"The higher-ups set up this rule for Malcolm 20 years ago when he was exiled. As long as he steps foot in Crestborne, he will be dealt with immediately. So, you will only have to deal with his student, Elliot, today, and fortunately for you, I can help you with that," Joseph said.At that, Hans visibly let out a sigh of relief. His eyes brimmed with admiration as he grabbed Joseph's hands. "Mr. Zimmer, my family's life is in your hands now!" Hans declared."Alright. If Elliot dares to come tonight, he will be defeated by the might of Shastia!" Joseph declared arrogantly with a boisterous laugh.Hans and Joseph chatted for a while longer before Joseph finally got to his feet and said, "Okay, let's head to the venue now since we've settled this matter. Isn't the fight set to occur at the Sky Platform?""You're right! This way, please, Mr. Zimmer," Hans exclaimed as he motioned to the stairway.Everyone got to their feet to go to the Sky Platform, and Sebastian considered his options
Joseph had been chatting with his students when he suddenly felt a sense of danger. Joseph whipped his head to the staircase, and his expression was solemn as he declared, "Mr. Wagner, he's here."After that, he turned to look at Sebastian in disbelief. How did he know that Elliot was here before he did?Was he actually that powerful, or was it just a lucky guess?Sebastian flashed him a mild smile in response and turned his calm gaze back to the stairway.The crowd was silent as everyone turned their heads to stare at it. Suddenly, there was a furious roar followed by the unmistakable clang of knives as a fight broke out.However, the sounds died down as suddenly as they arose. After that, bodies came flying from the stairway like comets and crashed into the tables at the lounge, and some of them even landed in the pool.A set of heavy footsteps made their way up the stairs, and right after that, a middle-aged man in a black linen shirt appeared.The man had a buzzcut, an
"Then how much do you want?" Hans asked with a frown.Elliot chuckled before he replied, "I want the entire Tiger Sect and Prosperity Corporation! Also, I want you to get on your knees before me and beg for my forgiveness in front of all of Steinberg. "As long as you publicly admit that I'm better than you, I'll let you live. If you don't agree to my conditions, I'll kill you and then your family!"Hans was furious, and he slammed his hand onto the table. His eyes were bloodshot as he barked, "Elliot! Don't push your luck! You're sorely mistaken if you think I'm a pushover! If we do end up going to war, you will lose!"Elliot howled with laughter before he replied, "Is that right? I would love to see you try to beat me then!"Hans frowned. "I know that Malcolm is your master and that you are already an Inner Strength Master. However, don't think for a second that just because you have a formidable master, you are above the law! "Remember, your master isn't allowed to step foot
Hans had rallied the crowd and fired them up so much that Joseph now had no choice but to fight Elliot.There was no way he could refuse to fight now that Hans had made him out to be so powerful! His pride would never allow him to.Joseph slowly got to his feet and extended an arm toward Elliot, assuming the stance of an elegant martial artist.Amidst the crowd's admiring gazes, Joseph then took three steps forward and stared coldly at Elliot."Elliot! I know how hard it is to master martial arts, so I'll give you a chance to get out of this situation unscathed. Cripple yourself and leave Steinberg, or I will have to kill you!" Joseph declared.Elliot scoffed in disbelief. "How bold of you to threaten me! The art of Shastia from Suden is merely child's play to me! In fact, I'll show you just how insignificant the art of Shastia is today!""You maniac! You brought this upon yourself!" Joseph howled in fury as he stomped his right foot, crushing the tiles under his foot to dust.
Though everyone present was excited, Sebastian sighed and shook his head sadly. "It's no use. Joseph has already lost," he declared.Just one sentence was enough to silence the once excited chattering of the crowd.Three of Joseph's students turned to shoot venomous glares at Sebastian."What are you saying, you punk?" one hissed."Why would Mr. Zimmer lose? Do you even know how powerful Shastia Punch is? It's strong enough to break through steel!" another added in annoyance."I think this brat is just spouting nonsense for attention! What a joke!" the other scoffed.Sebastian remained silent even as they cursed him out. He was merely stating facts.It was clear from the fight just now that Joseph had used up all of his energy, yet Elliot hadn't even used a fraction of his strength.This fight was just a game to Elliot!Hans hurriedly tried to explain to Sebastian, "Mr. Ballard, Shastia Punch is actually very well-known in Suden—"However, before he could finish explaining
Elliot twisted his head to lock eyes with a very calm-looking Sebastian. His tone was chilly as he asked, "And who are you? Are you going to fight for Hans as well?"Sebastian flashed a mild smile and his expression remained nonchalant. It was clear that he didn't respect Elliot at all.Meanwhile, Hans rushed to Sebastian's side as he cried, "Dr. Ballard! Save me… please save me…"Right now, Sebastian was his only hope—the only one who could save him.Sebastian nodded. "Since I've already promised you that I would help, I won't go back on my word." Elliot's fury only rose at Sebastian's carefree attitude and casual words. He glared at Sebastian as he roared, "Who the hell are you?"Elliot had actually seen Sebastian when he first came up to the Sky Platform. However, because Sebastian looked extremely young, Elliot paid no mind to his presence at all and thought that he was merely one of Hans' men.However, it was clear to him now that Sebastian wasn't just one of Hans' men.
Only Elliot's master could counter this attack. Hence, he could only run."Fuck! Damn that Hans! How did he find such a powerful backer? It seems like I can't stay here in Steinberg anymore. I can only go overseas now," Elliot muttered to himself as he ran.However, just when Elliot tried to escape, Sebastian sneered coldly. "Too late!"Sebastian waved and shouted toward Elliot's figure, "Freeze!"With that, a spell was made. Elliot's body instantly froze in place. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed as if he was completely immobilized.Joseph, witnessing this, exclaimed in trembling tones, "Incredible, truly incredible! This is a true master!"Who would have thought that such a young man in his 20s was not only a Martial Arts Grandmaster but also a skilled spellcaster?This spell was amazing, indeed!Hans, realizing the situation, shivered and rushed over. He looked at Elliot, who was frozen in a fleeing posture, and then ran toward Sebastian. "Dr. Ballard, why is Ellio
Whitney's sharp evaluation echoed through the radio. "He is someone who isn't knowledgeable! A foolish man clinging to superstitions with no ambition!" The scene erupted into chaos!At the live event, hundreds of spectators were left stunned, engaging in hushed conversations. Simultaneously, the online discussion within the livestream was intense as netizens flooded the comments with fervor.Almost everyone found it hard to believe that a woman would make such a scathing assessment of her ex-husband. What had this man done to incur such disappointment from a woman, especially one as successful as Whitney? Who exactly was Whitney Sutton? She was an elite in Steinberg's business world, worth over a billion, and featured on various magazine covers.She was the most famous female CEO in the last two years!She had also become a figure widely discussed in both Steinberg's business community and among the general public. Due to Whitney's beauty, youthfulness, and significant
"It all comes back to Uncle Samson," Andreas said. "Great Uncle Arnaud already told you he'd let Uncle Samson have his freedom if you find the other emerald token, but then he brought up the marriage alliance. "It directly affects whether or not Uncle Samson can regain his freedom. So, why don't you think about it?"With a quiet chuckle, Andreas walked toward a grove of peach trees to the west.Realization finally dawned on Sebastian. Arnaud was a shrewd man. He wouldn't slip up like that. Besides, although the Ballards and the Yeomans had established a marriage agreement, they hadn't named specific individuals, only that the Blessed Child of the Ballards would fulfill it.The Blessed Child bore the duty of guiding the Ballards to revival. In other words, the emerald token would be better off falling into the Blessed Child's hands rather than anyone else's.Could it be that the final emerald token was with the Yeomans? If that were true, why hadn't the Ballards used their pow
"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in becoming the head of the Ballard family," Sebastian said impassively. "I only want my father to be freed."Arnaud's expression changed slightly, but his tone remained neutral as he said, "It's Braxton who owes you and your mother, not the entire family. Why must you do this?"Sebastian let out a cold snort. It was true that Braxton had been the one who had kicked them out, but weren't the true culprits the elders of the Ballard Estate?"If there's nothing else, I'd like to see Whitney," Sebastian said, rising slowly to his feet. As soon as he mentioned her name, Arnaud waved a hand at him and said, "Don't be in such a rush, Sebastian. Whitney is safe. The Ballards would never harm a frail woman."He added, "However, there's something I want to ask you. Is Whitney still your wife?"Sebastian frowned. "Whether she is or isn't, what business is that of the Ballards?""Of course it is," Arnaud replied firmly. "The Ballards and the Yeomans of
Arnaud led Sebastian into a secret room deep within the Hall of the Ancestral Dragon. Once inside, Sebastian saw a Cosmic Orbit Diagram. It was exactly the same as the records in the Sacred Medicine Secret Annals.However, the Ballards' Cosmic Orbit Diagram was divided into different sections. It looked even more three-dimensional."This is the Cosmic Orbit Diagram passed down through our family for generations," Arnaud said proudly. "The one that the Sacred Medicine Society has is just a copy."The legacy of the mystic arts in Dramon almost all came from the Ballards.The Ballards had withheld some things back then as well. As a result, all the legacies of the various secular sects only had incomplete Cosmic Orbit Diagrams. It was why there were very few experts at the fifth level of the Eldoria realm and above.Afterward, Arnaud led Sebastian into a library. Thousands of technical legacies lined the shelves. Sebastian flipped through them. The techniques recorded there were
Samson glanced at Sebastian. He took a deep breath and said to Arnaud, "Thank you for sparing me, Uncle Arnaud."He gave Sebastian a few final reminders before leaving the hall with Preston.Once they were gone, Arnaud pointed at Duo and said to Sebastian, "Tell him to leave too."Sebastian waved a hand at Duo."I'll wait for you at the entrance, my lord," Duo said. "If anything happens, I'll be here as soon as you call!"He gave Arnaud a cold look before striding out of the hall.Arnaud watched him leave and smiled approvingly. He beckoned to Sebastian. "Come, sit!"Sebastian didn't hesitate. He crossed the hall and sat in the chair opposite Arnaud."Do you know why I asked Andreas to bring you back here?" Arnaud asked impassively. Sebastian shook his head expressionlessly. He said in a cold voice, "It's probably because of the emerald token in my father's possession."Apart from using him and Whitney as leverage against Samson, he couldn't think of any other reason.Arnau
"The Blessed Child! The Blessed Child has finally come to our family!"The black-robed old man who had been sitting beside Arnaud stood up, looking pleased. He couldn't hide his excitement as he turned to Arnaud and said, "Arnaud, our family is going to prosper!"Only Rexton and Milton looked extremely displeased. Braxton and Roland looked pained, as if they had lost something of great value. They were practically thumping their chests in regret!The Blessed Child had been foretold by one of the heads of the family centuries ago. No matter how far the Ballards declined, the prophecy said that after a few hundred years, a Blessed Child would appear—someone who could lead the family's revival!The only proof of the Blessed Child was for him to enter a master-servant oath with a Devora."Prosper? What a joke!" Hugo scoffed, holding Virtus firmly. "Weren't you all just clamoring about killing the two of them?"At Hugo's words, Arnaud's expression changed slightly. "When did I say tha
"Hugo!"Arnaud, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them wide. He eyed Hugo with a conflicted expression as he asked, "Have you forgotten the agreement the Thornes made with us ten years ago?"Hugo smiled coldly and put one hand behind his back. "That was the agreement you made with the Thornes. I'm only following Ms. Thorne's orders to protect Samson and find the emerald token. If Samson dies in this battle, how am I supposed to explain that to her?"He pointed at Sebastian and added, "He's Ms. Thorne's flesh and blood. Your family has no right to punish him! If the Ballards insist on killing them today, don't blame me for going on a killing spree!"When Hugo had finished, Sebastian finally realized that Hugo was from Isabella's family and that he had stayed at the Ballard Estate to protect Samson.It was clear that Isabella hadn't held a grudge toward Samson. In fact, she had sent an expert to stay behind to protect him in case anything happened.Arnaud's
Sebastian threw his head back in laughter. He strode forward, standing in the center of the hall, and said coldly. "Ungrateful? How could you have the audacity to say such a thing?"Even if I'm surrounded by enemies, you Ballards can forget about making me submit! It's just death, after all. If I even blink, then I won't call myself a man!"Everyone there stared at Sebastian."How dare that brat be so cocky? If he's not punished, it'll be a disgrace to our family rules!""He should be given the death penalty!""It'll be a disaster if we just let him be, and it'll only bring trouble for our family. Please give the order, and we'll kill him at once!"The entire hall was in an uproar. Even Preston, who had been speaking up for Sebastian and Samson, sighed in resignation.Since Sebastian had already made his stance clear, Preston couldn't help even if he wanted to.Sebastian had roused the anger of everyone there, and Arnaud had closed his eyes and wasn't saying anything. He was cl
Sebastian was just about to step forward when Samson hastily waved a hand at him and said, "Sebastian, the grudges of the Ballard family from over ten years ago have nothing to do with you. Don't get involved!""But—"Sebastian's gaze sharpened as he turned to look at Milton. There was an icy glint in his eyes. Samson shook his head slightly at Sebastian. The Ballard Estate had at least ten experts at the eighth level of the Eldoria realm. At Sebastian's current level, trying to fight them would only bring him big trouble."Sebastian, one must learn how to adapt to the situation," Samson whispered into his ear using voice projection. "Today, I will exchange my legs for your and Whitney's freedom. Think of it as a payment for what I owe you and your mother."Sebastian clenched his fists tightly. He hated himself for being too weak. He couldn't even protect his own family in a place like the Ballard Estate, where many experts were gathered.However, he would never allow anyone to
"Do you accept it, Samson?" Arnaud asked harshly when he saw that Preston hadn't said anything else. He turned to look directly at Samson.Samson smiled bitterly and turned to look at Sebastian before raising his head to look at Arnaud, who was sitting high above them. He said, "Uncle Arnaud, I was the reason for everything that happened. I wish to ask you not to trouble Sebastian.""What are you talking about?" Preston was agitated. He stood up again and yelled, "There must still be an investigation about who was right and who was wrong. Why should they break your legs?"As he spoke, his eyes blazed with fury. He looked at the thin old man and said furiously, "Milton, you old bastard! How can you be so shameless at your age? Tell me! Did you embellish the story to Arnaud?""Uncle Preston!" Samson stopped him quickly and sighed slightly. "Forget it. It's my fault for bringing such huge trouble upon our family back then."I admit that I have let our family down. Since imprisoning m