With all these qualities, I will eventually become immortal.

Chapter 363 Fierce Battle Against Scorpion at the Spire Stone Formation!

Seeing these people leave from afar, Wu Hong ran to She Yu's side and whispered:
"Sister She, Meng Chuan and the others have already set off. When will our headquarters move out?"

She remembered what her master had told her to stay away from Wu Hong.

She Yu found him annoying, rolled her eyes at him, and said coldly:
“You’re going to work with the other campuses. Your master told me to stay away from you.”

"."

Wu Hong looked resentful as he glanced at the man roasting potatoes in the middle of the camp.

Shang Ruyi sensed something, shifted her body, and left only her back to her disciple.

He plunged his hand straight into the campfire, not even noticing the heat.

As he flipped the potatoes to ensure they heated evenly, he murmured to himself:

"She Yu is too skilled; you can't outmaneuver her."

Don't blame your teacher, it's all for your own good.

Meng Chuan was naturally unaware of what had happened inside the camp.

He led the group to the first marked location of the Demon Nest.

This is a "pinnacle of sandstone formations" that, according to military statistics, consists of thousands of sandstone rocks.

Each peak has a different shape; some resemble camel humps, while others look like honeycombs.

Even more eye-catching are those that look like a sausage sandwiched between two eggs.
However, these peaks all have one thing in common: they are caused by the accumulation of demonic energy, with black rings running from the top to the bottom.

Its shape appears even more bizarre.

These peaks not only block wind and sand, but the demonic energy that accumulates here also benefits the growth and advancement of celestial demons.

Because of this, there are quite a few demons hiding here.

The map in the notice also marks that there is a possible high-ranking celestial demon in this place.

Meng Chuan brought everyone here to find out whether there is a Supreme Heavenly Demon here.

If not, it can serve as the first hunting ground for the people of Yong'an.

If so, he'll just eliminate it and that'll be the end of it.

This is the advantage of the military having scouted ahead of time; they don't have to unlock the map themselves like they're in a fog.

This is why this conquest of the Demon Nest is called a trial, rather than a pioneering expedition.

As they ventured deeper into the world, they encountered the Heavenly Demons more frequently.

They were all low-level demons, easily dealt with without delay.

Chu Yanlong dealt with a scorpion-shaped demon and laughed:
"Those were just appetizers. Be careful, everyone. The main course will be served once we go in."

Meng Chuan nodded and said:
“Indeed, there is a suspected high-level demon here. Everyone be careful. If you encounter one, come close to me and I will deal with it.”

"With Senior Brother Meng here, there will definitely be no surprises!"

Chen Jingyi flattered with a charming smile.

How she wished that Meng Chuan could always carry her on his journey.

But the other person is traveling alone the day after tomorrow, so I can only take advantage of this opportunity for the next couple of days.
They all knew that Meng Chuan was looking out for everyone by helping them to thoroughly investigate the situation on-site first.

Given the opponent's strength, it's impossible to say they can sweep through, but the benefits and efficiency of gaining battle merits by going it alone are definitely higher.

The fact that we wasted two days of our time for them has been appreciated by everyone.

"Brother Chuan, if it doesn't work out, you should leave tomorrow. We'll just have to be careful."

Even if we encounter someone who's in a higher position, we can still send out a signal flare to request Teacher Shang's support; it's not a big problem.

Everyone was also thinking of him. Meng Chuan thought for a moment and smiled:
"It's alright, it's not a big deal. I'll stay with you guys and get familiar with the Demon Nest first."

Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's get into position and go in. Ah Long, and Lao Zhao, you two have the most unique abilities, so stand at the two corners.

Be especially wary of the demons lurking behind the nearby peaks; heighten your awareness to prevent a sneak attack.

This is a common assault formation used by police officers when they are on the scene.

Meng Chuan was experienced and could use it with ease.

Everyone readily agreed with smiles, in good spirits.
"Understood, Captain Meng, don't worry."

Among the team, Lao Zhao is a newly promoted martial artist in the regular class of Yong'an Campus. Breaking through to the next realm at the age of 25 is not slow.

He had been cultivating at the martial arts level for a year and a half, and his four orifices had also mutated.

After Meng finished speaking, he stood at the very front.

He's definitely the team's sharpest weapon, not only the most powerful fighter, but more importantly, the most resilient.
"The sandstorm here feels much less intense. Although it's nowhere near as pleasant as the human world, it's much more comfortable than before."

Xu Qingfeng stood at the end of the line, sighing with genuine emotion.

The abundance of sand and gravel peaks in this area has ironically prevented much of the rampant yellow sand from spreading.

Everyone felt much more comfortable breathing.

To hunt down more demons and gain more battle merits, it is also important to avoid celestial phenomena.

Meng Chuan chose this place to make it a hunting ground for the people of Yong'an, which was also for this purpose.

However, every gain has its loss; under the suppression of demonic energy, perception is severely limited.

These sharp peaks are also a good hiding place for demons. When hunting here, one must be on high alert and not relax even slightly.

The sound of solid footsteps echoed beneath Meng Chuan's feet. A thought struck him, and purple armor materialized around him.

The use of ferocity and earth vein energy is limited, and true qi is also a consumable within the demon's lair.

Therefore, his limit-breaking [Qi-Nourishing Armor Technique] is perfectly suited for continuous operation within the demon's lair.

Maintaining this purple aura only consumes a small amount of physical strength.

In non-combat situations, it can exist for a long time, but its consumption rate is currently not keeping up with its own stamina recovery efficiency.

The others noticed Meng Chuan's change and looked somewhat envious.

They knew that this was a miraculous effect that could only be produced when top-level hard skills were practiced to a very high level.

Without some talent, don't even think about it.

This ability is indeed an advantage in the Demon Nest.

As they went deeper, the surroundings gradually fell silent.

Everyone held their breath and focused intently on their surroundings, with only the constant clamor of the wind and sand. Suddenly, Meng Chuan jerked his head back.

His eyes were like torches, and his fists moved like lightning.

puff!

A scorpion with fleshy wings on its back and a huge mouthpart flew in.

He was punched through by Meng Chuan, and his juices splattered all over the ground.

It contains demonic energy and is a celestial demon that has just entered the middle level.

With his current strength, he doesn't need a second punch.

"Everyone be careful, the mid-level Heavenly Demon level [Sand Scorpion] can fly, and don't ignore the senses above your head."

Meng Chuan stepped forward, first breaking off the tail needle containing the deadly poison, and then prying out the true spirit that had pierced through the abdominal armor.

Their movements were so practiced it was heartbreaking.

At the same time, a thought suddenly struck him, and his blood began to tremble.

"It seems that this is the method by which the [Battle Merit Jade Talisman] records battle merits. This strange object is indeed extraordinary."

The value of the battle merit jade token lies in its use by groups.

Meng Chuan felt that his "Thousand Faces, Thousand Illusions" was not bad either.
This item was lying in his pocket, which he wore when he was alone to prevent others from seeing him when he activated the Dao Heart Demonic Qi.

Everyone witnessed the entire process of Meng Chuan instantly killing the mid-level Heavenly Demon.

Only now do I fully realize that, to the other person, I am truly a burden.
Chu Yanlong was somewhat shocked; the sand scorpion's carapace was terrifyingly thick.

In terms of defensive capabilities, it is comparable to even the best first-grade battle armor.

"One punch...pierced through?"

Unbeknownst to him, since Meng Chuan digested the true spirit of that tree demon, the penetrating power of his fists far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.

It was as if he had condensed his fists into a weapon, capable of destroying anything.

Chu Yanhu looked at the sand scorpion corpse on the ground and asked curiously:
"Brother Chuan, can you sense how many battle merits you have?"

Meng Chuan shook his head and said:

"No, I can only detect that some battle merits are recorded by the jade talismans connected by blood in the camp, but I don't know the exact number."

All he knew was that he would record every enemy he killed.

After the information is transmitted back to the camp, the owner of the jade talisman, who is the military, will determine the strength of the hunted demon and record the battle merit.

After collecting the two most valuable materials, the opponent's sturdy armor and a pair of fist-sized sharp teeth were left on the spot for the garrison to clean up.

Gaining military merits is not without its price.

Solid-type Heavenly Demon True Spirit, Void-type Heavenly Demon Core, plus its most valuable material.

This was all that Meng Chuan could take away.

Taking only two items is an unspoken rule for hunting within the Demon's Nest.

Everything else was left to the Great Chu government to handle, which was equivalent to paying taxes.

In retrospect, the death of this mid-sized sand scorpion seemed to have triggered some kind of signal.

The buzzing sound reverberated all around, and everyone's expression changed slightly. They quickly huddled together back to back, ready for battle.

Although Meng Chuan's perception range was significantly reduced due to the sandstorm, it was still stronger than that of the others.

His expression shifted, and then he said:
"There were fewer than twenty sand scorpions that came in total, most of them were of lower level, and a few were of middle level."

I'll go take care of the two largest ones on the left; the rest are yours.

"clear."

"Don't worry, Brother Chuan."

blow--!
A figure shrouded in purple aura moved with mysterious steps, seemingly shrinking the distance between people, and instantly appeared at the foot of the columnar sandstone peak.

The blade of his fist flashed with a cold light, and a palm strike descended from the sky, striking the mid-level sand scorpion that was preparing to launch a sneak attack and instantly destroying it.

A hissing sound came from behind him, and a black, gleaming tail needle was about to touch his back.

This is a giant sand scorpion, as big as a motorcycle.

In terms of strength, he is comparable to an ordinary martial artist who has undergone three or four transformations.

Under the cover of the yellow sand, a surprise attack was launched.

Even a powerful expert with all six orifices transformed can fall victim to its tricks if they are not careful.

Unfortunately, Meng Chuan is clearly not among them.

He crouches forward, his right leg hanging upside down like a whip, and he can also perform a scorpion tail kick.

The toes of his foot, imbued with a trace of wood-elemental true energy, struck the attacker squarely in the heart.

sizzle!
The sand scorpion was kicked even higher, its two large fangs interlocking as it emitted a rapid hiss.

Meng Chuan lightly touched the ground with his toes, leaping into the air above his opponent.

A massive shadow loomed over the little sand scorpion's head, and a heavy punch slammed down like a drumbeat.

tear
The blade tip rotated ninety degrees, easily scraping open the abdominal armor, and another True Spirit was obtained.

After finishing with the needle, Meng Chuan looked up at everyone and smiled knowingly.

In less than a few minutes, everyone finished the battle and defeated the attack of the Heavenly Demon without any casualties.

They were all elite students from top-tier martial arts universities, and they crushed the lower-level Heavenly Demon just like him.

They can easily maneuver against opponents of the same level, and once their companions are free, they can work together to suppress them.

"So it seems that my departure won't be a big problem; I was just overestimating myself."

If the number is controlled well, as long as no high-ranking demon appears, it will not affect the team from Yong'an Campus.

After the inventory was completed, everyone gathered together to meditate.

Their faces were beaming with joy, indicating that they had all made a good gain.

After a short while, preparations were completed, and they continued their journey deeper into the Pinnacles.

(End of this chapter)