Ying Nan led them through Ta Lo's winding streets to a traditional reception hall. The building's dark wood beams were carved with protective symbols that seemed to shift when viewed from the corner of the eye. Incense smoke drifted from bronze braziers, filling the space with the scent of sandalwood and something sweeter—like cherry blossoms mixed with cinnamon.
The village elders had already assembled by the time they arrived. Wenwu counted at least a dozen faces, most weathered and suspicious. Their eyes tracked him with barely concealed hostility as Ying Nan gestured for everyone to sit.
Guang Bo sat at the head of the gathering, his white hair bound in a traditional topknot. Despite his aged appearance, his movements remained fluid and controlled—a lifetime of martial discipline evident in every gesture. He studied Ying Li for a long moment, something complicated flickering across his features.
"We are grateful the universe saw fit to return you to us," Guang Bo said carefully. "Death is supposed to be final. That you have been given a second chance is... remarkable."
His gaze shifted to Wenwu, and the gratitude evaporated. "But I recall you abandoned your identity as a daughter of Ta Lo to follow this man into the outside world. You sealed your Dragon Heart, surrendered your connection to our guardian. Why should we welcome you back now?"
Wenwu's jaw tightened. "Choose your words carefully, old man. Ying Li didn't abandon anything. She sealed the dragon power to be with me—that doesn't make her any less Ta Lo's daughter."
Guang Bo's nostrils flared. The elderly warrior's hand moved toward the staff leaning against his chair, fingers twitching with obvious irritation. Here sat a man who looked barely thirty years old, calling him "old man" when Guang Bo had lived twice that span and more.
"You dare—"
"Uncle Guang." Ying Nan's voice cut through the rising tension with the authority of someone accustomed to managing volatile personalities. "My sister is blood of Ta Lo, no matter where she has lived. And her children carry that same blood."
She gestured toward Shang-Chi and Xialing, who sat quietly observing the exchange. "They are family. That cannot be denied."
Guang Bo settled back, though his expression remained sour. "I have no quarrel with the children. My issue is with him." He jerked his chin toward Xu Wenwu. "The outsider who stole one of our daughters."
"Then be upset." Xu Wenwu's tone was flat, unbothered. "I don't require your approval, elder. If you're truly that offended, you're welcome to try killing me. I'll wait."
Several elders shifted uncomfortably. The threat in Wenwu's casual words was unmistakable—this was a man who'd survived a thousand years of combat, who wore ten cosmic artifacts on his arms, who'd conquered kingdoms and toppled dynasties. Guang Bo might be Ta Lo's finest warrior, but even he recognized the gulf between them.
Ying Nan cleared her throat, redirecting before the confrontation could escalate. "Sister, you said you came for more than just informing us of your resurrection and establishing the children's heritage. What else brings you back to Ta Lo?"
The diplomatic question shifted focus away from old wounds. Ying Nan understood the politics at play—Ta Lo might reject Xu Wenwu as family, but his children were another matter entirely. Both carried Ying Li's bloodline, which meant both had potential to inherit the Dragon Heart. That possibility alone made them valuable to the village, regardless of their father.
Of course, potential didn't guarantee manifestation. Ying Nan herself had never awakened the Dragon Heart despite her own prestigious lineage. She fought with dragon-scale weapons like most Ta Lo warriors, channeling the guardian's power through crafted tools rather than direct connection.
Ying Li straightened, her expression growing serious. "I came for three reasons, all connected to my resurrection."
She paused, letting the room settle into attentive silence. Even Guang Bo leaned forward slightly, curiosity overriding his animosity.
"First, I want you all to understand how I was brought back. Wenwu didn't discover some hidden necromantic ritual or bargain with demons. He found a dragon in the outside world—a divine dragon that grants wishes to those who pass its test. He gathered seven sacred orbs, summoned this Shenron, and wished for my resurrection."
The room erupted in shocked murmurs. Shang-Chi watched various elders exchange glances, their carefully maintained composure fracturing.
"Another dragon?" Ying Nan breathed, her hand unconsciously moving to her chest. "Like our Great Protector?"
"That's impossible," Guang Bo stated flatly. "The Great Protector is unique. Even our guardian cannot resurrect the dead—it can only empower the living. You're claiming an outside dragon possesses power exceeding our own?"
Xialing spoke up before her mother could respond. "It's true, Auntie Nan. We were there when father made the wish. The dragon was..." She struggled for words adequate to describe Shenron's majesty. "It was enormous. Gold and green, with eyes that saw everything. And bringing Mom back seemed effortless for it."
Shang-Chi nodded emphatically. "The dragon stretched across the entire sky. When it spoke, the whole world went dark. Resurrection was easy—it barely considered the request before granting it."
Ying Li let that sink in for a moment, watching the elders process this revelation. Then she continued. "After my resurrection, Wenwu joined the organization that protects and serves this dragon. Which brings me to my first purpose in returning."
She placed both hands on her knees, her posture formal. "I want to communicate with the Great Protector. I need to know if our guardian has knowledge of this outside dragon—if they are connected somehow, if they serve similar purposes but in different realms."
"Why does that matter?" another elder asked, a woman whose silver hair was braided with small bells that chimed softly when she moved.
"Because of the Dweller-in-Darkness." Ying Li's voice dropped, invoking the name that made several elders make protective gestures. "The seal we maintain on the Dark Gate is strong, but it's not eternal. Nothing is. If the Soul Devourer and its army ever break free, Ta Lo will need every advantage we can gather. If our Great Protector knows the outside dragon, if they can communicate or coordinate... that could mean the difference between survival and annihilation."
The room fell silent. No one in Ta Lo took the Dweller threat lightly. The sealed entity had nearly consumed their entire civilization once. Only the Great Protector's intervention had stopped it, and even that victory had required tremendous sacrifice.
"My second purpose is simpler," Ying Li said, her tone warming slightly. "I want the Great Protector to test my children—to see if either Shang-Chi or Xialing can awaken the Dragon Heart."
Guang Bo's eyes sharpened with sudden interest. Ying Nan's expression grew thoughtful.
"If they have the potential, I want them to receive that gift," Ying Li continued. "The world outside Ta Lo has grown dangerous in ways our ancestors never imagined. Gods walk among mortals. Cosmic powers manipulate events. My children need every advantage they can claim to survive what's coming."
"And your third purpose?" Ying Nan asked quietly, though something in her sister's expression suggested she'd already guessed.
Ying Li smiled. "I want to leave a legacy here. Bloodlines. I want to arrange marriages for Shang-Chi or Xialing with suitable partners from Ta Lo."
The room exploded with reactions. Some elders nodded approvingly, seeing the strategic value. Others looked scandalized at such a mercenary approach to marriage. Guang Bo's entire demeanor transformed, his earlier hostility vanishing beneath calculation.
"You want to establish a new Dragon Heart lineage," the white-haired elder said slowly. "If your children marry into existing Ta Lo families, if they produce offspring... the potential would pass to the next generation. Even if Shang-Chi and Xialing never awaken the power themselves, their children might."
"Exactly." Ying Li's smile widened. "I sealed my Dragon Heart to be with Wenwu. I don't regret that choice—it gave me my family. But I can still ensure that power doesn't die with me. My bloodline will carry it forward."
Ying Nan turned to her niece and nephew. "Are you both comfortable with this? Being... presented to potential matches?"
Xialing and Shang-Chi exchanged glances. They'd discussed this possibility during the journey, after their parents had explained the plan. The initial concept had felt uncomfortable—arranged marriages belonged to history books and costume dramas. But their mother had been careful to frame it as introductions rather than obligations.
"We're open to meeting people," Shang-Chi said diplomatically. "Like blind dates. If we connect with someone, great. If not, no harm done."
"Mom made it clear we have final say," Xialing added. "We're not being sold off or bargained away. Just... introduced to people who understand our heritage."
The distinction seemed to satisfy the elders. Several nodded approvingly at the younger generation's pragmatic attitude.
Guang Bo stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If you're genuinely committed to strengthening Ta Lo's bloodlines, then we have no objections. The village will support your purposes."
He paused, then added more seriously, "As for meeting the Great Protector... that is beyond our authority to arrange. None of us have seen the guardian in years. It appears when it chooses, not when summoned. You'll have to approach on your own and hope it deigns to respond."
"I understand." Ying Li's confidence didn't waver. "I carried the Dragon Heart for years. I know where the guardian rests, and I still feel the echo of that connection. I believe it will see me."
Guang Bo dipped his head in acknowledgment. The meeting's formal business concluded, tension began draining from the room. Servants appeared with tea and small rice cakes, and the elders shifted from interrogation mode to genuine curiosity about Ying Li's resurrection and the outside world.
Xu Wenwu remained quiet, content to let his wife navigate Ta Lo's politics. But Shang-Chi noticed his father's hand resting on Ying Li's shoulder—a subtle gesture of support and protection. Whatever complicated history existed between Xu Wenwu and this village, his love for Ying Li was absolute and unquestionable.
Five thousand miles away, in a Hell's Kitchen coffee shop, Matt Murdock sat across from Foggy Nelson, nursing a cup of mediocre coffee while his partner enthusiastically pitched an idea.
"Matt, you should seriously consider joining this superhero team the Red Ribbon is putting together." Foggy leaned forward, his voice carrying genuine excitement. "I think you'd have a real advantage if you applied. All those people you've helped over the years would vote for you."
Matt's fingers traced the rim of his coffee cup. Since The Hand's destruction and Wilson Fisk's fall, he'd left Stick's teachings behind and returned to Hell's Kitchen. Days were spent helping the neighborhood's poor with legal representation. Nights found him in his suit, continuing the work courts couldn't handle.
Kingpin's death hadn't eliminated evil from Hell's Kitchen—it had just created space for new players. People still needed help. Matt still provided it.
"Joining a team means revealing my identity," Matt said quietly, his main concern crystallizing. "Everything I've built keeping Matt Murdock separate from my night work would disappear."
Foggy waved off the objection. "The Red Ribbon would be your backer. Exposing your identity wouldn't be a problem anymore."
He ticked off points on his fingers. "The forces behind this company aren't simple, Matt. Stark Industries, Vanko Industries, Universal Capsule Company—you should understand what that represents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writing takes time, coffee, and a lot of love.If you'd like to support my work, join me at [email protected]/GoldenGaruda
You'll get early access to over 50 chapters, selection on new series, and the satisfaction of knowing your support directly fuels more stories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~