Inside the secluded chamber of Moonlight Community at the Jiangnan Base of the Devouring World, Rowan's clone sat shrouded in swirling shadows. Darkness coiled around him like living mist, merging with his aura until it was impossible to tell where the shadows ended and he began.
The room was oppressively silent. Not a breath of wind nor a hint of movement disturbed the air. Only Rowan's slow, steady breathing echoed faintly through the chamber.
"Time... a boundless river, yet hidden within it are countless invisible nodes." Rowan's clone murmured under his breath. His brows furrowed, and a sheen of sweat formed on his forehead.
"To fully grasp the Law of Time is much more difficult than I expected. No wonder so many Immortals and Realm Lords get trapped by the Laws of Time and Space. These two are truly the greatest barriers." He exhaled lightly and opened his eyes, returning once more to his meditative state.
Yet progress remained painfully slow. Rowan had believed he could quickly touch the threshold of the Time Law. Instead, half a month had only given him the faintest whisper of its essence.
…
Marvel Universe.
Coastal Villa.
Sunlight poured gently over Rowan's seaside home. Waves rolled lazily onto the shore, their soft rhythm filling the air. The salty breeze drifted through the villa, carrying a peaceful warmth.
Inside, laughter echoed through the halls. Maria Hill weaved through the lively crowd with a bright smile.
"Today, we celebrate my brother's safe return." She said to Natasha, her eyes glowing with genuine joy.
Natasha brushed a lock of red hair behind her ear and nodded. "It's been a long time since we've had everyone together like this."
Lately, Natasha had been glued to Rowan's side day and night, to the point that Rowan barely found the time to train. Wanda was no better. The two behaved like affectionate kittens, tireless and persistent.
Their boundless energy was understandable. Both of them had recently stepped into planetary-class strength. Their bodies and recovery capability had undergone a complete evolutionary leap. Going from trainee to planetary warrior was no small step. It was a transformation of life itself, one that multiplied their biological potential many times over.
As for Maria Hill, she had only returned home the previous day. Rowan had come back over two weeks ago, but Hill had been buried under a mountain of governmental affairs ever since her recent promotion.
She was now the President of the United States.
A shocking leap, even by political standards.
But with Rowan's presence standing above the world like a mythic guardian, few questioned her rise. Earth was entering a new era. Asgard had officially joined the planet, and Tony Stark had opened stable pathways into the wider universe. Interstellar commerce was booming.
During the latest presidential election, Maria had held the highest approval ratings by a landslide.
And now, having learned that Rowan was home, she immediately arranged this celebration.
Rowan refused a large, formal gathering though. He wanted only the people closest to him.
So they invited Helen Zhao, Shuri, Sharon Carter, and their neighbor Tony Stark with Pepper Potts.
Most guests had already arrived, though Shuri and Tony were still on the way.
Wanda, wearing a flowing crimson gown, stood near the window. She glanced repeatedly toward the entrance, as if waiting for something important.
Right on cue, a loud roar came from outside.
A sleek aircraft descended toward the courtyard. When the hatch opened, Shuri stepped out, still in her medical uniform and carrying two vibranium cases.
"Boss!" she called excitedly the moment she saw Rowan.
Rowan's eyes flicked to the cases, anticipation rising.
"Shuri, you're finally here. Those boxes…"
She set them on the table and beamed. "Boss, we succeeded. We've created synthetic Muya Crystals. Human trials were completed just yesterday."
The crowd gathered instantly, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Tell me everything." Rowan urged.
If the Muya Crystal reproduction project worked, it would be monumental.
Shuri adjusted her glasses, her eyes gleaming. "We tested it on an entry-level warrior. After consuming one synthetic Muya Crystal, he advanced to high-level warrior status. And the energy hasn't even fully absorbed yet. Once complete, he'll likely reach battle commander level. And most importantly, his body showed no signs of toxicity. Several samples of his blood indicate excellent stability. The energy output is slightly lower than naturally occurring Muya Crystals, but not by much."
Rowan opened the case, revealing rows of softly glowing crystals. They emitted a faint jasmine-like fragrance rather than the traditional rice-sweet aroma of natural crystals.
Rowan picked one up and swallowed it.
Warm energy spread through his body. The improvement was slight though. For someone at his level, Muya Crystals were little more than mild supplements. Not even twenty would equal a single Bloodvine Root.
But for students and planetary warriors, this was priceless nourishment.
"The energy density is about ninety percent of the original." Rowan nodded in satisfaction.
Maria Hill, Natasha, and Wanda exchanged surprised looks.
"Rowan, can we try one?" Hill asked eagerly.
"Go ahead."
The three took a crystal each and sat down to cultivate.
As they began absorbing the energy, footsteps sounded at the entrance.
Tony Stark and Pepper Potts entered hand-in-hand. Pepper wore a soft blue dress, smiling warmly at everyone.
"Hey Rowan, heard there was a party. Pepper and I figured we'd drop by." Tony's gaze fell on the table. "And what are those? They look… expensive."
Rowan explained the Muya Crystals briefly.
Tony's eyes widened.
"Incredible. I want three. Name your price."
"You can't buy Muya Crystals with money anymore." Rowan answered calmly.
Tony thought for a moment. "Then what do you want?"
Rowan's smile turned slightly mischievous. "I want you to help me transform the moon into a Muya Crystal production base. With your technology, it's entirely possible."
Tony froze for a second.
Modify the moon?
Then he laughed loudly.
"That's it? Easy. I've got thousands of Iron Legion units ready for remote deployment. I can start the moment you give the word."
Pepper looked uneasy. "Tony, altering the moon is not a small-scale project."
He squeezed her hand. "Relax. This will be groundbreaking for all of us."
Rowan extended his hand. "Then I'll look forward to the new moon."
Tony shook it firmly. "Give me a little time. I promise it'll look brand new."
Rowan nodded. Producing Muya Crystals on Earth was possible, but far too dangerous. Human greed could never be underestimated. The moon was safer, easier to protect, and exposed to richer cosmic energy.
Teng Snake would soon reach planetary-class strength. Rowan could station him there as guardian. Eventually Rowan planned to capture beasts from the Devouring World, evolve them to planetary level, implant biological control chips, and assign them to lunar defense.
No one would be able to steal a single crystal.
Soon, the three women finished absorbing their Muya Crystals.
Hill's aura surged noticeably. "Rowan, this really works. My strength improved again."
Natasha grinned. "I feel stronger and faster."
Wanda closed her eyes, steadying her breath. The energy inside her was boiling. One more step, and she would fully ascend to planetary-class physique. Combined with her planetary-level mental power, she would become nearly unstoppable.
Rowan smiled at their progress.
But he still had other plans.
He brought Shuri with him to the basement.
"Boss? What's going on?" she asked.
Rowan opened his storage space and took out ten Bloodvine Roots. Their crimson bodies glowed with rich cosmic energy and thick life force.
Shuri gasped. "What is this? The energy readings are insane."
"This is Bloodvine, the root of a rare cosmic plant. It's made for star-level warriors to advance."
Shuri immediately scanned it with her portable device. The numbers made her shout.
"This contains fifty-three times the energy of a Muya Crystal. And there's some unknown force inside too."
"Can it be replicated?"
She frowned deeply. "Not without the original plant. This is only the root. I need the main body in order to cultivate new ones."
Rowan nodded. He would need to capture a living Bloodvine plant in the Devouring World and bring it back.
Once mass-produced, Earth's future star-level warriors would have endless resources.
After giving Shuri her instructions, Rowan returned to the Eternal Core that very night.
There, he took out the Bloodline Evolution Serum.
He stared at it and felt his scalp tingle. He knew exactly how agonizing this would be. In the original story, Luo Feng nearly passed out screaming from the pain. And Luo Feng's willpower was already monstrously strong.
Rowan took a deep breath.
"Just get it over with."
He tilted back his head and drank the entire vial in one gulp.