Upon hearing the astonishing feat of refining artifacts from demon corpses, father and son Xiong Fen and Xiong Zhong were struck with awe. It then dawned on them that their squad leader had been absent lately—likely off hunting demons.
As they stood in shock, a member of the manure-carrying squad ahead of them turned back with a sigh.
"Demon corpses? That’s nothing."
"This artifact required countless rare materials, beyond mortal imagination! And the method of its creation? It was personally devised by Fang Zaowu!"
"Fang Zaowu is the direct disciple of Master Yi, ranked 40th among his peers. Do you think his work could ever fail?"
These whispered revelations sent waves of astonishment through the crowd.
To craft something as divine as a liquid crystal screen—what terrifying mastery must that require!
And yet, such a figure was only the 40th-ranked disciple…
Just how unfathomable must Master Yi be?!
Xiong Fen’s eyes widened, his millennia of experience rendered meaningless in this moment, leaving him as clueless as a naive youth. Trembling, he bowed deeply, reverence flooding his gaze."M-may I ask, honored one… who is this Master Yi you speak of?"
At this question, not only did the figure before them turn, but several other formidable beings nearby also fixed their gazes upon them, eyes brimming with devotion.
"Master Yi is the lord of Dark Shadow Island!"
Hiss—
Hearing even a fragment of the legends surrounding the master of Dark Shadow Island for the first time, father and son paled in terror.
Though they had speculated before, now that they heard it confirmed, an overwhelming awe enveloped them. This unimaginable deity now loomed in their hearts like a true god!
Staring at the infinitely profound liquid crystal screen, they dared not utter another word.
Standing at the edge of the cheering crowd, they felt utterly insignificant, as if they weighed nothing at all. Yet, at the same time, an immense pride and honor swelled within them, nearly compelling them to shout in exultation!
Then—
The screen suddenly displayed a massive image!
A young man with sharp brows, starry eyes, and an elegant, refined appearance. At first glance, he seemed nothing more than a youthful nobleman, unremarkable in any way. Yet the image remained frozen on the screen…
Father and son exchanged puzzled glances.
Why was this man’s image lingering on the screen?
Before they could voice their confusion—
The crowd ahead suddenly began to prostrate themselves!
Regardless of status or cultivation level, everyone knelt in devout worship, the wave of reverence spreading outward like a tide!
It was as if they had been enchanted.
Xiong Fen’s eyes bulged, and he instinctively muttered in shock.
"What’s happening…?"
Before he could finish, the manure-carrying squad member before him also dropped to his knees, turning back with a sharp glare!
"That is Master Yi!"
Whoosh—!!!
Father and son turned deathly pale, as if plunged into an icy abyss!
This…
This was Master Yi?! The lord of Dark Shadow Island?!
They had dared to question his image, to stand there dumbly—such disrespect deserved death ten thousand times over!
Immediately, they threw themselves to the ground, trembling in prostration!
The thunderous cries of worship echoed around them, their hearts clenched in terror.
Instinctively, they joined the fervent chants, faces flushed with fervor!
"We pay homage to Master Yi!"
After repeated kowtows, their nerves settled slightly, but the fear and reverence in their eyes remained, as if they had gazed upon a true deity.
Even the slightest glimpse of that image seared Master Yi’s divine visage into their minds.
An eternity seemed to pass before the fervor of the crowd gradually subsided. Many still lingered, gazing up at the colossal image with unwavering devotion, as if it had become their faith.
The Xiong father and son were among them, not daring to speak another word, listening in awe to the whispered legends.
"This is the first time I’ve seen Master Yi’s true appearance! Just this portrait—his aura of returning to simplicity—leaves us utterly eclipsed!"
"Master Yi is beyond our comprehension. Even Fang Zaowu, his direct disciple, is already an unreachable existence for the likes of us."
"Fang Zaowu once said that what he learned from Master Yi was but a drop in the ocean."
"Hiss…"
"Each of the great disciples has mastered their own grand Dao under Master Yi’s guidance. Who knows how many Daos he himself commands? Truly unfathomable!"
"If I could just glimpse Master Yi’s true form in this lifetime, I would die without regret!"
Hearing these fragments of reverence, the Xiongs painted a mental image of a supreme being wielding countless Daos, engraving that youthful, refined face into their hearts with absolute devotion.
Returning to their work with renewed vigor, father and son labored with unmatched enthusiasm.
During a brief break while loading carts, Xiong Zhong couldn’t contain his excitement.
"Father, if we could just meet Master Yi once, our lives would be complete, wouldn’t they?"
Hearing his son’s lofty aspirations, Xiong Fen stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
"Hahaha…"
"Boy, you dare to dream big! Master Yi is beyond our reach. If we can strive to be worthy of Dark Shadow Island’s name, that alone would make our lives meaningful."
As they shared this moment, their squad leader approached, hands clasped behind his back.
"Well said."
Hearing his voice, the two turned and bowed respectfully.
"We greet the squad leader!"
The leader nodded with a smile.
"No need for formalities among us."
Seeing the father and son’s transformed attitudes and their diligent work under the night sky, hauling bricks without complaint, the squad leader’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
Two troublemakers turned model workers, earnest and humble—what leader wouldn’t appreciate that?
The more he observed, the more pleased he became, and he promptly handed them two sets of work uniforms.
"You’ve made great progress, and your dedication is commendable. Good work! This next off-site mission will be entrusted to you. Don’t let me down."
Father and son straightened with pride, accepting the uniforms with solemn nods.
"Leader, rest assured—we will complete the mission!"
Noticing the leader’s approval, the shrewd Xiong Fen seized the moment to step closer with a bow.
"Leader…"
"I have some old friends who also wish to serve under you at Dark Shadow Island’s construction site. Would that be possible…?"
The leader hesitated, frowning.
"That’s… not easy to arrange."
"You must understand—Dark Shadow Island isn’t just any place. Are these people reliable?"
Xiong Fen immediately thumped his chest, face solemn.
"Leader, I swear!"
"These friends of mine are all honest men! If any of them cause trouble or drag the squad down, I’ll personally drive them out!"
Xiong Zhong also chimed in eagerly, nodding vigorously.
"Y-yes! We’ll kick them out ourselves if they slack off!"
Seeing the two workaholics so earnest in their guarantee, the squad leader finally relented with a nod.
"Fine. Bring them for an assessment first!"
Overjoyed, the Xiongs bowed repeatedly in thanks.
After a quick wash, they hurried off into the night, sprinting toward the exit.
The squad leader watched them go, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. With these two under his thumb, the construction site would soon be bustling like never before.
"Hmph, rewards and discipline work wonders. I truly am a genius…"
As the two vanished into the distance, their figures disappeared from sight.
Once outside Dark Shadow Island, father and son were brimming with excitement. The thought of returning to Moon God Pavilion with treasures and groundbreaking news had them practically glowing.
"When we return after completing this mission, everyone will be stunned!" Xiong Fen declared eagerly.
"Father is right. Bringing back the magical artifact and securing the chance to go to Dark Shadow Island—even the Pavilion Master would be thrilled if he knew!" Xiong Zhong said.
"How about we send word back first? That way, everyone can prepare themselves."
"That’s a good idea!" Xiong Fen nodded in agreement.
"First, it’ll give them time to adjust. Second, we can notify them in advance to select the most capable elders, so we don’t embarrass ourselves when we arrive at Dark Shadow Island."
As he spoke, the anticipation in Xiong Fen’s eyes grew even stronger.
"With the treasures and cultivation techniques we left behind at Moon God Pavilion, plus the resources absorbed from the Heavenly Dao Sect, they must have grown significantly by now. They might even have recruited some exceptional talents."
The more the father and son spoke, the more excited they became. Xiong Zhong’s eyes were practically gleaming with enthusiasm!
"Father!"
"Let’s hurry and complete our mission, then return to Lanxing immediately! With our greatly enhanced cultivation and newfound skills, why not head straight to Frostwater Star to hunt demons?!"
In the past, just the mention of Frostwater Star would have filled the two with dread. But now, they were eager, brimming with confidence.
It wasn’t arrogance—their vision and strength had undergone a tremendous transformation. They were no longer the same as before!
Xiong Fen laughed heartily, stroking his beard as his aura rippled through the void!
"That’s exactly what I was thinking!"
"Completing our mission is our greatest duty, and gathering demon corpses is our priority. Frostwater Star is the perfect target! Send word to Moon God Pavilion at once—tell them we’re occupied with a major task and will return in seven days, bearing immense fortune!"
With those words, father and son vanished into the rippling void.
The next moment, they reappeared amidst a sea of stars.