Chapter 94: Dreamscape- Titan Race

As time passed, Jiang Feng realized just how deep he had ventured into the mountain ruins. The labyrinthine corridors and towering chambers seemed endless, with no immediate treasures or discoveries of note thereafter. Along the way, however, he encountered several more titanic statues—each carved with an almost reverent attention to detail, their stoic faces and imposing figures evoking a forgotten age of grandeur.

Estimating the time, he noted it was likely nightfall. Though the mountain's interior was shrouded in perpetual darkness, his internal clock rarely faltered.

"So, Thunderclap City and the Northern Moon are at odds, huh?" he muttered under his breath, the echo of his voice swallowed by the vast, silent halls. "The others must be facing their share of trouble if they've crossed paths with any Thunderclap members."

Ahead of him loomed a decrepit temple, its once-majestic form ravaged by time and violence. The front was riddled with cracks that spiderwebbed across its surface, and the apex of its roof bore a gaping split, as if cleaved by an enormous, impossibly sharp blade.

"What kind of enemy could the giants of this place have faced?" Jiang Feng wondered aloud, popping a Crimson Vein Fruit into his mouth. Its bitter sweet tang lingered on his tongue as he cautiously stepped inside.

The temple's interior was a stark contrast to its crumbling facade. Strange, jagged patterns adorned the walls, rough and unpolished, yet mesmerizing in their irregularity. At first glance, they appeared haphazard, but the longer Jiang Feng stared, the more the lines seemed to shift and converge, as though an unseen spear was hurtling toward him.

"These markings..." Jiang Feng narrowed his eyes and traced the patterns with his gaze. "They feel similar to the ones I saw in that cave before, when I first came to the Obsidian Woodlands."

His curiosity heightened, he moved closer to inspect the enigmatic designs. "Compared to modern formation lines, these are crude—ugly, even—but they possess a profound intensity. It's as if each line could splinter into countless others, forming something entirely new."

A spark of realization ignited in his mind. "Could these be the origin of formation lines? Lines created not by man, but by heaven and earth themselves? Perhaps the arts of formation and talisman-making were born from these primal patterns."

His thoughts raced as he recalled his earlier experiences. "The lines in that first cave were jagged and sharp, like sword strokes. They carried illusionary properties, making reality itself seem like a mere facade. But these..." He gestured to the surrounding walls. "These lines feel like the thrust of a spear—piercing, relentless, as though they could drill through thousands of bodies with ease."

Jiang Feng's gaze swept over the temple's interior, the patterns on every wall pulling his mind into a state of overdrive.

Even as he pondered, deep within his consciousness, the Eternal Flame Codex stirred. Though its power was temporarily focused on aiding the Aetherion Dragon in digesting the chaotic energies of tribulation lightning, its pages turned on their own, as if alive. With each page, ancient words spilled forth, flowing seamlessly into Jiang Feng's thoughts.

The Codex, a supreme treasure of the Eternal Clan, continued its work silently but relentlessly, weaving insights and revelations into his mind.

"Sharp like swords, the illusion of the world—reality is but a shell. Wild like a spear, untamed by nature—be wild and free," Jiang Feng murmured, his eyes slowly closing.

The glowing lines on the walls before him began to shimmer faintly, their radiance pulsing in rhythm with an unseen force. Then, like a curtain lifting, a vivid scene unfolded within his mind.

A vast, breathtaking land stretched endlessly before him. The sheer scale of it defied comprehension, its boundaries lost to the horizon. Towering trees reached skyward, their canopies so immense they seemed to hold the heavens in place. Colossal structures dotted the land—temples, fortresses, towering halls of stone and metal, and sprawling arenas that could house entire armies.

Amidst these monumental edifices moved giant figures, their sheer size making even the grand buildings seem modest. Their muscles rippled with raw power, as if on the verge of bursting from their bodies, each one exuding an aura of primal strength.

Jiang Feng stood among them, awestruck, though he failed to notice that his own body matched theirs in stature and might.

Over time, he observed these giants as they delved into the mysteries of cultivation. Their bodies grew even larger and more refined, as though the cosmos itself responded to their will. With each breakthrough, their forms became more godlike, radiating an almost divine presence.

Then came a turning point. The giants began an ambitious endeavor: hauling vast piles of stone, timber, and soil to construct an immense mountain that pierced the very clouds. For centuries—thousands of years—they labored tirelessly, fortifying the mountain until it became their sanctuary. Eventually, they moved their civilization within, reshaping its depths to house cities, temples, and halls far greater than those outside.

Their mastery allowed them to compress their enormous forms, adapting to the confines of the mountain's interior. Through relentless cultivation and an unyielding spirit, they weathered countless storms and wars, becoming a race of unparalleled strength. Their leader, the first giant to master cultivation, created the Titan Ascendance Art, a profound technique that elevated them to one of the five strongest races in ancient times.

As the Titan Race ascended to prominence, they dominated other civilizations, claiming sovereignty over many realms. Yet, their reign invited betrayal.

The sky shattered one fateful day, splitting open to reveal a massive rift. From it poured legions of diverse races, led by the fourth strongest race, who had allied with the third. The Titans were caught unprepared.

War engulfed the land, an endless tide of chaos. Jiang Feng suddenly found himself a participant, his massive frame battling alongside the Titans. His spear blazed with untamed fury, cutting down invaders in droves. When his weapon shattered, he fought with his bare hands, tearing through war machines, smashing through formations, and crushing enemies with devastating blows. His body bore countless wounds, yet his blood burned like molten fire, fueling his unrelenting rage.

Amid the carnage, Jiang Feng trained under the Titan leader, who recognized his potential. The leader imparted the secrets of the Titan Ascendance Art, forging Jiang Feng into a warrior of extraordinary power. But the tide of war was relentless. The leader fell, taking millions of enemies with him in a final, earth-shattering attack. Despite their unmatched strength, the Titans were overwhelmed.

Jiang Feng fought to the bitter end, his body riddled with injuries, his spirit unbroken. Ultimately, he fell, and the Titan Race was reduced to ash and bones. Their mountain home, once a symbol of their might, lay in ruins.

As the invaders turned their sights on the number one race, the heavens themselves retaliated. A massive dagger tore through the void, its sheer presence shattering the lands below and disrupting space-time. The Titans' homeland was pulled into the ensuing chaos, swallowed by a rift and lost to the annals of history.

Abruptly, Jiang Feng was yanked from the dreamscape. His vision dimmed, and the glowing lines on the temple walls faded to nothingness. Dust cascaded from the ceiling, settling on his body.

"How long was I out?" he rasped, his voice rough and dry.

He glanced down, startled by the changes in himself. His blood pulsed with untamed vigor, his essence lake having expanded to an astonishing 9,000 meters in diameter. He had unknowingly ascended to the third level of the Essence Condensation stage.

"How is this possible?" he murmured, his mind reeling from the revelations and the transformation he had undergone.

Jiang Feng was truly stunned by his breakthrough. The surge of power coursing through his body felt almost unreal, as if he could topple mountains, reverse rivers, and challenge the heavens themselves. His muscles hummed with latent energy, each movement resonating with untamed strength.

Exiting the crumbling temple, he pressed onward, walking for another day through the labyrinthine ruins before finally spotting an exit. A faint trail of light spilled through the massive archway ahead.

"This must be where that guy came through," Jiang Feng murmured to himself, recalling the young man from earlier. His brow furrowed. "But how did he manage to arrive here so quickly when the distance is so vast?"

He shook his head. There was no point pondering something he couldn't possibly answer.

Emerging into the open air, Jiang Feng took a deep breath, letting the crisp breeze cleanse the lingering weight of the dreamscape. The vivid memories still clung to him, as if he had truly lived those moments.

"So, this is the Titan Race," he muttered, his gaze sweeping over the jagged mountain peaks and ruined structures, his emotions fluctuating, he had some how build a bond out of nowhere for these people. "And that dagger... that was the Celestial Dagger." His voice dropped to a whisper, heavy with realization. "What the hell have I gotten myself mixed up in?"

The dream was etched in his mind as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. He could still feel the raw sensation of battle—the clash of weapons, the cries of his enemies, the blood that stained his massive hands. He remembered the faces of those he had killed, their expressions frozen in defiance or despair.

"One of the top five races in the universe," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Destroyed by another. And it was the Celestial Dagger that caused their downfall—tearing their world apart and casting this land into the void. That's how it ended up in the lower realms."

The weight of the revelation settled heavily on his shoulders. His connection to the dagger, now clearer than ever, was a burden he hadn't anticipated.

"This secret... it's too much. If anyone finds out that I have the dagger—the very weapon that caused all this destruction—how long will I even have to live?" His fists clenched tightly at his sides as he steadied his breathing. "This is bigger than me."

With one final glance at the ruined grounds, Jiang Feng turned and stepped through the exit. The shattered legacy of the Titan Race faded into the shadows behind him, leaving only a lingering sense of awe and unease in his heart.

Two days after Jiang Feng's departure, something extraordinary occurred within the ruins. A new statue emerged as though birthed from the mountain itself. Towering and majestic, it depicted a massive giant, its frame exuding indomitable might. The figure clutched a spear that pierced the heavens, its sharp tip radiating defiance.

The giant's eyes were the most striking feature, seemingly alive with unyielding resolve. They gazed upward, challenging the heavens with a silent roar: I will never bow.

This statue bore the unmistakable likeness of Jiang Feng.

The first colossal statue turned its head, its stone eyes gleaming with an ancient light as they fixed upon Jiang Feng's newly formed statue.

"So, the Eternal Clan survives, and they walk alongside the Aetherion Clan," a deep, resonant voice echoed in the stillness. "Karma has played its hand once more. The heavens are fair, yet they remain unjust. This child's comprehension is extraordinary—shocking, even. Let us see if he can uncover the remnants of my people and lead them from the shadows. May the heavens bear witness to our return!"