Apocalypse Gachapon

It was a golden military badge, signifying the military rank of colonel—specifically, a one-star colonel.

It required 100,000 military merit to reach the military rank of colonel, and 1 million to become a one-star colonel. After that, each additional million of military merit added another star.

Lin Moyu, at just level 35, had already attained the one-star colonel rank. It was staggering to think of how many Demons and Dragonkind had fallen by his hand.

Mo Xinghai let out a sigh, “A level 35 one-star colonel? That’s unheard of.”

Bai Yiyuan shook his head, “I’ve never even seen a level 45 colonel, let alone a level 35 one.”

Becoming a one-star colonel was no easy feat; it had to be earned through countless battles. In the military, such a rank commanded great respect. If Lin Moyu chose to enlist, he could easily lead a force of several thousand. Military rank outweighed level in military standing.

After Lin Moyu had covered everything he needed to, Mo Xinghai returned to the Hall of Heroes, where he continued monitoring Mo Yun’s soul brand. If Mo Yun encountered any danger, Mo Xinghai could use the soul brand to help her, or at the very least, revive her instantly.

Bai Yiyuan slapped the table. By now, the Dragon Crystals had already been stored away.

Unlike the Hearts of the Earth, which were critical for the entire human race and had been swiftly taken by Meng Anwen without a second thought, the Dragon Crystals were Lin Moyu's personal possession. They had no claim to them.

With a sly, fox-like grin, Bai Yiyuan turned to Lin Moyu, "Now it's just the three of us. If there's anything else you have to share, feel free."

With his experience, Bai Yiyuan could easily tell that Lin Moyu was holding something back.

Lin Moyu handed back all the items Bai Yiyuan had previously given him, but Bai Yiyuan only took back the Advanced Cooldown Talisman, leaving the rest in Lin Moyu's possession.

Lin Moyu then presented the Shell Block Shield, “Teacher, please examine this piece of equipment.”

“Just another piece of platinum rank gear…” Bai Yiyuan cast the Detection spell, but before he could finish, his expression shifted to one of deep seriousness.

His eyes locked onto Lin Moyu, “Did you enter the core area?”

Lin Moyu nodded, “I only went a little way in. The monsters there are too powerful—I couldn’t go any deeper.”

Bai Yiyuan let out a breath of relief, "It's good you didn’t go deeper. Otherwise, you'd be dead. Some creatures in the core area are not to be trifled with, especially if you're alone. Still, this shield is excellent—definitely top-tier platinum rank. It's just a shame it’s only platinum. If it were legendary, it’d be perfect."

Lin Moyu asked, "Is legendary equipment really that powerful?"

Bai Yiyuan nodded, "Absolutely. Legendary gear is on an entirely different level compared to platinum. But this shield is already exceptional. Among platinum rank shields, it’s one of the best. Its value is hard to pin down—probably at least 50 billion. If you find the right buyer, maybe even 100 billion."

Meng Anwen added, "You don’t have to sell it for money. At the right moment, you could trade it for something even more valuable. Keep it—it's part of your spoils."

Lin Moyu stored the Shell Block Shield and then took out a pile of Dragonkind equipment. "Teacher, is this Dragonkind gear useful?"

Bai Yiyuan paused, momentarily surprised. To this, he could only think of one thing: well done.

Bai Yiyuan said, "Some Dragonkind equipment is compatible with ours, some isn't. It’s tricky to sort. You could sell it to Blacksmiths—they’d gladly reforge it into something useful."

Lin Moyu nodded; it was about what he had expected.

He hadn’t finished with his questions, "When I used Dragon Crystals, I sensed a strange energy. It helped me estimate how many crystals were needed to awaken a talent."

Meng Anwen explained, "That's because your spirit has surpassed 20,000, allowing you to sense things."

Bai Yiyuan sipped his tea, "You entered the Divine Selection Secret Realm and gained Divinity Force. What level did you reach?"

The Divine Selection Secret Realm's assessment method varied, but the amount of Divinity Force gained was usually similar.

Meng Anwen commented lazily, "No need to ask. He’s definitely surpassed you."

Bai Yiyuan chuckled. "Isn't it normal for the student to surpass the teacher? Of course, he should have surpassed me."

Bai Yiyuan had raised his Divinity Force to level 5 in the Divine Selection Secret Realm, matching the highest record ever achieved by the human race. This legendary feat inspired countless people, Mo Yun among them.

When Mo Xinghai had been present earlier, Lin Moyu had deliberately avoided mentioning it. Now, in a quiet tone, Lin Moyu said, "Level 30."

"Level 3…" Bai Yiyuan asked, sounding disappointed. But then, his eyes widened in shock, "Wait, what did you say? Say that again!"

"Level 30." Lin Moyu repeated calmly.

...

Bai Yiyuan was stunned. He lost all composure, flinging the teacup in his hand aside and nearly knocking over the table in his surprise. Nearby, Meng Anwen burst into laughter, clearly amused by the scene.

Bai Yiyuan, still reeling, stammered, “How is that even possible?”

Lin Moyu hesitated before adding, “Actually... it's level 35 now.”

Bai Yiyuan could hardly believe it. He recalled Lin Moyu’s class, where skills automatically upgraded as he leveled up, and now even Divinity Force had followed that rule. One word came to mind: freak.

Though he had hoped for Lin Moyu to surpass him, Bai Yiyuan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of defeat. With a sigh, he waved his hand, "You should go rest. I need some time to myself."

Lin Moyu obediently left the White God Courtyard. After he left, Meng Anwen's laughter rang out in the courtyard.

"Feeling defeated?" Meng Anwen asked, clearly enjoying the moment. Watching Bai Yiyuan squirm was one of his greatest pleasures.

Bai Yiyuan forced a smile, "They say the young surpass the old, and students surpass their teachers. As a teacher, I’m nothing but proud."

“But your face tells a different story.”

“That’s just shock—pure shock. Not that you’d get it, you blockhead."

“I think it’s more dread than shock.”

“Call it whatever you want. The stronger Young Lin gets, the happier I am.”

Despite the banter, Bai Yiyuan’s words were sincere. He truly was proud. He then softened his voice and added, "But with Young Lin growing this strong, guiding his training from here won’t be easy..."

Meng Anwen chuckled, "That's simple: have him retrace the path you've taken. Let's see if he can surpass it."

Bai Yiyuan was taken aback. "You mean to have him..."

...

Meanwhile, Lin Moyu returned to the academy but didn’t head to his dorm or stay at the academy. Instead, he teleported directly to Fortress No. 1, intent on using the Military Skill Grinding Site there.

It had been some time since he acquired the Poison Star Ring skill. Although he’d been grinding it whenever possible, it was still stuck at level 10. Among his skills, only Poison Star Ring and Corpse Explosion had yet to be maxed out. The higher one’s level, the harder it became to max out skills, so he knew he needed to focus on grinding them as soon as possible.

Fatigue was no longer an issue for Lin Moyu. Since acquiring Divinity Force, his fatigue recovery had skyrocketed. As long as he avoided continuous combat, he hardly felt tired anymore. With Divinity Force now at level 35, his recovery rate was 35 times faster, making a few minutes of meditation or sleep equivalent to several hours. He felt like a perpetual motion machine, always energized and ready for action.

His arrival at Fortress No. 1 didn't go unnoticed. As a one-star colonel, he stood out.

Godly generals were rare, and colonels weren’t common either. Reaching the rank of colonel meant being a proven fighter, earning the respect of all. However, Lin Moyu’s level surprised many—he was only level 35, making it difficult for some to believe.

As Lin Moyu passed through Fortress No. 1, the patrolling soldiers saluted him with fervent admiration in their eyes. Despite many of them being higher level than Lin Moyu, here, only military rank held significance—not level.

Still, the soldiers at the fortress saluted him with respect, their eyes filled with admiration. Rank, not level, commanded respect here, and Lin Moyu was deserving of it. He returned their salutes, recognizing the dedication of every member of the Shenxia military.

Lin Moyu returned their salutes. Every member of the Shenxia military deserved respect.

Upon reaching the Military Skill Grinding Site, he spent some of his military merit. As a colonel, he enjoyed a 50% discount on all services. At this time, spending hundreds or even thousands of merit points felt insignificant to him.

Once inside, his spirit force surged, and his recovery rate dramatically increased. With his 135-fold natural recovery rate, even without meditation, his spirit force replenished faster than it had previously with meditation.

He began casting Poison Star Ring, sending out wave after wave of the skill in the grinding site. Although his spirit force was being consumed, it replenished so quickly that it barely made a dent. The skill was rapidly grinded.

After expending less than one-tenth of his spirit force, Poison Star Ring had already reached level 11. By the time his spirit force was fully drained, the skill had climbed to level 17.

Lin Moyu then meditated, and in just 10 minutes, his spirit force was fully restored.

"This is incredible!" He exclaimed, thrilled.

The current grinding efficiency was even better than when he had used Desert Fruit. He hadn't yet consumed the flesh of the Earth Evil Centipede, which would have allowed him to skip meditation entirely. But with just a 10-minute difference, it was unnecessary and would be wasteful. The efficiency was already more than high enough.