"The Moon Festival? What festival is that?" Su Mei blinked her big, hazy eyes, asking curiously.
"Did you notice? Tonight's moon is exceptionally large, perfectly round, and brilliantly bright." Yu He smiled faintly, answering her question with one of his own.
"Yes, yes! The moon tonight is so beautiful. I've never seen such a beautiful moon before." Su Mei pursed her small lips and nodded in agreement.
"Heh, this moon isn't usually so beautiful. It happens only once a year. As for this phenomenon, there are many explanations, but in the Eastern Sea, the one that's widely told is a legend," Yu He said.
"A legend? What legend? Tell us quickly, Senior Brother Yu He!" Su Mei pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"It is said that in ancient times, there was only the sun in the sky, no moon, and no stars scattered across the heavens. So while the day was filled with dazzling sunlight, when night fell, it was pitch blackness so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face."
"During that ancient era, there was a pair of lovers, both cultivators."
"They had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, sharing everything, their bond incredibly deep."
"The man was particularly gifted, a rare prodigy in martial cultivation. His realm advanced rapidly, breaking through one level after another."
"But alas, the woman's talent was merely average. Gradually, the man left her far behind in strength. Yet their feelings did not fade with the gap in their cultivation; instead, they deepened, making others envious."
"However, as time flowed on, both the man and the woman grew older. Although the woman could maintain her youthful beauty with special medicines, her lifespan was also drawing to an end."
"Realizing this, the man began to think frantically of a way to save her, for he did not care about her appearance, but he absolutely could not lose her."
"Finally, he thought of a method: to make himself stronger, so powerful that he could grant her a longer life."
"With the man's relentless effort, he finally reached an extraordinary stage. He was just one step away from a realm never before attained, a world-shaking level. To successfully take this final step, he entered seclusion and cultivated with bitter diligence."
"When he emerged, heaven and earth trembled. He had obtained the power to command the universe. None in the world could match him; everything lay within his control."
"But what he never could have imagined was that his seclusion had lasted for several hundred years. His beloved was long gone, leaving only a pile of stark white bones."
"The man was despondent. He possessed the power to rule over creation, becoming a supreme being in the eyes of all living things, yet he could not revive his most cherished person."
"He wept for an entire day, until night descended. Gazing upon the pitch-black world, he remembered a word his lover had once spoken to him."
"She had said she disliked the night, for without firelight, she couldn't see his face."
"She had said how wonderful it would be if the night had a sun as well, so that she could see his countenance at any moment."
"The man loved the woman too dearly. With her gone, even his reason for living vanished. Though he possessed countless years of life and commanded the reverence of all beings under heaven, none of it compared to having her by his side."