The Second Prince snorted coldly, a hint of schadenfreude flickering in his eyes. "Hmph. Let's see how long he can hold out. I hope Chien Shui utterly crushes him."
Meanwhile, the immortals of the Qianwu Cosmic Kingdom were also closely watching the battle.
"This fight is crucial. If Rowan defeats Chien Shui, his chances of breaking into the top ten skyrocket," one elder immortal said seriously, his gaze unwavering.
The Emperor of Black Dragon Mountain gave a slight nod, though there was little worry in his eyes. He knew his son-in-law too well. Rowan hadn't even deployed his signature weapon yet, which meant he was confident in victory.
On the arena, the battle between Chien Shui and Rowan had escalated to a boiling point. Chien Shui's attacks came like a violent storm. Seventeen psychic weapons combined with his twin warblades, forming an impenetrable web of assault that trapped Rowan entirely.
Rowan, relying on the speed of the Sky-Slip Shuttle, along with his Swordfish Array and Heavy Mountain Shield, blocked each strike effortlessly, moving with precision and control.
"Damn it… How can he be this strong? Just a defensive formation, and he can block nearly all my attacks. Damn it… my psychic strikes…"
Chien Shui's frustration grew with each failed attempt. He gritted his teeth, thinking furiously about his next strategy. Then, a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind.
He unleashed a psychic assault from his mind, a precise blade of mental energy aimed directly at Rowan's soul.
But in the next moment, Rowan's soul manifested a rotating Void Tower, crushing Chien Shui's attack into fragments in an instant.
"What? A defensive soul technique?"
Chien Shui froze, astonished. Psychic soul defenses were notoriously difficult to master, far harder than offensive soul arts. His strike, capable of piercing through a rival's soul with excruciating pain, had been effortlessly nullified.
Before he could react, the speed of his attack began to slow. Rowan's eyes narrowed, determination flashing within them. He would no longer hold back. The Fire Origin Principle ignited within him, causing the temperature of his Ninefold Domain to surge from seven hundred thousand degrees to an unimaginable one million degrees.
The inferno swept across the arena like a tidal wave, igniting the surrounding air with a loud crackle.
Chien Shui's attacks faltered under the extreme heat, losing speed and power. His movements became sluggish, as if wading through thick liquid.
"This… the Fire Principle… You've actually broken through its threshold!" Chien Shui's eyes widened in horror. He had never encountered a force this terrifying. Facing Rowan now felt like confronting a god who commanded flames, not a peer.
The violet flames burned with staggering intensity. One million degrees so fierce that even his armor threatened to melt, leaving him parched and disoriented. Half of his combat effectiveness was instantly lost.
He had faced warriors who wielded the Fire Domain before, but their highest temperatures never exceeded three to four hundred thousand degrees. Even the ninth tier barely reached five hundred thousand.
Rowan's casual Ninefold Domain, however, reached an astonishing seven hundred thousand to nine hundred thousand degrees. Now, with the Fire Origin Principle fully unleashed, it hit a catastrophic one million degrees the melting point of his own armor.
"You are impressive, forcing me to unleash my principle. Respect is due. But you should not have challenged me. You've lost your chance to break into the top ten," Rowan said calmly.
Seizing the moment, he launched his counterattack. The Swordfish Array, now enhanced by the Fire Origin Principle, became sharper and more lethal. Golden flames licked along the swords' surfaces, giving them a life of their own, capable of obliterating anything in their path.
They struck like bolts of golden lightning aimed straight at Chien Shui.
Chien Shui's face paled. He swung his warblades and psychic weapons desperately to defend, but Rowan's overwhelming assault easily breached his defenses. One swordfish pierced his shoulder.
"Ah!" Chien Shui screamed, pain tearing through him as he flew backward, a spray of blood marking his trajectory.
"It's over!" Rowan roared, his voice echoing across the arena.
He propelled himself on the Sky-Slip Shuttle like a burning meteor, the Swordfish Array gleaming with lethal light, aiming directly at Chien Shui's throat.
Blood gushed from Chien Shui's shoulder, streaking a crimson line through the air. Yet, in that life-or-death moment, his eyes ignited with an unprecedented radiance. His aura underwent a complete transformation.
A surging, vital energy radiated from him the Wood Principle, alive with the rhythm of growth and vitality.
Within moments, Chien Shui's wounds healed visibly. Broken clothing was overtaken by fresh green shoots, rapidly sprouting and spreading until his body was enshrouded in dense flora, as though a moving forest had taken form around him.
"Roar!" Chien Shui howled, no trace of panic in his voice. Instead, it rang with unyielding resolve.
A new domain the Wood Domain burst forth, expanding violently in all directions. Inside it, life thrummed and pulsed with tangible intensity. The Gold Principle infused every branch, increasing the plants' resilience and allowing them to resist Rowan's scorching flames.
The fire crashed against the forest, incinerating trees, yet new shoots sprang instantly, regrowing faster than the flames could consume them. Every tree radiated golden light, perfectly resisting Rowan's assault.
The two mighty domains clashed, transforming the arena. Heat and verdant life collided, saturating the air with vapor and the sizzling of extreme temperatures.
Chien Shui, once overwhelmed, now countered Rowan's fire with the combined strength of Wood and Gold Principles, reversing the tide of battle.
"You… You've hidden the Wood Principle?" Rowan's eyes narrowed in surprise.
In the information he had received, Chien Shui's capabilities were not well-documented. Rowan knew only that he ranked fifth.
Now seeing his true power, Rowan realized Chien Shui possessed genuine top-five strength, having comprehended two Principles simultaneously an exceedingly rare talent.
Most warriors mastered Metal, Water, Fire, or Earth. Wood was an unusual element, typically the domain of plant-manipulating specialists. Yet Chien Shui, a psychic adept, wielded Wood energy with mastery, astonishing Rowan.
"You're strong… forcing me into a corner like this. I had been saving my full power for Deathbringer Bran, but you forced me to reveal it. You have top-ten potential, but unfortunately, you met me," Chien Shui said, exuding confidence.
Despite his revelation, Rowan remained silent, his warrior instincts surging. A cold thrill ran through him, and he smiled with deadly intent.
"Good… now it gets interesting. Let's continue," Rowan said, eyes glinting with excitement.
Chien Shui paused, noticing Rowan's fearless grin, and felt a stir of unease. Perhaps the man was hiding yet another card.
But it no longer mattered. Chien Shui needed a swift resolution. He could not maintain two Principles at full power for long, and the Wood Principle had only just reached its threshold, still unwieldy.
He dashed through fire and forest like a phantom, his twin warblades and seventeen psychic weapons gleaming gold, synergizing with the vitality of the Wood Principle. Each swing of his blades tore through space with golden energy, while green vines twisted like living serpents, launching towards Rowan with relentless force.
Rowan's eyes sparkled with excitement. He weaved through Chien Shui's attacks, alternating between the Swordfish Array and Heavy Mountain Shield, blocking each strike.
Yet the combined might of Chien Shui's dual Principles pressed him to the limit.
In the stands of Black Dragon Mountain, the audience erupted in shock and admiration.
"My god, Chien Shui has mastered two Principles. His strength… it's terrifying!" one spectator exclaimed, voice trembling.
"Yes, controlling two Principles simultaneously this talent is unprecedented. Rowan may be in serious trouble," another whispered, worry etched in his features.
The crowd's attention was riveted to the arena. A warrior capable of using two Principles presented a monumental challenge.
In the waiting area, Hong and Raijin stood side by side, expressions grim.
"Third brother is in serious trouble. Chien Shui's power exceeds expectations," Hong said, brow furrowed.
Raijin nodded silently, eyes locked on the arena. "Yes, with two Principles working together, his attacks are twice as deadly. Third brother's victory will not come easily."
Rowan stood nearby, fists clenched, knuckles white, worry flickering in his eyes.
Brolin, Sirena, and Vinina huddled together, anxious. Brolin's eyes reddened. "Rowan… you must not be harmed. I'm counting on you to break into the top ten thousand…"
The arena shook as Chien Shui's attacks grew more relentless. He streaked through fire and forest like a golden lightning bolt, seventeen psychic weapons swarming from all directions, twin warblades flashing with destructive might.
Rowan knew he could not survive much longer under such pressure. But now was no time to hold back.
In the next instant, a dark-gold longsword streaked across space and landed firmly in Rowan's hands.
The Starflare Rending Blade.
One meter twenty long, forged from 18,500 interlocking blades, each gleaming with a mysterious, blinding light. Inscribed upon it were the powers of the Fire Principle and the Time Principle, exuding a uniquely potent aura.
Chien Shui's expression shifted, wary. "Starflare Rending Blade… one of the nine psychic weapons. You only have the Fire Principle can you truly wield it?"
Rowan's lips curled in a slight grin as he caressed the blade, feeling its surging power.
"Time for you to see the true might of the Starflare Rending Blade!" he roared, igniting both Fire and Time Principles within.
Purple flames erupted around him, and within their depths, Time Principle energy pulsed faintly.
Rowan gripped the Starflare Rending Blade and slashed forward. "Flame-Time Scatter!"
In an instant, the 18,500 blades disintegrated into 185,000 flying knives, each enveloped in scorching fire, scattering toward Chien Shui at blinding speed. The air itself twisted and time seemed to falter where the knives passed.