Da Xiong was the kind of person with absolutely zero athletic ability. When he fell earlier, he didn't even manage to brace himself—he practically landed face-first into the stream.
As a result, most of his clothes were soaked through by the cold water.
At first, because he'd been so excited, he hadn't really felt anything.
But after Tiemuzhen pointed it out, Da Xiong suddenly realized his body temperature was dropping fast, and within seconds, he was shivering uncontrollably.
"Ah… ah-CHOO~!"
Not only that—he even let out a huge sneeze, complete with a dangling snot bubble.
His weak constitution made Doraemon, Fat Tiger, and the others helplessly rub their foreheads.
After following Tiemuzhen to change into local clothes, the modern vibe surrounding Da Xiong and his friends faded away.
As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Now that they were visiting the Village of Wind, wearing the local attire seemed like a fitting experience.
The nomadic-style outfits even came with warm felt hats, making them feel both comfortable and cozy.
As for their soaked modern clothes, Tiemuzhen and Asu's mother placed them into a large stone trough filled with water.
She didn't touch the clothes by hand—instead, just like how Tiemuzhen had controlled that flying disk earlier, she held a wheel-like device in her hand and began to spin it.
As the wheel in her hand spun faster and faster, the clothes in the trough suddenly lifted into the air, carried upward by an invisible gust of wind.
The clothes, swirling together with water, looked just like a rising waterspout—majestic and fascinating to watch.
"Wow~! That's amazing!"
For city dwellers like Da Xiong and his friends, this was their first time seeing someone wash clothes like that. It completely shattered their understanding of how laundry worked.
"Haha, there's no need to be so surprised," Tiemuzhen said with a laugh.
"Our people in the Village of Wind have always relied on the power of wind to survive. Whether it's drawing water, planting crops, raising livestock, or even fishing—we can't live without it."
Seeing their shocked expressions, Tiemuzhen walked over and patiently explained.
"Come on, I'll take you to see more of our village."
The Village of Wind was truly a place like a hidden paradise.
Other than their own people, almost no outsiders had ever set foot here. Although it was part of the Earth, it remained completely undiscovered by the modern world.
As Tiemuzhen guided Da Xiong and the others around, they witnessed the villagers' unique ways of living and working.
They also saw countless strange and wondrous creatures that could only exist here.
Aside from the flying sheep they'd seen earlier, there were balloon-like tanukis that could inflate themselves, gliding turtles, puffing pufferfish, and jumping snakes.
Even the snails here could use the wind to boost their speed—running faster than rabbits!
And let's not even mention the moles equipped with what looked like rocket thrusters, or the massive schools of flying fish above that shimmered like a field of walking thunderclouds.
After touring the village, Da Xiong and the others felt as if their horizons had expanded beyond imagination.
They followed a path that eventually led them to the giant windmill they had seen from afar earlier.
"This is the Elder Windmill, the most iconic structure in our village," Tiemuzhen explained.
As he gazed at the towering structure, his eyes were filled with reverence. Everyone in the Village of Wind had their own form of faith, a deep respect for the power that sustained them.
"But the way you all use wind energy so effectively… it's really amazing," Doraemon couldn't help but say in admiration.
Coming from the 22nd century, his vision was far broader than the others', and he could immediately tell how vital these windmills were to the village's survival.
"By the way, Tiemuzhen… those people who were chasing Asu earlier—were they also from your village?" Da Xiong suddenly asked, frowning in confusion.
"No. They're from the Lan Tribe. They're not like us. They're not children of the wind!"
The moment Da Xiong mentioned it, Tiemuzhen's expression turned grim, his tone tinged with anger.
Unlike the people of the Village of Wind, the Lan Tribe could also wield the power of wind—but they preferred to use it for destruction, for evil.
Rumors had long spread among the villagers that their chief, Ulanda, sought to control the entire world using the Wind Beast Mafengka.
Because of that, the people of the Village of Wind held deep hatred for the Lan Tribe.
After what had just happened, Tiemuzhen's resentment toward them had only grown stronger.
If Doraemon and his friends hadn't happened to be nearby and saved Asu in time, she might have fallen from that great height and been seriously injured—or worse.
"Lan Tribe…?"
Da Xiong, Doraemon, Fat Tiger, and Suneo all exchanged puzzled looks. The name was completely unfamiliar to them.
"Tiemuzhen!"
Just then, several voices echoed nearby.
It was Kunmuzhen, Domuzhen, and Yamuzhen, flying over on their wind-powered vehicles.
When Tiemuzhen had taken Da Xiong and the others home earlier, those three had gone back briefly—and now they'd come to meet up again.
"Perfect timing! Everyone's here—let's go play Wind Toss!"
Domuzhen grinned as he landed, extending an enthusiastic invitation.
"Wind Toss? What's that?"
Da Xiong, Doraemon, Fat Tiger, and Suneo all tilted their heads, question marks practically popping up over them.
The name sounded a lot like some kind of weapon.
"It's a really fun game! Da Xiong, Doraemon, Fat Tiger, Suneo—you should all come play too!"