Chapter 134: The Heart Of Dark Ages

Inside Jiang Feng's mental space, a storm of emotions churned, swirling like a tempest of uncertainty and awe. The Aetherion Dragon, its golden eyes gleaming with wisdom that spanned eons, gazed upward at the descending Heart. Its expression was inscrutable, a mask of ancient knowledge and quiet contemplation. Beside it, the Eternal Flame Codex hovered, its countless pages rustling faintly as if stirred by an unseen wind of unease. And then there were his flames—Caelestis Fernax and Saloris Infernum—each burning with a primordial brilliance that seemed to defy the very fabric of existence. Yet now, their light flickered, disturbed by the presence of the heart as they too turned their fiery gazes skyward, staring at the heart.

They all knew what it was. They recognized it, but the karma involved was too immense, too overwhelming, that even they—ancient as they were, older than empires and realms—felt a tremor of fear. The weight of this moment was not lost on them. Yet none of them dared to interfere. To do so would be to invoke karma itself—a force even they could not escape. The Aetherion Dragon finally broke the silence, its voice deep and rumbling, like the echoes of an ancient world long forgotten as it became very serious.

"So... the boy has stepped through that doorway, this is not good." Its massive body shifted slightly, its black scales gleaming faintly despite the oppressive darkness that now loomed outside. Then, its gaze turned toward the Eternal Flame Codex, its golden eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Codex... this space is sealed off from the God Realm, because of what the Celestial Dagger did back then. Even space-time is in constant flux here. So tell me—what am I missing? Did the Heart of Dark Ages truly shatter time and space just to appear here?"

The two flames, Caelestis Fernax and Saloris Infernum turned their burning gazes toward the Codex as well, their fiery essence crackling with tension. A question had been asked. And the answer might change everything.

---

The Eternal Flame Codex was silent for a long time, its pages stilling as it watched the beating black heart float downward, its rhythm slow and deliberate, like the pulse of a dying star. The heart was a manifestation of the concept of darkness itself—its true essence. It was not merely an object but a living, breathing entity, a convergence of all that was shadow, void, and oblivion. Its surface was smooth yet impossibly deep as if staring into it would pull you into an abyss from which there was no return. Tendrils of inky blackness curled around it, writhing like serpents, and within its core, a faint, ominous glow pulsed—a light that did not illuminate but instead seemed to devour all hope and warmth.

Once the heart was right above Jiang Feng's head, the Codex sighed, a sound that carried the weight of countless ages. It took a moment to gather its thoughts, its pages shifting as if sifting through memories buried deep within its ancient bindings.

"As you all know," the Codex began, its voice calm but tinged with a gravity that commanded attention, "the Heart of Dark Ages is the source of the power of darkness, the key to becoming darkness itself, and the lord of all that lies in shadow. It is not something that manifests lightly. Even if one stumbles through the gateway to embark on the path of darkness, the heart does not reveal itself. The last time it manifested was 50 million years ago when the Ten Flames came into existence during the 50 million-year immortal war. But I believe it was around long before that."

The Codex paused, allowing the weight of its words to settle. The Aetherion Dragon's gaze remained fixed, while the flames flickered, their light dimming slightly as they listened in.

"There was a young man," the Codex continued, "as you all know, who cultivated the concept of darkness to its pinnacle. It was then that the Heart of Dark Ages presented itself to him. That man later created the Dark Realm, a place where shadows reign supreme and light dares not tread. From this realm, one of the Dark Sovereign's followers created the Eclipse Vile Codex, which is now the core of the Celestial Shadow Church which is spread through the lower and upper realms. The Dark Sovereign himself was neither evil nor good—he simply *was*. But the deeds of his followers caused widespread chaos and death, tainting the legacy of darkness. In response, the Sovereign took action, killing the follower and all those who followed the teachings of the Eclipse Vile Codex. Yet, the Codex itself slipped away, and its teachings continue to this very day."

Each of the entities within Jiang Feng's mental space nodded solemnly. They knew this history, but the Codex's words carried a depth of understanding that even they could not fully grasp. The Codex, after all, held memories sealed by the laws of heaven—memories that could not awaken within them.

The Codex's voice grew heavier as it continued. "The appearance of the Heart of Dark Ages signifies the reemergence of the Dark Age Sovereignty—the birth of the next Sovereign. Those of the Dark Realm will begin to appear in the world above, and perhaps even in the lower realms. Those who remain loyal to the Dark Sovereign will gain a major boost in strength, but those who currently hold the throne will not take kindly to the rise of a new Sovereign. They will send assassins, envoys of death, to eliminate him. Once Jiang Feng accepts the heart, the Dark Realm will be notified, and a phenomenon unlike any other will unfold."

The air in the mental space grew heavier, the weight of destiny pressing down on them all. The Aetherion Dragon's scales shimmered faintly, its golden eyes narrowing as it contemplated the Codex's words. The flames, Caelestis Fernax and Saloris Infernum burned a little brighter, their light flickering with a mix of defiance and dread. The Heart of Dark Ages continued to pulse above Jiang Feng, its dark tendrils reaching out as if to claim him.

The moment was here. The choice was his. And the consequences would ripple across realms.

Jiang Feng stood in the eerie silence of the Obsidian Realm, his gaze locked onto the pulsating heart before him. The heart, an abyssal void of darkness, seemed to devour the very light around it, warping the air into a swirling vortex of shadows. At its core, a faint black light flickered like a dying star, a paradoxical beacon of darkness that radiated an oppressive, soul-crushing energy. The longer Jiang Feng stared, the more he felt as though his very essence was being unraveled, his mind and soul teetering on the edge of being consumed.

*Thud-thud... Thud-thud... Thud-thud...*

The heartbeat was more than a mere sound—it was a pulse of raw power, reverberating through the chamber like the slow, deliberate drum of something primordial. The stone walls trembled with each thud, and the resonance crept into his very bones, threading through his being like an unspoken command. It carried the weight of something ancient, something that had endured beyond memory, its rhythm not just a beat but a voice—whispering of an era when shadows did not lurk but reigned.

Ji Moran, standing a few paces behind Jiang Feng, felt the weight of the heart's power crash over her like a tidal wave. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat dripped from her brow as she struggled to lift her head, but the pressure was unbearable as if an invisible hand were forcing her to submit. Her heart raced, each beat of the dark heart sending a shudder through her chest, as though it were trying to synchronize with hers, to claim her very life force.

*SHHSSS...*

A sudden, icy calm washed over her as a silvery-blue flame erupted around her body. The flame danced and flickered, forming intricate sheets of ice that encased her in a protective cocoon. The pressure eased slightly, but it was still enough to keep her pinned, her head bowed low. Her mind raced, a storm of disbelief and awe. She had grown stronger, far stronger than she had ever been before entering the Obsidian Waterfall realm. Yet, here she was, brought to her knees by the best of a heart, a relic of a bygone era. The universe, it seemed, was far more vast and terrifying than she had ever imagined.

"Lower your head," the voice of the Moon Flame echoed in her mind, its tone calm but firm. "You are not yet strong enough to challenge the might of what lies before you."

Ji Moran clenched her fists, her pride warring with her survival instinct, she wasn't defiant by nature either. But she knew better than to argue with the Moon Flame. "Understood," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the relentless thudding of the heart. She kept her head down, her eyes fixed on the ground, as the weight of her insignificance settled over her.

Above Jiang Feng, the air began to ripple and distort, as though reality itself were being torn apart. From the void, a massive gate materialized, its towering form casting a long, ominous shadow over him. The Gate of Darkness was a masterpiece of ancient craftsmanship, its surface etched with intricate runic patterns that glowed faintly with a dark, eldritch hue. The runes pulsed in time with the heartbeat, as though they were alive, whispering secrets of chaos and destruction to those who dared to listen..

Jiang Feng's brow furrowed as he stared up at the gate. He hadn't summoned it—it had appeared on its own as if drawn forth by the heart's power. His eyes narrowed as he turned back to the heart, his mind calm with a slightly disturbance. "Did this thing summon the gate from inside of me?" he muttered, his voice low and tinged with unease.

The heartbeat grew louder, more insistent, until it seemed to reverberate not just in his ears, but in his very soul. And then, a voice—deep, resonant, and layered with echoes, as though three voices were speaking in unison—boomed in his mind.

"Chaos Grand Bone. I can sense your presence."

The words sent a shiver down Jiang Feng's spine. The heart wasn't just an artifact—it was alive, and it was calling to something, or someone, deep within him. Above, the Gate of Darkness loomed, its ancient runes blazing with newfound intensity, as if resonating with the heart's summons. The air thickened, heavy with unseen forces, and the shadows around him deepened, stretching unnaturally. Jiang Feng felt the crushing weight of fate pressing upon him, urging him forward—to step beyond the threshold and embrace the chaos that lay in wait.

Then, his chest convulsed violently. His breath hitched as a piercing tremor wracked his core, his very heart rattling against his ribs. Pain lanced through him like a thousand needles, and for a moment, he nearly coughed up blood. Deep within his mental will space, the Aetherion Dragon slowly opened its eyes, its gaze ancient and knowing. It let out a low sigh, its form dissolving into streams of light that flowed into the smaller dragon wrapped around Jiang Feng's heart. The Eternal Codex remained silent, as did the two dormant flames, as if the very essence of his being was holding its breath.

Then, without warning, the small dragon stirred. It slipped free from his chest in a fluid motion, gliding forward until it hovered before the massive, beating heart. Jiang Feng could only watch, his body paralyzed, his senses overwhelmed. The small dragon—its form bearing the unmistakable likeness of the Aetherion Dragon—faced the heart with a calm, knowing presence. Yet something was different. This was no mere extension of the Aetherion Dragon—no lingering echo of its power. What stood before him now was something wholly distinct, something unfathomable.

Jiang Feng's breath caught in his throat. A force beyond his comprehension locked his body in place, rendering him utterly motionless. He could do nothing but witness the silent exchange between the two entities, feeling the air itself tighten with the weight of an unseen will.

And then, in a voice that carried the depth of eons and the authority of forgotten dominions, it spoke.

"The Chaos Grand Lord welcomes you, it has been a long time, Dark Sovereign. I wonder if the presence of the others are made known to man."

*****

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