Ever since she had been captivated by Rowan, and then met Yao and Vinina on Earth, Brolyn had felt a profound sense of comfort. There was no scheming or hidden agendas between them only genuine, heartfelt connection.
Brolyn had grown to deeply appreciate this kind of authentic emotional bond, slowly realizing just how beautiful Earth truly was. Her previous notions of this "primitive" planet had completely transformed.
She had also witnessed the courage of Earth's people, experiencing moments of rebirth alongside heroes who risked everything to protect their homes. Facing overwhelming dangers, even those at the warrior level, barely stronger than apprentices, would confront forces of millions just to defend tens of thousands of people in their bases. Many of these heroes were devoured without a trace, sacrificing themselves despite having the power to escape.
And this was no isolated incident; countless acts of heroism had left Brolyn deeply moved.
In the treacherous expanses of the universe, many powerful beings, after growing strong, would abandon their homes even when their civilizations faced imminent annihilation. If opponents were far stronger, they would leave their people behind.
But Earth was different. Rowan, Roman, Hong, and Thunder had risked the universe itself to protect this fragile planet. They had vowed to become true champions, venturing into the cosmos to safeguard their world.
At first, Brolyn had thought their actions were somewhat reckless. But gradually, she recognized their courage and selflessness. Though their power was modest, they were heroes, unlike anything she had ever known in her royal palace.
Rowan noticed Brolyn's transformation over this time and felt a deep joy. In truth, her circumstances had always been pitiful. Born into royalty, life was a constant struggle for power. Even if she had no desire for the throne, any hint of potential made her a threat in her siblings' eyes, someone who must be eliminated. She had to watch for betrayal and harm every moment, living as if trapped in a gilded cage.
Over time, this environment had shaped Brolyn's personality, making her ruthless and calculating but always out of self-preservation. Rowan saw this and felt pity for her.
He embraced Brolyn tightly, his voice gentle. "With me around, no one will ever bully you again."
Looking into Rowan's sincere eyes, Brolyn felt deeply moved. She pressed her ear to his chest, listening to his heartbeat. In that instant, she felt like the happiest woman in the universe.
Rowan lifted her into his arms, his gaze burning with intensity. Brolyn's face flushed, realizing what was coming next.
After a day spent wrapped in warmth, Brolyn lay content in Rowan's embrace. Their skin tones her pale blue and his pure white resembled the complementary halves of a yin-yang symbol.
"By the way, Rowan," she said, still catching her breath, "why did you really call me here? Surely it's not just for… this."
Brolyn was no fool; she knew Rowan had a purpose.
Rowan didn't beat around the bush. He spoke directly about the Starlight Severing Blade.
"The Starlight Severing Blade is a psychic weapon forged from the Fire Principle and Time-Space Principle. It exists somewhere in the imperial treasury," he said.
Brolyn's eyes lit up. "It does? Then it's in the treasury?"
Rowan's excitement surged. "How much will it cost?"
Brolyn shook her head with a faint smile. "Money isn't the question here. This blade can't be measured in price. My father achieved immortality through mastery of the Fire and Time Principles. The Starlight Severing Blade, attuned to him, is a perfect match. My father is unlikely to sell it. Weapons like these are among the nine greatest psychic artifacts in the universe, and this one is especially attuned to him."
Rowan's excitement immediately dimmed. Just when he had hoped to acquire the Star King Severing Blade, he realized the weapon he sought was a primary offensive weapon of the Black Dragon Empire. Obtaining it was virtually impossible.
"Are there any other leads on the Starlight Severing Blade?" he asked.
Brolyn shook her head. "It's incredibly rare. Its forging process is extremely difficult. Any time one appears on the market, it sparks a frenzy. Even my father has only reached the fifth stage of mastery, yet it already grants him near-immortal status."
Rowan frowned. This was troubling. Obtaining the Starlight Severing Blade would be a tremendous challenge. While Roman, as a child of destiny, could acquire the simpler Divine Weapon with ease, Rowan was not so fortunate.
Brolyn noticed his distress, and her own anxiety flared. Seeing Rowan so tense, she impulsively thought of a drastic idea.
"What if I steal my father's weapon?"
The words barely left her mouth before Rowan was stunned.
She was still unmarried, and yet she suggested stealing a weapon her father treasured above all else.
"That's impossible. Even if you tried, you wouldn't succeed. I'll find another way," Rowan said firmly, rubbing his temples.
He considered a more accessible fifth-stage psychic weapon, but quickly dismissed the idea. While strong, fifth-stage weapons would be no match against the Divine Weapon. Only one of the nine ultimate psychic weapons would suffice.
Brolyn watched him, her heart filled with worry. Rowan's mind raced, but she could think of no solution herself.
Suddenly, her virtual universe wristband buzzed with a message. Her expression darkened, a flash of lethal intent passing through her demeanor.
Though no true killing intent could exist in the virtual universe, Rowan could sense the shift in her emotions.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she replied hastily, ending the communication and forcing a faint smile. But Rowan knew it was strained; he could sense that Brolyn's recent situation had been troubling.
"You can't hide it from me. Tell me what happened."
Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Brolyn sighed, her brows furrowed deeply. She explained her ordeal.
"During the latest Realm-within-Realm expedition, my grandfather invested heavily. That cursed Realm claimed to hold a full set of spatial law inheritance crystals, but it was all fake. Even the second reward, the cosmic account, contained only a humiliating recording. My grandfather was furious.
"To compete for the best resources, he purchased countless Stellar-level warriors and borrowed more from allies to reach 600,000 in total. Yet we lost over 100,000 in battles inside the Realm, suffered further losses when facing you, and eventually, when the Realm closed, another 150,000 were trapped inside. Out of 600,000, fewer than 300,000 returned.
"In the castle area, we spent enormous amounts to buy Realm stones from other factions, totaling 75 Mixed Yuan Units. My grandfather lost too much.
"When I returned to the palace, my siblings mocked us. My grandfather went into seclusion. My main rival my eldest brother, the Second Prince seeing our heavy losses, secretly assassinated my loyal aides. Now, my Stellar-level bodyguards feel unsafe and have resigned. Even today, one female attendant was mysteriously attacked. I'm furious!"
Brolyn's anger grew with every word, her teeth nearly grinding to dust.
Rowan processed everything quickly, thoughts racing. Then he suddenly remembered something. The Virtual Universe's Genius Battle had long seen the Black Dragon Empire always at the bottom. They never made the top thousand, not even the top ten thousand, constantly mocked by other nations. For an empire spanning a thousand star systems, this lack of talent was a persistent frustration.
A strange smile curled on Rowan's lips. He gently lifted Brolyn's chin. "Come with me to the palace. I'll set things right for you."
"Ah? No, absolutely not!" Brolyn shook her head violently, clutching his fingers, fearing his impulsiveness.
"I'm serious. If someone harms my woman, I'll make them pay even if it's my brother-in-law. I'll ensure justice is done!" Rowan's gaze was unwavering.
Brolyn panicked. "Rowan, you can't act impulsively! My brother is ruthless and has reached Universe-level Stage Six. In the royal court, besides me, he is the most qualified to succeed as ruler. You aren't strong enough to face him!"
Rowan, confident, replied, "Don't worry. I have a plan. I won't risk my life unnecessarily. I'll not only secure justice for you, but also ensure your brother never dares contest the throne again."
Brolyn gaped in disbelief. Toppling her second brother seemed impossible, even she had no full confidence.
"If you don't take me, I'll go confront him myself!" she exclaimed.
Rowan didn't give her a chance to react. He immediately logged out of the virtual universe.
"Ah! Rowan, don't act recklessly!"
Brolyn scrambled to log out herself, heart racing. She could not believe Rowan, upon learning she had been wronged, would confront her brother directly. She was both terrified and elated. Rowan truly cared and would not back down, even against a future ruler of the Black Dragon Empire.
Rowan's resolve was well known to Brolyn from their past encounters. Even with his Universe-level Stage Two Malayan Vines, he was no match for her brother and his four Universe-level Stage Nine subordinates, not to mention his mentor, the Stage Nine Realm Lord ranked tenth in Black Dragon Empire.
Brolyn feared for him, considering asking her own mentor, the eleventh-ranked Realm Lord Stage Nine, for assistance.
Meanwhile, Rowan piloted the Black Dragon Vessel, locking onto the Black Dragon Empire's capital. Reaching the royal palace was simple, much like navigating to an imperial palace on Earth.
Coordinates set, the vessel entered dark-space travel, vanishing from Earth's surface as it sped toward the Black Dragon imperial capital.
At the same time, Rowan contacted Babata, who was accompanying Roman at the auction. Upon receiving the message, Babata immediately transmitted the data back to Rowan. Only a virtual projection arrived at this point.