Echoes of Ice and Iron - Chapter 29: Flesh and Flame

She is a two-faced and fierce hidden ghost doctor,

Elia is a poor university student until the night she’s taken to the world of the Anima—ruled by humans whose ancient hearts pulse with the blood of animals. There she’s forced into a battle to the death. But when Elia survives, and refuses to kill her final opponent, the King must either kill Elia himself, or take her as his mate.

Reth, the brutal King of the Beasts with the blood of lions, shocks everyone when he chooses the weak, human Elia to become his Queen. He promises her every comfort of his wealth and position—but he is clear: She will not warm his bed. He chose her to defeat those that were trying to corner him into blending his Leonine line with the Wolves.

Elia needs the help of the Anima to become stronger and rule them well. But the vengeful Wolves see only a weak human that brought them shame. As Elia and Reth grow closer, the wolves are determined to destroy her. Will Reth and Elia admit their feelings for each in time to fight for the Kingdom—and their lives—against the villainous wolf-tribe? Or will the wolves kill Elia and steal the throne?

[Mature content - no sexual violence]

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He stalked towards her, chin low so the shadow cast by his hard jaw cut across the thick fur collar of his vest. His hair had fallen over his eyes in the scuffle, so he peered at her through it like a lion in the grass. With each step, his graceful, rolling gait reminded her of a predator stalking its prey. Despite the forest floor littered in twigs and leaves, he didn’t make a sound.

“Wh-who are you?” Elia stammered, backing away, her hands up. He met her step for step until she came up hard against the tree behind her—and didn’t stop until he loomed over her, so broad his shoulders and chest made a wall in front of her. She could feel the heat rising off his skin in the cool, night air.

“I am the Leonine King.” His voice was a dark, husky gravel. Behind him a chorus of wheezes, howls, and chirps of agreement rose from the people watching. “And you are?”

“Elia,” she breathed.

“Elia,” he growled, leaning in closer, bringing with him the scent of pine and rain and the musk of something distinctly male. “I am Reth.” He said the name with a strange, guttural roll in his throat. “I am King of Beasts. I am Clan Leader, and I am Alpha of WildWood.” Several snarls rose from the crowds behind him then, but he ignored them.

Elia swallowed as he leaned in until the scruff on his jaw rasped her cheek. “I am the King,” he said, “And you will be my mate.”

The forest behind him erupted.

Demons are rampant, and monks regard strangeness as the way of heaven.

If a mortal wants to practice cultivation, he must dig out his eyes, cut off his limbs, and cut off the root of wisdom…

Ren Qing, who came through the journey, found that by virtue of his supernatural powers, he could be exempted from the cost of cultivation.

[No-eye method]: Through swallowing the eyes, one hundred and six immortal eyes grow all over the body.

【Poison Bone Technique】: Soak your own bones in poisonous water for thirty-six days, then re-implant them in your body, and train them to the point where no grass grows.

[Sutra of the Dead]: Seal Laogong, Yongquan, Shenmen, and Yintang points with rivets, and bury them in the ground for three years.

ps: There have been millions of finished novels “The Fifteen Years of Liaoning Zhai Fighting Iron”, welcome to follow up.

- Description from novelbuddy

In the grand world of Nova, many different races exist such as elves, humans, dwarves and beastmen and through years of war, strife and competition the world has grown, becoming home to great empires and countries throughout the oceans and five continents. However, to the great creators the world has become stagnant and boring, ever since the calamity that was the Church of Light and their Holy White empire.

Now the Dark God has created a new race after years upon years of dedicated effort. A species that is like none other and his hope for Nova’s future….Dungeon cores, beings that have the ability to reshape the very world itself, entering the domain of the gods.

Join Frost a newly born first generation Dungeon core as he embarks upon his journey within Nova and carves out his place in the world. How will the world’s current denizens react to his birth? Will they be friends or foes? And most of all how the Light God react to this new addition to the world, will he accept them or seek to destroy them?

This novel incorporates dungeon building and management but most of that won’t fully take off until the later volumes when Frost has much more floors and money to play around with. This is not a solely dungeon story as the MC Frost will have to explore and interact with the world of Nova much like how an adventurer would and forewarning the story is slow. There’s a lot of details and avenues which the story goes into, not simply battles, wars and action, it follows all aspects of Frost’s life, his growth and interactions with Nova not only as a Dungeon core but also as a person.