After the sandstorm calmed down, Neyo and Tiankong said bye to Monkey and Mizufusen before taking the Tacos and driving back to the city of Nan Quiang. There, they made their report to Xie Zhen about saving three wastelanders, but that the fourth got killed. He congratulated them before allowing them to go back to their respective house.

As Neyo dropped his equipement and got to bed, his heart was racing with excitation. Tomorrow, he was going to leave this stupid city and clan to go back to the Valley of Peace where he belonged with his new friend. Hey, maybe even his other were already back and only waited for him. He'll know all that tomorrow...

The next morning came not too soon and Neyo already jumped off his bed with energy as soon as the sun started shining. He changed into his clothes, took his equipement and took a moment to look at himself in the mirror to see how much he changed since coming here. What would his friends say upon seeing the new Neyo? He couldn't wait to find out!

As he made his way his house's door, he already had a plan for his and Tiankong's escape: they were going to tell Xie Zhen that they want to go hunt some creatures in the desert to bring them back for diner. As he opened the door, he was surprised to see one of Xie Zhen's personal henchmen standing there with one of the most serious looks he ever saw.

"Neyo, I will ask you to follow me, please." Yet, the tone in his voice clearly meant he wasn't asking anything.

"Is something wrong?"

"Xie Zhen wants to see you. Now let's go." He said and started walking away.

Neyo scratched his head. Why Xie Zhen wanted to see him so soon? He though the leader would give him a break after everything he did the day before. Well, anyways, he planned to go see him with Tiankong, might as well do it now.

The two hedgehogs walked over to Xie Zhen's house which was located in the very middle of the city. That was because he wanted to be easy to find for his men. As they made their way to the entrance, the henchmen gestured Neyo to enter by the door which was exactly what he did.

Xie Zhen's house was larger than all the others' ones and had a lot of space. Not that he though he deserved it better than any else, but because he sometimes liked to pick up on a fight in his home without destroying anything.

"Hey, Xie Zhen, you wanted to see me-" Neyo said, but interrupted himself upon seeing something he wasn't expecting to see at all.

Xie Zhen was standing beside a tied and kneeled Tiankong with many armed of his henchmen beside him. Judging by the look on his face, he didn't seemed in a good mood at all.

"Here's my special guest of the day, my own apprentice, Neyo." He said with a clearly sarcastic and pissed off tone.

"It's a trap, Opposum!" Tiankong screamed.

Neyo realized it too and quickly make his Chi bow appear, ready to shoot, but immediately stopped his move as the henchman that made him enter suddenly held a Chi stick to his neck from behind, preventing him from doing anything.

"How could you betray your own people?!" Xie Zhen angrily said.

"What are you talking about?" Neyo nervously asked.

"DON'T TAKE ME FOR AN IDIOT! I know that you secretly went to see two of those petty Kung Fu masters, yesterday during the sandstorm! One of my spies that I tasked with keeping an eye on you to make sure you completely gave up on your former life style told me everything!"

Neyo rolled his eyes. Of course, something had to go wrong right as he was about to go back to his friends.

"My own apprentice! How could you turn your back on your own people?!"

"Why? I'll tell you why!" Neyo angrily replied. "Because no matter how many times you called me your apprentice, I knew you only saw me as a tool! And don't try to deny it: after all the time I've spent here, I can safely say that my Q.I. is largely higher than most of the warriors here. This is why you wanted me: because you saw a potential weapon to use in me. Well, I gotta little news for you: I'm not a weapon! I've got my own will and I decided to use everything I've learned to defend China and my friends! Put that into your stupid skull, Xie Zhen!"

Needless to say the leader of the Hedgehog Clan looked even more pissed off while his henchmen were shocked by what his so-called apprentice just said. "As you wish." He said with taking out his Dark Chi Saber. "If that's really the way you it to go, then let me teach you the ultimate lesson about the Arritochan's way: betrayal isn't tolerated."

Suddenly, with a sudden move, Xie Zhen turned around and stabbed the dark blade right into Tiankong's chest.

"NOOOO!" Neyo screamed in shock.

He broke free from his attacker's grip and ran at his friend's side. Xie Zhen stopped his other henchmen from interfering as he wanted Neyo to suffer. The young hedgehog held his dying friend in his arms.

"Tiankong! No! Hold on, please! I'll heal your injuries, I will!" Neyo begged as his hedgehog friend weakly looked up at him and managed to form a smile.

"I don't believe it's possible... We don't have the right technology to heal this..." She said and managed to look at her wound.

"Don't talk, don't talk! Keep your strength!" Neyo said. However, she brought a paw to his face.

"Opossum...please...swear me...that you will kick this dude's ass..." She said one last time before closing her eyes with a smile on her face.

Neyo started trembling. It was the first time one of his close friends died. He was feeling the worst feeling of all in his chest.

"Remember this as the price to pay, when you betray your own people." Xie Zhen said and started walking away. "Take this disgrace to the dungeon."

Suddenly, the pain Neyo was feeling in his heart got replaced by an extremely strong anger. Hate. As the henchmen were getting close, Neyo suddenly stood up and pointed at his former master.

"XIE ZHEN!" He screamed which made him turn around. "I CHALLENGE YOU! ONE-ON-ONE TO A DEATH BATTLE! ONLY THE STRONGEST SHALL SURVIVE!"

At this sudden challenge, all the henchmen around stopped and turned toward their leader who simply scoffed.

"So be it...Step away!" He ordered and everyone stepped away to leave some space to the two hedgehogs.

Neyo grabbed one Chi stick which he turned one while giving a deadly glare to Xie Zhen. This last one grabbed his Jinshu Jian Jiao sword and turned it on too as both Arritochan warriors got ready to fight.

"FOR THE HEDGEHOG CLAN!" Xie Zhen screamed as he charged forward and struck his weapon against his apprentice's one...