"I told you to get it!" Sebastian barked angrily.Mabel flinched, her face going from white to red. "Oh, you think you can yell at me, Sebastian? Fine! I'll get it. But if you don't find Ms. Sutton today, I'm not letting this slide!" she snapped back. She stormed off in a huff, but within five minutes, she'd found what Sebastian needed—a handful of protective charms and some blessed pens."Here's what you wanted," she said with her arms crossed, glaring at him. "Now, what's this all about?"Sebastian took a quick glance at the items and replied coldly, "Leave me alone.""Excuse me? Hey, I went through all that trouble to find this stuff, and now you want me to leave?" Mabel was fuming.What the hell was Sebastian up to?"Do you wanna find Whitney or not?" Sebastian asked, his voice as cold as ever.Mabel's expression shifted, and she hesitated for a moment before saying, "I… fine! I'm leaving! Let's see what kind of mess you can make without me!"With a huff, she turned and s
Fergus hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright! I'll head over there with a team. We'll see what we find!"He hung up and turned to his bodyguard. "Gather a dozen guys and get to the junkyard, pronto!""Yes, Mr. Cobb," the bodyguard replied, ready to move.…The junkyard in Steinberg's western district couldn't have been more desolate. Located around 30 miles from the city center, it was a long drive, about an hour under normal conditions. The area was mostly barren land waiting to be developed. It was the perfect hideout for anyone looking to stay off the radar.At the heart of the junkyard, in a large, empty warehouse, Whitney sat bound to a chair. Her hands and feet were tied, and a gag kept her from screaming. She could only manage muffled groans through the cloth. Not far from Whitney, two tattooed young men were lounging. They drank beer, munched on beef jerky, and watched short videos on their phones."Bro, this chick is a total smoke show. Ain't it a waste just
Instantly, the scrawny man's arm froze in midair. He let out a blood-curdling scream while clutching his arm. Dropping to his knees, he writhed in pain and yelled in agony."Who's there?" the other man shouted. He grabbed a machete and glared at the rusted iron doors. A figure emerged from the doorway, each step slow but deliberate, radiating an air of menacing aggression."You two are dead meat," Sebastian said coldly, his voice dripping with murderous intent. The air around him seemed to vibrate with sheer malice. Even Whitney could feel it as she shuddered at the intense atmosphere.She stared in shock at Sebastian, who had appeared like some kind of hero to save her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she was overwhelmed by relief. She never expected him to be the first to find her.Sebastian raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you okay?"Whitney nodded furiously, tears streaming down her cheeks as she said, "I'm fine… I'm okay…"Whitney suddenly felt so wronged and aggrieved
The scrawny man's face turned pale, and he dropped to his knees. "I'll talk! Our boss ordered us to do it. He said we had to kidnap that woman and hold her until we got further instructions.""Why?" Sebastian asked with a frown.The scrawny man trembled as he replied, "I-I don't know. Our boss tells us what to do, and we just do it. He doesn't share anything else with us."Sebastian's frown deepened, his voice growing colder. "What's your boss's name? Where is he now?"The scrawny man hesitated, and his expression changed."Not gonna talk?" Sebastian said with a cold laugh, raising his hand to reveal three silver needles. "If I use these, you'll suffer a fate worse than him," he warned, pointing to his convulsing partner.The scrawny man flinched, trembling uncontrollably. "He's Leonardo Cobalt. We call him Leo. He's in charge of the underground casino in the downtown west. He's probably at the casino right now…""Casino?" Sebastian muttered with a frown.Hans wasn't wrong;
Leonardo's face darkened instantly upon hearing the question. He frowned and stared across at Sebastian with a cold gaze. "Who the hell are you?""Does it matter? You just need to answer me. Were you behind Whitney's kidnapping?" Sebastian asked coldly.Leonardo snorted, laughing derisively. His eyes were filled with contempt and mockery. "Kid, you come into my place talking big. Are you looking to get yourself killed?""Yes or no?" Sebastian repeated, his tone unwavering.Leonardo's expression turned grim, his eyes gleaming with irritation. He turned to Milo and asked sharply, "Where's the woman?"Milo was already in a state of shock as he collapsed to his knees with a cry. "Leo, h-he saved the woman!""What?" Leonardo roared, his anger erupting. His eyes locked onto Sebastian, his voice turning ice-cold. "Kid, are you here to start trouble?"Sebastian replied calmly, "Trouble didn't start with me. It started with you."Leonardo's rage boiled over. "You're fucking dead!" Wit
Leonardo let out a furious roar, and the guards hastily reloaded their guns, ready to shoot Sebastian from above. But before they could pull the trigger, Sebastian dropped to the ground and dashed forward at a high speed. Within a few quick moves, he had taken down all guards, leaving them clutching their broken arms and screaming in agony on the floor.Leonardo was dumbfounded, his heart pounding with fear. This guy was insanely strong, far beyond anything he'd ever seen."W-What do you want?" Leonardo stammered, his voice trembling with fear.Sebastian turned to him, his tone cold and emotionless. "Tell me, who ordered you to do this?""You wish!" Leonardo shouted defiantly. In his line of work, the first rule was to keep his mouth shut, or else he'd never survive."No? I've got a hundred ways to make you talk," Sebastian replied coldly as he stepped toward Leonardo.Seeing Sebastian coming at him, Leonardo shivered in fear and tried to scramble away. But with a swift fli
"Who even are you?" Sebastian frowned.Leonardo let out a mocking chuckle, his voice filled with spite as he shouted. "You don't even know who Mr. McQueen is, and you dare wreck our casino? You really have a death wish!" "Spit it out if you have something to say," Sebastian retorted coldly.Leonardo was infuriated by the comeback, and he shouted, "Fine, you're so cocky! Let me tell you, this is Mr. Zachary McQueen, one of the three infamous underground casino kingpins in Steinberg!Leonardo continued, "In Steinberg, everyone bows to Mr. McQueen? He controls 18 underground casinos and over 20 entertainment venues! Just one word from him, and he can summon a thousand men! "Kid, no matter how tough you are, you think you can take on a thousand people? I suggest you get down on your knees and beg for mercy, or you'll be dead before you know it!" Sebastian frowned, looking at the crawling Leonardo. "You done?" he asked coldly.Leonardo frowned. "What are you waiting for? Kneel!" h
"Attack!" Zachary ordered coldly.Suddenly, the door of the private room was pushed open.In the blink of an eye, dozens of henchmen in black suits burst into the room, filling the space to the brim. A voice bellowed from outside the room, demanding respect and sending shockwaves through the tense atmosphere. "Who dares touch Mr. Ballard without my permission?" Zachary stiffened, his body trembling as he turned toward the source of the voice. Stepping boldly through the door was a tall figure in a white three-piece suit and matching white shoes. The man strode in with a menacing aura, flanked by a retinue of subordinates.It was Hans! The undisputed kingpin of Steinberg's underworld, a man with the power to control everything with a single hand. The sight of Hans immediately drained the color from Zachary's face. Hans was a well-known man in Steinberg. Although Zachary was one of the three major kingpins of the underground casinos, with his own sphere of influence, he had
"Isabella, our son is all grown up now," Samson whispered. "I wonder when our family can reunite…"His eyes misted over."Is Mom really in the Holy Grandia?" Sebastian's voice suddenly came from behind him. Samson hastily wiped away the tears in the corners of his eyes. He turned to look at Sebastian and exhaled as he smiled bitterly. "I don't know either," he replied. "After I kicked you and your mother out of the family back then, I was brought here. From that day on, this little area became my whole world."Hugo had been the one who had brought him the news of Isabella attacking the Ballard Estate with experts from the Thorne family. In the end, the condition of the truce between the Ballards and the Thornes was that Hugo would be allowed to stay at the Ballard Estate and ensure Samson's safety.Apart from that, Samson had no other news of Isabella. Sebastian walked over and sat down in the chair opposite Samson. He picked up the teapot and poured a cup of fragrant tea f
Sebastian exhaled softly and pointed at the technique he had just handed to Whitney. He said, "If you can memorize this technique within three days, I can teach you."The technique Sebastian had given her was a basic introduction to the martial arts. It was also a basic technique for mystic arts practitioners, but it would let someone of Whitney's disposition become a sage even more quickly.That meant that Whitney had the advantage over ordinary Warriors. It was Sebastian's final favor to her."Alright! I'll recite it to you tomorrow morning!" Whitney said firmly, clenching her fists tightly. Sebastian smiled and nodded. He stood up and said, "It's getting late. You should get to bed soon. I'll get going now."Upon seeing that Sebastian was leaving, Whitney got up quickly and grabbed hold of him. "Can't you stay?" she asked.After their divorce, Whitney had never spent any time alone with Sebastian. Even at the convenience store, Rosalie had always been with them.It was a r
Whitney smiled bitterly, but tears spilled down her cheeks. She said to Sebastian, her voice choking up with emotion, "I see that I was in the wrong all along. But… but it wasn't that I didn't trust you, it's just that—"Sebastian took out a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her. He said calmly, "Actually, you were just blinded by the false fame and power of the world."In your heart, you feel that only money can prove a person's worth. In terms of wealth, I'm just a lazy and complacent dolt when compared with those so-called successful people."Sebastian's words seemed to cut Whitney like a knife. It wasn't all her fault. After all, historically, most people used money to measure the success of a person. Otherwise, why would there be the saying of how no one remembered the poor, but everyone showed up for the rich?"The truth is that all those wealthy heirs are worth even less than a dog to the Warriors and the mystic sects. "I don't fight with the people of the worl
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