On the evening of August 31, around seven o'clock.
Shanghai.
People who had just finished dinner strolled along the streets to digest their food.
Traffic flowed like water, shops were brightly lit, and neon signs atop the high-rises blinked continuously, painting a bustling, vibrant scene.
Just like any other day.
Known as the City of Magic, Shanghai radiated its distinct allure. People lived their lives within it, enjoying the conveniences of a metropolis, while it constantly drew in newcomers from all corners of the country.
"Daddy, Daddy, I want that tanghulu!"
On a side street, a little girl of five or six with pigtails gazed at an uncle selling candied hawthorns not far away, pleading coyly with her parents.
The young parents exchanged a look, smiles gracing their lips.
The father scooped the little girl into his arms and spoke dotingly: "All right, all right, Daddy will buy it for you right now."
"You just spoil her," the mother chided, though a smile showed through her voice as she followed them over to pick out the sweetest skewer for their daughter.
The little girl took the tanghulu, unwrapped it, and popped one into her mouth, her eyes brimming with bliss.
Scenes like this played out all along the streets.
Yet soon after.
The little girl, who had tilted her head up to look for the stars and the moon, suddenly piped up: "Mommy, look, there are two moons in the sky!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could there be two moons in the sky?"
Hearing this, the mother immediately prepared to correct her.
Yet when she looked up as well...
Her expression froze.
"What's wrong? There can't really be two moons, can there?"
The father chuckled, thinking mother and daughter were teasing him. He looked up toward the night sky too.
In that instant, his smile vanished, replaced by sheer disbelief.
High in tonight's sky...
Two bright moons hung suspended.
They hovered extraordinarily close together. Though tonight should not have been the time of a full moon, both now resembled jade plates, casting down streams of bright moonlight onto the earth. If one looked closely, an eerie hint of crimson could be seen lingering within the glow.
It was breathtaking—there truly were two moons in the sky.
And it was not just this family of three.
Everyone on the streets saw it.
The two bright moons were pristine and flawless. Not only that, but the sky was studded with countless stars, every single one glittering with brilliance.
These stars clustered together, forming a vast expanse that resembled an endless celestial river.
They carpeted the firmament, remarkably prominent, pulsing and flickering between brightness and shadow.
Under normal circumstances, such a sight was impossible to see in the sky above a major city.
Yet these stars shone far too brilliantly.
Compared to before, the contrast was immense.
And this wondrous spectacle unfolded in every corner of the world.
Even foreign countries in different time zones plunged into darkness in an instant, presenting the exact same phenomenon.
*Rumble!*
In the next breath.
A bolt of blood-red lightning cracked across the heavens, tearing through the entire sky for untold miles.
Its thunder was deafening, accompanied by an inexplicable aura that pressed down before everyone's senses.
All at once, after the string of major incidents that had unfolded recently, the already unsettled populace fell into complete panic. Especially for the people of China, strange astronomical phenomena heralded either immense fortune or terrible disaster.
Everyone could feel that the world was about to undergo a tremendous transformation.
Yet, in stark contrast to the reactions of ordinary citizens...
Wuzhou Group, Longevity Genetics, Tianshen Technology, and their peers—these major factions that already held the secrets—grew exhilarated upon witnessing this scene.
They knew that the new era belonging to them had finally arrived. In an instant, executives across various factions issued orders in rapid succession, putting their respective plans into motion.
Individuals like Zhou Yunqiong, who already possessed mysterious bloodlines, entered secluded cultivation without delay.
They could clearly feel an unprecedented power within their bodies.
Like a volcano, it was on the verge of erupting.
And this...
This was the wellspring from which they would transcend ordinary mortals and obtain mythical might.
Meanwhile, as time ticked away...
Beyond humanity...
Deep in the mountains, a golden eagle took flight. Its body expanded at an astonishing rate until its wingspan reached a thousand meters, bathed entirely in flowing golden light.
In a winding stream, an ancient python that had lived for untold years leaped straight out of the water. Atop its massive head, a pair of dragon horns sprouted, spilling forth beams of light as though it were on the brink of transforming into a jiao.
Across the earth, an ancient tree surged with frenzied growth, its canopy blotting out the sky, every leaf sparkling like a star.
Wild grasses, creeping vines, and myriad flora all underwent mutations at this very moment.
All living beings began to evolve and awaken.
Inside several cities...
Roadways split apart, and the ground stretched outward. Distances that were once a few hundred meters suddenly stretched into miles.
In certain small towns, massive peaks thrust upward from the soil, rising thousands of meters into the air and stretching endlessly into mountain ranges imbued with a primordial aura.
Mount Longhu, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Tai, and the Qinling Mountains were all bathed in brilliant, multicolored divine light this night.
It seemed as though in the very next moment, they would transform into immortal mountains, becoming the mythical domains of legend.
Everything was changing.
Every single person was caught in the midst of it.
Tonight...
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
Yet while earth-shattering changes raged across the outside world...
On the outskirts of Shanghai, Lu Yuan remained seated cross-legged in the courtyard of his villa.
Above his head hung the two bright moons.
"Has it begun?"
Seeing this, his expression stirred slightly. Even having witnessed it once before, experiencing it again made it impossible to remain entirely detached.
Of course, Lu Yuan knew this was merely the prelude. The true transformation would only take place after midnight.
That was when September 1 would officially arrive.
Thus...
He made no move, simply watching the Ancient Bodhi Tree before him in silence.
Legend had it that the Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment beneath this tree; in all the world, nothing was more wondrous.
Time continued to slip by.
Nine o'clock.
Ten o'clock.
Eleven o'clock...
Midnight sharp!
*Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!*
At that precise instant, the inexplicable aura between heaven and earth grew even richer.
The world seemed to shudder, and something indescribable settled deep within the heart of every living soul.
And within the villa's courtyard...
The Ancient Bodhi Tree finally began its transformation.
A brilliant glow radiated from every emerald leaf.
Looking closely, one would see distinct patterns appearing on the leaves. In each pattern sat an enlightened monk deep in contemplation, seemingly harboring boundless divine fortune capable of piercing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.
Golden patterns flowed around the trunk, profound to the absolute extreme.
Behind the canopy, halos of light emerged one after another like radiant suns, dazzling and magnificent, illuminating the entire courtyard.
At this moment, the Ancient Bodhi Tree seemed to have attained enlightenment, poised to manifest as a Buddha leading toward a pure land of supreme wisdom.
Watching this, astonishment flickered in Lu Yuan's eyes.
Living a second life...
Yet this was his first time seeing the Ancient Bodhi Tree after its mutation. It felt as though merely standing beneath it would unravel countless perplexities he had never been able to resolve before.
Not only that, but the various divine artifacts surrounding it were also releasing distinct radiance, floating in midair with extraordinary wonder.
"Now, it's my turn!"
Lu Yuan rose to his feet. Stepping forward, he extended his right hand and pressed his palm against the Ancient Bodhi Tree.
*My supreme path begins this day.*
Chapter 26