Chapter 93: Titan Ascendance Art ****

Jiang Feng continued delving deeper into the ruins, the faint blue glow of his Skyforge Flame casting flickering shadows across the damp, ancient walls. The further he went, the more intact the structures became, as though the mountain itself had shielded this part of the sect from the ravages of time.

After turning a corner, he stopped abruptly. In front of him stood a building unlike any he'd encountered so far. Its walls were smooth and unbroken, with faintly glowing runic patterns etched into the surface, pulsing softly like a beating heart. Despite its obvious age, it seemed untouched by decay.

"This is different," Jiang Feng muttered, stepping closer. Pushing open the sturdy stone door, he entered, his flame illuminating the interior. The air inside felt heavy, almost oppressive, as though it had been sealed for centuries.

And was exactly the case!

At the far end of the chamber stood a secondary door, smaller but heavily reinforced, its surface covered in an intricate web of seals and runic lines. Intrigued, Jiang Feng approached, the Celestial Dagger already in hand. The runes flared weakly in resistance as he slashed the blade through them, but the dagger's sharp edge and mysterious power made quick work of the seals. With a final push, the door groaned open, revealing a hidden room.

The air inside was thick with an ancient aura, making Jiang Feng's heart thrum with excitement. At the center of the room, resting atop a pedestal, was a small, worn-out box. Dust coated its surface, but the energy emanating from it was faintly palpable.

He stood at the door, inspecting the inside to see if there was any traps or anything that may kill him, like poison gas or needles. He looked for holes in the walls, he looked up at the ceiling, looked down at the floors and so on. After ensuring all was safe and sound he careful stepped in and walked over to the box with cautious steps.

Carefully lifting the lid, he found a scroll nestled inside. The parchment glowed faintly with runic patterns that danced across its surface, as though alive. His fingers trembled slightly as he unrolled it. The title alone sent a shiver down his spine: Titan Ascendance Art.

The scroll described a body-tempering technique that pushed the practitioner's body beyond mortal limits, transforming their flesh, bones, and cells into something akin to that of a primordial titan. The technique promised unmatched strength and endurance, but its cultivation process was merciless, demanding not only incredible fortitude but also rare resources to sustain the transformation.

"The Titan Ascendance Art, this thing sounds like it drains resources as much as the Aetherion Dragon does..." Jiang Feng murmured, his eyes scanning the detailed diagrams and descriptions. It spoke of forging one's body into a vessel of titanic power, capable of withstanding immense pressure and delivering devastating force. His excitement grew, tempered only by the daunting requirements listed.

"I have to consume cities of resources anyway, why not cultivate this Titan Ascendance Art while I'm at it?" Jiang Feng's mind buzzed with possibilities, the more he thought about it the more he got excited "Would cultivating this art, demand even more resources when added with the Aetherion Dragon's bloodline?"

Jiang Feng looked around before taking the scroll inside his spatial ring-

Determined to explore further, Jiang Feng moved to the next room. This one was smaller, its walls lined with faintly glowing veins of spiritual energy. At its center stood a pedestal holding two small pill bottles, each seemingly untouched by time.

The first bottle contained a pill that radiated a dense, earthy aura, as though it were infused with the essence of mountains. Its surface shimmered faintly, and the words engraved on the bottle read Colossus Marrow Pill. The description carved beneath the name stated that the pill strengthened the marrow, fortifying the bones and providing an unshakable foundation for the body.

The second bottle held a pill with a fiery red hue, streaked with faint golden veins. It exuded a vigorous energy that seemed to hum with life. The bottle was labeled Primordial Flesh Pill, designed to invigorate the cells, enhance tissue regeneration, and prepare the body to endure the grueling demands of body-tempering cultivation.

Jiang Feng stared at the pills for a long moment, his mind racing. Each was an invaluable treasure, perfectly aligned with the cultivation of the Titan Ascendance Art and could very well possibly speed up the process for the Aetherion Dragon to hand over its cultivation technique for his body. He carefully pocketed them, vowing to use them swiftly.

'Could the two techniques be cultivated together? Would they clash or complement each other? Or would they cause my body to explode?' Jiang Feng smirk before shaking his head. He would leave that thought for when he started to practice the two techniques.

As he exited the room, he couldn't help but marvel at the fortune he had stumbled upon. The Titan Ascendance Art, combined with the pills, could elevate his physical strength to unimaginable heights. But the challenges ahead would be formidable—cultivating such a technique would push him to his limits and beyond.

Still, he couldn't suppress a grin. "This place truly lives up to its reputation. Danger and opportunity go hand in hand."

With the scroll and pills secured, Jiang Feng ventured further into the ruins, his curiosity driving him onward. The walls around him grew increasingly complex, their natural formations resembling ancient formations of power. The air seemed to thrum with latent energy, as though the mountain itself held secrets waiting to be uncovered.

After walking for what felt like hours, he came across a massive underground chamber. Raising his hand, he conjured a larger flame, illuminating the vast space. His breath caught as he took in the sight—a colossal statue standing at the center of the chamber.

The statue depicted a towering figure, it was a next titan wielding a spear that seemed to pierce the heavens. Its features were wild and untamed, with eyes that radiated a feral power, as though even the stone couldn't fully contain its might. The sheer scale of the statue was overwhelming, its head nearly brushing the ceiling of the cavern.

"Whoever built these must have been insane... or a genius of the titan clan," Jiang Feng muttered, craning his neck to take in the full height of the titan.

As Jiang Feng pressed onward, his excitement grew. Whatever this place had once been, it held treasures and mysteries far beyond his expectations. With the Titan Ascendance Art and the pills now in his possession, he felt ready to embrace whatever trials lay ahead.

Jiang Feng stepped cautiously through the ruins, the faint flicker of his Skyforge Flame illuminating the dark and winding corridors. The air here was heavy with tension, the silence broken only by the occasional sound of distant dripping water. He clutched the Celestial Dagger tightly, its runic lines faintly pulsing in response to the ambient energy of the ruins.

As he turned a corner into a more open chamber, his sharp instincts caught the faint sound of footsteps behind him. Pausing, he extinguished his flame and pressed his back to a wall, his breathing steady but alert. 'It would appear that I'm not the only one here'

"You can come out," he called, his voice calm but firm. "Hiding won't help you."

From the shadows emerged a young man clad in the standard garb of a Mist Ridge City cultivator. His expression was wary but tinged with aggression. He carried a simple longsword strapped to his back, but his weapon lacked the kind of runic energy Jiang Feng's Celestial Dagger possessed.

"You're from the Northern Moon City, we took note of a weak kid like you. I wonder why did they allow a second stage essence lake brat you to come in, must be seeking a death wish," the young man said, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know who you are, but you've clearly had better luck in this place than I have."

Jiang Feng's grip tightened slightly on his dagger. "What do you want?"

The man's gaze flickered to the Celestial Dagger and then to Jiang Feng's spatial ring. "That weapon... and whatever treasures you've found. Hand them over, and I'll let you walk away."

Jiang Feng's expression darkened. "I'm not in the mood for this."

The young man smirked, unsheathing his longsword. "Then I'll just take them from your corpse."

"Blade Rush!"

Before Jiang Feng could respond, the Mist Ridge cultivator lunged, his blade gleaming with a faint aura as he slashed toward Jiang Feng's chest, the air twisted around his sword as it came chopping down. Jiang Feng sidestepped effortlessly, the Celestial Dagger moving in a blur to deflect the strike. Sparks flew as the two weapons clashed, the force of the impact echoing through the chamber.

"You picked the wrong person to rob," Jiang Feng growled, his voice low and menacing.

The Mist Ridge cultivator sneered. "We'll see about that!" The Mist Ridge cultivator failed to take note that he a 8th stage essence lake expert was actually fighting a 2nd stage expert without so much as getting the upper hand.

The two clashed fiercely, the air crackling with energy as their weapons collided again and again. However, Jiang Feng quickly noticed that while his opponent was skilled, his attacks lacked the raw power and precision that came from cultivating with a proper weapon.

"You're wasting my time," Jiang Feng said coldly.

The Mist Ridge cultivator's face twisted in frustration. "Wasting your time? You arrogant—" He abruptly backed away, forming several hand seals. Energy gathered around him, forming a spiraling vortex of sharp wind blades.

Jiang Feng's expression hardened. "So, you do have some skill."

Without hesitation, Jiang Feng activated his Skyforge Flame. Three brilliant vortexes of fire materialized around him, their heat and intensity lighting up the chamber like miniature suns. The Mist Ridge cultivator's confidence faltered as the oppressive heat washed over him, sweat beading on his forehead.

"What... what is that flame?" he stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Jiang Feng didn't answer. With a flick of his wrist, one of the fire vortexes shot forward, colliding with the wind vortex and incinerating it in a blinding burst of light and heat. The Mist Ridge cultivator stumbled backward, fear creeping into his expression. The second vortex pulled on his body as if wanting to such him in!

Realizing he was outmatched, the young man made a desperate move. His blade flashed as he aimed a killing blow at Jiang Feng's neck, abandoning all pretense of restraint.

Jiang Feng's eyes narrowed. In an instant, his body shifted, blending into the dark like a haunted spirit, he countered with a powerful strike of his own. The Celestial Dagger moved like a streak of lightning, carving through the air and slashing deeply into his opponent's side as Jiang Feng appeared behind him like a ghost.

The Mist Ridge cultivator cried out in pain, blood spilling onto the ground as he staggered. Yet, despite his injuries, he didn't retreat. Instead, his expression turned wild, and he lunged again, his movements erratic and fueled by desperation.

Jiang Feng frowned. "You're leaving me no choice."

"Ha, if you kill me, Northern Moon will surely be killed off by us. We've killed many of you in the past haha and what have your leaders done? Nothing!" The young man laughed as he charged forward, thinking that Jiang Feng wouldn't dare harm him any further.

Summoning his flames once more, Jiang Feng launched a second vortex, this time directly at his opponent vitals. The searing heat engulfed the Mist Ridge cultivator, his screams echoing through the chamber as the fire consumed him.

When the flames subsided, Jiang Feng stood silently, his chest rising and falling as he steadied his breathing. The charred remains of the Mist Ridge cultivator lay before him, a stark reminder of the ruthlessness of this world.

Wiping the blood from his Celestial Dagger, Jiang Feng's gaze hardened. "I didn't want to kill you... but you forced my hand. I'm not like the others your lot is use to bullying any killing, I will soak your city in blood if I have to!."

He turned away from the remains, his thoughts heavy but cold. The encounter had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he knew this was only the beginning. In a place as dangerous as this, hesitation could mean death.

Reigniting his flame, Jiang Feng pressed on, his resolve steeling further with each step. The ruins were filled with both opportunity and peril, and he intended to claim every advantage he could—no matter the cost.

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