Chapter 180 ·The Sun and Moon Stars!

On ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Spirit Realm’s side, with the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign gone, the remaining demonic cultivator forces of the Northern Plains immediately became like scattered sand.

Those ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍large and small demonic sects had originally gathered together solely because of the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign’s prestige. Now that their backer had fallen, none of them submitted to one another, and internal conflict erupted endlessly.

Some ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seized territory amidst the chaos and proclaimed themselves kings.

Some ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍packed up their belongings and fled far away.

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for even more of them, they were swept clean away by the human cultivators arriving from the Central Lands like autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍less than three years, the demonic cultivator forces of the Northern Plains completely collapsed. The Heaven Burning Imperial Dynasty, which once terrified the entire Spirit Realm, vanished into smoke and dust just like that.

When the news reached the Western Wilderness, the Great Peng Demon King remained silent for a very long time.

He was an intelligent demon.

And intelligent demons understood how to judge circumstances.

Thus, the Great Peng Demon King immediately issued an order for all demon clans of the Western Wilderness to fully withdraw and obediently remain within Western Wilderness territory.

However, the fact that he no longer caused trouble did not mean the human race of the Central Lands had forgotten matters.

Back then, the demon race of the Western Wilderness and the demonic cultivators of the Northern Plains combined their armies and launched a massive invasion against the Central Lands.

That war lasted over a decade.

How many cultivators died in the Central Lands?

How many sects were destroyed?

The people of the Central Lands had not forgotten this debt.

Thus, the major sects of the Spirit Realm’s Central Lands united together. They also contacted the human forces of the Eastern Continent and Southern Frontier, forming a grand allied army that charged mightily toward the Western Wilderness.

The Great Peng Demon King suffered endlessly.

He could not win in battle.

He could not escape.

Even attempts at negotiation were rejected.

Thus, he could only grit his teeth and continue resisting.

Today, he would lose one mountain stronghold.

Tomorrow, one spirit vein.

Countless demon clan descendants died in battle, while the territory of the Western Wilderness shrank day by day.

......

Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Cave Heaven.

Since Gu Yan broke through to the Fourth Layer of Golden Immortal, another twenty years had passed.

Today, seated cross-legged upon the Great Void Returning Origin Meditation Cushion, the immortal power within his body circulated like tides while golden radiance flowed around him.

Suddenly, his body trembled slightly as a thick and powerful aura rose from his dantian, surging through all four limbs and hundreds of meridians.

The Fifth Layer of Golden Immortal—

He had broken through.

At precisely that moment, the annual Fortune-Blessed Immortal Lord trait triggered right on schedule.

【The effect of the trait 《Fortune-Blessed Immortal Lord · Red》 has been triggered. You have obtained 《Twin Stars of Sun and Moon》】

【Twin Stars of Sun and Moon: One Sun Star and one Moon Star, each containing extremely dense Star Origin power.

The power of the stars may be used to enlighten all things. Any birds, beasts, plants, trees, earth, or stone nourished by star power may awaken intelligence and transform into spirits.

The Sun Star contains the Fire of Supreme Yang and may nurture a Golden Crow within. The Golden Crow has not yet taken shape and still requires vast ages before birth.

The Moon Star contains the Essence of Supreme Yin and may nurture a Jade Rabbit and Moon Laurel. Once matured, they shall naturally develop spirituality.】

Gu Yan looked at the two stars that had appeared from thin air within his hands and remained silent for a moment.

Good heavens.

The sun and moon?

Lowering his head, he looked at them.

Resting upon his left palm was a golden sphere the size of a fist, radiating blazing light throughout its body. Holding it felt pleasantly warm.

In his right palm rested a silver-white sphere whose radiance was cool and tranquil, icy to the touch.

The Sun Star, as its name implied, was the sun itself.

Meanwhile, “Taiyin” had long been another ancient term for the moon.

Gu Yan stood up and walked out of the Hall of Longevity, raising his head to look at the heavens of the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Cave Heaven.

His Cave Heaven world possessed the structure of a round heaven and square earth.

The heavens resembled a giant dome covering all directions, while the earth resembled a square plate bearing all things.

And currently, although the sun and moon hanging high above the heavens could emit light and heat, they were ultimately merely dead objects lacking spirituality.

Now that he possessed better goods, naturally they should be replaced.

Gu Yan raised a hand and waved lightly.

The Sun Star and Moon Star slowly rose into the air and flew directly into the heavens.

As the two stars ascended, they continuously expanded. By the time they reached the heavenly dome, they had already transformed into enormous celestial bodies capable of covering heaven and earth, replacing the positions of the original sun and moon.

In an instant, heaven and earth changed color.

The Sun Star hung directly overhead, golden radiance illuminating everything while all things shimmered brilliantly. Even the spiritual qi became several degrees denser than before.

When the great sun sank westward, the Moon Star rose, silver brilliance cascading downward, cool and tranquil as water while silence blanketed heaven and earth.

Within the Cave Heaven, plants and trees swayed gently while birds and beasts raised their heads and cried out, seemingly sensing some indescribable change.

As for the two old celestial bodies that had been replaced, Gu Yan naturally did not waste them.

He raised a hand and beckoned.

The two original stars that once covered heaven and earth rapidly shrank, eventually transforming into two fist-sized spheres that landed within his palms.

One gold.

One silver.

Gu Yan casually flicked the small golden sphere with his thumb, causing it to spin twice within his palm. The feeling was surprisingly good.

He suddenly recalled the marbles he used to play with in his previous life as a child and could not help flicking it several more times before rolling it around within his hand.

Not bad.

This thing felt even better to fiddle with than walnuts.

After playing with them for a while, he stored the two small spheres within his sleeve before lifting his head to gaze toward the Sun Star above the heavens, curiosity inevitably arising within his heart.

He wondered what differences existed between the Sun Star of the Immortal Realm and his own.

Gu Yan withdrew his gaze and turned back toward the Hall of Longevity.

To him, these two stars were actually not especially useful.

He did not cultivate star power, so no matter how good they were, he had little use for them.

However, their ability to naturally enrich the ecosystem of the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Cave Heaven was certainly a good thing.

As time passed in the future, the Sun Star would nurture a Golden Crow, while the Moon Star would nurture the Jade Rabbit and Moon Laurel. The number of spirits within the Cave Heaven would steadily increase, becoming increasingly lively.

In truth, if he wished, he could create such things himself at any time.

After all, he was the master of the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Cave Heaven, equivalent to the Creator God of this Cave Heaven world.

As long as he expended sufficient immortal essence and immortal power, birds, beasts, flowers, trees, mountains, rivers—he could create anything from thin air.

But to Gu Yan, that held little meaning.

What use was there in creating a pile of spirits?

They could not help him cultivate.

Nor could they fight on his behalf.

He might as well focus more on cultivation and break through to the Immortal King Realm sooner instead.

Now that these two stars existed, he could simply let nature take its course and allow them to develop naturally.

Natural selection. Survival of the fittest.

That was far more interesting than personally arranging everything by hand.

Gu Yan sat down once more upon the Great Void Returning Origin Meditation Cushion, closed his eyes, and resumed cultivation.

As for how fiercely the Spirit Realm fought, or how many more years the Western Wilderness war would continue—

He could not be bothered to care.

Having Nether Soul watching over things there was sufficient enough.

As for him, the main body, he would simply remain peacefully at home within his Cave Heaven like a proper shut-in.

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