29. Clearing Six Rifts in a Day, the Entire Defense Line Has Gone Mad

The second rift was D-Rank.

The military guard at the entrance saw Lin Feng's badge and hesitated for a moment.

"Sergeant Major Lin, a D-Rank rift requires at least a three-person team to enter. That's the rule."

"Oh?"

Lin Feng let out a cold snort.

Seeing this, the guard let him through. There was no point in clashing with his own superior—rules were dead, but people were alive.

The Exotic Beasts inside the D-Rank rift were indeed on a completely different level from the E-Rank.

The first layer alone had three Iron-Armored Mad Rhinos, each with the strength of a Martial Master.

In the past, Lin Feng would have had to put in considerable effort.

Now?

Mountain Splitter left its sheath, and the Armor Piercing talent activated at full power.

The first rhino was still lowering its head to charge up when Lin Feng had already circled to its flank.

One slash cut into the gap between its ribs, and the entire blade pierced through its chest cavity.

The rhino collapsed with a mournful cry, its limbs twitching twice before going still.

[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Iron-Armored Mad Rhino ×1, gained Martial Path Points ×200]

[Steel of the Blade: 169/500]

The second and third were even simpler.

They saw their companion die in an instant and turned to flee.

Would Lin Feng give them that chance?

Lost Trace Step erupted at full force, his figure flickering three times in succession.

Before the two rhinos could run five steps, a horizontal line had appeared on their necks.

[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Iron-Armored Mad Rhino ×2, gained Martial Path Points ×400]

[Steel of the Blade: 171/500]

Keep pushing forward.

Flame Lizards, Shadow Leopard Kings, Iron-Winged Bats—wave after wave surged out.

Lin Feng fought with exhilarating abandon.

Mountain Splitter barely had a moment to rest in its sheath; before the blood on the blade could dry, fresh blood splashed onto it.

[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Flame Lizard ×2, gained Martial Path Points ×400]

[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Shadow Leopard King ×2, gained Martial Path Points ×400]

[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Iron-Winged Bat ×4, gained Martial Path Points ×800]

Three hours.

One D-Rank rift, from the first layer to the fifth, completely cleared out.

When Lin Feng walked out of the rift, his entire body was caked in beast blood of every color.

The guard saw him and almost didn't recognize him.

"Lin... Sergeant Major Lin?"

Lin Feng wiped a handful of blood from his face. "Where's the third one?"

The guard pointed in a direction, his hand trembling.

Lin Feng turned and left.

By evening, he had cleared the third E-Rank rift.

He skipped dinner and went straight to the fourth.

Just after midnight, the fourth D-Rank rift was cleared.

At three in the morning, the fifth.

As dawn broke, the sixth.

A full day and night, six rifts, all emptied.

The numbers on the System Panel had become truly spectacular.

[Current Martial Path Points: 8600]

[Steel of the Blade: 247/500]

Lin Feng found a spot sheltered from the wind, sat down against a rock, and leaned back. His whole body ached, but his spirit was exhilarated.

"Realm, add."

[Consumed Martial Path Points ×600] [Realm Ascension: Martial Artist Sixth Stage → Martial Artist Seventh Stage!]

[Consumed Martial Path Points ×700] [Realm Ascension: Martial Artist Seventh Stage → Martial Artist Eighth Stage!]

[Consumed Martial Path Points ×800] [Realm Ascension: Martial Artist Eighth Stage → Martial Artist Ninth Stage!]

[Consumed Martial Path Points ×900] [Realm Ascension: Martial Artist Ninth Stage → Martial Artist Perfection!]

Four waves of heat surged over him in succession, and his bones emitted a dense series of cracking sounds from within his body.

Lin Feng clenched his teeth tightly, veins bulging on his forehead.

It hurt.

More painful than any breakthrough before.

But he endured it.

Three minutes later, the heat receded.

Lin Feng slowly stood up and clenched his fists.

As his fingers tightened, the air within three meters around him trembled along with the motion.

Martial Artist Perfection.

Only one step away from Martial Master.

[Remaining Martial Path Points: 5600]

The consecutive three-stage ascension left Lin Feng's body feeling a slight discomfort.

He patted the dust off his clothes, decided to wait until tomorrow to advance further, picked up the Mountain Splitter, and headed toward the camp.

Halfway there, he saw Zhang Qian crouching at the camp entrance from a distance, holding a communicator, his face etched with anxiety.

When Zhang Qian saw Lin Feng return, he jumped up.

"Ancestor! You're finally back!"

"What's wrong?"

"Commander Li specifically asked to see you! You've been gone a whole day and night—he almost sent people to fish you out of the Rift!"

Lin Feng patted him on the shoulder. "Tell Commander Li, I cleared six Rifts on my own. Before the Beast Tide comes, no more Exotic Beasts will crawl out of those Rifts."

Zhang Qian was stunned.

"Six... six?"

"Yeah."

"By yourself?"

"Yeah."

Zhang Qian's mouth opened and closed several times, but in the end, only two words came out.

"Freaking awesome."