Demon's Virtue - Chapter 539: Negation

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?

This is a world where humans, demons and mysterious beasts coexist.

Humans cultivate mysterious qi. Demons cultivate corporeal bodies. Mysterious beasts cultivate soul perception.

A legend says that in the middle of an endless rainforest, there are extremely powerful existences; they are called demon kings.

Some demon kings have a tyrannical corporeal body, some are experts in illusions.
Some demon kings are proficient in magic, some can even move mountains.
Some demon kings are able to sense things thousands of miles away.

These demon kings rarely appear in the human world. Even if they emerge in the human world, they would reincarnate in human form; assimilating with mankind while seeking to breakthrough realms…

- Description from Novelupdates

Yan Hongyin saved a man.Although he was kind-hearted, he was frail and often coughed up blood.But Yan Hongyin didn’t mind.She lacked nothing – status, martial arts, or wealth.All she required of her husband was that he be good-looking, harmless, and not one of those martial artists that cause trouble on weekdays.He didn’t need to study hard for the imperial examinations or become a high-ranking official; she’d seen enough of those stuffy civil officials in the court.Ah Yu was perfect just as he was.****Sect Leader Yu was saved by a gentle and delicate pharmacist.His rescuer was a fascinating woman: beautiful, skilled in medicine, but without martial arts prowess. The renowned heroes admired by ordinary people were, in her eyes, nothing but troublemaking hypocrites and villains.Initially, he stayed only to recover from his injuries, but later he discovered that his wife seemed to have many unusual and numerous little secrets. For example, the hidden passages in their room, the poisonous carp in the pond, and the countless hidden weapons on her person…****Later.Two groups of men in black arrived outside the thatched hut in the suburbs of the capital.Commander Yan, observing the group trying to capture the Loucha Sect leader’s weakness, pondered for a moment, then put away her hidden blade.-Maintain a gentle and virtuous demeanor.Sect Leader Yu, watching the group attempting to seize the Jinyiwei commander’s weakness, fell silent for a moment, clutching his chest and coughing.-Appear frail and refined.

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.