The Ninth Princess looked at Yao Rao and smiled, her expression both composed and reasonable. "There is no need to be so surprised. Our man is powerful, and he successfully conquered me."
If the Ninth Princess had spoken such words in the palace, every minister and subordinate would have been utterly shocked.
A royal of such high status, who regarded everyone aside from her father and brothers with disdain, would never publicly speak so openly about being "conquered" by a man. Yet here she was, saying it in front of an outsider. It was jaw-dropping.
Even Yao Rao could hardly believe it. She had no idea what Brolin's original personality had been, but now, she could see that this Ninth Princess was surprisingly approachable.
Without hesitation, Yao Rao extended her hand, and the two women formed a genuine friendship.
Rowan noticed that Brolin truly wanted to befriend Yao Rao, without any ulterior motives. Yao Rao, in turn, began talking with Brolin. Laughter filled the air, and soon she called over Vinina.
Introductions made, the three women from the Devouring World gathered together, chatting and laughing merrily. Rowan watched their camaraderie with satisfaction. With this bond established, he could finally begin planning his next move.
Returning to the Mingyue District, Rowan focused on organizing his insights into the Fire Law for beginners. He sent these observations to the Thunder God via virtual mail.
Meanwhile, Rowan coordinated the transfer of all his cosmic crystals through the Cosmic Galaxy Bank, setting up remote transactions. Now that Earth was officially linked with the Black Dragon Empire, there was no reason to hide its location.
The coordinates could be public, provided the Zerg Mother Hive and the immortal machine ships remained undisclosed.
Babbata assisted Rowan in exchanging his currency through the virtual universe with the Cosmic Galaxy Bank. Within three days, a verification ship arrived on Earth.
This time, the ship was of extremely high specification, and the verifier was a Realm Lord. He moved casually through space, radiating an unrestrained aura. His presence, as a Realm Lord, created a subtle energy field that made Rowan frown slightly.
"Honored client, please present your items for verification!" the Realm Lord commanded.
Following the familiar procedure, Rowan presented a space ring containing all the cosmic crystals he had acquired in the Inter-Realm.
Though a first-tier Realm Lord, the verifier's eyes widened when he saw the exact number of crystals.
"So many cosmic crystals!"
The space ring held more than seventy compartments, each overflowing with crystals. The Realm Lord had expected only a modest sum, but now he realized the magnitude of Rowan's wealth.
After careful counting, the Realm Lord's demeanor shifted to utmost respect, abandoning any trace of indifference he had shown upon arrival.
"Honored guest, your cosmic crystals can be exchanged for 7.9 trillion cosmic credits. After a 0.2 percent fee, that amounts to 1.858 trillion credits."
The Realm Lord's gaze burned with excitement. Just one transaction yielded more than what he would normally earn in centuries. For a Stellar-class warrior like Rowan to possess wealth surpassing that of an ordinary Realm Lord was astounding.
Rowan gave a quick glance and approved the transaction. The verifier immediately secured the crystals in a special safe, then transferred the remaining funds to Rowan's account with the Cosmic Galaxy Bank after deducting fees.
"Congratulations, sir. Your account has been upgraded to a three-star user. You are now also a bronze member of the Giant Axe Martial Arena and may participate in major auctions with this status," the Realm Lord explained. Rowan, already familiar with the privileges of a three-star account, nodded and dismissed him. The verifier left promptly, vanishing into Earth's skies.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, Fourth Brother, let's meet at the War God Palace!" Rowan sent the message and entered the palace himself.
The War God Palace had now integrated with the virtual universe, functioning as a fully immersive part of it. Touch and sensation were nearly identical to reality, far surpassing previous virtual experiences, where even sensory feedback had felt slightly artificial.
Rowan's arrival inside the War God Palace revealed a population almost entirely composed of Earthlings. Planetary-class warriors numbered 215, an increase of twenty to thirty since last counted, and War God-class warriors exceeded 800 a remarkable beginning.
Since Earth's integration with the universe, the planet could acquire numerous cultivation resources from beyond. Transactions were conducted using Black Dragon Coins or Silver Blue Coins, currencies managed by skilled business minds on Earth.
Particularly, Rowan Feng's brother, Rowan Hua, possessed extraordinary investment talent. He organized a commercial alliance, venturing into the virtual universe and achieving remarkable success. He invested wisely, sharing a portion of profits to fund gifted individuals, allowing them to explore the virtual universe and glimpse the broader cosmos.
This exposure inspired many to pursue greater strength. Earth's remaining monsters no longer posed any threat. Since the Beast Emperor's death, all high-level beasts were leaderless. With the Eastern Sea Azure Dragon hunting king-class monsters daily, their numbers had sharply declined.
The Azure Dragon, with an insatiable appetite, could consume a king-class beast every two days. Soon, the planet's remaining king-class beasts numbered only in the thousands. At this rate, extinction was imminent.
Upon entering the War God Palace, Rowan received respectful salutations from even the most exalted beings. Men worshiped him, women desired to throw themselves at his feet, and all regarded him as a legendary superexistence. Among the young generation, Rowan's renown surpassed even Hong and the Thunder God.
Outside the Jiangnan Base stood a guardian beast, the Eastern Sea Azure Dragon. Thanks to cultivation with vast amounts of cosmic crystals and blood vines, it had reached Planetary Rank Nine. Its body now stretched over five kilometers, its massive frame dwarfing the surrounding walls.
Despite its size, it remained gentle. Children could climb onto its back, and the Dragon would envelop them with psychic energy, safely carrying them into the clouds to play. Most of these children were orphans, abandoned after their parents perished on trials or missions. Some wandered outside the walls just to catch a glimpse of the Azure Dragon.