MTL - Heart of Empire - Chapter 23 First Elven Population

In the Kunlun Snow Palace, a sage once said, those who pass away wander, while the living cannot let go.Once the soul departs, it will wither like the autumn grass.Those who are reborn from the dead, existing apart from the mortal realm, shall be shunned by all celestial sects and smitten as undead demons.On this day, a youth awakens from within a coffin, his blood dry and his bones chilled, to find himself a century old upon opening his eyes.A single tear from a sage awaited, a constant companion, may unravel the dreams of the past.Seeking not immortality but a mundane death, not to lament with the ages over lost love and resentment, but only wishing to grow old with tenderness in this lifetime, beneath the white clouds that hold no envy for the heavenly realms.

(1v1, pure and sweet) Xiliang’s Prince Residence.With a tiger-like energy and at just 5 years old, Little Prince Xiao Moxi saw his mother dash off to the fields again, and his steamed bun-like face scrunched up in frustration.Looking grievously at his father beside him, he complained with an air of worldly wisdom, “Father, how did you fall for my mother, who likes to run off all the time?”Xiao Yeyang gave his precociously mature son a sidelong glance, then pretended to ponder the question.Indeed, why had he fallen for that woman?After a long silence…“Who knows? Maybe I got my head caught in a door!”Sharing a look of mutual commiseration, father and son let out a helpless sigh in unison.What do you do when you’re stuck with a woman who’s never at home?There’s only one thing to do with your own Princess Consort (mother)—spoil her, of course!…Transported to ancient times with a space filled with rice flowers, all she wanted was to quietly live out her life in the fields. Unexpectedly, with a father who was a county magistrate, she was forced to leave the countryside for the city!Life in the city was bustling with activities, and in order to have a say at home, she bought estates, grew flowers and medicinal herbs, and developed high-yield, high-quality grain varieties. Remarkably, she helped her father, who had been a county magistrate for nine years, to rise step by step, bringing the lowborn Yan Family into Beijing’s elite circles!This is a story of a noble daughter from a humble family aiding her clan to thrive and prosper, and a sweet love story of mutual success and growing together!Male lead: In front of others, he is the prideful Little Prince, the domineering Prince of Xiliang. In front of the female lead, he is a soft and tender-hearted man.Female lead: Clearheaded in all matters, warm-hearted and self-reliant!

Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria, or The Empty Box and The Zeroth Maria, tells the sinister story of Kazuki Hoshino, who is almost madly attached to his everyday life, and his antagonist Aya Otonashi, who suddenly transfers into his class—for the 13,118th time. She majestically announces to “break” him, without paying heed to anyone else around them.

For as long as he could remember, life had always been cruel.A young man in his early twenties—his name now lost to the past—was dealt a life filled with misfortunes.A cold, empty apartment, a soul-crushing job, and, finally, a terminal diagnosis.With nothing left to live for, his only comfort had been escaping into the fictional world of Path of the Elemental Sage, a story of heroes, magic, and survival.But fate had other plans.When death finally came for him, he didn’t fade into nothingness.Instead, he awoke in the world he had only read about—a world of chaos and danger where death lurked around every corner.The air smelled of magic, the sky was filled with possibilities.{«[Status Window]»}[Name: Lyrium Blackwood][Age: 16][Rank: D-][Skills: None][Elements: None}At first, confusion filled his mind.Who was Lyrium Blackwood?Why was he here?And why did this body feel so different?But as his memories returned, so did the realization: this wasn’t some blessing or second chance.He wasn’t reincarnated as the protagonist.No destined savior.No cheat abilities.No grand fate.He was just another mob, a face in the crowd meant to exist and die without leaving a mark.But this young man—the one who had left his old name and life behind—wasn’t the kind of person to roll over and accept his fate.“This world is dangerous. The protagonist isn’t the only one fighting for survival here,”he muttered, his red eyes deep and sharp.Unlike the naïve characters in the story, he knew the stakes.He’d read the web novel.He’d seen the carnage, the betrayals, the disasters that wiped out entire cities.And if there was one thing he refused to be, it was a pawn in someone else’s game.“I don’t care about glory. I don’t care about saving the world. All I care about is surviving—no matter what it takes.”Lyrium Blackwood wasn’t planning to live quietly or avoid danger.The only way to survive in this brutal world was to rise to the top.To be strong enough to stand above both heroes and villains.Using his knowledge of the story’s events and his iron will, Lyrium sets out on a relentless path to surpass the protagonist.Whether through clever manipulation, brutal training, or sheer desperation, he’ll climb higher and higher, leaving nothing to chance.But the deeper he gets, the more he realizes that this isn’t just the story he once read.As fate pushes him closer to the heart of the narrative, Lyrium begins to suspect that his reincarnation wasn’t an accident—and the world itself might be watching him.“I don’t care who or what stands in my way. If the story wants to kill me, I’ll rewrite the ending myself.”----------------------------------I apologize for any mistakes in this story, as it’s my first attempt at writing a novel.