"The experience from a level 5 monster ranges from 60 to 70."
Chen Ming glanced at the level data on his panel.
He was still about 500 experience points away from reaching level 4.
"I should look for monsters level 6 or higher to kill."
For Chen Ming, there wasn't much difference between level 5 and level 6 monsters right now.
The time and difficulty of killing them should be about the same.
With his equipment and mental detection ability, the range of monsters he could fight above his level had increased.
Before, he could only take on monsters one or two levels above him. Three levels was about his limit.
Now he figured taking on monsters four or five levels above him shouldn't be a problem.
After his battle with the level 5 Gale Mantis, Chen Ming had lost only 40 points of constitution.
It was barely more than a tickle.
[Shadowless Armor, Constitution +800!]
After adding the Constitution Rune Stone he had just obtained to his equipment, Chen Ming continued forward.
He glanced at the location of the 'Comprehensive Dungeon' on the map.
He planned to head deeper in that direction.
That way, once he reached level 5, he could enter the dungeon right away.
On a hillside.
Chen Ming stopped, holding his long blade as he surveyed his surroundings.
Four two-meter-tall apes had surrounded him, one in each direction.
All four were level 6 monsters!
Chen Ming had actually noticed he was surrounded a few seconds ago, but he hadn't tried to evade them.
"Just in time."
The battle was about to erupt.
Chen Ming once again faced the attacks coming from every direction without the slightest fear, focusing on one monster and beating it to death.
[-1!]
[-1!]
[-1!]
[-35!]
Amid one roar after another, flashes of blade and gusts of fists intertwined.
Silver fists larger than Chen Ming's head smashed into him. Each collision sounded like a blacksmith hammering away in a frenzy.
But Chen Ming was already a piece of 'iron' that had been hammered to perfection. He wasn't moved in the slightest.
[-35!]
[-70!]
[-70!]
His long blade gradually tore through the ape's defenses.
Blood sprayed everywhere!
[Silver-Backed Ape (lv.6) killed, experience +90!]
Watching one of their 'four brothers' get hacked to death right before their eyes, the other three Silver-Backed Apes immediately went berserk.
"Ao!"
Their silver fur bristled, covering their huge fists like iron spikes.
They roared and attacked simultaneously from three directions.
They leaped into the air, raised their fists high, and slammed them down—
Chen Ming's expression didn't change at all. He merely looked up calmly at the iron fists that were almost upon him.
Choosing his next 'one-on-one' target.
Bang!!
The blow landed with tremendous force.
Even the ground shook, sending dirt flying!
[-1!]
Before the dust had even settled, a flash of blade suddenly appeared.
Then it struck one of the apes squarely between the legs.
[-70!]
Having found the weak point with the first one, Chen Ming naturally dealt with the remaining three even faster.
[Silver-Backed Ape (lv.6) killed, experience +89!]
[Silver-Backed Ape (lv.6) killed, experience +88!]
[Silver-Backed Ape (lv.6) killed, experience +91!]
[Obtained: Silver-Backed Ape Beast Core (lv.6)] (*3)
"Not bad. That's a big batch of experience."
Chen Ming wiped his bloodstained long blade as the air filled with the heavy stench of blood.
Yet Chen Ming himself was spotless, without a single trace of blood or mud on him.
After all, his Constitution equipment was of fine quality, forged from numerous beast cores and special materials.
It kept him warm in winter and cool in summer, and even cleaned itself.
Chen Ming was very satisfied with it.
He glanced at his remaining constitution.
[2400/2600]
He had lost 200 points, not even one-tenth of his total.
"Let's keep going. I'm two kills short. Almost there."
He should have no trouble reaching level 5 before evening.
Being level 5 on the second day of the Grand Exam would surely put him in the top three.
Aside from the SS-rank Qin Zhixue, even the other S-rank Class Changers were having trouble breaking through to level 4.
That said, it couldn't be ruled out that some people had special methods.
After all, the first day of the Grand Exam was when the gap between people was smallest. The combat strength of a level 1 was simply too low.
As the days went by,
Class Changers with better family backgrounds and higher class levels would gradually pull away from ordinary people.
Chen Ming continued leveling as he headed toward the designated 'dungeon' location.
Ten minutes later.
He came across two monsters fighting each other.
A half-human-height frog was entangled with an unknown, twisting creature.
The latter looked like a plant-type monster.
Vines covered its body, dotted here and there with red spots. A huge blooming flower crowned its head, bristling with densely packed teeth.
It was a little creepy.
The scene was chaotic.
Thick liquid splattered everywhere, giving off a foul stench.
"Lucky me. I showed up at just the right time."
Chen Ming's lips curled as he took his long blade from his mental space.
The plant monster seemed to be hunting the frog, and the fight was almost over.
Wasn't this a free helping of experience delivered right to his door?
How could he pass it up!
Hang in there, froggy!
Chen Ming moved quickly, afraid the frog would be killed the very next second.
He sprinted over, gripping the hilt tightly with both hands and drawing the blade back behind him.
Summoning every ounce of strength, he waited until he was close, then slashed down hard at the frog.
The tip of his blade traced a perfect arc—
[-72!]
Light and shadow flashed past.
The long blade swept through the half-human-height frog's head without the slightest resistance.
Its entire head was cut clean off.
There hadn't been the slightest hitch.
A perfect slash!
The Venomous Frog had already been on its last legs, teetering on the brink of death.
Chen Ming's strike had landed squarely, delivering the finishing blow!
[Venomous Frog (lv.6) killed, experience +88!]
[Obtained: Venomous Frog Beast Core (lv.6)]
"When will I be able to kill a monster with a single, satisfying slash like that?"
Chen Ming savored the moment. That slash had felt incredible.
"Roar—"
A foul stench assailed his nostrils.
The other, twisted monster let out a shrill cry.
Its prey had been snatched away by a human who had appeared out of nowhere.
And its beast core had vanished too.
It was going to eat this human!
[Tyrant Flower]
[Level: lv.6]
[Edible: Corrosive Entanglement]
[Description: It has a hearty appetite and eats anything. Beware of its nimble tentacles!]
The Tyrant Flower had just fought a battle, and it was clearly in poor condition.
But when it saw that the one who had stolen its prey was just an insignificant low-level human, it immediately lost its reservations and pounced.
Tentacles covered in dark-red spots whipped through the air, dazzling the eye.
[-1!][-1!]
At the same time, the Tyrant Flower opened its huge mouth and sprayed out a cloud of dark-red, pungent gas.
Wherever the gas spread, flowers, grass, and trees withered rapidly.
It was clearly poisonous.
Chen Ming took a deep breath and began the fight.
His immunity to negative effects meant he had nothing to fear.
[-37!]
[-37!]
[-74!]
With his final strike, Chen Ming split open the Tyrant Flower's 'blossom head', which was lined with sharp teeth.
The battle was over.
[Tyrant Flower (lv.6) killed, experience +90!]
[Obtained: Tyrant Flower Beast Core (lv.6)]
[Congratulations! Your level has increased to level 4! (550 experience points remaining until the next level)]
Before you continue