Step by step, Rowan lifted his head and looked around as he approached his destiny—the West Gate. Now, he stood directly before the gate. The light emitted from the gate appeared to dance incessantly. Rowan extended his hand towards the gate, and it opened on its own. The first thing Rowan saw was not chaos and war, but harmony and beauty. The beauty was immense, with each stone featuring unique carvings, like a dream. In this vast world, chunks of monuments and stones floated in the air, not touching the ground.
At that moment, Rowan continued walking and entered through the gate, into a serene and tranquil atmosphere. He stopped for a moment, encountering a figure that appeared to be a manifestation of light. Rowan tried to speak to the figure, but it disappeared in the blink of an eye. Frowning, Rowan was unsure of what was happening. He drew his spear, preparing for a possible sudden attack, but nothing happened. There was nothing except an atmosphere filled with wonder and silence.
Feeling curious, Rowan decided to explore further into the West world. Soon, he came upon a large monument that appeared ruined but still stood firmly without falling. As he approached the monument, he saw the same figure, now wearing a robe with a flag hanging behind them. The figure descended slowly, and as their feet touched the ground, everything shook as if under the pressure of something immense and heavy.
The previously quiet atmosphere turned tense and filled with questions. Rowan greeted the figure, and the response was surprising. The figure was the guardian or protector of the west world at the edge of the world, within the West Gate, known as Bai Hu. "Who are you, really?" Rowan asked Bai Hu. Bai Hu replied, "I am the guardian of this gate and this realm. And you are Rowan, correct?"
Rowan was puzzled that Bai Hu knew his name, so he asked, "How do you know my name?" Bai Hu smiled and said, "The power I possess spreads across the entire realm, and nothing can escape or defy the balance of yin and yang itself. All this power originates from my will."
Rowan then asked, "Do I have a special purpose here for you?" Bai Hu simply smiled and led him to a place. As they walked, Rowan wondered where Bai Hu was taking him, but when he asked, Bai Hu just glanced back and told him to remain silent without giving a reason. As they moved farther from the gate, they finally reached their destination. Bai Hu spoke, "Welcome to my throne; this is the Feng Shui Throne."
Rowan was stunned by what Bai Hu showed him. It wasn't a throne but a floating monument with cracks and carvings of tigers, accompanied by four tiger statues at each corner. It was beautiful, with jade colors adorning the carved stone. Rowan, astonished, said, "A throne? This big?!"
Bai Hu responded, "The form you see now is just my human form. My true form is grander than this, with an abstract appearance and the shape of a tiger. My true form may be beyond your comprehension."
Rowan, despite having the power to defeat Helios, knew it was nothing compared to Bai Hu's ability to alter the world's balance and harmony. Bai Hu asked, "Would you like to see my true form?" Rowan responded, "Yes." Bai Hu then transformed, as a white aura began to emerge gradually. The human form faded, replaced by a tiger with white fur that illuminated the throne. Every carved jade stone glowed momentarily, encapsulating the immense power of Bai Hu. Bai Hu, the guardian of balance, revealed his true form to someone destined as a Divine wanderer.
The space filled with floating stones transformed into an endless expanse of pillars with floating monuments. Each majestic pillar emitted flames, and a giant figure sat upon the throne—this was the true form of Bai Hu.
Rowan couldn't fully comprehend the appearance of Bai Hu, even though he saw a tiger; it was beyond his understanding. Bai Hu declared, "Behold my true form!" The words resonated across the western land, echoing until Bai Hu closed his mouth. The ground trembled as Bai Hu moved, and Rowan stood in silent awe, witnessing what seemed like the pinnacle of beauty. White mist curled from the throne and several pillars, accompanied by a cold breeze. Rowan gazed at the sky, filled with white mist swirling from Bai Hu's throne.
Every glistening cloud floated above the sky, seemingly responding to every feeling and expression in a symphony. What Rowan saw was pure peace within himself, emanating from Bai Hu's majestic power.
The sheer magnificence of the scene left Rowan in awe, and he finally realized where he was. He wondered if he was hallucinating due to the beauty, a testament to the power of Bai Hu's Yin. Rowan asked Bai Hu, "Who are you, a god?" Bai Hu laughed and replied, "As I said earlier, I am one of the constellations, of course, I am a god."
Rowan, with a somewhat bold request, challenged Bai Hu to a fight. Bai Hu was surprised and laughed, saying, "If you consider yourself immortal, I see you as nothing more than a powerless mortal." But if you want to know my strength, come on!" Bai Hu's voice reverberated throughout the western world, shaking the pillars.
"Relax, this is just a test," Rowan said before unleashing his power. A golden aura emanated from his body, briefly distorting the space around him. The sound of a rumble came from within Rowan, signaling his readiness to fight. However, Bai Hu remained unfazed, merely waiting for Rowan to make his move.
Rowan launched an attack, a conceptual destroyer of abstract nature. But as it struck the mist and aura surrounding Bai Hu, the attack was neutralized and dissipated. Rowan tried again, channeling his power to disrupt Bai Hu's aura. Even with the activation of The Mebius Heart, Rowan's abilities were continuously negated upon contact with the mist from Bai Hu's throne, rendering his reality-altering and conceptual powers ineffective.
Rowan attempted another approach, using the power of Scarlet Helios lightning to pierce through the clouds. Miraculously, it worked, thanks to the power of Zeus's ring and the Scarlet lightning, enhanced by the golden resistance of the Haval shield. Bai Hu observed the event and, with a single tiger roar, unleashed a wave of power in all directions, sending Rowan flying into a pillar. The impact caused the pillar to crack due to the immense shockwave's strength.
The attack meant for Bai Hu was completely obliterated by the terrifying and awe-inspiring shockwave from the tiger's roar. The sheer force demonstrated Bai Hu's overwhelming power, further emphasizing the futility of Rowan's efforts against such a divine being.
However, Rowan stood up again with his spear and charged towards Bai Hu at an incredible speed, disregarding time, space, and natural laws. Yet, even faster, Bai Hu transformed into his human form and intercepted Rowan's spear with a single sharp claw.
At the same time, Rowan was startled to see a similar display of power as before, recognizing it as comparable to Tom's strength. Realizing the futility of his efforts against Bai Hu's overwhelming power, Rowan quickly withdrew or conceded defeat. Bai Hu remarked, "You possess formidable strength, but... it is not enough to defeat me." Indeed, Rowan, still on his path to destiny, was facing a being who had already attained divine status.
Rowan asked Bai Hu, "I came here to fulfill my destiny. Is there anything that can help me?" After a brief pause, Bai Hu responded, "For your journey, I can grant you extraordinary power." A pearl emerged from Bai Hu's palm. He explained, "This is the power of 'Dafuan,' derived from the mist you previously attacked. I am giving you only a small portion, but with the strength of the Haval shield and The Mebius Heart, it should expand rapidly."
Bai Hu extended his hand and pointed towards Rowan. The pearl then entered Rowan's body through his chest. The moment it did, Rowan felt a continuous flow of power. Simultaneously, his armor, now adorned with a white pattern, began to glow brightly.
Finally, Rowan received the power granted by Bai Hu, intended as assistance for his journey to other gates and as a sign to inform the other constellations. Rowan chose not to leave immediately but instead rested for a moment, taking in the beauty of the west world around him.