"You can't do this! We're in the outer district of the City of Slaughter, not the inner city! If you attack us here, aren't you afraid of the enforcers?!" Yu Xiaogang shouted, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and forced bravado as he and Tang San found themselves surrounded by five unfamiliar soul masters, each one grinning menacingly.
But his threats only drew mocking laughter from the gang.
"Ha, rules? The only rule in the outer district is 'no killing.' As long as we don't kill you, who's going to stop us?" The gaunt leader of the group sneered, the others chuckling darkly beside him. "But let me give you some friendly advice, pretty boy. Hand over your storage spirit tools and let us drain some of your blood, and we might let you off with just a few bruises."
The very suggestion was enough to make Tang San's blood boil. He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of anger and frustration rise within him. Their storage spirit tools held their last remaining supplies, their lifeline in this hellish city. And the demand for blood? That would drain their strength and put their lives at further risk. The five attackers were aiming to leave them weak and defenseless in this brutal environment.
No. Tang San wasn't going to allow that. His decision came swiftly, his resolve hardening. He would fight, even if the odds weren't in his favor.
"Haotian Hammer, come forth!" Tang San roared. With a flash of dark light, the hefty black hammer materialized in his hand. He planted his feet firmly in the alleyway's narrow confines and steeled himself for what would come next.
Seeing Tang San ready to fight, Yu Xiaogang let out a resigned sigh, hoping his disciple might somehow find a way to fend them off. He knew he'd be of no use in the battle—better to stay back and avoid becoming a liability.
"Oh, you think you've got some fight in you, huh? You dare stand up against the Evil Five?" The gaunt leader taunted, his grin widening as he summoned a black iron spear, its dark metal gleaming in the dim light. Without further warning, he lunged forward, his spear thrusting towards Tang San with a sharp whistle through the air.
The rest of his gang followed suit, summoning their spirits: a shield, a crimson-furred wolf, a jagged blade, and writhing, barbed vines. They converged on Tang San all at once, eager to overwhelm him.
But Tang San had expected this. He moved quickly, his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step guiding his motions as he twisted away from the spear's deadly point. He swung his Haotian Hammer in a powerful arc, aiming to deflect the blow and retaliate. His hammer smashed into the spear, nearly knocking it from the leader's grasp.
However, the other four attackers pressed in before Tang San could follow through. A jagged blade swung down towards his arm, forcing him to block with the haft of his hammer. Simultaneously, the crimson-furred wolf spirit user slashed at Tang San's chest with claws that could tear through flesh like paper, while the vine user sent his tendrils snaking forward to entangle Tang San's legs.
Even with the full force of his Tang Sect skills—Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step and the Purple Demon Eyes—pushed to their limits, Tang San was quickly overwhelmed. He managed a few strikes of his Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, each blow aimed with precision, but the coordination and sheer numbers of the gang proved too much.
Before long, Tang San was beaten down, blood dripping from his mouth, his body bruised and battered. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath, his Haotian Hammer knocked from his grasp.
"Look at you now, tough guy!" The gaunt leader sneered, planting his foot firmly on Tang San's face, and grinding his dirty boot into the young man's cheek. He spat, the gob of saliva landing on Tang San's tattered clothing. "You thought you could stand up to us? You should've just handed over your stuff, kid!"
Nearby, Yu Xiaogang watched helplessly as his disciple was humiliated, his face pale with fear and shame. He rushed forward, desperate to help, but the wolf spirit user intercepted him with a swift kick to the ribs, sending him sprawling to the ground. A heavy boot pinned Yu Xiaogang's back to the dirt.
The leader of the group laughed as he bent down, yanking Tang San's spirit tool belt from his waist. He inspected it, eyes gleaming with greed as he sensed the items stored within. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He smirked, peering into the storage space. "Looks like this kid was hiding some good stuff. Hey boys, we're eating well tonight!"
He turned to Yu Xiaogang, whose face was pressed into the dirt under the weight of the wolf user's boot. "Pretty boy, you've got a storage tool too, don't you? Hand it over, or you're going to end up like your friend here."
Yu Xiaogang's fists clenched in frustration, but he knew he had no choice. His spirit power was far too weak to make any difference in a fight like this. He reluctantly removed the bracelet-shaped spirit tool from his wrist, extending it toward the gang with shaking hands. The leader snatched it away, his eyes gleaming with triumph as he inspected the contents.