Lu Yang thought to himself: *You people from the Shining Sun Cult really dare to dream.* Installing an entire array around the sun? Solar energy included both light and heat. If their Shining Sun Cult monopolized all the solar energy, what were the Demon Domain, the East Sea, and the Buddhist Kingdom supposed to use? Did they really have zero fear of the rest of the world wiping them out?
And what about the Far North? There might be few people there, but it wasn't devoid of cultivators.
The Far North was already freezing, and now they wanted to rob it of sunlight too?
This was practically pacing themselves to make enemies of the entire world.
Besides, could a massive project like this even be pulled off by their Shining Sun Cult?
Hearing Lu Yang sigh softly, Cult Master Chi grew nervous. "Young Cult Master Lu, is there an issue with our plan?"
"There is an immortal-grade grand array upon the sun that seals it off, barring anyone from approaching. Do you know whose handiwork this immortal-grade grand array is?"
Cult Master Chi shook his head. They had investigated for a long time and lost countless comrades without ever uncovering the origin of the immortal-grade grand array.
Lu Yang spoke in a low, somber voice, revealing a secret: "According to the investigation of our cult master, those grand arrays were laid down separately by the founding Emperor Qian, Sovereign Zhongtian, and the founding Emperor Yu, Wu Yao. This is a clash between two immortals spanning a hundred thousand years, and it involves even deeper matters that are beyond what you should know.
"By setting up another array around the sun, are you trying to drag yourselves into a struggle between immortals?"
In the past, when the Shining Sun Cult sent people to the sun, the founding Emperor Qian didn't bother to pay attention. But if the Shining Sun Cult actually erected a formation around the sun, it would be no different from provoking him right to his face.
If the Shining Sun Cult was wiped out by the founding Emperor Qian, then so be it—Lu Yang wouldn't care. One fewer demonic cult was a good thing anyway.
What Lu Yang worried about was that the founding Emperor Qian wouldn't know when to hold back. If the might of his techniques was too immense, innocent lives would be caught in the crossfire.
Judging by Lord Shanhe's conduct, one couldn't rule out the possibility that his direct superior was capable of doing just that.
Cult Master Chi gasped in shock, cold sweat breaking out across his spine. There were actually two immortal-grade grand arrays upon the sun! With the Shining Sun Cult's meager strength, being swept into a clash between immortals would mean that dying without even a corpse left behind would be considered a light outcome!
"Have you researched anything else?"
"Yes, yes!" Cult Master Chi said hurriedly, continuing to rummage through his storage ring.
As he searched, he explained, "While researching how to set up the array around the sun, we happened to develop a few by-products along the way."
Lu Yang thought to himself that by-products should at least be harmless.
Before he could even get a clear look at what Cult Master Chi had produced, his vision went black, and the entire room plunged into pitch darkness. For a moment, Lu Yang almost suspected Cult Master Chi was taking advantage of the confusion to assassinate him.
The meeting between the three cults was held after the barbecue shop had closed for the night, so lamps had been lit throughout the hall.
Yet the moment Cult Master Chi brought out his research achievement, it was as if an eerie gale swept through, blowing out every single lamp.
Fortunately, none of the people attending this ad-hoc discussion among the Three Great Demonic Cults were weaklings. Every one of them could use divine sense and see their surroundings clearly without the aid of light.
"What's the deal with this candle of yours?"
Using his divine sense, Lu Yang observed that what Cult Master Chi had brought out was a large red candle. Ever since this candle appeared, all the other candles in the room had gone out.
"This is called a solar rechargeable candle. During the day, it absorbs solar energy, and at night, it can be lit."
"Then why did the room suddenly go dark?"
"Because this thing absorbs surrounding light and heat! Once all the light and heat are absorbed, naturally there's no light left around it," Cult Master Chi said matter-of-factly.
"Isn't your candle's absorption efficiency a bit too high?"
And this was just a by-product of researching the solar array. If they were actually allowed to set up a formation around the sun, the cultivation world would probably plunge simultaneously into an ice age and a dark era.
"Isn't higher efficiency a good thing?" Wasn't it generally said that the higher the efficiency, the better? To achieve peak efficiency, Cult Master Chi had spent a tremendous amount of effort.
"Make it lower."
"Alright."
"Old Chi, send our Nine Nether Cult a crate of these high-efficiency solar-absorbing candles," Mu Baiyi said, looking at the candle with great interest.
What wonderful stuff! With candles like these, why would they ever have to worry about lacking atmosphere during future meetings?
Lu Yang couldn't quite fathom the aesthetic tastes of the Nine Nether Cult. "Are there any other research achievements?"
"Yes! We also discovered that solar energy can be used to boil water."
Lu Yang nodded. *A solar water heater, eh? I've seen that before. Very useful.*
Cult Master Chi lit the candle, and the room once again became brightly illuminated.
Cult Master Chi brought out a large wooden tub. This tub was another of their research achievements, having already absorbed solar energy during the day.
He filled it with water. Within just a few breaths, the water inside the tub boiled, bubbling vigorously—high efficiency as always.
Seeing this, Cult Master Chi said excitedly, "We also discovered that the steam produced after boiling water contains tremendous power! Perhaps we can use steam to accomplish something!"
"However, we've only conducted preliminary research in this area and haven't achieved significant results yet."
Lu Yang: "..."
*This is the first time I've ever seen someone work backward from solar energy and reinvent the steam engine.*
"Stop researching steam and stick to researching solar energy."
"Is there anything else you've researched?"
Cult Master Chi scratched his head sheepishly. Over the past year and more, they had mainly focused on researching how to set up an array around the sun, which unfortunately had just been rejected by Lu Yang. The solar rechargeable candle and the water heater were merely by-products.
"Though we have no other research achievements, after our two cults cooperated, we realized we could establish a new business venture."
"What new business venture?"
This time, it was Mu Baiyi's turn to introduce it: "You see, don't certain places have the custom of water burial? Casting the deceased into rivers, lakes, or seas to let the fish feast, signifying a return to nature.
"We can broaden our thinking and conduct cremations by hurling bodies onto the sun! According to the mortality statistics Old Chi provided, even cultivators in the Body Integration stage will be reduced to ashes upon reaching the sun.
"Doesn't that share more or less the same principle as water burial? In fact, they end up even more thoroughly dead than with a water burial!
"Considering that a person's soul only dissipates seven days after death, we can schedule the cremation for after the seventh day, so that their soul isn't melted instantly upon touching the sun."
Clearly, Mu Baiyi had given this careful thought, even taking into account the folk tradition of the seventh-day post-mortem ritual.
"Young Cult Master Lu, do you think this business venture is feasible?"
Lu Yang fell silent for a long time before slowly asking, "Putting everything else aside, if a barbecue restaurant starts running funeral services—specifically cremation—how do you think the customers will feel?"
The two cult masters gave it some thought. That really did seem a bit off...
"Never mind. I can see that your two cults have put a great deal of thought into win-win cooperation; your train of thought just went slightly astray. Keep working hard!" Like an older brother figure, Lu Yang clapped both cult masters firmly on the shoulder, his tone laced with encouragement.
"If those candles and tubs can be mass-produced, they're bound to be widely popular."
On the way back to the Dao Seeking Sect, Lu Yang suddenly asked,
"Elders, what do you think of the Shining Sun Cult's research findings?"
The Fifth Elder said earnestly, "They're well-suited to join our Weapon Refinement Peak."
Chapter 885