Fifth-Level Warrior

Time flew, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Kelin Xiaoman had long since thoroughly mastered the domineering, mysterious berserk secret method and could use it at will. During this time, she had tempered her body daily with the extraordinarily precious meat of a seventh-rank magical beast. Her foundation grew ever stronger and more solid, and she quietly broke through to the middle stage of a First-Level Warrior in one fell swoop!

Even more astonishingly, once she activated berserk, her combat strength would skyrocket as though possessed, leaping straight to the early stage of a Third-Level Warrior!

A secret method with such immediate results and such a terrifying boost was truly astounding, defying all convention.

However, the boost provided by the berserk secret method was particularly pronounced in low-level warriors. The higher their level rose, the smaller the improvement would become.

Shiheng, who had been quietly recuperating all this time, had made equally astonishing gains-he successfully entered the early stage of a Fifth-Level Warrior!

The severely damaged meridians in his body had been repaired and widened one by one. Rising from ruin and finding fortune in misfortune, he broke through a barrier that ordinary people struggled to surmount.

After going berserk, his combat strength could even approach that of a late-stage Sixth-Level Warrior.

But his meridians had yet to heal completely, so each use of berserk could last only a short quarter of an hour.

Given enough time, however, once his meridians recovered completely, he would be able to control the duration of berserk at will, truly commanding his combat strength as he pleased and unleashing it in a burst of fury!

After this period of careful recuperation and rest, not only had both of them grown much stronger, but their previously exhausted, overtaxed bodies had also returned to peak condition. After a brief discussion, they packed away all the remaining, exceptionally precious meat of the seventh-level Swift Raptor, carefully wrapping it in the thick, tough, highly waterproof hide of the dragon beast.

With everything ready, the two walked with light but determined steps out of the dark, deep, secluded cave.

Once somewhat young and inexperienced, Kelin Xiaoman had undergone a tremendous physical transformation after days of arduous training and nourishment from countless rare ingredients-she had now officially joined the ranks of warriors, and her physical strength far surpassed others at her level. She was not to be underestimated.

It was precisely because of this that she could climb the steep, perilous cliff towering into the clouds before them alongside Shiheng with such ease.

After all, during their more than half a month in the cave, they had spent a long time shut away from daylight, almost completely cut off from the outside world.

Now, setting foot on the long-missed ground again, they felt a gentle breeze brush their cheeks, bringing a warmth they had not felt in so long. Brilliant sunshine spilled over them, its warmth seeping into every limb. An indescribable sense of comfort and joy welled up from their hearts and swept through their bodies.

But just then, the wind's howl abruptly changed from gentle to wild, as though the entire mountain forest had awakened at that moment.

The two had barely reached the clifftop and had yet to fully bask in the spring sunshine when a thick stench of blood and rank musk battered their faces like a violent storm!

The deathly still forest suddenly erupted!

Several black shadows shot from the canopies of towering ancient trees like cannonballs, lunging straight at them! They were incredibly fast Shadowfang Beasts, their bodies pitch-black as ink and their sharp claws gleaming coldly-a pack of magical beasts that had been waiting here! The blood spilled when the Swift Raptor died half a month earlier had drawn a pack of Shadowfang Beasts into the area.

"Watch out!"

Shiheng's expression changed sharply. Instinct drove him to twist sideways instantly, while a flick of his right hand brought a saber firmly in front of Kelin Xiaoman.

"Roar!"

The leading Shadowfang Beast brought its claws down, striking the saber heavily. Amid the piercing clang of metal, Shiheng felt a tremendous force surge into him. The rock beneath his feet shattered instantly, and he was forced back several steps, the web of his hand numb from the impact.

"They're after our food! The Swift Raptor meat in the bundle smells just like its blood!" Kelin Xiaoman's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, and the sword in her hand was already drawn. It was a short sword Shiheng had ground from the horn of the seventh-level Swift Raptor after Kelin Xiaoman became a warrior.

Without the slightest hesitation, the two stood back-to-back in tacit coordination, forming a solid defensive formation.

Berserk. Battle!

"Xiaoman, activate the secret method!" Shiheng barked, battle qi surging around him with the pressure unique to a Fifth-Level Warrior.

Kelin Xiaoman nodded. An eerie red glint flashed in her eyes, and she parted her teeth slightly to murmur the obscure incantation.

"With blood as the offering, with frenzy as the blade!"

In an instant, her muscles swelled. A crimson flush covered her still somewhat youthful face, and she seemed to grow half a head taller in a heartbeat! The already sharp short sword became heavier in her hand, yet she wielded it with even greater ease.

Middle-stage First-Level Warrior-berserk!

Her combat strength soared, approaching that of a Third-Level Warrior!

"Kill!"

With a fierce cry, Kelin Xiaoman charged straight into the pack of Shadowfang Beasts like a wild beast unleashed. She no longer pursued flashy techniques. Every stroke carried a thousand jin of force, her horizontal slashes and downward chops unstoppable!

Squelch!

She hacked a Shadowfang Beast's head clean off. Black blood sprayed, the warm liquid splashing across her face, yet it only intensified the frenzy in her eyes. This was her first real battle since mastering the berserk secret method, and unleashing her strength gave her an unprecedented sense of exhilaration!

However, there were five Shadowfang Beasts in this pack, two fifth-level and three fourth-level, and their coordination was exceptionally tight. Three Shadowfang Beasts kept Shiheng pinned down, while the other two circled behind, targeting Kelin Xiaoman's openings!

"Left!"

Shiheng shouted, slashing his saber fiercely to strike the ambushing black shadow with precision. At the same time, his figure flickered as he closed in like a ghost, his iron fist wrapped in the formidable battle qi of a Fifth-Level Warrior as it slammed into another Shadowfang Beast's head.

Crack!

The sound of breaking bone rang out clearly, and the magical beast flew backward with a miserable howl.

But Kelin Xiaoman was faring poorly too. Just after finishing off one beast, she took a heavy blow to the back. The tremendous impact made her spit out a mouthful of blood. Though her body was strong in the berserk state, it could not completely disregard damage of this level.

"Xiaoman!"

Shiheng's heart clenched. Seeing his companion in danger, he drove the damaged yet rejuvenated meridians in his body into a frenzy, forcibly drawing out the last shred of his potential!

His skin took on an eerie blue-black hue, and his previously somewhat sluggish movements became incomparably sharp in an instant. Although his meridians still throbbed with pain, he could not spare them any thought now. Like a bolt of blue lightning, he rushed behind Kelin Xiaoman in an instant.

Early-stage Fifth-Level Warrior-berserk!

His combat strength approached that of a late-stage Sixth-Level Warrior!

"Shatter!"

Both fists shot out. With a ruthless willingness to perish alongside his enemies, Shiheng forcibly blasted back the two Shadowfang Beasts attacking from either side. Black beast blood stained his fists, but he paid it no heed. He turned to shield Kelin Xiaoman, like an insurmountable mountain.

Kelin Xiaoman wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. There was not a trace of fear in her eyes; instead, fierce fighting spirit blazed within them. She steadied her breathing, rapidly recovering her stamina in the few seconds of cover Shiheng provided.

"Shiheng, hold on! My berserk can only last a little while. We have to finish this quickly!"

"Don't worry!" Shiheng snorted coldly, his fists whipping through the air with formidable force, every strike accompanied by the whistle of splitting air. The pressure of a Sixth-Level Warrior descended in full, frightening the remaining Shadowfang Beasts into hesitation.

Now!

Kelin Xiaoman abruptly stepped forward, wind rising beneath her feet as her whole body became a streak of crimson light.

"Berserk Shadowless Slash!"

With a howling rush of wind, the sword swept across the throats of the remaining Shadowfang Beasts in an instant, moving too fast for the naked eye to follow.

Blood spurted skyward.

Five magical beasts died in an instant.

The fierce fighting finally subsided.

Kelin Xiaoman released her berserk state, and her body returned to normal, but her face was now as pale as paper, her chest heaving violently. That quarter-hour burst had almost completely drained her battle qi.

This unexpected battle had not only tested their strength but also tempered them in actual combat.

Kelin Xiaoman picked up the magical beast cores from the ground-the five Shadowfang Beast cores. She weighed them in her hand and said to Shiheng, "Shiheng, this was a good haul. Looks like we'll have to be even more careful when we leave the cave from now on."

Shiheng nodded, his gaze sweeping over the even deeper, darker forest around them, his expression grave. "The magical beasts here are fiercer than we imagined. But our coordination just now was perfect."

Sunlight pierced the overlapping layers of leaves, scattering dappled spots of light.

After resting a while, the two packed up their spoils and continued onward to search for Huohe and the others.