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
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
"Betty Warner, the daughter of the richest family in Jovenshire, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering 77.77 million and a publicly-listed company as a token of her sincerity!""Luisa Albright, the daughter of the premiere family in Caevon, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering two statues of pure gold that weigh over 100 tons in total as a token of her sincerity!""Cora Sutcliffe, the daughter of the Duke of Southam from Draepolis, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering ten foreign islands worth 10 billion as a token of her sincerity!"The courthouse in Steinberg was an unassuming building, but for some reason, it was unusually bustling and fraught with tension today!Luxury cars lined the street outside the courthouse, and beside them stood prominent figures who could rattle the fabric of society with just a snap of their fingers!There were individuals from financial oligarchies with hundreds of billions in net worths, underworld king
"Are you certain you want to make such an extreme choice?" Sebastian asked one last time. He wanted to see if Whitney would show any signs of reluctance.Unfortunately, he did not detect even a trace of hesitation in Whitney's expression."We're not right for each other. Let's just go in and finalize the divorce. I'll do my best to meet all of your demands. Even after we've gotten divorced, we can still remain friends," Whitney bit her lip and offered after thinking about it.They could remain friends, huh?Sebastian laughed at Whitney's response. Tears trickled out of the corner of his eyes.It turned out that despite being married for three years, the relationship had been entirely one-sided. He was the presumptuous one.In her eyes, he was merely a stepping stone."Fine. I'll go through with the divorce! I don't need your money, the car, or the house. I can support myself!" Sebastian stubbornly declared."You're going to support yourself with that little shop of yours where
Whitney had just gotten out of the car when she heard what the young woman said to Sebastian. Her expression soured.Be it looks or physique, the gorgeous young woman was just as attractive as Whitney—and she drove a Ferrari.Whitney's chest tightened.When had Sebastian become acquainted with a woman like her?The young woman looked to be in her early 20s, which made her about five or six years younger than Whitney.Whitney immediately felt jealous.Mabel had gotten out of the car too. The sight before her made her frown."I'm sorry, but who are you?" Sebastian asked as he studied the young woman in front of him.She was a young and beautiful woman. Still, he had no idea who she was."Mr. Chester Sinclair recommended you to me, Dr. Ballard. My name is Rosalie Griffin. He said that you have the Goldcrow pill. It is the only thing that can save my grandfather. "My family, the Griffins, are willing to buy it from you for ten million dollars!" Rosalie pleaded tearfully."Chest
Over in Rosalie's car, Sebastian had just found out who she was. She was a part of the Griffins of Janover.Sebastian's brows creased slightly. If not mistaken, the Griffins were the juggernauts of Janover. Every move they made could rock the entire city.If Whitney had been in the car as well, her jaw would have dropped in shock.The Griffins of Janover, the family she desperately wanted to form an association with, were seeking help from Sebastian, the useless man she'd just divorced.Soon, the car stopped outside a residential compound.Once they got out of the car, Rosalie hastily brought Sebastian into one of the bedrooms.A sickly old man lay on the bed. All the color had drained from his face. Even his lips were purplish. Every breath he took seemed to drag on forever. It was as if he were a dying candle flickering in the wind.A middle-aged man and a doctor stood beside the bed. Dressed in linen, the doctor was inserting acupuncture needles into Rosalie's grandfather, Ol
Inside the bedroom, Levi turned to Jonah and said placatingly, "Sorry about that, Dr. Pike. My daughter is too naive. I'm sure she got fooled by someone. I'll give her a good scolding later. Please carry on with the treatment.""Alright," Jonah responded before swiftly placing the next needle.Once he placed the final needle, Oliver, who had been unconscious for many days, slowly opened his eyes."Dad, you're awake! How wonderful!"Levi was so emotional that his eyes grew red.The Griffin family had consulted all of the most famous doctors in the world to find someone who could treat Oliver. Alas, it was to no avail. In the end, they came to Steinberg and went to great lengths to get Jonah to come and take a look at Oliver."You are indeed the genius doctor of Steinberg, Dr. Pike. You were able to save my father from the throes of death! I have never seen anything like this before. From now on, you will forever be the Griffins' most honored guest," Levi declared as he swiftly e
The moment Sebastian's words rang out, the living room descended into silence.Not a single sound could be heard.Rosalie jumped to her feet. Blushing hard, she stared wide-eyed at Sebastian.She could not believe he had the audacity to ask Levi to get on his knees and beg.Levi's expression was unpleasant as well.But, his hesitation only lasted for a brief moment before he fell to his knees and pleaded with utmost sincerity, "Please save my father, Dr. Ballard."Sebastian set down his cup and remarked, "As expected of you, Mr. Griffin. You know when to yield. I'll do it. You may rise."He started walking toward the bedroom.Levi got back on his feet.Rosalie hurried over to him and asked, "Dad, you just—"Levi cut her off and said, "Don't say anything more. I was wrong earlier. It was only right for me to kneel."Then, his eyes flashed menacingly as he continued, "However, if he fails to do what he claims he can do, I'll make him pay!"Although Sebastian was further up, h
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