My Gu Can Cultivate on Their Own - Chapter 173 - Exchanging Blows  

“Sarah, I promise to help you rise again, to bring back the light to your career and take down whoever shall stand in your way, but in exchange, be my wife” Mason whispered.“I... I appreciate your offer, Mason, but a contract marriage? Can we really keep it a secret?” Sarah returned reluctantly.In the aftermath of a heart-wrenching betrayal, Sarah Chen, the esteemed songstress of Wuhan, crosses paths with the Mason Liu. Heir to Asia's most influential dynasty, Mason, with promises of restoration and secrets, proposes a contract marriage to Sarah in exchange of helping her bounce back to her position as number one of Wuhan. As she hesitantly agrees, will Sarah find not only a path back to stardom but also an unexpected journey of love and self-discovery in Mason's perfect world?

Rex was an ordinary salaryman, resigned to a dull life of monotony in a towering megacity. But his world shatters when he’s conscripted by Nexum Dynamics, a ruthless megacorporation, and thrust into a brutal war for a barren, alien world. The planet holds unimaginable riches, but it’s also swarming with the Krhyssari, an insectoid race that dominates the surface with their hive-mind precision and relentless aggression. Amid the carnage, Rex had an extraordinary encounter with Cleo, an ancient AI, a survivor of a long-extinct civilization. Cleo isn’t just an artificial intelligence; she’s a consciousness imbued with memories of her people’s interstellar empire and equipped with advanced bio-nanotechnology. Offering Rex a new purpose and unmatched power, she transforms his fragile human body into a hybrid of living metal and flesh, making him the ultimate weapon. But Cleo is more than a tool of war. As she journeys alongside Rex, her cold, logical algorithms evolve, shaped by his humanity. Together, they form a bond that transcends the boundaries of man and machine, discovering love in the midst of chaos. As Rex and Cleo fight for survival, they uncover a shared ambition, to rise as intergalactic overlords, uniting or conquering the galaxy.

In the back of the forest lives Allen, the antisocial wizard. He is feared by the people around him and called the “Demon Lord”.One day, while living out his life as a hermit, he finds a young girl named Charlotte who collapsed. Although innocent, she was accused of evil wrongdoings, had her engagement broken and was forced to flee her country.Upon hearing that, Allen recalled the bitter experience of being betrayed by a party he once believed to be his companions. Hearing the story of the 17 year old’s exploitation, Allen decides, “I’ll let her live in my mansion, and I’ll teach her all sorts of bad things…”

[Matured Content]Isadora Skaldwood was born a fae of impure blood “mannfae” deemed an inferior creation of the olden gods. However, at birth she was kissed by the goddess of light and blessed with the ability of a skin weaver, capable of healing any wound or affliction.Betrayed by her family, she's sold for gain and shipped across the world to a brothel, into the hands of a selfish businessman who exploited her abilities for years. Travelers come to this brothel not to lay with the rumored mannfae but to seek her abilities—the star price of the famous brothel in the countryside.But then everything changed when “He” appeared…Kraven Val Thrond “The Reaper” of the Raven Court, a terrifying warrior feared by those who dared to speak his name. Dangerously handsome with looks identical to a god, silver eyes like the crescent moon—but a mind dipped in madness.Isadora despised him, not just for stealing her away, but for thrusting her into his world of blood and chaos—taking her freedom just like everyone else does. He’s insane! But that’s only the cherry on top, his obsession is wicked.(Excerpt)“You want to kill me and at the same time, you do not” Isadora’s features were stern and the cold look in her eyes almost forced a laugh out of him.She got more frustrated by his silence, choosing to insult him and be done with it. “Does a madman not know what to do with a mannfae?”“I can think of a thousand ways to kill you,” Kraven replied in a velvety voice. “Like first throwing you off-board”Isadora's angry expression morphed into one of horror.“But that would be terrifying, wouldn’t it? Drowning in the dark sea, unable to breathe” he voiced as if he could vividly picture it—and him on board watching. “Tell me, Isadora”A cold chill crawled down her spine.“If I let you go, where would you run to, hm? I told you already this realm isn't kind to outcasts like us”“I'm not like you!”He chuckled lightly. “We're alike. What use could you be to this forsaken realm?”“What use could you have of me?” she asked shakily.“Oh love, I can think of many things but I’m not sure you’re ready… yet”