Within the Jinlan Universe Kingdom, Aurora Star Region, inside a virtual training ground rented by the Qinglin Clan.
"Qing Yu? Is he crazy? He actually dared to challenge Big Brother Qing Liao?" A young Qinglin Clan disciple's eyes, covered in fine blue scales, widened, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Stellar Level Stage Six against Stage Nine Peak? There are better ways to seek a beating!" The person next to him scoffed and shook his head.
"Big Brother Qing Liao's 'Ninefold Rock Smash' combined with his brute strength means even Universe Rank deacons have to be careful. Did this kid Qing Yu, who's usually so quiet, eat the wrong medicine today?"
In the center of the arena, the two confronting figures had a huge difference in size.
Qing Liao was nearly four meters tall, his muscles rippling like alloy blocks, covered in dark blue, hard scales, and exuding a fierce, violent, earthy yellow primal force fluctuation.
He was the undisputed number one among the younger generation of the Qinglin Clan, ranked first on the Qinglin Kindle List, and widely recognized as the most promising genius to break through to the Domain Master.
In contrast, Qing Yu, standing opposite him, appeared slightly slender among the Qinglin Clan, about half a meter shorter than Qing Liao, approximately three and a half meters tall, wearing a simple black training suit. The rhomboid blue scale on his forehead was particularly deep and pure in color.
His face was serene, his eyes as still as an ancient well.
This excessive calm, under the oppressive, violent aura of Qing Liao, seemed particularly glaring, attracting even more puzzled and mocking gazes.
"Qing Yu! Don't think a little cleverness can make you disregard ranks!" Qing Liao's roar was like rolling thunder, causing ripples in the energy shield, carrying the fury and humiliation of being challenged by a lower rank.
"If you dare, take one punch from me!"
Before he finished speaking, Qing Liao's massive body suddenly stepped forward!
Boom!
The specially made alloy ground immediately caved in, forming a deep pit. He clenched both fists and, without any fancy moves, slammed them towards Qing Yu's face!
Qing Yu did not retreat, nor did he even move his feet.
He simply raised his right hand calmly, and a palm-sized, deep cyan-gold metal disk quietly floated – Qing Yu's psychic weapon – "Arc Light."
Just as Qing Liao's fist was less than ten meters from Qing Yu's face, a silver glint suddenly lit up in Qing Yu's calm eyes!
Arc Light instantly transformed into 1081 arc-shaped blades, as thin as willow leaves, with cyan-gold cold light flowing along their edges!
There was no earth-shattering commotion, only a subtle, scalp-tingling hum!
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
Qing Liao's sneering face suddenly froze, his pupils instantly shrinking to pinpricks!
"Uh ah—!"
A short, extremely suppressed groan of pain squeezed from his throat. Hundreds of fine bloodlines erupted out of nowhere on his body, which was covered in thick scales and could withstand the impact of a B-grade laser gun!
Thud!
His massive body lost balance and fell to the cold ground.
The entire training ground was deathly silent.
You could hear a pin drop.
What happened?
Qing Liao, Stellar Level Stage Nine Peak, the number one among the family's younger generation, was… instantly killed by one move?
It only took one move? No, they didn't even see Qing Yu truly make a "move"! He just raised his hand and released that small disk…
"Big Brother Qing Liao… lost?"
"One move… no, half a move? What happened? I didn't see anything clearly!"
"Impossible! Qing Yu was only Stellar Level Stage Six last month! Even if he hid his strength, it's impossible…"
In this deathly silent training ground, enveloped by a huge question mark.
On the central high platform, in a large chair carved from a single piece of dark meteorite cold crystal, an old man wearing an ancient blue scaled armor robe and possessing an aura as profound as a mountain, suddenly stood up!
He was one of the Qinglin family's only two World Master ancestors – World Master Qing Ming!
Over nine million years had etched deep lines on his face, and his profound eyes had long witnessed the changing tides, yet at this moment, they were filled with an undisguised tempest!
"Space… domain?! It seems he has already gone a long way… Stellar Level?!"
The other Qinglin Clan members were not knowledgeable enough to recognize the method Qing Yu used.
As a World Master powerhouse, although he didn't fully understand space laws, his millions of years of experience allowed him to discern a hint of something.
The old man's withered fingers unconsciously tightened on the armrest of the cold crystal chair, his knuckles turning white.
This shock even far surpassed the excitement he felt when he broke through to World Lord back then!
This talent… this potential… one must know that many Universe Rank cultivators do not possess a domain.
Moreover, space law belongs to the higher laws, and comprehending a space domain is infinitely more difficult than comprehending a domain of a lower law.
World Master Qing Ming's gaze swept over the clansmen below, who were still in a daze. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart.
"This matter must not get out!"
His old and majestic voice, like a great bell, instantly quelled all subtle commotions, clearly echoing throughout the entire training ground:
"The training is over. Qing Yu, wins."
"Everyone, you may disperse."
He gave the crowd no more time for discussion or speculation, his gaze, like a tangible force, fixed on the black figure in the arena:
"Qing Yu,"
"Come with me."
Qing Yu bowed slightly, the blue scale on his forehead flashing with a subtle, restrained luster under the soft light, his voice steady and calm, betraying no arrogance of victory:
"Yes, Ancestor."
Under the gaze of hundreds of complex eyes, still mixed with shock, bewilderment, awe, and inquiry, he calmly walked through the automatically parting crowd, following World Master Qing Ming.
Qing Ming did not look back, his aged voice carrying a hint of inquiry:
"Qing Yu, you hide deeply."
"This disciple would not dare." Qing Yu's voice remained calm, showing no emotion.
"I just felt that before my strength was fully developed, making a fuss would be of no benefit."
For the past ten years, under the guise of "orphaned and average talent," and with the terrifying boost of double and quadruple talent, he had devoted all his energy to cultivation, enduring loneliness and pressure, solely to possess the power to uncover the truth.
World Master Qing Ming led Qing Yu to an ancient and solemn study. Behind a huge cold crystal desk, World Master Qing Ming sat down, motioning for Qing Yu to sit opposite him.
Only the two of them were in the study, and the atmosphere was heavy.
Qing Ming did not discuss Qing Yu's strength but brought up another matter, his cloudy yet sharp gaze fixed directly on Qing Yu, as if trying to pierce his soul:
"Ten years ago, on the way to transport 'Stardust Gold' to the 'Blackhorn Star Region,' your parents were ambushed by the Bloodfang Star Pirates and unfortunately perished. Of the accompanying clansmen, only your clan uncle, Qing Yue, escaped with severe injuries."
The scale on Qing Yu's brow emitted a faint glow, and his hands, hanging at his sides, clenched slightly, but his face remained almost coldly calm, though in the deepest part of his profound eyes, a hint of barely suppressed chill flashed.