Chapter 253: Damian Smells Critical Rewards
Selvara remained quiet for a moment, clearly thinking through Damian’s concerns.
Eventually, she turned toward both of them. "Damian. Violetta."
The two immediately looked at her.
Selvara’s expression returned to its usual calmness. "Neither of you needs to leave."
Damian frowned. "Master, but..."
Selvara’s gaze sharpened slightly, stopping him before he could continue. "I know what you’re worried about."
Damian closed his mouth.
Selvara looked at him first, then shifted her attention toward Violetta. "You are my disciple, Damian. Violetta is my grand-disciple."
Her voice gradually became colder. "What kind of master would I be if I couldn’t even protect the two of you on my own mountain?"
Violetta’s eyes moved slightly.
Damian also became silent.
Selvara continued calmly, "As for Nolan, you don’t need to fear him too much."
Damian’s brow immediately twitched. "Master, didn’t you hear everything I just said? That bastard has a King Grade sword, a King Grade sword art, and who knows how many other things he’s still hiding."
His expression became more serious.
Damian had another reason to be cautious that he obviously could not explain to Selvara.
Nolan was basically a protagonist.
And if there was one thing Damian had learned from countless stories in his previous life, it was that protagonists always had some ridiculous trump card hidden up their asses when people least expected it.
Selvara calmly looked at him. "I heard you."
Damian paused.
Selvara’s voice remained steady. "I know Nolan is dangerous now, but you also seem to have forgotten something."
Her eyes sharpened slightly. "I’m still your master, and I’m not some weak woman."
Damian stared at her for a moment.
Selvara continued, "More importantly, this is the Heavenly Sword Sect."
Her gaze became colder. "This isn’t a demonic sect, nor is it some second-rate sect where disciples can openly murder whoever they want simply because they have higher status, greater talent, or some powerful elder backing them."
Selvara rested one hand beside her teacup. "The Heavenly Sword Sect is still considered a righteous sect. Rules matter. Reputation matters. Public standing matters."
Damian slowly narrowed his eyes.
Selvara continued, "If Nolan tries to use some ridiculous excuse to openly coerce or attack you or Violetta, he won’t gain anything easily."
Her voice became sharp. "Instead, his reputation will fall even further."
Violetta lowered her gaze slightly.
Damian remained quiet as he thought about it.
Selvara was right.
Nolan’s reputation had already been damaged badly by everything that had happened before.
With all the rumors and ugly news surrounding him, he needed to repair his public image rather than make it even worse.
Selvara continued, "And now that Nolan has become more important to the sect, more eyes will be watching him."
Damian’s expression shifted.
That made even more sense.
The stronger and more valuable Nolan became, the more attention he would attract, not only from allies but also from rivals and enemies waiting for him to make a mistake.
If he acted recklessly now, people inside and outside the Heavenly Sword Sect could easily use that weakness against him.
Selvara looked directly at Damian. "There is also another point."
Damian raised an eyebrow. "Since Nolan has already defeated you once, he may no longer consider you his greatest threat."
Damian’s eyes moved slightly.
From Nolan’s perspective, Damian had lost completely. He had been utterly overwhelmed and defeated and was supposed to have died, surviving only by sheer luck.
If Nolan believed the gap between them had already become that enormous, he might simply see Damian’s survival as an irritating accident.
It wouldn’t be something worth risking his current reputation and position over.
Damian slowly rubbed his chin. "Damn... that’s actually reasonable."
Selvara’s gaze immediately became flat. "Of course it is."
Damian coughed lightly. "I mean, Master is wise."
Selvara ignored the flattery as usual.
Her voice became colder again. "So don’t worry. I’ll make sure both of you are safe."
She paused for a single breath. "Even if I have to expose my real power."
The room suddenly became completely silent.
Damian’s expression changed. Violetta also looked toward Selvara with faint surprise.
For several seconds, Damian simply stared at his master. Something strange slowly rose in his chest.
"Expose her real power?"
His eyes narrowed faintly.
Damian had already heard several unsettling things about Selvara from the demonic sect spies he encountered before.
Things that suggested the cold sword elder sitting quietly in front of him had once been far more terrifying than the Heavenly Sword Sect currently knew.
His mouth twitched slightly.
"Damn... don’t tell me Master is really going to become the Sword Demon again?"
Selvara looked at Damian and Violetta for a moment longer before speaking again. "So don’t worry."
Her gaze shifted toward Violetta. "As for you, Violetta, I think it would be better for you to return to the Heavenly Palace again."
Violetta lowered her head respectfully. "Yes, Grandmaster."
She paused briefly before adding in a softer voice, "But I would like to leave later. I only just returned after being away for so long, so I want to stay with Master for a while first."
Damian’s expression naturally warmed at those words.
Selvara looked at Violetta for a moment before giving a faint nod. "Of course."
Violetta smiled gently. "Thank you, Grandmaster."
Selvara rose from her seat and calmly adjusted her robes. "I also need to handle a few things now that I understand the current situation."
Her voice became noticeably colder. "Nolan’s matter can no longer be ignored."
Damian nodded seriously. "Yes, Master."
Selvara turned toward the door, clearly preparing to leave the room.
At that exact moment, however, a sudden thought flashed through Damian’s mind. His eyes immediately brightened.
"Wait a damn minute..."
He slowly looked at Selvara’s back. She had just received several pieces of extremely shocking news about Nolan.
For someone as cold and composed as Selvara, that information might not have shaken her much.
Maybe only slightly.
Yet for Damian, even a tiny disturbance in that ridiculously cold sword heart was enough.
His eyes gradually became brighter.
"Isn’t this... the perfect fucking opportunity?"
The system’s gifting rewards were heavily influenced by the recipient’s emotional state.
A stronger emotional reaction meant a better chance of triggering an improved multiplier, a Critical Reward, or perhaps even something more ridiculous.
Right now, Selvara was clearly more emotionally unsettled than usual.
Damian’s lips slowly curled upward.
"Hehehe..."
His attention immediately shifted toward the treasures waiting inside his storage ring.
"If I’m going to gift Master something, there might not be a better fucking time than right now."