Seeing everyone frozen in disbelief, $2iong Zhong also smiled in agreement, trying to reassure them.
âThereâs really no need to be so polite. Weâre all from the same sectâfamily shouldnât stand on ceremony!â
âTheyâre just a pair of gloves, nothing extraordinary.â
He spoke the truth. Gloves were common at the construction siteâmany bricklayers had a pair, and so did most laborers. They werenât rare at all.
If he and his father hadnât arrived late, they might have gotten theirs sooner.
It wasnât entirely painless to give the gloves away.
But Xiong Zhong understoodâthe Moon God Pavilion had fought tooth and nail for them. A gesture of gratitude was only right. Besides, if they worked hard at the site, gloves would be the least of their rewards. Even a foremanâs position wasnât out of reach!
And thenâŠ
Gloves, hard hats, work uniformsâeven that terrifyingly formidable trowel.
Wouldnât they be easy to come by?
With that in mind, parting with a pair of gloves wasnât such a big deal.
These items were mundane at the construction site, just tools for hauling bricks and mixing mortar. But for the Moon God Pavilion, they were game-changersâenough to alter the sectâs destiny!
Making the most of resources was the wisest move, and this gift couldnât have been more fitting.
Having undergone his own transformation, Xiong Zhongâs perspective had broadened. With tact, he continued to reassure the crowd.
âEveryone, thereâs no need to feel uneasy.â
âIn the future, my father and I will bring back more itemsâthings that will greatly benefit the Moon God Pavilion. These may seem rare to you, but where we serve, theyâre barely a speck on a strand of a bullâs hair!â
âWe earned these through our own efforts, so please accept them without hesitation.â
His words were well-intentioned, yet they sent another shockwave through the crowd.
Heaven-grade gloves⊠not even worth a strand of a bullâs hair?
Just by serving faithfully, one could obtain such treasures?!
âHissâ!â
Several elders gasped, their faces paling as if turned to stone!
What kind of terrifying power could possibly wield such extravagance?!
Before such a force, even the Domain Heaven Sect would pale in comparison!
No wonder Elder Xiong and his son had spoken so boldly beforeâwords that had once sounded absurdly arrogant.
Now it was clearâthey had ascended to an unimaginable level.
To serve under such a formidable power⊠what an immense fortune!
The Moon God Pavilionâs master and the rest stood dumbfounded, their minds reeling.
A few simple sentences had completely shattered their understanding of the world.
The once-mighty sect master now felt like a frog at the bottom of a well, his knowledge pitifully shallow. Clutching the gloves, his hands trembled under the weight of overwhelming awe.
In those brief words, a colossal shadow loomed in his mindâa force so vast, its true depth was surely just the tip of the iceberg!
Qing Yin Xianyun, the sectâs holy maiden, turned deathly pale, her eyes filled with cautious reverence as she carefully held the gloves. The father and son now seemed shrouded in an aura of profound mystery.
A wave of reverence spread, enveloping the entire Moon God Pavilion in awe.
Seeing the gloves accepted, Xiong Fen nodded in satisfaction.
His gaze lingered on Qing Yin Xianyun, a hint of approval in his eyes as he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his sleeve.
âHoly Maiden, hereâs a fragment of a secret manual. Study it well, and youâll surely reap great rewards!â
Qing Yin Xianyun shuddered at his words, hastily storing the gloves before accepting the paper with both hands, her reverence tinged with nervousness.
At a glance, the bold, sweeping characters at the top leaped out at her:
âBricklaying NotesâŠ?â
The strokes carried an unfathomable Dao charm, yet the meaning was cryptic. The title bore no resemblance to any orthodox cultivation manual, leaving her utterly bewildered.
Xiong Zhong smiled meaningfully and offered a hint.
âIndeed! The Bricklaying Notes!â
âThis is a peerless fragment, something I stumbled upon while serving. Grasp its truths, and youâll benefit for life. My breakthrough to the Heaven-grade, even the creation of my âBricklaying Palm,â all came from insights within these pages!â
The legendary Bricklaying Palmâborn from this very manual?!
And this was just a fragmentâŠ
The manualâs true rank must be beyond comprehension!
Qing Yin Xianyunâs jade-like hands trembled as she clutched the paper, her mind racing.
The elders beside her wore expressions of shock and fervor, their eyes briefly flashing with greed before they averted their gazes, fists clenched in excitementâmore thrilled than if theyâd received the manual themselves!
When they looked back at Xiong Fen, their faces were filled with newfound respect.
Yet Xiong Fen remained composed, hands behind his back as he sighed.
âFrom now on, I hope all elders will work together to strengthen our sect.â
âThough my son and I now serve elsewhere, weâll never forget the Moon God Pavilion. Weâll support you wholeheartedly. No matter the obstacle, weâll stand behind you at all costs!â
His voice, steady as a mountain, ignited a fire in everyoneâs hearts.
Elder Xiongâs promise filled them with confidence. The once-distant dream of rivaling the Domain Heaven Sect suddenly seemed within reach.
With such a terrifyingly powerful backer and the father-son duoâs pledge, gratitude and determination shone in their eyes.
This wasnât just clinging to a powerful allyâit was embracing a colossal, sky-piercing pillar!
With such support, the Domain Heaven Sect was no longer a fantasy.
They bowed deeply, their voices shaking the heavens.
âWe heed Elder Xiongâs guidance! We vow to devote our lives to the sectâs rise!â
By the time they straightened, the father and son had already withdrawn.
Without a sound, they had vanished into the void, leaving only ripples in the air.
âTo bestow such gifts without seeking reward⊠how humblingâŠâ
âElder Xiongâs virtue is truly peerless!â
âWith this fortune, our Moon God Pavilion will surely dominate the Southern Li Heavenly Domain!â
âCongratulations, Sect Master! Congratulations, Holy Maiden!â
âOur eternal gratitude to Elder Xiong!â
Excitement hung thick in the air as the sect masterâs eyes blazed with ambition.
Even Qing Yin Xianyun, swept up in the eldersâ fervor, clutched the peerless manual as if in a dream.
In just a few short days, Elder Xiong and his son had undergone a metamorphosis. Their every word and action radiated profound depth, and the opportunities theyâd bestowed were beyond belief.
Recalling their revelations, Qing Yin Xianyun felt a mix of reverence for the mysterious power they served and a sudden expansion of her own horizons. The future now seemed boundless.
Gratitude swelled in her heart.
Facing the fading spatial ripples, she bowed deeply, her resolve steeled.
âThank you, Elder Xiong. Thank you, Young Master Xiong.â
âI swear to honor your trustâto make the Moon God Pavilion a Domain Heaven Sect!â
Far away, tens of thousands of miles distantâŠ
The Xiong father-son duo strolled leisurely through the skies, contentment written on their faces.
As they approached the Ancient Corridor, Xiong Fen sighed, his eyes alight with rare enthusiasm.
âSon, from now on, we must work a hundred times harder!â
âFor us to have entered Dark Shadow Island⊠itâs a blessing beyond measure. We must seize this chance. The Moon God Pavilionâs master and the others treated us wellâour luck has truly turned!â
âWe owe the sect much. From now on, we strive not just for ourselves, but for their hopes too. We must earn every reward and support the Moon God Pavilion with all we have!â
Xiong Zhong nodded solemnly, his youthful face now marked by maturity.
âFather speaks wisely!â
"Luckily we returned early, otherwise the Moon God Pavilion would have suffered because of us father and son. Theyâve treated us with such generosityâfrom now on, we must never measure their noble hearts with our petty suspicions. Instead, we should do our best to support them!"
Hearing this, Xiong Fen nodded in approval.
"Son, your perspective has really broadened. Well done!"
"Letâs finish our task quickly and then consult the Captain when we return. We should ask if the construction site still needs workers. If theyâre hiring, thatâd be perfect!"
The words struck Xiong Zhong like a sudden revelation, and his face lit up with realization.
"Youâre right! If we could get a few elders to haul bricks at the site, more hands would mean greater gains. Thatâd be far better than just relying on the two of us!"
"How did I not think of that? Father, youâre truly wise!"
Xiong Fen stroked his beard, nodding with a smug, knowing grinâthe look of a seasoned old fox.
"Hmph, who do you think your old man is? Watch and learn, boy!"
The father and son exchanged a chuckle, then spurred forward with renewed vigor, racing back toward the Ancient Corridor!