The crowd around froze in astonishment as they laid eyes on the colossal form of Lord Mist.
It did not take long, however, for them to realize that he was an intelligent lifeform.
Babata observed quietly, muttering to himself, "An intelligent being, evolving alone over countless ages. I suppose this is a blessing in disguise, trapped here for so long."
"Babata, how does he compare to you in strength?" Kevin Cross asked curiously.
Babata scowled, annoyed by the comparison. "How could he compare to me? I once commanded intelligent lifeforms myself. My level far surpasses his, and his computational speed is no match for mine."
While Babata grumbled, Lord Mist spoke, his voice calm but commanding. "I know why you all are here. You seek my master's treasures. But my master's treasures are not easily obtained. These are the Realm Stones. I possess three hundred and twelve relics left behind by my master. Collect enough Realm Stones, and you may exchange them here with me."
At a gesture from Lord Mist, a massive screen materialized in front of them, displaying all three hundred and twelve treasures.
Simultaneously, it revealed the appearance of the Realm Stones themselves, the same ones Rowan and his companions had gathered alongside the Cosmic Crystals in the underground deposits.
Instantly, the eyes of all present burned with greed. Three hundred and twelve treasures were truly staggering.
"Life Fruits… a B6 Laser Cannon capable of annihilating Domain Masters. And there are so many other incredible items!"
"They're rich beyond belief! But what exactly are these Realm Stones?"
The surrounding warriors' gazes flared with desire, itching to seize the treasures, yet two Stellar-level Ninth Stage warriors had already perished before even entering the castle.
Clearly, this fortress was fraught with danger.
"Your Highness, the Ninth Princess, we could use a C2-level laser cannon to break in!" one burly subordinate whispered to Brolin.
"Why bother collecting Realm Stones when brute force would suffice?" he added, eyeing the treasures greedily.
Lord Mist, unfazed, addressed them: "I am aware that some of you may plan to force your way in using weapons capable of obliterating Cosmic-level opponents. Let me warn you: this castle is filled with traps and armaments capable of annihilating Domain Masters. Only a Realm Master could hope to survive entering here."
The Ninth Princess's expression shifted instantly, her face blanching as she glared at her subordinate, realizing the peril they had underestimated.
Even the strongest could not simply plunder what had been left behind by a Realm Master.
Lord Mist continued, delivering a revelation that made everyone gasp with excitement: "Among my master's treasures is a complete Space Codex. Anyone who obtains it can master perfect spatial techniques."
The laws of Time and Space were the strongest of all, capable of freezing or imprisoning opponents in an instant. In battle, even a brief pause in time or space could determine victory or defeat.
Yet mastering these laws was extraordinarily difficult, nearly impossible compared to other principles. Few in the universe could comprehend either Time or Space law. Those who could were near-invincible, even among Realm Masters.
The value of the Space Codex alone far surpassed the other three hundred eleven treasures.
"My God, what kind of Realm Master was this? They left behind three Life Fruits, a full set of Space Codex crystals requiring triple passwords, the Realm Master's personal account, Domain Master-level bloodline potions… even three Life Fruits! Life Fruits alone could revive a Realm Master on the brink of death. How could they have been killed without using them?" Babata stammered in awe.
Even the lowest-level treasures were Fifth-rank Primal Weapons, making this Realm Master's estate comparable to a minor Immortal.
Kevin, eyes gleaming with determination, addressed his brothers and companions: "Brothers, the risk is worth the reward. This journey into the Realm of Realms is our fortune. No matter what, we must find a way to claim these treasures."
Rofeng clenched his fists at Kevin's words, while Hong and Thunder God expressed concern: "With our current strength, we cannot resist C2-level weaponry. If combat breaks out, we will be utterly defenseless."
Babata, however, had an idea. "Do you forget the three Life Fruits? Their power is immense. Even a seriously injured Realm Master could recover instantly. If we feed these to the Magic Vines, they will rapidly evolve to Cosmic-level."
Once they reached Cosmic-level, they would dominate the Realm of Realms.
Kevin quickly outlined a plan, and everyone's eyes lit up.
"My Magic Vines, cultivated with Blood Vines and Wood Crystals, have already reached Stellar-level Second Stage. With a Life Fruit, they will ascend to Cosmic-level immediately," Hong said, his gaze shimmering with excitement.
"My Magic Vines are already at Stellar-level Fifth Stage," Kevin added. "A Life Fruit will push them to Cosmic-level as well."
Thunder God nodded, impressed, having nearly forgotten the importance of the Magic Vines.
Rowan transmitted his voice through telepathy: "Brothers, Iron Box, hold on. I'll assign each of you a Magic Vine once I complete my meditation."
Everyone was stunned.
"What! You even have Magic Vines?" Thunder God exclaimed.
"Yes. A previous immortal-level expert I encountered in the secret realm specialized in cultivating plants. I gained several Cosmic Vines from a Realm Master who perished, though their storage ring was destroyed. The Magic Vine you gave me is perfect for activating them," Rowan explained.
Rowan then entered meditation, connecting with his Marvel Universe self and the Eternal Flame Core.
With the Infinity Gauntlet in hand, he unleashed its power. The Reality Stone glowed brilliantly as four Stellar-level Magic Vines materialized in midair, thrashing violently.
Each vine extended thirty kilometers, tearing apart the surrounding magma and solid rock. Within thirty kilometers, the land was reduced to a chaotic wasteland.
Muspelheim's surface temperatures reached tens of millions of degrees, yet the Stellar-level Magic Vines remained unharmed, their resilience allowing them to act as living armor capable of withstanding eighty thousand degrees.
The vines lunged at Rowan's physical form, attempting destruction, but he unleashed the Mind Stone. Blue waves emanated, subduing the chaotic vines. They retracted into massive plant spheres over fifty meters in diameter.
"Good thing for the Mind Stone, or I'd be obliterated," Rowan said with a grin.
He had anticipated the violent tendencies of the Magic Vines and was testing the Mind Stone's control. The results exceeded expectations.
Rowan stored two of the vines in his storage space. Having already acquired one of Huyan Bo's accounts with a hundred billion Qianwu Coins, he invested fifty billion Black Dragon Coins in two new storage rings, each as large as ten football fields.
Back in the Realm of Realms, Rowan's main body opened his eyes. Everyone else had gone off to collect Realm Stones, leaving only their team behind.
"Ready, Rowan?" Thunder God asked impatiently. Lord Mist had already identified twenty-six zones rich in Realm Stones, marking them for collection, signaling the beginning of a brutal treasure war.
Rowan retrieved the other universe's rings with subtle dexterity, preparing four Stellar-level Magic Vines for each of his companions: Thunder God, Rofeng, Iron Box, and Aogu.
The four Stellar-level vines were worth two hundred fifty billion Black Dragon Coins each, exceeding even the value of a Ninth Stage psychic. Everyone was awestruck, deeply grateful to Rowan for the incredible gift.
Babata stared in disbelief. "Four Stellar-level Magic Vines? How did you manage to acquire so many?"
Rowan explained the origin: a transport ship destroyed by Huyan Bo carried a Realm Master, whose immortal mentor specialized in plant cultivation. By coincidence, Rowan acquired several leftover Magic Vines, perfectly timed for blood-binding and activation.
His companions could hardly believe their luck. With the Cosmic-level potential of the Magic Vines, they now had a formidable edge in the Realm of Realms.