Leave the Military Merit Behind!

Meanwhile, facing these fools who didn't know who they were dealing with, Dongfang Yueming couldn't even be bothered to draw his blade.

The bald, burly man had just finished speaking and was still grinning viciously when Dongfang Yueming moved!

Fast!

Fast to the extreme!

The onlookers couldn't even make out his movements. They only heard a muffled bang, accompanied by the crack of bones being wrenched out of place!

The next second, the bald man who had been so arrogant moments ago was sprawled on the ground like a dead dog. One arm was twisted at a bizarre angle, and cold sweat streamed down his face as he wailed in pain! His three companions hadn't even registered what had happened!

"Ah-! My arm! My arm's broken!" The bald man bared his teeth in pain. His eyes were filled with shock and terror as he looked at Dongfang Yueming, with none of his earlier ferocity remaining.

"B-big brother! Spare me, hero! Please, spare me! We had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! We were wrong! We'll never dare do it again!" The bald man fought through the agony and begged for mercy, tears and snot streaming down his face.

His companions were frightened witless as well. They all backed away, unable to hold their weapons steady.

Dongfang Yueming looked down at him, his face expressionless.

"Spare you?" he said calmly.

"Yes, yes, yes! Please spare me! I'm begging you!" The bald man knocked his head against the ground like a pestle pounding garlic.

"All right." Dongfang Yueming nodded.

The bald man felt as though he had been granted a full pardon. A flicker of relief at having escaped disaster flashed in his eyes, and he struggled to get up, intending to hurry away with his men.

"Leave the military merit behind." Dongfang Yueming's voice rang out again, cold and unquestionable.

The bald man froze halfway to his feet, his face flashing with intense reluctance and heartache. The few of them had worked so hard to scrape it together! But when he met Dongfang Yueming's emotionless gaze, he felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head!

In the end, his desire to live overwhelmed his greed. Gritting his teeth, he trembled as he transferred the military merit on his terminal.

Dongfang Yueming glanced at it. The numbers added up to "32."

"Get lost." He waved a hand as though shooing away flies.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you for sparing my life, hero!" Feeling as though he had been granted a full pardon, the bald man paid no heed to his broken arm. He scrambled away in a sorry state, taking his companions, who were as silent as cicadas in winter, with him.

Dongfang Yueming curled his lip as he watched them disappear.

A bunch of trash, he thought. Four or five of them together only managed to get this little military merit. They killed fewer than I did on my own.

Still, the meager haul was better than nothing.

Dongfang Yueming was already making plans. The Mortal Beasts on this Gobi Desert are only so strong. Once I reach the Black Stone Fortress, there should be stronger targets. After a few more days of hunting, I should have no trouble saving up enough military merit to exchange for a [Bone Tempering Method].

Elsewhere, a figure approached at a somewhat hurried pace from nearby, heading straight for Hongxiu, who had just settled her emotions.

The newcomer was a middle-aged martial artist in standard-issue gray leather armor. His face was weather-beaten, but his gaze was exceptionally sharp. When he saw Hongxiu, his eyes lit up with excitement he could scarcely conceal!

"Young miss!" The middle-aged martial artist hurried forward, his voice tinged with pleasant surprise and respect.

Hongxiu clearly knew him too, but rather than looking pleased, she knitted her delicate brows slightly. A trace of wariness and barely perceptible resistance flashed in her eyes. "Steward Hu? What are you doing here?"

The martial artist called Steward Hu rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Young miss, you've finally arrived! I was ordered to meet the group of newcomers here, but I never expected to run into you! Now that you're here, why not go see the general first?"

Hongxiu's father was a powerful Blood Replacement Realm expert at the Black Stone Fortress. He held a high position and wielded great authority, and was known as the "Red-Bearded General."

At the mention of the "general," Hongxiu's expression visibly darkened, and her tone grew impatient. "There's no need to report my whereabouts to him."

Steward Hu looked troubled and tried earnestly to persuade her. "Young miss, the general... he really misses you. You've been away from home for so long, and he's been..."

"Enough!" Hongxiu cut him off without ceremony, her voice distinctly distant. "I don't want to hear it. I came to the Beast Defense Frontier for my own reasons. They have nothing to do with him."

Seeing how resolute Hongxiu was, Steward Hu sighed heavily and softened his tone. "Young miss, I know you're still angry with the general. But... the general had no choice either. You came this time to attempt to reach the realm of the 'Dragon Elephant's Force,' didn't you?"

When Hongxiu didn't deny it, a glimmer of hope flashed in Steward Hu's eyes. "The general already knew! He... he's prepared all the rare resources you need to break through! They're waiting for you at the fortress! Even if it's just for your own sake, you could go see the general and take the resources!"

Steward Hu's words stirred something in Hongxiu's heart. He... actually guessed I would come? And he prepared resources too?

In her heart, her father had always been a hardhearted man who knew only how to bury himself in slaughter and cared nothing for his family. Now that she had learned he had prepared resources for her breakthrough, her feelings were complicated and hard to fathom.

Her instinct was to refuse. She didn't want to accept any "charity" from that man. But then she thought of Dongfang Yueming's unfathomable strength, and a fierce unwillingness to lose and competitive spirit surged up within her!

No! I can't fall too far behind him!

Those resources for breaking through to the "Dragon Elephant's Force" were vital to her!

With that thought, Hongxiu took a deep breath and suppressed the discomfort in her heart. Her tone was still somewhat distant, but she relented. "I understand. Once I reach the Black Stone Fortress, I'll go see him."

"That's wonderful, young miss!" Steward Hu was overjoyed, nearly jumping with excitement. "If the general knows you're willing to see him, he'll be delighted!"

Hongxiu ignored his excitement. Changing the subject, she made a request. "Go back and tell him to prepare two sets of resources."

"Two sets?!" Steward Hu froze, his eyes full of confusion. "Young miss... are you... planning to give one to someone else?"

"My affairs are none of your concern." Hongxiu cut him off coldly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Steward Hu's expression grew grave. "Young miss, this is no joking matter! Resources that can help someone break through to Flesh Refining Perfection are incredibly precious! Every set is worth a fortune! If word gets out, who knows how many people will covet them! If that brings trouble..."

Hongxiu heard him out and felt he had a point. A common man was innocent, but carrying a piece of jade made him guilty. Asking outright for two sets of top-tier resources would indeed draw too much attention and could easily bring unnecessary danger to Dongfang Yueming.

She pondered for a moment, then changed her request. "All right, let's leave the matter of the resources aside for now."

She raised her eyes to Steward Hu. "Help me obtain two cultivation methods instead-the [Hundred Beasts Flesh Refining Method] and the [Hundred Beasts Bone Tempering Method]."

Steward Hu was somewhat puzzled. These two cultivation methods were specialties of the Beast Defense Frontier and had extraordinary effects, specifically helping martial artists perfect and break through the perfection stages of the Body Tempering Realm. Many talented outsiders tried to obtain them. But compared with rare resources that could directly bring about a breakthrough in realm, they were worth considerably less.

Still, since the young miss had asked, and they were only cultivation methods, it wouldn't be too difficult.

"Yes, young miss!" Steward Hu asked no further questions and immediately agreed respectfully. "I'll make the arrangements at once. I guarantee the cultivation methods will be in your hands before you reach the fortress!"