[You bestowed one ton of Universe Level Grade C Nutrient Solution upon your disciple and received a hundredfold return: one ton of Grade D Domain Lord Level Nutrient Solution.]
"My thinking was right after all."
Lu Qingshan looked at his disciple Parisi inside the Nutrient Pod, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Grade C Nutrient Solution was almost the highest-grade Nutrient Solution money could buy on the market. It could help warriors below the Universe Level break through.
It could even help Star Level warriors evolve to the Universe Level...
Naturally, Lu Qingshan had bought the highest grade the system permitted to obtain a better return.
Fortunately, it had not disappointed him!
Half a month passed in a flash.
Inside the Grade E Nutrient Pod, the last drop of luminous green liquid was completely absorbed by Parisi's body.
Clear water rinsed him repeatedly, squeezing out every last trace of residual energy. Then the pod door opened automatically, and Parisi, the Blade Race youth who had slept for half a month, leaped out.
His blue-green skin had become crystalline and translucent from its immersion in energy. The aura emanating from him had actually soared from Star Level Sixth Stage to the peak of Star Level Nine.
If he wished, he could purchase resources at any time and break through to the Universe Level.
Of course.
Parisi certainly would not choose to break through. Once he made that choice and left the Star Level, his elite student status would automatically disappear. With his current strength, even if he could remain at the training hall after reaching the Universe Level, he would completely lose his eligibility to enter the Ganwu Mystic Region.
"Very good, Parisi." Lu Qingshan nodded slightly, approval in his eyes. "Your level held you back before, making it difficult to unleash your full potential. Now that you're at Star Level Nine, go to the Killing Field. Fully adapt to this surge in strength, refine your power output, and master every last bit of your body's potential!"
"Your disciple thanks you for the grace of giving him a new life, Teacher!" Parisi bowed deeply, his voice filled with gratitude.
This Grade E Nutrient Pod, this vast quantity of Nutrient Solution... their value was simply immeasurable. His teacher had undoubtedly poured unimaginable resources into nurturing him. The Blade Race was bloodthirsty and warlike, but they also engraved kindness upon their hearts.
Parisi disappeared through the doorway.
Lu Qingshan's gaze returned to the empty Nutrient Pod.
"I wonder what Domain Lord level one ton of Domain Lord Level Nutrient Solution can raise me to."
Lu Qingshan was not very sure.
However, he would soon know the answer.
Half a year later.
The pod door opened, and Lu Qingshan stepped out slowly. He stood tall and straight, his aura contained like a deep abyss.
"Domain Lord Level 6."
Lu Qingshan felt the changes in himself and was slightly regretful.
One ton of Nutrient Solution was still a little too little. It had only raised him from Domain Lord Level 2 to Domain Lord Level 6.
But Lu Qingshan soon let it go.
This was fine too.
If he raised his level too much at once, his strength would not be so easy to control.
Lu Qingshan was not disappointed. There would be more opportunities like this anyway. When Parisi and Lei Ming intended to break through to the Universe Level, he could obtain more Nutrient Solution returns.
"I'll go try things out at the Killing Field first."
Lu Qingshan entered the Virtual Universe's Killing Field.
Compared with the Killing Field in the Black Dragon Mountain Starfield, the Killing Field in Ganwu City clearly had more people.
The caliber of its experts was on an entirely different level as well.
Right there in the Killing Field's lobby, Lu Qingshan spotted several Cosmic Two-Star Mercenaries wearing blood-colored planet badges on their chests.
This was a title only Domain Lord experts could obtain.
When Lu Qingshan had been at the Universe Level, he had possessed a similar badge, but his had only one planet, marking him as a One-Star Universe Mercenary.
In the Killing Field of a mid-tier Universe Country, one probably would not encounter an expert like this even once in decades.
Yet here, experts like these appeared casually in the bustling lobby.
"Hmm? A Two-Leaf Ganwu Practitioner?"
A booming voice rang out.
Lu Qingshan looked toward the voice and saw a bald giant over three meters tall. He wore a short white tank top, his bulging, corded muscles brimming with explosive power.
"My name's Croc. Everyone calls me Crocodile King. Want to give it a try in the Decisive Battle Space?"
The commotion soon attracted the other experts in the Killing Field.
After all, two Domain Lords were still a rare pairing in the Killing Field's lobby.
"That fellow Crocodile King is planning to bully a newcomer again."
"Haha, I've never seen this second-stage Ganwu Practitioner before. He must be new. Croc's probably going to fleece him."
"That fellow Croc has a terrible reputation in the Killing Field, but you have to admit he's really strong. That Cosmic Two-Star Mercenary last time was supposedly a member of some mid-tier Universe Country's imperial family, yet Croc fleeced him three times in a row."
"That's because Croc is too devious. Every time, he only uses about as much strength as his opponent, making that arrogant prince think he lost the duel through carelessness."
"I wonder if this Two-Leaf Ganwu Practitioner will accept Croc's invitation. I hope he does. We'll get to watch another brilliant match of someone being toyed with."
"Why am I looking forward so much to seeing a Domain Lord expert being toyed with?"
The surrounding discussions were very quiet. Clearly, no one wished to offend an expert like Croc.
The Killing Field's lobby was no different from the ordinary Virtual Universe. Both restricted an individual's strength, so neither Lu Qingshan nor Croc could hear these conversations.
"Sorry, I only came to the Killing Field to test my secret technique."
Lu Qingshan waved a hand in refusal.
"Test your secret technique?" Crocodile King moved a step closer, his voice enticing. "How can the Killing Field's virtual data compare to an opponent fighting you for real? Let's have a spar, stopping short of injury. How about adding a little wager to liven things up? Ten billion Universe Coins. A trifling sum!"
Lu Qingshan's gaze did not waver. He could not even be bothered to respond again and turned to walk straight toward the passage leading to the Killing Space.
A little wager? Ten billion?
How was this any different from the telecom scams in my previous life?
No wonder this expert named Croc kept camping out in the Killing Space lobby. He was probably waiting for someone "fated" like him who had just entered the Killing Field.
This fellow seems to have some strength. Once I'm completely familiar with my own power, I could give it a try.
Lu Qingshan disappeared from the Killing Field's lobby.
This greatly disappointed the many people waiting to watch the show.
"Haha, Croc, you were too impatient. Bringing up a wager right away was bound to put him on his guard."
An expert acquainted with Croc spoke with a laugh.
"It was only ten billion Universe Coins. Surely that wasn't enough to do it?"
Croc looked at the spot where Lu Qingshan had disappeared, feeling a little regretful, as though he had missed out on a fat sheep.
Inside his private Killing Space, on an empty, deathly silent planet.
"Nasus, set my opponent as myself in perfect condition, at Domain Lord Level 6!" Lu Qingshan ordered.
Only by defeating his "perfect" self could he prove that he had truly mastered this body's strength.
"Command confirmed... generating simulation..."
Soon, a figure identical in appearance to Lu Qingshan appeared opposite him. Those simulated eyes were sharp as blades, without a trace of emotion.
"Come on!"
Lu Qingshan gave a low shout and drew his war blade, Thunderlight, with a backhand motion. The blade hummed, fine arcs of electricity dancing and coiling around it.
Bzz!
The "perfect Lu Qingshan" opposite him suddenly blurred, leaving an afterimage where he stood. His real body had already become a dazzling streak of lightning that tore through space, hurtling straight at Lu Qingshan's face! His speed far exceeded Lu Qingshan's expectations!
"Thunderlight Flash? You dare show off your axe before the master carpenter with a supreme technique I created myself!"
Lu Qingshan's combat instincts erupted. He instantly twisted and slashed backward at the empty space behind him!
Clang-
The tremendous clash of metal shook the space! The two Thunderlight blades collided violently, and berserk lightning energy exploded into a blinding ball of plasma.
"Hiss!"
Lu Qingshan's arm shuddered violently, and an intense aching numbness instantly spread through half his body! The immense disparity in strength almost made him lose his grip on the hilt!
His power output... far surpasses mine! Is this the strength of perfect control?
As thoughts flashed through his mind, Lu Qingshan unhesitatingly used the force to pull back and open up some distance.
However-
The "perfect Lu Qingshan" before him suddenly flickered and blurred!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...
Nine identical figures, each with an equally fierce aura, appeared in an instant, trapping Lu Qingshan firmly in their midst. Nine pairs of icy eyes locked onto him at once!
Boom!!!
Nine figures, nine war blades wreathed in destructive lightning, slashed simultaneously from every direction at a speed faster than thought!
Lu Qingshan only felt his vision swallowed by boundless lightning before an indescribable agony instantly drowned out all perception.
In the final fragments of his consciousness, he seemed to glimpse a headless body stiffening amid the lightning, along with nine figures coldly sheathing their blades.
His consciousness sank into darkness.
One strike... an instant kill!
(End of chapter)