The Cunning Treasure Hunter-Chapter 124: The Duel of Fate

BOOOOM—!

A massive explosion.

A thunderous tremor.

The sheer force of the Internal Energy clash shook the air within the Secluded Training Hall.

A collision between two perfected Sword Energies.

The entire Secluded Training Hall could barely withstand the enormous force.

Fortunately, this place was the core of Everstone Family’s Formation Arts.

Naturally, its physical foundations and architecture were reinforced to be near indestructible.

It wouldn’t collapse.

But it would certainly be damaged beyond repair.

Everstone Family might have to carve out a new Secluded Training Hall after this.

Yet none of that mattered—

Because if Vera lost to Dark Emperor here, the consequences would be far worse.

Dark Emperor was a ruthless and merciless man.

It was highly unlikely he would spare the lives of those who had fallen unconscious.

More than that—

They were people who had seen his face and heard his voice.

And Dark Emperor never left such witnesses alive.

There were a few exceptions—

But those were people he had failed to kill, not people he had spared.

If things continued as they were—

The leader of Everstone Family,

The Elder of Celestial Sword Sect,

And a young disciple of Mount Suncrest Sect—

All would die.

If the leader perished without a successor, Everstone Family would fall into chaos.

If an Elder suddenly died, Celestial Sword Sect would be enraged.

And if Vera died—

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Reverse Heaven Unity would lose its sword.

The sword that had pointed at Sword Sovereign.

"Foolish girl!"

Dark Emperor roared.

A voice infused with Internal Energy, rumbling like thunder.

But Vera was unaffected.

She didn’t flinch as she raised the Falling Blossom Sword and struck.

CLAAAANG—!!!

Blinding white Sword Energy clashed against the deep blue Sword Energy of Dark Emperor.

The radiant collision of light was beyond what the human eye could process—

Like two divine pillars of light colliding.

A surreal, almost otherworldly sight.

"You’re using Innate True energy?! If I just wait, victory is mine!"

"At the very least—"

The Heavenly Sound Blood Absorption Technique had a requirement.

The heart had to be extracted while its owner was still alive.

In other words, they needed to have at least a small amount of Internal Energy remaining.

But if Vera died due to exhausting Innate True energy or lost all her Internal Energy

Even if she was the Celestial Blade Star, her heart would be useless.

"…You will never surpass this realm, then. That is enough."

Vera spoke coldly, bringing her sword down once more.

She was no longer the helpless girl being overpowered.

This was now a battle of equals—

And in an even fight, an assassin could never defeat a swordsman.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Again and again, the Falling Blossom Sword targeted Dark Emperor’s vital points.

He could do nothing but defend.

And as he blocked each strike, his astonishment grew.

"…My Internal Energy is disappearing?!"

His cultivation art was Pathless Dark Heart Art —

A technique modeled after the boundless void, limitless and endless.

A representation of infinite darkness itself.

Yet, Vera’s Soul Harmony Realm was based on the End.

And because it represented the ultimate conclusion of all things—

It held absolute dominance over all techniques that pursued infinity.

Internal Energy was filtered and refined through one’s Cultivation Art.

Thus, Dark Emperor’s Internal Energy was fundamentally incompatible with Vera’s.

"Y-you wretched girl! What did they teach you in Mount Suncrest Sect?!"

"Mount Suncrest Sect taught me very little."

"Lies!"

Even the Sword Art she was using—

It was clearly a Mount Suncrest Sect technique.

Yet Dark Emperor had never seen anything like it in his lifetime.

With each strike of her sword, crimson cherry Blossoms bloomed in the air—

Swirling around, spreading in all directions, flowing along the blade.

The blossoms were unmistakably Mount Suncrest Sect’s.

But the sword trajectory—

"I have never seen such a technique in Mount Suncrest Sect!"

"Yes. I know."

But Vera remained silent.

Her small, delicate hands widened their grip on the hilt.

And once again—

She swung down.

CLAAAANG—!

The jet-black blade, wrapped in a dazzling spectrum of Sword Energy, clashed once more.

And Dark Emperor realized—

With each impact, chunks of his Internal Energy were vanishing.

At first, he could endure.

But now—

He could not.

He had fought against Clear Peace and Edwin.

He had been wary of Caleb.

The battle had already lasted too long.

"My Internal Energy is—!"

No matter how perfect his Sword Energy was—

He had already exhausted much of his Internal Energy after defeating two Soul Harmony Realm masters.

His reserves could not be full.

And now—

It was depleting faster than ever before.

The Final Strike

No matter what trickery this girl had pulled.

No matter what bizarre martial art Mount Suncrest Sect had created.

This situation was dangerous.

Not just for Dark Emperor—

But for Vera as well.

Right now, she was burning through her Innate True energy.

How long could she endure?

Half a Double Hour? A full Fifteen Minutes?

The energy surging through her meridians was fueled by her lifespan and martial prowess.

Not just her life as a martial artist—

But her very existence as a human being was now hanging by a thread.

Yet—

If she was going to die anyway.

If her fate was to perish by Dark Emperor’s hands— Experience more tales on novelbuddy

Then she would kill him first and at least remove one obstacle to the grand scheme.

Vera met the attack head-on.

Until now, she had always deflected and evaded.

But this time—

She blocked it directly.

"You think you can stop me?!"

The cavern ceiling was high.

So when Dark Emperor swung his blade upward—

The force sent Vera soaring into the air.

But that was exactly what she had planned.

Falling Blossom Sword Art , First Form—

Falling Blossom Sword: Blooming Desire.

A single moment of brilliance—

Like the fleeting bloom of a cherry blossom before it falls.

For an instant—

Dark Emperor realized—

The entire cavern floor was covered in a field of black and crimson cherry blossoms.

And every single petal—

Was being drawn toward Vera’s sword tip.

"You really think you can win?!"

Vera did not answer.

She simply gripped her trembling sword with both hands—

And executed her technique with flawless precision.

BOOOOOOM—!!!

A thunderous impact.

As she descended, her hair and tattered sleeves fluttered in the wind.

The tip of her Falling Blossom Sword collided with Dark Emperor’s short sword—

A clash that sent both warriors’ Internal Energy exploding outward.

CRACK!

The walls of the Secluded Training Hall began to fracture.

But both of them understood—

This strike would decide everything.

Dark Emperor poured all his remaining Internal Energy into his sword.

And Vera did the same.

The Black dragon rampaged through her meridians, merging with her Innate True energy, granting strength to her frail body.

Her hair stood on end from the intoxicating rush—

A moment of ecstasy, as if she had reached transcendence itself.

And in that moment—

Vera saw her blade cleave through Dark Emperor’s dimmed sword energy—

Splitting his short sword in half.

The Arrival of the Sword Saint

Aiden saw it.

A savior approaching from the distance.

A figure soaring at impossible speed.

Dressed in pristine white robes, with white hair flowing behind him, and a long, flowing white beard.

Sword Saint of Mount Suncrest Sect — Great Master Thorne.

Beneath One Sovereign stood Three Masters .

Beneath Three Masters stood Seven Lords.

Of course, the martial world was filled with countless hidden reclusive masters and eccentric geniuses—

But officially, Great Master Thorne was one of the five strongest righteous martial artists in all of Martial World.

Yet even he could not turn back time or break through space.

Tap.

His foot touched the ground at Everstone Family.

Aiden and Aria gazed at him, their eyes filled with unease.

"Where?"

Great Master Thorne did not ask anything else.

The only thing that mattered was saving Vera from Dark Emperor.

Everything else could come after.

Aria immediately pointed.

At the massive cavern entrance, sealed by a gigantic black boulder.

Without hesitation, Great Master Thorne drew his sword and stepped forward.

"Stand aside."

From his fingertips, the absolute sword technique of Nine Heavens cherry Blossom Sword unfolded.

A long-lost divine technique—

Unleashed by an old grandmaster who had perfected it over a lifetime.

Nine Heavens cherry Blossom Sword, Supreme Stroke—

Boundless Fragrance of cherry Blossoms.

"The fragrance of cherry blossoms knows no bounds."

This was a technique reserved only for those who had reached the Soul Harmony Realm—

For those who had mastered Sword Energy.

As his sword spun in a full arc—

Countless crimson cherry blossoms bloomed into existence.

Following the trajectory of his blade, they whirled into a raging storm—

Then launched forward—

Straight at the massive black boulder sealing the cavern.

"That— that’s impossible to break—!"

Aria tried to stop him—

But she was the one left in shock.

For centuries, no martial artist in Everstone Family had ever been able to break the Black Abyss Stone

Which was why it had been chosen to seal the Secluded Training Hall.

Yet now—

That very boulder was being shaved away, pulverized into dust, by a storm of crimson cherry blossoms.

And from within the newly opened cavern—

The stench of blood came pouring out.