MTL - My Cold and Beautiful Wife - Chapter 168 Rivers and lakes

Born into a unique world where villages fight to gain power and control, the main character, Shi Hao, is a genius blessed by the heavens born under the poorest of conditions. His clan, however, has a mysterious past. To rise up and become the genius he is meant to be, the clan goes through every effort to aid his cultivation as they battle through fanatical monsters and engage in power struggles with other clans. His journey will bring him through unknown lands until he is able to become a person that can truly shake the world.

[Matured Content]Saving an injured Fae in the forest had not been Islinda's plan, and worse, he turns out to be royalty, Prince Valerie of the summer court, heir and crown prince to the throne of Astaria.But then, humans were wary of those otherworldly creatures while the Fae looked down on the humans, thinking of them as lesser creatures. Islinda and the prince were worlds apart but that didn't stop them from falling in love. Unfortunately, Prince Valerie couldn't stay in the human realm forever and had to return to his kingdom with a promise to come back for her. And she believed him. But then, the other one comes instead. Dark, broody, ruthless yet dangerously handsome, everyone feared Prince Aldric. Even as a fierce warrior and son to the king of Astaria, Aldric is denied his right to the throne and cursed never to take his place because of his dark heritage. Twisted from the inside and starved of affection, Prince Aldric does what he is best at, causing misery. He captured Islinda - the woman who has drawn his brother's attention. He stole her from her home for his cruel purpose. If he couldn't have the throne, he could at least play around with his brother's love interest. His new prize. Islinda hated him. Loathed him for taking away everything that she could have had with the summer prince. He's the villain. Now she has been dragged into the middle of the dirty politics played in the courts of Astaria, not to mention surviving the cold games played by the prince. But all hope wasn't lost because the cruel prince could tempt her all he wants but he was never going to get the one thing he wants the most. To be loved. He would never have her heart! Or could he? ________“What can you offer me, little human,” He grinned, slow and cruel. She would make such a wonderful plaything. “Please,” She begged him, tears now gathering in her eyes, “Just let me go.” “Fine,” He shrugged as if it was an easy request, “You can go.” “W-what?” She croaked, finding it hard to believe. “Little human, you would find out my mind changes very easily.” Those words sounded merciful yet she could sense the threat beneath. But did he really mean? Islinda didn't sit around to find out as she broke into a sprint. If there was even the slightest chance of him changing his mind, then she would take it. She would not give up hope yet. She didn't know why but Islinda spared a look over her shoulder after a while and the blood drained from her face at what she saw coming. Oh no, she just made a terrible mistake. This was never freedom. It was a hunt. And she just became the prey.

What the hell? That menace who bullied me since I was six years old, actually became a pretty girl after three years of living apart? And she even ran to our agreed duel location to confess to me, hoping that I can become her boyfriend?!

This is a plot against me! There’s definitely an enormous conspiracy behind this! I won’t be fooled by you! Even if you tear up and act all pitiful, I will still disregard you and humiliate you, until you’ve have completely paid back all my childhood grievances!

What’cha lookin’at? There are very reasonable grounds for bullying a girl!

- Description from Novelupdates

In a world where everyone is a slave, someone is born who cannot be controlled. At the same time, an unstoppable villain rises on a quest for revenge. But the truth is darker than he ever imagined, and now he must face an unbeatable enemy — including himself.***Bruno was a young man born on Earth, the son of an influential modern Emperor. Despite having everything money could buy and receiving the best and most rigorous training to succeed his father, he chose the opposite path, defying his family’s ruthless rule.The price of his innocence? A merciless death and the complete erasure of his existence by the deity controlling his fate. On Earth, the law of the powerful was absolute; a slave could never rebel.But then, he wakes up again.He’s reborn in a world of cultivation, where freedom was promised to those strong enough to claim it. Now, he could soar like a free bird and carve his own destiny... or so he thought.The harsh reality of this new world soon showed him how insignificant he still was. He realized he had only changed masters.The freedom he sought was an illusion. The heavenly laws treated everyone as servants, and their rules were unbreakable. Bruno learned this bitter truth after losing everything that made him happy due to an unjust rule.But who was he to question?Hopeless, Bruno died... and was reborn as Alm, an unstoppable villain. With a soul poisoned by pain and vengeance, he sowed chaos across the universe. Planets were destroyed, countless lives taken, and his name became synonymous with terror.A hero rose to oppose him, wielding a sacred sword of hope. People from all corners of the universe united against Alm, raising their voices and weapons to stop the villain who defied the heavens.But Alm was no longer just fighting for revenge. He was challenging the heavenly laws that sought to control him, fighting fate and all living beings.And against all odds... the sacred sword shattered. The alliance of the entire universe was defeated.The villain won!Now, Alm found himself alone in the empty void of a dead universe, facing his own inner demons. Who could be more ruthless to him than himself?“What have I done?”At that moment, the doors of truth opened to him.Everyone was a puppet of a supreme figure, an entity that manipulated minds and even the heavenly laws.“I will find you, no matter where you are!”Thus, the last emissary of the true Heaven’s Will awakened. Alm, who once only relied on his sheer will and rage, now had a system to guide him. But his opponent was an immortal existence, above even the heavens.The villain who destroyed an entire universe now faced a new beginning. He discovered that the universe he devastated was just a tiny grain of sand in an infinite cosmos, where countless other universes existed.And so begins the legendary tale of the villain’s rise... and the Sacred Round God? A strange Duality of Shadows existed within one person.But this time, he wouldn’t be alone.***To clear up any potential confusion or frustration, here are some key points about the story. I’ll avoid major spoilers, but a few things will be revealed.You might find this concerning at first, but just check the book cover—it shows the main character and his only partner. She first appears at 10 years old, but rest assured, there’s no inappropriate content or early romance.At around 13, SHE starts developing feelings for the protagonist, but he doesn’t respond until she’s an adult. With her determined personality, she tries to seduce him at 17/18, but it doesn’t work. Their relationship only happens much later.The book has nods to other works, with my own spin on them, and focuses on avoiding elements I find problematic in other stories.Lastly, the beautiful book cover was commissioned and created by HDIArt.