523: Chapter 523 Huge Gap

"Come, continue. Show me what else you're capable of."

"As you wish!"

Xiao Weiqing gave a low shout.

Then he took a step forward; this time, he didn't charge out but instead delivered a slash from where he stood.

*Boom!*

A sudden roar erupted within the Training Room.

"Mountain Elephant!"

The phantom of a towering mountain crushed down toward Hendrick.

Seeing this, Hendrick's expression brightened with joy; this Xiao Weiqing was a bit more formidable than he had imagined.

Perhaps he really would make a fortune this time.

However, this wasn't enough. He knew that Xiao Weiqing had an even stronger Move. When he first arrived on Blue Star, that terrifying fluctuation had made his heart palpitate, and it was far beyond what this Move could compare to.

At that thought...

Hendrick decided to put a bit more pressure on Xiao Weiqing.

He shifted his left foot back half a step.

Gripping the spear with both hands...

...he delivered an upward swing.

"Break!"

Sharp Qi shot out from the tip of the spear, and the terrifying pressure vanished instantly. Xiao Weiqing's Move was easily neutralized.

Hendrick began to feel excited—the kind of excitement brought by a junior's pleasant surprise.

"Not bad."

"And..."

Mid-sentence, Hendrick froze for a moment.

A flash of gold appeared before him, followed by a blinding golden light that erupted from within Xiao Weiqing's body.

Instantly...

...the Training Room was overtaken by gold.

"Domain!"

Hendrick uttered the word coldly.

Before Hendrick could think further, Xiao Weiqing's attack was already upon him. He delivered a slash that was faster, stronger, and sharper than before.

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

"..."

Xiao Weiqing took the opportunity to close in, launching a continuous assault. He delivered over a dozen slashes in a row, each with full power. His frenzied offensive actually managed to suppress Hendrick for a short time.

Hendrick swung his spear in defense without showing any sign of weakness, parrying every one of Xiao Weiqing's attacks.

A few minutes later...

Xiao Weiqing grew more alarmed as the battle progressed.

The spear in Hendrick's hand didn't Move very fast, yet it blocked Xiao Weiqing's attacks perfectly every single time.

For some reason, a sense of powerlessness welled up within Xiao Weiqing; he simply couldn't win.

Ever since his Awakening...

...he had never met an equal in the same rank. His Cultivation speed was unparalleled on Blue Star, reaching a Breakthrough to the Star Lord Realm in just six short years.

He hadn't expected that against Hendrick, who was also in the Star Lord Realm, he would be so helpless. Even after using his Domain, he couldn't inflict any damage on his opponent.

Hendrick's performance remained far too effortless.

Before the fight, Xiao Weiqing thought he could at least pose a slight threat to Hendrick. Who would have thought that, let alone a threat, he couldn't even cause a bit of trouble?

Compared to Xiao Weiqing's shock, San Bai's was even greater.

When the golden Domain appeared...

San Bai was completely dumbfounded.

"How is this possible?"

"A Domain! It's actually a Domain! Can this guy's talent really rival the Master's?"

Memories surfaced in San Bai's mind.

It was twenty years ago, when a similarly youthful Hendrick first entered the Holy Land to undergo the assessment.

At the Sixth Heaven, Hendrick displayed a Blue Lightning Domain. Like a god, he swept through the battlefield, decisively defeating all opponents and reaching the top of the Sixth Heaven.

It was also from that day that Hendrick became his master.

San Bai snapped back to reality, his eyes lighting up as he quickly calculated. "credits! These are all credits!"

With a Domain, Xiao Weiqing's entry into the Fifth Heaven was basically guaranteed. Entering the Sixth Heaven wasn't impossible either. If he did...

"I'm going to make a killing."

Just as San Bai was daydreaming about credits...

the situation on the field suddenly shifted.

*Rumble!*

Thunder echoed within the Training Room.

Pale blue lightning coiled around Hendrick's body, crackling loudly. His originally refined temperament changed drastically, becoming incredibly domineering. His hair stood on end, as stiff as steel.

"Haha!"

"Xiao Weiqing, you really have surprised me."

Hendrick laughed loudly.

"Watch out, I'm going on the offensive now."

Hearing this, Xiao Weiqing gripped his hilt tightly, standing ready.

Hendrick's expression changed, his smile vanishing. Gripping the spear with both hands, he suddenly lunged. Even before the movement was complete, the Qi from the spear tip already made Xiao Weiqing's skin sting.

"So fast!"

Xiao Weiqing was horrified and hurriedly raised his blade to block.

*Clang!*

The spear tip struck the blade with precision. The terrifying force lifted Xiao Weiqing right off his feet.

*Thud... thud... thud...*

After landing, every step Xiao Weiqing took on the floor felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, his calves trembling uncontrollably.

*Whoosh!*

Hendrick's figure vanished.

Xiao Weiqing instinctively turned and slashed.

Hendrick reappeared, the cold tip of his spear already pressed against the skin of Xiao Weiqing's neck, making him dare not Move.

He had lost.

A total defeat.

Xiao Weiqing felt incredibly dejected.

Within his own Domain, Hendrick had defeated him in just two Moves without even using Starry Sky Martial Arts.

"I lost."

Xiao Weiqing retracted his Domain, his face showing a trace of disappointment and helplessness.

Hendrick's strength made him feel despair; they simply weren't on the same level. The gap was too large.

"What are you thinking?" San Bai said. "If you could trade blows back and forth with the Master, you'd have the strength to reach the Seventh Heaven."

"Still, you're quite impressive. To have actually comprehended a Domain is truly unexpected and a wonderful surprise."

"Master, we're guaranteed to profit from this mission."

Hendrick nodded, also showing a smile.

"Xiao Weiqing, don't belittle yourself. At your age, I might not have had this level of strength."

"Really?"

Xiao Weiqing was a bit skeptical; Hendrick didn't look very old.

"Of course it's a lie."

"Back then, the Master reached the top of the Sixth Heaven directly and almost made it to the Seventh. Although you have a Domain, you're still lacking a bit."

"Let me tell you one more thing: my Master has Cultivated his Domain to the second stage!"

Xiao Weiqing's pupils constricted as he looked at Hendrick. "A Second-Layer Domain?"

"Now you know the gap."

Hendrick shook his head. "Don't listen to San Bai's nonsense. I only had a First-Stage Domain when I entered the Holy Land. It took ten years of Cultivation in the Holy Land to comprehend the second stage."

"With your current strength, your entry into the Fifth Heaven is basically certain. As for the Sixth Heaven, it's hard to say; it depends on luck."

"Depends on luck?"

San Bai explained, "You've already seen the structure of the Yunxu Holy Land. Except for the Tenth Heaven, the closer you get to the summit, the fewer people live there."

"Therefore, the spots for the Sixth and Seventh Heavens are limited. Even if you pass the Sixth Heaven assessment, you still have to compete with others entering the Holy Land at the same time."

"And in your batch, there happen to be two monsters who have already locked down two of the spots in advance."