close to the peak.

It was a realm attained through sheer force, passed down from one body to the next.

To truly cross into the threshold of Kingdom of Harmony, one would need to shed their skin and endure immense hardship.

sHe had achieved enough external progress for now.

It was time to cultivate his strength within Mount Suncrest Sect and solidify everything he had gained.

Now was the time to gather his lessons and seek new teachings.

That was what he thought.

Then, a voice called out.

"Master?"

Marcus raised his voice, calling for Aiden inside the cottage.

But there was no answer.

He called again, two or three times, but still nothing.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Marcus led the group through the small wooden door made of sari branches.

Aiden was not the type of person to scold over something so trivial.

However, once they entered the house, Marcus quickly realized that Aiden wasn't there.

At least, she had clearly left early in the morning.

"…Master, where has she gone?"

Jace looked around, confused.

But no matter how hard he looked, there was no sign of Aiden.

Marcus didn't know either, but he could make an educated guess.

The reason Aiden might be gone and where she could have gone to.

There didn't seem to be any clear clues, but then—

He saw Vera.

"…Surely, didn't the Master say that if you want to know what happens next, you should come to him directly?"

"Yes, Supreme Mastery."

"Then, she must be with the Master."

Marcus sighed and plopped down onto the large wooden platform.

Great Master Thorne was the elder of Suncrest.

And above even the first major disciple, the elders' quarters were on the same level as the Sect Leader.

No third disciple could simply enter alone.

At least a second disciple or higher would have to accompany them.

Which meant, Marcus, Vera, and the others were unable to enter on their own.

Vera sat quietly beside Marcus, understanding the situation.

Now, there was only one choice left.

To wait.

Eventually, Jace, Dylan, Ethan, and Noah all gathered beside Vera.

How much time passed, none could tell.

Then, the sound of footsteps reached their ears.

Thud, thud. Heavy, deliberate footsteps.

"...That doesn't sound like the master's footsteps."

Vera raised an eyebrow.

Aiden's steps were never this heavy.

Unless, of course, she was deeply disheartened and dragging herself.

"Are you all here?"

The voice that came from behind the door was indeed Aiden.

It seemed Vera's guess had been correct.

Aiden entered, looking exhausted, her steps slow and aimless.

She waved her hand dismissively toward her disciples, signaling for them to leave.

"There's no training today. Go back and rest."

"Excuse me?"

Ethan blinked in surprise.

But something about Aiden seemed off.

She had already heard everything from Great Master Thorne.

Her gaze fell on Vera.

"Vera, you…"

"Did you mean me?"

"Yes. You need to go see Great Master Thorne."

"Eh?"

Vera tilted his head, confused.

But Aiden was firm in her words.

"Great Master wants to see you."

Only then did Vera nod and stand up.

But Aiden's instructions didn't end there.

"And, from now on, you'll be learning from him."

"Shouldn't I learn from you, Master?"

"Great Master has something to teach you that I cannot."

Something that Aiden couldn't teach.

As Vera thought quietly to himself, he realized exactly what it was.

The breakthrough into Kingdom of Harmony—the understanding that could only be passed down to those who had already reached the very brink of the impossible.