Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 774: Winter’s End Festival
Passing through the valley, which seemed a bit too narrow for the Titan God Race, the view suddenly opened up into a basin that spiraled downwards like an abyss. Xi Wei didn’t know how to describe it, but this basin was at least several hundred kilometers wide, and its depth was immeasurable. Within this funnel-shaped structure, the Titan God Race and their kin lived on each layer.
“I thought you Titan Gods would live among the thunderclouds, or at the very least, on the peaks of the Thunder Mountain Range.”
“Heh, you jest.”
The young Titan scratched his head and said, “The tops of the thunderclouds you speak of are where the clan leaders reside. Titans who haven’t reached adulthood yet, or just recently have, live within this Taian Whirlpool. The Thunder Peaks symbolize supreme power, and not just anyone can go there. However, the clan leaders are also here today to preside over the Winter’s End Festival and to welcome your arrival.”
Upon hearing this, Xi Wei couldn’t help but touch his nose, surprised that he seemed to have quite a bit of status among the Titan God Race.
“What do you do for your Winter’s End Festival? Is it to welcome winter?”
Xi Wei looked around, feeling it was unnecessary.
Since the Northern Territory was perpetually enshrouded in snow and wind, wasn’t it always winter here?
“It’s not like that. Although it’s called the Winter’s End Festival, it’s actually a grand hunting ritual.”
“Hunting ritual?”
Xi Wei was still puzzled about the significance of this hunting ritual.
Meanwhile, the young Titan had already led them to the vicinity of the Teleportation Gate.
The next moment, with a dizzying sensation, they arrived at the center of the Taian Whirlpool, which was the lowest level of the funnel-shaped terrain.
This was an extremely grand space. When viewed from above the Taian Whirlpool, it might have seemed small.
But only upon reaching the lowest level did Xi Wei discover that this bottom layer alone was nearly three hundred meters high.
In the center of the hall stood a statue of a Thunder Titan, which looked somewhat familiar… After a few more glances, Xi Wei came back to his senses. Wasn’t the Titan who had manhandled the Ghost Dragon Angus like a plucked chicken the one immortalized in this statue?
So, that individual was the clan leader of the Titan race?
His gaze passed over the statue to the throne behind it. He saw the clan leader of the Titan race seated on the throne. He had shrunk his body; no longer thousands of meters tall as before, he was now only a little over thirty meters, sitting there like a small hill, his crimson-gold eyes gazing in their direction.
“We hold this hunting ritual at this time every year because the Thunder Beasts from the Thunder Mountain Range descend from the Thunder Pool in the Eye of the Storm to the peaks of the Thunder Mountain Range to breed. They are powerful, numerous, and each is a divine lifeform. Most importantly, their meat is delicious. Tsk tsk…”
The young Titan smacked his lips.
His voice had become much quieter since entering the Taian Whirlpool.
However, the sound of him smacking his lips was still quite loud.
“In short, we will kill enough food for the year today. If we don’t kill enough, we won’t have enough food to eat, and we’ll have to go find trouble with the Giant Dragons on Dragon Island.”
As he said this, Xi Wei felt the young Titan’s gaze, as if intentionally or unintentionally, fall upon Connie.
There was a hint of teasing in his eyes.
Connie obviously noticed this and immediately quivered like a sieve.
All the way here, she had been using Dragon Language Magic to lower her presence. The Titan hadn’t paid her any mind, and she thought the young Titan hadn’t discovered her at all.
It turned out he had noticed her all along, he just hadn’t bothered to mention it.
Now, looking around, it seemed all the Titans were looking at her, as if she were a plate of meat.
Connie’s fear intensified, and she wished she could burrow into Xi Wei’s armor and stick to him tightly.
“Xizer! Do not be disrespectful to our guests!”
A muffled roar like rolling thunder emanated from above. This voice came from the Titan seated on the throne.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
The young Titan shrunk his head and quickly apologized. He chuckled and said, “Actually, we’re not interested in young dragons, because young dragons don’t have much meat on them. It’s not enough for even one Titan to eat. So, most of the time, we let young dragons go and harvest them when they grow up.”
Xi Wei: “…”
Connie: (|| ﾟДﾟ)
What he said was as good as saying nothing and even increased the sense of dread.
However, hunting Giant Dragons was part of the Titans’ culture, and Xi Wei felt no need to criticize their customs.
As long as they didn’t harm Connie, he was fine with it.
Marralum, the clan leader of the Titan Race, curved his lips upwards, stood up, and spread his arms.
“King of Winter, we meet again.”
He seemed to want to give the King of Winter a hug.
But it seemed inappropriate due to his sheer enthusiasm and the disparity in their sizes.
Finally, he retracted his hand and instead performed a somewhat awkward Knight’s salute.
The mystery was solved now. The Knight’s salute the young Titan had performed was taught by this one; it was identical, with no difference whatsoever!
“I didn’t expect you to be the clan leader of the Titan Race. After all, for a clan leader to personally come out to deal with Undead and the like…”
Xi Wei wanted to say it was beneath him, but he covered it up with a burst of “Hahaha.”
“There’s no other way. That Ghost Dragon was Legendary. It would be difficult for our younglings to kill it easily. At that time, the elders were observing the number of Thunder Beasts for the year on Thunder Peak, so I, King, had to come myself.”
Marralum shrugged helplessly. “Alright, sit down quickly. I need to let you taste the fine wine I just brewed! Hahaha!”
The Titan Giant’s laughter was booming, and Xi Wei’s ears buzzed.
Everyone took their seats. A group of Thunder Trolls, each over three meters tall, placed silver platters and wine cups on the oversized tables.
Connie, holding a wine cup the size of a washbasin, remained silent.
“Are there any smaller ones?”
She quietly asked Xi Wei.
Unexpectedly, Marralum heard her and said with a hearty laugh, “No, Black Dragon cub. This is the smallest cup in our Titan Race. We usually use it for sick infants, as they can’t drink large doses of medicine at once.”
“Titans get sick too?” Xi Wei asked with suspicion.
Titans were truly Legendary-grade lifeforms; how could they get sick!
They had strong resistance to all sorts of curses.
“Yes, that’s how it is, King of Winter.”
Marralum looked a bit embarrassed but frankly said, “As you know, our Titan Race has a very low birth rate. So, once a young Titan is born, if it’s a male Titan, we immediately check its little ding-dong. If the foreskin is too long, it has to be cut off to avoid affecting fertility!”
Xi Wei’s mouth twitched.
What the heck, isn’t that just circumcision?
