#696 - Chapter 496 Mural
Elbaf, Aorst City.
This city is famous for its ancient and magnificent giant architecture. The existence and way of life of giants are almost integrated into the blood of this land.
Now, Jin An and Tian Yue Shi stand here, the scene before them plunging them into a brief silence.
Before them is a mural carved on petrified bark. The picture is mottled, and some of the colors have faded, but some shocking scenes can still be vaguely seen.
"This painting is a child's doodle from a long time ago."
A low, powerful voice broke the silence. Accompanied by a breeze, a giant appeared in front of Jin An and Tian Yue Shi.
He was tall, with an old and wise face, and his skin was as strong as ancient rock, giving people a sense of heavy history.
"It is carved on petrified bark and has been listed as a national cultural heritage due to its historical value."
Jin An stared at the mural, a trace of contemplation in his eyes.
He didn't respond immediately, but walked forward gently, extending his finger, the tip almost touching the petrified bark.
The traces left by time on its surface seem to tell countless stories.
The giant explained:
"It is said that this painting was painted sometime between 800 and 900 years ago."
Jin An murmured to himself, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, but his eyes remained focused, full of thought about the painting.
"If the timing is correct..."
Jin An said softly, as if thinking about a huge mystery,
"The age of this painting overlaps with the Void Century, doesn't it?"
Tian Yue Shi stood aside, watching Jin An's eyes flicker slightly.
She knew that Jin An's thoughts were no longer on the mural in front of him, but in the deep mystery related to this forgotten history.
The mural depicts a scene:
Ancient navigators, strange buildings, complex symbols. Although most of the details are blurred, a few are particularly noticeable.
They seem to describe some major event, or a secret hidden in the dust of history.
Jin An lowered his head and pondered, his fingers gently stroking the mural, feeling the power that once existed.
The Void Century is the period of history that has been almost forgotten by the world.
Is this mural some kind of clue pointing to those concealed truths?
He suddenly raised his head, a flash of determination in his eyes.
"The Void Century..."
He repeated the word, as if digesting every word in it.
That era, that historical blank, was once so far away, but now it has become so clear in front of him.
"Is there a record of the Void Century in this painting?"
Jin An thought silently, the picture in front of him seemed to be sending him a silent call.
Tian Yue Shi looked at his solemn expression, knowing that Jin An's intuition was always accurate, and this mural might reveal some deep secrets.
She walked up to him and said softly:
"If it was really painted from that period, maybe we can find some answers from this painting."
Jin An nodded. He didn't answer, but continued to examine the painting carefully.
The surrounding wind blew through their hair, carrying the breath of the sea, and also the whispers from the depths of ancient history.
For some reason, his heartbeat seemed to resonate with every stroke of this painting, and those distant secrets gradually emerged in his mind, beginning to form some kind of unsolved puzzle.
The giant looked at the two young marines, a complex look on his face.
Although he didn't fully understand what they were looking at, he felt the heavy historical atmosphere.
He paused for a moment and said in a low voice:
"The meaning of this painting may be different from what you think.
It has been too long and has buried unspeakable stories."
Jin An took a deep breath, his eyes becoming more and more profound.
"Perhaps, it's time to lift this veil."
He lowered his head, his eyes moving away from the mural and turning to the vast sea in the distance.
The sea breeze blew against his face, carrying a faint salty taste and an unknown future.
"Tian Yue Shi, let's go."
Jin An suddenly turned around and strode forward.
Tian Yue Shi smiled softly and nodded slightly.
She looked at the mural, her heart also full of questions and expectations.
Tian Yue Shi's gaze gently fell on the ancient mural, the focus in her eyes gradually blurring.
She stood there, as if the passage of time was no longer important to her.
The wind blew from the sea, brushing her long hair, and also taking away some of the calmness on her face.
She didn't notice the movement around her. Only in the mural in front of her, it seemed that countless fragments of history began to piece together in her vision.
The patterns in the mural gradually became vivid in her eyes.
The figures, buildings, and symbols in the paintings seemed to be whispering to her, telling of a distant past.
Her thoughts drifted back to that distant era—she was born more than eight hundred years ago, and the memories of that era were like a heavy fog to her, difficult to reach.
She sighed softly, her eyes showing an unspeakable emotion.
As a "living fossil" who has experienced 'long years', she knows that there is a unique connection between herself and these ancient things.
And now, standing in front of this mural, seeing these things from the same era as herself, a subtle emotion arose in her heart.
"All of this... reminds me of those forgotten memories."
She muttered to herself.
In those years, she had never seen the events recorded in those pictures with her own eyes.
Although she had never been in that era, she could feel the echoes of those histories, like a low bell ringing in her heart, slowly reverberating.
Her gaze gradually focused on the figures in the mural.
The faces of the figures in the picture are blurred, but from their postures, Tian Yue Shi seems to see some long-lost familiarity.
Maybe it's those eyes, maybe it's the heaviness of carrying the fate of the world.
She remembers that in the era she was born in, although the world had long become a still canvas in her eyes, she still felt a strong connection, a force that made her have to think and explore.
She lowered her head, frowned slightly, and sighed secretly in her heart.
She knew that she had not personally experienced that era, and could not, like Jin An and the others, uncover the mysteries hidden behind the "Void Century".
That period of history is a taboo that everyone cannot touch, and even she, a witness who has never interrupted the long years, is unable to understand everything that happened during that time.
Tian Yue Shi slowly turned around, looking at Jin An still in deep thought.
An unspeakable emotion suddenly rose in her heart—perhaps, she would never be able to personally experience the changes of that era.
Maybe she will never really understand the stories that happened in the Void Century, although she has a deep desire for those secrets.
However, she also understands that Jin An and his partners may be the key to unlocking these mysteries.
It is their courage and wisdom that will ultimately reveal that sleeping history.
She shook her head gently, as if trying to throw those complicated thoughts out of her heart.
"No matter what, we still have the opportunity to change the future now."
She thought firmly in her heart, her gaze slowly returning to the mural.
She knew that this was not just a historical legacy, it might be a guide to the future.
The breeze blew across her face again, carrying a hint of coolness, gently lifting her hair.
She took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm the fluctuations in her heart.
Then, she turned to Jin An, smiled slightly, and the worry in her eyes was replaced by a trace of firmness.
"We may not be able to know everything, but at least, we have started."
Tian Yue Shi said in a low voice, with a hint of gentleness and encouragement in her tone.
Jin An didn't answer immediately, just looked at her familiar expression, his eyes flashing with the same determination.
He understood that Tian Yue Shi had an unknown past, and also had a knot in her heart that was not understood by outsiders.
But he knew that she was not alone—every step they took together would become the power to change this world.
Tian Yue Shi closed her eyes slightly, listening to the sound of the sea, the confusion in her heart gradually replaced by a clear goal.
She knew that the burden of history should not be borne by any one person alone, but should be borne by everyone standing on this land together.
...
