Gonggong's wild roar completely ignited the fervor that had been building within Pangu Hall.
"Get to work!"
"We're starting right now!"
Flames surged skyward from Zhurong's body, nearly setting ablaze the star map painted across the hall's ceiling.
Qiangliang simply hoisted that unlucky divine iron chair onto his shoulder, ready to use it as a hammer the moment he stepped outside.
In an instant, the solemn and dignified council hall transformed into a rousing construction-site mobilization rally.
Xuanzheng watched the scene with a perfectly measured, "gratified" smile on his face.
Yet inwardly, he knew better than anyone that this stirred-up enthusiasm still lacked one final stabilizing force.
Rules, slogans, and a sense of crisis alone were not enough.
To keep these twelve unruly elder brothers fired up through the tedious project that would span countless millennia, he needed to give them an absolute spiritual pillar.
A... "miracle" that would leave them with no possibility of wavering again.
"Elder brothers!"
Xuanzheng's voice was not loud, yet it precisely cut through every bit of noise in the hall.
The Ancestral Witches, who had just been brimming with excitement, froze and turned toward him in unison.
The smile on Xuanzheng's "innocent" face had faded, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and reverence.
He slowly walked to the center of the hall and, under everyone's gaze, made an incomparably solemn gesture of taking something from his robes.
In truth, his hand was merely a prop. The true star had already been quietly transferred from the system space.
The next moment, a "stone" no longer than an arm, entirely gray with the hue of chaos, appeared in his palm.
The instant it appeared, it did not shine with boundless radiance. Instead, all of Pangu Hall suddenly seemed to "sink"!
An indescribable Pangu pressure, sharing the same root and origin as Buzhou Mountain itself, spread from that "stone" like a silent tsunami of laws!
The air seemed to solidify into substance. The dense spiritual energy flowing through the hall was instantly suppressed into stillness, as though time itself had been paused!
Boom!
That rumble did not sound in their ears—it exploded in the deepest depths of the Twelve Ancestral Witches' bloodlines!
The twelve supreme experts standing atop the Desolate World all changed expression at once, their bodies trembling violently beyond their control! The Pangu Bloodline within them boiled, roared, and paid homage like subjects encountering their sovereign!
Houtu's pretty face turned pale, only for a flush of wild joy to rise upon it. She could clearly sense that the earth beneath her feet, the ley lines of all Buzhou Mountain, rejoiced at the appearance of this "stone," like children long separated from their mother finally seeing her again!
The Southern Bright Lihuo surrounding Zhurong was suppressed back into his body. To his horror, he discovered that his Fire Law was as insignificant as a candle flame before this aura!
"This... this is..."
Dijiang's body shuddered. The Space Law around him let out an overwhelmed hum the instant it came into contact with that aura, voluntarily submitting to it!
He cried out, "It's the aura of Father God's spinal origin!"
For the first time, the phantom River of Time within Zhujiuyin's eternally unchanging eyes churned violently, nearly bursting from his sockets. He stared fixedly at that unremarkable "stone," each word seeming to be squeezed through clenched teeth.
"There is no mistake! This is absolutely the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source at the very core of Buzhou Mountain! It contains the purest Pangu's Will from the time of World Creation!"
Dragon Vein Ancestral Source!
Those five words struck every Ancestral Witch's heart like a thunderbolt of creation!
They could question Xuanzheng's prophecy and doubt the difficulty of the project, but they would never mistake this aura of Father God, born from the deepest reaches of their bloodline!
Zhujiuyin leaned forward slightly. For the first time, scorching heat filled his profound gaze as it pierced straight toward Xuanzheng.
"Thirteenth Brother, where... did this thing come from?"
That question voiced everyone's thoughts.
The hall's boiling battle intent instantly turned into deathly silence. Twelve gazes, filled with shock, confusion, fervor, and scrutiny, all focused on Xuanzheng.
Holding the [Buzhou Mountain Dragon Vein Ancestral Source], Xuanzheng wore an expression of "of course" and "Father God's favor" so natural that it seemed utterly flawless.
If he had taken this thing out himself, it would have meant disaster from possessing a treasure.
But now, wrapped in the tiger skin of "Father God's Dream," it was a sacred relic ordained by fate!
"Father God bestowed it upon me along with the dream."
He slowly raised the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source high, his tone solemn, as though proclaiming a decree on heaven's behalf.
"Father God said that this is the Core Array Eye for repairing Buzhou Mountain. It bears the Future Destiny of our witch tribe, and it is also... His final trial and hope for all of His children!"
Boom!
Those words were like the strongest stimulant, driven fiercely into every Ancestral Witch's heart!
Bestowed by Father God! Core Array Eye! Bound to their destiny! A trial and hope!
Every last trace of doubt, hesitation, and fear of hardship was utterly smashed to pieces in that instant!
"Father God... Father God thinks so highly of us!" Houtu's eyes reddened at once, and even her voice trembled.
Yet just as the sacred and solemn atmosphere reached its peak, one figure abruptly moved.
He did not speak. He simply shoved aside the elder brother standing before him!
Gonggong's eyes shone brightly. There was not the slightest reverence for the sacred relic left on his face. Rubbing his hands together, he charged recklessly toward Xuanzheng. His gaze did not resemble one looking upon Father God's relic at all, but rather that of a peerless divine craftsman seeing the material of his dreams!
Dijiang frowned and was about to rebuke him.
But Gonggong had already begun circling the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source in Xuanzheng's hand, clicking his tongue in amazement and muttering to himself:
"Tsk, tsk, this texture, this structure... The Water Element Veins contained within it are simply divine craftsmanship!"
He suddenly slapped his thigh. A frightening gleam erupted from his eyes—not directed at Xuanzheng, but at the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source.
"If we use this thing as the main valve and embed it into the core hub of Buzhou Mountain's waterways... heavens, how powerful would that water flow be? It could scour the entire mountain's interior in an instant! The cleaning efficiency could increase ten thousandfold!"
He had already begun considering how to make the most of this "top-tier component" purely from the perspective of a Chief Engineer!
"Nonsense!" Zhurong immediately objected. He stepped forward as well and pointed at the Dragon Vein Ancestral Source as he retorted, "What main valve? Idiot! The World-Opening Fire Element contained within this thing is pure to the extreme! This is clearly a naturally formed supreme furnace core! Use it to refine divine gold, and even Geng Metal Divine Iron will have to melt into liquid for me!"
The Ancestral Witches in the hall watched Gonggong and Zhurong argue until they were red in the face over the "component's use," then looked at Xuanzheng, who remained solemn and steady as ever. Their eyes instantly filled with reverence, envy, and an undisguisable fervor.
Father God favored Thirteenth Brother so greatly!
Father God thought so highly of the witch tribe!
What reason did they have not to give it everything they had!
"Let's do it!"
No one knew who first shouted those words with all their strength.
"For Father God!"
"For the witch tribe!"
"Roar—!"
Twelve towering figures had their reason utterly overwhelmed by hot blood, and they threw back their heads and roared in unison. The terrifying sound waves merged into one, blasted through Pangu Hall's dome, and sent a humming echo through all of Buzhou Mountain.
An epic project capable of overturning the Desolate World's entire landscape and drawing even the saints' attention was about to begin.
Gonggong could no longer hear the roars around him. He shoved aside Zhurong, who was still arguing, crouched on the ground, dipped a finger in saliva, and excitedly began sketching his "first draft for waterway renovation" upon the smooth, mirrorlike floor.
Before you continue