Chapter 26: Twin Moons in the Sky, Evolution of All Living Things

August 31st, around seven in the evening.

Shanghai.

Some people, just finished with dinner, were strolling along the streets to aid digestion.

The roads were bustling with traffic, shops glowed bright with lights, and neon signs flickered incessantly atop tall buildings, creating a lively atmosphere.

It was just like any other day.

The city exuded its unique charm, its inhabitants enjoying the conveniences of metropolitan life, drawing in people from every corner of the land.

“Daddy, daddy, I want that candied fruit!”

On a small street, a five or six-year-old girl with braided hair gazed longingly at an uncle selling the sugary treat, pleading with her parents.

Her young parents exchanged glances, their lips curled into amused smiles.

Her father lifted her up, his tone indulgent: “Alright, alright, daddy will buy it for you right now.”

“You spoil her too much,” her mother said, feigning annoyance, though she followed along, selecting the sweetest skewer for their daughter.

The little girl took the treat, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth, her eyes shining with happiness.

Scenes like this were plentiful along the streets.

But soon enough—

As the little girl raised her head, searching for stars and the moon, she suddenly spoke: “Mom, look! There are two moons in the sky.”

“Nonsense. How could there be two moons?” her mother replied, ready to correct her.

But when she tilted her head upward, her expression froze.

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me there really are two moons?” her father joked, thinking the two were playing a trick on him, and he too looked up at the night sky.

In that moment, his smile vanished, replaced by astonishment.

There, high in tonight’s sky, hung two bright moons.

They were very close together, shining like jade discs, pouring silvery light onto the earth—though there was something strange in that glow, a faint hint of red if one looked closely.

It was astonishing—there truly were two moons.

Not only this family, but everyone on the street saw it.

The twin moons were flawless, the sky scattered with countless radiant stars, each one glittering brightly.

Those stars gathered, forming a long, sprawling river across the heavens, shining conspicuously, flickering on and off.

Normally, such vistas were unseen in the city’s night sky.

But tonight, the stars burned too brightly.

The difference from usual was immense.

This wondrous phenomenon appeared in every corner of the world.

Even in distant countries with different time zones, night descended in an instant, revealing the same spectacle.

Thunder rumbled.

The next instant, a blood-red bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, stretching for untold miles.

The sound was deafening, accompanied by an inexplicable aura that seemed to sweep over everyone.

Amidst the turmoil of recent events, the already uneasy populace plunged into panic; especially for those at home, celestial anomalies foretold either great fortune or catastrophic disaster.

Everyone sensed that the world was about to change.

But unlike the common people, the major powers—Wu Zhou Group, Longevity Genetics, Divine Technology, and others—already privy to secrets, grew excited upon witnessing this scene.

They knew that their new era had finally arrived, and at that moment, their leaders issued orders, launching various plans.

Those like Zhou Yunqiong, who possessed mysterious bloodlines, immediately went into seclusion.

They could distinctly feel a unique power within, like a volcano about to erupt.

This was the source of their superhuman, mythic abilities.

Meanwhile, as time flowed on—

Beyond mankind, deep in the mountains, a golden eagle burst forth, its body rapidly growing, wings spanning a kilometer, its feathers bathed in golden light.

In a stream, an ancient python, whose age was unknown, leapt from the water; atop its massive head sprouted a pair of dragon horns, emitting beams of light, on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon.

On the land, an ancient tree grew wildly, its crown blotting out the sky, each leaf sparkling like a star.

Elsewhere, weeds and vines mutated, undergoing strange changes.

All living things began to evolve and awaken.

In certain cities, roads cracked, the earth stretched, distances once hundreds of meters now spanning kilometers.

In some towns, mountains rose abruptly from the ground, reaching thousands of meters, forming endless ranges, exuding a wild, untamed aura.

Mount Longhu, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Tai, the Qinling range—this night, all were illuminated by dazzling divine light.

It seemed they might transform into legendary immortal peaks at any moment.

Everything changed.

Everyone was swept up in it.

Tonight would be a sleepless night.

While the world was undergoing earth-shattering transformation, on the outskirts of Shanghai, Lu Yuan remained seated in the courtyard of his villa.

Above his head hung the twin moons.

“It’s begun, has it?” he murmured, his expression shifting slightly—even though he had witnessed this once before, experiencing it again was impossible to face with utter composure.

Lu Yuan knew this was only the beginning; the true change would come after midnight, when September first officially arrived.

So he made no move, simply gazing quietly at the ancient Bodhi tree before him.

Legend holds that the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath this tree; nothing in this world is more mystical.

Time passed.

Nine o’clock.

Ten o’clock.

Eleven o’clock.

Midnight!

A deep, resonant hum filled the air.

At that moment, the sky, the earth, the mysterious aura grew thicker.

Heaven and earth seemed to shudder, something ineffable stirring within every soul.

Within the villa’s courtyard, the Bodhi tree began to change.

From its lush green leaves emanated radiant light.

Careful observation revealed patterns appearing on each leaf, each depicting a sage monk in contemplation, as though containing boundless wisdom, capable of unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

Golden veins flowed along the trunk, mysterious beyond compare.

Behind the crown of the tree, halos emerged, shining like great suns, illuminating the area.

At this moment, the Bodhi tree appeared to transcend, becoming a Buddha, opening the way to the world of wisdom and bliss.

Lu Yuan watched, astonished.

Having lived anew, it was his first time witnessing the mutated Bodhi tree—standing beneath it, countless formerly insoluble questions seemed suddenly approachable.

Moreover, the surrounding sacred relics released their own lights, floating in midair, exuding supernatural presence.

“Now, it’s my turn!”

Lu Yuan rose, stepped forward, and pressed his right hand to the Bodhi tree.

My path to supreme greatness begins today.

(End of chapter)