Starting with Growing Mushrooms - Chapter 439 - 342: Research and Major Advance on the Frontlines

He is Xi Liang’s legendary emperor: a decisive and ruthless king; a man of supreme wisdom; a cunning strategist.

According to legend, he once conferred the love meant for the three thousand concubines in his harem onto one woman, while the world watched in envy.

According to legend, he once executed a hundred people for her, turning the palace into a purgatory overnight.

According to legend, he ultimately sentenced that same woman to death by execution…

A conspiracy that swept through the country resulted in her tragic end. This lifetime seems to be a repeat of her past life. Can she escape the clutches of fate to attain true love in this life? In both lives, she was the Emperor’s wife, but is that ruthless man really her true love mandated by Heaven?

Did she really die, just like that?

In the end, beyond the veil of lies and mysteries, who exactly was she? Was she a woman that he truly loved, or was she merely a chess piece to be used in his political machinations?

The stories passed onto later generations remain fraught with conflicting opinions.

- Description from Novelupdates

In a world ruled by ancient powers and hidden forces, Caelen was just another face in the crowd — until a mysterious encounter with a radiant woman awakened something deep within him.The Lust System.With it, Caelen begins a path of relentless evolution. Every woman who bonds with him fuels his growth — not just in strength, but in influence, power, and legacy. But these aren't passive followers. They're warriors, leaders, and legends in their own right — elf queens, demon generals, angelic saints, dragon-blooded fighters, and more.Each woman brings unique abilities and ambitions of her own. Together, they don’t just stand beside Caelen — they fight, conquer, and shape the world with him.As old factions tremble and new enemies rise from sacred temples, fallen clans, and forgotten bloodlines, Caelen must lead his allies through a crumbling world, forging a new age in fire, desire, and war.This is not just his rise.This is their revolution.

“I’m a warrior from the alternate universe.”“The Goddess summoned me to this world to defeat the Devil that has imperiled the world and to restore peace to the world.”“I understand that it’s my cardinal duty. Since I’ve been summoned to become a Warrior, I’ll do my best to beat my opponent even if he’s the almighty Devil.”“Don’t ask me why. That’s what the book says.”“But… isn’t this development straying from the plot?!”This is the beginning of a scam in an alternate universe. It is also the story of a warrior with a mission to defeat the Devil. At the end, he realized that he had been duped instead.

[Volume 1: Dante Blackthorn]When Anastasia and her sister Marianne are captured and shipped across the seas by pirates, they become commodities to be sold in a distant land. Marianne is taken as a courtesan, while Anastasia barely escapes a terrible fate by pretending to be mute. She is forced into the lowest ring of servants at the royal palace, where she endures a life of servitude and creates beautiful artwork to mask her pain.Despite years passing, Anastasia has never forgotten her sister's promise to return to their family together. However, with her movement restricted and the guards vigilant, escape seems impossible.When Anastasia comes into contact with the Forsaken Prince, her life spirals out of control and she triggers a Crux of incredible proportions. Now battling her own inner demons while navigating the treacherous politics of the royal court, Anastasia must confront the truth about her sister's fate and make a choice that could alter the course of an entire kingdom.[Volume 2: Emily Blackthorn]Princess Emily's life takes a turbulent turn when she is rejected, leaving her heartbroken and her soul at the brink of corruption. In a desperate bid to save herself, she journeys to the West.Enter the Storm Prince, a charismatic archdemon with striking blue eyes, with a saint-like smile. Emily had hoped she'd seen the last of him, but fate has other plans. As if her soul dying isn’t enough, someone wants to steal it!Caught between the suitors and the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood, Emily begins to see Raylen in a new light. The blue-eyed demon may not be the monster she once thought.