highsmith the price of salt

Bottom-level corporate slave Qin Gengyun crosses into a cultivation world and becomes a low-level cultivator, but he is afflicted with Pill Poison and has only a slim chance of survival by marrying and practicing cultivation. However, Qin Gengyun discovers that even in the cultivation world, getting married requires a bride price! "Taoist Friend Qin, I earn two Spirit Stones a month. If you want to marry me, you need to earn ten Spirit Stones a month, three hundred Spirit Stones as a bride price, and a Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion." "Taoist Friend Qin, I need five hundred Spirit Stones and a two-story Immortal Mansion, just to have some security." "Taoist Friend Qin, I only need two hundred Spirit Stones and a new house as a bride price, but you must treat my child as your own." After several blind dates, Qin Gengyun finally finds a female cultivator who doesn't want a bride price. However, he discovers that there is something a bit off about his wife.

Demonic beings run rampant, and cultivators revere the bizarre as the Heavenly Dao. For an ordinary mortal to embark on the path of cultivation, they must gouge out their eyes, sever their limbs, and cut off their spiritual roots… Ren Qing, who transmigrated into this world, discovers that he can bypass the gruesome costs of cultivation thanks to a Divine Ability. [Blindless Method]: By devouring eyes, he cultivates to the peak, growing one hundred and six celestial eyes all over his body. [Poison Bone Art]: Soak one's skeleton in poisonous water for thirty-six days, then reimplant it into the body. At full mastery, no life can grow for a hundred li around him. [Book of the Dead]: Seal the Lao Gong, Yong Quan, Shen Men, and Yin Tang acupoints with iron nails and bury oneself underground for three years. Upon completion, one becomes ageless, undying, and indestructible. --- Alternative Titles: Weird Way of Immortality: I Can Avoid the Price Cultivation: Tax Evasion

From a humble servant to a powerhouse who shakes the three realms, Fang Han’s life has only one goal: to break free from the shackles of life and death and reach the realm of immortality. He traverses the perilous cultivation world, refines divine artifacts, and breaks through realms—only to gradually realize that eternal life is never an unearned gift. The hunting of the Heavenly Dao, the betrayal of allies, the tearing between power and conscience—every step of advancement comes with an unbearable price. When the title of "the Unending" is branded on him, he must answer: What are you willing to give up for immortality?

Neris Truide was born with the legendary purple jewel eyes of the ancient warrior Elandria. Despite this, her peers at the noble academy bully her mercilessly, destroying her self-esteem. Adopted by the wealthy and powerful duke Elandria because of her jewel eyes, Neris eventually marries Crown Prince Abelus―only to be pushed aside for his mistress Megara, who led the bullying at school. Neris's life ends at age thirty when she is poisoned by her adoptive sister Valentin. However, instead of dying, she wakes up back at age twelve with her memories of her previous life intact. Enrolled at the academy once more, she sets about exacting revenge on those who ostracized, assaulted, and ultimately murdered her. But she didn't expect that in this life, she'd cross paths with Cledwyn Maindulante, the cunning future ruler of the north. As a determined Neris sets out to make her enemies suffer―and prevent her murder―will Cledwyn turn out to be a dangerous foe, or her closest ally ever? *********************************************** *Noticed* - The translation isn't accurate and the language used is considered informal or "messy". - It's recommended to add this to your reading list to stay updated. - Readers are encouraged to support the original creators by purchasing the official version when it's available. - There are links provided to support the translator financially. - Readers are asked to enjoy the fan translation quietly and avoid causing any trouble or seeking attention. That's all, happy reading everyone!

Novel PSA: Moved to Royal Road, and relaunching under Free Yet Chained on August 1st 2025 Freedom is a word undefinable by mankind. Chased indefinitely while the tunnel of freedom's infinite journey is constantly filled with rubble you need to destroy. According to the most extreme definition, one would have to be unbound by every law and concept making up the world. In Lukas’ case, he created his own definition — as any “elected” king would. Everything possible Lukas could’ve wanted was in his grasp by the time he passed into the afterlife, especially a honey-sweetened chocolate milkshake that he could barely attempt to consume. Family, health, island oasis, world peace, and the never-ending pursuit of novel stimuli. Nothing went according to plan, yet everything seemed to work out in the end. Yet the very second he passed, Lukas realized the one thing he knew would undeniably occur, failed to be given to him. Death… After two years of meandering the currents of life, he was finally able to get a grasp on reality, and rejected it. New world, new body, randomly “gifted” the power of flight after months of meditation — a perfect interpretation of freedom, and a restart he desperately did not want. What could possibly go wrong in a kingdom surrounded by walls? What was so dangerous that required walls reaching the heights of 600 feet to blanket any sense of horizon one could see? And what in the God’s is up with that reverse whirlpool this kingdom revolves around? —————————————— What to Expect: - Reincarnation MC(with consequences) - OP MC (choose to hide powers for good reason) - Slice of life engagements to give life to the world - Meaningful relationships - Dungeon Diving - Epic uses of magic!! - Blood, guts, and bones - Deep mysteries - Academy Arc(Volume 2) - No harem cuz we not about that life

"Sign it." Christian's voice was cold, stripped of all emotion. Crystal's fingers trembled around the pen as the words "Dissolution of Marriage" blurred through her tears. Across from her, Ilda crossed her legs, smiling like she had already won. Her hand caressed the slight curve of her stomach, a silent declaration: I'm the one he chose. I'm the one giving him the child he always wanted. Life in the Blake family was a nightmare for Crystal. Despite being married to Christian Blake, the powerful CEO, for three years, she couldn't conceive, becoming the target of endless scorn and humiliation. When Crystal finally found out about Christian affair with his mistress, Ilda, the woman he'd chosen over her, her heart shattered. But just when she thought things couldn't get worse, she found herself carrying Christian's child in secret. However, as Christian prepares to marry Ilda, a shocking truth emerges—the child she was carrying was not his. What will happen when Christian realizes the woman he betrayed and cast aside had his heir all along? Will he regret his choices, or has he already lost everything, including Crystal's love?

In the Book of the Heralds, it is written what a priest must give to gain power: "Forget joy; understand what power brings. Power brings misery, and to understand what misery is, one has to forget all joy. Understand this, human, for those who are powerful should carry the pain of the living on their shoulders and the pain of the dead in their hearts. So those who have no power can live with joy." Join Kanrel on his quest to find the truth of the mysteries that he is presented with: the Angels and the Otherkind; what is their connection; and why do the Angels prophesy of a coming war, an ascension of the Otherkind, and the destruction of humanity by the will of the Betrayed? Follow him as he starts as a novice and becomes a fully-fledged priest while vowing to carry the burden of power for the sake of the weak, but all comes with a cost... Forget joy. - - - What to expect: The story is a bit slow, mainly focusing on thoughts, different ideas, and feelings that the main character, Kanrel, experiences in his life. So do not expect many action sequences. FYI, this story was first posted on to another site/app by me. I would link it here as proof, but I am not sure if it is okay to link to another site that offers a similar service as does WebNovel. Also, the picture in the book cover is generated via the AI option here.

Suho has always lived between two worlds. One shaped by legacy, pride, and expectations he never chose, and another shaped by a heart that feels too deeply for the life he is meant to lead. He is cold, silent, charming, and smart when it comes to business. But he is gentle by nature, emotionally deep, and quietly devoted when it comes to his love. But love was never allowed to be part of his carefully arranged world. It was always meant to be negotiated, controlled, and contained. At this point in his life, Yerin is his everything. His first love, his only love. He is willing to go to any length to keep her, even when his family repeatedly refuses to accept her. Torn between a heart that refuses to let go and a lineage that demands an heir to carry the Kim legacy, Suho takes a decisive step, trying to hold on to Yerin without disappointing the family that expects obedience and continuity from him. Then Hauen enters his life. Not through affection, but through a contract. Chosen not as a partner, but as a solution, Hauen becomes his wife in a marriage built for convenience. An agreement meant to secure an heir and protect the Kim family’s legacy. In return, Hauen enters this marriage to save her father’s bankrupt business. She is warm and gentle, yet guarded. Strong in quiet ways, carrying her own unspoken burdens. To the world, their marriage looks flawless. Polite smiles, perfect appearances, a union without cracks. To them, it is nothing more than a carefully written business contract, set to end after eighteen months. But life has little patience for plans built without truth. In the midst of calculated decisions and emotional restraint, fate pushes Suho into the lowest point of his life, breaking him in ways he never expected. Stripped of control, certainty, and pride, he is forced to confront the parts of himself he has never imagined. At his most fragile moment, the question is no longer about legacy or contracts. It's about Who will stay when everything collapses? Who will stand beside him when life is hard for him? And when life offers both unbearable loss and unexpected grace, will Suho have the courage to accept them? This is a story of love that begins as an obligation, fractures under destiny's test, and slowly transforms into something honest, real, and beautiful.

Who is she in this life? A bride, a pawn… or just a substitute for someone who will never come? Rosy, a girl cast out by her own family, had her identity switched to be married into a noble household. A wedding with no invitations, no blessings only the cold binding from a man named Captian Anderson, the ruthless CEO behind the largest corporation holding the key to the entire banking and finance industry. Forced into marriage to save her family’s failing company, Rosy had no idea she was stepping into a maze of conspiracies, deceitful pasts, and chilling secrets no one had ever spoken of. She must live with a man rumored to be incapable of feeling, someone whose eyes reflect no emotion, yet always see through her as if he has known her for a very long time. Between love and control, trust and lies, Rosy has no choice but to stand up and reclaim herself, even when the love that begins to blossom may become the greatest threat of all. "To survive this velvet prison, she must learn how to make her captor love her to death." ... Umee say that: Hi there! First of all, thank you for the interest and for the enthusiasm. Truly. Every time I open my comments and see new invitations to add Discord, buy promotion packages, commission comic adaptations, or “have a quick chat,” I’m reminded that my story has somehow wandered into a very busy marketplace. That said, I should probably set expectations gently before anyone invests too much energy. I’m not looking for promotion services, paid advertising or commissioned artwork. Not because they’re bad ideas, just because they’re not ideas I currently need. I don’t have the budget, the urgency or the illusion that my story is secretly one step away from becoming the next global phenomenon. I’m very aware of where my work stands. It’s doing okay. Respectably okay. Not “adapt-everything-immediately” okay. My passion for writing exists but it hasn’t reached the stage where common sense quietly exits the room. I promise I’m not underestimating myself, I’m simply being realistic, which is a personality trait I’ve grown quite attached to. Another small but important thing: I’m not really interested in chatting, exchanging ideas, networking, or building creative alliances in private messages. I write best when left alone. I think best when no one is pitching anything to me. And I function best when my inbox is not screaming for attention. So if I don’t reply, please know it’s not personal, it’s just me choosing silence over small talk. That being said, if you’re genuinely curious about me rather than what I can potentially become or produce, if you want to see my everyday life, random thoughts, quiet moments and the unmarketable parts of my existence, I do have my Instagram linked in my bio. You’re welcome to follow it. No proposals required. No introductions needed. Just observation, at your own pace. I truly wish you the best with your creative work, your art, your promotions, and your ambitions. Creating something and trying to get it seen is hard, I respect that deeply. I just prefer to walk my path slowly, quietly, and without turning every interaction into a business opportunity. Thank you for understanding, for stopping by, and for letting me return peacefully to my writing corner, where the only thing I’m selling is words.

Sebagai Demon King, hari-hari Abaddon penuh dengan kebosanan. Suatu hari, ada seorang anak manusia yang masuk ke dalam hutan miliknya tanpa izinnya. Sejak saat itu, sedikit demi sedikit hari-hari membosankan milik Abaddon mulai berkurang, meskipun Abaddon tidak memperlihatkannya. Tapi, dengan memiliki contact dekat dengan manusia, membuat kekuatan gelapnya melemah. Apa dia akan dapat melindungi manusia itu dengan baik? Ataukah pilihannya salah untuk membiarkan kekuatannya melemah?