Substitute Bride Phoenix, The Tyrant's Pampered Demon Empress - Chapter 43: No Joy, Nor Sorrow

After being reborn she worked hard to stalk and marry her husband, abuse and punish her other scumbag husband, and embark on a journey to reach the pinnacle of life!

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For the egregious crime of treason everyone in the Xiao House were sentenced to death.

At the execution grounds while waiting for her beheading, she stared at the youth sprawled on the ground in front of her. He had run over so hurriedly he tripped over his own feet, displaying an undignified sight. It made her smile thinking how stupid this person was. She had completely used and taken advantage of him from the day he forced her to marry him. Yet despite all the abuse she heaped on him, he still wanted to save her.

She opened her eyes again only to find it was the day before their wedding. That devious scoundrel… to make her his wife through underhanded methods… The memory of it still left a bad taste in her mouth.

She was going to grab this second chance and live it up! Extort all debts owed to her! Buff herself up and shine like a diamond!

But how was she to know that the husband she once hated was actually really loyal and gentle, soft and easy, and so incredibly sweet and delicious to eat! The shutters that blinded her eyes in the previous life were cast aside. She realized she didn’t know how to cherish the good things in life. So in this new one she was going to make sure to pamper and spoil the hell out of that husband of hers.

- Description from Novelupdates

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.

He shall call forth the bone dragon! Summon the lich and the grim reaper! Li Jiayu, the dark summoner, has been reborn and everything returned to the moment before the outbreak of the devastating apocalypse.

Spaces tremble violently and dimensional cracks connected to various worlds appear! In an instant, never-seen-before civilizations invade our homeland. Insects the size of humans and walking corpses sweep through Earth in legions. An imminent crisis is approaching humanity and billions of human lives are at risk!

In regards to Li Jiayu’s uncorrupted soul, his summons shall no longer be limited to creatures which lurk in the darkness. They will also include the entities that bask in the light.

Under the lingering shadow of death, he vows to prevent a repeat of past tragedies!

Struggling within the exhausting apocalyptic world, he chooses to trudge on the bloody path of slaughter.

Walking hand in hand with death, he no longer lives under the cold embrace of the darkness. He shall embark on the bright path towards glory.

‘This is an opportunity to make a comeback… I will put everything on the line to right the wrongs and to protect the loved ones that were once lost.’

- Description from Novelupdates

A young man named Alexander Ashbourne is looking for a job to support his studies. He applies to work as a waiter at a restaurant. The next day on his 18th birthday, a system appears that generates money simply by idling. This system also allows him to trade with beings from other worlds or even visit their realms. Watch as Alexander rises to fame across all the realms.[DeathlessOne: I just spotted this mortal, 'AlexanderTheGrate,' trying to trade his drink called Mountain Dew. I'm thinking of offering my Flame Sword for it.][ShadowEternal: Wait, what’s a Mountain Dew?][TimelessWanderer: Are you seriously considering trading your Emperor-grade sword for a mere drink?][DeathlessOne: It’s not just any drink. The taste is out of this world, It's even better than the heavenly wine.][ShadowEternal: {...}][TimelessWanderer: {...}][Everyone in the chat: {...}][RichNigga: You know what, I’m in. I’ll trade my Gold Deluxe Armor just to see if this Mountain Dew is worth all the hype.]