— The Three Treasures That Shook the Frostveil —
"Patriarch Severin, I understand the Frostjade Marrow's significance to your sect, but we must have it. Nothing in this world is truly beyond purchase—it merely depends on whether the price is sufficient," Eren said calmly as he sat down. "Why not first hear our terms?"
Severin picked up his tea and took a small sip. "Very well, out of respect for the Sixfold Trade Guild, I will hear your 'price.'"
An opening!
Eren's heart stirred. He immediately brought out the first treasure.
"Patriarch, behold. This is the Heavenly-Piercer Thread, refined from Heavenly Silkworm Silk and Meteoric Iron Essence."
A silent, cold light flashed, and a stone carving at the side of the hall silently split into two, the cut surface smooth as a mirror.
Severin's pupils constricted.
He hadn't even seen how Eren made his move—if that thread had been aimed at his neck...
Suppressing his shock, he said mildly, "A sharp weapon, certainly. But ultimately a specialized tool, not particularly rare."
Unfazed, Eren produced three pills.
"The second treasure—the Essence Reversion Pills. A mortal who consumes one can immediately ascend to the third-grade Grandmaster-tier; a Grandmaster who consumes three can advance directly to the Great Grandmaster-tier."
"What?!"
Severin's composed demeanor shattered completely.
This was no longer mere interest, but a soul-deep shaken.
Kaelen's face changed dramatically. "Preposterous! How can such heaven-defying pills exist in this world? If they were real, who would part with—"
"I guarantee it on the reputation of the Sixfold Trade Guild," Selene interjected, her voice cool yet firm. "Every word Eren speaks is true."
Severin's heart raced, but he still suppressed his excitement. "With Miss Selene's guarantee, it must be credible. However, I suspect such pills have significant limitations... Young friend, perhaps you could tell us about the third treasure?"
Eren nodded slightly, his voice cold yet steady. "The third item, and the one most suited to the Frostveil Sect—the Shadowfrost Yin Art."
As the name fell, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop another three degrees.
Severin's finger twitched, nearly losing hold of his teacup; Kaelen shot to his feet, his face a mask of disbelief.
The entire hall fell into dead silence.
—In that moment, they all understood:
This transaction was never a choice, but a fork in the path of fate.
— Killing Intent Breaks the Surface —
Severin took the handwritten excerpt of the art from Eren—
And instantly froze rigid.
A moment later, he looked up, his eyes wide as if witnessing a divine miracle.
"This... this is no Heaven-grade art... It surpasses it—a Supreme-grade art!"
Just this small fragment was enough to elevate the Frostveil Sect above all other sects, bringing them closer to the legacy of the immortals themselves.
Severin's breathing grew ragged.
His gaze darted between the treasures and Eren.
Each of the three treasures defied heaven's law, and this young man before him... just how many more secrets did he hold?
In that instant, the fire in his eyes cooled, like an abyss suddenly cracking open beneath a glacier.
"Eren," his voice was low and trembling, "These three treasures of yours—my Frostveil Sect will take them all."
Elen's spirits lifted. "So you agree to exchange the Frostjade Marrow?"
"No."
Severin's smile twisted. "No, I do not intend to exchange."
He stood up, the chilling aura around him intensifying abruptly.
"What I mean is—not only these three items, but all the treasures on your person, including those flying swords of yours... I, the Patriarch, will graciously accept them all."
Selene shot to her feet. "Patriarch Severin, are you resorting to robbery?"
"Hahaha—Precisely!"
Severin laughed heartily, his eyes wild with greed.
"Since you've delivered yourselves to our doorstep, how could we let such treasures—and people—leave so easily? Today, both of you will be staying!"
Eren's face darkened, yet a dangerous smile played on his lips:
"Is that so? Then let's see... if the Frostveil Sect has the capability."
As the words fell—
"Eren... My head is so dizzy... My body... has no strength..."
Selene slumped weakly into his arms, her breath faint. "The tea... was poisoned? Severin... You truly dared to poison us?"
Severin threw his head back and laughed wildly. "The tea? Haha—of course the tea wasn't poisoned."
His laughter cut off abruptly, a sinister shadow crossing his eyes.
"The real poison... has been in the air all along."
— The Poisoned Trap Unmasked —
Eren pointed towards the giant censer in the center of the hall, his voice as cold as a honed blade:
"The poison is dispersed from there."
Severin, far from angry, laughed and even gave a thumbs-up:
"Correct. A rare poison is mixed within the censer's incense; no one can escape it. But don't worry—if you hand over all three treasures and the secrets you carry, this Patriarch might just spare your life."
Selene rebuked him angrily, "Severin! You, a sect patriarch, would stoop to such underhanded methods? Aren't you afraid of becoming the laughingstock of the world if this gets out?"
"That would require someone to escape and tell the tale."
Kaelen strode forward, laughing boastfully. "Cards on the table! No more acting! From the moment you stepped into the Frostveil Sect, you entered our trap."
He stepped closer to Selene, his eyes filled with unconcealed malevolence:
"Selene, a little secret for you. The Sixfold Trade Guild coup... our Frostveil Sect had a hand in it too. Sent ten ninth-grade Great Grandmasters to aid Kenelm. A guild richer than nations, who wouldn't want a bite?"
He licked his lips, his smile lecherous. "A pity we didn't catch you back then. Never thought you'd deliver yourself to us. Once we have you, your father will kneel obediently, and as for me... I'll naturally have my 'thorough taste' of you."
Selene's snow-white skin paled further with fury. "Shameless! The Frostveil Sect and Kenelm are indeed cut from the same treacherous cloth!"
"Curse away." Kaelen spread his hands. "No one is coming to save you."
He then turned his gaze to Eren, his sneer deepening. "If not for Damien's warning, we wouldn't have set this trap in advance, nor would we so easily obtain your heaven-defying treasures."
A flash of cold light passed through Eren's eyes. "So it was that scum stirring trouble behind the scenes."
— The Poison Plot Backfires —
Severin stared at Eren, his expression shifting dramatically.
"No... That's not right! Why haven't you collapsed?! Where is the poison?!"
He had been stalling, waiting for the poison to take effect.
Yet Eren stood firm as a rock, his breathing unnervingly calm.
Eren's voice was flat. "You think your pathetic, low-grade tricks can plot against me?"
He lifted his gaze, his expression looking down upon them with disdain. "Hand over the Frostjade Marrow, and I might just be merciful enough to let you two dogs live."
Kaelen burst into loud laughter as if he'd heard the biggest joke.
Severin also wore a mocking expression. "Brat, I've seen arrogant ones, but never one so eager to die. So what if you aren't poisoned? In my Frostveil Sect, you're still just a worm!"
He waved his hand.
Twenty Frostveil Sect disciples stepped forward in unison. A terrifying, sky-pressing chill erupted, freezing the very air itself.
"See clearly. These twenty disciples of mine are all ninth-grade Grandmasters. Killing you? A mere flick of the wrist!"
A bitter wind howled. An ordinary person would have long frozen into an ice sculpture.
Eren remained motionless.
"Just twenty ninth-grade Grandmasters?"
His tone was indifferent. "Didn't Damien tell you? Killing them... takes me but an instant."
"Attack! Cripple him! Beware his Heavenly-Piercer Thread!" Severin roared.
The warning came too late.
Whoosh—
No one saw Eren move.
No one heard any screams.
The next second—
Twenty heads flew into the air simultaneously.
The blood didn't even have time to stain the ground before the extreme cold flash-froze it into crimson mist.
Severin stood as if thunderstruck. "Wh-what?!"
He couldn't believe his eyes—
Twenty ninth-grade Grandmasters hadn't even touched Eren before being silently beheaded.
Kaelen's legs turned to jelly, his entire body trembling, teeth chattering in sheer terror.
He, who had always prided himself as a genius, was now consumed by bone-deep fear.
Eren raised his eyes, his killing intent like a polar night storm.
"Severin, I'll say this one last time—"
"Hand over the Frostjade Marrow.
And I'll let you dogs live.
Otherwise..."
His voice turned frigid.
"Refuse... and I will bury the Frostveil Sect beneath its own snow."