Ironback Earth Dragons, Killed!
Dongfang Yueming left Black Stone Fortress and stepped into the wilderness.
Within sight, one could see many other martial arts squads also out on missions.
They moved cautiously through the wilderness in small groups, searching and advancing, maintaining a wary distance from one another.
Ignoring them, Dongfang Yueming sped off like an arrow towards the general area where the Ironback Earth Dragon was active.
He unleashed the full power of his Perfection Gale Movement Technique, his speed was astonishing, and he quickly left the ordinary squads far behind.
However, the process of finding his target was not as smooth as he had imagined.
Ironback Earth Dragon are cautious by nature and prefer to hide underground or in rock crevices. Although their activity range is generally determined, their specific locations are unpredictable.
Time passed slowly, and half a day had gone by in the blink of an eye. Dongfang Yueming searched the designated area several times, but he couldn't even find a trace of the Ironback Earth Dragon.
'Sigh...' he thought, feeling a bit frustrated. 'Before, on the train, although the military merits were stingy, at least I didn't have to go through the trouble of searching for the monster myself. Now, the merit requirements are met, but the monster is playing hide-and-seek.'
A sense of loss crept into my heart.
Just as he was getting a little discouraged and was about to try searching in another direction, a slight tremor suddenly came from the ground not far ahead!
Um?
Dongfang Yueming's spirits lifted, and he immediately concealed his aura, quietly hiding behind a boulder, his sharp gaze fixed on the direction from which the tremor was coming.
Dozens of meters away, a huge rock slowly split open, and amidst the rising dust, three enormous creatures emerged from the ground!
They are about the size of a water buffalo, covered in thick, dark brown scales that shimmer with a metallic sheen. Their backs are high and arched, like an indestructible shield. Their limbs are strong and powerful, covered with bulging muscles. Their heads are lowered, and their small, cloudy eyes gleam with a ferocious light.
His target was none other than the Ironback Earth Dragon!
The moment these three Ironback Earth Dragon appeared, they exuded a heavy and ferocious aura, making the surrounding air seem to freeze! Just by looking at their thick carapaces, one could imagine how astonishing their defensive capabilities were!
Found it!
A glint One Flash in Dongfang Yueming's eyes, and he didn't hesitate at all!
Clang--!
A clear, resonant clang rang out! He finally drew the near-A-grade treasured sword he had kept hidden away— Light Snow!
The blade was long and narrow, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it gleamed with a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine! A Sharpness aura, far surpassing that of the previous E-grade longswords, emanated from it!
'Finally, I can use you!' A surge of joy welled up in Dongfang Yueming's heart. He could clearly feel the powerful force contained within the hilt of the Light Snow Saber!
The next moment, he moved!
Gale Movement Technique!
His figure flashed out like a ghost, instantly covering dozens of meters and appearing beside an Ironback Earth Dragon!
Basic Thirteen Fast Saber Forms – Perfection!
The blade flashed like snow, so fast it was dazzling!
Sizzle!
The strike, imbued with the power of "Radiant Golden Bones," slashed fiercely at the seemingly indestructible carapace of the Ironback Earth Dragon!
If it were the previous E-grade longsword, it probably wouldn't even have left a white mark!
However, this time!
With a piercing scraping sound and sparks flying, the Light Snow Blade, with its unparalleled sharpness, actually managed to cut a deep gash that exposed bone into the thick carapace!
"Roar!"
The Ironback Earth Dragon roared in pain, turned its head sharply, opened its mouth full of sharp teeth, and bit down hard on Dongfang Yueming!
A glint of excitement flashed in Dongfang Yueming's eyes! 'A fine blade! Truly powerful!'
He swayed his body, easily dodging the Ironback Earth Dragon's counterattack. At the same time, he flipped his wrist, and the Light Snow Saber, like a venomous snake, pierced into the wound he had just made with unparalleled precision!
Pfft!
The blade pierced through instantly, straight to the heart!
The massive body of the Ironback Earth Dragon suddenly stiffened, the ferocity in its eyes quickly dimmed, and it crashed to the ground!
One hit kills!
The other two Ironback Earth Dragon, enraged by the death of their companion, roared and charged at Dongfang Yueming from both sides! Their heavy footsteps shook the ground!
Undeterred, Dongfang Yueming, holding Light Snow in her hand, skillfully maneuvered between the two enormous creatures!
His Perfection agility made him as slippery as a fish, and his Perfection swordsmanship, combined with a near-A-grade divine weapon, made him even more formidable!
The blade flashed, and each strike landed precisely on the Ironback Earth Dragon's relatively weak joints or eyes!
The hard scales were easily torn apart like paper in front of Light Snow!
In a short while, accompanied by two mournful cries of despair, the remaining two Ironback Earth Dragon followed in their companions' footsteps, their massive bodies crashing to the ground, utterly lifeless.
The three Intermediate-Level Mortal Beast, known for their defensive capabilities, appeared utterly vulnerable before Dongfang Yueming, who wielded a divine weapon and whose strength had greatly increased!
'Great!' he thought to himself, 'Thirty military merits in one go! Much more efficient than before!'
In the days that followed, Dongfang Yueming became completely immersed in the cycle of hunting Mortal Beast and earning military merits. With his Perfection swordsmanship and movement skills, as well as the powerful strength of the "Radiant Golden Bones" and the advantage of the near-A-grade divine weapon "Light Snow," he was practically Wushuang in the wilderness Black Stone Fortress.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The hall of the Military Merit Office was still bustling with activity.
Many of the new martial artists who arrived at the same time as Dongfang Yueming were now looking distressed, gathering in twos and threes to complain.
"Sigh, this Beast Defense Frontier is too difficult to navigate! Mortal Beast are like they're on steroids, incredibly tough to deal with!"
"Yeah! I worked myself to the bone all day and barely managed to kill three Low-Level Mortal Beast, earning only 5 military merits, and I almost lost my life in the process!"
"Saving 100 military merits to exchange for the Bone Tempering Method seems like an eternity!"
Listening to the newcomers' complaints, the seasoned veterans who had been lurking on the Boundary for a long time mostly showed expressions of smug satisfaction and gloating.