Seizing Destiny From Heavens Hands-Chapter 501: Return to the Fortress, Merits Soar

Another short Demon Suppression Guard, short in stature, overheard their conversation and joined in.

“How is that impossible?”

“With Commander Shen’s talent, condensing even two Dharma Manifestations is no small feat.”

“And I heard he didn’t condense two but three!”

“With those three Dharma Manifestations, he single-handedly slew the Great Demon Magus An Mie and Anwu, and even matched the First Great Demon Magus An’cang blow for blow!”

At this, Li Heitan and Wu Zhanyun both sucked in a breath.

Good heavens! Shen Mo is that formidable? Why didn’t we know?

They exchanged glances and both said, “Our information must be outdated.”

They nodded in agreement. Whatever Shen Mo accomplished, they wouldn’t be surprised. If he failed at anything, then that would be strange.

“Look! Look—he’s here!”

A guard pointed toward the northwest sea, shouting with excitement.

Everyone turned to look and saw several battle platforms emerging on the water.

They headed toward the various fortresses, and two Wave-Cleaving Battle Platforms made for Xuanwu Fortress.

“Returned at last! Finally!”

Li Heitan and Wu Zhanyun were overjoyed. After years apart, they would at last see their leader.

“Feels like a wife awaiting her husband’s return,” Wu Zhanyun laughed self-deprecatingly.

Li Heitan chuckled, “If I were a woman, I’d marry Commander Shen in a heartbeat!”

The Demon Suppression Guards around them burst into laughter.

“Come off it! A man like Commander Shen has countless women vying for him!”

“Li Heitan, even if you turned into a woman, you’d still be too dark-skinned—don’t get your hopes up.”

“Right—I recall you said you like women with forked tongues.”

Li Heitan turned beet-red, though his dark complexion concealed it.

On the sea, Shen Mo stood atop a Wave-Cleaving Battle Platform, gazing at the looming Xuanwu Fortress, his heart stirred. He had guarded the Fourth Layer of the Demon-Suppressing Sea for five years; now he had returned. He wondered how Li Heitan, Wu Zhanyun, and the armory’s guards fared.

“General Zhang!”

“Commander Shen!”

Before the platforms even docked, a wave of cheers erupted from the battlements.

The Demon Suppression Guards celebrated, welcoming their hero’s triumphant return. News of Shen Mo’s ascension to Dharma Manifestation Realm and his slaying of An Mie had long since reached Xuanwu Fortress.

Within the fortress, everyone spoke excitedly of the battle months ago, their faces alight with joy. Thanks to that battle, the demons had fully retreated, abandoning both the Fourth and Fifth Layers of the Demon-Suppressing Sea. Now the fortress could push deeper into those waters to harvest more heavenly treasures and earthly rarities.

Though the depths were perilous, many were willing to risk it for the long-lost treasures of the Demon-Suppressing Sea—perhaps they themselves would be the fortunate ones.

That night, Xuanwu Fortress reveled in celebration. Even the guards on night watch were brought food and tea.

Elsewhere, other fortresses enjoyed similar festivities. At Zhuque Fortress, the “resurrection” of Demon Suppression General Zhu Xuanji sent the mood soaring. Every guard there shouted her name in triumph—they finally had a general to rally behind and would no longer be looked down upon.

Only at Tianjiang Fortress did sorrow linger, for their lord, E Yuan, had fallen in battle, casting a pall over the garrison.

Back at Xuanwu Fortress, in the armory, within Shen Mo’s quarters, he sat cross-legged on his bed, inspecting his Demon Suppression Bracelet. The recent battle had been fierce; although merit records flooded in, he hadn’t had a chance to review them. Now, with leisure at last, he examined them carefully.

“Slain the Peak True Demon Venerable—earned three Grade-B merits.”

…

Shen Mo scrolled through the merit records one by one, reading with keen interest.

After a moment, his eyes brightened. He paused at two entries:

“Slaying the heavily wounded Third Great Demon An Mie—awarded fifty-nine Grade-A merits.”

“Severing the Great Demon Emperor’s left hand—awarded forty Grade-A merits.”

He continued:

“Total merits: one hundred and five Grade-A merits, two hundred and eighty-two Grade-B merits, three thousand five hundred Grade-C merits, plus numerous Grade-D merits.”

Shen Mo clicked in admiration. No wonder a Great Demon yielded such bountiful merits—even wounded, An Mie granted many. Some merits were surely shared with the other Demon Suppression Generals.

Had I faced An Mie at his peak alone, I’d have claimed every merit—perhaps over one hundred Grade-A merits!

He was also surprised by the high merits for severing the Demon Emperor’s hand.

“So many merits—I can really splurge in the Heaven Dao Treasury.”

Shen Mo reflected on his needs:

He smiled at the thought. In a few days, the Heaven Dao Treasury would arrive, and he would spend freely.

When the Treasury appeared, Shen Mo entered with his consciousness and immediately began redeeming:

Every useful treasure and elixir was redeemed.

He even spent merits to promote himself to Heaven-tier Demon Suppression Guard.

After this spree, he was left with about ten Grade-A merits. To advance to Earth-tier General, he needed twenty more.

But Shen Mo cared more about his ranking on the Earth List than a higher rank.

He studied one final diagram:

“Xi Bai Ju Visualization Diagram—focused on speed. Perfect for both pursuit and retreat.” frёewebnoѵēl.com

Smiling, he withdrew from the Treasury and examined the diagram. The other diagrams were excellent but too costly.

He suspected Ye Yan had opportunities to obtain them. Why pay when he could get one for free?

At that moment, golden light appeared overhead, forming three lists: the Heaven List, Earth List, and Human List.

The Human List had changed dramatically after the recent battle. Some cultivators rose, some fell, and some perished.

The Earth List saw fewer changes, though a few Guards were permanently removed, lost in the Demon-Suppressing Sea.

Shen Mo remained first on the Earth List. The Heaven List saw minor adjustments as well.

He glanced at the lists briefly but paid them no further mind. His focus was on his own improvement.

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