Babata settled herself on Rowan's shoulder, her long, graceful legs swaying slightly as she spoke. "Among the nine supreme psychic weapons, each has its strengths. Rowan Peak is best suited for the Divine Evolution Weapon. As for you… you haven't trained in the Time Principle. Why even consider a weapon that requires mastery of both Time and Fire Principles?"
"Don't waste words. Just tell me!" Rowan replied impatiently.
Babata sighed. "The Starshard Rift Blade. It's a weapon that only those who have deeply comprehended the Fire and Time Principles can wield. Among the nine supreme psychic weapons, it's one of the pinnacle weapons. The blade measures one point two meters, dark gold in color, composed of 18,500 interlocking shards, and has eight distinct forms. One must have an exceptional grasp of both Principles to cultivate it."
"It's second only to the Divine Evolution Weapon in terms of difficulty. Reaching its eighth form within the Immortal Realm leaves one nearly unmatched. As for the exact techniques of the Starshard Rift Blade, I cannot say." Babata's tone was measured.
Rowan's eyes gleamed with golden light at the mention of the Starshard Rift Blade. Rowan Peak's Divine Evolution Weapon had reached the ninth tier. Cultivated to this level within the Immortal Realm, it ranked among the absolute elite. The Starshard Rift Blade, it seemed, shared the same status.
"How can I get my hands on the Starshard Rift Blade?" Rowan asked, curiosity sharpening his tone.
"You're serious about it?" Babata's voice was incredulous. "This weapon is insanely difficult to cultivate. Even most Realm Lords cannot reach the third tier, let alone you, a Stellar-level warrior. Even if you reach Domain Lord level, you won't unlock the blade's full potential. It'd be smarter to get a Tier Four psychic weapon like the Razor Shadow Fang. It's more suitable for you. Even a Realm Lord could unleash its deadly force."
"I'm getting the Starshard Rift Blade. Tell me how can I acquire it?" Rowan's determination was unyielding.
Babata tried to dissuade him. "This weapon costs at least forty trillion universal credits. With your entire fortune, you don't even have billions in Qianwu Credits. You can't afford it!"
"I'll earn the money later. Just tell me how to get it now," Rowan insisted.
Babata considered it, then explained. "Among the nine supreme psychic weapons of the cosmos, they typically only appear at the highest-level auctions. Alternatively, powerful factions may bestow them as rewards, or you might obtain one by joining a faction with sufficient financial resources."
Rowan pondered silently. Securing the Starshard Rift Blade wouldn't be easy. He would need to find a way before the Genius Tournament in the Virtual Universe, and at the same time, master its two Principle-based applications. Otherwise, the tournament would be a severe risk.
After a brief rest, Rowan instructed Babata to store all the nearby monsters in her containment space.
"Why take all these monsters?" Babata asked, puzzled.
"They're for pets." Rowan replied casually. These Stellar-level ninth-tier monsters carried extremely potent energy within their flesh and blood. Feeding them to the East Sea Azure Dragon would be perfect. The dragon's current strength had reached Planetary-level eighth-tier. With the addition of over a hundred horned rhinos and ample Moya Crystals, it would soon ascend to Stellar-level. The dragon would accompany them in future battles.
Babata shook her head in silent exasperation but still complied, storing every rhino corpse in her containment space.
Once prepared, the group accelerated toward the Wind-Thunder Gorge. Along the way, they encountered the Thunder Falcon, a creature that had once caused Rowan Peak's team significant trouble. Now, however, against Rowan's team, it was swiftly subdued and added to Babata's collection.
Approaching Wind-Thunder Gorge, the environment's hostility became immediately apparent.
"This place is dangerous. Everyone, stay vigilant. Babata and I, as psychic warriors, will retrieve the Windhorn Crystals," Rowan said, sharing a glance with Babata before they soared into the gorge. Under Babata's scouting, they quickly located numerous Windhorn Crystals amidst the violent winds.
The gorge's climate was lethal. Gusts could shred even Stellar-level armor and annihilate anyone caught in them. Any who were swept away would die instantly. Yet, for Rowan's team, this danger was trivial. Their domains allowed them to navigate the harsh environment with relative ease.
During their operation, two reckless teams attempted ambushes. Rowan remained inactive; Hong and Thunder God handled the threats, effortlessly eliminating a five-member team, all Stellar-level ninth-tier. Though outnumbered, the duo's overlapping domains allowed them to fight above their level.
Hong's mastery of the Ninefold Illusion Tower, a Royal Immortal-level secret art, enabled him to infuse illusions into his blade, disrupting enemy perception and leaving even superior opponents vulnerable for a split second. Thunder God's blade mastery, sharp as lightning and reinforced by his triple domain, created unparalleled synergy.
The battle raged, mountains crumbled, and rock walls shattered under the force of their clash. Ultimately, the two domains combined, trapping and eliminating all five intruders.
"Exhilarating!" Thunder God exclaimed, reveling in the thrill of combat. The bloodline enhancers' effects surged, amplifying his power further.
Hong calmly meditated, analyzing the insights gained from the Ninefold Illusion Tower, while Rowan Peak watched enviously. "Big brothers are so strong… I have to catch up!"
With the retrieval of the Windhorn Crystals entrusted to Rowan and Babata, Rowan Peak directed the Golden Horn Beasts to accelerate metal consumption. These creatures, now Stellar-level ninth-tier, were close to crossing into Cosmic-level. Their metal-digesting abilities would accelerate Rowan Peak's understanding of the Gold Principle.
Meanwhile, a squad from the Imperial Martial Corps already present in the gorge encountered Rowan's team.
"Ah, the Imperial Martial Corps," Babata noted.
The squad leader, Ghost Shi, frowned upon seeing Rowan. They were a mere seven-person team facing domain masters of exceptional caliber. Any battle would end in certain defeat.
"Move aside, dogs!" Rowan said coldly, prompting Ghost Shi's anger. "Who do you think you are to speak to us like that?"
"You're not qualified to ask. Leave, or I'll give you three breaths to disappear!" Rowan's tone remained firm.
Ghost Shi, a proud vice-captain, seethed. The Ninth Princess had instructed them to avoid conflict, yet his pride wouldn't allow such defiance from a nameless team.
"Time's up! Die!" Rowan decided. Since he had offered a choice and it was ignored, execution was the only outcome.
As vice-captain, Ghost Shi carried significant wealth, and with six Stellar-level subordinates, their assets would become Rowan's spoils. Previously, two ambushing teams totaling eleven individuals yielded over fifty billion Black Dragon Credits. Weapons, armor, and stored items all were confiscated.
Every little bit counted.
With the multiverse soon opening the Domain within Domain, over two million Stellar-level warriors would flood in. Eliminating some threats now reduced future danger.
Hong and Thunder God could no longer restrain themselves. They struck first, unleashing their overlapping triple domains. The squad felt as if trapped in a quagmire, attacked by countless beams of light and corroded by crackling lightning. Pain and paralysis struck them immediately.
"Damn!" Ghost Shi realized their recklessness.
"They wanted death, I'll grant it!" Hong and Thunder God pressed the attack, demonstrating their overwhelming power.
Rowan Peak eagerly joined, his Stellar-level third-tier strength amplified by fourth-tier psychic power, effectively equivalent to Stellar-level eighth-tier, supporting the battle excellently.
"Blade Domain!" Rowan Peak commanded, sending four hundred seventy-two blades into the fray, merging with the ongoing lightning and light domains. The sheer destructive force of the blades overwhelmed the remaining Imperial Martial Corps members, who roared in frustration before being cut down entirely.
Naturally, Rowan's team confiscated all spoils ships, crystals, weapons, and storage contents without exception.
"A Class-B6 ship, hundreds of Moya Crystals, fifty Lorenz Crystals… not bad. Already worth over sixteen billion Black Dragon Credits," Rowan noted.
"Together with these minor lootings, we've gained over twenty billion. A great haul!" Hong and Thunder God smiled, impressed by the sheer wealth of the Imperial Martial Corps. Nearly forty billion Black Dragon Credits claimed without much effort.