Trick 170: Strange Village!

A long while later

They arrived in front of a bamboo forest and Ace's eyes sparkled, "Oh wow!" as he floated out of the car, looking at the forest of bamboo curiously. He was sure there was magic at Ta Lo because this forest…

This entire forest was a magic array!

There were so many moving pieces that it was almost unbelievable!

He floated back to the car as Trevor waved out the window, "Magician! We need to leave!" Ace sat back down and said "Wow! So magical! I've never seen such an array in my life." as the asian woman in the front drove into the open forest extremely quickly.

Xialing looked at him and asked "Array?" Ace explained "You see how everything moves? Someone set an array on this bamboo forest, most likely they aren't moving. It only looks like that to us because we are IN the array, get it?"

Shang-Chi swallowed as the window shattered, "I really dont."

Ace waved and said "Don't worry about it. This array is very complicated which makes it so precious. It could also be real and the array is moving the forest. Either way, very cool." as the car swerved around quickly before shooting through a dead end, landing in a shallow bit of water in front of a waterfall.

Ace's eyes glowed purple and he looked forward, saying "Ah. That makes sense." Everyone turned to him and he looked at them, explaining "Your mother's village isn't really a village. It's a different Dimension. You see that waterfall? That waterfall is the gateway into the Dimension they live in."

The asian girl drove into the waterfall and everything around them was strangely frozen as they slowly moved forward.

Ace looked around as they appeared at the end of a cave suddenly, coming to a new dimension. They passed by mythical creatures one after the other!

Phoenixes, Nine Tailed Foxes, Hunduns, Qilins…

Ace was amazed and floated to the roof of the car, sitting on it as he looked at the animals with wonder. The animals looked at him and continued on with their lives, Ace looked at a little baby nine tailed fox with 3 tails only, yipping at him.

He smiled gently and waved his fingers as the little fox rose up, sliding down on an ice slide, jumping around and yipping happily.

The car continued driving slowly, arriving at a village as giant Fu Dogs got up, growling at the car.

The group turned to the front and saw a row of people, holding staves and shields.

Shang-Chi, Xialing, and the asian girl got out as Ace sat on the hood, tilting his head at the people.

Shang-Chi said in Mandarin "Hi there. I'm Xu Shang-Chi. This is my sister, Xu Xialing. We're Ying Li's children." nobody said anything to him and he pressed his lips together, nodding before clearing his throat as he gestured to the asian girl, adding "This is my friend, Katy."

The old man at the front of the lineup said "Get in your car and go home!" as he waved his hand at them angrily. Shang-Chi replied "Please. You don't understand." as he stepped forward.

The villagers held out their staves at him as the tips glowed red.

Ace squinted and looked at the tips of the staves, they looked like scales? Glowing red scales? So weird!

Shang-Chi raised his hands, saying "Woah…" however a woman sounded out, "Guang Bo!" as everyone turned to see a woman passing through, asking "What are you doing? Put down your weapons!"

Guang Bo raised his hand and everyone calmed down as the woman walked forward, smiling "Shang-Chi. Xialing. I'm your aunty, Ying Nan." before she hugged both of them, adding, "I've waited so long to meet you." turning to Shang-Chi and holding his face, smiling gently, "You look like your mother."

She looked at Kay, who smiled "Hi, I'm Katy." Ying Nan smiled and hugged her too, saying "Welcome to Ta Lo, Katy." Katy said "Oh! Thank you…" awkwardly hugging Ying Nan.

The car door opened and Morris ran out, making sounds as Ying Nan chuckled "Oh! Look who has found his way home!" Trevor walked out, holding his hands up as he said "I'm not a threat! Just an entertainer! Morris can vouch for me."

Ying Nan looked at Ace, saying "And you must be the God of Death. Welcome to Ta Lo." Ace raised a brow and grinned, "Oh, you know of me? Word travels fast." Xialing muttered "God of Death???"

Ying Nan ignored her as Shang-Chi said "Anyway. We don't have much time. Our father is coming."

Ace floated off the car and past Shang-Chi, stopping in front of the Fu Dogs, looking at them curiously, floating around them as they growled. Ace held his chin and said "Cool." as he reached out, the Fu Dog clicked its jaws at Ace's hand.

Ace chuckled and his arm passed through its jaws as he wiggled his fingers at the dumbfounded dog. He stroked its head and said "Who's a good girl? You are!" the Fu Dog's throat rumbled as she laid down.

Ace flipped her to her back and rubbed her belly, chuckling.

Ying Nan smiled and turned to Shang-Chi, saying "Follow me."

Guang Bo walked over to Ace, saying "Leave Lingyi alone." Ace looked at him and said in Mandarin "I'm not hurting her, what's the problem?" Guang Bo frowned badly, "You don't belong here. You're a bad omen."

Ace pointed at himself, asking "I'm a bad omen?" Guang Bo retorted "Yes. Is Death a good omen in America?" Ace was speechless and Guang Bo snorted, bringing the giant Fu Dog away.

Ace scratched his cheek and muttered "I didn't do anything, right?" before walking away, going to talk to some old people, they should know things, right?

Ace started asking around for anyone who knew magic, but most of the people didn't talk to him, kinda avoiding him.

Ace was stunned and walked into a building, seeing people making weapons using dragon scales! Ace was amazed and watched someone work in silence, standing near them.

Ying Nan walked up and said "Interested?" Ace nodded and said "Yeah. But your methods of forging are so… old." Ying Nan scoffed in amusement, replying "Just because something is old doesn't mean it doesn't have merit. Come with me."

Ace followed her to an old man, who was smoking a pipe, glaring at Ace with one eye open. Ying Nan spoke in Mandarin "He wants to learn." The old man replied "We teach outsiders now?"

Ying Nan rolled her eyes, retorting "The God of Death is an exception." The old man exhaled smoke, looking Ace up and down, saying "You brought this bad omen into our village, you sure you know what you're doing, Nan'Er."

Ying Nan nodded and smiled at Ace, saying "I heard you also like magic?" Ace waved his hands and spoke Mandarin, "There's no need to go above and beyond. I'm just a normal person, not a God."

Ying Nan smiled gently, patting his shoulder, "You've chosen to remain a person, however you still hold the title of God. Here at Ta Lo, we show respect to Deities. Perhaps we could even learn some things." before she bowed, holding her fist.

Ace scratched his neck and looked embarrassed, "Thank you." Ying Nan smiled happily and walked away, saying "I'll send an Elder to discuss the Magic with you." Ace watched her go and turned to the Old man, who snorted "She's not wrong. But you better not ask too many questions. Every second I talk to you I feel myself getting older…"

Ace's lip twitched and he retorted "Yeah you don't look like you have much time left, old man. Let's hurry up, eh?" The old man snorted and said after a moment, "Heh… Maybe you're not too bad."

Ace grabbed the air and dropped a huge thick book on a table, grinning "Maybe I can teach you a few things before you kick the bucket, old man. Come here." The old man rubbed his back and retorted "I said not too bad, don't get cocky with me, youngster… When I traveled the Jianghu, your ancestors were still playing in the mud!"

Ace's eyes twitched and he chuckled "You sure that's tobacco, old man?" the Old man waved and looked at the book with one eye as they started exchanging forging tips.

The Old man showed Ace the dragon scales, demonstrating how they break them down to use for weapons, armors, clothes, rope, etc. Ace's lips twitched as he realized everything these people wore was made of dragon scales!

Everything around him was made of bamboo and dragon scales!

This was the biggest waste he had ever seen in his life!

Even the pins in their hair were made from Dragon Scales!

Ace almost beat this old man sane!

There were hundreds of people in this village?

Everything they used, wore, lived in, etc. It was all Dragon Scales!

This poor dragon was being robbed of its scales for god knows how long!

Imagine, everytime the Dragon comes out to get food, these people hold her up, telling her to put the scales in the bag.

Ace wouldn't be surprised if they gambled with Dragon Scales, playing cards that were made of Dragon Scales themselves!

There were Dragon Scales everywhere!

Ace told the old man, "You're nuts!" before showing him everything he knew about Forging, along with everything he had made with Dragon Scales of his own. He didn't have these magical, make whatever you want, Dragon Scales.

His were normal…

The Old Man was enlightened and sat on the ground, an aura surrounding him.

Ace was stunned and stared at him with big question marks over his head. He checked to see if his powers were subconsciously radiating from him, but they weren't! Ace was questioning his life, did he suddenly step into one of those Chinese Novels he read about while looking for magic on the internet?

This Old man was about to Ascend to Golden Core right in front of his eyes!

Ace stood there, not knowing what to do so he just closed his book and slowly walked away. In the books people get really angry if you disturb their enlightenment…

He came out of the workshop, running into an Old lady asking him about magic. His eyes lit up and he followed her to a library as she explained the sort of magic that they used here.

Turns out!

It was Dragon magic!

Ace wasn't even making this shit up. They used Magic that came from the Dragon in the lake, allowing them to empower themselves and make magic happen.

And you'll be shocked, but…

Dragon Scales helped!

Ace almost went home.

This was getting ridiculous, maybe the next thing he knew the mythical animals outside the village were just floating dragon scales that looked like animals!

… anyway…

Ace and the Old lady exchanged magic knowledge. Ace learned everything about the Ta Lo magic and he told the Old Lady about his own magic when she suddenly sat on the ground, an aura surrounding her.

Ace froze and stared at the Old Lady in a daze.

She didn't…

It couldn't be…

He looked at his hands and was just confused.

Maybe he was the Enlightenment God?

He closed his notebook and walked away, leaving the village and going to study the creatures outside instead. Hopefully they won't become enlightened and turn into people!

Ace was a bit nervous, what if they did?! This place was weird, he wanted to go home…