Shang-Chi suddenly seized Wenwu's arm again. Then, like a Tai Chi motion, he pulled Wenwu into a spinning circle, gradually dissipating Wenwu's Qi—so much so that even the glow of the Ten Rings dimmed.
Wenwu broke free with force. The Ten Rings shot off his arms and lashed toward Shang-Chi like whips.
Shang-Chi sidestepped to dodge, then immediately struck out with a palm. Wenwu nimbly evaded as well.
Meanwhile, more and more creatures began attacking the Azure Dragon. Taking advantage of their small size, agility, and speed, they targeted its weak points—especially its eyes.
At this moment, dozens of creatures had already latched onto the dragon's eye sockets with their tendrils, preparing to tear into its eyes. No matter how the Azure Dragon struggled, it couldn't shake them off. The monsters were just about to bite down—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, several blue energy beams shot toward the dragon, precisely eliminating the creatures clustered around its eyes. At the same time, Tony flew past in his armor, circling around the dragon as his shoulder cannons and repulsors fired continuously, clearing away the monsters clinging to its body one by one.
The Azure Dragon turned its head and let out a low roar toward Tony in gratitude, then once again charged ferociously into the swarm.
---
On the platform, Shang-Chi and Wenwu were still evenly matched. Wenwu wielded the Ten Rings like whips, launching relentless attacks, while Shang-Chi moved with remarkable agility—even using Qi to deflect the Rings at the last moment before impact.
Karl, meanwhile, stood in front of the seal, watching this "heartwarming" father-son showdown. Scenes like this—sons overthrowing their fathers—were as cliché as they came.
Suddenly, Shang-Chi seized an opening. Channeling his Qi, he struck Wenwu square in the chest with a palm. Wenwu was sent flying over ten meters.
Using the Ten Rings to cushion himself, Wenwu stabilized midair and landed smoothly. Then, with a flick of his left hand, five Rings shot out like crescent blades, hurtling toward Shang-Chi as their energy surged violently.
Unfazed, Shang-Chi extended both hands, guiding the Rings with Qi. As they spun in midair, their force was gradually neutralized.
Even more astonishing—upon landing, the Qi around Shang-Chi pulsed, and the Rings' blue energy transformed into a radiant golden hue.
The golden Ten Rings circled him obediently, like well-trained children responding to his will.
With a wave of his arm, the five Rings began orbiting him, like loyal bodyguards ready to defend at any moment.
---
Nearby, Karl glanced up. The dragon-scale seal over the cave entrance had cracked significantly. Endless monsters poured out from the fractures, some even turning to attack him.
Karl casually took out a Chocobo whistle and blew it.
A swirling vortex opened beside him, and Onion strutted out with swagger, its armor gleaming. Its sharp beak and claws gleamed dangerously, exuding a presence no less imposing than the Qilin or the Suanni.
But the cool entrance lasted less than three seconds—
The next moment, Onion immediately burrowed into Karl's arms, nuzzling him, its big head practically trying to live there.
Karl gave it a few pats, then fed it a wild vegetable.
"Go on. Help them deal with those monsters."
In just a few bites, Onion finished the food, its eyes blazing with battle intent. At Karl's command, it shot into the sky, charging straight into a cluster of monsters. With a single swipe of its claws, several creatures were torn apart instantly.
These monsters were normally immune to conventional attacks—but Onion was no ordinary bird. It was a magically enhanced Chocobo… one that had even been canonized as a Buddha.
Despite its modest size, its strength was formidable. Nothing survived its claws. Even the beating of its wings sent out sharp wind blades—though not as powerful as Karl's, they were more than enough to slaughter these lesser creatures.
---
Back on the platform, the battle between Shang-Chi and Wenwu had reached its climax.
Each now controlled five Rings, fighting on equal footing. Originally, Shang-Chi was far inferior—even with Qi, the gap was enormous. But now, with half the Ten Rings in his control, he could match Wenwu blow for blow. Combined with his Qi, he was even beginning to gain the upper hand.
Their usage of the Rings, however, differed greatly.
Wenwu mainly wore them on his arms to enhance his strikes, occasionally using them as whips or shields—but ultimately relying on brute force.
Shang-Chi, on the other hand, controlled them entirely through Qi. The Rings floated around him, sometimes acting as independent support, sometimes forming armor over his limbs when needed.
Clearly, Shang-Chi's understanding of the Ten Rings had surpassed Wenwu's. And with Qi guiding them, his attack range was far greater.
Wenwu blocked Shang-Chi's flying side kick with his arm. Their Rings collided violently—but neither side gave way. The impact triggered an explosion, forcing both men back over ten meters. The blue and golden Rings returned to their respective masters.
At that moment, Wenwu leapt into the air. The Rings gathered around his arms, blazing with blue light. A dangerous aura erupted—so intense that even Karl, who had been casually spectating, took notice.
Boom!!
The five blue Rings shot out like cannon shells, slamming into Shang-Chi. Dust and debris exploded outward, and a shockwave rippled across the platform.
With no Rings left to support him, Wenwu fell back to the ground.
He rose slowly, staring toward where Shang-Chi had stood. Dust still hung in the air, obscuring his view.
Then—
A golden light flickered on, like an eye opening in the darkness.
Then a second. A third.
Until ten golden lights shone brightly.
They began to orbit in a precise pattern, forming a mysterious array—the Ten Rings.
With a sharp pulse, the golden energy blasted away the surrounding dust.
At the center stood Shang-Chi, proud and steady.
Behind him, a hand pressed firmly against his back—the owner of that hand was Karl.
When Wenwu's attack had sent Shang-Chi flying, Karl had teleported behind him and caught him. In that brief moment, Shang-Chi had focused entirely on connecting with the remaining Rings through Qi—successfully transforming all ten into gold.
Karl withdrew his hand.
Shang-Chi stepped forward, walking toward Wenwu. The golden Rings circled him, constantly shifting formation.
Wenwu suddenly realized—
His connection to the Ten Rings had been severed.
No matter how he tried to summon them, they no longer responded.
Shang-Chi's gaze was calm now—no anger, no impatience. Like a still pond, undisturbed.
He raised his hands in front of him.
The Ten Rings gathered between his palms, spinning faster and faster. The golden light grew ever brighter, intensifying with each passing moment.
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