Vincent chuckled. "The Tri-Sage Master is one of the most powerful experts. He was the one who formulated the Astralix Fortune Beads."He continued, "Those beads have the power to ward off evil energy and recalibrate an individual's geomancy harmony. Hence, the 30 million dollar starting bid is considered quite cheap."Sebastian frowned. "Mr. Hindon, don't tell me you plan on purchasing the Astralix Fortune Beads tonight.""As expected, I can't keep anything from you." Vincent puffed out his chest proudly and said, "You're right. I have my eyes set on those beads. Let me know if you're interested in any other artifacts on bid, and I'll get it for you."Sebastian laughed softly and directed his attention back to the Astralix Fortune Beads.The Tri-Sage Master was a Dainist, and yet he created an Astralix artifact. How interesting.Sebastian couldn't tell from the picture whether or not the Astralix Fortune Beads were as powerful as Vincent claimed them to be. So, he could only wai
Rosalie, who was dressed well, noticed Vincent and Sebastian not long after they took a seat. She frowned when she saw Sebastian and huffed coldly. A man in his late 40s seated next to her followed her gaze after she huffed. "Is that the man you were rumored to be in a relationship with?" he asked with a chuckle. Rosalie glowered at him. "Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Phillips. I don't know him."The man Rosalie called "Mr. Phillips" laughed as he asked placatingly, "Did the both of you fight?""No! I would never fight with a dickhead like him!" Rosalie snapped.Phillips laughed again and didn't say anything else.The auction soon began, and everyone shifted in their seats in anticipation.The auctioneer, a tall and slim lady clad in formal attire, walked up on stage. She began the introductory speech and kickstarted the auction.Surprisingly, the Sky Devouring Bottle was the first item to be auctioned. Perhaps because it looked too unassuming, and the starting bid wasn't high eit
The crowd broke into an uproar at his words. What did he say? Did he really call the Tri-Sage Master a fraud? Was he insane?"Who the fuck does he think he is? How could he say something so outrageous?" one of them shouted.Another chimed in, "I can't believe he called the Tri-Sage Master a fraud! No one has ever done that before!""What an idiot. Now he'll have to suffer the wrath of all those men who worship the Tri-Sage Master!" one other exclaimed.The crowd's gaze toward Sebastian was one of anger, distaste, and annoyance as they spoke.Rosalie frowned as she watched the crowd's reaction. She couldn't help but feel worried for Sebastian.Half of the auction attendees worshiped the Tri-Sage Master. Though she knew he was a fraud, no one would believe her if she told them."This fool… How could he say that out loud in public?" Rosalie grumbled with a pout as she watched Sebastian worriedly.Phillips laughed before he asked, "Are you worried about him?""Nonsense…" Rosal
An attendant walked onto the stage with a silver tray covered with a red cloth.Though the tray was covered, the attendees knew that the Astralix Fortune Beads were on the tray.The auctioneer watched as they all craned their necks just to catch a glimpse of the beads."Ladies and gentlemen, it's now time for the main event!" the auctioneer declared. "I'm sure everyone here knows what the last artifact is, right?"She continued, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you about the Tri-Sage Master's reputation, considering half of all the attendees here have been blessed by him!"The Astralix Fortune Beads is an artifact that the Tri-Sage Master spent three years crafting! It can ward off negative energy, prolong lifespan, improve luck…"The auctioneer began describing the characteristics of the Astralix Fortune Beads, and someone from the crowd yelled impatiently, "Alright! We get it! Show us the beads!"The auctioneer smiled. "Alright then. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the A
Vincent stared at Sebastian in disbelief. "Fake? Are you kidding?"He had asked Sebastian to come because he knew that Sebastian was able to tell real artifacts from fake ones. So, if he said the beads were fake, it was probably true."It's fake," Sebastian declared.Just now, when the auctioneer pulled off the red cloth, Sebastian was also nearly fooled by the golden glow of the beads.However, upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't the Astralix Fortune Beads. They were just regular dyed beads strung into a bracelet. The trick to how he was almost fooled was because there was a small spiritual energy circle in the beads! That was how everyone felt the waves of spiritual energy washing over them.As for the golden glow… there was a small golden light bulb inside the beads.In other words, it was a fake!It was clearly created and put up for auction to deceive the wealthy people present.In fact, Sebastian suspected that the men sitting around the Tri-Sage Master were i
"That's amazing! Now the worth of the beads are far more than 300 million dollars!" Gideon exclaimed.The Tri-Sage Master nodded. "That was just something I wanted to add on. Go on, continue bidding. We'll cap the amount at 400 million dollars.""Alright," Gideon replied.As expected, someone from the crowd raised their sign shakily as they gritted out, "3… 320 million!""330 million!""350 million!"The bidding continued until Gideon finally called out, "380 million!"Then, he turned to Vincent and teased, "Why so silent, Mr. Hindon? You should be able to afford it right?"Vincent frowned as he discussed silently with Sebastian."Mr. Hindon, what are you and that kid talking about?" Gideon demanded.Sebastian ignored him and said to Vincent, "Can't you see? Gideon and the Tri-Sage Master are working together!"Vincent frowned. "Are you sure?""You don't believe me?" Sebastian asked with a smile.He then pointed a finger at Vincent's ear, and a wisp of spiritual energy tra
Gideon shot to his feet furiously as he roared, "Why aren't you trying to outbid me?"Vincent sighed loudly. "It's too expensive. I can't outbid you. I'm simply not as rich as you are. He then said gleefully, "Congratulations on buying the beads for 390 million dollars."As he spoke, he couldn't help the smug grin that was spreading across his face.Gideon suddenly understood what was happening. His deception had been exposed!Then, he turned to the auctioneer and yelled desperately, "No! My bid doesn't count! Vincent can have it for 385 million dollars!"Gideon was about to rip out all of his hair from frustration.390 million dollars… for a fake artifact? He couldn't believe that he had to pay for a fake!As he screeched, he turned to Vincent and growled, "Hindon! Bid 400 million dollars on the bid now! I'll let you have it! Do you know how good these beads are?"Gideon was panicking to the point where he was losing his mind.The other attendees watched him suspiciously.Wh
"Who would've thought that the Tri-Sage Master was a fraud?" Vincent sighed.And to think that he used to worship him as well.The auctioneer finalized the bid, and the beads were officially Gideon's.Sebastian chuckled as he whispered, "Do you want to have some more fun?""What do you mean?" Vincent asked suspiciously."Obviously, we're going to expose their lies."Vincent paused and asked anxiously, "Are you sure you can do it, Dr. Ballard? After all, the Tri-Sage Master is not someone you can afford to offend.""Trust me," Sebastian said confidently.After that, he yelled loudly, "How does it feel to buy a fake artifact for 390 million dollars, Mr. Dankworth."At that, the hall erupted into a cacophony of whispers. Everyone was staring wide-eyed at Sebastian.Rosalie also turned to stare at him worriedly. "This idiot! How could he expose them like that? Does he want to die?" she mumbled anxiously.Phillips frowned but chuckled as he studied Sebastian.Meanwhile, Gideon f
"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