Stephen huffed and rolled his eyes before he snapped, "Did you have something to do with Rosalie's attempted kidnapping?"Sebastian frowned in annoyance. "What are you trying to say?" he asked in a low voice.Stephen scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? I suspect that you're the mastermind behind this! I bet you staged this just so you can heroically save her and make her fall for you even more!" he sneered."You have such a strong imagination, Mr. Beckard. Have you considered becoming a writer?" Sebastian mocked."Drop the act!" Stephen snapped. Then, he turned to his men and ordered, "Take down this bastard!"Stephen's bodyguards, who had been standing at attention behind him, quickly sprang into action. They moved to grab Sebastian."That's enough!" Rosalie snapped. Her expression was thunderous as she continued, "What do you think you're doing, Stephan? Sebastian just saved me! How could you accuse him of planning this?""You've been blinded by him, Rosalie! Think about it. Besides
Stephen paled at the sight. "Impossible!" he exclaimed in disbelief.Shadow was a professional archer he had recently hired from Janover to beat Sebastian, yet Sebastian had easily defeated him!Just how powerful was Sebastian?Shadow clutched his chest as he spat out another mouthful of fresh blood. His eyes were filled with terror as he asked, "How are you so strong? Which sect are you from?"Sebastian glared at him disdainfully as he replied, "You don't deserve to know that. However, I see that the Thunder Bow Sect is still as weak as ever."He sneered, "Besides being able to use a bow and arrow, everyone in your sect is practically useless!"Sebastian's words had their intended effect, and Shadow stared at him in horror as he asked, "You… you know my sect?""Is there a problem?" Sebastian challenged with a smile.Ignoring Shadow, he turned his attention to Stephen, who looked as pale as a sheet. "Mr. Beckard, if you have any other tricks up your sleeve, you can just revea
Whitney was rendered speechless before her temper flared, and she snapped, "What are you trying to say? Don't beat around the bush!"She was livid. How could Sebastian say that?Sebastian chuckled. "Ms. Sutton, have I not made myself clear? Do you need me to be more direct?"Whitney frowned and shouted into the receiver coldly, "Go on then! Be more direct! I would love to hear what you have to say!""Alright. Let's never meet again. Just prepare for your wedding to Fergus," Sebastian replied curtly. His finger then hovered over the "End Call" button."Sebastian!" Whitney screeched before he could hang up.Sebastian brought the phone back to his ear. "Do you need something else, Ms. Sutton?" "You were the one who forced me to get married to Fergus!""I forced you? When did I do that?"Whitney huffed and opened her mouth to vent her feelings but swallowed her words at the last minute."Whatever, I don't have the energy to argue with you," she huffed instead. "I wanted to talk
Stephen returned to his hotel and was in a foul mood."Useless trash!" he roared as he kicked an already injured Shadow.Shadow crashed to the floor and mumbled gruffly, "I'm sorry, Mr. Beckard. I was no match for him."Stephen was furious as he snapped, "Aren't the disciples of the Thunder Bow Sect always saying that they are undefeatable? Look! You were defeated by a useless idiot! How embarrassing!"Shadow had nothing to say to defend himself, and Stephen planted himself onto the sofa with a huff. Once his anger had subsided slightly, he turned to Shadow with a dark expression."What do we do now? That Sebastian bastard is so arrogant that I won't feel good if I don't teach him a lesson!"Shadow scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Beckard, I have a senior who is one of the best disciples of my sect. He would only need three arrows to kill Sebastian, and he doesn't even need to be close to him to do so." Stephen's mood visibly brightened. "Really?""Yes."
"Why are you here?" Sebastian asked with a frown when he saw Whitney and immediately stopped messing around with Rosalie."Do you really think I wanted to come?" Whitney scoffed. "Asshole!"With that, she turned and stormed off.She was furious!How could Sebastian be so close to Rosalie?She just saw Rosalie kiss him, and he didn't even reject her advances!What an asshole!Whitney's anger only rose when she realized that Sebastian hadn't come chasing after her to explain himself.She stomped angrily as she stood by the road and grumbled, "Why did I leave? It's not like I was the one who did anything wrong! Why did I have to leave?"At that thought, Whitney got even angrier, and finally, she returned to the convenience store.Seeing Whitney storm back into the convenience store, Sebastian frowned. "Why are you here again?" he asked. Whitney stomped into the convenience store and tossed her bag on the couch before sitting in front of Rosalie.She folded her arms and crosse
Whitney's tone was mocking as she asked, "The best man you've ever met?"She scoffed. "Ms. Griffin, I really don't understand how someone as useless as him is the best man you've ever met. I've been married to him for three years and know exactly what kind of man he is."We're both women, so let me warn you. He's not worth it."Rosalie flashed Whitney a light smile. "Whether or not he's worth it is up to me to decide. You'll never know how good he is because, to you, he'll always be useless. "However, it's precisely because of your bias against him that leads to so many misunderstandings between you two."Whitney frowned, her expression souring. What an unpleasant interaction.After a while, she sighed. "Regardless, nothing's going to change now. My impression of him won't change unless he really does something to change it.""You'll understand in the future just how foolish your decision was, Ms. Sutton," Rosalie said with a smile, but the glare that she shot Whitney was fille
Sebastian frowned. "That's not what I meant," he explained with an exasperated sigh.When did their relationship deteriorate so much?Whitney's expression was frosty as she snapped, "Then what do you mean? All I want is a letter of understanding from you so Shannon can be free. Is that too much to ask?"Or are you just preventing Shannon from attending my wedding as revenge to humiliate me?"Sebastian remained silent.Whitney didn't mind his silence and continued, "I'm getting married to Fergus in two days, and everyone who's anyone in Steinberg will be present! Why can't you just let me get married in peace?""Why… Why do you have to make things so difficult?" Whitney asked finally with a shaky voice as she knelt on the floor."Why is everyone forcing me to do things I don't want to do? Even you are forcing me!" she cried.Sebastian sighed as he stood silently to the side. He used to be able to comfort her whenever she cried, but he couldn't do that now. They were already divo
"I know more than you think, and it's precisely because I know so much that I chose to maintain a low profile. "I'm not interested in the petty squabbles that come with being at the top. And I know full well the second I allow myself to get entangled in that mess, I'll never know a day of peace," Sebastian saidWhitney smiled as she eyed him with disappointment and thinly veiled disdain. "How could you say something like that now? Do you have no shame?" she demanded."Such words would've probably worked on me in the past and Ms. Griffin now, but it won't work on me now," she sneered.Sebastian simply shook his head, unwilling to explain himself to her. Perhaps it was for the best that she didn't believe him."I'm warning you, if you don't actually like Rosalie and you're only using her for your personal gain, let her know! Don't lie to her like that! She's innocent and naive, and I don't want to see her hurt by a jerk like you," Whitney hissed as she glared at him.Sebastian tur
"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