An Unconventional Meeting with Jin Li: Ten Suns in the Sky, I Am the True Sun!

Above the Nine Heavens. Stars filled the sky, solemn and profound. Every astral projection represented a terrifying deity. The brilliance of the sun shone dazzling and resplendent. Among the countless stars across the heavens, it might not have been the mightiest, but it was unquestionably the most eye-catching. Yet at that very moment, without warning. The Astral Realm shuddered. Every astral projection trembled. Countless Mythological figures felt a stir in their senses and looked up toward the Astral Realm. "Has a Heavenly Venerable raised their divine throne?" "How truly enviable!" "When will this old man ever reach such heights?" These Mythological figures all served Heavenly Venerables who had granted them the qualification to reflect across the heavens, and possessed stars of their own. Only for that reason could they sense it. Meanwhile, within the abyss, in uncharted lands, within the Sky-Suspended Sea... across the sacred grounds of the Sixth Heaven. Many Yang God Heavenly Venerables looked up, looks of astonishment crossing their faces. "A new Venerable Position has appeared?" "I wonder who raised a divine throne." "Venerable Positions are growing fewer and fewer." A Yang God reflecting across the heavens was entirely different from a Mythological figure. It required a definitive Venerable Position. Generally, such a position was obtained either through sheer serendipity, through an exchange of interests, or... through outright plunder. Outright plunder was exceedingly rare. The gulf between a Yang God with a Venerable Position and one without was like that between two Yang Gods of the same realm, where one possessed a Creation Treasure and the other had none. The disparity was simply too vast. Anyone possessing the strength to seize one by force could easily acquire a Venerable Position without resorting to plunder. Yet in the very next breath, a Yang God Heavenly Venerable narrowed his eyes, shock and disbelief surfacing in his gaze. "The Great Sun... the Sun... Has this fellow daoist lost his mind? How dare he try to seize that person's Venerable Position in the Sixth Heaven!" Many Yang Gods observing the Astral Realm burst into startled laughter, while others were struck with horror. For so many years, not a single peer had dared to forcibly seize a Venerable Position. Now one had finally appeared, and yet... he had picked a monster! The one in the Sixth Heaven was seated within Taihuang Palace, an absolute powerhouse among the Yang Gods of that realm. For a Yang God who had not even raised a divine throne to harbor the delusion of challenging him was nothing short of... courting death! "Haha! I thought it was some ancient powerhouse, but to think... he's quite ordinary. His audacity is truly too great!" a blue-robed Yang God spoke, gazing at the tiny new sun that had appeared in the Astral Realm. That star also bore the Great Sun Venerable Position. However, compared to the great sun of Taihuang Palace, it was laughably small. "A farce!" "A complete joke!" "If the master of Taihuang Palace strikes, no matter which heaven this upstart hides in, he won't stand a ghost of a chance at survival." The blue-robed Yang God felt as though he had merely watched a bit of amusement. Now that he had gauged the newcomer's depths, he prepared to resume his seclusion. Suddenly, he looked back up at the Astral Realm, surprise surfacing in his eyes once more. "Two... Great Suns?" The blue-robed Yang God was astonished. "He has a little skill, but not much. "With this caliber of strength, he could likely attain a Venerable Position with ease. Yet he chose to provoke the lord of Taihuang Palace. He truly overestimates himself..." In the next instant, another sun reflected in his pupils. Every word he had just been about to utter caught in his throat. "Three Great Sun stars?! How is that possible!" Not every astral projection possessed the qualifications to attain a Venerable Position. The astral projections of Mythological figures, for instance, could not. Even an ordinary Yang God Heavenly Venerable, through sheer serendipity, could only coalesce a single astral projection capable of bearing a Venerable Position over an entire lifetime. What did three mean? Before he could process it, his expression warped drastically. Amidst the sea of stars, one Great Sun after another rose in succession. It was a cosmic rendition of the magnificent spectacle described as 'A lone pillar of smoke rises straight from the desert; the setting sun hangs round above the long river.' Round sun after round sun ascended, each larger and grander than the last! Across the dark yet luminous Astral Realm, waves of blinding brilliance surged with the rising of each sun. Four! Five! ... All the way to... ten! Amidst the stars of the heavens, ten stars bearing the Great Sun Venerable Position now stood proud. Ten Great Sun Venerable Positions represented ten blazing suns! "The sky cannot brook two suns! The Battle for the Venerable Position... has begun!" the blue-robed Yang God gritted his teeth. If he had previously looked down upon the Yang God vying for the Great Sun Venerable Position, now he felt that he himself had simply grown too old and lost his soaring ambition. A Yang God capable of condensing ten astral projections that could bear the Great Sun Venerable Position was an anomaly scarcely seen since the dawn of creation. And which of those legendary Yang Gods had not... ascended into the Ninth Heaven? Now, this mysterious Yang God had boldly launched an assault on the Great Sun Venerable Position, issuing an open declaration of war. The Sixth Heaven... would know no peace. Taihuang Palace... was in for a storm. Yet a moment later, he blinked in sudden realization. The sky could not brook two suns, but what if this mysterious Yang God... actually won? Wouldn't that mean... there would be ten suns in the sky? At the same time, within Taihuang Palace. The old Mythological figure wiped away sweat, staring at the suns above. "Have my old eyes gone blurry? Why have ten more suns appeared in the sky?" The other Mythological figures also looked up at the stars of the heavens, their expressions laden with shock. One old man, unable to contain his bewilderment, murmured, "A Heavenly Venerable... is challenging the Great Sun Venerable Position of Taihuang Palace!" The remaining Mythological figures felt a chill run through their hearts. Such a monumental event was something they had only ever read about in ancient records. When had they ever witnessed it firsthand? "Ten suns in the sky... and this bastard... didn't even have a Venerable Position?" one Mythological figure thought, utterly speechless. His own Heavenly Venerable was, well... complete garbage compared to this spectacle of ten suns, yet even he possessed a Venerable Position. And now... this?! "*Cough, cough.* Taihuang Palace is getting a bit sweltering. This old man will be heading back to cool off!" The old Mythological figure spoke, then scampered away in a flash. Seeing this, the other old Mythological figures scrambled to their feet. "Oh dear, my Heavenly Venerable's granddaughter is about to give birth to her 1,786th child! I must rush back to see!" These Mythological powerhouses were sharp as tacks. If it were before, when the master of Moon Goddess Palace was injured, the Heavenly Venerables backing them might have dared to enter the fray. Now, a terrifying powerhouse was challenging the Venerable Position of Taihuang Palace's lord. A struggle for a Venerable Position was a battle to the death, far fiercer than the ongoing feud between Taihuang Palace and Moon Goddess Palace. Taihuang Palace would certainly dial back its offensive against Moon Goddess Palace to deal with this 'Ten Suns Heavenly Venerable'! If they went to cause trouble for Moon Goddess Palace now, wouldn't that be pure suicide? The Mythological powerhouses took their leave one after another. The gold-robed man watched them scurry away, his face darkening to an extreme. "Ah... Why is it so damn hot!" In his fury, he flipped the entire table over! He didn't care that someone was challenging the Venerable Position of Taihuang Palace's master. What he cared about was that his... merits were gone! Across the myriad worlds of the heavens, every single living being looked up at that moment to see ten extra suns hanging overhead. They had no idea what had transpired, but they knew that something horrifying was unfolding. Meanwhile, within the Canglan Realm, Qi Yuan wore an easygoing expression. "Ten suns in the sky—ten to one, a crushing victory. "I'm younger than the guy in Taihuang Palace, victory. "I'm more handsome than the guy in Taihuang Palace, victory! "I have a splendid blood-red robe that he doesn't, victory!" Using the comparative method favored on Blue Star, Qi Yuan promptly reached his conclusion. "Therefore, I am the true sun. Phony sun, when are you going to fall?" With ten suns blazing in the sky, Qi Yuan had officially declared war on Taihuang Palace. Originally, he had planned to wait for more stars to gather, hoping to amass at least a trillion Golden Cores before ascending to the Upper Realm. After all, there were far too many stars across the myriad worlds of the heavens, all of them strangers, and he had social anxiety. Now, in order to locate the Liufeng Realm, he had no choice but to advance his schedule. "Sigh, the myriad worlds of the heavens are far too cold. This coldness isn't just between people, but a meteorological frost that chills the sisters' wombs and freezes the brothers' junk. "Fortunately, I have arrived, bringing ten suns with me. At long last, this world shall be cold no more!" Qi Yuan felt a strong urge to deliver a grand speech. Regrettably, his Golden Cores were still too few in number. Otherwise, he would have arranged them into colossal characters across the heavens. Then, every living being in the myriad worlds would be able to read his slogan. "There's one more regret: the lack of a black hole sun. All the suns look identical, completely devoid of species diversity. A world that never changes is far too boring." Qi Yuan let his imagination run wild. Imagine a world without a sun. Much like *The Wandering Earth*, swallowed by ice and snow, wrapped in bitter frost; the people living on it would surely be in desperate need of a sun. *The Wandering Earth* shared a setting very similar to Blue Star. If Qi Yuan were to gift their Earth a sun, out of sentiment for half-fellow townsmen, he definitely wouldn't give them an ordinary one, but rather a black hole sun. The people of *The Wandering Earth* would undoubtedly be deeply moved and sing in unison for him: *Thank you, because of you, the four seasons are warm.* Casting these stray thoughts aside, Qi Yuan spoke softly to the canary, "Mm, steer the Sun Golden Core a little closer toward that star. It's a bit too dim, not bright enough." Within the Stellar Golden Core, Ning Tao opened her eyes, a faint trace of grievance in her expression, but she still dipped her chin. "Alright." High above, the Stellar Golden Core roamed through the Astral Realm, drifting toward that dim and ordinary star. Moon Goddess Palace, frontline battlefield, Demonic Abyss. A Yang God Heavenly Venerable sat in a hidden sanctum, watching the ten stars in the Astral Realm, a look of pleasant surprise gracing her features. "This is truly... a tremendous blessing!" Moon Goddess Yuanjun had suffered injuries some time ago, a fact that could not be concealed. Although she did not know why Moon Goddess Yuanjun had left the palace, the injuries were real. Once the news leaked, Taihuang Palace would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to rally other factions and launch an assault on Moon Goddess Palace. Yet out of nowhere, a Heavenly Venerable had emerged to forcibly seize a Venerable Position! And the one he sought to plunder was none other than Taihuang Palace's Great Sun Venerable Position! Taihuang Palace had instantly been plunged into a quagmire. For Moon Goddess Palace, this was an extraordinary stroke of fortune. With Taihuang Palace mired in crisis, those wavering fence-sitters would never dare get involved. The pressure on Moon Goddess Palace eased considerably. Just then, the Yang God Heavenly Venerable's expression shifted slightly. "These ten suns... seem to be heading toward the astral territory of our Moon Goddess Palace." Immediately, a thought struck her. "Could he be a friend of Moon Goddess Yuanjun? "No, all who bear the Great Sun Venerable Position are mortal enemies!" The Great Sun and Moon Goddess Yuanjun's Venerable Positions were inherently in conflict, mutually hostile. If either sought to ascend to a higher plane, they had to become Dao companions. Yet one of them was destined to be sacrificed to fulfill the other. Because of this, the Great Sun and Moon Goddess Yuanjun were locked in an unending feud unto death. The Yang God Heavenly Venerable's expression grew complicated. "If he attains the Great Sun Venerable Position, he will only become a far more terrifying enemy to Moon Goddess Palace. Sigh..." With three thousand threads of worry plaguing her mind, she forced herself to stop thinking and cast the gloom aside. At that moment, the Demonic Abyss shifted from pitch-black to deep crimson, and from deep crimson to radiant brightness. Mist drifted through the air. Within an elegant room, a heavy scent of blood lingered, intertwined with a faint fragrance. A woman brushed aside her dark hair, revealing a blood-stained white robe. The garment was simple and unadorned, save for the Exquisite Jade Tide hanging at her waist. Shedding her garments, the blood-soaked robe fell to the floor, and she stepped into the bath. Above the water's surface rested shoulders as flawless as white porcelain, and collarbones shaped like crescent moons that naturally held a few stray water droplets. Beneath the water, her jade-smooth skin flushed with a rosy hue from the heat. Cradling the Exquisite Jade Tide in her hands, a flicker of sorrow crossed her eyes. She could not remember how many years it had been since the Exquisite Jade Tide had last lit up. Every time she returned from slaying enemies, she would bathe and stare blankly at it. It was as if she hoped that, just like in days past, the Exquisite Jade Tide would shine once more. At that moment, a transmission jade slip lit up. It was a message from her senior sister. "Just returned from slaying enemies again?" "Mm." "Sigh, after all these years, you're still like this. "How could amassing enough merits to request Moon Goddess Yuanjun to intervene on your behalf ever be that simple?" "More than half is done. Soon." The young woman gripped the Exquisite Jade Tide tightly, her expression resolute and stubborn. Once, as an empress, she had preferred to live aloof from worldly competition. Had he not helped her and pushed her forward, she likely would have died long ago. Yet upon returning to Moon Goddess Palace, she had changed. She knew she could no longer remain as she was. Only by growing stronger and accumulating merits could she plead with Moon Goddess Yuanjun to strike once, so that she might see the one who had stood beside her under the Ancient Qi Toon Tree by the shores of July Lake, sharing the falling snow. "You are so consumed by merits that you're falling far behind the other Yue Nü. It's very dangerous, do you understand?" "Mm." "You're simply too stubborn. I won't try to dissuade you any further. "However... Moon Goddess Yuanjun was injured not long ago. Even if you gather enough merits, it may be very difficult to move her to act!" The aloof young woman knitted her brows. Her gaze drifted past the skylight and through the array formations, looking toward the solitary moon hanging in the firmament. Ash-white moonlight cascaded down like pure night snow. She reached out her hand, catching the moonlight in her palm. "I understand." "Sigh, thankfully the Ten Suns Heavenly Venerable appeared. Otherwise, our Moon Goddess Palace... would have had a terribly difficult time." The young woman was also aware of the Ten Suns Heavenly Venerable, the mysterious powerhouse who had just emerged. Right then, a sudden premonition struck her. She looked up at the stars of the heavens, toward the star that reflected her own presence across the cosmos. Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, for she... saw ten suns. At that moment, another message came through the transmission jade slip. "Do you see that? The astral projections of the Ten Suns Heavenly Venerable have entered our Moon Goddess Palace's territory. They seem to be drawing very close to you." The young woman stared blankly at the starry sky. Perhaps because the ten round suns had drawn near her astral projection, she felt a wave of warmth. The light of her star seemed to brighten slightly as well. "I see them." She looked down at her fair, delicate palm, watching the light of those ten Great Suns fall upon it, warm as gentle rain. "They didn't stop; they're continuing toward the core astral realm of our Moon Goddess Palace. It seems he truly has an alliance with Moon Goddess Yuanjun." Across the starry sky, the ten suns drifted out of the young woman's sight, heading in another direction. Yet the sunlight scattered so casually still rested in her hands, cradled gently. For reasons unknown, whether due to the cool breeze or the sudden warmth of that light, she was abruptly reminded of the second message Qi Yuan had once sent her through the Bride in Red Armor. *"Ru Jian Qing... As if seeing you..."* At the same time, a mixture of joy and longing flickered in Qi Yuan's eyes. "Don't linger. Right now, she still can't... be too close to me. "I haven't... gone up there yet!"