Javier couldn't understand at all. How had Joaquin known that he was lying? Besides, as the top authority of Boren Martial Arts Court, why would Joaquin swear at him while addressing Sebastian respectfully? The slap had confused Javier even more. Even if Joaquin was the head director of the state, he had never so much as sworn at his subordinates, let alone strike them. Besides, how could Javier continue managing the martial arts community in Mount Acorn after a state-level head director had slapped him in the face in public?Javier wasn't the only one who was puzzled. Even the onlookers were startled. The Martial Arts Court had always looked out for their own, hadn't they? Why was Joaquin behaving so strangely that day? "M-Mr. Wentworth, everything I'm saying is true! I brought in the law enforcement hall members to carry out your order!" Javier protested. He still hadn't given up. He felt that as long as he doubled down and insisted that it was Sebastian who had smashe
"Wow, you're very impressive, Mr. Kayden. I see that you're now brave enough to set fire to our hotel!"Joaquin glanced coldly at Kayden, who was lying on the floor without moving and staring with terror at Javier. He had never imagined that things would get to this point. At that moment, Jayden slipped back into the crowd and bent down so that he could sneak over to the wall. He shuffled over to the stairs and ran off while no one was paying attention to him. Jayden might not be good at anything else, but he was excellent at reading the room. Joaquin clearly had it in for the Berkeleys. If Jayden had stayed any longer, he could have already imagined what his destiny would be. What would be the result of offending a figure of authority in the state martial arts community? Jayden didn't have to be a genius to guess. "Come!" Joaquin ordered sharply, and four experts from Sunway's law enforcement hall stepped forward. They answered simultaneously, "Yes, sir!" "Drag Kayden
"Mr. Wentworth, are you really going to make me watch the execution like he said?" Javier asked. He no longer bothered to be polite to Joaquin. There was an accusing tone in his voice."Are you talking to me?" Joaquin narrowed his eyes as he stared at Javier. Javier scoffed and slowly took out his phone from his pocket. He sent out a message and tossed the phone aside as he put his hands behind his back. He seemed to be waiting for something.In less than five minutes, Joaquin's phone rang. "Inspector Jefferson?" Joaquin glanced at the caller ID in confusion before glancing at Javier again. Did Javier have a connection with the inspector, Brayden Jefferson? The inspector was the entity that monitored the Martial Arts Courts across three states. He was in a much higher position than Joaquin was! "Hello, Inspector Jefferson!" Joaquin said politely when he answered the phone. "I hear that you're going to torture the Berkeley heir to death. Is that true?" A middle-aged man
Javier's expression immediately turned cold. He pointed at Sebastian and asked, "What did you say? Sebastian, do you know who you're talking to? Defying the order of the tristate inspector is punishable by death!"Joaquin turned and said to Sebastian, "Mr. Ballard, Inspector Jefferson's command cannot be disobeyed. He has mystic art experts with him, and he has the authority to make any decision about those at the level of state head director and below."Brayden was part of the higher echelons of the Martial Arts Court and was fundamentally different from local high officials. Sebastian smiled slightly and said, "Even if he was in charge of ten states, he cannot overturn justice!"Javier looked at Kayden, who was slowly regaining consciousness. He turned to Sebastian and demanded, "Who do you think you are? How dare you disobey the command of the tristate inspector? I'm going to enjoy watching how you die!" Javier hurried over to Kayden. "Dad, I… I can't feel my legs!" Kayden
Two black-clad men came up to the car door and opened it for Brayden, who then got out of the car. As he alighted, two elderly men also got out of the black car behind him. They came up beside Brayden and said, "Inspector Jefferson!" Brayden clasped his hands behind his back and nodded as he said, "Mr. Galen, Mr. Irving. Come and get rid of this nuisance with me today. Remember, we must not show any mercy!" The two old men nodded slightly and said, "We'll do as you say, Inspector Jefferson!"Brayden nodded slightly and said to Jayden, "Lead the way!" Jayden hastily gestured for them to go ahead. He led them happily into the Aequor.He had fled the hotel just a while ago, but in the blink of an eye, he seemed to have transformed into a different person. He walked into the hotel with his chest puffed up, and his entire demeanor had changed. The attendants on the first floor looked at him in surprise. "Did that handsome young guy go and get himself an invigorating shot of so
"Oh?" Brayden glanced twice at Sebastian before asking, "What crime has Mr. Kayden committed? Tell me!" Sebastian couldn't be bothered to argue with him and just played the phone recording. The two old men frowned involuntarily when they finished listening to it."You're Inspector Jefferson, aren't you? I'd like to ask you how anyone could want to sleep with a bride at a wedding banquet in front of thousands of guests. Is he an animal? Don't the Berkeleys do this sort of thing in private?"Does this mean that when someone in the Berkeley family gets married, any of the guests or even a mere passerby can have their way with the bride in front of all their friends and family?"Javier turned red, then pale as he listened. He pointed at Sebastian and cursed him loudly. "You bastard! Stop talking nonsense!""Inspector Jefferson, since you admire Mr. Kayden's genes so much, why don't you let him improve your family's gene pool as well? You should especially let Mr. Kayden help out wi
Brayden sneered. "Kill you and cover this up? You overestimate yourselves. This is an act of protecting officials!" The bare fact of the matter was that they were going to kill everyone who knew about the Berkeleys' depraved acts. Once they had done so, the Berkeleys' perfect image would be restored. "Do you think that it's reasonable and lawful for Kayden to act the way he does?" Sebastian asked in a cold, accusing voice. "There's no helping it. Those in power must have some privileges. That's an accepted fact in the world. It's your fault for not being part of this class of people. If you're going to blame anyone, blame yourselves for being born in the wrong family!" Brayden said smugly as he shot Egbert Galen a glance. Egbert strode over to Kayden and crouched down to inspect his injuries. He tapped him with a finger. "Aargh!" The pain made huge beads of sweat drip down Kayden's face."Alright. You can stand up and take a few steps, Mr. Kayden!" Egbert said, putting his
Those deceptive tricks appeared impressive, but those who Egbert healed would only end up in an even worse state, suffering even more."I haven't committed any crimes. How can I accept my punishment?" Sebastian asked disinterestedly.Brayden sneered. "You're not the one who decides whether you've committed a crime or not. Come! Subdue this defiant man!"Subdue Sebastian? Who would dare to do such a thing?The law enforcement hall members exchanged looks.Upon seeing this, Egbert stepped forward and said arrogantly, "Young man, you've seen what I can do. Compared to me, you martial arts practitioners aren't worthy of mention at all. I'll be lenient on you because you're young and ignorant. Just give up and come quietly!"Egbert was different from ordinary deacons in the Martial Arts Court. He had been hired specially as a mystic spells expert.When compared with mystic spells or cultivation, so-called martial arts weren't worthy of mention at all.That was because all mystic spe
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
As the man in the black robe yelled, the entire hall fell silent at once. The thin old man threw the black-robed old man a disgruntled look, but he returned obediently to his seat.Once the noise had died down, Preston stepped forward and swept an icy gaze over the crowd who were present. "You call yourself the elders of the family?"The monument of our ancestral dragon is right in front of you. How could you bully two young members of the family in front of it? Don't you feel any shame?"Besides, how dare you speak before Arnaud does?"After the harsh scolding they received from Preston, no one in the crowd dared to protest. Sebastian nodded involuntarily. It appeared that Preston did have influence in the Ballard family. At least no one had interrupted his scolding, including Arnaud and the man in the black robe.Preston huffed angrily and bowed to Arnaud, who sat in the middle. "Arnaud, I've brought Samson and Sebastian!"Preston went over to the chair next to the black-robe
"Sebastian, I won't be going in. Remember, don't say anything without being spoken to, and don't be impulsive!" Andreas said softly in Sebastian's ear when they reached the door to the hall. He then walked over to the crowd, which was packed on both sides of the hall.Samson and Preston walked into the hall without any change in expression. Sebastian hesitated for a moment before hurrying to catch up.When they reached the entrance, the two old men reached out to stop them and said to Preston, who was in the lead, "Preston, I'm afraid that it wouldn't be a good idea for you to go in. Everyone knows that you're biased toward Samson's family. If you get into an argument with Arnaud, then—""Nonsense!" Preston yelled furiously. He spoke in a menacing tone to the two old men. "Don't try those tricks with me. Today, I'm going to be the voice of reason. Who among you can do anything to me?"With that, he pushed them aside and strode into the hall.The two old men gazed after his ret
The Ballard Estate's resources were unfathomable as it was. Could Isabella's family be even more powerful than theirs?Sebastian clearly remembered that both he and Samson were under the Sacred Medicine Society. They even had the same mentor.The Sacred Medicine Society was above all the other mystic martial arts sects. Even the sect leaders of the Nine Sects were very respectful toward his mentor.If Samson really was from the same sect as Sebastian, then his mentor had clearly been unable to save him. Wouldn't that mean that the Sacred Medicine Society was no match for the Ballards?Wouldn't that mean that Isabella's family was an even greater entity?"If my mother's family is really that powerful, why couldn't they rescue my father? There would also be no reason to let me join the Sacred Medicine Society either, right?" Sebastian asked probingly. It seemed as if Andreas had never even thought about such questions. He smiled and shook his head. "You probably don't know about a
As they stepped out of the courtyard gate, Samson suddenly turned and lowered his voice as he said to Sebastian, "I didn't treat you and your mother well. Please don't hold it against me."Sebastian felt even more conflicted. After everything he had been through, he knew very well that there were times when one really had no choice. When Samson saw that Sebastian was looking at him with a conflicted expression, he patted him on the shoulder and gave him a warm smile. Then he took a token from Preston and walked out of the yard.They followed Preston as he walked toward the east, where there was a majestic-looking building."Why are you helping me?" Sebastian suddenly turned and asked Andreas in a low voice. Andreas glanced at him and gave him a long, cryptic smile. "Do you think I'm helping you? I'm helping myself while doing so!""Oh?" Sebastian looked at Andreas in confusion, his brow knitted. Even Rexton had mentioned that Andreas was in Arnaud's favor. Why would he need t
When Rexton and the others had gone, Preston turned to look at Samson and said irritatedly, "You little rascal. Would I ever hurt you?"Besides, you've been here in isolation for ten years. Why hasn't your temper changed at all? Couldn't you show me some respect in front of all those people?"Samson glanced at Preston but didn't answer.Preston huffed and ignored him. He turned and looked Sebastian up and down instead."Hey, kiddo. Over ten years have passed in just the blink of an eye. You've probably forgotten me. I even gave you candy back then! Come over here and call me Great Uncle Preston!"Sebastian looked at him in surprise. It was true that he didn't have much of an impression of what had happened over ten years ago. However, he could tell from what Preston had said and done that his attitude toward Sebastian's family was completely different from Rexton and the others.Beside Sebastian, Andreas kept shooting him meaningful looks. Sebastian finally smiled and said, "Hell
Although the old man looked as if he was over 60 years old, his expression was sharp and lively, and his skin was smooth as a baby's. It gave him a youthful air.Even the severely injured apprentices all scrambled up from the ground when they saw him. They hastily bowed and said, "Greetings, Great Uncle Preston!"Even Rexton had no choice but to suppress his anger. He bowed sullenly to the old man and said, "Greetings, Uncle Preston."Preston Ballard glanced at Rexton and turned to shout angrily at the apprentices, "If I hadn't come, were you planning to tear the Ballard Estate apart? Look at all of you! Get out of here right now!"Despite the scolding they had been subjected to, none of them dared to protest. They all lowered their heads and slunk out of the yard. Preston glared angrily at them as they went and snorted. "What an embarrassment to the family!"Then he smiled slightly and looked at Samson and Sebastian as he asked, "Samson, do you have anything to say?"Samson lo