Zenith of Sorcery - Chapter 9. Shadows of the Ancients

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.

[ WARNING: EXTREMELY MATURE CONTENT ]“If I see you again, I'll ravish your body while you bleed, Prince!”Rosina, a woman haunted by a dark past, developed a dangerous obsession that led to a trail of blood and corpses. A predator that liked to enjoy her prey before taking their lives.She has always despised the idea of having a mate until she was compelled to attend the annual mating season. Harboring a deep desire for freedom, she detested any association with royalty.During the mating event, she encountered a mysterious man wearing a blood-red mask.Draco was portrayed as a carefree Third Prince who sought only amusement and avoided the responsibilities that came with the crown.However, his encounter with Rosina ignited a change within him. He realizes that in order to win her hand in marriage, he must become a King.That transformation set Draco on a path of self-discovery and growth as he strived to prove himself worthy of Rosina's love.Would their encounter change their fate or push them to ruin?

Mistaken by the system, Xiao Jinsheng, who transmigrated into an apocalyptic book world, becomes a malicious supporting female character who has competed with the protagonist since childhood.As compensation, the system promises to assign Xiao Jinsheng five handsome and mighty bodyguards.A mysterious and stunning snake-man with long violet hair, a proud and sharp-tongued cat-eared youth, a charismatic black panther youth brimming with raw energy, a gentle and thoughtful sheep-man 'mommy,' and an elegant, noble Dragon Sparrow Beast Husband ready to fly her to victory.With just one glance, Xiao Jinsheng recognizes these men as her long-lost husbands.The system tempts her: punch the first button and get five gorgeous husbands, letting you revel in a life of love and luxury.“11111!” Xiao Jinsheng frantically presses her fingers onto her 'husband’s' abs on the poster.But who would have guessed that even systems lie these days?Where are the promised gorgeous and devoted husbands? What she receives instead are five executioners!The enigmatic snake husband suffers abuse and is sold off to the black market; after escaping, he only lives to kill her.The cat-eared youth files for divorce daily, the dashing black panther youth terrifies her with bloody threats, the noble Dragon Sparrow avoids her like the plague, and even the seemingly gentle sheep-man 'mommy' turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.Xiao Jinsheng treads on thin ice, relying on the world’s mechanism where a Beast Husband must follow his wife in death to ensure these murderous husbands can’t harm her.She works hard to strengthen herself. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Mist Continent, a Demon Lord is deeply devoted to her, the King of the Deep Sea Mermaids falls for her at first sight, and even the Silver Dragon of Cloud Island stubbornly camps in front of her door.The five Beast Husbands, who were initially clamoring for divorce, drop to their knees with a slippery slide, now refusing to separate even in death.

One minute, she was spiraling out of her scooter, watching in horror as her fried chicken flew into the horizon. The next minute, she was signing the contract to become a mother to his sons while staring into his glacier blue eyes.“The contract is effective as of now” He announced, as he dropped the pen. His brow was lifted challengingly and his voice reverberated around the room, bounced and sent zings of electricity down her spine.She tilted her head to a side, studying him covertly as she smiled menacingly. She was going to make him regret his decision.Let the games begin..!