Rowan said nothing at first.
Beside him, Babata swallowed hard. The little spirit glanced at Nakoro, who now stood obediently behind Rowan. The cosmic warrior radiated a terrifying aura, yet appeared utterly deferential. Babata's mechanical pupils quivered. He had absolutely no idea what to say.
A mere Stellar-rank warrior had somehow soul-bound a Cosmic-rank expert. And judging from the calmness between them, it looked as if there had never even been a fierce battle.
What on earth had Rowan done during the period Babata was sealed away? Babata compared the timestamps again. Not even two months had passed.
"Stop staring at me," Rowan said with an easy smile. "I locked you away because I didn't want you to know too much."
Babata's mouth remained half open. He was obviously dying to ask what Rowan had experienced. Rowan, however, was not about to reveal anything. Realizing this, Babata clamped his mouth shut and waved tiny fists behind Rowan's back.
"You evil brat."
Despite his complaints, Babata had no choice but to accept the new reality. But something gnawed at him. Somehow, he realized he did not understand Rowan at all.
Too strong. Far too strong.
A Stellar-rank Seventh Stage, yet he had enslaved a Cosmic Third Stage. How many secrets was Rowan hiding?
Filled with confusion, curiosity, and a growing sense of helpless admiration, Babata restarted the Black Dragon ship and set a course toward Drake Star.
Naturally, Rowan brought Nakoro along. He also told Babata to prepare a Black Dragon Combat Set for Nakoro and another for himself. Rowan then instructed Nakoro to conceal his aura and use the armor's disguise ability to alter his appearance.
Nakoro complied without hesitation. Soon, his body was covered in smooth black battle armor, leaving him unrecognizable. With his presence fully suppressed, even those two Cosmic-rank warriors back on Drake Star would never sense him.
They soon arrived at the familiar interstellar port. Countless starships rested in neat rows, creating a vast city of metal.
Rowan walked boldly across the starport, with Sia and Nakoro following behind. Their destination was the Galactic Star River Bank.
As soon as the bank manager checked Rowan's account, his expression stiffened. A Five-Star account. Their tiny branch had no authority to process it. He could only activate the corporation's intelligent system to assist Rowan directly.
The withdrawal process was identical to what Rowan remembered from the original storyline. Under the system's supervision, Rowan retrieved the inheritance items of the Inkfall Lineage, entered several sets of quadruple-layered dimensional passwords, and finally underwent a mental-force verification.
After all checks were completed, Rowan gained access to the first vault linked to the ancient account of Huyan Bor.
The total amount inside was one hundred billion Qianwu Coins.
Converted to Black Dragon Coins, nearly ten trillion.
Rowan finally allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
Babata zoomed in front of him, arms crossed. "Hey, can you at least pretend to be excited?"
This was one hundred billion Qianwu Coins. Even a peak Cosmic-rank warrior might only possess five hundred billion in total assets. Rowan's wealth now surpassed that of many Domain Masters.
"Not bad," Rowan replied lightly.
Babata's face fell instantly. He deflated like a balloon stabbed with a needle.
"Heartless. Completely heartless," Babata muttered, despairing deeply. No matter what he showed Rowan, the man remained unfazed.
Was Rowan really from a primitive world? How could he act like he had seen everything already?
After completing the withdrawal, Rowan went to purchase Earth's residency rights.
At the Black Dragon Empire's Real Estate Exchange Center, the staff greeted him with luminous smiles. Rowan calmly provided Earth's coordinates and waited.
"Sir," the staff said after checking, "this planet is mid-grade. The cost is one trillion Black Dragon Coins."
"How long for full transfer?"
The staff winced. "This will require on-site inspection and high-level approval. The process normally takes about twelve days. Although, there is a faster method…"
Rowan responded, "One billion Black Dragon Coins. I want it done within five hours."
The manager froze. Then his eyes gleamed with greed.
Exactly as Rowan expected.
Sure enough, after receiving the bribe, the manager treated Rowan like a revered ancestor. All procedures were completed within five hours.
Thus, Rowan officially became the Lord of Earth.
Next, Rowan headed for the slave market.
Nakoro alone was not enough. Norlan and his group would arrive in about three months. Before that, Earth needed to be fortified and hidden from all outsiders.
Rowan spent one hundred sixty billion Black Dragon Coins to purchase over one thousand Stellar-rank slaves.
Among them were two figures Rowan specifically sought: Aegor and Iron River, warriors he respected from the original story. Iron River's loyalty, in particular, had always moved him.
To strengthen himself further, Rowan entered the main trading district.
"Babata, choose materials that will accelerate the Myriad Cloud Vine's evolution. I want it to reach Cosmic rank as soon as possible. And prepare a full Third-Stage Origin Armor for me."
Babata went all out. Because Rowan had not purchased a Life Base yet, he still had more than nine trillion Black Dragon Coins left, equivalent to more than ninety billion Qianwu Coins.
"With this much money," Babata explained, "the best combination is Purple-Gold Root and Life Origin Elixir. Ten thousand tons of each. Total cost: one hundred billion Black Dragon Coins."
With these, the Myriad Cloud Vine could definitely ascend to Cosmic rank. Without the fortune from Huyan Bor's ancient account, no ordinary Stellar-rank warrior could ever hope to raise such a creature. The cost would ruin even a mid-tier noble family.
Rowan nodded silently.
He spent another three hundred billion on the Third-Stage Origin Armor. Combined with the Stellar-rank Myriad Cloud Vine wrapped around his body, his defense reached terrifying levels.
A full-power blow from a Ninth-Stage Stellar warrior would not even critically injure him.
Then Rowan purchased cultivation resources for Raydon and Holt, giving each of them fifty billion Black Dragon Coins and a supply of training materials. The rest he saved for Loren, whose growth mattered most in the long run.
In a single day, the one hundred billion Qianwu Coins were emptied.
Rowan felt no regret. Investment always yielded returns.
He wanted to see what Raydon and Holt could achieve if their potential was nurtured to its absolute limit. Would Holt still only become an ordinary True God someday? Would Raydon remain trapped at Universe Dominator level?
This time, Rowan wanted to take every Earth-born genius into the Virtual Universe Company.
When preparations were complete, Rowan transported everything to White Orchid Star, where Earth's goods had to be redirected through a safe intermediary world.
The moment Rowan's vast fleet descended, the two local administrators ran out in panic. Seeing thousands of Stellar-rank warriors and the oppressive aura of Nakoro, they trembled uncontrollably.
"Who… who is this monster of a man?" the administrators whispered.
Nakoro's presence alone nearly crushed their minds. Behind him floated countless Stellar and Planetary warriors, an army greater than some mid-tier noble houses.
"Boss."
Aegor and Iron River led their people forward and knelt on one knee. Their eyes held no servility, only the emotionless obedience of those bound by a control chip.
"Stand up," Rowan said softly. "From today on, none of you are to think of yourselves as slaves. Do not call me Master. Call me Boss."
The warriors exchanged confused looks. Rowan met their eyes calmly.
"Do you know why I chose people of the same tribe?"
He stepped toward Aegor and Iron River and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"In my heart, all lives are equal. My home world may face danger from powerful outsiders someday. I am not yet strong enough to protect it. I need your help."
A silence fell over the starport.
"When I become strong enough, I will remove every one of your control chips. I will give each of you enough wealth to return to your home, purchase your own planet, and live with dignity. No more chains. No more slavery."
The shock was immediate and overwhelming.
Aegor and Iron River stared at Rowan as if seeing him for the very first time. Their eyes shimmered with emotion.
"Please," Rowan said, bowing his head slightly. "Lend me your strength."
"Boss, we swear eternal loyalty!"
A thousand voices echoed through the hangar as they dropped to one knee again, this time not from compulsion, but from genuine devotion.
Rowan inhaled deeply.
"Good. Then come with me. We are returning to Earth."
Nakoro watched with disbelief. For the first time, he understood something fundamental about Rowan. This man was not from some advanced clan. He was from an ordinary, undeveloped world. And he had cultivated for less than four years, rising from below apprentice level to Stellar Seventh Stage while comprehending a full domain.
Unbelievable. Yet true.
What stunned Nakoro even more was Rowan's sincerity toward slaves. No one treated slaves like this.
"Rowan," Nakoro whispered, "you are truly astonishing."
Rowan clapped a hand on Nakoro's shoulder. "If you work hard, I'll help you reach Domain Master. Whether you can become Undying afterward depends on your talent."
Nakoro trembled. That single promise shook him to his core. Rowan's cultivation methods were unimaginably powerful. Compared to what Nakoro's former teacher had left behind, Rowan's teachings were divine treasures.
Reaching Domain Master was indeed within reach.
Rowan raised his hand toward the sky.
"It is time to return home."