Ninth In the World - Chapter 8 - Wang Chuan Temple

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.

A phoenix is a creature of legends, a wonder of the world, an imagery of life and destruction. This fabled creature signifies the rise of a hero in a virtual world where battles occur for the sake of honor and glory!

Zhang Yang was a professional gamer in the first and most fantastic game that revolutionized the world: God’s Miracle. A game where traditional knowledge in RPGs did not matter anymore, players would have to manually target and evade attacks, giving rise to a significant gap in skill between a professional and an amateur gamer.

Zhang Yang’s downfall came a little too soon. His girlfriend was snatched, his guild was harassed and disbanded, and he was even driven to commit suicide! Jumping off the top floor of a hotel, Zhang Yang seemed as though he was soaring like a phoenix. Little did he know that the end of his life also signified his rise from the ashes.

- Description from novelupdates

In the land of magic and beasts, Sylvia was betrayed by her family and sold off as a slave. She was expecting the worst, but fortunately, it was a handsome prince who had ‘bought’ her! Who doesn’t love a charming, benevolent, and kind prince, not to mention ridiculously handsome?

But, little did Sylvia know that the charming handsome prince was no angel but rather a devil in disguise!

The calm, kind and good-hearted Sylvia found herself slowly changing under the devil's influence but worst of all, she found herself becoming more and more addicted to the two-faced devil who harbored dark and dangerous secrets.

But could she ever fully trust the shameless devil? Or was he just one of the many who desired her hidden powers? Let the games begin!

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Excerpt:

“Are you getting ready for your engagement, my sweet kitten?” The devil's familiar voice drawled, making Sylvia's entire body tingle with an unfathomable need.

She gazed into his dark coal black eyes, lost within them, as he rubbed her lips with his thumb. This man... This man in front of her alone had the power to make her knees weak and her heart crumble.

“Heh. Being silent, are we?” The devil chuckled, his hand moving away from her lips to the back of her head. He clutched a handful of her soft silver hair and pulled her closer to him, capturing her lips with his.

Sylvia snapped out of her trance and commanded her body to push the devil away but her traitorous body only yearned for him more and she wrapped her hands around his neck instead.

The devil's lips curved upwards, his grin widening in satisfaction. His hand then moved down to her gorgeous engagement gown laced with diamonds and rubies which came undone as soon as he touched.

The laces, the veil, the flowers, the jewelry, everything was ripped to shreds, leaving behind only herself. An entire morning spent on getting ready and dressing up gone to waste just like that!

“You!” Sylvia glared at the shameless devil angrily. She had given him an inch but he went for the mile!

She pushed him away with all the force that she could muster, pinning him against the wall, imprisoning his rude mannerless hands.

“Heh? Why are you angry, my darling? Aren't I helping you? Why waste your time attending the meaningless engagement, when you already know that you belong to me and me alone?”

“Go to hell! Who said I belong to you! I belong to no one.”

“Is that so?” The devil leaned forward, gently knocking his forehead with hers. “Shall I leave then...?” He whispered, his warm breath caressing her cheeks.

Sylvia's face instantly reddened as she couldn't resist the devil's sweet temptations anymore...

She gave into the man's wicked allure and pressed her lips over his, stopping his mouth from taunting her and teasing her any further.

“Even death can't stop me from reaching the top.”Alex clawed his way to the top through sheer hard work and ruthlessness, only to be betrayed by someone within his own group.Although he managed to kill the traitor, he lost his life in the process.But just when Alex thought it was the end, fate had other plans for him.Reincarnated into the world of a novel his girlfriend used to read, he was given a second chance at life.His goal remains the same, but this time, he awakened a mysterious system and surrounded by a harem of alluring beauties.Follow Alex journey through this vast new world as he uncovers the truth behind his reincarnation and the otherworldly goddess who made it all possible.