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The Jade Merchant and the Loong Guardian​ By the cobblestone streets of Prague, an antique shop owner named Klaus dusted his latest acquisition - a jade pendant carved with a serpentine creature bearing deer antlers and eagle claws. "Odd-looking dragon," he muttered, recalling his Chinese supplier's insistence that this "Loong Guardian Pendant" symbolized fortune. To Klaus, dragons meant fire-breathing monsters from Germanic legends, not delicate jewelry. Three nights later, a nightmare gripped him. Flames engulfed his shop as a winged European dragon circled above. Just as claws reached for his throat, the pendant around his neck glowed emerald green. The jade loong stirred to life - its fish-scale body undulating like a river, tiger-like eyes radiating calm authority. The Western dragon recoiled, hissing: "Your kind doesn't belong here!" "True power needs no fire," the loong's voice resonated like temple bells. "I guard through wisdom, not destruction." Klaus awoke clutching the pendant, moonlight revealing its carved inscription: "Where the loong dwells, storms become rainbows." The next morning, a miracle unfolded. A reckless driver swerved toward his shop window, only to inexplicably brake inches away. "I... I thought I saw a golden serpent push my car back," the driver stammered. Word spread. Soon entrepreneurs bought replicas, calling it the "Eastern Fortune Serpent." A tech CEO kept it during mergers ("It makes me negotiate like an emperor!"), while a nurse said her pendant "swayed like a protective cloud" during night shifts. At a cultural fair, Klaus explained to curious customers: "This isn't your Tolkien dragon. In China, loongs are sacred rain-bringers 2- part deer, part eagle, all benevolent 7. The coiled posture? It symbolizes gathering cosmic energy 11." He pointed to the claws: "Four toes for balance - unlike five-clawed imperial dragons reserved for emperors 3."When a skeptic sneered, "Just pagan superstition," Klaus smiled. "The West has angel pendants; we've loongs. Both represent the human need to believe in guardians beyond sight." Today, the original pendant rests in Prague Museum with a plaque: "Loong Guardian (21st century) - Proof that courage can be gentle, and true power protects rather than destroys." Key Cultural Bridges for Western Readers: Contrasts European dragon mythology with Chinese loong's rain-bringing, protective nature Uses familiar Western references (Tolkien, angels) to explain unfamiliar concepts Highlights physical differences: antlers, scales, claw count Focuses on universal themes - safety, business success, and spiritual guardianship Incorporates "serpent" as a transitional term for dragon-curious buyers This story positions your pendant as both exotic and relatable, emphasizing protection and prosperity over imperial symbolism , making it marketable to Western jewelry collectors.