Valerian, The Legendary - Chapter 263 - 263 Settling Dust?

Seventeen-year-old Aiden Rivera’s life changes forever on a dark, quiet night when he's attacked while returning from a bookstore. Just when all hope seems lost, a mysterious stranger emerges from the shadows—swift, powerful, and deadly. He saves Aiden and disappears just as quickly into the night. That stranger's name? Aiden doesn’t know. But from that moment, Aiden can’t stop thinking about him.Determined to find his silent guardian, Aiden scours the internet, describing every detail he remembers. To his shock, a face match reveals the stranger's name: Ryker Kane, heir to a powerful corporate empire… and a student at an elite, almost mythical academy. It’s not quite a high school, not quite a university—more like something in between. Something hidden.One of Ryker’s photos contains a strange symbol that leads Aiden to an encrypted link. It makes a bizarre demand: a drop of blood to apply. Aiden laughs at the absurdity of it—until curiosity wins. What could one drop of blood hurt?He sends it, expecting nothing.A week later, an ornate envelope arrives. He’s in.Eager to reunite with Ryker, Aiden travels to the secluded academy… only to step into a world straight out of a fantasy novel. Students with glowing eyes. Talking animals. Ethereal beings with pointed ears. Some even arrive through portals.Suddenly, Aiden isn’t just the new kid. He’s the only human in a school that isn’t meant for people like him. And all he can think is:What the hell did I just get myself into?

In the world birthed by Pangu, the Three Sovereigns lit the spark of humanity that the Five Emperors would later fan into a blazing fire, eternally branding humanity as the leaders of the world….

This was a time where twilight had descended on the reign of the Human Sovereign and the Five Emperors had yet to emerge – humanity was merely one of the myriad races wandering about the vast cosmos.

This was a desolate and barren era. The monsters, devils, heavenly gods, and deities of all races stood aloft; with the demons, heavenly souls, and spirits dancing freely around the world.

The humans were still a feeble and burgeoning race, often taken as livestock and offered as sacrifices to the pantheon of races that ruled the world together from within the great wilderness.

This was not the era of the Foreworld, but the barbaric and untamed era of uncivilization!

Let us rewind back to China’s ancient and classical mythology and recount the legendary tale of how a single figure led humanity out of an epoch of darkness and into a new dawn.

Please sit back, relax and enjoy the (Rise of Humanity) !

He’s her stepbrother, her sin and her biggest mistake waiting to happen.Catherine Brown thought moving in with her mother’s new husband couldn’t be harder until she met the cold, arrogant and sinfully attractive Julian Vaughn, her stepbrother.He hates her, teases her and gets under her skin everyday. He’s everything she should stay away from, off-limits and untouchable.But when his anger turns into something darker and hungrier, when he looks at her like he wants to ruin her innocence, Catherine realizes danger has a new name.And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t stop wanting the one man she’s not supposed to have.When hate turns to desire, who’s really in control?EXCERPT✨“You’ve never had sex before?” Julian asked, disbelief flickering in his eyes.Catherine hesitated, then nodded, staring at the floor instead of him.He bit his lower lip, trying to rein in the thoughts crowding his mind. Goodness, she was too innocent for her own good.“So all you did with your previous boyfriends were just kisses and smooches?”She immediately stood, her cheeks flushed. “There are no boyfriends,” she blurted. “I’ve never even been kissed. Please don’t laugh at me.”Laugh? Hell no. Julian wasn’t laughing. He was fighting the urge to pull her close. Knowing she’d never been touched only made his hunger worse.She didn’t realize he’d moved until his breath brushed her ear, his voice dropping low and dangerous.“Catherine, just say the word and I’ll show you what it means to be touched by a man.”Her heart stuttered in her chest and he could hear every beat.

The Great Human Civilization has crumbled apart, falling into the Abyss. A hell with no escape. To survive there, some rules must be followed blindly.1: Be wary of the dead for they don't rest even in death.2: Always be on the lookout. Danger lurks everywhere in the Abyss. Nowhere is truly safe.Lastly, if you hear something unusual like a voice that shouldn't be there, do not investigate. Just run. At least then you might get to keep your life.***Kev's adult life was suddenly upended when he was pulled into a nightmarish world along with countless other humans. To survive he had no choice but to perform a ritual he chanced upon through a series of inexplicable events. The ritual promised great power. He gave in to the temptation, performed the ritual and stepped into the realm of mysticism. At the same time, he unknowingly put himself at great risk. Since the moment he performed the ritual, He faced the risk of losing his humanity or himself entirely.He didn't know then that performing the ritual demanding a great price. By the time he realized it, it was already too late to turn back.You have performed a Great RitualGained class:- Corpse Collector in the DarkTrait unlocked: esoteric mutation of the soulGained skill: shadow manipulationAssimilation rate: 0%Collect corpses to growIncrease in assimilation rate unlocks new skillThe power comes with a great pricePay it obediently like a law abiding Abyss Dwellers or risk losing yourself to the evil brewing within...