Refining the Mountains and Rivers - Chapter 1636A – Barbarian Clan Ancestral Court

Perhaps the paintings in a museum are subjected to more nonsense than you would hear anywhere else in the world.The language that comes out of an artist’s life is the painting itself. It contains the most ordinary lives that know failure, desire, recoiling in fear, and compromise.Learning is about understanding that language. We miss much of what the paintings speak because there is no way to ask the long-dead painters about the philosophy of their lives.In an alleyway in the residential area of Jongno, there’s a peculiar art gallery. This place enables us to transcend such limitations. By sheer coincidence, I ended up visiting that place and began living an entirely different life.

“Two bonds, two brothers, and one broken girl caught in the middle of it all.”Haelyn's life was never her own. Sold by the very family that should have protected her and thrust into a world of Alphas and power, into the arms of Archer, the cold, ruthless Alpha King, who only needed her as a pawn in a bigger game. His dominance is overwhelming, his fire undeniable, his presence impossible to ignore.But then there's Artemis, Archer's twin and the calm to his storm. Compassionate, steady, and kind, Artemis offers her a glimpse of the freedom and love she's always yearned for.“I won't hurt you like he does,” Artemis whispers, his touch light against her trembling hand.“And yet I'm still chained to both of you,” Haelyn replies, shaking, her eyes darting between the brothers.Torn between two Alpha brothers and fighting the scars of her past, Haelyn must draw strength from herself to fight against her family's betrayal and the bond that connects her to two strong men. It is a choice, though, that could unwind it all and make her heart possibly what she needs to save herself and the pack.MATED TO THE BEAST ALPHA BROTHERS is a hot paranormal romance about betrayal, passion, and a heroine who will never break, no matter the odds.

Alex Jin was just another overworked nobody until a truck crash sent him into the body of Valerian Nightshade—the cold-blooded villain from a popular fantasy novel. Destined to die early as the stepping stone for the “hero,” Valerian was powerful, rich, and feared… but ultimately doomed.That is, until the Villain Evolution System activated.Now, every villainous act rewards Alex with unimaginable power. Crush a rival? +100 Strength. Manipulate a noble house? Unlock a rare bloodline. Kiss the heroine meant for the hero? Well... let’s just say the rewards aren’t all measured in stats.To survive, Alex must outwit plot armor, bend fate, and ascend to the throne of power in a world that expects him to lose. But the deeper he goes, the more he realizes—being the villain might be the only way to save this twisted world.This time, the villain won’t die early. He’ll rewrite the story, one ruthless step at a time.

Born into a lower middle class family, Ace Lander grew up being told there was a simple formula for success: get an education, graduate, and work hard to build a prosperous future. But that formula failed him during the final stretch of his senior year when a local gang targeted him, putting everything he had and was building towards at risk.Trapped and desperate, Ace felt his life spiraling out of control—until Ria Hart, a fellow classmate, discovering Ace's innate aptitude to become a Curse Master, a being capable of wielding curse energy and abilities but haunted by Curselings, took pity and introduced him to the secret world hidden beneath the mundane surface of their world, the World of Curses.Awakening as a Curse Master, Ace discovers he possesses an extraordinary innate curse tool: the Cursed Toybox. This tool comes with a unique class, Toymancer, granting Ace powers unlike any curse master the world has seen before. The Cursed Toybox allows him to animate and actualize toys, transforming them into powerful, living beings bound to his will.From overpowered heroes to legendary gods, any toy that falls into Ace's Cursed Toybox springs to life with powers beyond one's imagination but bound to him in eternal servitude. Armed with his Toy Summons, Ace must navigate the perilous world of curses, protect his loved ones, and reclaim control of his destiny before the gang—and the darkness of the hidden world—consume him entirely.[ — Status Screen —> Your Cursed Toybox is animating the doll 'Silicone Sailor Stella' as a toy summons…> Your Cursed Toybox has animated the doll 'Silicone Sailor Stella.'> Toy summon 'Silicone Sailor Stella' added to your toy space.> Toymancer can now summon Sailor Stella.Summoning Toy Summons...Name: StellaRace: Curse ToolClass: Toy summonTitle: Silicone SailorDurability: (100/100)Enchantment: 1-StarIndividuality: (100/100)Curse Energy Consumption: 5 units per hourSkills: Toy Actualization, Seamanship, Armed Security, Adult Gratification.Toy Actualization: Bring Toy Summons' original character design and skills to existence when they are animated based on their individuality stats.Addition Effect: Toy Physiology.Seamanship: Expertise in navigation, sailing, and ship handling alongside wilderness survival, first aid, and emergency procedures.Armed Security: Proficiency in the use of small arms and other naval weaponry with training in close quarters combat, surveillance, and counterintelligence.Adult Gratification: Creatively addressing emotional, mental, and physical needs of Toymancer till gratification.]“Cursed armies, Curselings, and Curse slaves are nothing—I've got a Toy legion of overpowered action figures and unrealistically beautiful silicone goddess.”~ToymancerJoin the saga of the Toymancer's rise to become the Strongest Curse Master.