Chapter 696: Chapter 696 Threaten The Association’s Survival
When Stella Lucas heard my words, she went quiet.
"If it’s too much, don’t worry about it," I said, getting to my feet.
"I just want the Michelle Sect to leave me alone from here on out. We should stay out of each other’s business," I added.
After saying that, I started to head out.
But Stella blocked my path.
"Alright. I’ll do it," she said with gravity.
I cocked an eyebrow. "If you actually manage to locate Mabel Sean, then we have a deal."
Stella grinned. "To earn Mr. Raymond’s trust, we’ll give it everything we’ve got."
I kept quiet and headed for the exit.
Right then, Stella stepped in front of me again.
"What now?" I asked.
Stella gave a soft smile. "If I’m right, you’re struggling with how to handle the Capital City Martial Arts Association since you can’t find anywhere to lay low, correct?"
"That’s right," I confirmed.
"I’ve got a suggestion," Stella went on.
I waited for her to continue.
"Relocate your group to the Immortal Slaying Sect," she proposed.
That caught me off guard.
It wasn’t a bad plan.
The Immortal Slaying Sect’s gates were sealed tight—nobody could breach them. On top of that, the Capital City Martial Arts Association was wary of the Immortal Slaying Sect. It would make a solid hideout.
But I quickly scrapped the notion.
I shook my head. "First off, the Immortal Slaying Sect is locked up tight. I can’t get inside."
"Second, the Immortal Slaying Sect sits underwater, crawling with deadly energy and killing intent. I might handle it, but that doesn’t mean my people can."
Stella chuckled. "That’s exactly why it would keep you safe."
"As for getting in, I might be able to work something out. But naturally, that would come after we join forces," she offered.
I let out a mocking laugh. I didn’t bother responding to Stella’s suggestion and walked away.
——
The following day marked the deadline I’d set with the Capital City Martial Arts Association.
At daybreak, I called Phoebe Billy to test the waters.
His voice came through hard and cold. "The Capital City Martial Arts Association’s position is crystal clear—we absolutely will not release Mabel Sean."
When I heard that, I couldn’t stop a bitter laugh. "Perfect, then I’ll send them a special present."
With that, I ended the call immediately.
Even though I’d expected the Capital City Martial Arts Association to refuse, I still felt rage building inside me.
"Then we fight until one of us is dead," I said icily.
Next, I headed down to the basement.
I grabbed the cage holding Sybil Cooper and dragged him to the car.
At the same time, I told Orr Austen and Desmond Fabiola to personally watch Cooper and make sure he couldn’t run.
"What’s happening?" Cooper asked, shaking with terror.
I looked at Cooper and gave a cold laugh. "Your association threw you away. Time to make good on my word."
Cooper’s expression shifted dramatically. "Mason, don’t do anything crazy. Let’s talk this through!" he begged frantically.
"Nothing to discuss," I shot back coldly, firing up the engine.
Cooper was completely freaked out, understanding he was staring death in the face!
His brain worked overtime, searching for any way out.
"Mason, I know tons of Capital City Martial Arts Association secrets. Spare me, and I’ll spill everything!" Cooper yelled desperately.
Those words definitely got my interest.
After running the association for years, Cooper surely knew more about the Capital City Martial Arts Association than Phoebe Billy.
So I pulled over, smirked, and said, "Okay, you’ve got my attention."
Cooper let out a relieved breath.
Then Cooper said, "Ask me whatever you want. If I know it, I’ll tell you the whole truth."
I stared at Cooper and asked seriously, "Who are the big shots pulling your strings, and how strong are they?"
At that, Cooper could only shake his head. "I honestly don’t know—they were already there when I started."
"So according to you, they’ve been around for ages? That means they’re probably around your age," I said seriously.
Cooper nodded right away. "Yeah, from what I can tell, those eight bosses haven’t changed in all these years."
"Power-wise, they’re definitely stronger than me. There’s a good chance they’ve hit Martial Saint level."
My face shifted slightly.
So the Capital City Martial Arts Association really did have a Martial Saint.
"These guys might be leftovers from the old days," Cooper added.
I stayed quiet for a beat, then pressed further. "Is it true the Capital City Martial Arts Association grabbed a Martial Saint?"
"Absolutely!" Cooper held nothing back!
When I heard that, I scoffed. "If the Capital City Martial Arts Association is so tough, why do they kiss up to Logan Sean?"
Cooper smiled bitterly. "Like you said, I’m just a chess piece. Plus, in today’s world, martial artists have been forgotten."
"Otherwise, why would you think those eight bosses want to stay hidden? Nobody wants to spend decades, maybe centuries, in the shadows."
I nodded quietly.
That was the real deal—martial artists were a tiny group after all. Out of thousands of people, you’d be lucky to spot one martial artist.
Only because becoming a martial artist demanded so much more.
In this time, cultivation resources were incredibly scarce, so martial artists had to rely on premium herbs to advance.
And each of those premium herbs cost a fortune, way more than regular folks could handle.
"One more thing," I continued.
"As far as I know, I never had beef with the Capital City Martial Arts Association, so why do they keep trying to kill me?" I stared coldly at Cooper.
At that, Cooper went silent.
After thinking it over, he said, "That order came from the top too. They supposedly...worry that you’ll threaten the association’s survival."
"That’s garbage. I was nobody back then—not worth the bosses’ time," I scoffed.
Cooper agreed. "You’re absolutely right. Forget the bosses, even I didn’t take you seriously at first."
"But somehow, the bosses were super careful about dealing with you. Apparently, it’s because you look like someone from way back."
I frowned. "Someone from way back?"
Cooper answered, "I heard about this huge battle years ago—one person took out dozens of Martial Saints from the Capital City Martial Arts Association."
"Killed dozens of Martial Saints?" I couldn’t help but gasp.
Cooper said, "Yeah, but that’s just a story. I never saw it happen."
I went quiet, thinking hard.
Could it be...that guy was my father?
With that thought racing through my head, I looked at Cooper urgently. "What did he look like? What happened to him?"
