"If you want to keep me here, pay with your lives!"
Tang Hao gripped the hammer's handle with both hands. The Clear Sky Hammer swelled in the wind, its black head blocking the three surges of soul power pressing toward him.
Tang San fell toward the mountain forest. His toes had barely touched a branch when a series of deafening crashes rang out overhead.
"Dad!"
"Keep going down! Don't stop!"
Tang Hao swung his hammer at the elder on his left. Before it could reach him, the other two elders' soul skills struck from behind and to the side.
The White-Haired Consecrated Elder swept the long staff in his hand across the air, sealing the sky with a vast expanse of golden light.
"Eighth Soul Skill, Mountain-Suppressing Heaven Seal!"
Wings spread behind another elder, and hundreds of gray feather blades circled Tang Hao.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!"
The third elder summoned a heavy bronze shield. Soul power spread across its surface, sealing off the Valley's exit.
Tang Hao did not retreat.
The Clear Sky Hammer slammed into the golden staff. Soul power tore through the air between them, and the gray feather blades immediately stabbed toward Tang Hao's back.
Tang Hao twisted and swept his hammer across, blocking most of the blades. Still, more than a dozen pierced his soul power defenses and embedded themselves in his shoulder and flank.
"Senior!"
Xiao Wu grabbed Tang San's arm.
"If we stay here, we'll only hold him back."
"I know."
Tang San set Xiao Wu down, and Blue Silver Grass grew up along the tree trunk.
"But I can't watch my father fight for his life alone."
"Xiao San, go!"
Tang Hao roared, and the Clear Sky Hammer collided with the staff again.
Black blood spilled from the corner of