“An old man with the surname ‘Hawthorne’?” Flynn furrowed his brows, filled with confusion.
After a moment, his expression changed slightly. “Grandma Wilcox, are you sure this happened a month after I was imprisoned?”
Callie told Flynn that a month after he was imprisoned, an old man saved Uncle Matteo in Ravenwood Court. This made Flynn feel suspicious.
“Yes, on the day Adrianna faked her death, Wild took me and Katie to Haralu.”
“A month later, this old man came to our place to inquire. He spoke with the neighbor downstairs and claimed his surname was Hawthorne.”
“Later on, the neighbor’s daughter had to relocate to Haralu due to a job change, so he decided to move there with her as well.”
“Yesterday was a holiday, and he went home to visit relatives. I happened to be unable to reach Katie yesterday and thought she had gone to the old house, so I wanted to look for her.”
“That’s how I ran into my old neighbor there, and while chatting with him, I found out about this situation.”
“Flynn, do you know this old man?” Grandma Wilcox asked with a hint of suspicion.
Flynn tried to search for his memory but had never heard of an old man with the surname “Hawthorne”. He shook his head. “I don’t know him at all. I have no recollection.”
“You don’t know him?” Grandma Wilcox was taken aback, her eyes filled with even more doubt. She then took out a portrait.
“This is the portrait Jagger commissioned based on the description from my neighbor. Are you sure you haven’t seen him?”
Jagger took the opportunity to take the credit. “That’s right, Mr. Clark. After Grandma Wilcox called me, I spent a lot of money to hire a skilled artist from Eahta for this.”
Flynn took the portrait and shook his head again. “I really don’t know him, Grandma Wilcox. It’s been ten years. Does the neighbor still remember what this old man looked like?”
In the portrait, the old man carried a long sword on his back and wore a sheepskin coat. His gray hair was tied up with a wood hairpin.
He was not tall, with bronze-colored eyes, a pointed chin, and a goatee. Despite being thin, he exuded a majestic aura.
His attire was just like an actor in a martial arts drama.
Who still wandered around carrying a sword these days?
“I asked my neighbor about that too.” Grandma Wilcox lightly patted Flynn’s hand and smiled faintly. “After the artist finished the portrait, I showed it to him.”
“My neighbor gave it a thumbs up and praised how much it resembled!”
Jagger proudly added, “Of course, Grandma Wilcox! That was the artist I hired for fifty thousand dollars.”
“What he painted is as realistic as a photograph!”
Grandma Wilcox chuckled. “Perhaps most people wouldn’t remember someone they had only met once, especially after ten years had passed.”
“But this old man left a deep impression on my neighbor. Not only did his appearance and clothing not resemble ordinary people, but his way of speaking was also extraordinary. His presence was intimidating.”
“After answering a few questions from him, my neighbor was drenched in sweat!”
“Could it be a high-level martial artist?” Flynn furrowed his brows, a glimmer of excitement flickering in his eyes.
Meeting the gaze of a high-level martial artist could feel like standing at the edge of an abyss or atop a precarious mountain. This old man with the surname Hawthorne must possess formidable skills.
Take Flynn, for example. If he didn’t suppress his own aura, an ordinary person would absolutely be unable to withstand his overwhelming pressure, possibly even leading to their explosive demise.
This was the terrifying nature of high-level martial artists. Of course, Flynn’s power was on an entirely different level compared to that of an ordinary person.
His power was stronger and more terrifying!
Grandma Wilcox continued, “The old man surnamed Hawthorne also revealed an important piece of information.”
“He said he was your mother’s master!”
“What?!” Flynn stood up abruptly, his face filled with shock.
Mother’s master?
No wonder!
No wonder his aura was so powerful.
His mother was already at the level of Heavenly King of the Nation and practiced Greater Sovereign techniques. How strong must her master be?
Flynn speculated that the old man with the surname Hawthorne was most likely a Blademaster!
Blademasters were much stronger than Adepts and Apothecaries in terms of combat power. They were absolutely formidable!
But why didn’t he save his mother when she was in trouble?
Instead, he appeared after Flynn was imprisoned?
Was it because the reclusive expert didn’t know about his mother’s situation? Or did he find out too late?
Or were there other reasons?
This news was too shocking. Even Scarlet found it unbelievable.
She felt that there were too many mysteries behind this, each one concealing an astonishing truth.
“Yes, the old man said he came to protect the Kaur family at your mother’s request,” Grandma Wilcox said.
“He asked about me because he was afraid I would move back from Haralu.”
“He also told my neighbor that if I returned, he must persuade me to go back to Haralu and live in seclusion!”
Grandma Wilcox’s gaze became profound.
Flynn furrowed his brows deeply.
Afraid that Grandma Wilcox would move back?
Afraid?
Did that mean even he couldn’t be able to protect her if Grandma Wilcox moved back?
Then how terrifying must this force be?
“Did Mr. Hawthorne say anything else?” Flynn quickly asked.
Grandma Wilcox replied, “He said he would come find you after you were released from prison.”
“Find me? It has been almost three months. Why hasn’t he come yet?” Flynn looked puzzled.
Scarlet thought for a moment and interjected, “It has been ten years. Could your mother’s master have passed away?”
Flynn’s gaze dimmed involuntarily as he murmured, “Maybe… After all, it has been ten years already. Who knows what has happened during these ten years?”
After saying that, he looked at the portrait with a touch of desolation.
“He should have been seventy at that time. Now, it has been another ten years…”
“Child, are you really planning to investigate this thoroughly?” Grandma Wilcox once again raised this question.
Last time, she advised Flynn to give up on revenge and live well, yet, he refused while saying that no one could stop him from seeking revenge for his mother.
Now even Adrianna Noble’s master feared that force. It showed how dangerous it would be to continue investigating.
However, Flynn smiled faintly. “Grandma Wilcox, I won’t change my mind.”
“My mother suffered so much for me while her enemies roam free. If I don’t seek revenge for her, then what am I living for?”
“But… the other side is too powerful,” Scarlet said with endless worry. “If your mother knew about this, she would never allow you to get involved.”
Grandma Wilcox chimed in as well, “Your mother loves you so much. She would never want to see you put yourself in danger!”
“Child, listen to me. Live well. Some things are beyond human control!”
“Too powerful? So what? I will sweep them away with my sword!” Flynn sneered contemptuously as his eyes narrowed slightly.
The crazy old man had said that Flynn’s sword intent was invincible and that using a sword against powerful opponents would be best.
Although using one wasn’t necessary in today’s city life, it didn’t mean he couldn’t use one!
It was time to forge a sword.
It would be great if it could absorb the energy of heaven and earth. Jade Dragon Mountain’s summit would be perfect!
That place belonged to Devin Donovan before but now belonged to Flynn.
However, Scarlet found his words too arrogant.
He was only a Great Grandmaster. How could he compete against higher-level martial artists?
Did he want to cultivate well in the future and strive to become an Earthly Sovereign?
How was that possible? The higher one went in cultivation, the harder it became to progress. Even though he mastered medicine and could use Tempering Draughts to improve his power faster, it still wouldn’t be possible for him to become an Earthly Sovereign so quickly.
Moreover, she had heard Flynn say before that Lesser Sovereign was the peak for Apothecaries.
To go further required becoming an Adept or Blademaster.
Even if Flynn became a Lesser Sovereign someday, could he truly defeat opponents of a higher rank?