The Sun and Moon Trade Places

Douluo Continent, Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu, Imperial City.

Tonight was anything but ordinary. The sky was boundless and ink-black, with only a mirror-bright moon hanging above, making the night seem especially bleak and lonely.

Clear moonlight poured down like flowing water over the magnificent Imperial City, adding to its beauty.

Yet now, the Imperial City rang with explosions and battle cries. Cries and pleas for mercy could be heard from time to time.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, so dense it seemed that breathing it in a few more times would clog your nose.

The stately buildings, elegant and refined in style, with pale blue glazed-tile roofs, white jade railings, and finely carved flagstone platforms set against pale yellow walls, had once appeared graceful, dignified, bright, and beautiful. Now, the battlefield's carnage had reduced them to ruins, smeared with blood as carelessly as red paint.

The Imperial City blazed with lights, bright as day. As time passed, the attackers gained an overwhelming advantage, surrounding the defenders on all sides and closing in step by step.

The outcome was already clear. Before long, even the Imperial Guards who protected the last line of defense would be routed and wiped out.

Confusion and fear of their impending deaths filled the Imperial Guards' eyes. They couldn't understand how, after going to sleep peacefully, they had suddenly found the enemy attacking their stronghold in the middle of the night—betrayed by their own country's army.

They had considered surrendering. No one wanted to die, especially not without understanding why. But the many who had surrendered before them had been met with countless Soul Guidance Rays and blasted into mangled corpses. That had left them utterly desperate.

The Imperial Guard Commander stared with bloodshot eyes at several figures standing behind the enemy forces and shouted, "Brothers, they mean to wipe us out! Even if we die, we'll take a bite out of them!"

At his words, the Imperial Guards launched a frenzied, suicidal assault, abandoning all defense. For a time, they inflicted considerable casualties on the enemy.

Crimson flames blazed around the Imperial Guard Commander as Soul Power surged from him, pouring into the enormous metal saber in his hands, which was two meters long. Two yellow, two purple, and five black Soul Rings floated around the giant blade. The third, seventh, and ninth Soul Rings flashed in succession.

He was a Titled Douluo and a Rank Nine Soul Master.

A blood-red blade aura extended from the giant metal blade of his Level 9 Soul Tool, growing larger and gathering strength. Its imposing might stirred the world's spiritual energy throughout the battlefield.

"Defend with everything you've got!"

The officer directing the attack blanched. A powerful sense of impending death washed over him, and he stood there trembling as if pricked by needles. He wanted to retreat, but his master was right behind him. How could he flee?

As soon as the words left his mouth, the blood-red blade aura came crashing down like Mount Tai. More than a dozen freshly raised Soul Guidance Shields shattered in an instant. Wherever the blade aura passed, soldiers had no time to cry out before turning to blood and gore. It was a living hell.

The officer's face twisted with pain. His entire left hand was gone. Only his Soul Douluo strength had allowed him to escape death. He used his Soul Power to seal the wound and endured the pain as he tried to steady the situation.

After meeting layer upon layer of resistance, the blood-red blade aura had dimmed somewhat, but it still roared toward the middle-aged man in a splendid yellow robe behind the lines.

"Stop!"

A figure stepped in front of the man in yellow. A silver-white metal shield appeared, and the figure planted his right foot forward, gripping the shield with both hands to block the attack. Two yellow, two purple, and five black Soul Rings—the optimal configuration—appeared behind him.

A Rank Nine Soul Master, the Indomitable Douluo, Zheng Zhan!

His seventh and eighth Soul Rings flashed. The silver-white metal shield joined with the ground beneath him, its surface covered by layers of ochre rock, making it indestructible. At the same time, he flung out Defensive Soul Tools one after another as if they cost nothing.

The two forces collided. Time seemed to pause for a moment, then—

BOOM!

A deafening roar shook heaven and earth. A powerful shock wave spread outward in a semicircle, its rumble continuing without end.

Thick smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring the battlefield.

From above, a blood-red trench a thousand meters long and dozens of meters wide could be seen cutting across the Imperial City.

The blade aura gradually faded before Zheng Zhan. The aftershock of their collision had reduced the buildings in the area to dust, and the ground was ravaged as if it had been plowed countless times. Yet the ground behind Zheng Zhan remained level, untouched by the devastation.

Zheng Zhan's hands trembled, and his face flushed. His blood and qi churned inside him, and he couldn't stop coughing up blood. The silver-white metal shield was covered in cracks, as if it might shatter into countless pieces at any moment.

Seeing this, a healing-type Soul Master hurried over to treat him.

The man in yellow walked up beside Zheng Zhan. His temples were graying, and he looked to be in his fifties, but his build remained imposing. His chiseled face carried an air of nobility and valor.

"Elder Zheng, are your injuries serious? Would you like to withdraw and rest?"

"Cough, cough, cough. Your Highness, I'm not badly hurt. If he hadn't already been fighting for so long and expended so much Soul Power, I might have been gravely injured trying to block that desperate strike."

Zheng Zhan shook his head, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes.

"We're short on time, Your Highness. You should hurry and take care of what needs doing. These old bones of mine can still be put to use."

At his words, the Prince looked toward the great hall ahead, now devoid of defenders. His face was alight with fervor and excitement.

"Indeed. We can't let this drag on. Elder Zheng, I'm counting on you to continue accompanying me."

They stepped over the dead Imperial Guard Commander, who had died on his knees, both hands still gripping his blade.

Creak—

The doors of the great hall were slowly pushed open. Soldiers escorted the Prince inside, with Zheng Zhan close at his side.

The hall was dazzlingly luxurious, its lights bright. Yet the vast interior was empty, save for the figure seated on the Dragon Throne at the top of the steps: the current Sun Moon Emperor.

"Where is Elder Kong? Where is the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Legion? With such a major crisis in the palace, why haven't they done anything?!"

The Sun Moon Emperor stared at the Prince with sunken eyes and immediately understood. His voice was hoarse, and though he tried to sound stern, it was clear he was afraid. "Second Brother, it's not too late to stop. If you have a grievance, can't we sit down and discuss it peacefully?"

"Hahahaha! Sit down and discuss it peacefully?"

The Prince laughed as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world. He looked at the Sun Moon Emperor's frail body, wasted by wine and women, with disdain in his eyes.

"All these years, you've done nothing but squeeze the people dry, indulge yourself, and neglect the state. The officials are corrupt, and so many of our brothers have died defending the borders. Against the original three great Douluo nations, you've retreated again and again, doing nothing but compromise. Can they rest in peace? A chronic illness demands a strong remedy; a chaotic age calls for severe laws. Only a decisive blow can cut out the rot!"

The Sun Moon Emperor raised a withered hand and pointed at the Prince, his fingers trembling as he shouted himself hoarse. "Before I die, I'll send you to hell first!"

The flickering lights made the Sun Moon Emperor's shadow sway.

Zheng Zhan's expression changed as a sense of unease surged through him. He abruptly turned to look at the Prince's shadow. A dark figure crawled out of it, a black blade sweeping toward the Prince's neck.

Ying Sha Douluo? Hadn't he died long ago? How could he still be alive—and right beside the Sun Moon Emperor?

Zheng Zhan stared in disbelief. He wanted to go to the Prince's aid, but found himself unable to move. His shadow had been pinned in place.

In the blink of an eye, space twisted, and a flawless white hand appeared out of nowhere, reaching for the blade.

Ying Sha paused, then turned the blade and stabbed the newcomer in the chest from an unexpected angle. He plunged into the Prince's shadow, then appeared from the Sun Moon Emperor's shadow the next moment. Grabbing the Sun Moon Emperor, he burst through the roof and fled.

"Kill them!"

"Leave no one from the Emperor's faction alive!"

The Prince was both shocked and enraged. Cold sweat soaked the back of his clothes, leaving him chilled. He'd come within a hair's breadth of being caught off guard.

In the pitch-black night, Ying Sha Douluo swept through the air with the Sun Moon Emperor, darkness billowing around them to conceal their presence.

Just then, a crimson beam of sunlight descended from the heavens, instantly engulfing Ying Sha and the Sun Moon Emperor in midair. The terrifying heat melted everything in its path. The air hissed, white waves of heat rising from it. Then tens of thousands of white streaks of light rained down, like meteors crossing the sky—beautiful and deadly.

"AAAAH!!!"

Ying Sha and the Sun Moon Emperor struggled for only a moment before they were reduced to ashes in the dazzling light, leaving not even a trace of their remains!

The crimson beam's lingering force slammed into the ground, melting a bottomless red hole into it. Its power was terrifying.

A thousand meters above the Imperial City, five figures hovered in the sky.

At their center stood a tall, ruddy-faced, bald old man. A crimson orb of light hung above his head, radiating fearsome power. Countless Soul Tools circled him, sparkling like a Milky Way of fine grains of sand strewn across the night sky.

A Rank Nine Soul Master, the Star Douluo, Ye Yulin!

The other four figures were no weaklings either. They were all Rank Eight Soul Masters with Soul Douluo cultivation.

Their purpose here was to kill anyone who tried to escape by air and prevent anything from going wrong.

Ye Yulin's aura was weak. That last strike had nearly drained all his Soul Power, and only the combined might of all five of them had made the attack a guaranteed kill.

With his Level 9 Soul Tool, the Sun God Needle—the crimson orb above his head—he could clearly sense every blade of grass and every brick and tile in the Imperial City.

But before Ying Sha appeared, he hadn't noticed anything amiss. By the time he reacted, he couldn't find an opportunity to strike. He couldn't very well blast the Prince along with them.

"Ah, what a pity about the Princess Consort..."

The great hall was ablaze with light, but the Prince felt no warmth. Only bone-deep cold.

Only the Prince, the Princess Consort, and an old woman treating her remained inside.

He clutched the Princess Consort's increasingly cold jade-like hand. The Dark Poison had reached her heart, and she wouldn't last much longer.

"Why were you so foolish? Didn't I tell you to stay in your chambers and not come out?"

The Princess Consort raised her lovely face in a smile. Black blood from her cough stained her red lips, lending her an eerie, tragic beauty. Her gentle voice came in broken fragments.

"I... was worried... about you. I don't... regret it. I really don't. I only regret... that I won't be able... to stay by your side anymore..."

As she spoke, the Princess Consort struggled to raise a hand and rest it on her swollen belly. Her eyes brimmed with boundless tenderness.

"I'm... almost out of time. Save... the child. He's... kicking me... He's about... to come out. Ah..."

The old woman treating her paused and looked at the Prince. His eyes were already red and swollen, and his voice was hoarse. "Save the child!"

Those four words seemed to drain all his strength. He sank to his knees beside the Princess Consort. Though he was now Emperor, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch in anguish, powerless to help.

"Yes."

Two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings flashed around the old woman. Countless vibrant green leaves, brimming with life, circled the Princess Consort.

"Princess Consort, please bear with it. The baby's coming. It may hurt quite a bit."

"Mm... Ah... Hah..."

Beads of sweat covered the Princess Consort's pale face. She clutched her skirt tightly, the veins on her hand bulging. The pain felt as if it were tearing through her soul. The injuries Ying Sha had inflicted on her earlier were nothing by comparison.

"Relax. Hold on a little longer. It'll be over soon."

"All right, all right. The child is safe. It's a boy."

The old woman moved gently and used warm Soul Power to clean the newborn. The boy was a little unusual: instead of wailing like an ordinary baby, he opened his eyes and curiously looked around.

"Let me... see... my child."

The Princess Consort's weak voice rang out. Her pale face had no trace of color.

The cleaned newborn boy had incredibly fair, delicate skin, as if a light pinch might make water bead up. He had black hair and a pair of large black eyes.

The Princess Consort reached out with a trembling hand and gently stroked his cheek with her slender fingers. Her soft eyes stayed fixed on him, as if she wanted to etch his image into her heart.

She wished she could keep looking at him like this forever, stay by his side, and watch him grow.

But her body, flickering like a candle in the wind, reminded her of the cruel and helpless reality. Her eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance.

"Mommy... is sorry... I brought you into... this world, but I can't... love you and cherish you properly. When you grow up... please don't hate Mommy... okay..."

"You're so... adorable. When you grow up, so many girls... will surely like you. You mustn't... toy with their feelings. I hope you find... a kind girl who loves you... looks after you... and accepts you..."

"You don't have... a name yet. Mm... how about Lan Qing? Upright and steadfast... with inner warmth like jade... and a clear, open heart. What a lovely name..."

"My lord... do you think... it's good?"

"Good, good, good. Whatever you say is right. I'm the one who wronged you—both of you..."

The Prince held the Princess Consort tightly, his throat constricted with sobs. He had never felt such pain and regret.

"Lan Qing... Mommy... is leaving..."

The great Imperial City stood tall and magnificent, but after the bloody battle, the thick stench of blood lingered in the air like a faint red mist. It lent the city an eerie quality, as though some evil ritual were underway.

Strands of red mist curled upward. The air visibly warped, as if some terrible presence were being drawn toward it.

At that moment, an indescribably terrifying aura descended. Under its pressure, every living creature within hundreds of kilometers was unable to move, their thoughts brought to a standstill.

A brilliant golden light pierced the pitch-black night, its radiance pouring down over the Imperial City. Then came a second, a third, and countless more. Golden dragons, their bodies seemingly cast from gold, soared across the sky before transforming into a golden orb of light that drilled into the boy's mind.

The boy's rosy skin gradually took on a golden sheen. Golden light flowed through his blood and spread throughout his body. At first it remained stable, but before long it grew restless.

Just then, a thunderous roar rang out from high above. For an instant, even the dazzling golden light seemed to be shrouded in darkness. An equally suffocating pressure descended from the sky.

A stream of gray air plummeted from the heavens as though drawn by an immense force. In an instant, it landed at the back of the boy's head and quietly burrowed inside.

An indistinct figure appeared behind the boy. An aged voice, imbued with indescribable authority, rang out. "With the sun and moon in my hands, I pluck the stars from the sky. None in this world can compare to me! I never thought this old man would leave behind even a single Remnant Soul."

The blurry figure shot into the back of the boy's head and vanished.

Once the gray stream of air entered Xu Lanqing's mind, it immediately turned into a gray bead no bigger than a soybean. It faced the golden orb from before, the two forming a subtle balance. Then both fell silent, and the boy calmed down.

Time began to flow again. The strange phenomena vanished like drifting clouds and dissipating smoke. No one knew what had happened.

Deep beneath the Lake of Life, in the uninhabited core region of the vast Star Dou Forest.

Loneliness. Silence. Darkness.

It was a void separate from the world. A gigantic Silver Body lay coiled within it, radiating an ancient, powerful presence. Each breath it exhaled roared away like a hurricane, faded, then began the cycle again.

Vibrant green liquid dripped from high above and seeped into its body. Its aura grew ever deeper and more enduring.

Suddenly, it seemed to sense something and let out a desolate, tragic dragon's roar. It wanted to awaken. Its previously steady aura became erratic, then gradually fell quiet again.

A thin veil of mist hovered over the pale green Lake of Life. From afar, it looked like a beautiful, clear piece of green jade set into the earth.

Several figures stood beside the Lake of Life, each different in height and build.

At their head was a burly middle-aged man nearly three meters tall. Long black hair fell down his back, and a strand of golden hair hung over his brow. His handsome, resolute features carried an air of arrogant authority.

He was the ruler of the Star Dou Forest and the first-ranked member of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts: the Beast God, Di Tian!

Yet when he heard the dragon's roar, an uncontrollable fervor appeared on his face. He turned toward the void and fell to his knees, overcome with excitement. The figures behind him did the same.

"M-My Lord... are you finally going to awaken?"

His reverent, expectant voice echoed through the area. Ripples spread across the pale green lake, but after a long wait, the only response was the still air...