"Pleasure to meet you," Sebastian said, lowering his head slightly to Trafford, looking perfectly self-assured."I am a deacon of the Gladius Sect. I used to be very aggressive in how I acted, so I was given the nickname of 'Swordster' by my peers in the martial arts community." Trafford clasped his hands behind his back and looked beadily at Sebastian as he introduced himself."I've heard." Sebastian nodded slightly.He was familiar with the name. In fact, a few years earlier, his mentor had told him personally about the rumors regarding some of the high-level executives in the Nine Sects. Trafford had happened to be one of them.It was just that the nickname hadn't been given to him the way he had claimed. Trafford had been born into a prestigious family, and the year he turned 16, his entire family was killed overnight. Out of the 76 members of the entire family, Trafford was the only one who survived.Luckily, he had been saved by an expert, who had then taught Trafford ever
The slap resounded across the lobby, and the sound of it traveled far into the quiet night. Ethan stood in stunned silence. Even Raphael and Leah were startled."How dare you!" Trafford barked. "How can you defame someone of Mr. Ballard's character?" He then turned to look at Sebastian and said, "However, since the rightful owner is present, I hope you can return the object to him, Mr. Ballard." Sebastian looked curiously at Trafford before laughing sardonically. Shaking his head, he asked, "What if I tell you I don't want to?"Trafford gritted his teeth. "Fine! I see that there are still heroes among our youth. You remind me of myself at your age. However…"His tone changed, and he said coldly, "The Soulbell is still Demongate's sacred object, and they've come to Sword Towers to ask them to seek justice. If you refuse to return it…" Trafford's gaze turned to Ethan.Ethan looked at him in confusion. This wasn't what they had planned beforehand. However, he soon understood w
"You're very confident, I see," Sebastian remarked, looking coldly at Ethan.Ethan scoffed, his expression cold and menacing. "You'll soon find out why I'm so confident."Sebastian's gaze swept impassively over him before he glanced at the high-ranking members of the Steinberg Martial Arts Association. Turning to Liam and Gavin, he said, "Let's go."Both Liam and Gavin were utterly confused. They couldn't understand why Sebastian had shown up even though he hadn't had any intention of attending the banquet."Mr. Ballard, can you explain what you were doing?" Gavin couldn't help asking once they were in the car."Liam, you're not going to ask the same question, are you?" Sebastian pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his fingers. He didn't light it and just stared impassively out through the car window. Liam frowned and said thoughtfully, "Seb, I was looking closely at them. There didn't seem to be any sign of the Sword Zealot and the Sword Fiend in the crowd. "Not all
Sebastian heard Whitney crying out, and he hurriedly turned to help her up."Sebastian… I'm alright," Whitney said. "I just moved too quickly, and it tugged at the wound. I'm fine."Although Sebastian had dressed her wound, she had still been severely injured by Terence's attack. Full recovery would take time. "I'm going out to take care of some business, and I'll be back right away. Lyanna and Nina will take care of you. You mustn't pull at the wound again. If your natural energy is damaged, it won't be easy to deal with," Sebastian instructed gently as he helped Whitney to sit down.Whitney looked up at him and said, "But I have an interview this afternoon to hire someone to manage the pharmaceutical factory. I can't just skip it. "The pharmaceutical factory has stopped operations for quite a few days already, and the deadline for our new batch of products is approaching. We can't delay a single day more."Sebastian took a deep breath and said thoughtfully, "It's alright. You
"Betty Warner, the daughter of the richest family in Jovenshire, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering 77.77 million and a publicly-listed company as a token of her sincerity!""Luisa Albright, the daughter of the premiere family in Caevon, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering two statues of pure gold that weigh over 100 tons in total as a token of her sincerity!""Cora Sutcliffe, the daughter of the Duke of Southam from Draepolis, would like to propose to Mr. Ballard. She's offering ten foreign islands worth 10 billion as a token of her sincerity!"The courthouse in Steinberg was an unassuming building, but for some reason, it was unusually bustling and fraught with tension today!Luxury cars lined the street outside the courthouse, and beside them stood prominent figures who could rattle the fabric of society with just a snap of their fingers!There were individuals from financial oligarchies with hundreds of billions in net worths, underworld king
"Are you certain you want to make such an extreme choice?" Sebastian asked one last time. He wanted to see if Whitney would show any signs of reluctance.Unfortunately, he did not detect even a trace of hesitation in Whitney's expression."We're not right for each other. Let's just go in and finalize the divorce. I'll do my best to meet all of your demands. Even after we've gotten divorced, we can still remain friends," Whitney bit her lip and offered after thinking about it.They could remain friends, huh?Sebastian laughed at Whitney's response. Tears trickled out of the corner of his eyes.It turned out that despite being married for three years, the relationship had been entirely one-sided. He was the presumptuous one.In her eyes, he was merely a stepping stone."Fine. I'll go through with the divorce! I don't need your money, the car, or the house. I can support myself!" Sebastian stubbornly declared."You're going to support yourself with that little shop of yours where
Whitney had just gotten out of the car when she heard what the young woman said to Sebastian. Her expression soured.Be it looks or physique, the gorgeous young woman was just as attractive as Whitney—and she drove a Ferrari.Whitney's chest tightened.When had Sebastian become acquainted with a woman like her?The young woman looked to be in her early 20s, which made her about five or six years younger than Whitney.Whitney immediately felt jealous.Mabel had gotten out of the car too. The sight before her made her frown."I'm sorry, but who are you?" Sebastian asked as he studied the young woman in front of him.She was a young and beautiful woman. Still, he had no idea who she was."Mr. Chester Sinclair recommended you to me, Dr. Ballard. My name is Rosalie Griffin. He said that you have the Goldcrow pill. It is the only thing that can save my grandfather. "My family, the Griffins, are willing to buy it from you for ten million dollars!" Rosalie pleaded tearfully."Chest
Over in Rosalie's car, Sebastian had just found out who she was. She was a part of the Griffins of Janover.Sebastian's brows creased slightly. If not mistaken, the Griffins were the juggernauts of Janover. Every move they made could rock the entire city.If Whitney had been in the car as well, her jaw would have dropped in shock.The Griffins of Janover, the family she desperately wanted to form an association with, were seeking help from Sebastian, the useless man she'd just divorced.Soon, the car stopped outside a residential compound.Once they got out of the car, Rosalie hastily brought Sebastian into one of the bedrooms.A sickly old man lay on the bed. All the color had drained from his face. Even his lips were purplish. Every breath he took seemed to drag on forever. It was as if he were a dying candle flickering in the wind.A middle-aged man and a doctor stood beside the bed. Dressed in linen, the doctor was inserting acupuncture needles into Rosalie's grandfather, Ol
Sebastian heard Whitney crying out, and he hurriedly turned to help her up."Sebastian… I'm alright," Whitney said. "I just moved too quickly, and it tugged at the wound. I'm fine."Although Sebastian had dressed her wound, she had still been severely injured by Terence's attack. Full recovery would take time. "I'm going out to take care of some business, and I'll be back right away. Lyanna and Nina will take care of you. You mustn't pull at the wound again. If your natural energy is damaged, it won't be easy to deal with," Sebastian instructed gently as he helped Whitney to sit down.Whitney looked up at him and said, "But I have an interview this afternoon to hire someone to manage the pharmaceutical factory. I can't just skip it. "The pharmaceutical factory has stopped operations for quite a few days already, and the deadline for our new batch of products is approaching. We can't delay a single day more."Sebastian took a deep breath and said thoughtfully, "It's alright. You
"You're very confident, I see," Sebastian remarked, looking coldly at Ethan.Ethan scoffed, his expression cold and menacing. "You'll soon find out why I'm so confident."Sebastian's gaze swept impassively over him before he glanced at the high-ranking members of the Steinberg Martial Arts Association. Turning to Liam and Gavin, he said, "Let's go."Both Liam and Gavin were utterly confused. They couldn't understand why Sebastian had shown up even though he hadn't had any intention of attending the banquet."Mr. Ballard, can you explain what you were doing?" Gavin couldn't help asking once they were in the car."Liam, you're not going to ask the same question, are you?" Sebastian pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his fingers. He didn't light it and just stared impassively out through the car window. Liam frowned and said thoughtfully, "Seb, I was looking closely at them. There didn't seem to be any sign of the Sword Zealot and the Sword Fiend in the crowd. "Not all
The slap resounded across the lobby, and the sound of it traveled far into the quiet night. Ethan stood in stunned silence. Even Raphael and Leah were startled."How dare you!" Trafford barked. "How can you defame someone of Mr. Ballard's character?" He then turned to look at Sebastian and said, "However, since the rightful owner is present, I hope you can return the object to him, Mr. Ballard." Sebastian looked curiously at Trafford before laughing sardonically. Shaking his head, he asked, "What if I tell you I don't want to?"Trafford gritted his teeth. "Fine! I see that there are still heroes among our youth. You remind me of myself at your age. However…"His tone changed, and he said coldly, "The Soulbell is still Demongate's sacred object, and they've come to Sword Towers to ask them to seek justice. If you refuse to return it…" Trafford's gaze turned to Ethan.Ethan looked at him in confusion. This wasn't what they had planned beforehand. However, he soon understood w
"Pleasure to meet you," Sebastian said, lowering his head slightly to Trafford, looking perfectly self-assured."I am a deacon of the Gladius Sect. I used to be very aggressive in how I acted, so I was given the nickname of 'Swordster' by my peers in the martial arts community." Trafford clasped his hands behind his back and looked beadily at Sebastian as he introduced himself."I've heard." Sebastian nodded slightly.He was familiar with the name. In fact, a few years earlier, his mentor had told him personally about the rumors regarding some of the high-level executives in the Nine Sects. Trafford had happened to be one of them.It was just that the nickname hadn't been given to him the way he had claimed. Trafford had been born into a prestigious family, and the year he turned 16, his entire family was killed overnight. Out of the 76 members of the entire family, Trafford was the only one who survived.Luckily, he had been saved by an expert, who had then taught Trafford ever
If Sebastian refused to return the Soulbell, he would be branded as the person who had taken Demongate's treasure by force. If word spread about his actions, Sword Towers or any other sects would be able to use this as an excuse to cause trouble for Sebastian.Ethan couldn't help but feel triumphant. He believed that he had gotten back at Sebastian. Although Sebastian had had the upper hand verbally, Ethan had come off looking morally correct.Sebastian didn't let him stay happy for too long. He said abruptly, "It's none of your business."Ethan's smile froze at once, and everyone present turned to look at him.Sebastian had a point. The loss of Demongate's precious treasure had nothing to do with Sword Towers at all!"Sebastian!" Ethan's rage erupted like a volcano.His patience had worn thin. How could Sebastian humiliate him like this when Trafford was right here? "I need you to understand something. In Dramon's martial arts community, you can't just do whatever you want b
Liam was startled to hear what Sebastian had said. "Seb, what do you mean by that?" he asked. Sebastian smiled faintly. "It's simple. Just keep them waiting."He knew very well what the intentions of Trafford and the others were. They just wanted to embarrass him in public, and he didn't want to get into an argument publicly with the Nine Sects. After all, not all the high-level executives of the Nine Sects were traitors like Trafford. Sebastian could see everything that Trafford was doing, but it wasn't the time to settle the score yet. "Seb, do you mean that you accepted Swordster's invitation but will be late to the banquet?" There was a glint in Liam's eyes, and he understood what Sebastian meant very quickly. If Sebastian accepted Ethan's invitation but didn't show up, it would be a veritable slap in the face for Ethan. Sword Towers would be the ones getting embarrassed. Sebastian smiled, patting Liam on the shoulder. He grinned and said, "Exactly. This is how you win w
What if the three top swordsmen took the opportunity to attack Sebastian? That would be no laughing matter. Rosalie had just finished speaking when they heard the sound of brakes screeching urgently to a stop outside the door.Moments later, the sound of leather shoes clacking on the floor echoed as Liam strode in, clad in his uniform. "Sebastian, Rosalie is right. You must not attend the banquet tonight," he declared and took out an identical invitation, tossing it onto the table. "Hmm? Liam? What are you doing here?" Sebastian asked, looking Liam up and down. Liam had been busy with work recently and hadn't come to visit Sebastian for a long time. "Seb, I came to warn you. I'm not the only one who received this invitation. The Stallones and the Winters did too. Not only that, but almost every influential figure in Sartvale will also be in attendance. I have a feeling that this is a trap for you, Seb," he said sternly as he analyzed the situation. Liam had sent people to
Rosalie set her phone down. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she drove straight to Sebastian's convenience store. When Lyanna saw Rosalie's furious expression, she burst into laughter and went up to her, asking, "Ms. Griffin, why do you look so angry as soon as you walk through the door? My master hasn't offended you, has he? Come and sit down. My master is in seclusion, so please wait for a while." Lyanna led Rosalie to a chair and poured her a cup of tea. At that moment, the door to the inner room opened, and Sebastian strode out. Seeing Rosalie was there, he looked startled but quickly smiled. "What's wrong? I see that your complexion isn't looking too great."Rosalie took a sip of tea and frowned as she said, "It's nothing! It's just that Cecilia was being too rude. Not only is she getting close to Ethan, but she keeps saying bad things about you to my face.""I thought it was something serious. Let her say what she wants." Sebastian smiled wryly and
Ethan took Cecilia's hand and led her to the front room. When they arrived, he noticed that Trafford and the others had eaten most of the food. Upon seeing Ethan, Trafford asked rather tipsily, "Mr. Whitehall, have you done what I asked you to do?""I've sent someone to do it," Ethan replied. He bowed respectfully to Trafford and gestured toward Cecilia. "Mr. Polene, this is Cecilia, the daughter of Madam Dragon, the leader of the Warrior League." She happens to be my guest, so I brought her over to meet you. I hope you don't mind." He shot Cecilia a pointed look, and she quickly bowed. "G-Greetings, sir." Trafford waved dismissively at her. He said to Ethan, "Take her along with us later. Since she's Madam Dragon's daughter, she's no outsider."Cecilia was pleasantly surprised. Although she didn't know where Trafford wanted Ethan to take her, she was still delighted. To be with the three top swordsmen of the Gladius Sect was already an unimaginable honor to those in martial ar