Tang San stood in the narrow alley, staring coldly at the vicious expression that had appeared on Mu Rong's face.
Mu Rong stopped in his tracks. The three burly men behind him were already numb with fear. The terrifying aura released by the Demon Blade had vanished in an instant.
The bodies and frames of those three men were only slightly larger than Tang San's. They were mostly just bear cubs.
"Attack!"
"Take down Tang San!"
Mu Rong's heart sank. He had clearly underestimated his opponent.
"Kid, you dare refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit? I'll fight three against one. The Demon Blade is with me!"
Tang San twisted his neck and stretched his arms. Then he looked at the three younger brothers behind him and shouted:
"Come at me!"
The three men had no choice. They could only brace themselves and surround Tang San.
"Ha!"
One of them released his martial soul. It was a huge hammer surrounded by a biting chill.
Another man's body swelled slightly. His legs became thick and coarse. His martial soul was a black-furred ape.
Unfortunately, neither of their martial souls possessed any special attribute bonuses. They were merely the most ordinary hammer martial soul and beast martial soul.
"Hmph."
Mu Rong gave a cold snort, and the martial souls attached themselves to their bodies.
A layer of densely packed ice crystals flashed across his eyes, spreading a bone-chilling aura.
The Demon Blade was the first to attack. Mu Rong neither dodged nor avoided it. His figure blurred as he closed in on his opponent from an extremely tricky angle.
That man only felt a chill wash over his face. His movements slowed as though he had fallen into mud.
Just as the other two were about to react, Mu Rong's right hand had already shot out. With perfect precision, he seized the wrist of the man wielding the hammer.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound rang out, accompanied by a muffled groan.
The hammer-wielder's wrist was twisted aside by Mu Rong's strange angle, and the huge hammer fell to the ground with a clang.
At the same time, the black-furred ape martial soul's master roared and charged forward. His fist smashed toward Mu Rong's back.
Mu Rong did not panic. The ice crystal behind him suddenly lashed out its tail. Like a long spear condensed from ice crystals, it slammed into the man's knee.
"Argh!"
The black-furred ape martial soul's master felt his knee go numb. His entire leg instantly lost all sensation. He collapsed uncontrollably, landing hard on the ground, his face covered in pain.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
Tang San, who had been watching from behind, felt his heart race. He had never expected Mu Rong to be this powerful. The three younger brothers were defeated with a single move.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment, Mu Rong's back was completely exposed to his opponent.
What a perfect opportunity!
Tang San's eyes flashed with a vicious light. He bent his knees and gathered strength. His entire body became like a hunting leopard, silently pouncing toward Mu Rong. The dagger in his hand opened, aiming straight for Mu Rong's waist.
However, the poison on the dagger had already been mixed into Mu Rong's wine.
Just as Tang San was about to strike, the Ice Phoenix moved!
Its enormous body transformed into a streak of blue light. Before Tang San could react, it wrapped around him several times, binding him tightly and leaving only his head exposed.
"Ugh!"
Tang San felt a tremendous force resisting him from all directions. His bones cracked under the pressure, and he let out a painful groan.
To his surprise, a piercing chill seeped into his body from the snake's scales.
"Let me go... Let me go!"
Tang San struggled instinctively, trying to release his beast martial soul.
Every muscle in his body suddenly tightened. His strength erupted as he tried to break free of the Ice Phoenix's coils.
But in the face of the Ice Phoenix's overwhelming strength and attribute suppression, his struggle was as feeble as that of a white rabbit.
The Ice Phoenix tightened its coils. The cold poison began invading Tang San's meridians. He felt the power of his martial soul rapidly weaken, and his movements became increasingly sluggish. Control over his tall body was gradually slipping away.
The three men were plunged into enormous terror.
This was truly the end!
Mu Rong's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"I admit defeat! Mu Rong... big brother! I admit defeat! Hurry... hurry and take back your martial soul!"
Tang San broke down completely and begged for mercy.
"Hmph. I knew you would admit defeat sooner or later."
Mu Rong curled his lips, his expression full of disdain.
The Ice Phoenix loosened its coils around Tang San's body and transformed into a streak of blue light that once again entered his martial soul.
"Cough... cough, cough!"
Tang San collapsed like a pile of mud, landing hard on the ground and coughing violently. His whole body trembled, and a thin layer of white frost covered his exposed skin.
Mu Rong slowly walked toward him and looked down from above.
"Tsk, tsk. You even dared to attack me with a poisoned martial soul. I told you it was poisonous, but you refused to believe me."
"How does it feel to be invaded by cold poison? Not pleasant, is it?"
"I admit defeat... Mu Rong, I admit defeat. I really admit defeat..."
Tang San's tears and mucus flowed freely as he hugged Mu Rong's leg.
"Please help me detoxify! I'm begging you! Everything that happened today was my fault. I will definitely repay you!"
"What a stupid child."
Mu Rong kicked him away. "Repay me? Forget it. Just hand over the money."
He glanced at the three people lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
"Hand over every gold soul coin on you three."
The three men dared not refuse. They hurriedly rummaged through their pockets and took out all their money.
Mu Rong took the money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and lightly shook it.
"Tsk, tsk. More than twenty gold soul coins? The eldest son of the city lord's family, and this is all you have? You really are poor."
Those words made Tang San's face flush with shame. He wished he could find a hole in the ground and crawl into it.
Mu Rong did not waste any more time. He crouched down, grabbed Tang San's cold hand, and slowly channeled his martial soul power into him.
A faint, imperceptible chill was drawn from Tang San's palm and absorbed into Mu Rong's martial soul.
Tang San felt the numbness throughout his body and the cold sensation gradually recede. His whole body felt much better, and a strange warmth spread through him.
"All right. You won't die."
Mu Rong stood up and clapped his hands.
"Even Tang San couldn't defeat me. What do you think, Tang San? From now on, you can just call me big brother. How about it?"
"Huh? This..."
Tang San naturally had no intention of accepting that.
But when he thought of the terrifying scene before, as well as the deadly cold poison of the Ice Phoenix, all his unwillingness turned into fear.
"I... I accept."
Before you continue