Novels by Lily Monroe

A tidal blaze unfurled between heaven and earth, and within the flames—“Holy Emperor…”The warriors of the Solar Kingdom froze.This moment—This was the end.Their power swelled, vast and violent.From all directions the distant onlookers—those who had kept their distance—felt their hearts lurch.The Holy Emperor had fallen.The great factions witnessing it didn’t even dare show their faces.“Kill!”“Kill that brat!”The Solar Kingdom’s elites were enraged.At once they broke into furious curses.In an instant, the crowd drowned in wrath.The strong of the Solar Kingdom were terrified.No one hesitated.All of them lunged to kill Dragon-Slayer and Anthony.“You really want to die together?”The next moment—Anthony struck once.A swath of top-tier experts exploded, their bodies smashed to pieces.Squelch!Some heads spun off into the air.Dead.The Holy Emperor had been killed.But they… were powerless.They could not keep fighting. If they did, the entire Solar Kingdom might be gro

Dragon-Slayer grunted, swallowed the pain in his seams, and rose into it, the sword-edge cutting a white arc.Beside them, Thirteen Smith muttered a curse. “Stupid kid.” The Holy Emperor only sneered, eyes full of scorn.Dragon-Slayer didn’t answer, his grip biting down. “Hnh. I’ll carve you up.”He fought with everything, every stroke meant to kill. Anthony watched, his gaze shifting—he seemed to read the intent, and held his tongue.Boom—the air rolled like a tide swallowing the field. The Holy Emperor’s rampage had passed understanding; each strike was huge and ruthless.A heartbeat later, the gale rose again. His offense poured like a rain-screen, fists and palms crossing, killing intent spearing the clouds. He was a hammer overfilled with thunderfire—blow after blow grinding down.Dragon-Slayer braced in a flash—swordlight fierce—meeting edge with edge.Boom! He staggered back several steps, heart pounding, a flicker of disbelief breaking through his eyes. Why? What in hell did h

Dragon-Slayer dropped lightly to the ground; a tap of the heel, dust settled. He raised his eyes to the figure standing high above, gaze cold, voice low but heavy enough to hold the field.Though his chest still heaved, he ground out each word: “I’m not afraid of you.”“Today, I’ll defeat you—and kill you.”“The Solar Kingdom will never be a match for Ardenia.”“Your warriors are garbage.”The Holy Emperor laughed softly, a rasp like a blade dragging over stone. “You’re sure? Sure you’re not afraid? Then today, I’ll cut you to pieces.”Dragon-Slayer stepped in instead of back, a short drive of the foot, his body tipping forward, killing intent sliding free like a naked edge. He lifted his head and met the sword-hard gaze above, unflinching.The cold in his eyes cut sharper than steel. “To me, you’re—nothing.”“Today, you die.”“I will kill you.”“You think that boy can really keep you safe?” His words fell like a war banner rammed into open ground, snapping in the gale. Wind licked hi

“Y-you—why are you this strong…”Anthony’s mouth pulled into a cold curve. “It’s not that I’m strong. It’s that you’re useless.”Before the last syllable faded, he surged upward, a raptor cutting through knives of wind and sleet, and stooped.Boom!Explosions flowered across the sky, force scattering like invisible hammers pounding the void. Killing intent poured down like a tangible blaze.He raised another fist. Before it even landed, the gale at its edge flayed the dust to air.Bang!The Holy Emperor’s chest was punched straight through. Blood burst like a flower. His armor shattered; a hideous hole tore open across his front. He was blasted backward, blood running in a steady ribbon from his lips, his eyes wide with a terror that couldn’t focus—grasping at reality’s edge and finding nothing.The rim of the armor writhed, trying to stitch itself—futile against the gaping wound.He lifted his gaze in disbelief, and for the first time, true fear flooded his eyes—the primal dread of t

He pulled a breath, dragging his sight back from the dark. He looked up into the Ardenian youth’s face—indifferent, eyes like a winter lake, unruffled.“Your strength isn’t bad,” Anthony said, mild, with a flat contempt folded into it. “Unfortunately for you, you’re facing me. Which makes everything you do useless.”He tipped his chin, the cold at his eye’s corner cutting sharper. “So this is the Solar Kingdom’s best? No more than this.”Contempt, complete and entire.“In all martial ways, speed breaks all.” He sheathed in one clean motion, his pace itself a declaration. The Holy Emperor was fast—unquestionably. But he was facing Anthony. That alone sealed his tragedy.In a handful of exchanges, Anthony had hammered the Holy Emperor’s confidence to splinters. He had never imagined the man before him could be this absurdly strong. Terror—there was no other word in the minds of those watching.To Anthony, it was nothing. His gaze stayed cold; his killing will drew tighter.The Holy Empe

The heaving air over the four quarters suddenly sank. A darkened silhouette dragged itself out of the heights of the sky, like a deeper thread of night within the night, easing toward them. It had no sound, no scent; even the grain of its aura felt sanded smooth—more secret than a ghost, like a frost-sheathed dagger settling wordlessly to the throat.A heartbeat later, a figure fell from the heights. He touched down without a sound, yet his presence tore the silence around him. It was a tyranny that needed no words; with just an inch of ground underfoot, hearts clenched.“Holy Emperor!!”“The Holy Emperor is here!”“Lord Holy Emperor, a god forever…”“Lord Holy Emperor, mighty and unyielding!”“We can kill these Ardenians now…”“We must kill them…”The boiling shouts surged like oil set alight, raising the temperature of every throat at once. The Holy Emperor revealed himself—a man in his middle years, features unassuming, but a severity honed to lethal stillness. When his gaze droppe

Daisy stared at Adrian’s martyr’s resolve and couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “What’s with that expression? You look like you’re marching to the gallows.”Adrian shook his head. “No—I’m thanking you for pulling me from the fire.”Daisy sighed. This man…Once they stepped out, the crowd melted away. Adrian took Daisy’s files and shoulder bag, slipped the documents neatly inside, and kept the rest in hand.Now that’s an assistant, he thought, privately pleased.“Where are we headed?”Buckled in, Adrian glanced back at Daisy.“Do you remember how President Irving said she’d advocate for us? She’s hosting a last-minute business dinner tonight. We won’t be late at this hour. She thinks face-to-face may yield better results. Our product isn’t the concern; we’re hurting for sales channels right now.”Daisy exhaled. President Irving had already done everything within her reach. From here, the push had to come from them.Adrian immediately recalled the woman: Imogen Thompson’s mother, Finn Tho

At that, everyone shook their heads. Joking aside, a man like that deserved a beating. Two slaps were merciful. All their hard work had nearly been ruined by one petty schemer.Adrian almost laughed. Ophelia hadn’t broken any law—only internal discipline. Without a crime, what “abuse of power” was there to speak of?The commander shot a glance at Ophelia and Roy Thornton. They stepped forward at once and restrained Philip Mason.“The needle,” Ophelia demanded, her tone flinty.Philip, trembling, fished a silver needle from his pocket.Ophelia and Roy exchanged a look; she produced a sealed evidence bag and a pair of white gloves. Pulling them on, she took the needle and secured it.“Why did you pull it?” the commander asked. “Are you colluding with the traffickers?”Philip’s knees wobbled. “Sir, I swear I had nothing to do with them!”“Lies,” Ophelia snapped. “If you weren’t in league with them, why risk the commander’s life by removing the needle?”“I didn’t!” Philip babbled, despera

Seeing the commander awake, Roy Thornton rushed forward at once.“Reporting, sir—everyone’s accounted for!”The commander burst into hearty laughter. Color returned to his cheeks; animated, he looked nothing like a patient.“Commander, I’m fine!”“Me too—clear-headed and refreshed!”“And me—I feel like I could get out of bed right now!”One patient started to rise, only to be eased back by the nurses.“Good, good. Well done, Little Stone—well done, all of you!”The commander was so delighted he was nearly dancing. He remembered how dire things had been—several of his men gravely wounded—and before he joined the fight, Roy had thumped his chest and vowed not one would be lost.Hearing himself called “Little Stone” again, Roy scratched the back of his head, sheepish. “Sir—everyone’s watching.”A ripple of easy laughter moved through the ward.“Since everyone’s all right,” Ophelia said crisply, “it’s time we found the mole.”Faces froze.“The mole?”She nodded. “Yes. Dr. Doyle would have

Adrian knew this was no time to spar with Philip Mason and ignored his barbed tone.Before their eyes, Adrian picked up a silver needle and drove it swiftly into an acupoint on the commander’s body. Then he took the commander’s wrist and began a steady, focused pulse reading.Yet the tight draw of his brows and the grave set of his features made everyone uneasy. After so long a delay, all they could do was try.He exhaled sharply and drew the three-legged ancient bronze cup from his breast once more. The cup gleamed with a soft golden radiance as he tossed it into the air above the ward.“Out.”With a brighter flare, the bronze trembled, and threads of lucid light streamed from within, shaping themselves into one translucent figure after another. After Adrian and the others had cleansed and guided them, the souls shone immaculate, pale and weightless. Though half-transparent, each bore a faint likeness to its owner, gold limning their edges.The ward fell into stunned silence.“What i

The Daoist priests nodded in rapid agreement.“I’ve never seen such a prodigy—no, a savant. It’s beyond anything I could have imagined.”“Yes. So young, and destined for far greater things.”Adrian raised a hand to forestall further praise. “Masters—and Eleven Lloyd—help me with one more task.”He drew a three-legged ancient bronze cup from his coat. “I need you to help me guide these souls on their way.”He released all the spirits he had taken in earlier. Faces turned solemn at once as they formed the array and began the rite. Roy Thornton stood guard, letting no one approach. Time bled away, minute by minute. He stole glances at his phone, anxiety rising. Six hours were nearly up; worry for the commander and their comrades gnawed at him. But he didn’t dare interrupt, afraid of breaking Adrian’s focus.After what felt like the hundredth glance at his screen, Adrian finally opened his eyes.“Dr. Doyle!”Roy strode forward in a single step. “We’re out of time. Should we head straight

Hearing the fatal resolve in Singh’s voice, Adrian had no intention of giving him the chance.The half-broken staff in Singh’s hand was about to smash across Adrian’s back—yet in the next instant, Adrian vanished.“Damn it!”Singh swung again, but now he couldn’t find the slightest opening to strike; even defending himself was growing harder by the second.Adrian’s blows came swift and relentless, steadily draining Singh’s strength and focus.A Daoist priest stared, dumbfounded, and sucked in a sharp breath.“This young man… he defies reason…”More than that—he was monstrous.The other two wiped cold sweat they hadn’t noticed gathering. This was beyond prodigy; it was monstrous.In all their lives they had never seen anyone like Adrian. Not because his cultivation was unfathomable—though it was—but because he was so young. Still so young.It would be hard to find a second talent like him in the entire Novaland Republic.“He’s already far beyond our master,” the priest finally said aft