Library of Heaven's Path - Chapter 22: The Reason Behind Zhao Ya's Illness

Born and raised as a nameless shadow guard for his kingdom’s crown prince, his life’s purpose was to be used and discarded at the whims of his liege.

And his meaningless life ended when the gaze of a princess lingered on him for too long. The crown prince had him beheaded without a second thought, as if throwing out trash.

Transmigrating into the body of a baby girl, the nameless shadow finally had a name, a family, and a place to call her own. Throwing away his past, the shadow guard was now called ‘Emilia’, and walked on a new path to seek fulfillment.

It was not meant to be, however, as the girl whom she had loved with all her heart and soul ended up mercilessly plunging a dagger through Emilia's love-struck heart at the highest point in her life.

The crowd clamored at the ‘deserved death of the villainess’, and at that moment, the shadow could only wonder… why?

Why am I always the one to dedicate myself fully to someone, only to be thrown away like trash in the end?

And thus, as her soul floated away while cursing in resentment, ‘Emilia’ vowed to herself that in her next life she shall never be the one to fully dedicate herself.

Whatever she likes shall be held in her palm, and shall never escape.

The moment the vow was made, a self-proclaimed villainess system proposed to partner with her, to explore and conquer the worlds through their anchors—the heroes and heroines.

And by cultivating this energy, she shall one day go back. Back to the world she was born as ‘Emilia’ in, and face the so-called heroine once more.

The second time they meet, Emilia won’t be the one drowning in regret!

...

Author's Note: The heroines are not just trophies she’s collecting, only to be forgotten once she collects them. Each of them will remain relevant throughout the story. And it won’t become a mess, promise!

Life is simply too short to have fun.

Yan An agreed with this saying and decided to seek some sort of fun during her lonely trip.

And now, in the present, inside the cramped airplane cabin, the skydiving instructor is sitting next to her.

With an upright face and long and toned legs, the instructor overall has a striking and abstinent impression.

Indeed it is an abundantly beautiful spring; spring is now in the human world.

“Hey, handsome, my life is now in your hands now, so why don’t you give me your phone number, huh?”

*

As the first ray of sunlight penetrates the receding darkness of the night, Shan Yi slowly gets up, his rugged and sensual figure laid bare for all to see.

But room is so dead and quiet as if there hasn’t been any trace of any living person.

Then the phone under the pillow vibrates: I have a sudden emergency, I’m returning to China first, thank you for your hospitality, and see you in the rivers and lakes soon! Bye-bye, Handsome.

Shan Yi silently smiled at the message; the morning rays of the sun didn’t bring any warmth.

*

In Beitong Airlines, a new batch of trainee pilots has been recently dispatched.

Yan An, who was assigned to follow the new captain of the aircraft, heard that he is one of the most competent and punctual captains in the entire civil aviation industry.

And around that time, she heard the clacking sound of leather shoes approaching the door, Yan An decided sneakily stretched her neck to take a quick look, where she was left utterly dumbfounded.

The man is in a crisp and pristine uniform. He has broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall, upright body, that is seemingly bursting with testosterone.

The gaze of the two collided, and with his black eyes so piercing and deep, Shan Yi raised his thin lips into a smile yet not like a smile, he gently pressed a hundred-euro bill onto the table, and calmly stated,

“Returning it to its rightful owner.”

The man declared in a cold-clipped tone: “My worth, when compared to this amount of money, is far from close.”

Yan Dog: F*ck, you have lost your future by being wild like this!

- Description from Novelupdates

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

Sanctora has known peace for generations—too long, perhaps.Built upon ancient ideals and ruled by a council bound to tradition, the kingdom believes itself untouchable. But beyond its tranquil borders, something has awakened. Whispers of vanished heroes, creatures long thought extinct, and shadows that no longer sleep begin to creep back into the land.Liora never wanted to be a hero. Orphaned young and shaped by loss, all she’s ever known is survival base on love and kindness. But when a brutal invasion exposes the kingdom’s deepest vulnerability, she’s thrust into the heart of a battle far greater than herself. Her light-element magic—once dismissed as minor and passive—may be the key to a new era of power.As Sanctora struggles to adapt, Liora must decide whether to follow the path laid out by those before her… or blaze a new one through fire, blood, and truth.Epic, emotional, and filled with slow-burning revelations, Ancient Beast Summoner is a story of legacy, buried power, and the girl who just might change everything.