Novels by Lily Monroe

“Uncle, I was just trying to make more money. Things have been tight at home these last few years… The Sanders family said if I do as they ask, I can be one of their suppliers. They’re offering a full thirty percent extra profit!”“Money, money, money—that’s all you think about! No judgment, no foresight!”With Jasper Emerson’s scolding ringing in his ear, Sullivan Parker shut his mouth.Hearing silence on the other end only made Jasper angrier.“I’ll be perfectly clear: you are not to sever ties with Hill Group. Apologize at once! Do you have any idea who Adrian is? A physician who can pluck life from the grave. He’s someone we cannot afford to offend!”“I’ve worked hard to bring him into our orbit. We haven’t even sealed the deal, and you’re pushing him away? If you mess this up, I’ll be calling your father. And don’t bother coming home after that.”A cold shiver ran through Sullivan.He believed it—every word. Jasper rarely meddled in his affairs, but the family’s standing owed muc

Adrian’s gaze was ice-cold as he studied Sullivan Parker—a balding man in his thirties with the air of a middle-aged bureaucrat.“Miss Daisy, what brings you here in person? My staff were out of line—how could they keep you waiting so long?”Daisy smiled without warmth.“Naturally, it’s about Mr. Parker’s sudden decision to cut off our supply.”“I worried we at Hill Group might have offended you somehow. The moment I heard the news, I came to apologize to you in person.”Her barbs landed with precision. Sullivan Parker felt his face tighten; after all, Hill Group had been the first to extend a hand to Norris Medicinal Herb Co.He quickly pasted on a polite, false smile.“Miss Daisy, you misunderstand. Our Norris Medicinal Herb Co. has simply reached a critical turning point.”Daisy’s laugh was chilled. “How very convenient, your turning point.”Sullivan Parker dropped the pretense, turned, and settled into his chair with a couple of derisive snorts.“Miss Daisy, don’t blame me for bei

Adrian steadied his breath and patiently smelted the first batch of ingredients. Soon, a strange, enticing fragrance drifted through the room.He fed in the second batch. This time it fought him; only after a long while did it finally yield and melt.“These are all exceptionally rare. At least we’re halfway there.”Next came the Paris polyphylla.He drew a deep breath, eased the specimen into the furnace, and murmured under his breath, “I’ve only got this one seven-leaf, one-flower. Finding another would be a miracle. Don’t fail me…”He didn’t dare slip for an instant, tension pricking at his eyes.Success was far from assured. He forced all his attention into the furnace, barely blinking.He watched the flames take the Paris polyphylla and swallowed, throat dry.The fire in his palm held steady. Time passed. Inside the furnace—no change.He didn’t move a muscle. His energy bled away, the herb’s essence unfurled, and still he didn’t allow himself a single breath of carelessness.This

Natalie was just about to strike when a killing pain bloomed in her chest. She was blasted out of the formation, twisting in midair as a ribbon of blood arced from her lips.Without her flanking assaults to mask their flaws, the other eight women’s weaknesses were laid bare.Now.Boom—Adrian’s punch shattered the floor. The shockwave tore their footing from under them; all eight staggered back, lungs and viscera clenched as if in an iron grip, then crumpled hard.“Gh—”“He broke the formation head-on…”The moment they hit the ground, Adrian vanished.When he reappeared, he was less than a meter from Tessa Dawson.“President, look out!”Natalie was too far. She couldn’t interpose in time.In a blink, Adrian’s hand hovered a breath from Tessa’s snow-pale throat.A flicker of blade-light flashed across his vision—bad.He twisted away, but the edge still kissed him. A thin line opened along his forearm, beading red.He ignored it, eyes settling on the crescent blade that had suddenly app

“So certain, are you?”Adrian had never intended to accept Tessa Dawson’s offer. Still, whatever gave her such confidence piqued his curiosity.Tessa Dawson smiled and left the question hanging.At that moment, another woman stepped inside.Adrian recognized her—Natalie Norris, the one who had brought him here.The ice queen.He certainly didn’t think Tessa’s promise referred to Natalie herself.Natalie carried a small case in her hands, distinctly different from the gilded chests of jewels he’d been shown before. This one was leather-bound, old-fashioned, and heavy with age.At Tessa’s gesture, Natalie opened it.To Adrian’s surprise, within lay only a single key.A house? Tessa Dawson wanted to give him a property?Even a mansion in the most exclusive corner of this district wouldn’t sway him. Tessa couldn’t possibly be staking everything on that.Adrian picked up the key. It seemed unremarkable.“I imagine you’ve heard,” Tessa said coolly, “that Skyline City has a private museum.”

They drove in silence. Watching the landscape stream backward, Adrian slouched into the seat and shut his eyes, feigning a nap to fend off boredom.Natalie Norris glanced sideways at him, helpless. Heading into an unknown place, and he wasn’t the least bit wary? Did he think this was a sightseeing tour…They rolled into Skyline City’s most exclusive residential enclave.“We’re here,” Natalie said, expression unchanged.Adrian rubbed his eyes, climbed out, and stretched without a care. He’d nearly dozed off—her voice had woken him.Before them rose a stately building, lavish enough to fit its illustrious surroundings. The sign out front read: Royal Club.Natalie led the way. A knot of beautiful women halted at the doors while Adrian followed her inside.Was the entire villa staffed by women?Adrian blinked. He felt like a monk wandering into a spider’s den. Even the guards they passed—women.He wasn’t the only one surprised; a few of the occupants sneaked curious glances at the man in

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