Seeing everyone frozen in disbelief, $2iong Zhong also smiled in agreement, trying to reassure them.

“There’s really no need to be so polite. We’re all from the same sect—family shouldn’t stand on ceremony!”

“They’re just a pair of gloves, nothing extraordinary.”

He spoke the truth. Gloves were common at the construction site—many bricklayers had a pair, and so did most laborers. They weren’t rare at all.

If he and his father hadn’t arrived late, they might have gotten theirs sooner.

It wasn’t entirely painless to give the gloves away.

But Xiong Zhong understood—the 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 foreman’s position wasn’t out of reach!

And then…

Gloves, hard hats, work uniforms—even that terrifyingly formidable trowel.

Wouldn’t they be easy to come by?

With that in mind, parting with a pair of gloves wasn’t 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-changers—enough to alter the sect’s destiny!

Making the most of resources was the wisest move, and this gift couldn’t have been more fitting.

Having undergone his own transformation, Xiong Zhong’s perspective had broadened. With tact, he continued to reassure the crowd.

“Everyone, there’s no need to feel uneasy.”

“In the future, my father and I will bring back more items—things that will greatly benefit the Moon God Pavilion. These may seem rare to you, but where we serve, they’re barely a speck on a strand of a bull’s hair!”

“We earned these through our own efforts, so please accept them without hesitation.”

His words were well-intentioned, yet they sent another shockwave through the crowd.

Heaven-grade gloves… not even worth a strand of a bull’s hair?

Just by serving faithfully, one could obtain such treasures?!

“Hiss—!”

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 before—words that had once sounded absurdly arrogant.

Now it was clear—they had ascended to an unimaginable level.

To serve under such a formidable power… what an immense fortune!

The Moon God Pavilion’s 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 mind—a force so vast, its true depth was surely just the tip of the iceberg!

Qing Yin Xianyun, the sect’s 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.

“Holy Maiden, here’s a fragment of a secret manual. Study it well, and you’ll surely reap great rewards!”

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:

“Bricklaying Notes…?”

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.

“Indeed! The Bricklaying Notes!”

“This is a peerless fragment, something I stumbled upon while serving. Grasp its truths, and you’ll benefit for life. My breakthrough to the Heaven-grade, even the creation of my ‘Bricklaying Palm,’ all came from insights within these pages!”

The legendary Bricklaying Palm—born from this very manual?!

And this was just a fragment…

The manual’s true rank must be beyond comprehension!

Qing Yin Xianyun’s 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 excitement—more thrilled than if they’d 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.

“From now on, I hope all elders will work together to strengthen our sect.”

“Though my son and I now serve elsewhere, we’ll never forget the Moon God Pavilion. We’ll support you wholeheartedly. No matter the obstacle, we’ll stand behind you at all costs!”

His voice, steady as a mountain, ignited a fire in everyone’s hearts.

Elder Xiong’s 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 duo’s pledge, gratitude and determination shone in their eyes.

This wasn’t just clinging to a powerful ally—it 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.

“We heed Elder Xiong’s guidance! We vow to devote our lives to the sect’s rise!”

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.

“To bestow such gifts without seeking reward… how humbling…”

“Elder Xiong’s virtue is truly peerless!”

“With this fortune, our Moon God Pavilion will surely dominate the Southern Li Heavenly Domain!”

“Congratulations, Sect Master! Congratulations, Holy Maiden!”

“Our eternal gratitude to Elder Xiong!”

Excitement hung thick in the air as the sect master’s eyes blazed with ambition.

Even Qing Yin Xianyun, swept up in the elders’ 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 they’d 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.

“Thank you, Elder Xiong. Thank you, Young Master Xiong.”

“I swear to honor your trust—to make the Moon God Pavilion a Domain Heaven Sect!”

Far away, tens of thousands of miles distant…

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.

“Son, from now on, we must work a hundred times harder!”

“For us to have entered Dark Shadow Island… it’s a blessing beyond measure. We must seize this chance. The Moon God Pavilion’s master and the others treated us well—our luck has truly turned!”

“We 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!”

Xiong Zhong nodded solemnly, his youthful face now marked by maturity.

“Father speaks wisely!”

"Luckily we returned early, otherwise the Moon God Pavilion would have suffered because of us father and son. They’ve treated us with such generosity—from 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!"

"Let’s finish our task quickly and then consult the Captain when we return. We should ask if the construction site still needs workers. If they’re hiring, that’d be perfect!"

The words struck Xiong Zhong like a sudden revelation, and his face lit up with realization.

"You’re right! If we could get a few elders to haul bricks at the site, more hands would mean greater gains. That’d be far better than just relying on the two of us!"

"How did I not think of that? Father, you’re truly wise!"

Xiong Fen stroked his beard, nodding with a smug, knowing grin—the 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!