PREVIEW

... ded a flat-bottomed ship heading upstream at a harbor on the outskirts of the town.

Loaded on this flat-bottomed ship were various everyday commodities to be delivered to the village upstream.

Pulled by a horse in the towpath made on the shore, it traced a gentle flow upstream.

Gilbert sipped a glass of mulled wine that the crew had shared, and exhaled deeply, breathing out white vapor.

Harold and I who were still children were given a heated spice apple juice.

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Talismans Manifest Myriad Laws, Proving My ImmortalityChapter 135 - : The Return of the Demon Clan
 
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In the vast world of cultivation, a talisman is formed by merging the essence of heaven and earth with the spirit and soul of the practitioner. Imbuing the formless with power and imprinting it onto paper, talismans hold immense potential. Yet, this art comes with a price—most who pursue the talismanic path exhaust their spiritual consciousness, falling before they reach their full potential.Lu An’s fate was no different—until his soul, shattered by fate, found itself reborn in a new realm of cultivation. Within his sea of consciousness, he discovers the Four Treasures of the Study, mystical tools that allow him to create talismans without depleting his spiritual energy. With this newfound gift, Lu An begins his ascent.[You have drawn a Breath-Concealing Talisman. Completion Rate: 62%. Grade: Inferior, first grade. Spiritual consciousness refunded.][You have drawn a Wealth-Bringing Talisman. Completion Rate: 73%. Grade: Middle, fifth grade. Spiritual consciousness refunded.][You have drawn a Three-Yuan Gathering Qi Talisman. Completion Rate: 85%. Grade: Superior, ninth grade. Spiritual consciousness refunded.]The world of talisman-making opens before him—mastery over the five elements, control of winds and thunder, the study of formations, the nurturing of spiritual creatures, and even the command of ancient treasures. With every talisman, Lu An’s understanding of the Dao deepens, his soul, body, and laws intertwining as one. His talismans grow in power—some divine, some forbidden—each step toward immortality.Using the very forces of nature as his tools, Lu An crafts talismans that can reshape reality. With mountains and seas as his ink and brush, and heaven and earth as his canvas, he will rise to the pinnacle of the immortal realm. Even the immortals and Buddhas will bow before him, for they know him as the Talisman Ancestor.But few recall the man behind the legend, the one named Lu An, whose journey to the top, though formidable, has only just begun.

Oathbreaker: A Dark Fantasy Web SerialChapter 14Arc 7: : Saint of Curses
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Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

The Villain's Cheat Code: When a Gamer Becomes the Evil God's SidekickChapter 245: A Pro Player Crushing the Newbie Village
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[When a Veteran Gamer Becomes the Game's Villain, Can the World Still Be Saved?][Villain + Light-hearted Fun + Semi-invincible + MMORPG = Ultimate Enjoyment!]After completing his seventeenth game order in an all-night session, Victor unexpectedly finds himself reborn into a game world he knows like the back of his hand—as its infamous villain, no less.In the original storyline, he was destined to face the hostility of the entire world alone:- The proud female Valkyrie leader (his fiancée) longs to take his life- An all-powerful female heiress dreams of burying him alive- The Grand Duke wants to tear him to pieces- Even the stray dogs on the street bare their teeth at himNow, this “villain” possesses a player's cool-headed mindset and comprehensive knowledge of the game world.Faced with a predetermined death sentence and countless players coveting his experience points, how will Viktor use his profound understanding of the game and his calm, rational mind to turn the tables?Can he establish an unbeatable position in this world?When a player who has mastered the game's mechanics becomes the villain within the game, what kind of sparks will fly?In this marvelous journey filled with strategy, humor, and unexpected twists:- Every level-up could be a life-or-death decision- The line between villain and hero blurs under Viktor's careful calculations- What kind of chemical reaction will occur when game skills collide with real-world magic?- Will Viktor's gaming skills and his newly formed alliance with the evil god be enough to change the tide?Are you ready? Step into Viktor's world, where the “villain” has never been so charismatic, and the future? Well, who can say for sure?

Five-Year Old Prophet is Pampered by Ten BrothersChapter 388
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The youngest in the Torres family was born sickly. She was sent to the Mystic Church for foster care at the age of one. Four years later, it was rumored that she was going to be brought back.

The sons of the Torres household all expressed their opinions.

Her first brother said, “I don’t like her! I don’t want a sister!”

Her second brother said, “He-he, we can tease her. I hope she can be a little unyielding. Then we can play fun tricks on her.”

Her third brother said, “What sister? Who is that? I don’t even know her!”

Lauren, the girl sent to the church, was not acknowledged by her brothers.

Before she came back, she was ostracized by her brothers. Everyone thought that Lauren would be bullied every day when she returned home.

However, at Lauren’s fifth birthday party, strange things happened. The first brother who was stern and ruthless actually let her sit on his shoulders. And the second brother who liked to mess with others and bully others was actually busy looking after her. He was even more considerate than a maid. Those who liked to speak ill of Lauren were all ruthlessly taught a lesson by her brothers. They even declared, “No one can speak ill of her. Otherwise, they will become enemies of the Torres family.”

Everyone was shocked. Lauren, who grew up in the church, was actually so favored in the Torres family? It turned out that Lauren was no ordinary girl. After returning from the church, she could predict the future. She had predicted the first brother’s death and successfully saved him. She predicted the second brother’s economic crisis and successfully saved his company. She had predicted the third brother’s early state cancer and saved his life successfully. The Torres family doted on her. She was such a powerful baby.

How could they not like her?