The Praise of a Paragon

Snow gave a slight nod, his gaze settling on Qin Zhao as if it were tangible, as though he meant to see right through him. "You're Qin Zhao? From Flame Meteor Planet, and you comprehended the Earth Domain at the first stage of Planet Level?" His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying unquestionable authority.

"That's me." Qin Zhao replied calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Very good." A glint flashed in Snow's eyes. "I've received the preliminary assessment report from base intelligence K-77. But according to the rules, you'll need to complete a Virtual Reality Assessment to confirm your domain level and combat potential. If you pass, you'll qualify as a Core Student directly and receive priority access to the Holy Land's resources. Do you dare accept the assessment?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Qin Zhao replied calmly, his gaze steady.

A flicker of approval passed through Snow's eyes. He said no more, simply raising a hand and waving it. A gentle blue light enveloped Qin Zhao. The next moment, the hall around them rippled like water, blurred, and then rapidly vanished before his eyes.

When his vision cleared, Qin Zhao found himself standing on a vast, empty metal platform suspended in an endless void. Only distant pinpricks of starlight provided a faint source of illumination. The platform was about a hundred meters across, its surface engraved with intricate energy circuits that gleamed with a cold metallic sheen.

"The Virtual Reality Assessment is about to begin." Snow's voice came from the void, echoing through the space. "You'll fight a Virtual Martial Artist at your level. The Virtual Martial Artist will gradually increase its domain strength and combat skills. Your task is to withstand its attacks for as long as you can, or defeat it. Your performance will determine your overall assessment."

"Choose your weapon and battle suit." As the supervisor finished speaking, countless hazy images appeared before Qin Zhao: all kinds of standard first-order Force Weapons and First-Order Force Battle Suits. Sabers, spears, swords, staffs, axes, hammers... There were many varieties, but all were basic models.

Qin Zhao's gaze swept over them before he raised his hand and pointed. A dark, simply fashioned Thick-backed Warblade dropped into his hand. Its blade was broad and heavy, giving it a solid, dependable feel. At the same time, an ochre Force Battle Suit instantly covered his body. Its lines were sleek, with simple reinforcements at the vital points.

"The battlefield environment will default to the Combat Platform." Qin Zhao chose not to change the environment. This most basic setting would best reveal their pure combat strength.

"First round of the assessment, begin!"

Buzz!

Across the platform, a dark yellow light gathered and quickly formed the figure of a Crystal Man about the same height as Qin Zhao. Its body looked as though it had been carved from yellow jade. It held a standard War Blade identical to the one in Qin Zhao's hand, and radiated the energy fluctuations of a first-stage Planet Level fighter.

"I will display a first-layer domain." The Crystal Man spoke in a cold, mechanical voice. As soon as it finished—

Boom!

A heavy, profound aura burst forth from the Crystal Man! Dark yellow light spread like a rising tide, instantly covering a radius of fifty meters and engulfing most of the platform. The air within the domain seemed to grow thick, and gravity subtly increased, making it feel as if one were sinking into a mire. This was one of the most basic applications of the Earth Domain: Gravity Binding!

The Crystal Man planted a foot on the platform, making it tremble slightly. Using the pressure of its domain, it shot forward like lightning. Its War Blade cut through the dark yellow glow, bringing a heavy force as it chopped straight at Qin Zhao's face! The attack was simple and direct, yet it brought the gravity enhancement of a first-layer Earth Domain fully into play. The blade whistled through the air with tremendous force.

Facing the swift, ferocious strike, Qin Zhao's eyes narrowed slightly. He could clearly feel the pressure of the other's domain, but it posed no threat to him.

"Domain, open."

Qin Zhao gave a quiet command in his heart, and an ochre current spread outward from him as well! His domain covered a radius of about fifty meters, but its color was purer and deeper than the Crystal Man's, as though it contained the very essence of the earth. Though Qin Zhao claimed to have only a first-layer domain, he had actually crossed the threshold of the Laws. Even while deliberately holding back, the nature and stability of his domain, and the precision with which he controlled the power of earth, far surpassed those of an ordinary first-layer domain!

Buzz!

The two domains of the same origin crashed into one another! There was no earth-shattering explosion, but an invisible force field pressed and eroded against itself. The next moment, Supervisor Snow's eyes flashed as he watched from outside: the Crystal Man's dark yellow domain began to melt and retreat the instant it touched Qin Zhao's ochre domain, like snow beneath the spring sun!

It wasn't an overwhelming advantage in energy strength, but suppression at the level of their very essence! Qin Zhao's domain was more condensed and closer to the essence of the Law of Earth. Within its range, he had far greater control over earth-attributed energy!

"What?!" The Crystal Man's cold mechanical voice seemed to take on a hint of humanlike astonishment. Its Gravity Binding had little effect within Qin Zhao's domain, while it itself felt a stronger force of restraint surging in from all directions. Its movements faltered.

Now!

Qin Zhao moved! He didn't use any particularly sophisticated footwork, just a simple sidestep that neatly avoided the strongest part of the blade's arc. At the same time, he swung his Thick-backed Warblade upward in a plain, unadorned slash!

The strike wasn't especially fast, nor was its angle particularly tricky, but the timing was perfect! The Crystal Man had just exhausted its previous strength and had yet to muster new force. Suppressed by Qin Zhao's domain, it was momentarily off balance!

Ochre light gathered within the blade, holding explosive power in check.

Clang!

Sparks flew! The Crystal Man hastily brought its blade up to block, but felt an irresistible, tremendous force travel along the weapon! The energy-simulated bones in its arm creaked under the strain. Its entire body flew backward as if struck by a meteor, tumbling beyond the edge of the platform before dissolving into specks of light in the void.

One strike! Just one strike! With both of them wielding first-layer domains, Qin Zhao had killed the Virtual Martial Artist in a single move, with overwhelming superiority!

The void fell silent. Qin Zhao stood with his blade in hand as his ochre domain slowly receded and his breathing remained steady. Though he had made the Virtual Martial Artist's defeat look effortless, his gaze had remained fixed on the Virtual Panel before him.

[Congratulations on experiencing the first battle of your life and earning the praise of a Paragon!]

[Achievement unlocked: Praise of a Paragon!]

[Reward: Comprehension increased by 20%!]

...

[Name: Qin Zhao]

[Talent: Earth Element (Transcendent), Water-style (High), ... (High and below omitted)]

[Achievements: Saint Realm, Lowgod, Erudite, Praise of a Paragon]

[Secret Technique: 128 Martial Arts Secret Techniques (99% mastery)]

[Comprehension: Earth-style Laws (Earth Element 100%, Pulse of the Earth 2%)]

[Items: None]

[Buff: Comprehension increased by 30%]

"Even battles in the Virtual Universe count as real battles? And this time, the buff actually gave me a 20% increase to my comprehension?"

Seeing how easily he'd obtained such an excellent buff, Qin Zhao felt quite excited. If achievements were this easy to earn, he'd have to think up some unconventional ways to rack up more of them!

"And the system rates Supervisor Snow as a Paragon? So reaching Domain Lord Ninth Stage corresponds to the Paragon level in the Coiling Dragon World's power system?"

Qin Zhao had been uncertain about how the power levels of the Coiling Dragon World and the Swallowed Star World corresponded, but now he'd more or less resolved half of that question.