The particle cannons fired, unleashing three blazing beams that tore across the battlefield like world-ending meteors. Their destructive energy melted the ground on impact, carving out three gaping craters. Lava surged upward from the Earth's wounded veins, hissing and boiling.
When the light faded, Rowan's Demoncloud Vine hung scorched and trembling. Sixteen tendrils had been burned clean through, exposing its inner layers. Yet beneath the charred surface, its core vines still coiled and reinforced one another.
That apocalyptic strike had failed to inflict any real harm on Rowan's group.
"How is that possible?" the captain of the Imperial Martial Regiment gasped, so shocked his jaw nearly fell off. Terror flooded his face.
"Now it's our turn. Kill them!" Rowan raised his arm and shouted. His Demoncloud Vine burst forward like a chained beast suddenly set free, whipping toward the enemy spaceship.
Luo Feng charged as well, his own Demoncloud Vine moving in perfect harmony with Rowan's. The two vines attacked from different angles, their tendrils slamming against the ships like a relentless storm of cannon fire. Each strike landed with a violent boom.
A sharp crack echoed. One of the ships had its wing torn clean off, metal screeching in protest as it snapped.
The vessel lost control instantly. Thick black smoke poured from its wounds as it spiraled downward like a bird with broken wings.
"No!" someone on board howled, their cry swallowed by the fireball that erupted as the ship slammed into the ground.
"Trying to escape? Not happening. None of you are getting away!" Thunder God roared, sweeping his laser rifle in wide arcs, mowing down fleeing enemies.
Tie Nanhé joined in, his shots growing more precise with every pull of the trigger. Every bullet carried lethal force, and enemies fell one after another, staining the battlefield red.
The fight soon reached its end. Corpses littered the ground, and smoke choked the sky.
Ninety percent of the Hundred Tiger Tower and the Imperial Martial Regiment lay dead. The few survivors fled with shaking legs, abandoning any shred of courage.
In the chaos, one of the Hundred Tiger Tower members suddenly broke through to the Universe Level. Consumed by desperation, he burned his very soul to force a path through the defenses. With sheer madness and luck, he tore open a narrow escape route.
A handful of survivors slipped through behind him before Rowan's group could close the gap.
"Damn it. Someone actually broke through to Universe Level," Thunder God muttered, annoyed but helpless.
"Finally over," Hong exhaled, slowly retracting his Demoncloud Vine.
"We got a huge haul this time," Luo Feng said, eyes shining as he surveyed the battlefield cluttered with weapons and storage gear.
Rowan smiled and recalled all the Demoncloud Vines into his body, where they fused into a dark red armor.
As for the man who had broken through to the Universe Level, Rowan did not bother to spare a thought for him.
Everyone began collecting the loot, stripping the fallen of their storage rings. After a full count, they found over four million units of world-source ore, along with piles of weapons, equipment, and money.
Altogether, the haul was valued at three hundred and thirty-three billion Qianwu coins.
World-source ore was unpriced, so it was not included in that total.
"These things will greatly boost our strength," Hong said, pleased.
"We should head for the next location immediately. Big brother, you lead the team. I'll go exchange the ore for weapons before someone else gets there first," Rowan said.
"Be careful, little brother."
After mutual reminders, the group split in two.
Rowan boarded a captured C2-class Imperial Martial Regiment ship, pushed its engines to full power, and shot toward the castle.
Hong boarded the Black Dragon and led the rest of the team to the next target.
With Hong and Thunder God's current strength, their squad could roam the Realm-Within-the-Realm without fear. Rowan had no worries.
He soon reached the castle.
Because of the Imperial Martial Regiment's recent behavior, the five Alliances had agreed on new rules. Fighting was strictly forbidden in this area, and no one was allowed to monopolize the entrance or force others to surrender world-source ore. Violators would be hunted by all five Alliances.
Ten thousand guards from each Alliance were stationed here to enforce the rules.
Rowan's ship still carried the Imperial Martial Regiment insignia. As soon as he approached, two of their members flew over in matching ships and blocked his path.
"Brother, no flying in castle airspace. Please land your ship. Also, hand over the world-source ore you collected."
They assumed Rowan was one of their own. Rowan simply smiled coldly and stored the ship away.
"What? Who are you!"
The soldiers froze when they realized the pilot was not one of theirs. Their particle cannons instantly locked onto Rowan.
"You plan to attack me here? Aren't you afraid of all five Alliances hunting you?" Rowan asked calmly.
The reminder infuriated them further.
More than fifty Imperial Martial Regiment soldiers burst from their ships, all of them Star-Level Nine, surrounding Rowan on all sides.
"How do you have one of our ships?" the captain demanded sharply.
"Oh? So it's fine for your regiment to ambush and rob others, but we can't kill you and claim your ship?" Rowan replied calmly, his smile only provoking them further.
"You brat, you're courting death!"
One soldier lunged forward, but the captain stopped him.
"No matter how you killed our people, I'll give you one chance. Hand over all your world-source ore, or you die."
The captain unleashed a crushing aura, the peak of Star-Level Nine. He was also a spirit-master.
Mental shockwaves surged toward Rowan.
Rowan sensed the illusion attack immediately. The Void Tower within his consciousness began to spin. The incoming mental force shattered into dust before it could touch him.
"I'll also give you one chance," Rowan said. "Get lost. Or you die."
Killing intent flashed in his eyes.
Before tension could explode, another army arrived in a roar of engines. A hundred soldiers in dark armor landed behind a towering man with twin greatswords strapped to his back.
Three Axe Mountain.
"If you dare attack a member of Three Axe Mountain, we will hunt you to the ends of the universe," their leader Reta shouted.
The Imperial Martial Regiment captain's expression changed immediately.
"Looks like I won't have to lift a finger. Good dogs know better than to block the road. I remember all of you. Pray we never cross paths again," Rowan said, walking straight through their ranks without hesitation.
His arrogance made every Imperial Martial Regiment member tremble with rage.
"Hahaha, you're something else. How many did you kill to claim that warship?" Reta laughed.
"Not many. Just a few hundred," Rowan said casually.
Reta's grin stiffened, though he congratulated him anyway.
"And your squad? How many casualties did you take?" Reta asked.
"None."
Reta nearly choked. He opened his mouth to question Rowan further, but Rowan was already rising toward the castle entrance.
"Not a single casualty… after killing hundreds?" Reta whispered. "Impossible."
He had no idea how far beyond common sense Rowan's team truly was.
Meanwhile, in the Virtual Universe, Elder Cang burst into laughter while Tianxu Immortal stared speechlessly.
"This is cheating. A six-man squad with five members fighting at Universe Level Second Rank? How are others supposed to compete?" Tianxu said.
Even so, Cang was delighted, admiring the squad's cleverness and ruthlessness.
"Their harvest in the Realm-Within-the-Realm will probably be the greatest of all. Even I'm envious," Tianxu murmured.
Inside the castle, Rowan finally met with Lord Mist.
"I want to exchange for the following items. A Fifth-Rank Origin-Energy Blade: the Voidsplitter. A Fifth-Rank Origin-Energy Blade: the Frostheart Blade. A Fifth-Rank Origin-Energy Ring: the Taihang Ring. And a Fifth-Rank Origin-Energy Mental-Force Weapon: the Starhammer…"
Rowan had already memorized all three hundred and twelve treasures available, so he listed his choices in one breath.
He ignored the Thunder Secret Technique entirely. Selecting it would trigger the countdown to closing the Realm-Within-the-Realm, which he did not want.
Besides, the so-called Thunder Technique cost only eight hundred thousand units of ore. A Universe-Lord inheritance priced that low was simply unimpressive. Everyone already knew the original owner, Kabuu, was one of the weakest Universe Lords, having relied almost entirely on poured-in resources.
Rowan had no interest in such a diluted legacy. Thunder God already practiced an immortal-level technique that was millions of times stronger. Once they left this place, Rowan planned to buy Thunder God a new intelligent system to guide his cultivation.
With proper guidance, Thunder God's growth would skyrocket. Rowan even intended to take him and Hong into the Virtual Universe Company someday.
Lord Mist skimmed Rowan's request. "Frostheart Blade is gone. Starheart Crystal is gone. Everything else remains."
He opened the surveillance footage and nearly cursed out loud when he saw Rowan's group sweeping the battlefield with overwhelming power.
So that was how they used the Life Fruits.
As a highly advanced intelligent lifeform evolved from an optical-brain system, he processed the information instantly and realized Rowan truly had enough ore to afford the purchase.
But what shocked him most was Thunder God.
"Triple domains. Lightning affinity. A super-genius of elite grade." Lord Mist's eyes gleamed.
He had spent over ten million years alone in this sealed world, his mind slowly warping from isolation. He had created the Realm-Within-the-Realm partly to amuse himself with human battles, pretending to be a sovereign.
But his deeper goal had always been to find a worthy successor for his master's inheritance, someone who could free him from this place.
He observed all twenty-six regions meticulously, searching for talent.
And now he had found it.
A Star-Level Seven who had already mastered triple domains and comprehended blade intent. A once-in-a-million genius. The perfect candidate.
Yet Rowan did not choose the Thunder Secret Technique.
Lord Mist felt a surge of panic.
"Young man, there are still many rare items left. Are you sure you don't want to exchange for this one?" Lord Mist asked, deliberately placing the Thunder Secret Technique right in front of Rowan.
Rowan understood immediately and pointed elsewhere. "I'll take this Fallen Crystal."
Lord Mist froze, speechless.
…
Rowan soon left the castle.
The moment he stepped outside, countless eyes turned toward him. Some were filled with curiosity, others with barely restrained greed.
Everyone who exited the treasury became a target. Whether they had obtained a treasure or not, someone would try to intercept and rob them.
Rowan could already sense killing intent gathering.