At the same time, the Azure Dragon lunged forward and slammed headfirst into the monster, clamping its jaws onto the creature's body. Atop the dragon's head, Xialing clung tightly as the two colossal beasts tore into each other midair.
"Shang-Chi, take the Ten Rings. They belong to you now."
The crimson cloak billowed wildly as Karl stepped out from behind them and spoke to Shang-Chi.
"Wenwu, you should be clear-headed now. Go with Shang-Chi to the village and help fight those creatures. Someone will deal with your reckoning afterward."
Karl's expression was calm. If he hadn't intervened just now, the monster would have devoured Wenwu's soul, and in his final moments, Wenwu would have passed the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi anyway.
But Karl didn't want Wenwu to die like that. Tony had been fixated on him—no matter what, the two needed a proper fight to settle that lingering obsession. As for afterward, Wenwu likely wouldn't die; Nick Fury would probably lock him away in some black-site prison.
Wenwu said nothing. He simply turned to look at Shang-Chi. Now fully conscious, he understood that he had been deceived all along.
"Send me over. The Ten Rings… are yours now."
A faint, relieved smile appeared on Wenwu's face. Though his mind had been clouded, he remembered everything that had happened—and knew his son had grown strong enough to surpass him.
Shang-Chi nodded, casting a grateful glance at Karl. Then, using the force of the Ten Rings, he carried Wenwu in a great leap toward the village across the lake.
---
At the village, as Shang-Chi landed, everyone snapped out of their shock at the colossal monster. Seeing father and son arrive together, both sides immediately converged.
"Wenwu! Look at the mess you've made!!"
Hot-tempered as ever, Guang Bo swung his staff at Wenwu. Wenwu's subordinates reacted instantly, turning their weapons toward the villagers. Former allies stood on the brink of clashing once more.
"Guang Bo, my father was under the monster's influence before. He's fully recovered now."
The Ten Rings shot out, instantly coiling around the staff just before it struck Wenwu's head. Golden energy pulsed from them, locking the weapon in place no matter how Guang Bo struggled.
Wenwu merely glanced at Guang Bo before ignoring him. Back then, it was this old man who had deemed him unworthy of living in Ta Lo, driving him and Ying Li away. Wenwu held no goodwill toward him.
"From this moment on, my son Shang-Chi is the new leader of the Ten Rings. All of you will obey his commands. Understood?"
"Understood!"
At Wenwu's command, his entire force responded in unison. Their allegiance had shifted—Shang-Chi was now their leader.
Everyone froze for a moment, then all eyes turned toward Shang-Chi.
With a thought, the Ten Rings returned to his wrists. Their once cold blue glow had transformed into a warm gold.
"All of you—follow me and eliminate those creatures!"
"Yes!"
The black-clad warriors immediately sprang into action, now following Shang-Chi's orders. Wenwu himself joined them without hesitation.
Ying Nan watched Shang-Chi with a satisfied smile, tossing her staff to Wenwu and casually picking up a Dragon Scale blade instead.
Wenwu glanced at her and smiled in return—a smile of release, of clarity. His obsession had faded, and his mind felt lighter than ever before.
"Son, Xialing is still over there. Bring her back safely."
Wenwu pointed his staff toward the far side of the lake, where the Azure Dragon and the monster were locked in a brutal struggle.
"Don't worry, Father. I'll bring her back safely."
With a thunderous boom, Shang-Chi leapt skyward. In the distance, the Azure Dragon seemed to sense his intent, turning and swooping down to catch him perfectly.
Then it skimmed across the lake's surface. As its speed increased, green energy began to ripple across the water, slicing through it like blades as it surged toward the monster.
Boom!!
The energy struck the creature, sending foul blood spraying everywhere. A massive wave rose behind the dragon, chasing after the monster—like twin dragons vying for a pearl.
Gradually, the water closed in, forming a tightening ring around the creature. Trapped within, the monster struggled violently.
But just as it seemed to weaken, a sudden change occurred—
Countless smaller creatures rushed in, each carrying stolen souls—human and animal alike—and fed them into the larger monster.
With every soul consumed, violet energy surged within its body, replenishing the power it had lost during its long imprisonment.
"ROAR—!!"
The monster howled as purple energy flooded its form. With an explosive burst, the surrounding water shattered into a torrential downpour.
Its body swelled, growing larger and more powerful. Bony armor began to form across its frame as it dove toward the Azure Dragon.
The dragon met it head-on.
The two titans collided midair, and the shockwave sent towering waves crashing across the lake below.
"ROAR!"
The dragon's cry echoed throughout Ta Lo. Its body tilted under the impact, if only for a moment—but that was enough.
Shang-Chi and Xialing were thrown from its back.
Reacting instantly, Shang-Chi grabbed his sister. The Ten Rings shot out, wrapping around the dragon's body, and with a burst of golden energy, they pulled the siblings back onto its head.
But by then, the monster's tendrils had already coiled tightly around the dragon, their barbed hooks embedding into its scales. No matter how the dragon struggled, it couldn't break free.
"This is bad! If that thing devours the dragon's soul, no one will be able to stop it!"
Guang Bo looked up in alarm. The dragon was firmly restrained, unable to move. The monster opened its massive maw, violet energy churning violently in its throat.
At the same time, radiant, multicolored energy began to seep from the dragon's body—its very soul.
As it drained away, the dragon visibly weakened, its struggles growing feeble.
At that critical moment, Wenwu drew a bow.
He nocked an arrow, aimed straight at the monster's throat—
—and released.
The Dragon Scale arrow streaked through the air like a blazing meteor, piercing cleanly through the creature's throat.
"GRAAAH—!!"
The violet energy in its throat instantly dissipated, and the Azure Dragon seized the opportunity to break free from its restraints.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For 20 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:
Patreon - Twilight_scribe1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~