From Secret Clan to the Divine Dynasty - Chapter 65 - 63 The First Time

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

【Pure Romance + Marriage before Love + Mind Reading + Feel-Good Story + Entertainment Industry】

Shen Tang, a struggling actress, finds herself transported into the pages of a book as the contracted wife of the domineering CEO, Gu Huai’an.

She doesn’t have to fulfill any wifely duties or do much of anything. All she needs to do is occasionally attend family gatherings and create the illusion of a loving couple. In return, she receives a monthly payment of 5 million yuan and stands to gain 200 million yuan when they divorce.

Shen Tang can barely contain her laughter. Could there be such a good deal?

In the book, Shen Tang falls in love with Gu Huai’an and foolishly hopes to turn their contractual marriage into a real one, but in the end, she gains nothing.

Thinking about this outcome, Shen Tang shakes her head and sighs. What a naive girl, unable to see things clearly.

Wouldn’t it be great to live a stable life and walk away with 300 million yuan after two years of marriage?

Shen Tang decides to fully embrace a carefree life.

·

Gu Huai’an gets a second chance at life.

He remembers how Shen Tang messed things up in their previous life.

However, he waits and waits, but Shen Tang remains silent.

He asks the butler, “What has my wife been up to lately?”

The butler awkwardly smiles and says, “Madam spends her days shopping and admiring handsome men.”

Gu Huai’an: …

By a stroke of luck, Gu Huai’an discovers he can hear Shen Tang’s thoughts.

But wait, wasn’t she supposed to be head over heels in love with him? Why has she become…

Initially, Gu Huai’an only wanted to endure the two-year contract period and divorce this woman.

However, later on, he kneels down and humbly pleads, “Tang Tang, can we not get divorced?”

My disciple, whom I raised and cherished with my whole heart…That same disciple has returned and is trying to kill me.“Before you fall, before you cease to be my idol, my hero, my sun, I will kill you with my own hands. For your honor!”Just wait for a while…I’ll bring you back to your senses.