Chapter Sixty-Five: The Moon and the Sun

The golden ship glided smoothly into the passage.

Qingtian E’s gaze was icy cold, following behind the vessel. As his immense form sailed through the starry expanse, it stirred a terrifying cosmic wind, causing the surrounding lunar stars to sway violently.

“There’s actually a star system hidden here?”

Feng Shang was momentarily stunned. As the ship crossed through a spatial node, a luminous star system burst into view before them.

Brilliant and hazy radiance spread infinitely outward. At the center of this system hung a lunar star and a solar star—one cold, the other scorching; one a ghostly blue, the other a vivid red. Side by side, they emitted an aura of mystery and eternity.

The powers of these two divine stars were utterly opposed. As they slowly rotated, cold and heat alternated, releasing piercing frost and blazing energy in all directions.

None had expected that, within the icy ruins of the Great Cold Furnace, such a unique star system would be concealed.

Moreover, the concentration of spiritual energy here was exceptionally high. Crystalline particles drifted through the universe, rivaling even some of the fabled star caves.

“A strange domain of stars,” the young man remarked, surprised.

“These aren’t ordinary lunar and solar stars. There may well be treasures gestating within,” Qing said, closing her book. Her dazzling eyes shimmered with light; her delicate face, bathed in the dual glow of frost and flame, took on a dreamlike quality.

“So bright, such huge stars!” Little Phoenix and Ying’er were far more innocent, simply exclaiming at the magnificent celestial spectacle. Even in Nine Star City, they had never seen such a sight.

“Qing is right. There are definitely treasures here. I can faintly sense a familiar aura—those two divine stars must contain super cores, and more than one,” Feng Shang’s eyes shone, fixed firmly on the lunar and solar stars.

Ying’er, hearing this, was astonished. Her beautiful eyes widened, their colors lingering over the two resplendent stars.

She knew that Brother Feng Shang had a special connection with super cores. If he said there were super cores here, it must be true.

“Super cores…”

The young man murmured, his gaze growing distant. In the spiritual energy universe, there were five universally recognized treasures: divine weapons, ultimate arts, extinction scrolls, refined star treasures, and super cores.

The first four could be crafted by mortals.

The last, only the spiritual energy universe could nurture.

Within this universe, all living beings seeking cultivation, strength, or eternal life required a “core” as the foundation. There were countless types of cores, but the super core held a status akin to that of an emperor among them all!

It was mysterious, wild, dangerous, and powerful.

Countless people feared it, yet countless others yearned for it.

Unparalleled talent and extraordinary potential—if one succeeded in fusing with a super core, these were theirs for the taking.

However, the process of fusion was fraught with peril.

Ninety-nine percent of cultivators failed, and the violent energy surge of the super core could leave the aspirant gravely injured, or worse, dead.

Hence, even those fortunate enough to discover a super core dared not attempt fusion lightly, for it could well cost them their lives.

“I heard that Starfiend Lu Han never possessed a super core, though he guards this treasure trove. Could it be he hasn’t discovered it… or perhaps the super core here is too high-level, and he fears being destroyed in an explosion?” Qing mused, leafing through a copy of “History of the Flashcloud Star Realm.” The book’s golden script flowed and changed constantly—it was a live publication from the Holy Mansion of the Star Sea, swiftly updating its information on various star realms.

Among its pages lay details on the giant Starfiend Lu Han.

“Brother Feng Shang, why don’t we go see those two big stars up close?” Little Phoenix’s eyes sparkled as she spoke excitedly.

“Mm, let’s retrieve the divine shrine first, then have a look,” Feng Shang patted her head.

“Okay,” Little Phoenix smiled sweetly.

“Super cores belong to the deserving. Master, since we’ve encountered them, would you care to try? There’s a super core on each of those divine stars,” Feng Shang suggested, seeing the young man’s distant expression and supposing he was tempted.

But the young man shook his head, seemingly uninterested in this chance to change his destiny: “Super cores are of little use to me; best to leave them for those who come after.”

Feng Shang was taken aback.

This young master was far too composed.

Super cores were no common commodity; they were rare anywhere in the spiritual energy universe, and the lunar star here was extraordinary—likely home to a high-level super core.

Yet he showed no desire.

“Let’s go pacify the chaos on Ancient Turbid Star,” the young man said.

Seeing he was truly unwilling, Feng Shang replied, “Very well, let’s go meet Starfiend Lu Han and see what’s special about his divine shrine.”

With a whoosh, the golden ship sped away.

“The aura of super cores…”

Qingtian E approached, gazing at the two yin-yang divine stars. His cold eyes betrayed confusion, for the super core born of this unique stellar region was surely remarkable.

He recalled a similar instance.

Once, in the Star Sea, two absolute opposites—a dark star and a bright star—coexisted at the center of a star system. Their energies clashed and intertwined, annihilating everything around them.

In time, deep at the heart of these stars, a fourth-level super core was born: the Black-and-White Hour.

When the Black-and-White Hour was discovered, it caused a sensation. At that year’s Heart Sea Auction, no less than sixty-three divine lords competed for it, the contest fierce beyond compare.

“I wonder what level the super core here is? If it’s third-level, that’s ordinary; but if it’s fourth-level, then it’s truly remarkable,” Qingtian E murmured.

…

Ancient Turbid Star, true to its name, was a gray, murky celestial body. Its surface was dotted with faint blue lights—spiritual energy lakes.

This star lay in the habitable zone, neither chilled by lunar frost nor scorched by solar heat, making it very safe.

It was the headquarters of the Lu Han Starfiend Band.

“Hahaha, splendid! Truly splendid!”

“Who would have thought—the almighty core of the Flashcloud Star Realm would be so easily conquered by our Starfiend Band?” a burly, black-bearded man laughed, raising his cup in celebration with the other starfiends. Fresh from victory, they were jubilant, hosting a feast.

“Heh, exactly! With Lord Lu Han gaining the divine shrine, his power has soared. I reckon it won’t be long before our band expands tenfold!” a small, dark starfiend grinned, raising his glass.

“The Flashcloud Star Realm is nothing. When Lord Lu Han steps into the Light Realm, he’ll be a true major figure in the cultivation world. By then, each of us will be an elder!”

“….”

A lively banquet unfolded, full of laughter and chatter, with cups raised and bold talk echoing endlessly.

Meanwhile, at the largest spiritual energy lake on Ancient Turbid Star—spanning tens of thousands of acres—a grand white hall stood, its reflection shimmering in the crystal-clear waters formed from condensed spiritual energy, ethereal and dreamlike.

Lu Han’s gaze was sinister; his build was lean, his face sharp and pale, a mane of black hair shadowing his cheeks—a middle-aged man.

Around him, treasures of every hue were piled high, plundered from the treasury of the Flashcloud Star Realm.

He now sat cross-legged.

A mighty current of energy surged ceaselessly into a purple-blue divine shrine with six peaks, striving to blast open yet another of the six heavenly gates at its summit.

The shrine’s uniqueness lay in this: with each heavenly gate opened, the bearer’s power leapt to new heights.

After months of effort, today Lu Han had managed to open two heavenly gates in the purple-blue shrine.

With just two gates, he had easily toppled the mountain gate of the Flashcloud Star Realm, and even five joint adversaries from the Reverse Tribulation Realm were no match for him.

“Just one more gate, and I’ll briefly step into that realm, grasp the mysteries of the Light Principle,” Lu Han’s predatory eyes gleamed.

He, Lu Han, had risen from obscurity.

Through rare opportunities and cautious strategy, he had reached this point.

So, after vanquishing the core of the Flashcloud Star Realm and securing the resources he needed, he hurried back, determined to conquer the shrine’s heavenly gates and ascend to greater heights.