The rat soldiers' eyes all blazed with ferocity, and they had nothing in common with the phrase "as timid as a mouse." It was as if pain only sharpened their savagery. Some had been scorched until their clothes and hair were in disarray, still carrying flames on their bodies; others had been burned back into their true forms, revealing rat heads and savage, hideous expressions. Even though they were small, the sight of them charging over was frightening.
Just as they reached the three of them, a baton swept low across the ground.
The wind of its swing was fierce, whistling without pause.
They were only rats, after all. How could they stand against a wooden baton? Two rat soldiers were swept off their feet at once!
The baton had come from a woman's hand.
Junior Sister was young and knew little magic, but she had traveled with the old Daoist and seen plenty of vicious Demonic Ghosts. She had also listened to her senior brothers chat at the temple, kept company with Cloud Leopard, and sometimes dealt with the mountain's Spirits and Monsters while helping to repair its paths. How could she fear these Lesser Demons?
Besides, given her temperament, even if she was afraid, she would never show it. She simply treated them like ordinary rats and beat them accordingly.
Seventh Senior Brother had also taken up the temple's broom.
"Thwack, thwack, thwack..."
Baton and broom swung down in a chaotic flurry. Some blows were aimed carefully, others landed at random, and the rat soldiers were beaten into a panicked rout.
If they managed to dodge, they were fine. But if a blow landed squarely, there was nothing more to it: their bodies stiffened, and they toppled straight to the ground, reverting to their true forms.
Even the