One against two? Kill them!

Dongfang Yueming arrived at the patrol station and greeted everyone as usual.

Captain Wang Zhen and Zhao Tieniu responded warmly as always. Li Yue's eyes lit up, and she came over to ask after him.

Only Zhang Meng seemed to have a wider smile on his face today. Though it was still a little stiff, a faint trace of smugness and anticipation lurked deep in his eyes.

Dongfang Yueming keenly caught the subtle change in Zhang Meng's behavior, and something stirred in his mind. This guy... seems a little different today. Could it be...

Before he could think further, Captain Wang Zhen began assigning tasks. "All right, everyone, stay sharp! Patrols are the same as usual today. Dongfang, Li Yue, you're still responsible for East District Three and the first half of East District Four. Stay safe!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Dongfang Yueming and Li Yue set out on patrol once again.

Time passed slowly, and the morning went by without incident. With the patrol nearly over, Li Yue, whose nerves had been taut all morning, relaxed a little and began chatting with Dongfang Yueming about amusing things at the academy.

Just then!

"Roar!!"

A low, vicious roar suddenly rang out from around a corner ahead!

Immediately afterward, a Ferocious Beast the size of a cheetah burst out, its body covered in dark azure scales, drool dripping from its mouth and a cruel light flashing in its eyes!

"Careful! It's an Azure-Scaled Leopard!" Li Yue's face turned deathly pale as she cried out in alarm!

The classification of mortal beasts flashed through her mind: according to their strength, mortal beasts were broadly divided into low, intermediate and high levels.

Low-level mortal beasts were roughly equivalent to martial artists at the Skin Tempering and Flesh Refining stages of the Body Tempering Realm; intermediate-level mortal beasts corresponded to Bone Tempering and Tendon Transformation; and high-level mortal beasts could match top Body Tempering martial artists at the Marrow Cleansing and Blood Replacement stages!

"This Azure-Scaled Leopard has a fierce aura and thick scales. It's definitely among the strongest low-level mortal beasts, and its strength has probably reached the Flesh Refining Realm!" Li Yue urgently warned Dongfang Yueming. At the same time, she drew the willow-leaf saber at her waist and took a defensive stance!

The moment Dongfang Yueming heard the roar, he had already reflexively pressed his hand to his saber hilt! His muscles instantly tensed, and his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's!

But he did not immediately focus all his attention on the Azure-Scaled Leopard before him. Instead, he warily swept a glance toward the shadows on the other side! Zhang Meng's unusual smugness that day had kept him on guard!

All this took time to describe, but happened in a flash!

The Azure-Scaled Leopard pushed off with all four limbs and pounced like an arrow loosed from a bow! A foul wind rushed at them, and its sharp claws flashed with a cold light!

"You foul beast!" Li Yue cried out sharply, swinging her saber with all her might to block it! Though she had reached minor achievement in Flesh Refining, this Azure-Scaled Leopard was clearly stronger, and Ferocious Beasts' bodies were stronger than those of martial artists at the same level to begin with!

Clang!

Saber and claws collided, sending sparks flying!

Li Yue felt a tremendous force travel through the blade, numbing the web between her thumb and forefinger and driving her back several steps!

"No good! This thing is too strong!" Li Yue's face grew even paler. She knew she probably could not handle this Ferocious Beast alone. "Dongfang! Quick! Send a signal for help!"

But before Dongfang Yueming could act!

"Awooo!!"

Another savage howl erupted from the shadows on the other side, where Dongfang Yueming had kept watch!

Another Azure-Scaled Leopard, slightly smaller but just as fierce, darted out like a ghost and pounced at Dongfang Yueming from behind and to the side!

"What?! There's another one?!"

At the sight of the second Azure-Scaled Leopard appearing out of nowhere, Li Yue was scared out of her wits!

Two Azure-Scaled Leopards with the strength of the Flesh Refining Realm! And this was clearly a premeditated ambush!

It's over! This time it's really over!

Li Yue's heart sank to the bottom of a valley!

At the very moment Li Yue's mind reeled in shock!

The Azure-Scaled Leopard fighting her seized the opportunity and struck out with a paw!

Bam!

Li Yue could not dodge in time. The blow struck her hard on the shoulder, sending her flying backward like a kite with its string cut. She crashed heavily to the ground, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of her mouth as her willow-leaf saber flew from her hand!

The Azure-Scaled Leopard pressed its advantage with an excited growl, abandoning Li Yue on the ground. It joined the other Azure-Scaled Leopard in surrounding Dongfang Yueming, and both pounced at him!

Two Ferocious Beasts with the strength of the Flesh Refining Realm! Attacking from front and back! Fangs bared! Brimming with killing intent!

"Dongfang! Run!" Li Yue screamed in despair from the ground, her eyes full of terror and distress!

In her view, faced with such a desperate situation, even a martial artist at the peak of the Flesh Refining Realm might not come out ahead! Dongfang Yueming was only at the Skin Tempering Realm... he was certain to die!

It's over! Everything is over!

But then!

At that critical moment!

Dongfang Yueming moved!

Faced with the deadly pincer attack from the two Ferocious Beasts, he showed not a trace of fear. Instead, his lips curved into a cold smile!

"Good, come at me!"

Shing-!!!

A flash of saber light, more dazzling than lightning, suddenly blazed forth!

His long saber left its sheath!

The next moment, Dongfang Yueming's figure abruptly blurred!

Gale Movement Technique-perfection!

He seemed to turn into an elusive gust of wind. At the very instant the two Azure-Scaled Leopards pounced, he slipped sideways past them at an incredible angle, escaping by the narrowest margin!

Fast! Fast to the extreme!

The claws of both Azure-Scaled Leopards missed him, almost grazing the hem of his clothes!

And in the instant their pounce missed, when their old strength was spent and their new strength had yet to rise!

Dongfang Yueming's saber arrived!

Basic Thirteen Fast Saber Forms-perfection!

Saber light burst forth! Like moonlight spilling across the ground, like a raging wind and driving rain!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless flashes of saber light, impossibly fast and peerlessly sharp, engulfed the two Azure-Scaled Leopards in an instant!

Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!

The sounds of a sharp blade cutting through flesh rang out in rapid succession!

Blood gushed out like fountains!

The two Azure-Scaled Leopards, so fierce and overbearing just moments ago, were sliced into countless pieces in an instant, before they could even scream, within a storm of saber light that poured over them like quicksilver, penetrating every opening!

Flesh and blood flew! Bones broke!

When the saber light faded.

Dongfang Yueming stood with his saber in hand, straight as a pine.

At his feet, only two unrecognizable pools of minced flesh mixed with shattered bones and entrails remained! A thick stench of blood spread through the air, enough to make one sick!

And he remained completely spotless! As though the bloody, brutal slaughter just now had nothing to do with him!

Shock! Unparalleled shock!

Li Yue lay on the ground, utterly dumbstruck!

Her mouth hung open and her beautiful eyes were wide as she stared in disbelief at the scene before her, as though a demon god had descended!

What... just happened?!

Two Azure-Scaled Leopards with the strength of the Flesh Refining Realm... were killed instantly, just like that?!

That ghostlike movement technique! That saber light like a raging storm!

Is... is this really strength someone in the Skin Tempering Realm can possess?!

She felt as though her entire view of the world was about to be overturned!