Robert, who was sitting in the middle and witnessing this intense reaction from both sides, could only sigh and say,
"Let's hear what you ladies have to say. Why are we not at peace?"
Ray, who was standing with the others, was thinking, Isn't it because of you? He wanted to say this aloud so badly. It is because of Robert—who is a coward and couldn't take care of his wives. Then why did he even marry?
Diana, as if she knew what Ray was thinking, said, "What are you talking about? We are all very peaceful—since you do not get involved."
Hearing that, Robert felt guilty. It was like he married them but never managed to help or stop them when it was needed. He didn't know what to say. If what Selene did now was out of revenge, wasn't it his fault? Since he had been chickening out and didn't protect his wife from being bullied by his other wife?
Roxanne, who couldn't handle it anymore, directly said, "I know it is your doing, Selene. It is a talisman that only your family makes. So release my son from his misery."
"I don't know what you are talking about. Do you have any evidence that I did it?" Selene replied, mimicking Roxanne, who had been saying such things so many times that Selene had learned the act from the best.
"The talisman is the proof itself," said Roxanne.
"It might be a product of my family, but that doesn't mean it was me who did it. Your accusation insults me. I am not going to give you any antidote to fix this, since you have insulted me," said Selene again, clearly mocking Roxanne from the past.
Roxanne was on the brink of insanity, but before she could act, she heard the screaming of a boy in the corner who was lying on a stretcher. He started screaming in pain. Roxanne shut her mouth and asked, "What is happening? I gave him a pill to sleep for three days. It's impossible for him to feel pain."
"It must be the user who gave the curse to him. He or she must be controlling the curse to cause him more pain," Selene said with a smile. Roxanne knew she was at a loss this time. She was already planning to fix this and to attack Selene's children again.
"I admit defeat this time. I'm sorry. Fix my son for me," said Roxanne, gritting her teeth. She would remember this.
But Diana, who was waiting for this moment, brought out a contract paper and said, "You elderly people have been involved in children's affairs for far too long. I have to say this now—because I need the signatures of you and your children on this. We will sign it as well. The rules are:
You cannot bully anyone who is more than 3 levels below your strength, and they must be in the same stage. If Alex is peak Iron Stage, then Bronze Stage cannot challenge him. If Andrew is 4th Wood Stage, then only up to three levels above can challenge him—that is, 7th Wood Stage.
You cannot cripple or kill each other. And the opposite party has to accept the challenge, and if he refuses, then the challenge will not go on.
Non-cultivators will not be challenged. Whether it's Ray or any child that is born until the age of 8, before awakening their cultivation talent, they cannot be challenged. That is pure bullying using cultivation.
Even if they are challenged, it must be done on the battle stage set by the elders.
Elders will not get involved in children's battles. If they do, we will respond the same way and target their children. Only if your children are about to be crippled or killed may you interfere.
There are..."
Diana read a few more simple rules. But it was clear they were not beneficial for Roxanne and Barbara. Still, they would have to sign it—or else their children would be targeted too.
Roxanne understood as well that she had crossed the line long ago. And since Robert hadn't stopped them, they had kept going until Selene's patience finally snapped.
Roxanne said, "Do you know who you are messing with? My eldest sister is the queen, and I have the Duke family behind me."
Roxanne wants her first child to become the next leader after her husband in the Walker family.
Diana was reading the rules when Roxanne issued her threat. But she had no idea that this was the last straw.
Selene, who had been listening to all of this peacefully—only because Diana wanted peace—had been giving a lot of face to Diana. But Roxanne had just opened the door for Selene to act.
Selene said in an angry voice, "You bitch! You have gone too far since the day I married Robert. Seventeen whole years I've borne your torture. And Robert—this dumb, weak excuse of a man, who is also a duke—has always been scared of your family background. But I am not! Do you know who I am? I am Selene Ashford! If you have a Duke behind your family, then I have a Duke behind me as well. If you have an alchemy background, then I have a talisman background. If you have the queen behind you, then my family has enough talismans to fight your sister and your entire house!"
Everyone who had always seen Selene as the sweet and gentle one now watched as she snapped.
Robert was shocked to be called "dumb and weak."
Roxanne was shocked to be called a "bitch."
And everyone else, who had forgotten Selene's background, suddenly remembered just how powerful her family was.
Selene then said, "Since you are not willing to sign the contract papers, then you have not given me any choice. Sister Diana, do as I told you before we came here."
Diana quickly dashed toward the children and activated a protection formation. As she did, Selene brought out ten thousand talismans and threw them at the nine children of Roxanne and Barbara.
All of a sudden, all nine children were bound with thousands of talismans each. They were stuck and couldn't move.
Selene then said with a thunderous voice, "Sign the paper peacefully—or you will see all of your children killed."
Barbara, terrified, quickly signed the paper.
Roxanne, who was ready to fight, glared at them. Then she looked at her five children. She knew she had been doing all these wrongdoings for them. But it seemed to have backfired—very badly. She had completely pushed Selene to the edge. And if she didn't sign now, who knew what Selene would do?
Finally, she could only sign the paper.
Selene then made all the children sign the paper. After that, Selene and Diana signed it too.
Diana gave a chop to Ray's head, then went to sit back on her chair. She gave the chop because Ray's instinct had been spot on. He had made Diana prepare beforehand—and they were all needed: the contract paper, the formation, everything.
Ray finally felt that everything was back to normal, and he already knew what he was going to make next—since there was no internet. But to do that, he would have to wait for the meeting to end.
Ray then opened his system eyes to check if he could see anyone else's stats. But it seemed that, other than names, he couldn't see anyone's level or anything else. He couldn't even see Angelina's level. That gave him disappointment.
He still needed to see what the system had to offer him.