Moon City, Hai Province

An hour later.

Everyone gathered at the Martial Academy's gate.

They boarded a school bus.

This school bus was a vehicle exclusively for the Martial Academy. As long as one paid a certain amount of points, they could use it.

Their destination this time was the neighboring province. The Magic City region was the safest area for humanity; within several thousand miles, there were no particularly powerful dimensional rifts.

Those dimensional rifts above A-Class mostly appeared in remote cities.

Several hours later, the bus arrived at the border of Magic City Province.

At the provincial border crossing, Monster Slaying Army soldiers were stationed specifically to guard it. All passing vehicles and personnel had to be inspected.

However, Fang Bai and the others all had Martial Academy student IDs, so they passed the inspection without issue.

On the bus, everyone was resting.

Li Xue sat in the front, with Yu Bing beside her. Fang Bai and the others sat in the back.

Zhang Zifeng looked at Fang Bai and asked with a smile, "This should be your first time leaving the province, right?"

Fang Bai nodded.

The world was unsafe now, and there were many restrictions on leaving the province.

Zhang Zifeng said, "Our destination this time is Moon City, located within Hai Province. According to statistics, three dimensional rifts have appeared in Moon City: two A-Class rifts and one B-Class rift. The one we're entering is one of those two A-Class rifts, called Thunder Moon Forest."

"When this dimensional rift first descended, it was a space opened by an Eighth Order demon lord of the monster race. But it was stopped by human experts, who slaughtered all the powerful monsters inside. In the end, it became humanity's own dimensional rift."

"The other two dimensional rifts were also conquered by humanity. Those monsters sent dimensional rifts into human territory in an attempt to crumble humanity's defenses from within. Fortunately, humanity did not let them succeed."

Fang Bai asked curiously, "Are there any S-Class dimensional rifts within human territory?"

Zhang Zifeng nodded. "Yes! And quite a few!"

He looked out the window and said slowly, "Hai Province alone has three S-Class dimensional rifts! Yet Hai Province is merely a Level Two disaster zone in Dragon Country! Above it are Level One disaster zones and Special-Class disaster zones!"

Three S-Class dimensional rifts?!

Fang Bai was somewhat shocked. As far as he knew, the monsters inside S-Class dimensional rifts started at the Fourth Order! There were even terrifying Seventh Order demon kings!

In other words, Hai Province had at least three Seventh Order demon kings!

Such terrifying beings were capable of destroying cities!

"However, humanity's strength isn't weak either. Hai Province has two Martial Arts Families holding the line. They have top-tier experts stationed there, so those monsters can't break through the defenses for now."

Zhang Zifeng said with a smile.

Fang Bai nodded.

He could not help sighing. He was still far too weak. There were simply too many powerful people in this world!

Fortunately, he was heading into a dimensional rift this time. As long as he killed monsters, his strength could rise rapidly!

At that moment, Zhang Zifeng suddenly leaned close to Fang Bai's ear and whispered, "You'd better watch out for Yu Bing. That guy is famously petty."

Fang Bai nodded. "I know."

Zhang Zifeng suddenly said with a sly grin, "Want me to help you mess with him?"

Fang Bai's eyes lit up. "You have a way?"

"Hehe, I'll give you the classmate price. I've been sick of that bastard for a long time too."

The two exchanged glances, both wearing sly, wicked smiles.

Yu Bing, who had been resting with his eyes half-closed in the front, suddenly shivered and woke up.

Strange. Why did it feel so chilly behind him? Was the air conditioning set too low?

"Driver, turn up the air conditioning."

No one knew how much time passed before the bus finally stopped.

"We're finally here. This young master held his piss in all the way here."

Zhang Zifeng got off the bus, his entire body aching.

Fang Bai got off as well. They were now within Hai Province.

Moon City had once been an incomparably prosperous city, with a population of one million.

But ever since the dimensional rifts descended, countless ordinary people had died miserably at the claws of monsters, their blood dyeing the earth red.

Even though human experts had repelled the monsters' invasions time and again, humanity had still suffered grievous casualties.

Now, this place was called a Level Two disaster zone. Its population was sparse, and the once-prosperous city had been trampled wantonly by monsters. Many of the buildings in sight had become ruins. Only scattered lights proved that the city had not yet fallen.

Li Xue spoke at that moment. "We'll stay the night first and enter the dimensional rift tomorrow."

Everyone nodded.

They arrived at an inn.

The owner was a bearded middle-aged man. He gave them an indifferent glance and said, "Here for training?"

Li Xue nodded.

The owner continued, "Lodging is paid only in Monster Cores. One First Order Monster Core per person, per night."

Fang Bai's expression shifted slightly at those words.

Monster Cores had become the currency of trade?

But thinking about it, this was a disaster zone. Money was like wastepaper here. It was better to exchange it for Monster Cores to improve one's strength and raise one's chances of survival.

The others were not surprised.

After Li Xue paid the Monster Cores, she looked at the others. "These expenses will be counted toward this operation. I'll deduct them separately after the mission ends."

No one had any objections.

"Get a good rest. Tomorrow, there will be a fierce battle!"

After saying that, Li Xue took her room key and turned to leave.

Zhang Zifeng looked at Fang Bai. "Want to go out and have a look? There aren't any shops nearby, though, so there's probably nothing worth seeing."

Fang Bai said, "Forget it. Let's rest."

After riding in the bus for two days, he was rather tired as well.

After returning to his room, Fang Bai took a shower, then sat on the bed and began cultivating.

Fang Bai did not know how dangerous an A-Class dimensional rift was. He had experienced a B-Class dimensional rift, and even there, he had felt danger lurking at every step. An A-Class dimensional rift was simply not something a B-Class rift could compare to!

There were even powerful Fourth Order and Fifth Order monsters inside.

Yet he was also beginning to look forward to it. Breaking through to the Second Order was within arm's reach!

Moon City was livelier at night than during the day. Looking out the window beneath the darkness, one could see a sea of blazing lights.

Moon City possessed three dimensional rifts, which attracted many martial artists. To humanity, dimensional rifts were both lands of peril and treasure troves! Natural Treasures within them were countless. One trip inside could save you decades of work!

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, everyone awoke amid the quiet, silently packed their belongings, and left their lodgings, ready to begin another day of seeking wealth amid danger.

Li Xue and the others regrouped and arrived at the entrance to Thunder Moon Forest.

Monster Slaying Army soldiers guarded the place, where a base had been built.

Li Xue suddenly took out a packet of powder. "This is Original Stink Flower Powder, extracted from within dimensional rifts. It's worth five Monster Cores. Smearing it on your body can help you evade the senses of some monsters."

Everyone promptly smeared a layer over themselves, making them look like savages. The powder also had a heavy, extremely fishy stench.

But for the sake of survival, everyone could endure this little hardship.

"Let's go!"

As Li Xue's words fell, the five of them stepped into the entrance of the dimensional rift.