Hong and Thunder God stared at the endless stream of messages, utterly dumbfounded.
They hadn't expected this, and it was only the preliminary round.
So many factions were reaching out to them, and nearly all of them were immortal-level powerhouses.
Not only that, but the scale of these organizations was staggering. Among them were the Great Axe Martial Arena, the Cosmic Galaxy Bank, the Universe Mercenary Alliance… and a number of other groups.
"What should we do? With so many organizations, which one should we join?" Hong and Thunder God were momentarily paralyzed, unable to decide.
Just then, Babata floated over and said, "Wait. I've just scanned all your messages. While there are many immortal-level masters, most of them are only Marquis-tier immortals, and many of the organizations aren't particularly powerful. There's no need to waste time on them. Your talent is strong enough. Joining the Virtual Universe Company or the Great Axe Martial Arena would be the best choice."
Babata's assessment of the situation matched Rowan's own observations.
Indeed, Rowan had also gone through the current stack of messages and invitations.
Most of these were from immortals. For an ordinary genius, gaining the favor of an immortal or even being taken on as a personal disciple would be a dream come true.
Many would jump at such an opportunity. But for Rowan and his companions, this wasn't something to boast about.
Strength dictated their choices.
A Marquis-tier immortal was barely a challenge for Rowan and the others. Their ceilings were much higher.
Just like Hong, who, upon returning to the Origin Continent, had already reached the level of Void True God.
As for Thunder God, he had later grown even more recklessly, without meeting any particularly powerful mentors, relying solely on his innate talent to ultimately ascend to Universe Lord status.
And as for Rowan Feng, it went without saying that he eventually reached the Divine King level.
Each of them had far better options.
Rowan was no different.
The groups now approaching them were mostly minor factions, barely worth considering.
So he said casually, "We can decide later, once the arena matches start."
After the preliminary round, the arena competition would take place in just over ten days.
That was the real event.
In the arena, every participant would possess immense power. One thousand and one talents from a hundred regions would clash in a final free-for-all.
Only in that chaos would true genius rise to the top.
While they were chatting, Babata flapped over and perched on Rowan's shoulder. "Good news! Your three women are waiting for you on Nine-Star Island. Want to go see them?"
Women… well, that was obvious.
Rowan rolled his eyes at Babata, then turned to his older brothers. "Let's go see Yao Rao."
Hearing this, the group burst out laughing.
"Third brother, you should watch yourself. Look at Fourth Brother. He just got married, and he doesn't spend all day chasing women. Don't burn all your energy on that," Thunder God teased mischievously, nudging Rowan with his elbow.
Rowan let out a dry smile, feeling a bit helpless, but he didn't reply.
After saying their goodbyes, Rowan and his companions headed straight for Nine-Star Lake Mansion.
As soon as Rowan pushed open the door, a wave of enticing aromas filled the room.
"This smells amazing! What are you cooking?"
Even though Rowan no longer needed to eat at his level, the aroma immediately made his stomach stir with desire.
From the kitchen downstairs, Yao Rao peeked out, half her face showing, smiling brightly. "We're preparing a special, sumptuous dinner for you."
Rowan grinned and stepped in, wrapping his arms gently around her waist.
Meanwhile, Bloelyn was arranging the table, and Vinnea was setting out the utensils. Both paused at the sight of Rowan and smiled radiantly.
Bloelyn hurried over, taking his hand. "Rowan, you're finally back. Tonight's meal has special significance."
Rowan blinked in confusion, glancing at Bloelyn, then Vinnea and Yao Rao. "Special significance? Are you announcing something?"
Vinnea winked. "You'll see soon enough. Sit down first."
Rowan did as told, watching the three women bustling around, puzzled.
Were they celebrating his passing the preliminary round?
But judging by their demeanor, it didn't look like a celebration for that.
Well, he would soon find out.
Before long, dishes that looked and smelled heavenly filled the table. Rowan couldn't stop admiring them. "Just looking at this, I can tell your cooking has improved. I can't wait to try it."
They enjoyed the feast together, chatting lightly, the atmosphere warm and cheerful.
As the meal neared its end, Bloelyn cleared her throat. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. From behind her, she produced an exquisitely crafted card and handed it to Rowan. On it was written: "We want to marry you and be with you forever."
Rowan stared at the card, initially stunned, then overwhelmed with joy. He looked at Bloelyn, then at Vinnea and Yao Rao, momentarily dumbfounded.
What… was going on? Were they forcing him to marry them?
He felt a wave of helplessness.
Although he had long prepared himself to marry all three, after all, back in the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, the Emperor had already implied that following the talent trials, he had no reason not to marry his daughter.
It had also been an additional condition for receiving the Stellar Rift Blade.
Rowan looked at Bloelyn.
She whispered into his mind: "Say yes. I don't want Yao Rao and Vinnea to be upset."
Hearing this, Rowan understood her intention and felt a warmth spread through his chest.
He didn't argue further. Instead, he put on a look of surprise and asked the three women, "Are you serious? You really want to marry me?"
Bloelyn nodded, smiling. "In our Black Dragon Mountain Empire, polygamy is allowed. So all of us can become your brides, and we can stay together forever."
When Rowan heard the words "polygamy," his eyes widened in shock, his mouth slightly agape, as if unable to process the information.
In his prior understanding, such arrangements were extremely rare.
Looking at the three expectant women, he stammered, "This… is actually allowed? I never imagined…!"
Once he was certain this wasn't a joke, a smile spread across his face. He pulled the three women into a tight embrace, accepting the reality.
He would eventually formalize his relationships with them, so why not let it happen naturally? After all, Rowan Feng was already married, and it would look odd if he wasn't.
Rowan agreed.
Yao Rao and Bloelyn were overjoyed.
Since they were still participating in the Virtual Universe Talent Battle, the wedding would be held afterward, as previously agreed with the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor.
The talent battle would soon end, and afterward they would have three years of rest before proceeding to the Virtual Universe Company.
Once all this was settled, Rowan and the others temporarily returned to Earth. They wouldn't participate in the arena matches for another ten days, so they took the time to relax.
The battles in the Virtual Universe had also given them much to contemplate.
Hong, in particular, had relied on illusion-based techniques. In the Virtual Universe, he faced countless prodigies. Especially the final two opponents, who made him realize that his mastery of illusions alone could not guarantee absolute dominance.
At times, he became flustered, unable to fully utilize the illusions in each strike, making victory difficult. This left him feeling frustrated.
Thunder God, on the other hand, fought boldly and aggressively, gradually sensing a new path unfolding in his sword intent.
At this time, Rowan and Thunder God were fishing by a small stream outside the Jiangnan Base.
They were the closest of companions.
"Third brother, my Phantom Thunder Slash has reached its second level, but I've noticed it has multiple evolutionary paths. After mastering the sword intent, I feel it can be further optimized, but I fear that if I do, I might ruin it," Thunder God said.
He had suggested the fishing trip, seeking Rowan's insight.
Since mastering the blade, he had found that the sword's concept could evolve infinitely. With each strike, its potential seemed boundless. Yet he had reached a plateau until this talent battle, where he continued to kill, gradually understanding a path never before seen: the Path of Slaughter.
He wasn't a killer by nature, but practicing this blade had subtly changed his mindset.
Rowan was momentarily surprised. The Phantom Thunder Slash he had given Thunder God was a King-tier invincible sword technique. He had known it was powerful and suited for someone with mastery over the lightning law, but he hadn't expected such a development.
Rowan pretended to ponder, while secretly searching his memory for information about this King-tier immortal. He found only vague recollections: immense lightning power, but ultimately defeated by the Golden Horned Beast's tail.
Rowan shook his head in disbelief, surprised that Thunder God even asked him this.
After thinking, he finally said, "You don't need to worry. What you should do now is follow your own path. You can create your own road. The opponent's sword intent is strong, but walking your own path will allow you to surpass him, rather than merely replicating his steps."
Having read countless martial arts novels in a previous life, Rowan had memorized such insights and now shared them.
Thunder God pondered the words carefully. At that moment, his fishing line suddenly tugged. He pulled up a massive fish and, in that instant, clarity struck.
"Third brother, they say our mindset is strong, but you're no worse. We are older, practicing internal paths, while you are a warrior and have such insight. Truly remarkable."
Thunder God finally understood the path he should take and praised Rowan.
Rowan laughed, a little awkwardly.
Two or three days later, they held a celebration banquet for passing the preliminary round.
Rowan also announced his impending marriage. Everyone congratulated him warmly.
Bloelyn, Yao Rao, and Vinnea blushed with delight at the attention.
Just as they were enjoying the celebration, the void in front of them suddenly split.
A tremendous aura swept across the sky.
Golden light spilled down as a figure stepped slowly from a grand golden gate.
"Father?"
Bloelyn's eyes widened in surprise. This must be the Black Dragon Mountain Emperor.
Everyone except Rowan Hong, Thunder God, and Rowan Feng among them immediately knelt.
But just as they were about to bow, a gentle force lifted them effortlessly.
"No need for formalities!"
The Black Dragon Mountain Emperor adored these prodigies, especially Rowan.
Soon, Rowan would be his son-in-law, and without formally joining the royal family, he had already gained over a hundred billion Pure Essence Units. A true prodigy and lucky star.
Now, Rowan appeared even more impressive.
"Old Deng, what brings you here?"
Rowan stepped forward through the crowd.
The room froze.
"What are you shouting, Rowan!" Thunder God's scalp tingled.
The Emperor's aura was formidable, rivaling even the mightiest of True Immortals.
Yet Rowan dared to address him so casually. One wrong move could have cost him dearly.