Aiden sat silently on the veranda, staring at the item Aria had left behind.
It was the Everlasting Pursuit Incense, a gift sent from the Crimson Serpent Clan of Ravenhold for Aria's birthday last year.
"This would be more useful to you than to ," she had said before leaving.
She hadn't promised never to return. Though she vowed not to ask for forgiveness again, Aiden knew her well enough to understand she would still try to atone for her past in so way.
"Such unnecessary actions," he muttered.
Tracking this incense wasn't sothing just anyone could do. Only the specially trained experts of the Crimson Serpent Clan were capable of such a feat. The incense itself was a ticulously crafted secret, exclusively manufactured within the Crimson Serpent Clan.
The Crimson Serpent Clan had a strict policy about it—regardless of who held it, they would assist only righteous sects or families in tracking it, a gesture of goodwill to the martial world.
Aiden slipped the small vial of incense into his robe, rising from his seat as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Not long after, his disciples arrived at his hut to offer their evening greetings.
"Master, this is Marcus and five others here to greet you," Marcus announced.
"Good. Did you all enjoy your dinner?"
"Yes, Master. Since tomorrow is the final day of the Peak Assembly, we were served a feast," Marcus replied.
"That's good to hear."
At Aiden's signal, Dylan hesitated before stepping forward with a tray covered by a white cloth.
"I… I brought you so food," Dylan said, her voice uncertain.
She, too, had heard the full story by now—that she was no longer Aetheris's disciple but Aiden's. The sect leader had publicly confird this, leaving no room for doubt or challenge.
"How is your condition? I heard you expended a considerable amount of energy."
"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about , Master," Dylan said, lowering her gaze.
"Don't be so rigid or distant. You can relax around . I may expect great things from you all, but I don't demand perfection," Aiden reassured her.
His words carried no trace of harshness. He simply watched over his disciples with quiet warmth.
Dylan felt a pang in her chest. She hadn't expected such kindness from her new master. Perhaps her earlier antagonism toward Vera stemd from jealousy. Having been abandoned and pushed to the edge, she had lashed out at anyone she could.
But this warmth? This was sothing she had always yearned for.
"Still, I wasn't particularly respectful before…"
"Are you talking about the past? I've already forgotten it," Aiden interrupted with a faint smile.
"…Why do you treat so kindly?" Dylan asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aiden chuckled softly, nodding toward Jace.
"Your senior brother asked to. And he was sincere."
"Sincere…"
"When do you think a person's true nature is revealed?" Aiden suddenly asked, glancing at his disciples.
Jace and Dylan exchanged puzzled looks, while the other disciples murmured among themselves, unsure of the answer.
Finally, Vera spoke.
"When they are wealthy and comfortable."
Aiden's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Why do you think so?"
"When a person is poor and starving, their actions are driven by survival. In such dire circumstances, even the kindest soul may falter. But when a person has no threats to their survival and still chooses evil, then they are beyond redemption."
The room fell silent. None of the other disciples could have co up with such an answer.
"Well said," Aiden agreed. "When a starving peasant steals rice, it is out of desperation. But when a wealthy noble hoards or takes rice that isn't theirs, what do we call it?"
"Greed," Marcus answered.
"Exactly. The poor act out of survival, but the rich act out of greed. Poverty is difficult to endure, but is it truly harder than renouncing greed amidst comfort and glory?"
Aiden rose to his feet, gazing at his disciples. His eyes lingered on Vera, and for a mont, she thought she saw them tremble—as if sothing weighed heavily on his heart.
"You gave the Black Steel Sword to Marcus, didn't you?" Aiden asked.
"Yes. It's far too heavy for , and I already have a sword I cannot part with," Vera replied.
Aiden nodded.
Even the most valuable treasures were aningless if unused. Sharing such items among brothers and sisters in the martial path was comndable.
"Well done. Do you still have the Jade Elixir?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Then stay in my hut tonight."
Potent elixirs like the Jade Elixir were concentrated forms of internal energy. Improperly consuming one without proper guidance could lead to disaster. The process could result in death or, worse, a deviation that left the user insane.
"I will personally stand guard while you ditate," Aiden said firmly.
"…Thank you, Master," Vera replied, bowing deeply.
So might question the need for such caution within the Suncrest Sect, but Aiden's resolve was clear. Even in a place of righteousness, dangers could lurk.
Jade Elixir was no ordinary gift. It was a powerful elixir, but the circumstances surrounding it were just as significant. People like Gideon, the sect leader, weren't the type to overlook sothing as valuable as this. Likewise, individuals such as Magnus, the next-in-line leader, or Aetheris, who had already lost two disciples in a bet, might resort to unthinkable actions in their jealousy and resentnt.
"Of course, if they all ca at together, there's not much I could do…" Aiden thought to himself.
But would they? Even the most arrogant among them wouldn't risk their reputations by ganging up on a third-generation disciple.
"Good. Then the rest of you can leave now," Aiden said.
"Yes, Master. Let's go," Marcus replied, gathering the others.
Though Dylan still seed hesitant, Jace had taken it upon himself to help her adjust. Aiden was sure that before long, the once-troubled disciple would find her place.
The thought of his hut becoming lively again didn't bother him. In fact, having talented disciples like Vera around gave him a sense of hope.
As Marcus led the others down the hill, Aiden held out his hand to Vera.
Without a word, she placed the small box containing the Jade Elixir in his palm.
"Let inspect this for a mont," Aiden said.
He had learned during his travels how far human malice could reach, especially among those in power. People like Gideon and Magnus fit this mold all too well, consud by jealousy and inferiority.
Aiden infused the box with a trace of his energy, carefully examining its contents. Sensing no harmful or ominous energy, he exhaled in relief.
"At least they didn't stoop to tampering with it," he murmured.
"Would they really have done that?" Vera asked.
"These are the sa people who subjected Jace and Dylan to the monthly torture of Bone-Crushing Reformation, my dear," Aiden replied bluntly.
The thod, Bone-Crushing Reformation, was a grueling practice ant to strengthen the body's limits. It was typically done once in a lifeti or, at most, annually under strict dietary preparation. Yet Jace and Dylan had endured it monthly.
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"If they hadn't stopped while the two were still young, who knows how they might have turned out," Aiden continued.
Such cruelty planted the seeds of a Heart Demon, driving individuals to repay suffering with suffering. Though Aiden himself might be consud by his own inner demons, he wouldn't allow his young, bright disciples to fall into the sa pit.
"Co. Sit in the middle of the veranda, cross your legs, and place this in your mouth. Focus on circulating your energy," Aiden instructed.
"How long should I ditate for?" Vera asked.
"That is not for you to worry about. You'll know when it's done."
Vera nodded, quietly following his instructions. It was her first ti consuming such an elixir, and the Jade Elixir emanated a refreshing yet sharp fragrance, distinctly different from the fading scent of Suncrest's perennial blossoms.
"This scent… it's intense," she observed.
"It's comparable to the Great Heavenly Pill of Ravenhold," Aiden remarked.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Vera sat with her back straight and placed the Jade Elixir in her mouth.
The mont it touched her tongue, it dissolved completely, flowing down her throat like a mixture of heat and cold wrapped in an epheral aroma. It was as if she had swallowed a strong liquor, the sensation seeping into her stomach.
Warmth and chill intertwined in perfect harmony, spreading through her body.
Then, her ridians began to stir. Energy from the Jade Elixir surged through her, filling her core and igniting her internal energy flow.
For an ordinary third-generation disciple, the process would require a master's guidance to prevent internal chaos. But Vera wasn't ordinary—and Aiden knew it.
He was one of only three people in Suncrest who understood the full potential of the Soul Harmony Realm Technique and the Blossom Descent Manual.
"She'll devour it," he thought.
His prediction was accurate.
From deep within her core, the Black dragon stirred. The creature awoke, sensing the influx of external energy, and swept through her body. The Soul Harmony Realm Technique's energy coursed through her ridians, absorbing the released power of the Jade Elixir like a crashing wave consuming white foam.
"Well, it seems I'll be staying up all night," Aiden said with a sigh.
He seated himself in front of the ditating Vera, now deep in a trance. Resting his Cherry Blossom Sword on his shoulder, he spread his energy outward to keep a vigilant watch over the surroundings.
Just in case.
For there was always a chance—no matter how slim—that sothing could go wrong.
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