Novels by Lily Monroe

The one who failed to react in time was not only Black Tortoise—even those watching could not discern how Adrian had struck.“Pfft—”A spray of blood burst from her lips as she staggered back several steps and collapsed to the ground.“Impossible… How did you do that?”Adrian rolled his wrist, as though loosening it. After playing with them for so long, he had finally warmed up.“When there is a gulf in cultivation, all those elaborate techniques amount to nothing more than a cat toying with mice.”He flashed them a grin. “So—am I qualified now to face Lord Buddha?”Black Tortoise and Vermilion Bird, both still conscious, exchanged a glance.They had underestimated him.Quentin Newman, who had watched everything unfold, felt his legs weaken. It took him a long moment to find his voice.“The Four Guardians are already at the Mythical Tier. Could it be that Adrian has reached… that level as well?”Tessa Dawson remained silent.Sometimes silence is the clearest answer.Drew Morvek fared

The moment Adrian’s great blade of golden light fully took shape, White Tiger felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him.Even drawing breath became difficult.The smile faded from Adrian’s eyes, replaced by a glacial killing intent.White Tiger could sense it with absolute clarity—Adrian meant to kill him.No matter how composed he prided himself on being, a sheen of cold sweat formed on his brow.As the shadow of death loomed closer, White Tiger involuntarily retreated two steps.Adrian flicked his fingers lightly. “Go.”At his command, the massive blade cleaved through the air. White Tiger thrust both hands forward in haste.“Golden Barrier!”“Buzz—”The blade struck the shimmering shield with a resounding hum so piercing that many instinctively clapped their hands over their ears.Only Nora Simpson, watching from above, showed a trace of astonishment in her eyes.To force White Tiger to deploy the Golden Barrier—Adrian’s strength had clearly surpassed her expectations.When th

Adrian returned to where he had been standing and arched a brow at Quentin Newman and the others.“Well? Is Lord Buddha still not coming out?”Quentin’s expression darkened. Around him, disbelief, hostility, and icy detachment mingled in the various gazes fixed upon Adrian.On the top floor of the central villa, Nora Simpson sat serenely on a sofa, a white Ragdoll cat nestled in her arms.One wall of the room was dominated by an enormous surveillance screen. From it, she could see Adrian with perfect clarity.As she absently smoothed the cat’s fur, the doubt in her heart deepened.According to the information she possessed, Adrian could not possibly be connected to that man.And yet… that face of his—Nora lifted her eyes to the screen, something complex flickering in her gaze.Vermilion Bird knocked and entered. Nora gently set the cat aside.“Lord Buddha, the elder of the Hill family is calling.”Still contemplating the resemblance between Adrian and the figure in her memory, Nora w

The thugs who once loitered everywhere across Mafia territory had vanished without a trace. In their place stood martial artists of considerable skill.The entire estate was now a gathering of formidable experts. Even by merely sensing the fluctuations of their auras, Adrian could discern the latent danger that permeated the grounds.Compared to its former state, the difference was nothing short of staggering.It seemed Lord Buddha’s reputation was not built on flattery alone—she was, without question, a force to be reckoned with.Adrian followed his guide at an unhurried pace, his gaze sweeping calmly across his surroundings.Conrad Owen walked just behind him, his eyes never once leaving Adrian’s back.“Mr. Doyle, is there something in particular you’re observing? If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ll answer whatever I can.”Adrian cast him a faintly amused glance. Conrad’s reputation for shrewdness was evidently well earned.“Isn’t it you who has something you’d like to

“The legendary Lord Buddha. She has already arrived in Skyline City, and according to reliable sources, Adrian has undoubtedly offended her.”Russell Sanders exchanged a glance with Patrick Davidson; both men broke into broad, knowing smiles.“Mr. Foster, you can rest easy now, can’t you?”Grayson Foster narrowed his eyes and gave a cold snort. Of course he knew the weight of the name Lord Buddha carried. If Adrian had truly provoked her, it was no different from courting death.“I’ll be waiting for the day he dies.”Commerce Tower.After dinner, Adrian followed Daisy and Octavia through the shopping complex for hours on end.There was not a moment’s rest—only an endless procession of stores, with him burdened by shopping bags as he trailed behind.A seasoned martial artist, he had never once felt inferior to women in any regard.Now, however, Adrian was thoroughly humbled.His legs felt as heavy as if filled with molten lead, while Daisy and Octavia appeared inexhaustible, as though

Grayson Foster touched his face, feeling as though the day could not possibly have gone worse.Yet the thought of going to a hospital and letting a crowd of doctors scrutinize his swollen face was utterly intolerable.The captain of his bodyguards edged closer. “Young Master, should we inform the old master at home?”Grayson shot him a withering glare, his tone sharp with irritation. “Report it? I’m not dead out here and you’re already dissatisfied—do you want me dead at home instead? Why not tell the old master directly and have him beat me to death? Would that satisfy you?”The captain felt a chill crawl up his spine at those words and hurriedly lowered his head in apology. “Please calm down, sir. What happened today will not reach the family.”Grayson kicked him in frustration. Securing this trip to Skyline City had taken no small effort.If the patriarch of the Foster family learned that he had lost both money and face out here—stripped of dignity inside and out—he would be the fi

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