1209: Walking 500,000 Military Merits

“I'm so sorry, Senior!”

Near the teleportation gate of the Third Defense Line, a petite female cultivator stood respectfully before Wang Chen, explaining with a face full of apology:

“The teleportation arrays between the three defense lines were deactivated a long time ago and cannot be activated unless a major event occurs.”

“This is mainly because the battle at the First Defense Line and Second Defense Line is very intense, and any permanent teleportation gate that appears would immediately become a primary target for Demon Calamity Monsters.”

“Senior, if you wish to go to the Second Defense Line or First Defense Line, you can only take a shuttle or choose to travel on your own.”

“Senior, for a strong person like you, the defense line shuttles are free. The fastest shuttle about to depart will leave the defense line in fifteen minutes, and you have priority boarding.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Wang Chen replied politely, then helplessly left the area. He did not go to the shuttle boarding point indicated by the female cultivator but instead flew directly out of the Third Defense Line.

Unable to directly teleport to the Second Defense Line, he saw no need to take a shuttle.

Traveling alone would also allow him to accumulate a good amount of experience points.

Soon.

As his identity jade token glowed faintly, Wang Chen passed through the great array barrier detection of the Third Defense Line and found himself completely in the wilderness.

Instantly, an even more desolate feeling enveloped him. Everywhere he looked, there were traces left by past battles.

The blood of Demon Calamity Monsters and cultivators had soaked the ground into a grim black-brown, and even the air retained an lingering scent of blood.

Swoosh!

Wang Chen unleashed his extreme speed, flying across the wilderness, heading towards the Second Defense Line.

As he continued to advance, the surrounding landscape became increasingly desolate, and occasionally, he could see groups of demons wildly rushing across the land.

Most of these demons were around Fifth or Sixth Stage in strength, providing negligible experience points. Wang Chen had yet to see anything that piqued his interest in battle.

However, he was not disappointed; instead, he secretly looked forward to it.

Because as he traveled, he could tell that the strength of the demons was constantly increasing. It wouldn't be long before delicious prey would be delivered right to his doorstep.

He continued forward, the desolate scenery quickly flashing past him.

Six hours after Wang Chen left the Third Defense Line, he suddenly stopped in mid-air.

“What is this?”

He frowned, looking at the ground below. A massive gap, extending over ten thousand li, appeared before his eyes.

This gap was filled with an extreme chilling aura, reaching a depth of ten thousand meters, and all life within the surrounding area had been extinguished.

“What a terrifying fluctuation!”

“Even traces left from who knows how long ago can make my heart palpitate?!”

“This must be, at the very least, a battle trace left by a top Twelfth Stage expert!”

Slowly descending from the sky, Wang Chen looked at this gap, which resembled a heavenly abyss, with a sense of shock.

In his perception, an incomparably powerful and all-consuming fluctuation lingered within the gap, causing his mind to feel a stinging sensation and constantly issuing warnings.

When he was on Blue Star, he had possessed strength comparable to the Early Stage of the Twelfth Stage under the blessing of the World Origin, but the feeling at this moment was that even his past self would be far from achieving such a degree. At most, it would only be one-tenth of this residual fluctuation.

“I wonder which powerful expert from the three major top-tier worlds left this trace? Such a terrifying battle occurred at the Third Defense Line; what kind of scene awaits at the Second Defense Line and First Defense Line?”

Wang Chen pondered, lingered for a moment, then silently flew away.

He no longer had the blessing of the Blue Star World Origin, and the gap in strength compared to such experts was even greater. However, he did not feel defeated. The endless Demon Calamity Monsters on the Demon Disaster Frontline Battlefield would be the best nourishment for his growth. It wouldn't be long before he would reach, or even surpass, their level.

...

A few days later.

Wang Chen had delved hundreds of thousands of li into the wilderness. The strength of the demons he encountered grew stronger and stronger, finally allowing his restless heart to gradually find release.

On this day, he stood at the top of a mountain Peak with a missing corner, exerting his perception to its fullest, covering the surrounding area to search for demons.

“Good luck, there’s actually a Tenth Stage War Mother Nest hidden nearby?”

After a moment, a hint of surprise appeared on Wang Chen's face.

He detected a strong energy reaction in a valley three hundred li away, which included dozens of Tenth Stage demons, as well as an entity whose power fluctuation was clearly at Tenth Stage, but whose total energy contained was more than all the demons combined.

After continuously slaying demons along the way, Wang Chen instantly realized that he had encountered a walking five hundred thousand!

After all, only the War Mother Nest among the demons would possess such an exaggerated total energy amount.

“It seems today, another large sum of military merits will be added to my account.”

Wang Chen thought to himself, then took a step forward, flying towards the perceived location.

Since leaving the Third Defense Line, he had already gained 120,000 military merits, all provided by scattered Tenth Stage demons he encountered, and a few Ninth Stage War Mother Nests.

Currently, on the Realm Lord-level military merit ranking, he had successfully escaped the bottom position, breaking into the top ten thousand, ranking ninth thousand eight hundred seventy-third.

After dealing with this upcoming target, his military merits would not be far from a million, and he could at least rise a few hundred places on the military merit ranking.

Soon.

Wang Chen arrived outside the valley he had locked onto with his perception.

Standing on a hill, he looked ahead with indifferent eyes.

A large number of demons had gathered in the dilapidated valley, among which many colossal figures could be seen. Their ferocious appearance and the violent aura they emitted gave them a strong presence.

“One, two, three, four, five… thirty-two!”

“Not bad, thirty-two Tenth Stage demons, including eight Tenth Stage Peak demons worth ten thousand military merits each. This will be a great harvest!”

Wang Chen's gaze swept over the demons below, and he nodded with satisfaction.

“First, deal with the War Mother Nest. This guy’s combat power is close to zero, but its escape ability is maxed out. I can’t let this walking five hundred thousand fly away!”

After lingering for a moment, Wang Chen quickly identified his target.

Swoosh!

He leaped directly from the hill, like a comet falling from outside the heavens, crashing with violent momentum towards the area with the strongest energy reaction in the valley.

“Roar, roar, roar!!!”

At this moment, the demons in the valley instantly noticed the commotion and let out violent roars one after another.

Without needing any command, all the demons' eyes immediately turned bloodshot, and they frantically converged towards the center of the valley.

More than a dozen Tenth Stage demons flew into the sky, unleashing their power, attempting to crush the figure falling like a comet.