I Was Banished from Heaven, Now I'm the Demon King's Stepdad?! - Chapter 29 – “The Clone Who Forgot What Love Is”

Long Chen, a crippled youth who cannot cultivate, is constantly targeted and bullied by his fellow noble heirs. After a particularly vicious beating, he wakes up and realizes a Pill God’s soul has somehow merged with him, giving him some additional memories. Within those memories is the mysterious Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, a cultivation technique that even he can train in, but whose secrets and origin are still a mystery to him. Relying on his improved instincts as he finally begins to cultivate, he realizes a huge conspiracy is underfoot within the Phoenix Cry Empire, one involving his father, members of the imperial family, and even the Emperor himself.

In order to solve the mysteries around him, he must rely on his new alchemy techniques and the powerful but baffling Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. Countless enemies block him as he attempts to climb to the peak of the cultivation world.

Fate destined him to be only a chess piece, but he would not bow to the will of the Heavens.

Athen had always lived a solitary life, as without any family or friends, he struggled to survive in his poor, forgotten hometown. The only escape from this grim reality came in the form of tales of magic told by rare visitors from the distant capital.That was, until one day, Athen discovered that magic wasn't just a dream. It was within him.With his newfound power, Athen completed a desperate heist, stealing a priceless diamond. But his triumph was short-lived when he realized the diamond was a fake.Yet... what seemed like a cruel trick turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the fake diamond held the key to unlocking Athen’s greatest desire: the chance to truly learn magic.

Pablo Castillo was the worst, the evilest, the biggest criminal in the whole world. He was the ominous figure known as Criminal X.It’s a name that sends shivers down the spines of those who utter it. His past, a mysterious enigma, shrouded in darkness, only adds to the legend of the world’s most notorious criminal.However, Pablo’s reign of heinous crimes comes to an abrupt end when a specially trained military force, an elite group made especially to capture Pablo, finally apprehended him.The capture of Criminal X sent shockwaves around nations, for this man had defied all laws and moral boundaries. The world watched as he was brought to the highest court to face the consequences of a lifetime of malevolence.The International Court of Justice, in a bid to administer justice that matches the magnitude of his crimes, bestowed upon him the most excruciating execution ever conceived.The world erupted in celebration as news of his demise spread like wildfire. An international holiday was declared, a day of liberation from the tyranny of Pablo Castillo. The day was named with triumphant fervor. They all called it—World Independence Day.Pablo Castillo was a man so evil that even the kindest of Gods couldn’t find pity for him.But… Some Gods needed that man. That too, Desperately.

Chu Sihan, the county magistrate of Xuan Yue Country, is an exceptionally handsome prodigy who had risen to fame since he was a child. However, the National Preceptor prophesies that he would not live to the age of thirty, unless he marries the Lu Family’s daughter from Liu Yue Village.