Rowan's blade moved like a living shadow. With a single sweeping strike, it tore through the air as if splitting the heavens themselves.
When the saber descended upon the final set of shields, the blade, heated to several hundred thousand degrees, sliced through them effortlessly. The shields split cleanly in two.
Behind them, the Second Prince's eyes filled with terror.
"Duntian Shuttle, Swordfish!"
Rowan turned his head slightly. The Swordfish Array pierced forward in an instant. The Second Prince wore a fifth-tier origin-energy battle armor, and Rowan knew his saber alone could not easily break through it.
But with the Swordfish Array combined with the Crimson Primal Copper fragment, a single strike was enough.
The attack pierced straight through the Second Prince's abdomen.
Blood burst from his mouth as disbelief flooded his face. His fifth-tier origin-energy armor had been penetrated directly.
How was this possible?
Before he could even process it, searing pain ripped through his body. He screamed, the sound sharp and agonized.
Rowan maintained his Fire Domain. The wound on the Second Prince's abdomen was horrifying, and under the relentless flames, the pain intensified. His screams grew louder with each passing moment.
Rowan had won.
Silence fell over the arena. Every pair of eyes locked onto the man standing in the battlefield.
Unbelievable.
He had actually won.
The happiest person by far was Bronwyn. She jumped up and down, cheering wildly, unable to contain her joy.
Her voice rang out, and suddenly the Seventh Prince began to clap. He rose to his feet and looked at Rowan with a warm smile.
"You're strong. No wonder my sister chose you. I admire you."
With just a few words, he closed the distance between himself and Rowan. From beginning to end, the Seventh Prince had never mocked or belittled him.
As his applause spread, the entire arena erupted. Cheers thundered like a tidal wave.
Rowan withdrew his domain and waved casually to the crowd, smiling.
Flowers and applause were all directed at him.
Meanwhile, the Second Prince lay on the ground in agony. He hurriedly took out a healing medicine and poured it onto his wound. The injury healed at a visible speed.
But when he looked up and saw the entire arena cheering Rowan's name, the impact shattered him.
He lay there like a clown.
Shame crushed him, and hatred surged violently within his heart.
Ignoring all sense of honor, he grabbed his battle blade and suddenly slashed toward Rowan's head.
They were less than a meter apart. The sudden strike was terrifyingly fast.
"Die! The only victor is me!"
His eyes were bloodshot, killing intent overflowing. Jealousy and hatred had stripped him of all restraint.
Yet Rowan felt no fear at all.
In the next instant, an overwhelming immortal pressure descended like a collapsing galaxy.
Time froze around the Second Prince. His ferocious expression remained frozen in place, while everyone else was crushed to their knees by the terrifying immortal force.
Only Rowan remained standing.
Even under that immense pressure, he refused to kneel.
Instead, he activated the Fire Law and Time Law simultaneously, forcing the two powers together as he pushed back against the immortal pressure.
The effect was limited, but it strengthened his resolve. He would stand, no matter what.
At that moment, the crowd looked up as space itself tore apart.
A figure stepped out slowly.
Black flames filled the sky. The man wore a black-and-gold imperial battle robe, his eyes burning with dark fire as he walked through the air.
"Not bad."
He spoke only two words.
Rowan immediately understood who he was.
The Black Dragon Mountain Emperor had finally appeared.
Rowan clasped his hands in greeting but did not kneel. "Greetings, Black Dragon Mountain Emperor."
Bronwyn and the others quickly bowed. "Greetings, Father."
The emperor glanced around, nodded slightly, and withdrew his immortal pressure.
The frozen space around the Second Prince shattered. He stumbled, nearly falling.
"Damn it! You bastard… Father!"
Freed from the time lock, the Second Prince slashed again, but the emperor's face turned pale with fury.
"Get lost. You disgrace me."
The emperor's glare alone made the Second Prince retreat in fear.
Soon, only Rowan and the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor remained on the battlefield.
"You like Bronwyn?" the emperor asked.
"Of course," Rowan replied without hesitation.
"You caused all this commotion. You can't possibly have done it just for that," the emperor said calmly.
Rowan nodded. "I met Bronwyn in the World Within a World. This time, I came to reclaim justice for her. And I want to borrow something from you."
The emperor raised an eyebrow.
"I want to borrow your weapon, the Starflare Riftblade."
The emperor's expression darkened instantly. A terrifying primordial pressure slammed down on Rowan.
The force crushed him like a mountain. Rowan heard his bones creaking, on the verge of breaking. His vision blurred, but he stood firm.
He released his spiritual power along with the Fire Law and Time Law, using everything he had to resist.
The emperor's eyes widened.
This young man had mastered both Fire Law and Time Law.
No wonder he wanted the Starflare Riftblade.
A true monster of talent.
At the Stellar level, having comprehended two laws and reached the entry threshold in both was almost unheard of.
The emperor withdrew his pressure.
Rowan exhaled and retracted his powers.
"Impressive. But why should I lend you my weapon?" the emperor asked.
Rowan smiled and met his gaze without fear. "Because I will let the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and the Qianwu Universe Nation, wash away decades of humiliation in this generation's Genius Battle."
The emperor's eyes lit up.
Rowan continued, "After entering the Virtual Universe Company, I will exchange points for a weapon and return yours. I will not take my father-in-law's things for free."
Father-in-law.
The emperor stared at Rowan, then burst into laughter.
He liked this young man more and more.
For years, everyone around him had been obsequious. No one dared speak to him like this, as an equal.
How could he not like such fearless brilliance?
The emperor laughed heartily, his voice shaking the heavens.
The audience was stunned.
It had been countless years since they had seen the emperor laugh so openly.
Even Bronwyn was anxious, unable to hear their conversation due to the spiritual barrier around them.
Then the emperor suddenly took out a weapon.
It was a savage-looking saber, 1.2 meters long, forged from dark silver metal. Complex runes covered its surface.
The Starflare Riftblade.
Some princes sneered, thinking Rowan was about to die.
But before anyone could react, Bronwyn rushed forward, shouting, "Father, spare him!"
Rowan and the emperor exchanged a knowing smile.
"My daughter really likes you," the emperor said.
"I'm strong. Who wouldn't?" Rowan replied with a grin. "Do you like me?"
The emperor laughed again.
Just as Bronwyn reached them, the emperor casually tossed the saber to Rowan and erased his imprint from it.
The blade became ownerless.
The crowd froze.
Instead of bloodshed, they saw Rowan catch the saber and smile at the emperor, mutual respect shining between them.
Bronwyn skidded to a stop, completely dumbfounded.
What just happened?
Rowan dropped the spiritual barrier, pulled Bronwyn into his arms, and kissed her deeply in front of everyone.
The arena exploded.
Bronwyn froze, her mind going blank.
"Hey, brat, I'm still here!" the emperor snapped.
Rowan laughed. "I'll be calling you Father soon anyway. That makes her my wife. What, am I not worthy?"
The emperor was speechless.
The crowd stared in disbelief.
Did he just say that to the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor?
The emperor finally spoke. "In four years, I hope you will bring glory back to the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. No, to the entire Qianwu Universe Nation."
He placed a hand on Rowan's shoulder.
Rowan nodded.
"Also," Rowan added, "Bronwyn will return to Earth with me. I want no interference with her or Earth."
The emperor waved his hand. "The entire Milky Way will be under your jurisdiction. From now on, you are its lord."
Rowan's eyes lit up.
He had only wanted Earth.
Instead, he received an entire galaxy.