For most warriors, the sheer force of that strike would have been terrifying, leaving them frozen in fear. Yet Rowan merely smiled faintly, completely unfazed by the attack.
Even though his Fire Domain had been shredded to pieces by the roaring wind, he showed no sign of panic.
Slowly, he closed his eyes and drew the Starflare Rift Blade from the space around him.
An opponent who had mastered Wind Law deserved nothing less than this weapon. His fourth-tier Origin Energy warblade was insufficient against such a foe.
That earlier warblade had only been a transitional weapon. Rowan had never fully explored its secrets, using only half its potential. Now, with the Starflare Rift Blade in hand, he discarded the old one without a second thought.
"Starflare Rift Blade?!"
Chong Lou's expression shifted, but he quickly laughed heartily. "So this is your trump card! Do you even know how to wield it?"
Within his clan, Chong Lou was a top-tier genius with extensive knowledge. He had heard of the Nine Great Psychic Weapons and knew the immense difficulty of mastering them. The Starflare Rift Blade ranked among the three most difficult of the nine. Even if he could activate the first form, it would only reach its limit.
"Law of Fire! Pillar of Heaven!"
Before Chong Lou could revel in his advantage, terrifying flames erupted around Rowan.
The Law of Fire ignited a towering wall of flames behind him, turning the surrounding terrain into a roiling inferno. The flames clung to Rowan, casting him as if he were a deity of fire.
Infusing his psychic energy into the blade, the Starflare Rift Blade began to glow with a silver brilliance, dazzling as a miniature star.
"How can this be?"
The power radiating from the blade left Chong Lou stunned. Even the distant onlookers the girl and the scythe-wielding man turned pale.
"How is this possible? His true weapon is the Starflare Rift Blade. Can he actually wield it?"
The scythe-wielder shivered with relief that he had not engaged Rowan. From watching Chong Lou's battle alone, he realized he would never stand a chance. Even mocking Rowan earlier now filled him with unease.
The girl, on the other hand, stared with eyes alight with wonder. She whispered almost breathlessly, "So cool…"
Her infatuation left the scythe-wielder speechless. In the middle of such chaos, she was actually swooning over him.
Meanwhile, across World One, Rowan and Chong Lou's clash drew immense attention.
Top-tier warriors entered the virtual universe to witness the battle in unparalleled detail. Rowan wielding the Starflare Rift Blade signified an extraordinary comprehension of the Law of Fire, though no one expected him to have grasped the Law of Time it was exponentially more difficult than any other law.
Observers knew Rowan had achieved this level in just under thirty years of cultivation, an astonishing feat when most competitors were over a century old.
At just thirty, Rowan's talent was unprecedented.
At the virtual universe headquarters, the upper echelon convened. Fifteen immortals sat in the conference room, each a peerless existence, the lowest ranking at the invincible king level. At the head of the room sat the Nine-Sword Sovereign.
"World One is remarkable," said an immortal named Tan Tan. "Two excellent prospects: Chong Lou and Rowan. And this young man actually chose the Starflare Rift Blade, one of the Nine Great Psychic Weapons."
"Other regions also produced outstanding talents. In Districts 31 and 39, Hong and Thunder God performed exceptionally. Like Rowan, they hail from Earth, a remote planet with billions of inhabitants. Four top-tier geniuses emerging from one planet that probability is astonishing," another immortal added.
"And there's one called Berlan. His talent is incredible. No one has survived a single encounter with him. He dominates all aspects of combat. He's likely the champion this year," they continued. Berlan's performance left the immortals deeply impressed, a relentless force eliminating any obstacle, earning the title of Death God.
Amid the discussions of other regions' elites, the Nine-Sword Sovereign's gaze remained fixed on Rowan. His eyes flickered, as if seeing something deeper.
On the battlefield, Rowan gripped the Starflare Rift Blade, fully charged, flames of the Law of Fire dancing around him.
No matter how Chong Lou's storm raged, it was powerless against the inferno surrounding Rowan.
"Even with the Starflare Rift Blade, I will defeat you! Twin Heavens Flash!"
Chong Lou no longer hesitated. His twin blades slashed toward Rowan, carried by a tornado of wind arcs extending for kilometers. Mountains crumbled and stones were lifted into the sky, shredded into fragments by the colossal force.
The very earth shook, as if the sun had been extinguished, casting a cataclysmic shadow.
Rowan raised the Starflare Rift Blade calmly. The Law of Fire contracted around him, merging with the blade. Its color shifted to deep violet, scorching the surrounding space to the point of distortion.
"Shadow Nine Blades, First Form! One Sword Sweeps the Nine Provinces!"
Rowan's shadow clone technique amplified his sword mastery to king-level extremes. Flames and psychic energy fused with the Starflare Rift Blade as he lunged forward, moving like a beam of light.
The violent tornado disintegrated instantly.
There was no suspense.
Chong Lou, attempting to stop him with twin blades, could only watch as Rowan's strike pierced through his body in an instant.
He collapsed silently, consumed by the searing heat. The storm dissolved with him.
Rowan stood amid the void, the Starflare Rift Blade in hand, a war god exuding supreme pride.
Wait… something was off.
Rowan felt the blade strike earlier it didn't match what he expected. Turning his head, he realized that what he had struck was not Chong Lou himself, but a pair of wings.
Chong Lou had abandoned his wings, using a secret technique to discard all their energy and catapult himself into the sky. Sweat drenched his body, his eyes wide with disbelief.
I can't block him… not even one attack… how can anyone be this strong?
His mind reeled. Rowan's strength far exceeded his expectations. The Starflare Rift Blade, even without using psychic attacks, had sliced through the storm created by his Wind Law.
The result was clear: he had been defeated.
If it weren't for his clan's secret method sacrificing the energy of his wings to temporarily reach peak Domain Lord speed he would have already been killed.
Rowan did not pursue. He merely glanced at Chong Lou. "You're not so impressive. Never mind. I'm exhausted. You can kill me if you want."
Chong Lou's fear ran deep. Even if Rowan's words were sincere, instinct warned him not to approach recklessly.
"Thank you for sparing me!"
Without a word, Chong Lou vanished into the distance.
Rowan did not chase him not because of weakness, but because it was unnecessary. Chong Lou's secret technique made him faster than Rowan, and even if Rowan exerted himself fully, catching him was impossible. Better to wait for the selection rounds to conclude.
With Rowan now ranked 98th, he had already qualified for the semifinals.
Across the Black Dragon Mountain Star Region, the sacred city erupted in a deafening cheer.
"Long live Prince Rowan! Prince Rowan is invincible!"
"The gods bless Black Dragon Mountain Empire! Our three champions are extraordinary!"
Citizens had watched the battle via every available means. Rowan's duel with Chong Lou drew the most attention, eclipsing Hong and Thunder God, whose fights now seemed almost mundane.
Rowan had been promised in marriage to Brolin, cementing his title as a prince of Black Dragon Mountain Empire.
The people embraced him, celebrating his victory with awe. Seeing him defeat Chong Lou with a single strike had left everyone breathless. Only Chong Lou's secret survival method spared him, a minor disappointment in an otherwise spectacular outcome.
Inside the imperial palace, the Emperor of Black Dragon Mountain beamed. He remembered his own struggle in the Great Axe Martial Arena, barely reaching the top thousand. Rowan, in contrast, had achieved an extraordinary rank effortlessly.
The young warrior now possessed strength rivaling the very top. His true combat ability was unmatched.
Rowan had no interest in claiming first place. Instead, he began cultivating in place.
Brolin, beside the emperor, gleamed with excitement and sent a portion of her consciousness into the virtual universe.
She arrived at Rowan's purchased Nine-Star Lake Court, where Yao Rao and Vinina waited.
"Brolin!"
The two greeted her warmly, holding hands like sisters. Their conversation buzzed with delight over Rowan's performance.
"This is incredible! Rowan has reached the semifinals. Can he make it to the finals?"
Sitting on the sofa, they watched the virtual broadcast. Rowan hovered above a sea of molten lava, remnants of the previous battle.
"By the way, Yao Rao, Vinina, I have news," Brolin said, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"What news?"
They were munching popcorn and sipping cola, eyes fixed on the screen.
"I… I'm going to marry Luo Feng!"
The words froze the room. Yao Rao and Vinina stopped mid-bite, staring at Brolin in disbelief, hearts sinking.
Brolin smirked playfully, enjoying their stunned reaction.
Both had adored Rowan, yet now the news of Brolin's engagement hit them like a hammer, shattering their excitement and replacing it with shock and disbelief.