Ascension Through Skills - Chapter 70: Twelfth Level - Maria's Choice (2)

The six prefectures of Zhongbo were offered to foreign enemies on a silver platter, and Shen Zechuan was taken into custody in the capital, reduced to a drowning dog—loathed and condemned by all.Xiao Chiye followed the scent of the furor and made his way over. But instead of setting others on him, he kicked Shen Zechuan with his very own leg, rendering the latter an invalid. Who would expect this invalid to turn around and bite him in a counterattack until he was all drenched in blood?That was the start of an epic feud between both men who tore at each other every time they come face-to-face with one another.“Fate wants to bind me here for life, but this is not the path I choose. The yellow dust submerged my brothers deep under. I have no wish to bow in submission to an illusory fate. The imperial edict can’t save my troops, and the imperial court can’t fill the stomachs of my mounts. I’m no longer willing to lay down my life for this purpose. I want to surmount that mountain. I am going to fight for myself.”Note: A ‘drowning dog’ is someone who is down and out, having lost favor or power.

In an era brimming with noise, where danger and opportunity coexist, the practice of martial arts, various folk customs, strange tales, taboos, imperial courts, and the world of martial artists abound. Among these are the grandmasters, magical duels, ghostly encounters, divinations, invoking the divine, ritual plays, esoteric Buddhism, and the pursuit of immortality.In this diverse and complex world, where the three teachings intermingle and all kinds of people abound, the sphere of mysticism is filled with folklores and bizarre stories.It's a tumultuous time, where danger and opportunity exist side by side.Striding with his saber, Li Yan is determined to dispel all evil and embrace a world free from any taboo!

I died in an explosion—a betrayal engineered by the man I trusted most.But instead of the end, I woke up in a new body. A noblewoman’s body. Evelina, disgraced and hated, accused of poisoning the Crown Prince of a kingdom where werewolves rule the land.And worse?The man whose life I supposedly tried to end is now my fated mate.Damian, the Crown Prince, is as cold as the moonlight that binds us, his piercing silver eyes filled with distrust every time they land on me. He doesn’t believe my innocence, and frankly, I don’t care.My only priority is survival in this dangerous, medieval world—and figuring out why fate decided to shove me into the life of a traitor.But the longer I’m near Damian, the harder it is to ignore the pull between us—the undeniable heat of the mate bond that makes his touch electric and his presence intoxicating.Enemies lurk in the shadows, including the woman who thinks she should be his Luna. Court intrigue spirals out of control, and the person behind Evelina’s betrayal might be closer than I realize.Damian’s trust is my only shield, but when the truth of my transmigration comes to light, I’m not sure even that will be enough to save me.Because in this world, it’s not love that conquers all—it’s power. And mine might not be enough.

He doesn’t want to be wanted for bounty, or be a pirate, but if there’s no other choice, he can only become a pirate…..