When Babata saw Rowan, she couldn't help but ask, curious, "Where are you headed?"
"I'm going to the Black Dragon Empire."
Babata blinked in surprise. "What are you going there for? Going to see your little lover?"
It was as if she already understood Rowan's nature, and she pursed her lips, shooting him a disapproving glance. That man, always driven by his lower impulses.
"Don't think of me as so vulgar!" Rowan retorted.
"You're not?" Babata shot back with a smirk.
Rowan glared at her, utterly speechless, but he didn't bother arguing further.
He then asked Babata briefly about the royal family of the Black Dragon Empire, wondering if she knew anything.
Babata, who didn't have extensive intelligence, replied, "The Black Dragon Empire is just a small nation. In the vast universe, it hardly matters. What's left outside is only some scattered rumors. I can compile the information I have and tell you what I know."
Rowan nodded, asking for her collected intelligence.
Babata continued, "The Black Dragon Empire has twelve princes and three princesses. Your little lover is the ninth princess. Some of the princes have died under various circumstances.
"The first prince died 2,300 years ago after entering a secret realm. The second prince is cruel by nature but cunning and moderately skilled. He's considered a minor genius and is currently at Universe Level Six. He has a teacher ranked tenth in the Black Dragon Empire, a Realm Master named Harkas, who wields the Law of Gold. Right now, he's widely regarded as the most qualified to ascend the throne."
"The third, fourth…" Babata continued detailing each prince, though she admitted that her information was collected online, so its accuracy remained uncertain.
"Wait…why are you suddenly asking about the Black Dragon Empire?" she asked, suspiciously looking at Rowan.
Rowan smiled faintly, a smile with a strange undertone that made Babata's heart skip.
"You're not thinking… of attacking the Black Dragon Empire, are you?" she blurted, voice trembling.
Rowan turned to her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You've followed me so long, you're like a worm in my stomach. You always know what I'm thinking."
"You're insane!" Babata screamed. "The place is heavily guarded, filled with elite soldiers and advanced weapons. How could you possibly get in alone? You might not even make it close without being shredded by gunfire!"
Rowan didn't flinch. He narrowed his eyes. "How would I know until I try? I've never assaulted a royal palace before. Probably no one in the history of the Black Dragon Empire has. Looks like I'll be the first." He then activated a signal blocker, cutting off Babata.
Meanwhile, Rowan Feng was piloting an intelligent spacecraft, heading to an auction in the Qianwu Universe under Babata's guidance. The ship cut through the endless cosmos, stars flickering in the distance.
"We have to change course!" Babata suddenly shouted, frustrated. "Rowan doesn't know what he's thinking! He's planning to stir up trouble at the Black Dragon Empire!"
Rowan Feng, who had been training, turned pale. "What? Why would our third brother suddenly go there?"
He was confused why would Rowan act so irrationally and head straight for the Black Dragon Empire?
At that moment, Rowan's message came through the communicator. He assured them that his plan carried no real danger and warned them not to interfere.
After a brief pause, Rowan Feng reluctantly set aside the controls. "Babata, we follow Third Brother's instructions. Don't change course. Continue to the auction."
"You're crazy!" Babata exclaimed. "How can we just leave him to risk his life?"
Rowan Feng shook his head firmly. "Third Brother doesn't fight without certainty. If he says it's safe, he must have a plan. We've seen his methods before. Trust him; he can handle it."
Babata groaned internally but eventually bowed her head, silently following Rowan Feng to the auction. During this time, she also realized that Rowan's secondary persona was a Shadow Clan entity, exceptionally skilled at stealth a likely part of his plan to stay safe.
Meanwhile, Rowan piloted the Black Dragon straight to the borders of the Black Dragon Empire. From afar, the capital gleamed like a jewel embedded in the cosmos. Massive cities stretched across the planet, towers piercing the clouds and shimmering metallically. Around it, proton cannons repurposed from more than ten stars formed a deadly ring of defense, capable of annihilating immortals. Patrol ships marked with the Imperial Martial Corps insignia flitted between them.
Among them floated massive starships, their weapon systems glinting with deadly precision, ready to strike any intruder. Smaller craft darted back and forth like swarming ants, maintaining the defensive network.
Rowan whispered, "Armed to the teeth…" He hadn't expected the Black Dragon Empire's capital to be so heavily fortified. Even immortals would struggle here.
As Rowan observed the perimeter, a patrolling starship detected the Black Dragon. Alarm sirens blared.
"Unidentified vessel! Halt immediately for inspection!"
Weapons on the warship locked onto the Black Dragon.
Rowan ignored them, slamming the accelerator. The ship shot forward like a black lightning bolt, diving toward the defensive ring.
"Fire!" the warship commander ordered. Energy beams lanced out toward the Black Dragon. Rowan's ship twisted and dodged with uncanny agility, rising, dipping, and tilting at perfect angles to evade fatal strikes.
The soldiers gawked, stunned. They had never seen a vessel maneuver with such fluidity, as if it were alive. What they didn't know was that Rowan had integrated his mental energy into the ship, amplifying its responsiveness to near-impossible levels.
Seizing the moment, he activated a booster at the rear of the Black Dragon, breaking through the defenses and heading straight for the capital.
On the main warship, a subordinate urged, "Captain, activate the annihilation cannon! This weapon could easily take down a Stellar-class target like that vessel."
"Use a Domain Master-level orbital cannon for a mere Stellar-class opponent? If word gets out, the Martial Corps would be ridiculed. Forget the protocol, just capture him!" the commander barked.
A chase ensued.
Rowan entered the capital's atmosphere, where defenses became even more extreme. The sky teemed with flying craft and weapons platforms, the ground swarmed with troops. He had to find a safe landing zone before he was overrun.
He finally spotted an abandoned factory on the city's edge. Without hesitation, he piloted the Black Dragon in for a landing. He switched his core into a shadow clone, which melted into the walls like liquid and slithered through hidden passages into the factory.
Inside, Rowan took a deep breath, scanning the ruins. Broken walls and a stale, musty smell filled the space. He began searching for resources while deploying Black Dragon's devices to survey the imperial palace in detail.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside. Rowan hid and peered through a gap, spotting a group of heavily armed soldiers approaching. All were Stellar-class, clad in black armor and highly disciplined.
"Strange, we tracked a ship landing nearby, but it's gone," one soldier said.
"Search carefully. It might be hiding in the ruins," the commander ordered.
Rowan cursed inwardly. If they discovered him, reinforcements likely Universe-class would soon follow. He quickly activated the Black Dragon's stealth system. The ship vanished instantly. Simultaneously, he jammed local communications and detection devices, rendering the soldiers' equipment useless.
"What's happening? All signals are down!" the troops panicked.
"Stay alert. Keep searching!" the commander forced calm.
Unable to rely on technology, the soldiers searched blindly, finding nothing. After some time, the commander sighed. "Stand down. Probably a false detection."
Inside the palace, Bronwyn was frantic, asking about any disturbances outside. A subordinate rushed in with news: a ship had breached the defenses, landed, and vanished likely activating stealth.
A virtual projection showed the Black Dragon evading heavy attacks and disappearing inside the city. Bronwyn immediately recognized it as Rowan's ship, feeling both alarmed and relieved.
"I order all defense units to stand down. That ship is a friend, not an invader. Invite them to the palace upon sighting," she commanded. Orders spread rapidly, halting the search.
Suspended in mid-air, Rowan watched the retreating soldiers, confirming Bronwyn's intervention. Finally, he could relax slightly. With no more pursuers, he resumed his flight toward the capital.
The planet housed many large cities, not just the capital. Civilian life thrived here.
Rowan pressed onward and soon spotted another massive ship hurtling straight toward him.