"Tony—right now—take out your phone and get some good shots of this!!"
Carl hurriedly urged him. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—a Qilin! And he was riding it! These photos deserved to be framed and worshipped.
Tony rolled his eyes at Carl's persistence but obediently pulled out his phone and snapped a barrage of pictures, fully indulging Carl's vanity.
Satisfied, Carl sat comfortably atop the Qilin as it carried him toward the village of Ta Lo. The others followed behind—clearly, the Qilin was leading them there.
---
After passing through a stretch of forest, the village finally came into view.
It wasn't large—just a few hundred people. Built along a lake, the village faced a mist-shrouded mountain on the opposite side. Smoke rose gently from cooking fires, giving the place a warm, lived-in atmosphere.
But as they approached, they saw the villagers were already on guard.
Women and children stood at a distance, watching. Among the villagers prowled a massive Suanni, over three meters long, its presence imposing. It slowly moved to the front, baring its fangs, eyes filled with killing intent.
The Qilin stopped at the village entrance, and the group faced the villagers, who were armed with cold weapons.
Most carried staffs, but both ends glowed red, decorated with scale-like ornaments—the red light emanating from those scales.
Carl dismounted and patted the Qilin's neck. It nudged him gently in return before turning and wandering back into the forest.
---
Steve, as the leader, intended to step forward and speak, but Shang-Chi beat him to it, walking directly toward the villagers. Xia Ling quickly joined him.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Xu Shang-Chi, and this is my sister, Xu Xia Ling. Our mother is Ying Li."
Shang-Chi introduced himself. As the guardian of Ta Lo's bamboo maze, Ying Li should have been known to everyone—at least, that's what he believed.
Among the villagers, an elder clearly stood at the forefront. His hair and beard were white, yet he looked vigorous and formidable. Dressed in a yellow martial outfit, he held a long staff and carried a bow on his back, scrutinizing Shang-Chi and Xia Ling.
"Uh… these are my friends."
Shang-Chi gestured toward Carl and the others behind him.
"Wherever you came from, go back."
The elder's gaze sharpened, and the scales on his staff glowed brighter red with his rising emotion.
The entire exchange was in Chinese—none of the group behind Shang-Chi understood, except Carl.
"You misunderstand. Please, listen—"
Shang-Chi tried to explain, stepping forward—but instantly, the villagers raised their weapons. Staffs and shields lit up with dangerous red light, and the Suanni crouched low, baring its fangs, ready to strike.
Carl didn't step in. Even though he understood Chinese and carried a Huaxian soul, his Western appearance would only make things worse. Intervening now would escalate the situation.
"Guang Bo!"
Suddenly, a firm, heroic female voice rang out from behind the villagers. A woman in a blue robe stepped forward.
"Lower your weapons."
At her command, the elder—Guang Bo—signaled the villagers to stand down.
The woman approached Shang-Chi and Xia Ling.
"Shang-Chi, Xia Ling—I'm your aunt, Ying Nan."
She hugged Xia Ling, then looked at Shang-Chi.
"I've finally met you. You look just like your mother."
"We don't have much time. My father is coming."
Shang-Chi skipped pleasantries. Their goal was to stop Wenwu—there would be time to reminisce later.
Ying Nan's expression immediately turned serious. She glanced at Guang Bo and the others—they too frowned.
"Come with me."
---
She led them toward the lake.
"We've lived here for four thousand years, guarding the Dark Gate. Over those years, it has rampaged many times, but we've always managed to suppress it. Behind that gate is an evil entity."
From the lakeside, they could clearly see it—a red gate set into a platform on the mountain across the water.
"My father came to open that gate. He believes you imprisoned my mother there."
Shang-Chi stared at it, still finding the idea absurd—even more so now.
"Why would he think that?"
Ying Nan turned to him, as if she already suspected something.
"He said my mother told him. That he can hear her calling for help."
Xia Ling answered.
"Is he still wearing the Ten Rings?"
Ying Nan suddenly asked.
"The Ten Rings? What Ten Rings?"
Tony immediately picked up on the key term. The Ten Rings—that was the symbol of the Ten Rings organization.
Ying Nan glanced at him but didn't respond. Shang-Chi spoke instead:
"He's never taken them off since my mother died. What do they have to do with this?"
Ying Nan didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned and led them to the largest structure in the village. They followed until they arrived before a massive mural.
Then she began:
"Ta Lo once extended far beyond this place, even reaching past the coastline. We were once prosperous, with a rich culture and history."
The mural depicted towering buildings and countless figures below—evidence of a once-thriving civilization.
"Thousands of years ago, our people lived in peace… until we were attacked by dark creatures."
The mural shifted, now showing countless bat-like beings. They had wings like bats, bodies resembling Western demons, and multiple tentacle-like tails tipped with barbs.
"These creatures traveled in swarms. They devoured the souls of every living being they encountered. Each kill made them stronger."
The group followed Ying Nan as she walked, explaining.
"After destroying our greatest city, they sought to pass through a dimensional gate—to enter your world and continue their slaughter."
"Wait—dimensional gate? Teleportation? Isn't this Earth? Why would they need to 'travel'?"
Tony interrupted.
Ying Nan smiled faintly but didn't answer. The answer, however, was obvious.
"The leader of Ta Lo sent out a powerful army to stop them from crossing into your world."
The mural shifted again—brave warriors drew their bows, firing arrows at the monstrous creatures above.
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