Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 9 Battle Between Domains

The warrior wielding the giant axe didn't last a single round against Ling Xuan and was quickly killed.

In order to achieve a thousand consecutive wins as soon as possible, Ling Xuan chose to continue the challenge without stopping.

Initially, he relied on the system's intelligent matchmaking system. As his win rate continued to rise and his winning streak increased, the opponents he was matched with became increasingly stronger.

He seemed tireless, able to fight hundreds of battles a day.

After three days of continuous battles, Ling Xuan achieved a 325-game winning streak, and his rating jumped from zero stars to six stars.

Six stars already represent the strongest among the planetary level. In the battle space, such strong individuals no longer rely on the matchmaking function, but instead choose opponents they consider to be evenly matched to fight.

"Beep, a challenge invitation has been received." Just then, Ling Xuan's auxiliary computer issued a notification.

He glanced at the opponent and found that he was only a three-star expert with a record of 108 wins and 65 losses, so he accepted the challenge without hesitation.

At present, his primary goal is to achieve a thousand-game winning streak, rather than focusing on playing against strong opponents. Therefore, he welcomes all kinds of unskilled opponents, the more the better.

As expected, due to the opponent's inferior strength, the battle proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Ling Xuan only needed to strike once to end the battle, and his winning streak continued to increase.

Later, Ling Xuan noticed that the matchmaking speed had slowed down, so he took the initiative to challenge others, and mostly chose five-star and six-star opponents.

Those powerful individuals who came to the decisive battle space to hone their skills were all happy to accept the challenge from such a victorious expert. After all, opportunities to fight such powerful individuals were rare and hard to come by, so how could they refuse when one was offered to them?

Conversely, if a challenge comes from a powerful individual with special abilities such as domains, Ling Xuan will resolutely refuse, so as not to encounter someone too strong and have his winning streak interrupted.

In just nine days, Ling Xuan, relying on his second domain, completed the trial of a thousand consecutive victories without any setbacks.

After sending the battle video to the temple messenger, he immediately went to the temple, intending to study the divine bird runes again.

The temple messenger quickly reviewed the video battle results sent by Ling Xuan, a slight smile playing on his lips. He muttered to himself, "What a cunning kid. That's good, too. The more cunning they are, the more they know how to exploit loopholes and use any means necessary to achieve their goals, the stronger their survival skills become. But I also need to give this kid a heads-up..."

As Ling Xuan stepped into the temple, the temple's messenger was already waiting there. Upon seeing Ling Xuan enter, the messenger said, "Boy, a thousand consecutive wins. Your trickery is quite ingenious."

Ling Xuan bowed slightly and said somewhat awkwardly, "Senior, I know that my strength is still insufficient. Right now, I only want to complete the mission and improve myself. I hope you will not take offense."

The temple envoy stared intently at Ling Xuan: "Taking shortcuts isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you neglect your own strength cultivation because of it, then you're putting the cart before the horse. Although you've completed this challenge through strategy, true strength ultimately comes down to real power."

Ling Xuan straightened his back and bowed respectfully: "Senior's teachings will be kept in mind. After this comprehension is over, I will definitely calm down and hone my skills."

The temple envoy's lips curled into a half-smile: "It's good that you know. Now go in and try to understand. You cunning brat, I wonder who you take after?"

Ling Xuan took a deep breath and stepped into the Fire Law Chamber.

The familiar heat wave swept over them, and the powerful figures remained in the same poses as they had ten days ago, as if time had frozen.

He sat cross-legged again in front of the stone wall engraved with the image of the divine bird, his fingertips tracing the uneven texture. His consciousness sank into a deep pool, falling once more into that world of flames.

Three days flew by.

When the temple messenger's call sounded, Ling Xuan slowly opened his eyes, feeling the power within his body, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment.

This comprehension only deepened my understanding of the second level, but I did not break through to the third level as expected.

"See?" The temple messenger saw through his thoughts and said softly, "This is the price of being impatient for quick results. You haven't fully digested the results of your last comprehension, and repeating the cultivation will only lead to stagnation."

Ling Xuan suddenly realized.

He recalled that after Luo Feng and the others gained the opportunity to comprehend the Chaos Stele by crossing the Tongtian Bridge, they did not immediately go back to comprehend the Chaos Stele. Instead, they spent a long time reflecting before returning to comprehend the Chaos Stele.

Because opportunities for enlightenment are readily available, I have neglected the foundation of cultivation.

"I understand! I will go back now and devote myself to cultivation to digest this understanding!"

The temple envoy nodded: "It's good that you know your mistakes and can correct them. I'll reserve this opportunity for you to gain enlightenment. You can come again whenever you feel you've digested it." "Thank you, senior." Ling Xuan was overjoyed. He hadn't expected such a good thing. He had originally thought that getting another opportunity to gain enlightenment would be extremely difficult.
"Go ahead, you've just finished comprehending the cultivation method, it's the most effective time now." The temple envoy waved his hand, indicating that Ling Xuan could leave.

Ling Xuan bowed respectfully and left the temple, returning to his own courtyard.

For the next three months, Ling Xuan secluded himself in the courtyard.

Every morning, he would circulate his primal force under the rising sun, sensing the power of fire; at night, he would review his battles under the starry sky and begin cultivating the secret technique left to him by the temple's messenger—"Infernal Hell."

This is a secret technique that is very suitable for those who start studying at the planetary level and can smoothly transition to the laws of fire later.

It offers excellent value for money, almost as if it were tailor-made for Ling Xuan. It's clear that the Zhulong clan has invested a lot of resources and effort in cultivating outstanding descendants.

As time went on, his understanding of the fire domain deepened, and the Force within him became increasingly refined.

Finally, on an ordinary cultivation day, the flames around him suddenly surged, and his dark golden domain spread out as if it were a tangible entity.

—The third layer of flame domain is complete!

Ling Xuan returned to the decisive battle space once again, setting his sights on challenging powerful individuals who possessed domains.

Far away in another star system, Feng Ying was polishing the curved scythe inlaid with wind crystals in his hand.

As a seven-star powerhouse, he had just finished a thrilling battle.

"Ding, a challenge invitation has been received. Do you accept?"

Feng Ying casually opened the challenge invitation. He was still enjoying the battle and didn't want to rest for the time being.

"Six-star?" Feng Ying glanced at Ling Xuan's information and scoffed, "You can't even enter my domain, yet you dare to challenge me?"

He was about to click "decline" when he saw the "Flame Domain Owner" label in Ling Xuan's profile. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes. After a moment's thought, he pressed the "accept" button.

The system successfully matched Ling Xuan, who instantly appeared on the howling winds of the canyon battlefield.

Opposite him, Feng Ying stood in mid-air, with countless cyan wind blades spinning rapidly in a wind domain a hundred meters in diameter behind him, emitting a piercing shriek.

He was clad in a bluish-gray armor, and the curved scythe in his hand gleamed with a ghostly blue light, with wind elements constantly gathering at the blade's edge.

"Planetary level one? To possess a domain so soon after breaking through, your talent is not bad." Feng Ying raised his hand, and ten thousand wind blades within his domain swarmed towards Ling Xuan like a bee. "However, I am at the peak of the planetary level. The gap between you and me is a full 256 times!"

Ling Xuan held the double-edged sword horizontally in front of his chest.

The moment the wind blade touched the blade, his third layer of flame domain erupted, and a dark golden sea of ​​fire swept over him instantly.

The collision of high temperatures and strong winds produced a violent energy explosion, illuminating the entire canyon as if it were daytime.

The wind blades of the Wind Shadow sizzled in the sea of ​​fire, and were quickly vaporized.

Before Feng Ying could react, Ling Xuan had already transformed into a streak of light and approached.

The three-pointed, double-edged sword, wreathed in blazing flames, cleaved towards Feng Ying with the force of a thunderbolt.

Feng Ying's pupils shrank sharply. "What? His domain is so much stronger than mine. It's actually the third level of domain."

Fengying hurriedly swung his curved scythe, conjuring a giant wind shield.

However, the moment the blade struck, the wind shield trembled violently, and cracks quickly appeared on its surface.

"Break!" Ling Xuan roared, pouring all his primal force into the blade.

(End of this chapter)