Astral Apostle - Chapter 484: Scheduled Duel (1)

“In misfortune awaits fortune.”In a universe where Gods dwell on the highest floors of the Tower, an Arcana Card for immense good luck was created. To balance this, a devastating misfortune card was also born. Unbeknownst to the Gods, both cards slipped out of the Tower and went unnoticed.Julien, cursed by the card of immense bad luck, lived a life where death shadowed his every move, and the Grim Reaper’s blade seemed ever-present. His first life ended in despair, but at the height of his misfortune, a glimmer of hope emerged when a mysterious entity offered him a deal.The deal: conquer the Tower and fulfill her request, in exchange for a chance at a better life after reincarnation. With the Eternal•Lust System granted by this enigmatic entity, Julien embarks on a perilous journey to ascend the Tower and become the one and only—Grand Lust Sovereign.

“An illegitimate child will always be an outsider.”For Yu Lixue, life in the Yu family was one of endless humiliation. As the unwanted daughter with no mother to defend her, she was treated like a pawn, used, ignored, and discarded. Her talents—her paintings, her songs—were stolen by her stepmother and conniving half-sister, who claimed them as their own. Her life was a series of shadows and silence, living under their lies.But when her half-sister fled an arranged marriage with Mo Ran, a powerful but reclusive man, the family forced Lixue to take her place. Once again, her wishes were disregarded. Her marriage to Mo Ran was cold, distant—another prison she had no choice but to endure.Until the night she died in a mysterious accident, her pleas for justice buried along with her.Yet fate gave her a second chance.Reborn into the same world that betrayed her, Lixue returns with a vow: she will take back everything they stole—her art, her voice, her freedom. And when she reenters her marriage with Mo Ran, he surprises her with a proposition: he will help her get revenge against those who wronged her. But Lixue is wary. Why is this man, who barely showed her any warmth before, now offering to stand by her side?As they plot against the Yu family, Lixue realizes that Mo Ran has his own reasons for revenge. Their alliance begins to blur the line between ally and enemy, and she questions whether he’s truly on her side or if he has his own hidden agenda.In a world filled with deceit and betrayal, Yu Lixue must decide: will she risk trusting her husband, or will she forge her own path to reclaim what’s hers, no matter the cost?Excerpt:Lixue stared down at the steaming bowl of soup on the table, blinking in surprise. Mo Ran placed it before her with a steady hand, his usual calm expression softened just slightly by a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. She tried to catch his gaze, but he’d already turned away, busying himself with the teapot.“Why are you…?” she murmured, glancing between the bowl and him, her voice trailing off.He looked up, meeting her eyes with a hint of amusement. “Why am I what?”She fumbled for words, her cheeks warming. “Why are you…being so nice to me?”A small smile played on his lips, barely there but just enough to leave her heart fluttering. “Is it so strange for a husband to be kind to his wife?”She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. The Mo Ran she remembered from her past life had been as cold as winter, never sparing her a second glance. This new version of him, warm and considerate, left her feeling…confused.“Eat,” he said, his voice soft. “You didn’t eat much at breakfast.”She nodded, taking the spoon with a slight tremor in her fingers. The soup was rich, comforting—something she would have loved as a child. The warmth of it melted away a part of her guardedness, leaving her strangely vulnerable.As she set down her spoon, she glanced at him again, still puzzled. “What’s gotten into you, Mo Ran?”“…”“Let’s just say I want to spoil you my darling..”Extra tags: #Rebirth#FaceSlapping #SchemingSister #ColdHusbandTurnedSweet#EnemiesToLovers#IllegitimateDaughter

He rose from abjection and achieved eternity in glory.
He embraced the prettiest beauties and killed the strongest opponents.
He was able to shift the clouds into rain and cover the sky with one hand.
He could overrun the entire world and go anywhere as he pleased.
He pacified wars and held the world in awe.
He was matchless in the world.
However, his hair turned white overnight for his beloved woman and he was on the verge of death.
He was surrounded by enemies who were trying to take his life.
He struggled his way to become mighty and fought for everything he cherished.
For this age, he was the only king of the Dark World.
His name was a byword for might.
As a man living in the world, his only ideal was to pursue brilliance.

- Description from Novelupdates

When the enigmatic and overpowered Kieran Drayke awakens in a foreign magical world after a sudden transmigration, he brings along a system unlike any this realm has ever known. The “Sovereign Architect System” doesn’t just make him invincible—it gives him the tools to build something far greater.But Kieran isn’t interested in world domination. At least, not in the usual way.Disillusioned by the world's surface-level glimmer and the rot beneath it, Kieran sets his sights on the forsaken—those discarded by society, lost in the shadows of nobility and corruption. From slums, war zones, and forgotten ruins, he gathers orphan girls of various races—elves, beastkin, humans, and more—each with untapped potential and pain behind their eyes.He trains them in secret. Guides them. Empowers them. Not as soldiers, but as a family. A hidden organization that operates behind the curtains, shaping the world while appearing as ordinary students at the prestigious Aetherion Magic Academy.Kieran himself? Just a carefree, slightly lazy transfer student with a penchant for sweets, sarcasm, and sneaking naps between classes—on the surface, at least.With a slow-burning plot that weaves magical worldbuilding, deep friendships, training arcs, casual comedy, and a cast of unforgettable girls who grow into queens of the unseen, Chronicles of the Hidden Crown explores what happens when an OP MC doesn’t conquer the world with brute force…But builds a legacy from its forgotten pieces.No betrayal. No forced drama. Just the steady rise of a secret kingdom in the shadows of a crumbling empire.