Chapter 86: After the Sun Extinguishes, It's the Moon

Before the Spirit Gathering Array was set up in the Orchid Pavilion, the three of them cultivated individually, constantly consolidating and improving their Foundation Establishment stage cultivation. After the Spirit Gathering Array was placed on the second floor, the four gathered to cultivate together, exchanging insights during their leisure time, and gaining a lot.

For example, Lu Yang learned that Mang Gu would not recite the "Words of Sages" while practicing horse stance, believing it disrespectful to the sages, but Mang Gu would practice horse stance while reciting the "Words of Sages."

For instance, Mang Gu discovered that Meng Jingzhou often visited brothels during the day to train his mental strength, only listening to songs and doing nothing else, which was quite admirable.

Meng Jingzhou, for example, learned that when food got stuck in Lu Yang's teeth, he would use "ox hair sword energy" to pick it out, an entirely new cultivation method.

Lan Ting, for her part, learned that the Central Continent was once refined from stars.

"There's actually such a thing," Lan Ting murmured, lost in thought. This revelation greatly impacted her and resolved some of her long-standing confusions.

"What confusions?"

Lan Ting considered for a moment, deciding it wasn't something she couldn't share. "As you know, the name of our Moon Laurel Immortal Palace has a double meaning. First, the palace is filled with moon laurel trees, and second, the palace believes the moon holds a special significance."

The Moon Laurel Immortal Palace was built atop a snow-capped mountain precisely to be closer to the moon, highlighting the moon's importance to the palace.

"When I joined the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace, I asked my master why the moon held special significance. What about the sun? What about other stars? Could we draw power from the stars, like the Big Dipper, for instance?"

"My master said that the moon and sun were originally one. As for other stars, she just smiled meaningfully at the time and said nothing."

"However, my master always smiled that way when facing things she didn't fully explain, so I didn't pay it much mind."

"But hearing what you said, I now think she probably knew the truth about the stars."

Lu Yang frowned. "The moon and sun are one?"

Lan Ting nodded. "Initially, I didn't understand what that meant. But once, after a class, two senior sisters were chatting and one of them said, 'When the sun extinguishes, it becomes the moon.'"

"When the sun extinguishes, it becomes the moon?" Lu Yang was surprised; this was a theory he had never heard before.

Could it be that the stars in the sky are mere illusions, while the sun and moon are truly corporeal, two sides of the same entity?

Does it burn as the sun during the day and extinguish as the moon at night?

The sun's energy is terrifyingly immense. It's said to be the source of all life, and even now, some cultivate, meditate, or seek enlightenment by harnessing its power.

If the sun is indeed the moon, then where does all that energy go when it extinguishes? It must be an incredibly vast amount of power!

Does the sun condense this power within itself at night, transforming into the moon?

"Speaking of which, why did the Ancient Nameless One refine all the stars in the sky but leave the sun untouched?" Lu Yang murmured to himself.

Without the sun, the world would darken, and countless beings would perish. According to Branch Master Chu, the Ancient Nameless One regarded human lives as mere trifles, so they likely wouldn't have spared the sun out of benevolence.

Meng Jingzhou suddenly asked, "Do you know about the Blazing Sun Cult?"

"The Blazing Sun Cult, one of the Four Great Demonic Cults?" Lu Yang knew very little about it.

"Exactly. The Blazing Sun Cult worships the sun, believing it possesses a miraculous power. They contend that when the sun revives, all things will perish, and they advocate for self-destruction before this revival to ascend to the Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Meng Jingzhou continued, "I mean no offense to your Immortal Palace, but if the sun and moon are indeed one, then the Blazing Sun Cult's views align with those of your palace in recognizing the special significance and terrifying power of both the sun and the moon."

Lan Ting shook her head, not finding Meng Jingzhou's words offensive. Such views, and even more radical ones, existed within her Immortal Palace.

Meng Jingzhou offered a conjecture: "Perhaps the Ancient Nameless One is hidden within the sun. The sun has hung in the sky since ancient times, never questioned, making it a blind spot in our thinking."

Lu Yang proposed another theory: "It could also be that the sun contains a massive power that even the Ancient Nameless One was unwilling to touch."

Regardless of the possibility, the sun and moon were clearly not as tranquil as they appeared.

"Forget it, let's stop thinking about it. It's rare to encounter the Spring Gathering Festival, let's go out and have some fun," Meng Jingzhou said, giving up on his thoughts and inviting everyone to relax.

Instead of pondering here, it would be better to go home and ask the clan elders.

Those people surely knew more than he did.

Just like they knew he had a single spirit root but stubbornly refused to tell him, only saying that he would find out what kind of spirit root he had once he arrived at the Dao Inquiry Sect.

As the Spring Gathering Festival approached, the atmosphere grew livelier. Various shops launched promotional activities, preparing for a large influx of customers. Barbecue restaurants also entered a pre-heating phase, offering tofu masks as gifts with skewers, which were very popular among children.

Colorful small flags, a tradition of Yanjiang Prefecture, could be seen everywhere on the streets. They were funded and organized by the local government, said to mimic the colors of spring and welcome the season.

It was said that Governor Li specifically instructed that the flags be put up quickly to avoid disturbing the daily lives of the people, even mobilizing many personnel for this purpose.

In reality, the speed of flag placement wouldn't affect people's lives; Governor Li was merely putting on a show for the public.

"With these small flags, it really feels festive," Meng Jingzhou chuckled. Even the barbecue restaurant had a small red flag planted at its entrance.

"Come take a look, these are rare books you don't often see!" an old man with yellow teeth called out by the roadside, piquing the four's interest.

"What kind of books are you selling?"

"Martial arts manuals, out-of-print cultivation techniques—we have everything," the old man with yellow teeth replied with a smile.

Meng Jingzhou casually flipped through the books, then his eyes lit up as he found a martial arts manual. "Lu Yang, look, this book is definitely for you. If you're willing to cultivate it, I guarantee you can reach the highest level."

Lu Yang glanced at the cover: "Toad Style."

"Get lost!"

Soon, Lu Yang also found a martial arts manual and suggested Meng Jingzhou cultivate it: "This martial arts manual is practically tailor-made for you. If you're willing to cultivate it, becoming a Martial Immortal in the future isn't impossible!"

Meng Jingzhou looked at the cover: "Sunflower Manual."

The two exchanged glances and chuckled, kindly buying the manuals for each other.

Mang Gu, upon seeing "To cultivate this art, one must first castrate oneself" written on the first page of the Sunflower Manual, fell into thought. "Does this mean women cannot cultivate this martial art?"

Lan Ting didn't hear Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou's mutual teasing. She was engrossed in reading a chapter-based novel.

It told the story of a famous courtesan who sought to redeem herself and pursue true love, entrusting her life to a scholar. However, the scholar was weak and selfish. Although he truly loved the courtesan, he was embarrassed to marry a former courtesan. Coupled with instigation from his friends, he ultimately betrayed her, leading to the tragedy of the courtesan sinking into a chest and throwing herself into the river.

Lan Ting was moved to tears by the story, feeling immense pity for the courtesan.

Seeing Lan Ting deeply engrossed, Lu Yang craned his neck to read along, finding the story genuinely vivid and touching.

He leaned sideways and saw the book's title.

*A Dream of the Brothel*

Lu Yang was speechless.

He found the title strangely jarring.