Berserk? Slaughter!!

In a dark corner, Zhang Meng pulled a small porcelain bottle from his robes, poured out a few dark red pills, and tossed them with a vicious grin into an iron cage holding several Carrion Rats.

The Carrion Rats were already restless. When they caught the strange, bloody scent of the pills, they immediately scrambled to swallow them.

"Squeak, squeak!"

Almost instantly, the Carrion Rats that had swallowed the pills let out shrill, piercing cries! A strange red light suddenly flashed in their murky little eyes! Their fur bristled, every hair standing on end, and their bodies trembled slightly as they gave off a frantic, bloodthirsty aura! It was as if they had been injected with some kind of berserk power!

"Heh heh..." Zhang Meng watched the Carrion Rats change in their cage, a sinister, arrogant smile spreading across his face.

This was no ordinary test! He had added a little "extra" to the pills he gave the Carrion Rats—a forbidden drug that could stimulate a Ferocious Beast's potential for a short time and send it into a berserk state!

How dare you make Li Yue see you in a different light? Kid, today I'll show you what's what! Zhang Meng thought viciously. I'll make you suffer a little, and better yet, get you injured. Let's see how you keep putting on airs in front of Li Yue then! And I'll let Li Yue see who the man she can really count on is when it matters!

He opened the cage, and several Carrion Rats, their eyes glowing red and clearly on the verge of going berserk, shot out like arrows loosed from a bow. They quickly vanished into the shadows of the street, heading straight for East District Three, where Dongfang Yueming and Li Yue were!

Meanwhile, in a secluded alley in East District Three.

Li Yue had brought Dongfang Yueming to a brief stop here. They were supposedly on patrol, but she seemed, intentionally or otherwise, to have led him to this relatively remote place where their view was obstructed.

Dongfang Yueming keenly sensed something unusual in the air. It was too quiet, and even the stray cats and dogs commonly seen around here were nowhere in sight. A faint, fishy stench also seemed to hang in the air.

"Sister Li Yue, this place..." Dongfang Yueming had just started to ask.

"Shh..." Li Yue, however, raised a finger to her lips and gave him a playful wink, a sly smile on her face. She seemed to be waiting for something.

Dongfang Yueming frowned slightly and immediately understood.

Sure enough, something's fishy!

Just then!

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!!"

Several shrill, piercing cries suddenly rang out from the shadows at the mouth of the alley!

Immediately afterward, three Carrion Rats, several times larger than ordinary rats, with fur bristling like steel needles and eyes flashing with a terrifying red light, shot out like three bolts of black lightning. Trailing a berserk, bloodthirsty aura, they lunged straight at the pair!

"Ferocious Beasts?!" Dongfang Yueming's pupils abruptly contracted! Although he had expected this, seeing monsters he had only encountered in books and videos with his own eyes still made his heart tighten!

Almost instinctively, his right hand shot to the hilt of the saber at his waist! His muscles tensed, and his qi and blood circulated beneath the surface as he prepared to fight!

Beside him, Li Yue lightly leaped back the moment the Carrion Rats appeared, putting several meters between them. She folded her arms, looking ready to enjoy the show.

Dongfang Yueming glanced at her, even more certain now.

Sure enough, they're here for me... Is this the patrol team trying to put me in my place, or... a test?

Li Yue stood in the distance, watching Dongfang Yueming with interest. She was curious herself: how would this refined-looking, rather handsome newcomer perform when faced with Ferocious Beasts? Would he panic, or would he display strength befitting his Greater Skin Tempering cultivation?

"Hm?!"

But when Li Yue took a closer look at the Carrion Rats, the smile froze on her face!

Those blood-red eyes! That frenzied aura! That ferocity far beyond that of ordinary Carrion Rats!

Something's wrong! This is definitely wrong!

Ordinary Carrion Rats were fierce too, but they would never look so crazed and bloodthirsty! This was clearly... a berserk state?!

Li Yue's heart sank!

A Ferocious Beast's strength would soar when it went berserk! These three berserk Carrion Rats were probably nearly as dangerous as, or even more dangerous than, the Early Flesh Refining Realm!

This was far beyond the scope of a test for a newcomer!

Even she, at Lesser Flesh Refining, would have to struggle against three berserk Carrion Rats at once, and might even be injured!

Let a newcomer who had only reached Greater Skin Tempering deal with them? This wasn't a test-it was sending him to his death!

Could it be... that Zhang Meng made a mistake? Or... did he do it on purpose?! Li Yue's expression turned terrible in an instant!

She glanced at Dongfang Yueming, who had already taken his stance and was ready to meet the enemy, then at the three roaring, approaching berserk Carrion Rats, radiating danger. She was torn!

By rights, this was a test for the newcomer, and she shouldn't interfere. But things had clearly spiraled out of control! If she didn't step in, this handsome newcomer who had just arrived might very well... die here!

Help him? Or not?

Li Yue clenched her fists, unable to make up her mind for the moment.

In the space of a lightning flash!

The three Carrion Rats, their eyes flashing with a scarlet, ferocious light, had already swept close like black whirlwinds! They opened their reeking maws, full of fangs, and attacked Dongfang Yueming from three tricky angles, bringing with them a nauseating gust of foul air!

"You're courting death!"

A cold light flashed in Dongfang Yueming's eyes! There was not a trace of panic, only icy killing intent!

A test? Berserk?

Before his absolute strength, they were nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs!

Clang-!!!

A clear, ringing saber cry resounded through the alley!

The long saber at his waist suddenly flashed from its sheath like a bolt of silver lightning!

In an instant, saber light burst forth!

Dongfang Yueming moved! His figure seemed to merge with the wind, moving at an incredible speed!

"Basic Thirteen Fast Saber Forms"-perfect mastery!

There were no complicated moves, only extreme speed and precise slashes!

Saber light flashed!

Splurt!

The Carrion Rat at the front didn't even have time to react before a blindingly swift flash of saber light cut it in half at the waist! Foul-smelling blood and entrails burst out!

The saber's momentum did not stop!

Dongfang Yueming flicked his wrist, and the blade traced an uncanny path, like an antelope hanging itself by its horns, changing direction in an instant!

Splurt! Splurt!

Two more muffled sounds of a blade entering flesh rang out!

Of the other two berserk Carrion Rats, one was cleanly beheaded, its head flying high, the berserk red glow still lingering in its eyes; the other was split diagonally, a terrifying wound running from shoulder to abdomen, deep enough to expose bone, killing it on the spot!

As swift as a hare springing up and a falcon swooping down!

From the moment the Carrion Rats appeared to the moment all three died, the entire process had taken only two or three breaths!

Only the heavy stench of blood and three mangled corpses remained in the alley.

Dongfang Yueming flourished his saber and returned it to its sheath, his movements as smooth as flowing clouds and water, effortlessly graceful. Not even a corner of his clothes had been stained with blood.

Silence! A deathly silence!

Li Yue, standing not far away, was utterly stunned!

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were wide as saucers, and her little mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg! Disbelief and utter shock were written all over her face!

What had she just seen?!

Three berserk Carrion Rats, dangerous enough to threaten someone in the Flesh Refining Realm, had been dealt with by this newcomer... as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables?!

What saber technique was that?!

Fast! Too fast! So fast she could barely see the path of his blade!

And every slash had been precise and ruthless, aimed straight at a vital point, without a single wasted movement!

Was this... was this really strength a freshman who had just enrolled could possess?!

His... his saber technique... could it already have reached... greater mastery?! Towering waves surged in Li Yue's heart! The Willow Leaf Saber Technique she practiced was only at lesser mastery, and she knew full well how difficult it was to cultivate a saber technique! A freshman bringing a saber technique to greater mastery? It was simply inconceivable!

Just as Li Yue was too shocked for words, her mind completely blank.

Dongfang Yueming shook the nonexistent blood from his saber (he had been so fast that no blood had gotten on it at all), then turned to look at her. With a matter-of-fact calm on his face, he asked:

"Sister Li Yue, do I get contribution points for killing these... um, little rats?"