"I have no idea what just happened," Manits said while Viper was entering the new area.

It showed some painting on the wall;

Dragons on top, bowing down and then a snake on the ground. It most likely represented the creation and they got orders from the dragon. Like gods they were, they are showing the people the way to live.

The professor came right after her and took a brief look at the paintings. "They have chosen one of their kind as a leader. Pretty expected behaviour," he suggested while looking at the next part of the painting where one snake was chosen to be above everyone else. Indeed a leader role.

Viper already saw a parallel in the society with the one she was used to although the only difference was the gods were watching them.

"So they did have their own society independent from the dragons? Interesting," Crane commented intrigued from behind him.

Viper took another look. After comparing the part of the painting with the other she had to admit Crane had a point. There was no dragon telling the snake to make a major.

But if it was their wish then why should the dragons deny it?

After all the snakes were sort of the children of the dragons and if Viper would have children she would allow them to go their own way at some point.

Tigress stepped aside and mentioned: "Until something happened that made them coming to us," sighed and shook her head: "I'd say this is not what we are looking for. Neat but it only explains the creation of what we see here."

The professor looked at her. "To understand how things happened it's generally wise to know as much as possible from their history. So the dragons did command them. But they also had their own free will apparently," he explained calmly and moved on where seemingly the leader did something with it's tail: It held it into the air.

"It's using Chi," Viper explained and looked deeply at the picture. It looked familiar to what she did when she was using Chi. But was it the same way these people did? "So the secret was known at that time already. It weren't just the pandas."

"Well, other than the pandas, the snakes seemed to forgot about it," Crane replied.

The professor continued theorising from Crane's statement: "Probably when they left this place. Like, those who left maybe knew about it still but the children maybe not. Quite awkward but perhaps they had other worries than teaching the Chi."

Tigress leaned towards them and corrected an important fact in their story: "If you don't mind me to remind you: The pandas forgot it as well as time went on. Oogway learned it from them but what after that?"

"Shen's attack," Crane remembered Tigress: "The pandas were nearly entirely wiped out."

"Oh my… That's… an unexpected parallel," Viper gasped: "They were forced to start life new as well. Hidden from everywhere so the wolfs couldn't find them. So that could have been the same fate as my ancestors had. Just… a longer time ago."

"But," Tigress wondered: "didn't Po's dad already forgot how to use it when he received the message from Oogway?"

Viper agreed: "It officially was named The universe. But yes. But perhaps there were things happening between the two events still. My next suggestion would be they hid it after Kai started taking the Chi from them. But let's move on. There is still pictures to look at."

On the next picture the leader that used it's chi was not painted at multiple pictures formed in a curve. Looked like some kind of instruction to something since the pictures showed the same snake but in different poses and in the middle of it was a tiny hole in the wall. It was made on purpose for whatever reason.

Crane wondered irritatingly: "So the mayor did use chi and they created a mechanism around that or what is this suppose to teach us? That does not even make any sense."

"It worked on Shiren when he opened the gate to this place. Seemed to react to something. And it will maybe work here again," the professor said while making notes from what he saw.

"Then why, professor, should this not work on me? I am a snake too and I am able to use my Chi!"

He looked down at her and calmly said: "I don't know the answer. I did not make the rules, I just make assumptions!"

"Great…" Viper mumbled and turned back to the wall.

Yong thought for a moment, starred at the hole and asked: "So you are saying Shiren is some kind of special chi-source around here? Like he has the key to each locked room. Are you assuming he is a descendant from the leader-chi that's able to unlock everything?"

"That would be hilarious and very convenient," Shiren laughed: "Too bad I can't use my Chi actively if that would be required somewhere but the first lock."

"Let's better just pretend you have some convenient Chi that leaded us here. Everything else would not be good for your ego," Yong suggested grinningly while turning around to him.

Shiren just went ahead and tried out touching it to see if it had any responses but it did not.

He waited a few moments before letting go of it. "This is stupid. We should just move on," he decided and went away from the wall.

While he was going back again the professor he called at Viper: "Viper," as he turned to the hole: "maybe I am wrong but perhaps it's the special pose you have to do. If you look here you can see this are poses right next to each other and the last one looks very similar to the leader using the chi. Your moves you do come from Shifu's and Oogway's wisdom. Maybe we don't need just panda chi here. It would make sense to me. You can certainly try, can't you?"

Viper went pretty unwell suddenly. That suddenly felt like in a training session where everyone was looking and expecting her to do something. It was so much pressure just from the others watching.

"I can certainly try. But please do not have to many expectations," she replied a bit nervous, went forward and inspected it before trying anything.

It was old but still good looking considering the conditions of the rest from this entire structure.

She took a deep breath and then started to summon her Chi.

It always felt weird for her having to figure out her own stile since the technique Po taught was including two arms. But she managed something similar.

Her tail started to glow golden yellow and lightened the room as she slowly put it to the hole but it did respond as much as on Shiren's action.

She went a bit disappointed when she put her tail away again and stopped the glowing. "Well," she explained: "As much as I thought. Whatever happened at the entry, doesn't seem to effect this one. The fitting Chi of the leader must have gone extinct on the time this real fell." She shook her head disappointingly and went away from this room. Nobody said a thing while she did so. The next one speaking up was Tigress: "Then we should move on. If you don't have anything else to say, professor."

The professor took one final look at this room and then nodded: "I was hoping for something more in-depth since this was a well hidden room but I guess learning how everything started is everything we can get from here for now. I agree, we should move on."

Although he was the first one making moves to leave the room Shiren was the last one leaving this room. Tigress stopped and looked back at him. He was stuck on the wave of pictures that symbolised some sort of pose around this hole and he started copying it.

"Shiren, we are moving out," she said but Shiren did not look away.

"Mind if I stay here for a few more minutes?"

Viper did look at this conversation but she did not intervene

"Well, each time you stayed back we needed to send someone to find you. And it does not get better here. You can ask the professor to have a look into his notes. I saw him noting this piece of the picture on a paper."

Shiren hesitated but then after another ten seconds he turned away and followed Tigress.

Viper wondered if Shiren would be able to open this mechanism if he would know how to handle Chi. But the problem was he did not and considering his current state it would take a miracle for him to find out. She sighed and hoped the miracle was somewhat just around the next corer.

Since it became harder to find fitting path to go the more careful expedition slowed a bit down on tempo but they made progress slowly but steadily.

There would have been ways for either Mantis, Shiren or Viper to pass but it would have separated the party and it was not what Tigress was looking for here. Even though Yong did not detect any traps around here there surely were some paths she warned Tigress about that did not look healthy.

Viper started liking her. She may have not been trained by the Jade-Palace but she knew her job and took it seriously. She did not show it but Viper sensed her pretending it being easier than it actually was.

She knew Tigress did not bring her here to detect traps or dangerous pathways which did not make it easier to her in any way.

The rooms in this house, if even intact, were emptier than the ones before. Like someone came it, took all the furnitures and left. Viper wondered how big the storage must have been if they were hidden somewhere.

It was not as sad to see but more frustrating. The hopes of some leftovers, papers or hints about what happened were still just hopes.

On the way Mantis once explained to Crane how less exciting this place was. When he first heard from it he imagined some flying dragons around, some neat pictures, magical clouds and stuff but this was just cold and monotone. Someone clearly knew how to wipe out everything interesting from this big place. Everything they saw was just a confirmation about this been a huge city once but they already knew that.

Several hours have passed after they found their way out of this complex.

So far it was the most destroyed one by far. Viper just hoped the rest was not as destroyed like this one.

Else this entire event could turn out way longer than ever anticipated.

The entire trip has been a nightmare so far, considering cone misstep and the dragon could become mad, which was not ideal to say the least.

So she hoped the rest would be a smooth sailing. Maybe they would directly find some kind of archive, someone will open it and they find all the answers the professor searched.

As for Shiren… If this jerk was up to stay here she would not be the one stopping him. The dragon seemed to not being as bothered with snake than everyone else except the wolf they found here.

The highest level of this structure leaded to the outside. The sun was still shining but she already was on the way to reach the border of the sky. The sunset was imminent.

During their way trough the floor which leaded them to the outside Crane relievedly stated: "Finally! A milestone! This picture of a war seemed to have no end!"

Viper just realised how silent they went during their investigation. Conversations grew fewer and fewer. There was just not a lot to talk about.

Whenever she was on a mission with the other four members there always was something to talk about most of the time. Something irritated the moral here. Maybe it was the absence of Monkey or something. And if not him, then the fact Po was not around made things weirdly silent.

He always was such a nice guy, finding the good in the darkest evil. Always found a way to cheer the others up, may it have been intentionally or not. And now Monkey and Po got replaced with Shiren and Yong. Plus the professor. Yong was okay, just not a huge talker, Shiren was a talker but not in a good way, and the professor was very focussed on his job. If anyone than he was the one who got the least bored from everyone in this broken part of the ruin. Empty rooms with a whole lot of nothing seemed as interesting as the last ten they passed. Same pattern, different details.

Broken rooms made out of stones and plants, liberated from every furniture they may have ever contained.

Some parts of wood was still presence; They were mostly parts of former doors, pillars, or maybe the final leftovers from the inhabits that were thrown apart at some point.

Roots, moss, bushes and grass covered a good part of each room, depending on the lightning.

But no more of these rat holes they found earlier to discover more secret rooms. At least as far as they saw.

At some point Viper did not even bother entering any room but just waited outside until the professor and everyone else who entered was done.

Shiren surprisingly did not speak any word since he left the secret room. Not to Viper, Tigress or anyone else, just like he witnessed this anomaly he seemingly forgot after a minute.

His mind seemingly was very far away like he was thinking about the stuff Tigress told him. Or maybe he was thinking about the Chi and how to unlock him.

Well, better than having an argument with him again.

He just looked at Viper for a few moments like he was considering saying something but then he let it go and moved on.

Tigress and the professor were the only ones rally exchanging conversations during their work but they did not say more than necessary.

And now they left this place.

Onto the next one, Viper thought, sighed and wondered how long this will still take until they were finally done?

Why did the snakes live at such a weirdly huge place? She was happy in Wong Fu and the house they had before and it was not even tall but still was good for a six headed family.

When she arrived at the end of the tunnel she hesitatingly looked forward as she waited for her eyes to adapt to the light and she gasped when she saw what was before her.

"This must be the core now, right?" she asked rhetorically to no one specifically.

A flat path leaded down to what would be the closest definition of a town square.

All paths were wide enough for four rhinos to walk next to each other and still having enough space between each other to walk comfortably.

In the centre there was a comparably tiny structure which had the height of two normal houses put on top of each other. It's walls and surroundings were made out of pure art which would have been nice to watch if they wouldn't be filled with roots and other indications of the pass of time.

But it was still enterable, even if it just looked like a pavilion or a tiny temple. Some sacred place.

From there the way continued onward, left and right.

Then the most confusing part of all of this were some weird bars reaching from different levels from the surrounding buildings to different spots of this place and some even had some connections to other bars, most of them towards the middle though. Some of them destroyed as expected. It made the look of a stiff spider web. The bars themselves looked like bamboo-ladders made out of some kind of stone.

Aside of the huge ways were another flat ways downwards to some kind of basins, surrounded by tiny pillars which previously surely held something.

One thing she noticed really quick was the lack of stairs.

They were enough transitions where she would have expected stairs but there were just these flat paths like they were pushing or dragging wagons around.

But the ground was very rough everywhere like someone forgot to grind it probperly.

The imagination of people using pulled rickshaws here was a quite amusing thought though.

But the basins were empty. No water, not a lot of plants. Just like big containers.

But the entire town square got overshadowed by the surrounding buildings. The forward one being the most impressive: At least hundreds of dragon statures were looking down to this place and its entry was huge. Considering how big a dragon was there was room for at least three dragons to stand next to each other, even curled up. And it was just as high as wide, forming a big circle. It was the most impressive from all of the buildings. On the left there was another structure, much tinier and with a giant hole on the roof, going for at least 3 or 4 more levels. The one on the right was as high but instead of just having a hole in the roof there was a giant tree growing in there making it's way to the outside. Of left alone this would probably destroy the hose as the tree would continue going to continue to grow.

"Woah!" Tigress found her stability back after underestimating how huge the subsidence was.

"Watch it, guys. These people forgot stairs," she told to the others and carefully made her way downwards. Viper came after her but had no problems.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she said smilingly while slithering very slowly next to her. Tigress looked at her and wondered.

"I don't think they actually forgot them," Viper explained: "It's just not made for people with… you know. Legs."

She laughed gently with a tone of satisfaction. For once it felt good being the one in charge.

The rough ground helped her slithering at her highest potential.

The only others having absolutely no real issues here were Mantis who was not heavy enough to have any trouble, Crane who majestically glided down and Shiren of course.

"How about we are making a rest over here?" Crane suggested after landing on the ground again.

"The sun is already setting," he continued: "I do not want to slow you all down but we have been up for a few hours now. I don't know about you but I would like to wait until tomorrow before we are preceding into this new unknown territory."

"Permission granted," Tigress said after reaching the end of the "stairs".

"It appears we are going to stay here for a long time and its getting dark anyway," she decided and looked at the temple in the middle: "This looks like a fine spot for a rest. Let's just hope it's not as small as you are, Viper," Viper shook her head smilingly. Tigress never called her tiny even though it's the truth. However she still was bigger than Mantis and Shiren.

"A spa without water. That's disappointing," Yong mumbled as they made their way towards the temple looking house.

"Mantis, want to take a bath?" Crane asked with a tone that already showed the irony in his words.

"Thanks. You know I can't swim?"

"Yes I do."

The temple itself, luckily for Tigress, was huge enough for even a dragon to fit in. It was opened to all four sides and on top probably was another of these holes for dragons to fly trough.

There was not much about this place but an altar or something if even that.

As the sun set Crane made one final flight trough this area to get a better vision of it, Mantis was showing his cooking lessons he got from Po, the professor was investigating the halls with a lantern and Tigress was quietly sitting in a corner, perhaps already asleep and Yong watching Mantis making food, or just talking to him.

After the sun was already gone and Viper was about to go to sleep, Shiren came to her and asked: "Hey, can I talk with you for a moment?" He headed towards an exit closest to them.

She blinked for a few moments, wondered and hesitated but started coming outside with him.

"What is it, Shiren?" she asked him after approaching him.

Shiren did not react for a moment. It seemed he was still considerin how to start the conversation. "First of all I think I owe you an apology. For shrouding at you," he said while turning to her.

His eyes did not show any kind of trickiness to her. He seemingly used the day to get into himself and wondering.

Viper relaxed a bit and loosed her expression. "Tigress talked to you, right? It's okay. I did not have the right to, eh… you know. It got personal." She struggled to find the right words to accept his apology. And his silent look at her did not help.

"What?" she asked and waited for him to get to the point why he started this conversation.

She expected a question.

"… I'm sorry but I have to ask. What exactly is… this Chi and how do you handle it?"

Chi. A very long topic to talk about. And it was also a frustrating one for those who couldn't handle it in comparison to people who were able to. She witnessed such a lot when Po started to teach it.

She remembered people getting sad and either angry or frustrated or even both at the same time.

Viper took a deep breath. Shiren might get loud again or something bad might happen during this conversation. And she mentally prepared for it. Then she breathed out and looked at him.

He looked very tired too. Stressed but he gave his best remaining calm. Was it really the time to try starting explaining things to him he might just not understand? But on the other hand she doubted another time would have been better.

Okay. What could possibly go wrong?

"To have a chance of using the Chi, you need to know who you truly are!" she started. That was the most basic aspect about Chi she knew.

"Oh, I've figured that out long ago. I'm a snake. Venomous. Dangerous and hated by this world," Shiren answered and seemingly waited for the next lesson. Viper already got annoyed.

It has been too many times now he pulled that card on the table.

It was not knowledge he presented, it was hate.

But Viper did not want to precede telling him about Chi when he was acting like that. Shiren was wrong and going on like this would not help him.

She tried to convince him. One try wouldn't hurt anyone: "Shiren, please, don't be like that. Just because you are venomous, that doesn't mean you are dangerous." She disliked his expression already. He was going to be mulish again, unreasonable and denying everything she said,

"But it is true! Just take your father for example."

Viper looses her coolness and pushes him against a wall as a warning he was close crossing a dangerous line. There was the answer she awaited. He could disrespect her family. That would make her loose her mid. But she already regretted it the moment after she did it. Getting physical was not an option if she wanted this to end peacefully. "Don't ever speak bad about my father!" she threatened him though. As long as he did not spoke disrespectful, she would allow whatever he said.

Shiren despise all that stayed calm and just shook his head."You can hate me if you want. I have not a big problem with that. But you can't deny the truth. Your father has his reputation from his venom and only his venom. What do they say? 15 gorilla warriors? Even more?"

Viper recognised this numbers. It was told about him, yes. "But the people do not hate him for that! He is not a monster! The people respect him and love him!" she argued.

"Maybe because of other reasons than you might think. Maybe because of fear?"

He supposed and pushed her away from his neck.

Viper did not like this threatening move: "Hey, don't try to mess with me!"

"Let it go. Do you remember how our last battle turned out?"

"That no comparison. I held back that day since we were at war and we did not want to hurt you. You were lucky. And you know who was not lucky? Me."

Shiren leaned back and let her speak. "Go on."

Viper hesitated for a few moments and calmed down before started explaining. She needed him to know that snakes do not see themselves as monsters just because of their venom. There was more to it he seemingly did not know: "You see, when I was born, I had no fangs! No venom!"

"Sounds like destiny had mercy with you."

"No! That's the point. My father and mother were scared! Scared me not keeping on their tradition! The reputation from our clan!"

Shiren slightly shook his head again and explained: "Venomless makes you less a threat. Why should the people trust a venomous snake like you?"

What was this question? "Because the people are loving me. I know what you say. But I can tell you you're wrong. The work of Fu Xi may have shown their fear and I get it. Yes, it hurt. But that's no more! Every rodent trusts me with their live. As much as the people in Wang Fu do. They appreciate what my father is doing for them. He is a Fu Xi but better. He managed to not scare the people. He fights with pride! You know, like someone he mentioned to me not such a long time ago. He was talking about you in case you didn't notice.

And he told me how much the people on that day liked the side kick of my father that one day. A snake, not using it's venom, even in the most dire situations."

There had to be a way to convince him. She tried the stories her father narrated her.

But Shiren played like he did not understand anything she said: "I can't follow you. I did pretty much nothing back then. If anything I was a minor distraction until he had to save me."

"You did nothing you might have not seen or maybe it just had no meaning to you.

But you were not unseen. You remember what my father gave you when you left the village? One of my old ribbons."

"And I never figured out why."

"Because it was what made me strong. A ribbon was the first weapon I ever handled. It was a symbol for someone not using their biggest strength in battle. But despite all that, also managed to be a hero."

"Hmpf… Hero… that's… a dangerous word you're using there. And I don't like it."

He put down his bag and throws something out: "If that's what makes you a hero, go ahead. It's way past time that I am getting rid of it."

"You are a moron, you know that? Just an idiot guy that nobody wants. You say you hate being hated but you do things that just make people hate you! And not because of your damn venom!"

He stayed surprisingly calm: "I have spoken, Viper! And I am getting tired from all this. From now on, I am going my own path. You either can't or do not want to help me, so maybe separation is what we need. Some distance distance from all of you."

"Shiren, you-"

"There is nothing else to be sad. You should know me well enough by this point. You would say I'm mulish, a loner and making mistake after another. I've heard that so many times at this point that I do not even care any more. The results still stayed the same no matter what."

Viper leaned back and agreed with it. She should have suggested him to leave right after the dragon was gone. It would have made things so much easier.

"Fine! In that case we do not have to worry about a big problem any more!"

Yeah. With him gone the rest of the expedition will be smooth sailing. Just giving the professor the evidence he wanted and then leave this place.

Shiren turned aside:"Just admitting that I am nothing more than a problem for. Love to hear it. Honesty. Now, if you excuse me, I'm about of letting you all go. I would be flattered if you would not try to stop me."

"Not by me. Go ahead. It's way past time you making this decision."

They exchanged expressived looks to each other for a moment before Shiren then turned away from her and left.

She looked after him for a few moments, checking if he was truly honest but he seemingly did really want to go and not just sitting behind the next wall.

He left towards the house with the big tree. As much as Viper understood, Tigress wanted to go towards the big structure next.

So it was possible they would not meet each other for a long time.

Suddenly behind her Yong spoke up: "Well, that went well,"

Viper turned around and saw her leaning on the wall, looking at her.

"No comment, Yong. Please," Viper asked her and Yong stepped away from the wall:

"No. It's okay. I would have done the same thing," she explained and Viper grew confused. Because they were friends she would have expected her to defend Shiren's actions but she just looked at the big tree.

"Letting him go was predictably. At some point it had to happen."

"He could be in danger very soon. Or… worse," Viper looked at the house with the tree. She wasn't worried at all though despite what she just said.

Yong went to her."He survived a lot on his own. I'm sure some ruins won't hurt him as much as being with us right now. Some time alone is, ironically, I think the best for him right about now. Having some time for himself. The best way to get to think about who he really is. And that's what he wants, isn't it?"

Viper agreed with a nod.."I still feel bad. Shameful me did it again. I did not want to get so impulsive again. I came here to understand him. He was right. In some point. Like. there might be others like him out there, suffering under the same circumstances.

But if I am not even able to get to him, then what can I do for my people?"

Yong thought for a moment with having no answer to that question.

"The best you can afford. After all, it's not your fault so don't stress about it. You can begin thinking about that when we are out of here."

Viper turned at her. "Still I wish I could do more than just wait here until the experts are done with their work. I wanted to stop all of this and everything I do seems worthless. I just don't know how to precede from here. I would like go back to the Jade-Palace and get Po here."

"At least you understand how he feels. But other than you he had no place to return to."

Yong looked in Vipers eyes after saying that. Viper did not expect her saying such a thing. Maybe some separated time was what they both needed.

"Let's go in. It's getting cold outside here," she decided.