Whitney hesitated briefly before a frosty expression settled on her face as her eyes blazed with anger. "That jerk! How dare he threaten me! We'll see who gets the last laugh," she declared in a cold tone.Mabel swiftly exchanged a knowing look with Fergus upon noting Whitney's resolve. She then suggested, "There's no need for you to dirty your hands, Ms. Sutton. Mr. Cobb and I have a plan. Since Sebastian wronged us first, we should repay him in kind."Mr. Cobb has lots of friends. We can use that to our advantage and teach Sebastian a lesson. Given his lowly status, it's about time he learned his place!"Whitney was shocked by her words and questioned, "What are you planning to do?""Rest assured, Ms. Sutton. We're just planning to hit him where it hurts; he won't be fatally harmed. "We know about his shop, but imagine if it were to go up in flames. He'd have no choice but to turn to you for help," Mabel suggested with a sinister undertone.Fergus added, "Just act like you
"Watch your mouth, Tim Thames! You're standing in Steinberg, not in Jovenshire. Mr. Ballard is an esteemed guest of the Griffin family, and your contempt is a disrespect to us all. "Say another word, and you're out of this house!" Rosalie asserted with firmness, a stark departure from her once meek and timid demeanorTim Thames nonchalantly shrugged and wore a casual grin."The Griffin family's young lady is quite the sharp-tongued one," he snickered. Behind him, a row of formidable bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses stood proudly.Rosalie responded with a disdainful snort, her presence commanding respect.Witnessing this transformation, Sebastian couldn't help but be amazed. He had always perceived Rosalie as meek and timid, but her assertiveness proved she was more than that.Little did he know Rosalie was renowned as the cold and ruthless Witch of Janover. Even the Four Heirs of Janover were no match for her. From a young age, she had carved a name for herself in
Rosalie nodded and signaled the butler to usher in the specialist. The specialist who emerged was a slender young man sporting a hawk nose and beady eyes. Clad in a green robe, he carried a quaint suitcase."May I present Mr. Jimmy Xeno from Cozind," Rosalie announced with a welcoming smile, prompting nods of recognition from everyone in the inner courtyard.Jimmy Xeno gracefully bowed and suggested with a smile, "Apologies for the wait. Shall we proceed to check out the wares?"Opening his suitcase, he presented a silver plate adorned with meticulous carvings. The exquisite artifact radiated a soothing warmth, capturing everyone's attention and leaving them in awe of its power.Gasps of admiration echoed through the air as everyone marveled at the extraordinary artifact.It was their first encounter with such an impressive protective artifact, and its sheer power hinted at a hefty price tag. If Rosalie's descriptions held true, its value would be immeasurable. Even Sebastia
"You despicable scoundrel!" Luca seethed with anger.With a face flushed with fury, Luca barked out, "Ms. Griffin, kick this ignorant troublemaker out at once!"The other guests chimed in with their displeasure and disdain."This insolent brat dares to challenge Mr. Goodman," a man scoffed."He's making up stories! He should know his place," someone sneered."If his words hold true, is he accusing Mr. Xeno of being a fraud?" another guest snickered.Despite the crowd's furious reproach, Sebastian remained cool and collected."What are you waiting for, Ms. Griffin? Hurry and get this man out!" Luca urged in frustration.Rosalie raised an eyebrow, a cold smirk playing on her lips. She retorted, "What gives you the right to command me, Mr. Goodman? It seems you don't understand the situation. "Mr. Ballard is an esteemed guest of the Griffin family, and I won't kick him out even if you want me to."He expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "You should know I'm an esteemed geom
"Since you insist the silver plate is fake, let me see how you intend to prove it." Squinting his eyes, Jimmy glanced at Sebastian. He was filled with disdain. To him, Sebastian was just an immature brat. What extraordinary skills could an ordinary person like him possibly possess? There was no way he would recognize it even if a real artifact was placed before his eyes! So, Jimmy wasn't worried that Sebastian could prove anything. He had full confidence in the silver plate. After all, he was the only one who understood its profound secrets.Shaking his head, Sebastian smiled. "If that's the case, then pardon me." He took a few glances at the silver plate. Withdrawing his gaze, he sneered, "It's just an ordinary plate. All it takes is a bit of deception to fool wealthy people like you. "I've got to say, your minds are really not sharp. It's so easy to deceive you.""How dare you!""What did you say, you brat?""Damn it! Is this bastard calling us stupid?"The people
At this moment, everyone understood what was happening, even if they were foolish. "You can leave, Mr. Xeno, but you'll have to leave the silver plate here! Please explain yourself before you go!" Tim said solemnly."That's right! Why would you be in such a hurry to leave if the silver plate was a genuine artifact?" James asked coldly. There was no way he would let Jimmy go so easily when he had the guts to deceive him.Sweating profusely, Jimmy had an unpleasant expression on his face. He stared fixedly at Sebastian as anger surged in his heart.He didn't expect the scheme he set up so meticulously to be exposed by this brat.Jimmy would have earned a few million tonight, but it was all ruined by Sebastian. This filled him with intense resentment."You brat! How dare you slander me?" Jimmy gritted out. A surge of killing intent emanated from him."What? Did I hit a sore spot, Mr. Xeno? Are you going to hurt me?" Sebastian smiled faintly. There wasn't a trace of fear in h
Jimmy shook the gourd vigorously in his hand and chanted an incantation after he finished speaking. The gourd emitted black mists continuously as the incantation was uttered. The mists filled the air and transformed into terrifying faces of spirits.Shrill screams were emitted from the mists, resembling the wails of evil spirits that had crawled out from hell."Oh my god!""What is this? Is this black magic?" "Help! Run …"Many of the wealthy people in the courtyard were frightened to death. They fell to the floor and scrambled under tables. Trembling all over, they clutched their heads and chanted prayers in their hearts.All their lives, these aristocrats had only seen money and women. They had never witnessed such a horrifying scene before. This had completely exceeded their understanding. "T-This is the necromancy spell from Cozind …" Luca exclaimed. "Mr. Xeno is truly extraordinary. To think he could command evil spirits … My geomancy skills are nothing compared
After that, everyone watched on in amazement and bewilderment. Sebastian tapped the jewelry seven times with his finger. Then, he flung the jewelry at the cursed gourd and yelled, "Lend me the power of the universe and grant me the power of the gods to let lightning strike the earth! "Hear my pleas at once! I summon thee, lightning!"There was a thunderclap and a flash of lightning. It hit the cursed gourd directly.That was the lightning spell!It used positive energy to suppress cursed energy. When the lightning crashed down into the courtyard, Sebastian looked as awe-inspiring and lofty as a god!The cursed gourd was struck by lightning and split into pieces with a crack. Meanwhile, the dense black fog suspended midair immediately vanished due to the lightning as well!It disappeared without a trace. Meanwhile, the frosty atmosphere in the courtyard went away, too. "Oh! My cursed gourd!"Jimmy let out a yell as he saw the broken pieces of his cursed gourd. Then, he
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