Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 8 Duel Space
"Come out, come out." Three days passed in a flash, and the door to the secret chamber opened on time. The temple envoy's deep voice clearly entered Ling Xuan's ears.

Ling Xuan suddenly opened his eyes. In the darkness, only the faint light of primal force emanating from the bodies of the other people who were comprehending the truth flickered.

They seemed unaffected by the sound, still immersed in their deep understanding of the laws of fire, their breathing steady and their expressions focused.

So it seems that the rule of only being able to comprehend something for three days at a time is only applied to Ling Xuan personally.

However, these three days of contemplation were not without their gains.

He clearly sensed that after this period of immersion, his flame domain had successfully broken through to the second level!
Composing himself, Ling Xuan strode out of the secret chamber of the Flame Law, filled with joy at his improved strength.

"How's your comprehension going?" The black-robed envoy looked up from the auxiliary light brain in his hand as Ling Xuan came out and asked casually, his tone carrying a sense of routine.

"It feels great." Ling Xuan couldn't hide his excitement, his voice brimming with confidence. "I've broken through to the second level of my domain."

The black-robed envoy nodded in satisfaction. His auxiliary computer flashed, projecting Ling Xuan's information. A string of complex data flickered in the air.

"Your talent is indeed remarkable. You've only been at the planetary level for a little over a month and you've already comprehended the second level of your domain. The reason I only let you meditate for three days at a time is because I'm worried you'll become too immersed in the laws of fire and lose yourself."

Moreover, given your current situation, you need to hone your combat skills through actual battles, in close combat with opponents, rather than sitting idly trying to comprehend the laws.

Ling Xuan's eyes shone brightly as he asked, "Senior, when can I continue my comprehension?"

The black-robed envoy pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "In the decisive battle space, the opponents you are initially matched with will not be very strong. With your planetary-level status and second-level domain, it will be difficult for the opponents you encounter to pose a threat to you. Once you achieve a thousand consecutive wins in the decisive battle space, go to the cultivation chamber to comprehend the secrets. You should gain even greater insights then."

"Follow me." The temple messenger stood up, the hem of his black robe sweeping across the ground, faintly revealing the dark dragon pattern embroidered along the edge.

He led Ling Xuan through the corridor and around three corners, until a courtyard covered with crimson vines appeared before them. The energy crystal embedded in the ironwood gate was flashing rhythmically.

"From now on, you will cultivate here." The messenger pushed open the creaking wooden door. Inside, a consciousness sensor, gleaming with a cold light, floated in the center, its surface covered with fine lines that undulated slightly like a living thing.

In another room, there were many supplies piled up, so Ling Xuan didn't have to worry about anything else unrelated to cultivation.

"I don't need to teach you how to operate the virtual universe. Just send me the recordings after you achieve a thousand consecutive wins." The messenger left Ling Xuan with a virtual universe code and a secret cultivation technique via his smart computer before turning and leaving.

Ling Xuan gently stroked the cool outer shell of the sensor, took a deep breath, and put it on.

After breaking through to the planetary level, Ling Xuan had already registered as a citizen of the universe in his tribe and gained access to the virtual universe. At this moment, after his consciousness linked to the sensor, he instantly connected to the omnipresent virtual universe.

Ling Xuan opened the Killing Arena and the Final Battle Space and began registering an account.

With a cosmic citizenship and a virtual cosmic ID, you can register and log in with a single click. You only need to enter a code name you want to use the functions of this decisive battle space.

With a thought, he typed "Flame Demon" into the nickname field, and a system notification sounded in his ear: "Account created successfully, welcome to the Battle Space."

After Ling Xuan registered his account on the Battle Space platform, he received a message.

The fees for his account's use of the Killing Fields and Showdown Spaces were all paid by another account, allowing him to use them without restraint.

As the threshold for becoming a citizen of the universe, countless newcomers break through to the planetary level every day, and many people also register for the Battle Space to assist in cultivation.

Especially those at the first-tier planetary level, are incredibly cheap, costing less than 1 medium-sized universe currency per day, which is why they are so numerous.

As soon as Ling Xuan clicked "match," a flash of white light appeared, and he found himself on a vast grassland.

The ten-kilometer-square black metal arena gleamed with a cold light.

Opposite him, a green-skinned man was flexing his wrists, the dark red cloth strip wrapped around the hilt of his longsword fluttering in the wind. The man muttered, "Flame Demon? To actually call himself Flame Demon, he really is an arrogant fellow. Tsk tsk, crushing an arrogant person is the most satisfying. I'll make you my first stepping stone to becoming a cosmic powerhouse. Remember, the one who defeats you is called Wind Shadow Sword."

Before he finished speaking, a burst of blue light flashed beneath his feet, and he transformed into a blur as he charged forward, tearing the air apart with sharp, explosive sounds.

Ling Xuan's eyes sharpened, and his inner force instantly circulated. The animal hide on his body stretched out as if it were alive, covering his entire body to form a force battle suit with fine scales, and the flame totem on his forehead light up slightly.

He gripped the three-pointed, double-edged sword, the Sky-Piercing Blade, which was held high above his head. The hilt was about two meters long, and the front of the blade was shaped like a three-pronged sword. The central prong was slightly higher than a sword, while the two wings were slightly lower. Both sides were sharpened, and the flowing patterns resembled burning flames, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

The Wind Shadow Sword thrust out first, its azure sword light like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for the throat.

Ling Xuan's pupils contracted slightly. Instead of retreating, he advanced, his wrist flicking as the three-pointed, double-edged sword drew a tricky arc.

The moment the blade made contact with the longsword, it slid precisely down the outside of the blade, sparks flying from the friction of the metal.

Ling Xuan skillfully used this friction and his own dexterity, flicking his wrist to swing the longsword aside with perfect control of the force, as if he had already anticipated every move of his opponent.

Before his opponent could react, Ling Xuan slammed his left foot into the ring, instantly causing several cracks to appear on the metal surface.

He shot out like an arrow, creating a powerful shockwave.

The three-pointed double-edged sword transformed into a cold light in his hand, stabbing towards the throat of the Wind Shadow Sword with overwhelming force. Its speed was so fast that the opponent only had time to see a golden afterimage.

Feng Yingjian's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly raised his sword to parry.

Just as the sword and knife were about to collide, Ling Xuan's lips curled into a cold smile, and he suddenly exerted force with his wrist, causing the three-pointed double-edged knife to slide rapidly down the inside of the opponent's sword.

The entire knife, like a barbed scythe of death, suddenly slashed upwards as it slid down, the blade cutting through the air with a whistling sound, aiming straight for the vital part of the opponent's arm or elbow holding the sword.

Feng Yingjian felt a chill from his elbow, and a sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body, shattering his protective force.

The longsword in his hand, along with his right hand, flew to the side, and he was also pulled backward by the sharpness of the three-pointed double-edged sword.

However, Ling Xuan's offensive did not stop. Using the momentum of his forward charge, he swung his three-pointed double-edged sword again. The blade was like a golden lightning bolt, instantly slicing through his opponent's throat.

"This...how is this possible..." Feng Yingjian was filled with horror. Before he could finish speaking, he turned into specks of light and disappeared on the arena.

After Ling Xuan comprehended the domain, his swordsmanship also broke through to the domain level. Facing these guys who had just entered the planetary level, he could easily crush them with his swordsmanship level even without using his domain.

"Ding! First battle won, current record 1 win and 0 losses."

An intelligent broadcast sounded above the battleground.

"Continue matching," Ling Xuan instructed.

"clear."

The second opponent was quickly matched.

This time, he found himself on a desolate desert battlefield. In the distance, a figure clad in heavy armor was dragging a giant axe, the blade carving deep furrows in the sand and raising clouds of dust.

Thank you '夜神月下' for the first monthly pass, and thank you '北方光的传说' for the monthly pass. Thank you, thank you. Mwah!

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(End of this chapter)