Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You - Chapter 101: Come with Me

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.

In the wake of the first wave of shadow creatures, the world was plunged into ruin, a desolate yet enchanted wasteland. Humanity, driven underground, clung to survival while desperately plotting to reclaim their shattered world.But from the abyss of darkness, something miraculous stirred—a mysterious tree, shimmering with ancient power, appeared overnight. It chose only the strongest of heart, those with unbreakable will, gifting them extraordinary abilities. With these powers, humanity rose from the depths, waging war against the shadows.Yet beneath the surface of their heroic deeds lay a hidden rot. Corruption seeped into their ranks, and arrogance clouded their judgment. As their powers grew, so did the whispers of betrayal. The true battle may not be against the creatures lurking in the shadows—but against the darkness festering within their own hearts.A question lingers: When heroes fall, who will rise to take their place?

“My dad just married the Queen of Hell… and now she’s cooking me breakfast in a bathrobe.”Kazuki Sakamoto was your average awkward university student—until his father remarried a stunning woman from a mysterious dating site. Now, he’s living with Lilith: a dangerously seductive, battle-hardened demon queen trying (and failing) to blend into modern Japanese suburbia.She torches toasters for fun. Summons eyeball familiars to spy on him at school. Wears his dad’s shirts like she owns the place (because she kinda does). And worst of all? She’s disturbingly good at playing the “loving stepmom” role… with a wink that says she knows exactly what she’s doing.Caught between sanity, seduction, and spontaneous hellfire, Kazuki must survive:• A stepmother who flirts like a villainess with a mission• A house full of demonic chaos• And the terrifying possibility that he’s starting to like it⸻A romantic comedy harem full of magic, mischief, misunderstandings—and one very dangerous MILF.If you like seductive demon queens, chaotic slice-of-life, and nonstop supernatural comedy, this is your next obsession.

The challenges a female cultivator had to overcome on her life journey were countless.