Kael’s eyes gleamed.
Interesting.
Unleashing the first stance of the Nine Heavens cherry Blossom Sword in the middle of a blade clash?
And not even in its orthodox form, but as a variation?
That was not courage—it was recklessness.
Using such a technique without knowing how the opponent would react…
That was something only a master, who saw the gap between their realms as insurmountable, would dare to do.
—At least, that was what Kael thought.
Yet, the girl before him, her blade locked with his, was even bolder than he expected.
The first stance of the Nine Heavens cherry Blossom Sword.
Blossoming Spring.
Like flowers blooming in spring, the strike erupted forth.
A technique executed while blades remained crossed.
A vast surge of internal energy infused her sword, enhancing her stance…
Twisting its trajectory, it shot upwards toward his chin.
"…Ha!"
A clever move.
That strike was, without a doubt, a calculated attack exploiting the height difference between them.
In close combat, having a smaller physique was a considerable disadvantage.
Yet this girl, rather than seeing her short stature as a weakness…
She revealed that, at any moment, she could stab upward and target his head.
Kael swiftly twisted his body, dodging by the narrowest of margins. The blade barely grazed his cheek, leaving a sharp sting behind.
From the very first stance, she had drawn blood.
Far from being displeased, Kael was thoroughly impressed.
’Senior Brother, have you taken in a true monster?’
She wasn’t yet refined.
At that age, it was impossible to have complete mastery.
But her thinking was different.
A small frame, a long sword.
The result—an overwhelmingly low and expansive attack range.
Every time Vera swung her sword, Kael found himself needing to guard against unfamiliar angles.
And she knew it.
Clang!
Deflecting a sharp thrust aimed at his inner knee, Kael smirked.
"Not bad."
"You still have time to talk?"
Sword energy clashed violently, unleashing immense shockwaves in every direction. Continue reading on Freewebnovel
Each impact sounded like boulders tumbling down a cliff, the ground beneath them cracking apart.
And after thirty exchanges—
"Enough!"
The voice of Aiden thundered through the training hall.
Both Vera and Kael stopped their swords in an instant, stepping back three paces.
As if they had expected this outcome all along.
"Kael. She is your Junior Martial Sister. You haven’t forgotten, have you?"
"Of course not."
He sheathed his sword with a grin.
Vera, as if she had already realized the truth, showed no surprise.
Both Aiden and Kael found her composure fascinating.
"You’re not even surprised? Did you already know?"
"I had… some suspicions."
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"Marcus, you as well?"
"Yes, Master. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him not to use killing techniques."
Marcus’s words were true.
From the start, Kael had never once employed a lethal move.
Even when witnessing Vera’s unpredictable swordplay, he remained restrained.
If he were a true enemy, he would have aimed to kill her or at least cripple her without hesitation.
"And Vera."
Aiden called out to her.
She returned her Falling Blossom Sword to its sheath and answered.
"Yes, Master? I’m listening."
"There is something I must tell you. As your teacher."
"…Yes?"
She looked up at him with wide eyes.
It was nothing major.
Just something he thought might be worth pointing out about her technique.
Her overall swordsmanship and level of mastery…
Frankly, there was little left for Aiden to teach her.
That was why he had agreed when Great Master Thorne said he would take over her instruction.
But Vera still lacked experience.
At present, she was compensating for that with ingenuity.
Yet such methods wouldn’t always be reliable.
"You use a lot of upward thrusts. Is that because of your smaller stature?"
"That’s correct."
"If you develop that habit, it will become a problem in the future. Do you know why?"
Vera tilted her head.
She pondered deeply but couldn’t find an answer. Finally, she shook her head.
"I’m not sure."
"You’re fourteen now, but will you always be fourteen?"
"…Ah."
"You’re not even five Crescent tall yet, but do you think that will last forever? You’ll likely grow past five and a half. If you rely on height differences to create openings, you’ll eventually hit a wall when your body changes."
Vera nodded.
Right now, she was among the shortest of her peers.
But there was no guarantee that would always be the case.
Even if she simply grew to the average height of most female martial artists, utilizing height differences as an attack strategy would eventually lose its effectiveness.
"I will keep that in mind."
"You have talent, so always walk the path of the orthodox. Only then, when you use unorthodox techniques, can you seize victory."
"...Thank you."
The lights of Blooming Peak Pavilion began to dim one by one. Now that Aiden had arrived, everyone assumed the matter had been resolved in some way. Moreover, the fight had ceased, giving them further reason to relax.
Meanwhile, Aiden cast a sharp glance at Kael.
"...Didn’t you say you wouldn’t go overboard, Senior Brother?"
"Would I really do such a thing? Thanks to you, the Three Great Disciples were all roused from their sleep. Who told you to unleash your sword energy like that?"
"T-That was because she also used sword energy..."
"And that is your excuse?"
Kael immediately shut his mouth.
Regardless, the fact remained: Vera was his junior disciple, and their age gap was more than twice over. Using sword energy excessively against a child was nothing to boast about.
"So then, tell me... what were you two doing out here in the middle of the night?"
This time, Aiden’s gaze landed on Marcus—the one who had started this entire ordeal.
Marcus lowered his eyes momentarily before speaking honestly.
"...I heard everything from Vera. I was uneasy, so I called her out to talk."
"What was so important that you had to leave out the other disciples and meet secretly at this hour?"
"I had an ominous thought..."
Marcus slowly lifted his head. His eyes met Aiden’s, firm and unwavering. It wasn’t difficult to understand why he would think this way. Children who were too mature for their age often created secrets among themselves, isolating from their peers.
"Can you tell me what it was?"
Without hesitation, Marcus nodded.
"Yes, Master. I can tell you."
"Then speak."
"You must have heard the news from Eastern Mountain Fiery Blade clan . The Demonic Cult infiltrated them for years, then suddenly rose up and wiped out one of their branch families."
"...Yes, I heard."
Marcus let out a bitter laugh, lowering his gaze again before murmuring softly.
"...I had a thought."
"What thought?"
"The Fiery Blade clan may not be one of the Five Great Clans, but they are still a prestigious family just beneath them, aren’t they?"
Aiden narrowed his eyes. He was already thinking ahead, predicting where this conversation was heading.
"...That’s true."
"If the remnants of the Demonic Cult could secretly plant spies within Fiery Blade clan for fifty years... then why would we be an exception?"
"I see. A valid concern. It’s natural to be anxious."
Aiden nodded, though his expression remained grim.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered this possibility—rather, he had chosen not to.
Because it was something beyond his control.
If the Demonic Cult had begun embedding spies within the Nine Sects and prominent clans fifty years ago—long before Aiden was even born—then what could they possibly do about it now?
The Demonic Cult had collapsed, and the Heavenly Demon had perished. Yet, the remnants of their forces had scattered, lying in wait like sleeper agents. They didn’t need secret letters or orders; they would act independently, all in pursuit of the same goal:
The revival of the Demonic Cult. The downfall of the Orthodox Sects and the Martial Unity. And the complete chaos of the Martial World.
Kael, who had been standing nearby, observed Marcus with an intrigued gaze.
This child’s martial prowess was nothing special. His physical attributes and talent for martial arts were equally unimpressive.
But his intellect—that was different.
It was reminiscent of both himself and his senior, Aiden.
Aiden was thinking the same thing.
"So, what exactly makes you uneasy?"
"...I believe I already told you."
"Do you think I, Master Damien, and Great Master Thorne haven’t thought about this?"
"You must have. But... I still feel uneasy."
Aiden’s eyes narrowed. It wasn’t out of displeasure.
He wanted to hear the reasoning.
"Can you explain why?"
"...I haven’t yet reached that conclusion. I only have this... feeling..."
Understanding one’s own thoughts is never easy.
Few people can precisely analyze why they feel a certain way, how those thoughts formed, or what subconscious reasoning led them there.
Marcus needed more time.
But at that moment, Vera spoke up, her voice crisp and clear.
"...Didn’t the Fiery Blade clan think the same way?"
"Oh?"
"They must have prepared as well. It’s not as if they were negligent. However..."
The daughter of the Fiery Blade clan leader had become a pawn of the Demonic Cult—a Demonic Beast.
The Fiery Blade Clan hadn’t ignored the threat.
They had simply prepared for it with a naive sense of security, believing that the Demonic Cult had crumbled.
"They braced themselves for the shattered, scattered remains of the Demonic Cult..."
She paused, her voice steady.
"...But the ones who devoured them were not broken remnants, but survivors still bearing the fangs of that fateful day."