Qianshui felt a sudden flash of light before countless shards of cold steel hurtled toward him.
Alarmed, he swung his battle knives and psychic weapons to defend himself.
But the flying blades were impossibly fast, carrying a strange temporal energy that slowed his reflexes.
Clang, clang, clang! The sounds of metal clashing rang out continuously. Under the relentless assault, Qianshui's defenses began to waver.
His arms were slashed, blood spraying into the air, and his battle armor cracked in multiple places. Each blade carried power comparable to a seventh-tier star-class weapon. Tens of millions of blades struck from all directions, and resisting them seemed utterly impossible.
"This… this cannot be!" Qianshui's eyes widened in terror, his mind reeling. He had never seen an attack so powerful, so bizarre. For a moment, he was at a complete loss.
He poured every ounce of his Wood and Metal Law energies into his psychic domain, desperately trying to block the assault.
Yet, the storm of flying blades battered his defenses relentlessly, shredding the plants and vines he had summoned into fragments.
Seizing the opening, Rowan's figure blurred like lightning, surging toward Qianshui. The Starshard Sky-Splitting Blade in his hands gleamed brightly, poised for a decisive strike.
Qianshui's eyes hardened. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed the full force of his Wood and Metal Laws. Thick layers of bark sprouted across his body, forming a sturdy protective armor. Around him, countless vines and branches writhed and lunged, attempting to ensnare Rowan.
The two clashed again.
The arena erupted with dazzling light and rippling energy, powerful shockwaves shaking the floor beneath them. The audience held their breath, eyes glued to every movement, fearful of missing a single spectacular moment.
As the battle dragged on, Qianshui began to falter.
Rowan's Starshard Sky-Splitting Blade was overwhelmingly powerful. Every swing threatened to tear down Qianshui's defenses. Meanwhile, Rowan grew more fearless with each strike, his attacks raining down like a storm, each movement sending out energy waves that chipped away at Qianshui's guard.
"It's over!" Rowan shouted.
He poured all his Fire Law energy into the Starshard Blade, leaping high into the air and slashing downward with a decisive strike.
The blade burned with unrelenting fire and temporal energy, as if it could split the world in two.
Qianshui faced the incoming blade, despair flooding his heart. He knew he could not withstand it.
Boom! A deafening impact resonated as the blade struck. Qianshui's body was thrown back violently, his bark armor shattering completely. He slammed onto the arena floor, blood streaming from his mouth, eyes filled with frustration and despair before his form finally disintegrated into data.
Rowan landed gracefully, the glow of the Starshard Blade gradually fading.
Silence fell over the arena. Everyone was stunned by the sudden conclusion.
After a long pause, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers.
"Rowan! Rowan!" The audience roared, their voices shaking the arena. They had witnessed what true strength looked like.
In the waiting area, Hong, Thunder God, and Rowan's allies exhaled in relief.
"Brother, you really didn't disappoint us," Hong said with a broad smile.
Thunder God nodded. "Indeed. Rowan has reached a whole new level. Breaking into the top ten now seems inevitable."
Blorine, Yao, and Vinina embraced, tears of joy streaming down their faces.
"I knew you could do it, Rowan!" Blorine exclaimed, her face lit up with happiness.
Even the Second and Seventh Princes of the Black Dragon Empire stared at the screen in astonishment. The Second Prince's eyes burned with jealousy, while the Seventh shook his head in admiration. "Rowan… you truly bring glory to Black Dragon Mountain."
The immortals of the Qianwu Universe were equally impressed.
"Rowan can wield the Starshard Sky-Splitting Blade. Could it be that he's also mastered the Temporal Law?" an elder with white hair mused.
"Yes, the first form of the Starshard Blade only requires mastery of the Fire Law. Temporal Law is auxiliary, enhancing the attack. Judging by previous intel, he is under thirty and has only trained for about a decade. It's impossible he's mastered both Temporal and Fire Laws. He's only capable of the first form of the Starshard Blade. Reaching the top ten thousand is already his limit," another elder added.
The Emperor of Black Dragon Mountain stood nearby, a satisfied smile on his face.
"This boy hasn't disappointed me. My judgment was right…" he thought.
On the arena, Rowan lifted his gaze toward the horizon. He knew this was just the beginning. Stronger opponents awaited him, but he felt no fear. With his strength and determination, he was confident he could carve out his own place in a universe teeming with formidable warriors.
With Qianshui defeated, the arena's atmosphere cleared. Remaining contestants looked at Rowan with awe and fear.
They realized that defeating him would be nearly impossible.
Yet the competition continued.
Other contestants still fought with all their might for honor, though none dared approach Rowan. He became the calmest figure in the arena, sitting cross-legged midair, awaiting the end of the matches. His composure drew quiet admiration from the crowd.
When the Nine Swords Master finally ended the competition, Rowan had secured a top-ten finish and easily entered the top ten thousand.
Returning to the waiting area, he was immediately surrounded by cheers and congratulations.
Blorine rushed forward and embraced him tightly. "I knew you could do it! Rowan, you're incredible!"
Hong and Thunder God also smiled broadly, patting Rowan's shoulders in admiration.
Rowan Feng's eyes were filled with pride and respect, though he remained quiet.
As they celebrated, Wildman Rongjun happened to walk past. Towering and muscular, with long hair and a primal aura, each step he took seemed to shake the earth.
Thunder God, cheerful as ever, poured a cup of wine for him. "Congratulations on entering the top ten thousand. Come, let's drink!"
Rongjun barely glanced at Thunder God, refusing the cup. He then fixed his gaze on Rowan, surrounded by adoring friends, his eyes cold with disdain. His voice, calm but arrogant, carried to everyone around him.
"Winning by shortcuts isn't real strength. You may have reached the top ten thousand, but your power cannot compare to mine. You don't deserve to drink with me."
Silence fell immediately. Everyone was shocked by Rongjun's rudeness.
Thunder God's smile vanished, replaced by fury. "What do you mean by that? Rowan won fair and square. Don't speak nonsense here!"
Rowan quickly held back Thunder God, his lips curling into a cold smile. "You're nothing. You don't deserve to drink with me either." His voice was calm, carrying clearly to all.
Rongjun gave him a long, appraising glance, as if sizing up an insignificant insect, and then turned and left without a word.
It was clear he hadn't taken Rowan seriously at all. In his eyes, merely reaching the threshold of the Fire Law was no match for him.
"That was outrageous! How arrogant!" Blorine fumed, face red and fists clenched.
"Yeah! Who does he think he is?" Yao shouted, equally indignant.
Vinina frowned, softly advising, "Don't let it get to you, Rowan. He's just arrogant."
Rowan Feng silently watched Rongjun's retreating figure, thinking that when they eventually met again, he would defeat him, if only for Rowan's honor.
Hong patted Rowan on the shoulder. "Ignore him. There will be plenty of chances to show him your strength." Rowan nodded slightly.
He understood Rongjun's arrogance. Coming from the same clan as the founder of Jupu, he had every reason to feel superior. Looking down on ordinary geniuses was natural.
Yet beneath that arrogance, Rongjun respected worthy opponents. Rowan found this trait admirable.
Meanwhile, in a grand and mysterious palace, the Nine Swords Master sat on a massive jade throne, Cang Bo standing respectfully beside him.
"These talents, Thunder God, Hong, Rowan, and Rowan Feng… the four prodigies from that native planet?" the master asked in a low voice.
Cang Bo bowed respectfully. "Yes, Great Master. They are currently external members stationed at Black Dragon Mountain in the virtual universe. Initially, we invited them to become internal disciples, but accustomed to freedom, they declined and chose external membership. Each purchased a Bloodline Evolution Potion to enhance themselves."
The Nine Swords Master nodded appreciatively. "Hong has already been selected by a disciple of the Founder of the Great Axe."
Cang Bo's eyes widened in disbelief. "Truly? Hong is a prodigy. To be noticed by a disciple of the Great Axe's founder… it is a rare opportunity indeed!"
The master's eyes narrowed. "Investigate Earth quietly. Find out what makes that planet capable of producing so many geniuses."
Cang Bo's heart raced. Earth must indeed hold some extraordinary secret, or perhaps a lost treasure left by a deceased immortal, enhancing the talents and potential of these individuals.
He bowed deeply. "Yes, Great Master. I will attend to it immediately," and swiftly departed.
After Cang Bo left, the Nine Swords Master reviewed the battle footage between Rowan and Qianshui.
"Fire Law and Temporal Law… to be this young and possess such talent… he is indeed a material that can be molded."
"This generation of talent battles far surpasses previous ones. So many prodigies it is truly a blessing for humanity," he murmured.
Meanwhile, the arena continued unabated. Thunder God now took the stage, his presence emanating formidable power.
Immediately, he activated his Dao comprehension and Eightfold Thunder Domain. The arena lit up with lightning and thunder.
Opponents struggled under the overwhelming force, their defenses failing against the relentless storms.
With masterful technique and immense power, Thunder God defeated his opponents one by one, advancing effortlessly into the top ten.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause. "Thunder God! Thunder God!" The cheers echoed relentlessly.
Rowan and the others applauded from the sidelines, inspired by his triumph.
Thunder God had deepened his understanding of the Blade Intent, and with relatively weaker opponents in his group, he had won with minimal effort.
Even Rowan noticed that Thunder God hadn't exerted his full strength.
Clearly, Thunder God had worked tirelessly in training. Now, he was far stronger than he had been in earlier rounds, easily surpassing his previous limitations.