The old crone's eyes widened in fury; she knew instantly that she was in trouble. Her feet scrabbled, trying to turn and flee. Just as she was about to scatter the poison sand hidden in her sleeve, she saw Xu Yunfan pull back his hammer and reach for her.
His blood-gorged, fan-sized hand clamped down on the head of the staff. The old crone felt an agonizing pain shoot through the web of her hand as his five fingers crushed cracks into the century-old Ironwood Staff.
The coiled muscles on Xu Yunfan's arm contracted sharply, and he swung the old crone's entire body, slamming her into the rock face. The sickening crack of her skull hitting stone had barely faded when a whip-like kick snapped her left wrist, the one she'd been about to use for her poison.
