Valkyrie's Shadow - Chapter 18Before the Storm: Act 5,

What if you could hack the strongest heroes and turn them into your devoted companions?Once feared as the Heavenly Demon, Zain stood above all—unstoppable, unrivaled, unchallenged.But his reign came to an end when so-called righteous cultivators banded together to eliminate him, believing they had purged the world of its greatest evil.Yet death was not the end.Reborn in a world dominated by heroes and champions of justice, Zain awakens a mysterious Hero Hack System—a power that doesn’t just defeat heroes but rewrites them.With a single command, he can shatter their convictions, twist their destinies, and rebuild them into something new.A ruthless warrior queen? Now a loyal blade at his side.An untouchable holy maiden? Now eager to obey.The strongest hero who once stood against him? Now kneeling before him, waiting for his command.With every hero he hacks, his harem of once-unshakable warriors grows. But as he reshapes this world to his will, one question remains—who gave him this system, and what price will he have to pay?They ended his reign once. This time, he’ll reign over them all.

On a continent where every soul is born with a Seal that defines their destiny, there is no place for the weak.“Mo Bai” son of the Demonic Seal Sect, had his childhood stained in blood—forced by his own father to kill at the age of six.With only average talent but an unbreakable will, he enters the Demonic Academy, where his journey begins—to prove that sheer will can shatter all limits… and even rewrite the very laws of the Seal.Tags:1. Unique Cultivation System2. Dark Fantasy3. Cunning Protagonist4. Evil MC5. Anti-Hero6. Power Absorption7. Martial Arts8. Sect Politics9. Intelligent MC10. Villainous MC11. World Building12. Psychological13. Twisted Morality14. Mystery15. No Romance16. Gore17. Average Talent18. Betrayal19. Survival20. Slow Burn Power Progression21. Cold-Hearted MC22. Scheming23. Dark World24. Tragic Past25. Growth Through Suffering26. No System27. Morally Gray MC28. Descent Into Darkness29. Heaven-Defying30. Clans and Bloodlines

Immortal arts, magic weapons, magical powers*, and the boundless spiritual Qi between heaven and earth vanished into obscurity overnight, and all the exorcists became mere mortals.

300 years later, the Five Barbarians traversed the pass, a prelude to an era of great turmoil in China. They heralded the end of the world, where thousands of drought fiends stalked the night and the collapse of the Divine Land** was imminent.

Fortunately, within this long, dark night*** where silence had fallen on all magic, a lone star still glistened brightly on the horizon.

The Heart Lamp appeared, illuminating the vast expanse around it. A 16-year-old young man, who will end his life on his 20th birthday, embarked on a journey of reclaiming the spiritual Qi of the heavens and earth that had been sealed away — only four years remain.

The road ahead was filled with countless thistles and thorns, and it seemed improbable for him to succeed.

Chen Xing, “The important thing is that I’m the last exorcist in this world, yet the only magic I am capable of is emitting light. What can I do?”

Wait patiently then. When the Dinghai pearl reappears on earth, the uncertain trajectory of everyone’s fates will be completely disrupted before converging once more.

Chen Xing, “Could I be partnered with a more normal Protector martial god?”

Isn’t your Protector really skilled in fighting?

Chen Xing, “He is good at fighting, but when he loses it he’ll hit even me……”

There’s nothing that can be done about that, you can only blame yourself for losing yourself to lust.

—

*: Buddhist term: Abhijñā, a mysterious force that surpasses the limits of mortals gained through meditation

**: old name for China

***: figurative meaning: long period of misery and oppression

- Description from Novelupdates

“After Gu Xin recovered from her illness, she realized that her whole family had changed.

His father who was a gambling addict that once almost sold his wife and daughter, also often picked fights after getting drunk. That same father now said that he would not gamble anymore. He wanted to pick up his textbooks and take part in the imperial examinations to give the three of them a happy life.

Her mother who was not just efficient, but also detailed and thorough in her work, spent her days holed up in the house, not daring to try anything adventurous. She did not even dare to light a fire and was only fierce to her daughter. That same mother was now suddenly carrying a chopper and facing off debt collectors.

Her embroidery was outstanding and she was cold to others, her sister, who never cooked, no longer held the needles. She smiled more and took over all the work in the kitchen.

Gu Xin felt that she was dreaming. Apart from the changes in her parents and sister, after she saved a fish, those who scolded her would fall and those who had bad intentions toward her would be unlucky. If she wanted to eat something, living things would come to her door and knock their heads against her door. Even if they were not living things, she could still find them by coincidence.

Everything was so wonderful!

Of course, it would be great if the young master of the Zhou Family in town did not go crazy.

The young master of the Zhou family said that her parents would sell her and her sister would harm her in the future. The young master wanted to take her far away and escape from the Devil’s Den.

Father Gu, “Where did this little brat come from? I’m nine thousand years old and only a thousand years away from ten thousand years old. Why would I sell my precious daughter?”

Mother Gu, “Get lost, you rascal. I’m a strong woman who owns a big business empire. It’s not easy for me to have a daughter. Can I bear to do that?”

Sister Gu, “Scumbag male protagonist, don’t think that I don’t know how much of a scumbag you are in your book and how you will hurt my Xiao Xinxin. Pfft!”

Young Master Zhou, “How is it different from my previous life? However, no matter how different it is, I won’t miss my Xinxin in this life.”

Gu Xin, “Have you asked for my opinion?”