Transcendent Dawn - Chapter 218 - 0: Exorcism (Additional 4400, four more subscriptions requested!)

After years of exile, Marcus is coming back home. A powerful mage with few equals, Marcus lives in a world full of monsters and powerful adepts, many of which have bad histories with him. But he has not come back to pursue vengeance or start a fight. All Marcus wants to do is reconnect with old friends, build himself a house, and maybe train a successor or two.Alas, the world didn’t stop just because Marcus went into exile, and not everyone is content to let go of old grievances. Strange things are happening in the world at large, too, hinting at a looming disaster of unknown nature. Still, where there is a will, there is a way.If nothing else, Marcus has a lot of magical power to throw at problems.+++Zenith of Sorcery is set in its own original setting and isn’t related to Mother of Learning… beyond being written by the same person, of course. This is a more classical fantasy story than my previous one, with a lower level of technology and stuff like elves and dwarves, but it has a lot of worldbuilding effort put into it and its own complex magical system. The story has significant xianxia influences, but isn’t meant to be a xianxia story.For those of you not familiar with my previous work, I write relatively slowly. I intend to publish chapters at the rate of one chapter every three or four weeks, subject to further delays as life intervenes.

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

Every story needs a great evil for the hero or heroine to defeat…

The wicked stepmother who torments Cinderella.

The fearsome dragon who kidnaps the princess.

The fake rich daughter who bullies the real.

An evil demon queen hell bent on destroying the world.

Yet sometimes these villains defeat the heroes.

Agent 214 has been tasked to enter these dangerous worlds and eliminate these evil villainesses before they have the chance to win.

But why is every story a little different than what it first seems?

Rita Oreira, a fun-loving radio host known for her girly gossip, met a tragic end during a home burglary while trying to save her pet parrot.Surprisingly, she transmigrated into a fantasy novel as Lirian Nightwind, a quirky villainess from an evil family, destined to marry the wicked northern duke, Gabriel Sylcrest, who planned to take over the crown.In the original story, Lirian was set to betray Gabriel, leading to her own death by his hands.Fortunately and unfortunately for her, the new Lirian was protected by her two mischievous brothers, who were supposed to die alongside the duke.Their loyalty complicated her plans to escape the dark fate that awaited them all.In this new world, she had to scheme and do unspeakable things with the lunatic duke to protect her true identity and prevent anyone from discovering that she was not the real Lirian.Not only were the tasks out of line, but they were all for pure entertainment rather than any real purpose.As she accepted her life as his wife, she learned that her parrot, which could only say modern phrases, had special powers that made others believe it could see the future.If the parrot said, “Slay, b*tch!” Gabriel would kill a person on the spot.If the parrot said, “Let it cook!” the male lead would banish or imprison the chef, thinking the food was poisoned.If the parrot said, “Sus, very sus!” Gabriel would tear his advisors apart.As Lirian tried to change her destiny and save them all, she discovered surprising truths about those around her, especially Gabriel Sylcrest.Motivated to survive, Rita had to find a way to save them all.“The crown prince—!!!”“Say one more word about another man, and I’ll let my beasts tear him apart.”“You know, my Lord, for a duke who seeks power, you certainly have a way of making a girl feel… vulnerable.”“Vulnerable? No, my dear. You’re mine, and I’ll make sure everyone knows it. If another man even dares to look at you, I’ll unleash my wrath. I’ll have him begging for mercy, and then I’ll enjoy every moment of his despair.”“You can’t just claim me like that.”“Watch me. I’ll mark you as mine in blood and shadow. You’ll be a warning to anyone who thinks they can touch what belongs to me. The moment you’re within my reach, I’ll ensure no one else can ever have you.”“Is that a threat or a promise?”“Both, Lirian. And trust me, the line between love and possession is razor-thin. Cross me, and you’ll find out just how deep my darkness runs for you.”