On the arena floor, Rowan's figure moved through blood and fire like a descending demon god.
His ninefold domain burned fiercely, transforming the battlefield into a blazing purgatory. A temperature of seven hundred thousand degrees warped the air itself. Each breath felt as though it could ignite the soul.
When the domain expanded to a radius of a kilometer, the core temperature inevitably dropped from nine hundred thousand to seven hundred thousand degrees.
Even so, that level of heat was still lethal to many contestants.
Some managed to rely on high-tier Origin Energy battle armor to maintain their movement within the flames, but even they could not withstand prolonged exposure.
Those who dared to approach Rowan fared even worse. Under the terrifying heat, their movements slowed and stiffened, as though they were trapped in thick mud.
By the time they realized something was wrong, escape was already impossible.
Within the domain, Rowan's Skyshuttle formed a Swordfish Array, erasing them with effortless precision.
The entire process flowed smoothly, without hesitation.
Rowan's radiant and overwhelming presence on the battlefield ignited the waiting area with excitement. Browning and the others shouted at the top of their lungs.
"Rowan, keep going! If you make it into the top ten thousand, I'll do anything you want tonight!" Browning shouted boldly, completely unconcerned with the surrounding stares.
The outrageous remark stunned everyone nearby into silence.
Isabella and Venina immediately turned their heads away, pretending not to know her.
Seriously, could she have any sense of shame at all. Saying something like that in public was beyond embarrassing.
Both women instinctively shifted away, creating distance as if to draw a clear line.
Hong and Thunder God twitched at the corners of their mouths.
Even Hong, whose mental state was as steady as solid stone, was momentarily stunned by Browning's fearless bluntness.
Within the sacred grounds of the Black Dragon Mountain Star Domain, the atmosphere had grown suffocating.
The Second Prince stared at the screen, jealousy and resentment burning fiercely in his eyes. His fists clenched until his knuckles turned white.
"How can Rowan be this strong? He should not possess power like this!"
His voice trembled with disbelief and bitterness.
Rowan's strength had clearly increased again compared to before.
He had not even used the Fire Law, yet he was already annihilating elite opponents with ease.
After only three years of training alongside the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor, his growth was terrifying.
The Second Prince knew all too well that even among the royal heirs, the emperor had never personally tutored him.
They were all taught together on a fixed schedule.
The reason was simple.
He was merely a talented genius, not a true chosen prodigy.
Compared to real monsters, the gap was immense.
The emperor had no intention of wasting precious time on his sons. He devoted himself entirely to comprehending Laws, striving for a breakthrough toward becoming a King-level Immortal.
The Seventh Prince watched with a faint, amused smile.
"Second Brother, it seems your path to the throne has gained another obstacle."
The Second Prince glared at him viciously, yet could not refute the truth. He swallowed his rage in silence.
How could Browning end up with someone this terrifying.
Damn it.
A deep sense of crisis washed over him.
He knew the situation was almost hopeless now.
With Rowan's strength, breaking into the top ten was not a question of if, but when.
Once Rowan entered the top ten thousand and advanced through the one-on-one battles into the top one thousand, he would gain the chance to enter the Virtual Universe Company.
At that point, Rowan's status would undergo a fundamental transformation.
With that identity, he would be qualified to stand on equal footing with the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor himself.
Meanwhile, in the council hall of the Qianwu Universe Nation, numerous Immortal beings gathered, their eyes fixed on the arena projection.
"This Rowan's talent is no weaker than Hong's," an elderly Immortal said in awe.
"Indeed. To reach this level at such a young age, his future is limitless. He may well become another legend of the Qianwu Universe Nation," another Immortal added.
The Black Dragon Mountain Emperor stood quietly to the side, a faint smile at his lips.
They still had not seen Rowan's true trump card.
Once he unleashed the Fire Law and revealed the Starflare Rift Blade, that would be the real shock.
Even the current ruler of the Qianwu Universe Nation showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
He had not expected Rowan to rival Hong so closely.
From a single indigenous planet like Earth, inheriting the legacy of an Immortal, so many extraordinary talents had emerged.
Was there something special hidden there?
The thought lingered in his mind.
Perhaps it was time to personally visit Earth.
Back on the battlefield.
Rowan's offensive grew increasingly fierce.
Standing atop the Skyshuttle, he moved like lightning through the crowd.
This psychic weapon was wielded with absolute mastery in his hands. At times it transformed into a nimble Swordfish Array, graceful yet deadly. At other times it became the Mountain Shield, solid and immovable, rejecting all attacks.
Whenever an opponent charged forward, the Swordfish Array struck like a violent storm, shattering every assault.
During the preliminary trials, the Skyshuttle had once cracked under the bombardment of a biomechanical cyborg.
After a system restart, it had fully recovered.
Seeing Rowan dominate the battlefield, many geniuses began to feel genuine fear.
Three reckless contestants exchanged glances and made a silent decision.
They stopped attacking one another.
Forming a triangular formation, they rushed Rowan together.
The leader wielded a long spear, its tip gleaming coldly.
To the left, one swung a massive spiked mace, each motion tearing through the air.
To the right, the third rapidly formed hand seals, muttering an incantation as a strange aura spread around him.
Rowan snorted coldly.
His aura surged.
The ninefold domain expanded abruptly, swallowing all three.
The heat crashed down like a tidal wave.
The spearman felt his weapon grow unbearably heavy, as if a mountain pressed down upon it. Each thrust became agonizingly slow.
The mace wielder felt as though his arms were wrapped in molten iron, his movements stiff and sluggish.
The spellcaster spat out a strange orb, but before he could launch it, the heat choked him into coughing. The orb dimmed and disintegrated.
He was burned to nothing.
Rowan seized the moment.
With a thought, the Skyshuttle split into the Swordfish Array, striking from three directions at once.
The spearman barely managed to block, sparks flying, before he was blasted away and slammed into the edge of the arena, his fate uncertain.
Another contestant seized the opportunity and finished him off without hesitation.
The mace wielder was pierced through the arm, blood spraying as his weapon clattered to the ground.
The final opponent was skewered clean through the chest and died instantly.
Another effortless triple kill.
The audience erupted in deafening cheers.
As time passed, the slaughter intensified.
Contestants fell one after another.
Soon, only thirteen remained.
Thousandwater's sharp gaze locked onto Rowan.
He inhaled deeply, gripping his twin sabers as the shield on his back vibrated faintly.
He suddenly broke through the surrounding fighters and blocked Rowan's path.
"Your strength is impressive," Thousandwater declared confidently. "Today, you will die by my blades."
He had already carved his way through the arena, forcing others to flee.
But after witnessing Rowan's performance, he made a decision.
Rowan had to be eliminated.
Rowan shook his head lightly.
"Step aside. I do not want to waste time on you."
Thousandwater was strong.
Defeating him quickly would require effort.
Rowan's goal was simple. Reduce the field to ten and pass the round.
He still had trump cards unused and had no intention of wasting them here.
Swordfish Array alone would not be enough for a swift victory.
Thousandwater misunderstood Rowan's words as fear.
"True power fears no challenge," he shouted, charging like a hunting leopard.
He closed the distance in an instant.
Twin sabers slashed downward, arcs of deadly light tearing through the air.
Rowan remained calm.
With a thought, the Skyshuttle transformed into the Mountain Shield.
The collision rang out with a thunderous clang.
Sparks flew as both men were forced back several steps.
"Interesting," Rowan said with a faint smile.
Thousandwater grew cautious.
Rowan had not gone all out, yet his shield had blocked a devastating strike.
His own technique amplified his strength to terrifying levels.
Ordinary psychic fighters would have been crushed instantly.
Yet Rowan stopped it with a third-tier Skyshuttle.
Their soul strength was evenly matched.
No need to hold back any longer.
Suddenly, Thousandwater's shield shattered with a sharp crack.
Seventeen drill-like psychic weapons burst forth, glowing gold as they screamed through the air toward Rowan.
At the same time, Thousandwater activated the Metal Origin Law.
The drills surged with explosive power.
Their trajectories were erratic, like a swarm of enraged hornets attacking from all angles.
Rowan's expression sharpened.
He formed the Swordfish Array again, encircling himself in a flawless defensive barrier.
Clang after clang echoed as the weapons collided.
Energy ripples spread outward.
Rowan could feel each drill strike with the force of a ninth-rank stellar warrior's full punch.
Seventeen such attacks struck simultaneously.
Even the Skyshuttle began to tremble.
Forced to focus completely, Rowan relied on fluid movement and rapid shield transformations to evade fatal hits, but he could not counterattack.
"Metal Law. As sharp as expected," Rowan murmured.
Thousandwater had infused the law directly into his weapons, amplifying their piercing power.
That was the true terror of the Metal Law.
Seizing the moment, Thousandwater pressed the attack.
He moved like a phantom, twin sabers flashing like golden dragons circling Rowan, each strike threatening death.
Rowan maneuvered constantly, watching every movement with calm focus.
The audience was utterly captivated.
"This is incredible. A battle like this only happens once in a century!"
"Thousandwater's offense is terrifying, and Rowan's defense is flawless. This is a true clash of elites. But Rowan can only dodge. Defeat seems inevitable unless he survives until ten remain."
In the Black Dragon Mountain Star Domain, both princes watched intently.
"Thousandwater is no ordinary opponent," the Seventh Prince said gravely. "Rowan has finally met real trouble."