The starry sky was clear, and heaven and earth lay silent. Beneath scattered starlight, the vast Sun-Moon City stood solemn and imposing.
On the Sun-Moon Continent, Sun-Moon City possessed a long history and rich cultural heritage. It had produced numerous Soul Tool researchers whose names went down in history, earning it another name: the cradle of Soul Tools. Thanks to its many advantages, its economy flourished, and its size was second only to Mingdu, the Sun-Moon Empire's capital.
Beneath the scattered starlight, Sun-Moon City's walls rose dozens of zhang high, enclosing an area dozens of li across. Its surging moat encircled it like an ink-black jade sash, ripples spreading across the water as piranhas occasionally surfaced and submerged. Atop the towering, broad walls, squads of soldiers patrolled nervously. Though they were elite troops carefully selected from across the Sun-Moon Empire, a closer look revealed cold sweat continually beading on their foreheads, their weapon-bearing hands trembling slightly. Their breathing had lost its usual steadiness, and their hearts beat at an abnormal pace, clear signs of anxiety and strain.
At the center of Sun-Moon City stood what had originally been the city lord's mansion. But after Emperor Xu Maocai fled Mingdu with a group of imperial relatives and nobles, traveling thousands of miles to relocate to Sun-Moon City, the mansion changed masters and became his residence.
Night had already fallen, and Sun-Moon City was under curfew. Ordinary citizens were forbidden to go out after dark. Anyone caught violating the order would be arrested by guards patrolling the streets and alleys and thrown into prison; anyone who resisted would be killed on the spot. Thus, most of the city had long since extinguished its lights and fires, sinking into darkness. Only the area around the city lord's mansion remained festively illuminated, shining like