"No." Andreas shook his head and smiled wryly. "Who knows whether or not they were just assassins sent by my family again?"He changed the subject and said, "Tomorrow, go and invite Sebastian's girlfriend yourself. Remember not to harm anyone, including that snake deity. Just subdue her. Tell Julius to come with me and invite Sebastian.Julius Danver?Gael frowned and said, "Mr. Andreas, I think that Sebastian is at least at the fourth level of Eldoria. Will Julius be able to handle it?"Although Julius was also at the fourth level of Eldoria, Sebastian had so many trump cards. If Julius was defeated by him, wouldn't that put Andreas in danger?Andreas smiled slightly and said, "That would give me the opportunity to test out his skills. Don't worry. If you get things done well on your end, I'll be perfectly safe.""Go and get things ready. I saw him leave with a few magical devices just now. He might have set up some kind of spell at that lousy old pharmaceutical factory." Andrea
That night, Sebastian had just fallen asleep when he suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.His eyes snapped open. The major protective spell in the direction of the pharmaceutical factory had loosened slightly. Luckily, the other party hadn't been able to break through.The protective spell was soon restored to its original state, but Sebastian couldn't help frowning. Why would the Ballards have their eye on the pharmaceutical factory in Northside?Was their target… Whitney? Sebastian immediately called her.Although it was late at night, Whitney was still working overtime. The expansion of the pharmaceutical factory was very complicated. It involved everything from the workshops to the workers, and Whitney was personally involved in all the preparations. Fitz had taken two guards on patrol, and he walked into Whitney's office when he saw that the lights were still on."Are you still up at this late hour, Ms. Sutton?"Whitney hastily put down her pen when she heard Fitz's voice.
"If anyone wants to enter the Ballard family, they have to pass through a series of tests," Andreas said before waving a hand at Gael and returning to his room to rest.…For the whole of the next day, Sebastian was busy polishing his emerald sword. In the legacy of the Sacred Medicine Society, there was an independent method for refining vessels, and Sebastian had never tried it before. It was the first time he was refining a magical device, and he didn't dare to be careless. He engraved runes all over the sword and muttered a spell before pointing a finger at the sword and saying curtly, "Rise!"The green, emerald sword that was about two inches long raised itself three inches from the table at Sebastian's command. However, it immediately fell back heavily to its original position.Sebastian couldn't help sighing. It seemed that he was still inexperienced when it came to refining vessels. He began to amend the runes once more according to the records in the Sacred Medicine
"Are you saying that you know where my mother is?"At the mention of Isabella, Sebastian's expression changed at once, and he looked nervously at Andreas. "Don't be in such a rush, Sebastian. Great Uncle Arnaud will tell you everything that you need to know once we return to the Ballard Estate. If there's anything you shouldn't know, I wouldn't dare to say anything either."However, I can tell you very clearly that the Ballards aren't what you think they are. Once you return to the Ballard Estate, you'll understand everything. Besides, your girlfriend is now on the way there."Great Uncle Arnaud wants you to return to the Ballard Estate within ten days so that your family can be reunited."Andreas' smile was gentle, but Sebastian could see a deep chill in his eyes. It was the kind of cold that could penetrate deep into the depths of one's soul."You didn't come here just to say this to me, did you?"Sebastian stared icily at Andreas while he pressed his hand against the hilt of
Sebastian had no time to think. He began flourishing his sword, blocking the man's butterfly knife so that it remained several paces away.There was a gleam in the man's eyes, and murder flashed through his mind. Andreas, who was standing by the door, suddenly said coldly, "That's enough, Julius!""Mr. Andreas, he—"Andreas' smile turned cold, and he said icily, "I said, that's enough.""Yes, sir!"Julius turned and looked defiantly at Sebastian before meekly retreating behind Andreas. Andreas stepped forward and smiled at Sebastian. "You saw that for yourself, didn't you? Julius has an invincible body. Although he may not be able to defeat you at the same level, it'll be almost impossible for you to hurt him."Therefore, there's no need for us to fight, is there? Remember what I said. You must return to the Ballard Estate within ten days if you want your family to be reunited."Andreas tossed a flight ticket at Sebastian. There was a loud thump as it buried itself in the ceme
Nina heeded Sebastian's order and faded slowly before disappearing from Sebastian's sight.Sebastian sighed softly and called Fitz. He told him that Whitney was feeling unwell and that he would be in charge of the factory's affairs for the next few days.After that, he gave Rosalie and the others a few instructions before returning to the convenience store alone.Although they had only exchanged blows briefly, Andreas and Julius had left a deep impression on Sebastian.He hadn't met such strong opponents since entering the secular world. In comparison, both Alaric and the people from the Sapientia were as fragile as eggs.What kind of entity were the Ballards?At that thought, Sebastian called Chester once more."Chester, I want you to tell me the truth. What kind of place is the Ballard Estate, and what kind of family are they?" Sebastian asked directly as soon as the call was connected."The Ballard Estate?"On the other end of the phone, Chester paused for several seconds b
"You'll need to wait for the fifth day of every month if you want to enter Mount Quiln," Hendrix said. "It's only the first day of the month today. You'll have to stay here temporarily for the next few days, Mr. Ballard."Sebastian frowned and said, "Oh? One can only enter the mountain on the fifth day of every month?"Hendrix nodded quickly and said, "Mount Quiln has very heavy miasmas and they don't disperse. The mists are only slightly thinner on the fifth day of every month. Normally, even experienced medicine farmers can get lost in those crags."Sebastian nodded slightly and said to Hendrix, "Alright then. I'll go along with your arrangements, Mr. Seaworth."Anton's eyes hadn't left Nina's body for the entire conversation. Once Sebastian and Nina had gotten in Hendrix's sedan, Anton finally sighed."Mr. Wentworth, you're not interested in that chick, are you?" Cade asked, gesturing at Hendrix's car.Anton spat at him and said, "Of course I am! A woman with her beauty is as
The young woman was quite pretty, but there was an arrogance in her expression.She had fair skin and delicate features—she would have been deemed as pretty in any crowd. She had a good figure, and there was a mature beauty to her.However, she clearly didn't have a stable foundation. She had only just thrown a few punches, but beads of sweat were already forming on her forehead.Sebastian glanced at the huge rocks tied to her arm, and he smiled slightly. The young woman was clearly still practicing her basic skills, which was fist strength."Calm down."An elderly voice rang out from a pavilion in the yard."Grandpa, I still can't get fist strength," the young woman said rather anxiously. "The force should come from within, not from brute strength. It should flow smoothly, like a river," the old man explained calmly.The young woman seemed enlightened. She swung a few more punches, which carried slightly more force with them. Sebastian nodded imperceptibly. The young woman'
Whitney perked up at Sebastian's question. "It's all because you ran into the two monsters that day," she said. "I saw it on the surveillance footage. That was when I realized that the two women living in the store don't have that kind of relationship with you…"Whitney had never asked, and Sebastian hadn't bothered to explain who Nina and Lyanna were. That was why she had mistakenly thought that both of them were Sebastian's lovers as well.Realization had only dawned on her when she heard Nina address Sebastian as her master, even in her dying breath. Whitney had seen how powerful Nina was that day and how she had been willing to die in order to protect Sebastian.Nina and Lyanna weren't Sebastian's lovers. They were his servants. Not only that, Nina was a thousand-year-old giant snake!That had completely changed Whitney's view of the world. Although there had always been legends of mystical beings and ghosts, Whitney was an accomplished businesswoman who believed firmly in sc
Sebastian laughed wryly and shook his head. "I'm not from the Ballard Estate," he said. "My name is Sebastian, and it's better if my cousin weren't seen around me too much.""Oh, you're Sebastian."The two young women breathed a long sigh of relief. They looked him up and down for a long time before exchanging a glance. Then, they covered their faces and giggled.One of them stepped forward and said, "Come with me. Honestly… you seem pretty normal. I don't get why Ms. Sutton is yearning for you so much."Sebastian cleared his throat awkwardly and said nothing.The young woman led Sebastian into the house, where Whitney was sitting and reading a book intently. She said, "Ms. Sutton, look who's here."Whitney put down her book and looked up. When she saw Sebastian behind the young woman, she was both surprised and delighted. She got up and threw herself into Sebastian's arms."Sebastian, is it really you?"The young woman covered her face and chuckled before leaving the room sile
Sebastian watched Andreas leave and exhaled deeply. Preston wasn't the only one he didn't trust. No one in the Ballard Estate was worthy of his trust, including Andreas.Once Andreas had completely disappeared, Sebastian beckoned to the woods in the distance and said, "Come out!"In a flash, Duo appeared at his side. "My lord, why didn't you wipe out those people in the hall today?" he asked.Duo clenched his fists tightly, and there was a murderous look simmering in his eyes. Although he hadn't been in the hall, he had clearly heard everything the Ballards had said.Anyone who disrespected his master deserved death!Besides, neither Sebastian nor Duo would have had to lift a finger to kill them. All they had to do was to crush the Tribulation Avoidance Charm and trigger the divine tribulation. Once it descended, no one in the hall would have lived to tell the tale, including Arnaud."If we become hostile with the Ballards, it'll be almost impossible for us to leave in peace. Now
"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