SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows - Chapter 14: Angel’s Seal

In the world of cultivation, countless tales follow righteous protagonists, fated heroes blessed by destiny, or those chosen by heaven to walk the path of immortality.But what of those who stand in their way?What of the villains? The so-called obstacles to the hero’s journey—do they not bleed, dream, and struggle as well?Xiao Ning was never meant to succeed.From the very beginning, the Grand Dao wove him as a stepping stone—a necessary sacrifice to elevate another. His path, like that of all designated ‘villains,’ was doomed to failure by design.But what happens when that design is defied?After death, Xiao Ning awakens—not in the cycle of reincarnation, but in the cold silence beyond it. There, he is offered the Eternal Paradox Codex—a forbidden artifact containing the hidden truths of the Grand Dao System itself.Rules. Loopholes. Vulnerabilities.Knowledge not meant for those like him.With this power, Xiao Ning is granted a single, impossible choice: accept oblivion, or step outside the Grand Dao entirely—to abandon fate, sever karma, and cultivate a path unbound by heaven or law.It is Xiao Ning’s journey, from ashes to something beyond comprehension.Not to become an Immortal among men.But something even the heavens dare not bind.If fate is a chain…Then let him forge his own path in the void beyond.Welcome to this humble tale.The cultivation world is vast and unkind.Let us begin again—on our terms.

In the Celestial Empire, a land ruled by Immortals and stalked by Spirits and Beasts, a young girl from the slums of an unimportant city is found to have the Talent. In the great Sect of Argent Peak, she will take her first unsteady steps upon the way.

A powerless and humble village cadre, Ji Yang, unintentionally has an encounter with a gorgeous married woman in a KTV.When the new female secretary at the township party committee struggles to find a starting point for her work, she recognizes the man she had a previous encounter with.Unexpectedly, Ji Yang is nominated by Chu Shuyuan to become the director of the Party and Government Office, marking the beginning of his rise in the bureaucratic world.In the intricate Qingyuan Township, Ji Yang continuously collaborates with the female secretary to navigate and battle various forces. Meanwhile, beautiful married women and ambitious ladies seeking promotion surround him.Ji Yang showcases exceptional political artistry.A classmate who has been plotting against the protagonist comes to light. Ji Yang infiltrates the opposition, skillfully entangles with the classmate's three beautiful sisters for mutual benefit, meticulously planning, leading one force and rival after another to fall in the path of Ji Yang.Ji Yang's calmness, charisma, and shrewdness, along with a family secret technique, captivate every woman who approaches him.Effortlessly engaging with these women, Ji Yang thrives, rising from the director of the Party and Government Office to ultimately enjoying the pleasures of both power and beauty.

One day, I – a high schooler – found a paperback in the hospital. The “Disease Coexistence Journal” was its title. It was a diary that my classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, had written in secret. Inside, it was written that due to her pancreatic disease, her days were numbered. And thus, I coincidentally went from Just-a-Classmate to a Secret-Knowing-Classmate. It was as if I were being drawn to her, who was my polar opposite. However, the world presented the girl that was already suffering from an illness with an equally cruel reality…

The best-selling, award-winning debut work by Yoru Sumino:

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by NIPPAN” – 4th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Paperback Fiction) by NIPPAN” – 1st Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Overall) by TOHAN” – 5th Place

“Bestsellers 2016 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 1st Place

“Bookstore Grand Prix 2016” – 2nd Place

“DA VINCI BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015” – 2nd Place

“Bestsellers 2015 (Literary Books) by TOHAN” – 6th Place

As of May 2017, this book has sold over 1.2 million copies.