Chapter 9: Heavenly Ultimate Hall Master

The interior of the main mansion was splendidly decorated, with numerous night pearls embedded on the walls. Their fluorescent glow illuminated the surroundings as if it were daytime. Inside the splendidly decorated residence, Malcolm Yarbrough, the silver-haired master of Heavenly Ultimate Hall, sat regally, perusing a scroll. “Uncle Yarbrough,” Raelyn greeted as she entered. “What brings you here, girl? Need your uncle’s help with something?” Malcolm asked with a smile upon seeing Raelyn. “I’m not here for help. I’ve brought you a genius,” Raelyn indicated Titus. “A genius?” Malcolm frowned slightly, feeling that Titus looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He scrutinized Titus, and his brows furrowed. With his level of cultivation, Malcolm could easily discern that Titus's Sea of Qi was damaged, with only thirty percent of it remaining intact. To put it mildly, he could barely be considered a Martial Cultivator. In less flattering terms, he was practically a cripple. “Girl, there’s a limit to joking around,” Malcolm chided somewhat. “Uncle Yarbrough, I’m not joking. Xenos is indeed a genius, he is a practitioner of Blade Cultivation,” Raelyn quickly responded. Malcolm’s reproachful expression softened, and he looked at Titus in surprise. “Are you really a practitioner of Blade Cultivation?” Titus did not speak, but a surge of blade energy emanated from around him. Seeing the swirling blade energy, Malcolm’s eyes lit up. Blade Cultivators were extremely rare; among a million Martial Cultivators, there might not even be one Blade Cultivator. However, Malcolm felt regret upon sensing that Titus’s Sea of Qi was only at thirty percent capacity. If Titus’s Sea of Qi had been intact, his status as a Blade Cultivator alone would have been sufficient for direct promotion to an Inner Sect disciple, and perhaps even to a core disciple. What a pity, his Sea of Qi is only at thirty percent. “Uncle Yarbrough, Xenos is an extremely powerful Blade Cultivator. With his talent, remaining in the Heavenly Ultimate Hall as an Outer Sect disciple would only waste his potential. That’s why I brought Xenos to meet you,” Raelyn hastily explained. “You’re right, a talented Outer Sect disciple should not be buried. Rest assured, as the master of the Heavenly Ultimate Hall, I will not mistreat any talented Outer Sect disciple. With his talent, entering the Inner Sect should not be a problem. Moreover, he is a Blade Cultivator; I will do my best to cultivate him,” Malcolm said with a smile. Although half-disabled, Titus was still a Blade Cultivator, and becoming an Inner Sect disciple should not be a problem. Having an additional Inner Sect disciple was good for the Heavenly Ultimate Hall. After all, the competition among the eight Outer Sect palaces was fierce. This year, the Heavenly Ultimate Hall had only promoted nineteen disciples to the Inner Sect, ranking second to last among the eight palaces. An additional Inner Sect disciple could help mitigate some of the Hall’s disadvantages. Hearing Malcolm’s words, Raelyn’s face showed excitement. She knew that Titus’s talent would not be buried. Her impromptu decision to bring him to meet Malcolm was the wisest she had ever made. With Malcolm’s assurance, Titus’s future would undoubtedly be one of focused cultivation, advancing far on the path of Martial Cultivation. “Please have a seat here for a moment. I will return shortly and make arrangements for Titus,” Malcolm said to the two. After Malcolm left, Raelyn excitedly grabbed Titus’s arm. “Xenos, since Uncle Yarbrough has said so, it means he recognizes your talent. You definitely won’t be mistreated in the future.” “Yates, you’ve done me such a great favor; I don’t know how to thank you,” Titus replied. In the Skynet Sect, the difference between having a patron and not having one was significant. Although Titus didn’t care about it now, having Malcolm’s support could save him a lot of time. The sooner the Martial Spirit seed is reclaimed, the higher its integrity. The longer it takes to reclaim, the lower its integrity, and there’s even a risk of failure. “Xenos, we’ve known each other for so long, you don’t need to be so formal. Just don’t pretend you don’t know me when you become an Inner Sect disciple, or even a core disciple,” Raelyn said, biting her lower lip, her cheeks flushing. “I won’t,” Titus replied, but he didn’t notice the change in Raelyn’s expression as his thoughts were already on the Spirit Gathering Fruit. For others, a Spirit Gathering Fruit containing ten percent medicinal power might not be very effective, but for Titus, it was key to cultivating his Blade Bone. Perfect Foundation Building consists of three stages: first, forging the Blade Vein; second, cultivating the Blade Bone; and finally, condensing the Blade Soul. Only by completing these three stages can one achieve Perfect Foundation Building. ... In the pavilion of the Inner Mansion. Malcolm stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant lake. A breeze blew over the water, creating a glittering surface, and willows on both shores swayed with the wind. “Master!” A green-robed elder arrived, landing outside the pavilion, and greeted Malcolm with a bow. “How did your investigation go?” Malcolm asked. "Titus is the legitimate son of the Xenos Family from the Sparrow Kingdom. He joined our Heavenly Ultimate Hall three years ago and has shown remarkable talent, ranking fifth this year. Six days ago, he was promoted to the Inner Sect, and you personally awarded him the Inner Sect disciple’s robe," the green-robed elder reported. “No wonder he looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had seen him. It turns out it was six days ago,” Malcolm nodded in realization, then asked, “So why did he return to the Heavenly Ultimate Hall after becoming an Inner Sect disciple?” “He was crippled by someone,” the green-robed elder said gravely. “As expected,” Malcolm nodded slightly, unsurprised. Whether Outer or Inner Sect disciples, the competition was extremely fierce. Becoming an Inner Sect disciple did not guarantee safety. In fact, the struggles among Inner Sect disciples were even more brutal than those of the Outer Sect. Malcolm had guessed that Titus had been crippled by someone upon sensing that his Sea of Qi was only at thirty percent capacity. “Master, why did you decide to investigate Titus? Is it because of Chloe?” the green-robed elder asked. Malcolm’s expression changed. Chloe was not an ordinary person but a personal disciple of the Sect Master, a hot prospect in the Skynet Sect, and a likely candidate for the next Sect Master. Even if Chloe didn’t become the Sect Master, her status as a personal disciple of the current Sect Master would still enable her to secure an Elder position in internal affairs. Many high-ranking members in the sect were trying to build good relations with Chloe. Even if they couldn’t, they tried not to offend her. “How could Titus be connected to Chloe?” Malcolm asked sternly. “I found that Titus was crippled by someone sent by Chloe,” the green-robed elder revealed. “Does Chloe have a grudge against Titus, or did he offend her?” Malcolm asked, frowning. “Neither.” The green-robed elder shook his head, then glanced around and lowered his voice. “According to my investigation, to enhance her own Martial Spirit, Chloe has been seizing the seeds of others’ Martial Spirits for years. Her seventh-grade Lightning Beast Martial Spirit was originally only sixth-grade, but she enhanced it to seventh-grade by devouring numerous Martial Spirit seeds.” Malcolm’s expression changed slightly. Seizing Martial Spirit seeds was taboo, and if word got out, it would have a significant impact. However, Chloe dared to do so, which meant she must have backing, or perhaps someone instructed her to do it. Otherwise, would Chloe dare to be so reckless within the sect? “Sparrow Kingdom the Xenos Family... turns out to be a minor noble family’s direct descendant, no wonder Chloe set her sights on him. Even if he’s crippled and his Martial Spirit taken, nobody would dare say a word.” Malcolm sighed. If Titus hadn’t gotten involved with Chloe, Malcolm wouldn’t mind nurturing him. But now, it’s better to forget it. In order to support a semi-crippled Blade Cultivation, is it worth offending someone as prominent as Chloe? Isn't this just asking for trouble?