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
The Carlton family was shaken to its core as the general had returned. A monumental celebration was in order!Kevin hurried inside from the backyard. Upon entering the living room, he was met with the sight of a tall, imposing middle-aged man standing in the hall. His commanding presence radiated authority and fierceness as he stood there, hands behind his back."Lucas! You're finally back…" Tears streamed down Kevin's face.Lucas Carlton was Kevin's eldest son and the only general in the Carlton family. He held a prestigious position in the western military district, commanding thirty thousand soldiers. If all went as planned, he would earn another star in the latter half of the year. By then, the Carlton family would be the undisputed leading family of Sunway!Lucas turned and quickly helped Kevin to a grand armchair. With a flourish of his cloak, he kneeled on one knee and said, "Father, I have returned.""Good, get up," Kevin replied, visibly moved.Lucas quickly rose and
Lorraine burst into the room and flung herself into Lucas' arms, her voice filled with distress. "Lucas, you must avenge me this time. Catch that scoundrel, and let me torment him thoroughly!"Lucas looked at Lorraine, nodding firmly as he said, "Alright! I promise you, I'll capture that brat and let you have your revenge."Lorraine was pleased with his words. "How are your injuries?" Lucas asked. "They're mostly healed, thanks to Richard from the Hundred Heaven Sect. He gave me a healing pill that sped up my recovery," Lorraine replied.Lucas nodded just as Richard entered the room, exuding an air of wisdom and serenity. He bowed to Lucas. "Greetings, General Carlton."Lucas returned the gesture. "No need for such formality, Mr. Jett. You're a great benefactor to our family. Without you, Lorraine's recovery wouldn't have been so swift."Richard chuckled and said, "General Carlton, you jest. With the relationship between the Hundred Heaven Sect and your family, it was but a sm
Before anyone inside Frostwave Corporation could grasp the situation, Lucas arrived swiftly outside the company building. Two or three dozen elite soldiers accompanied him. The arrival of the military jeeps caused an immediate stir amongst the company's employees. Why would military vehicles be parked outside the building?Without waiting for the staff's reaction, Lucas swung open the car door. With a flick of his cloak, he commanded, "Seal off Frostwave Corporation, now!""Yes, sir!"The two or three dozen soldiers charged into Frostwave Corporation, swiftly sealing off the building. Every entrance and exit was manned by fully armed soldiers with live ammunition, and no one was allowed in or out.In less than a minute, Frostwave Corporation's executives and shareholders were all detained by several soldiers in the meeting room. At that moment, Lucas stood with his back turned to the executives kneeling on the floor. His gaze was cold and indifferent as he looked through th
Mabel was so afraid that she stuttered. "Where's Whitney Sutton?" Lucas asked coldly.Mabel was terrified, and her face paled as she replied, "I-I don't know…""Hmm?" Lucas' gaze sharpened. Mabel quickly amended her response, "I-I know, I know! Ms. Sutton should have gone to see Sebastian to discuss the matter with her cousin. Looking at the time, she should be returning to the company soon…"Before she could finish, a figure with a graceful silhouette entered through the door—it was Whitney.When she was downstairs, she noticed the soldiers standing at the entrance. After identifying herself as the CEO of the company, Whitney was allowed inside."I'm Whitney," she declared as she stepped into the room. Whitney cast a glance at the executives kneeling on the floor before turning her gaze to Lucas. She forced herself to appear composed and asked, "I wonder what brings you to our company so unexpectedly? Is there something important you wish to discuss?"Whitney tried to ma
At Lucas' command, two soldiers quickly stepped forward and escorted Whitney out of the conference room. They took her to a jeep and drove away from Frostwave Corporation. The company's top executives and shareholders stood at the door, visibly shaken. It wasn't until the dozen or so military jeeps had been gone for a while that they dared to wipe the cold sweat from their foreheads and speak. "It's over. It's all over for Ms. Sutton now…" "We've offended the Sunway Carlton family. What's going to happen to the company?" "Quick! Call an emergency meeting!"The group of executives and shareholders hurried back to the conference room for an emergency meeting. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mabel quickly dialed Sebastian's number.Sebastian was in the convenience store, handling some emerald stones. He was going to refine them into safety stones. Suddenly, his phone rang. Reluctantly, he answered after the persistent ringing. As soon as he did, Mabel's furious
"Enough, I'm not here to chat. I need you to do something for me," Sebastian said coldly.Draco, clearly annoyed, retorted. "Hey, Sebastian, watch your tone. Call me Commander Kolt! And if you're calling to ask for a favor, shouldn't you start with some pleasantries? Is this how you ask for help?"At that moment, inside the Department of Defense building, in a spacious and brightly lit office, a young man in his mid-twenties sat relaxed in a chair with his legs crossed. He was dressed in a dark green military uniform with a dragon head emblem proudly displayed on his shoulder. His sharp eyes added to his imposing demeanor.Beside him stood two lieutenants, each with three gold stars on their shoulders, standing silently. However, their gazes toward Draco were filled with admiration and envy.After all, the man casually lounging in the chair was one of the newly appointed top five commanders of the Dramon Department of Defense, known as Commander Draco!At just 26 years old, he c
"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