HP: The Arcane Thief - Chapter 215 - 214: Return of the Arcane Thief

In the third year of the Kaihuang era, as the Great Sui began to unfold between the fall of the Northern Dynasties and the rise of the glorious Tang Dynasty, Emperor Yang Jian created the House of Blades – an intelligence agency for strategies and conspiracies – in preparation to unify the world.

On a snowy night, a convoy of tribute from the Kingdom of Khotan was raided. Not one soul survived the attack. Feng Xiao, Second Commandant of the House of Blades, was ordered by the Emperor to investigate the matter in person.

On the distant border, a storm brewed as major forces gathered from all sides in Liugong Town. The strong rubbed shoulders with the strong; the skilled crossed paths with the skilled.

Here, the ever-successful Second Commandant Feng ran into a wall for the first time – all because of a feeble Taoist priest with ailing health.

Some things would never be known if no fights were ever picked. Only through their skirmishes did Feng Xiao realise that this sick bastard seemed to have way more aliases and personas than he himself ever did.

- Description from Novelupdates

*Who would have thought a precious legitimate princess was forced to secretly marry a predator in the middle of the night when the silver moon shone bright in the middle of the starry sky?__“Your wench mother seduced my father and made you!”Consumed by rage after her half-sister insulted her mother, Reneira Dorient unleashed her secret power. Magic was taboo in the seven kingdoms, and those born with it must be burned. But she was a precious princess to the Kingdom.The royal family kept this secret with them and locked away her power, however, the King had a far darker plan: he forced her into a marriage with the evil prince of Thegara, a ruthless barbarian who had bathed in the blood of countless victims, as rumors said. Their union was the King’s strategy, she was a tool to win yet another war.The night the prince arrived to claim her, Reneira braced herself for the inevitable circumstances. However, nothing could have prepared her for the truth that this wasn’t just a marriage.Her new husband was a sweet torment, an immortal, god-like bully disguised in an impossibly beautiful human form with no rival. His every gaze felt like a punishment, and his sinful aura tempted her in ways she never expected. This god of lust refused to touch her or accept her as his true wife.Believing that her dignity was lost forever, she resigned herself to her fate, hoping to make a home in the hell she’d been thrown into. But fate, as it often did play, had other plans. She came to encounter a gorgeous yet wicked ex-mistress who didn't want her as his wife too and constantly attempted to push her out of the way...__“Don’t even think about seducing me by licking your lips like that, doe-eyes!” He breathed in her ear as he joined her in bed, shirtless, his muscular abdomen rippling with each movement.“I… I’m not doing it on purpose!” she stammered, her breath catching in her chest when he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body against him.His mouth hovered near her ear. “I’m going to make you forget what happened today. My body is yours as compensation.”Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Rolling her eyes away, she tried not to meet his dangerously alluring gaze. “You said we’re not a real couple, and I’m not your true mate. What’s changed your mind?”He grinned widely, grabbing her chin and leaning in so close that she could feel his warm breath against her skin. He used his tempting aura to compel her to meet his gaze. Her treacherous heart didn’t defy him again, he could hear it racing.“That term of the treaty no longer applies. From now on, you’re truly my wife, Doe-eyes. Only mine.” He paused, studying her body’s response.“Shall I stop here?” he whispered, his breath sending a shiver down her spine.Once again, she surprised him. The answer was the opposite of what the arousal scent of her body suggested.“Yes. You should stop.”“So you’re going to play a naughty game, wife?”...

Qiao Jinniang's parents passed away the moment she came of age.For the sake of inheriting a restaurant, she had no choice but to ‘recruit’ a husband who would take her family name.Who knew that her husband, who looked like a banished immortal, was an ingrate? He snatched her child away and left behind a divorce letter.Qiao Jinniang became the butt of every joke in Lin’an City. Seeing that her uncle was about to take her parents' blood, sweat, and tears for himself, the son of the Prefect of the Superior Prefecture wanted to take her in as a concubine.However, a horse carriage sent from the Marquis arrived in Chang'an City. An old lady servant clad in an embroidered robe walked up to her and called her "Young Miss".It was only then that Qiao Jinniang realized that she was the eldest daughter of the principal wife of Marquis Anyuan. Back then, when the marchioness gave birth to her, she encountered a robber. At that time, a jealous concubine switched out her daughter with the chef's daughter.Therefore, a divorced female chef who had already given birth entered the capital. Everyone was waiting to see this real heiress make a fool of herself.They were secretly guessing when the real heiress would be abandoned by the Marquis.Yet, they failed to expect Qiao Jinniang to open up a restaurant in Chang'an using her amazing culinary skills. Even His Majesty showered her with praise. She was pampered by everyone in the Marquis' residence.Those long-tongued women in Chang'an City said sourly, "So what if a woman gets pampered at home? She's long past the age of 18 and has already given birth. Who will marry her?"The Marquis found Qiao Jinniang quite a few husbands. However, despite many marriages being in discussion, none of them went smoothly.As the marchioness's face was covered in tears, the fake daughter said she wanted to give Qiao Jinniang her husband instead.Qiao Jinniang took the rolling pin and kicked open the Eastern Palace's main door. "Since you've already divorced me, why are you still ruining my marriage?"A certain crown prince said, "How can we let the mother of the royal grandson marry someone else?!"

Alex, a veteran soldier, meets an unexpected end on the battlefield. But instead of the final rest, he finds himself reborn into a new world—the magical realm of Harry Potter. Now a young boy, Alex is born into a Muggle family. Yet, despite his non-magical origins, his disciplined training and fierce determination uncover a rare, powerful talent for magic. With a world of spells, wands, and ancient secrets ahead of him, Alex will need every bit of his skill to face the growing darkness led by Voldemort. It’s a time before Harry Potter’s birth; James and Lily Potter are still alive. Join Alex’s journey as he navigates his way through Hogwarts, learns the mysteries of magic, and rises to face the deadly challenges that await, determined to become one of the greatest wizards in history.