It was daytime now, high noon.
A black sun hung high in the sky.
The clean blue sky, like a backdrop image, set off that black sun. Together, they made the whole scene look exceedingly strange.
There were no clouds—not a single one. Yet if one looked closely, one would notice that this pure blue sky was far from tranquil.
It was as if some great upheaval might descend at any moment and abruptly shroud the blue heavens.
Though the sun was black, the light it gave off remained bright, dazzling, and warm.
Sunlight poured down from the sky with an eerie feeling; the light seemed so utterly different from its source.
Sunlight not only illuminated the world, but also shone upon the fields, allowing all things under heaven to receive the life they deserved. Beneath its radiance, creatures on the ground felt warmth, while plants were free to grow.
Overall, the temperature in this region was not too low. At the very least, green plants could still occasionally be seen on the ground.
Like pale-colored patterns, they adorned the beauty of the earth amid a vast stretch of desolation.
Most of these green plants were naturally stunted wild shrubs. They required neither much water nor especially warm, abundant sunlight. With only a little light and nourishment, they could tenaciously survive.
Small animals occasionally darted through the shrubs. Most were herbivorous little beasts; because they ate little and expended little energy, they did not have to toil too hard.
They ran about through the bushes, teasing and playing with one another.
Even while at play, they did not forget to prick up their ears in vigilance, constantly observing their surroundings.
Natural enemies were everywhere—birds of prey soaring overhead, hunters that appeared and vanished like ghosts on the ground. All of