Chapter 148: The Ancient Giant and the Lost Primeval Era

In a forbidden valley of the Heavenly Mandate Hall stood the Scripture Hall, nestled at its very heart. The only way to reach it was along the narrow trail winding through the valley's center.

Lu Chen took the lead as the group walked toward the Scripture Hall, Nantian Wan'er at his side, with Nantian Yijian and Jun Laoye following close behind. The teleportation formation had only brought them to the valley's outer edge; the rest of the path had to be taken on foot.

Even from a thousand meters away, one could already sense the patience and resolve of anyone approaching the Scripture Hall. For would-be thieves seeking to steal its manuals, that distance alone was enough for its disciples to respond in full. This arrangement was both a gesture of respect toward the hall and a safeguard for its priceless scriptures.

"Wind Dragon, that building ahead should be the Scripture Hall," Lu Chen murmured, his gaze fixed on the towering structure in the distance, nearly a hundred zhang high. "This is a good chance. Tell us about the ancient giants."

"Very well," Wind Dragon replied. "I'll share what I know. You may even find some related records inside."

He added, "Understand, though, what I tell you comes only from scriptures I glimpsed once. The Primordial Era lies too far behind us; the records are fragmented, and much of what I say can only be inferred."

With that, Wind Dragon rose into the air and exhaled a stream of spirit qi. The qi spread outward in a gentle wave, gradually forming a projection before them, its shifting light revealing a series of scenes.

"The ancient giants first appeared on the continent during the age when tribes still reigned unchallenged. Each tribe ruled its own territory, standing as the true sovereigns of the land.

"At that time, Wish Power was the principal path of cultivation, and humanity was divided by tribe and race rather than by class or sect. But when the first giant arose in the East, sweeping across the land with overwhelming might, the continent's order began to change.

"The dominance of the tribes quickly faltered. Yet, even in decline, their accumulated heritage meant they remained formidable. Though stripped of supremacy, Wish Power remained a powerful cultivation path, serving as a vital means against the giants.

"More giants soon followed in the wake of the first. They established the earliest system of hierarchy, dividing humans into noble sects and common folk. Beyond this hierarchy, the giants valued personal strength above all.

"To them, individual power proved easier to achieve than the collective strength of a tribe. These giants were, in many ways, the forerunners of modern cultivators. Their system of hierarchy marked the beginning of the polarization still seen in cultivation today.

"As this ideology took root, Wish Power waned, gradually losing relevance for most cultivators.

"The ancient tribes eventually faded into the background, while the giants rose as the undisputed rulers of the Middle Ages. The first of them became the mightiest among the sects and clans."

The projection shifted again, revealing another scene.

"Though the giants ruled, the tribes had not vanished entirely. Records hinted that in times of conflict, the tribes had discovered the limits of Wish Power. Using the giants' rise as cover, they quietly transformed into the upper-class sects and clans, secretly refining Wish Power cultivation to preserve their traditions."

Lu Chen and the others were eager to see more, but just then the projection in the sky dissolved into mist and vanished.

"Is that it?" Nantian Yijian blurted, staring at the fading scene. "What about Wish Power? Didn't you say it appeared later?"

"It's gone. That's all I know, and much of it ties back to the ancient tribes," Wind Dragon shook his head. "The Primordial Era and the Middle Ages are so far removed from the present that many records never found their way into human scriptures."

"That's not right. Something's missing from the projection," Lu Chen said, stopping in place, fingers brushing his chin.

"Missing? Impossible." Wind Dragon descended beside him, his tone firm. "My knowledge may be limited, but everything I showed comes from the scriptures. The information is reliable."

"No, there's a gap. You said the first ancient giants appeared in the Primordial Era, but then jumped straight to the Middle Ages. What about the Primeval Era in between?

"To my knowledge, the Primordial Era was followed by the Primeval Era, then came the Middle Ages," Lu Chen recalled the visions he had seen at Beast King Manor. "Those memories were etched into their bloodlines. I saw them myself. There's no mistake about it."

"Boss, what Wind Dragon said is true. Even if he didn't mention Wish Power, I've heard the same. The Primordial Era came before the Middle Ages. Those timelines are universally accepted across the continent," Nantian Yijian added, his brow furrowed. "The events of each era might not be fully recorded, but the sequence is traceable. With how strong you are, boss, how could you not know about this?"

"No, Little Lu is right. The Primeval Era did exist," Jun Laoye interjected, his face turning grave. "Cultivators of the continent know nothing of it because a certain power erased its records."

Jun Laoye's eyes darkened as he looked at Lu Chen. In his mind, Lu Chen's identity grew even more unfathomable.

A powerful weapon spirit, and secrets tied to the Primeval Era... These are all proof of his extraordinary background.

In the Primeval Era, knowledge of certain events could only be preserved in the bloodlines of demonic beasts. Among humans, only select sects and aristocratic clans had any chance of knowing. These families were the ones that had survived since the Primeval Era, their secrets passed down through whispered oral legacies.

The events back then were bizarre beyond imagination. Only a handful of cultivators retained some fragments of their memories, and when the catastrophe ended, they founded the sects. Some even claimed that the power behind that calamity persisted to this day. Any written record of those events would vanish as if a certain force were determined to bury that era entirely.

The only reason Jun Laoye knew of it was because his father, while gravely injured and unconscious, had let slip a few words.

How strong must a power be to erase an entire era and leave the continent believing it had never existed?

As Jun Laoye thought about this, he began to tremble all over, with cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Little Jun, what's wrong? Why are you shaking all of a sudden?" Nantian Yijian asked, alarmed. His voice snapped Jun Laoye back to his senses.

"

Ah...

nothing. I was just recalling some family matters," Jun Laoye muttered, wiping his brow. Even now, the thought of it still left a chill in his bones. It felt as though something vengeful was watching him. He had barely touched on it, and already, it threatened to consume him.

Wind Dragon cast a sidelong glance at Jun Laoye, unease flickering in his eyes. He knew the Primeval Era was no trivial matter, and anyone who could recall it was no ordinary figure. Still, he chose not to speak further, instead keeping his caution to himself.

He responded, "I understand what you mean. But according to the records I've seen, that's how it's written. Whatever happened in that lost era, no one on this continent could possibly know."

Perched on Lu Chen's shoulder, Wind Dragon turned his gaze toward the towering structures ahead. "Our era wasn't far removed from the Middle Ages. The records were preserved just as I showed them. We're almost at the Scripture Hall now. Surely there will be documents inside about it."

"

Ah...

fine," Lu Chen said, his eyes fixed on the towering structures as they came into view. "It's been too long. Too much has been lost to time. The chances of finding those records in the Scripture Hall are slim."

"But I'm curious. Is this really the sect's Scripture Hall?" Lu Chen asked, removing his mask and peering into the shadowy passage. "By all rights, this place should be crowded. So why are there so few people?"

"I've checked. Ordinary disciples can enter the Scripture Hall for four hours each day," Jun Laoye said, walking beside him and removing his own mask. "During those hours, anyone can search for the techniques or manuals they need, as long as they don't cause trouble or fight. Staying longer requires exchanging sect contributions."

"Even with just four hours, the Scripture Hall remains the busiest area in Heavenly Mandate Hall, apart from the entertainment and cultivation zones," Jun Laoye continued, glancing at the valley around them. "But I don't know what's going on today. There are so few people."

"I'm fine with that," Nantian Yijian said. He didn't understand the matters of the Primeval Era, but eager to stay in the spotlight, he stepped forward and said loudly, "At least we don't have to sneak in like thieves."

"Boss—"

His words were cut off when two long spears suddenly shot out from the far end of the valley.

The first spear struck the ground just in front of him as a warning, but his startled cry triggered it to spring back into the air. It spun once and shot straight toward his forehead.

The second spear followed immediately, targeting the same spot. Shocked by the sudden assault, Nantian Yijian stumbled backward, his cries only spurring the spears' speed.

"What's happening? An ambush?" Lu Chen shouted, summoning the Hunyuan Greatsword. He supported Nantian Yijian with one hand while deflecting the first spear with the sword.

"I don't think so. Heavenly Mandate Hall forbids killing fellow disciples, especially in a place as important as the Scripture Hall," Jun Laoye said, intercepting the second spear with his Earth-Shattering Spear.

"The brat is right. The spears carry strong spirit qi, but their force is only at the Qi Regulation Realm. I think this is a warning, aimed specifically at Nantian Yijian," Wind Dragon said, circling in the sky and eyeing the Scripture Hall in the distance. "They appeared only after he caused a ruckus. The warning makes sense. Studying techniques and reading manuals requires absolute silence."