The stellar aura radiated by the beasts was ferocious beyond measure.
For the more than three hundred planetary-level warriors present, just the oppressive weight emanating from the monsters made them feel as if they would be crushed in the next instant. Some apprentices and ninth-rank cultivators couldn't withstand the terrifying pressure and fainted on the spot. The scene quickly descended into chaos.
Seeing this, Rowan shouted toward the two colossal beasts in the sky, "Contain your pressure, or we'll cook you for soup!"
Rowan's threat worked. At his command, the beasts immediately reined in their aura. The crushing heaviness subsided, and the planetary-level warriors around them gasped for breath, their clothes drenched in sweat. Moments ago, they had truly believed they were facing imminent death.
Even now, stellar-level beasts remained overwhelmingly terrifying to humans.
Xu Xin clutched her mouth in disbelief, staring at the two massive creatures hovering above. Even now, she could hardly imagine that these beasts were now her subordinates.
"Master!" The beasts bellowed in unison. Their terrifying eyes caused Xu Xin to stumble straight into Luo Feng's embrace. The scene left Luo Feng both amused and exasperated.
Rowan shrugged helplessly, but Hong and Thunder couldn't help but notice that both monsters were equipped with heavy weapons.
"Third Brother, where did you even get these? The gifts you're giving are way stronger than ours!" Thunder teased, placing a hand on Luo Feng's shoulder.
"These are cosmic beasts. The Beast Clan naturally specializes in working alongside monsters. They've perfected the technology to control them. These two beasts are a gift to guard Luo Feng's home," Rowan explained simply.
Guard the home?
All the planetary-level and war-god-level warriors nearby froze in disbelief. Two stellar-level beasts, each immensely powerful, reduced to domestic guards? The thought alone made their scalps tingle.
"Third Brother, thank you for this incredible gift!" Luo Feng said sincerely. He had worried about Xu Xin's safety while he and others ventured through the universe, wondering if he needed to hire some protectors. But now, with these beasts housed within her rings, Xu Xin could summon them at a thought. Any danger would be neutralized instantly.
This gift was beyond priceless.
Xu Xin stored the beasts away once more, and Rowan also provided her with cultivation resources for them. With these materials, the beasts could easily advance to cosmic-level power.
The wedding concluded.
Rowan returned home with Yara and Venina to begin their private life. Three days and nights passed in continuous intimacy, as Rowan sought to make up for the absence and neglect of the past. Yara and Venina were utterly smitten, fully satisfied.
Afterward, Rowan returned to his intense training regimen.
One year later, on Jupiter.
The environment was so hostile that even planetary-level warriors would struggle to survive. Scorching heat and raging thunderstorms threatened to obliterate everything. Countless bolts of lightning struck Rowan, yet they had no effect.
He remained seated in meditation, floating in midair, as the surrounding space twisted and warped around him.
A thunderous roar erupted. The Golden-Horned Beast suddenly appeared behind Rowan, a colossal giant boar that slammed its massive paw toward him. In an instant, the terrifying force of the blow exploded outward. Gale-force winds and lightning scattered in all directions.
Boom!
As the paw struck, Rowan's body contorted. The next enormous claw slammed into the ground, causing the terrain within a thousand meters to upheave and collapse around the point of impact.
The Golden-Horned Beast spun its head, astonished to see that Rowan, previously beneath its paw, had reappeared several hundred meters away.
"Incredible speed!" it thought.
"No… I didn't see any trace of movement…"
Luo Feng's Golden-Horned Beast's eyes gleamed strangely. It had been certain its attack had struck Rowan. Yet the man was now hundreds of meters away, as if the surrounding space had briefly frozen.
The beast lunged again.
"Third Brother, where are you escaping to!"
The Golden-Horned Beast swung once more, this time enveloped in a golden aura of its Domain, spreading across a kilometer. By now, the creature had advanced to the first stage of cosmic-level power. Naturally, it had learned to manifest a Domain. Even at a single layer, it could disorient Rowan.
But just as the giant claw was about to strike, that strange sensation returned briefly, lasting only 0.01 seconds. When it vanished, Rowan had again disappeared from his previous location.
"Where is he!"
The beast scanned frantically, seeing nothing.
"You've lost!"
Rowan's voice rang from above the beast's head. He held a fourth-tier Source Energy Warblade and laughed.
"Third Brother… what just happened!"
The Golden-Horned Beast was shaken. Every strike had nearly hit, yet Rowan avoided each one effortlessly.
"Don't be surprised. He has comprehended the Time Law and has just entered the threshold. During the fight, he briefly froze time for 0.01 seconds, allowing him to teleport 500 meters instantly," Babata explained calmly from atop the beast's snout.
"Time Law?" Luo Feng exclaimed.
Rowan laughed, pleased. Over the past year, he had studied and refined the Time Law, learning its full rhythm in this world. By the third day, he had mastered the strongest ability within the Time Law: brief temporal stasis. Though only 0.01 seconds, for warriors like them, it was more than enough to gain the upper hand. This was Rowan's first use of the Time Law, and it felt sublime.
"Congratulations, Third Brother!"
Luo Feng's envy flared. Rowan now commanded two Laws. Luo Feng still struggled to even grasp the threshold of the Law of Gold.
Still, he remained undeterred. His confidence lay in the Golden-Horned Beast. He understood why Rowan had left it to him it would help unlock his potential. This realization filled Luo Feng with gratitude and admiration.
As Rowan and Luo Feng discussed the recent events, a message arrived from the Cosmic Star River Bank. Rowan's eyes lit up as he read it.
Luo Feng, in his Earthly guise, noticed Rowan's excitement. Curious, he asked, "What's happened?"
"Gather Big Brother and Second Brother. I'm sharing some money!" Rowan laughed.
Luo Feng looked slightly bewildered but called over Hong and Thunder. The four of them convened at Hongning Base on Earth.
"What's got Rowan in such a hurry?" Thunder asked casually.
Hong raised a hand to silence him, letting Rowan continue.
"All the weapons and treasures from the auction have been sold. Seventy-one items total, yielding 160 Hun Yuan units," Rowan announced.
Shock registered on everyone's faces. Combined with the 60+ units they had acquired previously, their total wealth reached 220 Hun Yuan units.
"Good heavens! We're rich!" Thunder almost screamed, covering her mouth in disbelief. Ordinary Realm Lords rarely amassed even ten units.
"I'll divide the money among us. Each person gets forty-five units. Spend it however you like," Rowan said, like a magnate distributing wealth.
No objections arose. Without Rowan's assistance and his provision of the Cloudvine, they likely wouldn't have survived the World Within Worlds.
With their newfound wealth, Rowan immediately turned to the next objective: acquiring the Stellar Rift Blade, essential for the Virtual Universe Genius Tournament. Without it, facing Beran and the others would be far more difficult.
Babata could not locate the blade, so Rowan dispatched her with Luo Feng to attend an auction held by the Qianwu Universe Empire to obtain the Transcendent Divine Weapon and the Moshaz Clan avatar.
Luo Feng's talent had emerged, making him far stronger than his original timeline counterpart. As the second prodigy of the Yinmo Star lineage, Babata gladly assisted. The stronger he became, the more it benefited their teacher's plans and future revenge.
Meanwhile, Rowan sought a more suitable ally: the Ninth Princess, Brolin of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. With its long history and vast treasury, she might even have the Stellar Rift Blade.
In the Virtual Universe, at the Nine-Star Lake Court, Rowan now had funds. He had already spent one Hun Yuan unit to purchase a massive virtual island, covering an astonishing 6,000 kilometers.
The island's ecology mimicked Earth's, with fragrant flora, towering mountains, and classical architecture. Inside, it contained luxurious modern buildings, numerous virtual robots, and artificial scenery, creating a vision of peace and prosperity.
Following an ancient cultivation aesthetic, the island resembled a fairyland, exquisite beyond imagination.
Rowan's consciousness descended upon a towering nine-story Divine Pagoda, surrounded by sixteen grand treasure towers. Virtual creatures ran freely while the breeze whispered through the trees. The air was pure and enchanting.
As Rowan entered the first-floor hall, a figure suddenly leapt into his arms.
"Rowan! I've waited for you so long!"
Brolin clung to him like a newlywed, all her previous arrogance and imperiousness gone.
"I still like it when you called me the native," Rowan teased, pinching her delicate nose playfully.
"I wouldn't dare… Besides, you're my husband. How could I do anything like that?"
Brolin was truly falling for this domineering man. Experiencing conquest in such a way was a strangely delightful sensation.
For Brolin, this was her first real romance. Her previous "marriage" in the palace was merely a political alliance between clans. She had not opposed it profit had always been the priority. In royal life, even harming one's siblings was acceptable if it served one's interests.