For Rowan and his team, what awaited them now was nothing more than a prelude.
The Imperial Martial Corps was hardly worth his concern. Even though they were part of the royal family, they were merely nobles from Black Dragon Mountain, a small, provincial region. At most, they were local powers.
As for what lay behind the Imperial Martial Corps? Only a Marquis-level Immortal. To Rowan, that was hardly a threat. Once he joined the Virtual Universe Company, his status would far surpass that of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. The so-called Ninth Princess of Black Dragon Mountain? She was inconsequential.
As these thoughts passed through Rowan's mind, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled. The violent battle from moments before had stirred the space itself. Rocks cracked, and a terrifying aura rapidly spread through the canyon. A massive vortex appeared, spinning wildly, radiating rainbow-colored lightning like a living black hole.
Teams collecting Wind Horn Stones froze in astonishment, staring at the phenomenon. Rowan's eyes narrowed with focus.
"Babata, what's happening?"
Rowan's question barely registered before Babata's excitement overtook her. "World Within a World! Oh my, your luck is extraordinary!"
Before anyone else could react, Rowan didn't hesitate. Without waiting for explanations, he charged into the vortex. His team exchanged glances, then followed, propelled by instinct and the promise of opportunity.
The moment Rowan led the way, the space around them twisted, enveloped in a soft, shifting light. Within moments, they were transported to a breathtaking new world.
Blue skies stretched overhead, white clouds drifted lazily, and mountains and rivers painted a picture of serene beauty. The scenery was ethereal, almost otherworldly.
"Compared to outside, this is like heaven and earth!" exclaimed Raif, unable to hide his astonishment.
Babata hovered next to Rowan's shoulder, explaining. "You've hit the jackpot. A World Within a World is created by a Realm Lord at immense cost. It exists hidden within the original world. Usually, it is designed to conceal treasures."
At the mention of treasure, Rowan's companions grew excited, but Rowan himself remained calm. "No time for chatter. We go for the treasure first. The opening of this world will surely trigger a scramble. Securing what we can is priority."
He knew the area contained massive amounts of Cosmic Crystals, which could be exchanged for Cosmic Coins the very currency he needed to purchase the Starflare Rift Blade.
"Babata, scan the area. See if there's any treasure nearby."
Babata immediately began her reconnaissance. Within moments, she identified a deposit of Cosmic Crystals three thousand two hundred meters below the surface. The team's eyes lit up at the news, while Rowan's mind already calculated how best to extract and store the crystals efficiently.
They descended underground. Even with materials like fragments of Red Mixed Copper, piercing through the World Within a World's dense terrain required immense force. The Realm Lord had used cosmic energy to fortify this world; even ordinary stones and sand were incomparably dense.
As they dug, a colossal purple crystal pillar stretched from below to above.
"Spectacular! What is that?" Raif asked, awe evident in his voice.
Babata answered, "Cosmic Crystals. Created when the Realm Lord formed this world. Extremely valuable."
Rowan's eyes glimmered. Over three hundred cubic meters of Cosmic Crystals lay before them. One cubic meter could be exchanged for three thousand Cosmic Coins. In total, this deposit alone was worth around ten billion Cosmic Coins.
Rowan wasted no time, directing Babata to gather the crystals into storage. "Keep scanning. Don't ignore any other minerals. Every bit counts."
Nearby lay veins of silver-white stone tinged with purple. Babata frowned, "This is standard world ore. Not very valuable. Even for constructing a B-level survival base, a ton only goes for fifty Black Dragon Coins. Should we bother?"
Rowan shook his head, though with a small smile. "No treasure should be left behind. Even the smallest gain matters. Take it all. Every piece counts."
Time was precious. Others would inevitably discover this world soon, and the race for the Cosmic Crystals would turn into a brutal scramble. Rowan knew that in this kind of competition, hesitation could mean missing out entirely.
He waved his hand, and the world ore around them was drawn into storage. Nothing would be left behind.