Chapter 9

Theodore stopped in his tracks after arriving at the patriarch's seclusion chamber. He was very concerned about his grandfather's safety.

Thirteen years had passed, yet Theodore still vividly remembered his grandfather's words from back then.

"Theodore, Grandpa has been in seclusion in the chamber all this time. I'm usually the one who brings him his meals," Liliana said. "But, I haven't seen him for the past two years."

"For two years?" Theodore's heart sank. "How long has Grandpa been in seclusion?"

"Three years," Liliana replied. "Three years ago, he suddenly announced that he was going into seclusion. After that, he handed over all the family affairs to Granduncle Clyde—"

"Don't call him Granduncle. He doesn't deserve it," Theodore interrupted coldly.

Liliana smiled bitterly and asked, "Theodore, how did you become so powerful all of a sudden? And Vivienne, is she..."

"Don't mention that bitch's name!"

Theodore couldn't suppress the lingering fear in his heart thinking about what had happened in the dungeon.

"Let's check on Grandpa first."

Liliana visited Theodore once every year, so she wasn't fully aware of what happened. Besides, Vivienne wasn't hostile to her when they met.

Standing before the entrance to the seclusion chamber, Theodore was about to push open the door when Liliana quickly stopped him. "Theodore, Grandfather has entered Life-or-Death Seclusion!"

"Life-or-Death Seclusion?" Theodore asked with a frown.

"He said it himself. He told me to stop bringing him food about three months ago," Liliana explained.

Theodore sighed in relief upon hearing that. "Can the chamber still be opened?"

"No. The door can only be unlocked from the inside. Every time I brought food, Grandpa was the one who opened it," Liliana replied.

Her words reassured Theodore greatly. Clyde's threats still echoed in his mind, but if the chamber could only be opened from within, it meant that his grandfather had indeed entered seclusion. Clyde and his people wouldn’t have the chance to pull any tricks.

The seclusion chamber's entrance was sealed by a massive stone door, weighing thousands of pounds. Even a Postnatal Grandmaster or Innate Grandmaster couldn't break through it.

"Why would Grandpa enter Life-or-Death Seclusion?" Although Theodore felt a little relieved, he was still deeply concerned.

"I think Grandpa is trying to break through to the Innate Realm," Liliana said.

At these words, Theodore immediately recalled what his grandfather had told him thirteen years ago. Back then, his grandfather had hoped that he would master the Seraphic Swordplay and return to restore the Yardleys' honor.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps his grandfather had never placed his hopes on him at all. Sending him to the Ashcrofts was only to keep him safe.

"Maybe Grandpa thought that if he could reach the Innate Realm one day, the Yardleys' crisis would no longer be a crisis," Theodore thought.

In Philodorah, achieving the Innate Realm meant that even if enemies were still lurking about, they would have to think twice before provoking the wrath of an Innate Grandmaster.

After pondering for a while outside the seclusion chamber, Theodore ultimately decided not to disturb his grandfather's breakthrough. Even with Ezekiel's memories, he understood all too well the dangers of interfering during such a crucial moment.

"You two, keep watch here. If anything happens inside, report to me immediately," he instructed the guards outside.

Although both guards had no idea who Theodore was, they nodded because Liliana was standing beside him. They were among the patriarch's most trusted men; both were first-class cultivators.

After leaving the seclusion chamber, Theodore made his way back to his room.

Thirteen years had passed, yet everything in his room remained exactly as he remembered it. Someone had been maintaining it all this time since there wasn't a speck of dust in sight.

"Theodore, you… you should leave," Liliana lowered her head and said softly.

Seeing the worry on his sister's face, Theodore smiled and ruffled her hair. "Silly girl. I'm the acting patriarch of the Yardleys now. What will happen to all of you if I leave?"

"But… the Boltons will find out sooner or later. When they do, you won't stand a chance if they come after you," Liliana said anxiously. "The Boltons have Innate Grandmasters!"

Even Liliana understood that Innate Realm cultivators were regarded as divine figures in Philodorah. Although Theodore was strong, he was only at Peak Postnatal Realm. He could never stand against an Innate Grandmaster unless he stepped into the Innate Realm.

"So what if they have Innate Grandmasters?" Theodore continued to ruffle her hair. "Don't worry. I promise I won't let anything happen to me."

If Theodore only had the mastery of sword techniques, he wouldn't have been so confident. With the legacy of his ancestor, he was positive that he could handle an Innate Grandmaster.

Liliana didn't know why Theodore was so confident, but she chose to believe in him.

She noticed that Theodore had changed completely. When she had visited him at the Ashcroft Manor, his gaze was gloomy, and he always looked frail.

However, even though his eyes were still gloomy now, there was a calm and unshakable composure.

After Liliana left, Theodore immediately sat cross-legged on the floor and focused on the changes in his internal energy.

Although he had inherited the Sword Orb, he had yet to unleash its true power. He had only caught a glimpse of the Sword Orb’s internal space.

Still, the power it had granted him was undeniable. It had not only healed his wounds but also transformed his physique.

Now, he felt a blazing force surging through his limbs as he circulated his internal energy.

"It's Solar Force," Theodore thought to himself. "The Sword Orb has not only restored my body but has also fully revived my Solar Force. In fact, my current physique is even stronger than before. However, if I want to step into the Energy Refinement Stage, I’ll likely need the aid of some pills."

Theodore inherited more than just sword techniques from Ezekiel's memories. More importantly, Ezekiel had been a renowned alchemist.

From those memories, Theodore had learned that his ancestor's skill in alchemy was not inferior to his mastery of sword techniques. In fact, it might have even surpassed it!

Theodore wasn't just aiming for the Innate Realm. He was setting his sights on the immortals' Energy Refinement Stage. Only by reaching that realm could he truly transcend mortality.

"Ezekiel rose from nothing to a Lord. The key to his success was him being a renowned Alchemy Overlord," Theodore thought.

Although many of the inherited memories were sealed, he had already uncovered several crucial pieces of information, including some pill refinement techniques.

Mortal cultivators also used pills to enhance their cultivation, but those were nothing compared to the pills of the immortals.

"I don't have a proper cauldron or the right materials, but..." Theodore's eyes flickered with determination. "Ezekiel created the path of Longevity Alchemy. If I infuse my sword intent into the pills, I can utilize a portion of the Sword Orb’s power!"

While Theodore immersed himself in cultivation to prepare for the upcoming crisis, a secret meeting was taking place in the guest chambers of the Yardley Manor.

"Theodore may have a few tricks up his sleeve, but the Yardleys will be annihilated once the Boltons learn about Sebastian's death."

"That's right. The Boltons have Innate Grandmasters. The Seraphic Swordplay may be close to immortal level, but Theodore is only at the Peak Postnatal Realm. There's no way he can stand against an Innate Grandmaster."

"Carson, you need to think of something. We can't just sit here and wait for our demise."

The group of elders was effectively under house arrest at the guest chambers. Carson, who was not far away, wore an ugly expression. Today’s events were far beyond his imagination.

He snapped back to his senses when he heard their discussion. As he thought about the Boltons’ Innate Grandmaster, his jaw clenched. He then ordered, "Inform the Boltons immediately of everything that has happened here. Let them know that the sword technique is in Theodore’s hands and that we are willing to cooperate with them to kill him!"