Shadow of the Abyss - Chapter 9: Mana

Nine harmonic zither chords shook the universe, who dared to not acknowledge the lord?

Reincarnated into a land of cultivation, Yuan Zhou uses his Earth knowledge and assumptions to become a genius under the heavens for both business and cultivation. However, he walks the path of defiance, exceeding all rational cultivation bounds. His business ideas struggle against the stagnant culture that pervades the land, but the things he doesn't lack are his drive for immortality and power.

Jake had spent his entire life buried in textbooks, chasing one exam after another — until he finally graduated from one of the world's top universities as a nuclear engineer. He thought the hard part was over. It wasn't.On the very first day of his new job, a speeding truck ended it all.But fate had other plans.Jake woke up in the arms of a stunning goddess who offered him a second chance — along with one extraordinary skill of his choosing.[Hypnosis (SSS-Rank): The power to control minds and issue irresistible commands.]Reborn as the bastard son of a noble house in a fantasy world, Jake quickly realized he held a power that could change everything.“Lady Aria,” Jake said, his voice low and calm, “you'll find yourself wanting to obey me more than anything else.”The cold, dignified head maid stiffened, her eyes clouding with confusion — then softening into eager submission.“Stepmother,” Jake smiled lazily, “you've been working too hard. You need to let me take care of you... personally.”The once-proud woman faltered, her cheeks flushing as she nodded without hesitation.“Miss Evelynn, heir of House Marlow,” Jake said casually to the visiting noble, “you'll trust me more than anyone else in the world.”With every whispered command, Jake planted a seed deep inside their minds — seeds that would soon blossom into absolute devotion.***Check out my discord for character illustrations: https://discord.gg/Z9pY9tE9e8(No Yuri/No NTR)

It all started with a glass of Tequila that Aira thought was orange juice, making her drunk and unknowingly spending a hot night with a handsome young man named Renji Ishikawa. As a result of that night, Aira's life changed drastically, especially when she had to marry Renji Ishikawa, who turned out to be a teenager in his teens. But if she refuses to marry him, Aira is threatened with a lawsuit on charges of sexual harassment against a high school student.…………How sad it was, how heartbreaking, and feeling like the biggest fool for being in the middle of the wedding of her ex-lover and her best friend.“Your drink, Miss,” offered a polite waiter, approaching with a tray full of various colours and flavours.She picked a glass of orange drink with a fresh cherry on the rim. Her moon-like eyes stayed fixed on the groom while she drank the beverage until it was empty.Nothing strange happened to the sweet girl for a minute, but suddenly, dizziness struck, and she stumbled as her body swayed.Her delicate hand searched the wall for support, afraid of falling, feeling like she was experiencing an earthquake, and seeing everything around her shake.Feeling too weak to walk, she chose to squat near a large pot close to the ballroom's entrance. People around her watched silently, unwilling to help; some even gossiped about her.She was distressed and needed help, not performing for an audience, yet many still criticized her.Wild imaginings suddenly crossed her mind, wishing for a handsome prince on a white horse to rescue her, like scenes from her childhood anime favourites.But things like that only happened in fairy tales, where the prince would permanently save the princess from the villain's hands. That was how the stories were written. For her, there would never be a prince in her life story. But who would have thought that God would grant such an extraordinary miracle?Among the hundreds of high-class guests, one person approached and tried to offer help after observing her in silence.A handsome young man in a black suit stood right behind her. “Miss, are you alright?” he asked, concerned.“Who are you?” she asked, her voice still shaky from crying.The man stood frozen for a moment as though startled by the sight of this stranger but then smiled and extended his hand. “Don't cry here. Let me help you up.”She shook her head, her cheeks red, not from embarrassment but from the effects of the drink. “My head is spinning, and I can't walk.”The young man raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Alright then.”He slipped his arms between her legs and under her body, lifting her, and she was heavy, just as he expected.From afar, the girls began to watch with shocked faces, filled with envy, anger, and jealousy, seeing the young man from the Ishikawa family carrying a girl, rumoured to be Aira Hoshino, the ex-girlfriend of Kairo Kenzaki and the best friend of Mika Kurogane, who were the couple getting married tonight.She rested her head on his shoulder comfortably, inhaling the refreshing scent of mint.Only this handsome young man, like a Greek god, came to her aid, asking about her condition, and now, carrying her out of the party without saying a word.“Where is your home?” he asked as he laid Aira, the girl he just met, into the car and fastened her seatbelt.“I don't want to go home,” she whimpered.“Why?” he asked as he sat in the driver's seat.“Do you want to comfort me while my heart is broken?” she said, draping her arms around his neck.A grin spread across his handsome face. “How?” he asked, pretending not to know.“Stay with me until morning,” Aira teased with a playful smile. In the next moment, Aira's lips were captured in his.Slowly, Aira's eyes closed tightly, leading her into a peaceful dream, soaring high into the sky, feeling as if it were real, not just a dream.…