Chapter 507: Thunder-Forge Giant Statue

Upon hearing Lei En's request, Elder Sorim felt a bit surprised.

"Don't you want to exchange for weapon gear?" he asked, raising his hand to release a beam of light that formed a long crystal‑like peculiar staff, and said, "This 'Endless Storm Staff' costs only 15,000 source crystals; it is one of the most powerful Legend Grade staffs in the world, coveted by countless casters, and it suits you perfectly."

Lei En had heard of this staff.

Though its name contains the word "storm," it does not refer to a caster limited to wind element; rather, it can accelerate casting to the extreme, causing spells to pour out like a raging tempest, seemingly endless. It also carries multiple auxiliary spells and effects that can multiply the caster's power severalfold!

This staff has a long history, and its fame and power are comparable to the Akus Holy Staff in the teacher's hand.

Lei En was very interested in it, not to use it himself, but to give it to Reslin, where it could perfectly unleash Reslin's casting talent.

However, he shook his head firmly: "Elder, I stand by my own choice."

He had already studied the list when he received it last year.

Elder Sorim's exchange list contained many items, each of which could be sold for a very high price on the market.

Those Legend Grade pieces of equipment were worth a fortune.

Yet in Lei En's eyes, the most valuable thing was the rune knowledge unique to the Titan Giant. From his preliminary observations of Titan technology, this rune knowledge contains a complete energy system, somewhat similar to the electricity of past lives, and in some aspects even more distinctive.

If he could master and integrate the Titan rune technique, he might, drawing on his past‑life experience, devise something extraordinary.

By comparison, a mere one or two pieces of Legend Grade gear were not that important.

The most powerful Thunder God's Hammer was already in his hand and best suited for him, so there was no need to pursue other weapons for now.

Elder Sorim saw Lei En's resolve and felt a pang of reluctance.

The Storm Temple housed twelve Thunder‑forged Giant Statues, all forged by his own hands, each with combat power equivalent to a Legendary Peak Titan Giant. He had spent an incalculable amount of material and effort, using these statues to support the temple's defensive system; losing one would not be catastrophic, but it would still feel like a loss.

When Lei En asked last year whether he could exchange a Thunder‑forged Giant Statue, Sorim, impressed by Lei En's discernment, smugly added it to the list, never expecting Lei En could actually produce 10,000 source crystals.

He never imagined Lei En not only produced it but truly intended to exchange for the statue!

Those armored weapons—aren't they attractive?

Every other trader immediately asks to exchange for epic weapon gear, along with various precious material gems; all eyes are on those Legend Grade items, listed merely as bait to make traders scramble for source crystals.

Now that someone can actually obtain them, they are no longer coveted.

This caught Elder Sorim off guard, and he couldn't help but regard Lei En more highly; he realized that in just a year Lei En's strength had increased enormously.

Even by a demigod's standards, Lei En's progress was remarkable!

"I've never seen a young person as unique as you," Elder Sorim exclaimed, his expression brightening as he nodded, "Since you're so insistent, then as you wish."

Lei En felt a surge of joy, "Thank you, Elder."

Sorim, helplessly rubbing his chin, waved his hand, and a light portal opened in the palace.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

Amid the rumbling, a ten‑meter‑tall Thunder‑forged Giant Statue stepped out, its shape derived from a Storm Giant, limbs even bulkier, like a giant clad in an extremely heavy blue armor; its surface bore countless glittering runes, and its gem‑like eyes flickered with lightning, devoid of any emotion.

As the statue moved, a sizzling electric current roared within it, drawing the surrounding atmospheric lightning elements into a static discharge.

Lei En sensed a dangerous aura emanating from it.

With his current strength, he could be threatened by it, showing just how formidable the statue's combat power is—at least Legendary High‑rank attack, astonishing defense, its body forged from Titan Blue Iron, truly a steel body.

Sorim then produced a massive ring, its black band appearing cast from ordinary black iron, the inner rim studded with several silver specks like stars in the sky.

"This is the Nebula Ring."

The Titan Elder handed the ring to Lei En; the bracelet‑sized ring automatically shrank to fit a human, and he immediately wore this Dimensional Space Ring worth 1,500 source crystals, probing his soul power; its interior space was nearly a thousand cubic meters!

Such a vast capacity could hold far too many things.

Lei En already possessed dimensional space gear, but even the best of his was less than one percent of this.

The metallic feel transmitted data: the Nebula Ring's primary material is not Dimensional Stone but an unprecedented substance, not metal, likely a rare gem. Worn on the hand it appears inconspicuous, like a black iron band; only a very careful look reveals a few minute, intricate runes on its outer rim.

Whether in its understated appearance or functionality, Lei En was thoroughly satisfied.

At that moment, Elder Sorim produced a thick tome in his hand; its pages were made of ultra‑thin metal, though the content was blank.

The Titan Elder flipped the pages through the air, and bolts of lightning converged from all sides, striking the book and forming lines of text and rune diagrams.

The thunder and lightning continued for several minutes.

When the final page was also filled with Giant Language and lightning runes, Sorim closed the tome, the lightning subsided. Yet he did not hand the tome to Lei En immediately, instead gently caressing its blue metal cover, his gaze complex.

Lei En did not dare to speak up.

"Sigh..."

After a long while, Elder Sorim let out a long sigh.

"Titan rune knowledge is the crystallized wisdom of our Giant race spanning tens of thousands of years; it forged the Giant Empire's glory, yet its reliance on source crystals also indirectly led to the empire's downfall," Elder Sorim's eyes filled with melancholy and nostalgia, "Now, I fear I am the last giant in the world who fully masters the Titan rune knowledge."

"It differs greatly from Ai Lun E Si's mainstream rune system—more complex and profound; of course some of its knowledge is outdated and should have been discarded long ago."

Sorim glanced at Asina, shook his head, and said, "Most of the young people in the temple are unwilling to study; those who are willing are few and lack talent."

Asina's face flushed slightly.

She is too young, her focus mainly on cultivation and combat, hasn't begun to study Titan rune knowledge seriously, and lacks confidence to master it.

"In fact, before you, other traders attempted to grasp the Titan rune knowledge; I only gave them a small, relatively simple portion, yet they were unwilling to delve deeper, believing it not worth the effort, preferring to study existing rune systems without the source crystal constraints."

"The huge sacrifice yields no commensurate return; that cannot be blamed on them."

Elder Sorim looked earnestly at Lei En, seeming somewhat hopeful, and solemnly handed the tome over: "I hope you can give me another surprise."

Lei En caught the heavy tome, nodded, but gave no promise.

He was only attempting, and could not promise any gain; even if he truly discovered something, he likely would not tell the Titan Elder.

The exchange price for this Titan rune knowledge was 5,000 source crystals.

It is indeed pricey, for it is the Giant race's crystallized wisdom; knowledge is priceless, and acquiring it for just 5,000 source crystals is absolutely worthwhile.

It is also not overpriced, because knowledge is reproducible; the cost of the tome bearing it is negligible, and Elder Sorim can sell it countless times—a truly profitable venture.

One can only say this is a win‑win deal.

Lei En stored the rune tome into the Nebula Ring, and at that moment Elder Sorim took fifteen blue metal ingots from his own ring and piled them on the ground.

These are Titan Blue Iron, the Giant Clan's exclusive art.

"Subtracting the three items earlier, you still have five hundred pounds of source crystal; one pound of source crystal trades for thirty pounds of blue iron, totaling fifteen thousand pounds here; count it yourself." Elder Suo Lim's eye twitched; forging Titan Blue Iron is not easy, the process is tedious and dull, and this is about all the stock he has left.

In the past, traders also exchanged Titan Blue Iron, but few did so as much as Lei En.

After the trade, the Titan Giants in the sanctuary worked hard for several months to replenish the inventory, otherwise they wouldn't have enough for themselves.

Lei En casually lifted a blue iron ingot, exactly one thousand pounds heavy.

The metal sense instantly detected the composition of the blue iron: it is forged from as many as seven magical metals, the highest component being refined gold, accounting for over half, supplemented by small amounts of mithril and source black copper, etc., blended in a unique ratio into a whole, finally forming Titan Blue Iron.

The hardness, toughness, and magical conductivity of blue iron far exceed ordinary magical metals; its applicability is extremely broad, the biggest drawbacks being its weight and expense.

Its formula and smelting method are the utmost secrets of the Titan Giants.

Lei En never considered the smelting method of Titan Blue Iron; even if Elder Suo Lim were willing to sell it, the price would be astronomical, and the metal sense could not discern the smelting process, but this does not affect his ability to synthesize Titan Blue Iron.

Knowing only the proportional formula, activated metal can produce any alloy one desires!

"Thank you, Elder."

Lei En's face remained impassive as he stored the fifteen thousand pounds of Titan Blue Iron into the Nebula Ring. This was his last exchange for blue iron; from now on he would collect magical metals and smelt them himself, the cost far lower than exchanging source crystal, perhaps less than a tenth.

He looked at the Thunder‑forged Colossus, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Elder, how should I control it?"

"Let me teach you." Elder Suo Lim put away the source crystal, in a pleasant mood, and said, "You use spiritual power to drive the lightning element, forming these runes…"

A series of complex lightning‑shaped runes materialized before him.

Lei En had never studied Titan Runes nor known their effects, but this did not stop him from copying them; it is the most basic cultivation for a Wizard.

He watched them carefully several times; spiritual power flowed, and with the aid of the lightning form, the element was summoned.

Pa‑la!

With a single attempt, a completely identical string of Titan Runes formed.

Elder Suo Lim's eyes brightened; Lei En's move displayed superb rune mastery, and he praised, "A Holy Soul Wizard's student truly stands out; it seems you have put much effort into this area." As he spoke, he instantly flashed to the chest of the Thunder‑forged Colossus.

With a few clatters of mechanical drive, the protective plates on the colossus's chest opened to both sides, then three layers of armor unfolded like petals, exposing the internal core.

Lei En maintained the Titan Runes, focusing on the colossus's core.

It was a miniature Titan Furnace, yet its volume equaled two or three large water tanks, entirely deep blue, its shell cast from Titan Blue Iron, etched with dense rune arrays; when operating, a thick pipe conveyed energy outward, complex yet aesthetically striking, reminding him of an engine from a past life.

In reality, it was far more complex than an engine, resembling a nuclear reactor.

And it was a miniaturized nuclear reactor!

Such technology would have been astonishing in a past life; even though its energy output is several orders of magnitude lower than a real nuclear reactor, it only appears in science‑fiction works.

"This is exactly what I want!"

Lei En felt immense delight; the reason he insisted on exchanging the Thunder‑forged Colossus was that he guessed it housed a powerful propulsion engine.

Although its size was much larger than expected and currently seems unsuitable, he was not disappointed at all. Obtain it first and study it slowly; even if it proves unusable, a Thunder‑forged Colossus is still a worthy acquisition.

"This is the colossus's power source," Elder Suo Lim explained, "It is a simplified version of a Titan Furnace; activating it consumes source crystal, and you can control it this way." Saying so, he pressed a crystal on the furnace's surface with his hand.

A string of runes flashed across the crystal surface and was swiftly erased.

Elder Suo Lim stepped back, signaling Lei En to ascend.

Lei En instantly understood the operation; with a thought, the Constant Flight Technique activated, lifting him into the opened chest of the colossus, where he injected the Titan Runes from his hand into the control crystal.

Buzz—, the colossus trembled briefly.

At once, a peculiar sensation rose to his mind.

Lei En felt a tight link with the Thunder‑forged Colossus, comprehending its structure and status; seeing through its vision, he could control all its actions merely by thought, as if an external avatar.

The colossus also possesses an autonomous combat mode.

In this mode, without the owner's focused control, the colossus patrols or stations according to preset routes, while also having friend‑foe identification ability. This identification is also determined by the owner, who can pre‑set various conditions to trigger different responses; if an error or an unhandleable situation arises, it will alert the owner for remote control.

The link between the Thunder‑forged Colossus and its owner cannot exceed a hundred li, and must be within the same space.

It still has many functions awaiting exploration; even these most obvious methods already left Lei En astonished.

Even if he never discovers anything else, the colossus itself is worth ten thousand pounds of source crystal, comparable to a Legend Grade piece of equipment!

(End of Chapter)