The three black dogs growled as they slowly took up their positions. Yin Zheng watched them carefully, recognising that they were trying to put him and Jun Nee into a pincer trap. Two were slowly getting into flanking positions while growling, while the other one walked straight toward them.

Zheng briefly glance above him, hearing the big hawk’s wings beat overhead. He knew this was bad.

“So, what will it be?” One of the boy’s said. “Will you give us the sword or should we command our beasts to rip you and your girlfriend apart?”

The boy’s laugh.

“This… is wrong.” Jun Nee said, hugging the pot plant she was carrying closer to her chest.

“Stay behind me,” Zheng said. “I’ll protect you.” Zheng looked at the boys. “You’ll leave us alone if I give you the sword?”

“Yes,” the well-built boy said.

“Zheng… no.” Jun Nee said sadly.

Zheng took out his storage stone. He touched the surface of the stone and from the stone there was a flash of light and Zenjun appeared in his hand with a leather sheath. Zheng threw the sword and the skinny boy caught it.

The skinny boy drew a bit of the sword, just to see the blade glint, he smirked and put it back fully in the sheath. “Such a pathetic sheath for a sword but I guess we can’t expect much from filthy commoners.”

“I gave you the sword, now, call off your beasts and leave us alone.” Zheng said.

The well-built boy laughed. “That is not exactly going to happen.”

“But he gave you back the sword!” Jun Nee said.

“Yes, it still does not change that he insulted our Mistress, Li Yue and disrespected his betters.” He said. “You need to pay.”

The well-build boy also smirked. “Kill em!”

The hounds started charging for them.

“Run!” Zheng said, turning around and pushing Jun Nee forward.

The light from Zen’s room shone brighter and changed from green to yellow.

“Colour’s changed,” Wang Lin said. “You think that’s a good or bad sign, Daddy?”

Jao shrugged. “I don’t know enough about this operation to say, Daughter.”

“Strange, Jun Nee should be here by now.” She said. “I’m surprised she is not here, along with Zen’s other friend.”

“They’re commoners, dear.” Jao said. “They cannot be trusted to be dependable. It is why they are poor.”

Ding Wu stopped himself from snorting.

“I doubt that is true, Father.” She said. “There must be a reason why she is not here. I hope she is okay.”

Yin Zheng and Jun Nee began to running as the dogs chased them. Jun Nee risked a look back and saw the three black dog quickly closing the distance between them.

“Jun Nee, use that ki technique of yours to make yourself run faster!” Zheng said.

“What about you?” she said.

“I can hold them off until I am able to escape!” he said.

“But…”

“Jun Nee, please!” he said.

Jun Nee clenched her teeth. She looked forward and activated her technique, making her speed ahead and leaving the dogs and Zheng behind her as she disappeared between the buildings beyond.

Zheng slid to a stop and face the oncoming dogs. He activated Shuddering Shield while facing them down. The first one pounced at him and he kicked it away. He clenched his fist and it shone with ki as he activated his Stone Fist.

The second dog was coming closer. Zheng offered it his other hand, when it tried to clamp down, he quickly pulled it back, making it bite nothing. He then countered with a Stone Fist to its side, sending it rolling away.

The third one was upon him. Zheng strengthened his Shuddering Shield while preparing for the coming dog.

The hawk swooped down and grabbed his arm, sinking its black talons into his arm. Zheng grimaced and tried to shake it off. This left him open for the hound which jumped at him. Zheng tried to block with his forearm. The dog bit down and knocked him back off his feet.

Zheng increased his shield. The hawk screeched and flew away. The dog was much tougher, keeping its teeth firmly on his forearm even under the pressure of the Shuddering Shield.

One of the other hounds had recovered and was rushing at him. He had not noticed the dog which was aiming its teeth for his skull. But before it could make contact, it was tackled out of the way.

Jun Nee grunted as she tackled the dog.

Zheng looked at her in surprise before he kicked the dog that was biting him.

“Are you okay?” Jun Nee said, rubbing her arm as she felt like she had tacked concrete.

“What are you doing?” he said, getting up. “I thought I told you to leave.”

“It’s a good thing I didn’t.” she said. “You can’t take all of them on you own.”

They looked around at all the black dogs that were all now back on their feet.

“This is dangerous.” Zheng said.

“Yes,” Jun Nee said. “I should lead the dogs away. That way, you can focus on the hawk.”

“No…!”

“Zheng’er, you won’t win like this. You won’t survive. Let me help you!”

He took a moment to consider. “Fine but not all three. Just one.” He touched his storage stone and out came a knife. “And take this, just in case.”

Jun Nee took the knife and nodded, hugging her pot plant tighter to her chest. “Good luck.”

She activated her ability. She ran in front of one of the dogs, making sure to slow down when she was in front of it. It gave chase and she sped up again. She saw a second one not to far away and repeated the process, making sure not to slow down for too long as the second one was still on her heels.

When she took off, there were two hounds chasing after her.

Zheng watched as she was being chased by the two dogs, one more than they had actually agreed on. It made him more motivated to end the fight quicker, so that he could help her sooner. Seeing his ripped clothes, he grabbed at his shirt and finished it off by ripping it off his body while glaring at the remaining dog with the hawk overhead.

“Well, let’s do this.” He said, taking a fighting stance.