Coiling Dragon (Pan Long) - Vol 20 Chapter 5: Refusal

The Northern Ice Fields had no boundaries.

The Winter Wolves hid within the snow, the Frost Tigers growled incessantly, and the roars of Giants echoed throughout the land. Many species struggled to survive in the icefield. At the same time, a baby White Dragon possessing the power of time broke out of its egg and opened its platinum-colored eyes.

Years later, the legendary Time Dragon appeared, moving freely between the endless past, present, and future.

In a world where black holes, magical talents, and formidable hunters form the fabric of everyday life, Ethan Cross—a freshly graduated student with an uncertain future—once believed he would lead an ordinary existence like everyone else. However, everything changed when he awakened a seemingly feeble and inexplicable ability known as “Coexistence with Darkness.” No one took his talent seriously—until a catastrophic dimensional rupture unleashed terrifying creatures known as the “Demons of Corruption” upon him.On the brink of death, the pendant he had inherited from his father suddenly activated, summoning three dragon girls—beings of unimaginable power, yet with complex and rebellious personalities. Cursed in the past and trapped within that pendant, these three dragons have now become inexplicably bonded to Ethan. The twist, however, is that they neither recognize him as their master nor believe he is worthy of such a union.Now, Ethan must unravel the mystery of the darkness within him, learn to control his burgeoning powers, and find a way to tame these proud dragonesses—forces that could either aid him in his quest to conquer the underworld or lead to his ultimate downfall.A power that no one had believed in has become the key to mastering the shadows. Can Ethan harness it without being consumed by the darkness?

Immortal arts, magic weapons, magical powers*, and the boundless spiritual Qi between heaven and earth vanished into obscurity overnight, and all the exorcists became mere mortals.

300 years later, the Five Barbarians traversed the pass, a prelude to an era of great turmoil in China. They heralded the end of the world, where thousands of drought fiends stalked the night and the collapse of the Divine Land** was imminent.

Fortunately, within this long, dark night*** where silence had fallen on all magic, a lone star still glistened brightly on the horizon.

The Heart Lamp appeared, illuminating the vast expanse around it. A 16-year-old young man, who will end his life on his 20th birthday, embarked on a journey of reclaiming the spiritual Qi of the heavens and earth that had been sealed away — only four years remain.

The road ahead was filled with countless thistles and thorns, and it seemed improbable for him to succeed.

Chen Xing, “The important thing is that I’m the last exorcist in this world, yet the only magic I am capable of is emitting light. What can I do?”

Wait patiently then. When the Dinghai pearl reappears on earth, the uncertain trajectory of everyone’s fates will be completely disrupted before converging once more.

Chen Xing, “Could I be partnered with a more normal Protector martial god?”

Isn’t your Protector really skilled in fighting?

Chen Xing, “He is good at fighting, but when he loses it he’ll hit even me……”

There’s nothing that can be done about that, you can only blame yourself for losing yourself to lust.

—

*: Buddhist term: Abhijñā, a mysterious force that surpasses the limits of mortals gained through meditation

**: old name for China

***: figurative meaning: long period of misery and oppression

- Description from Novelupdates

It was the turn of the 20th century, and in the Philippine Islands, the fledgling Philippine Republic waited to be crushed by the overwhelming superiority of the American colonial forces.But John McClain, a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, dies and finds himself in the body of the governor of a remote Philippine province in the year 1898. Initially reluctant to take up arms against his former country and skeptical of the chances of success, he eventually decides to fight for the Republic.Now living his second life as Martín Lardizábal, politico-military governor of Marinduque and armed with modern military knowledge, he will change the course of the Philippine-American War.