Pan Xuan sat cross-legged in the quiet chamber, his eyes closed in concentration, sensing the power that had long slumbered deep within his soul.
Countless years had passed since his return from the summit of Mount Buzhou.
Throughout these origin cycles, he had contemplated the insights Pangu's World-Creation Diagram had given him while waiting for Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light to recover.
After he had last used that divine ability on the Twelve Ancestral Witches, it had fallen into a prolonged silence, like a dried-up stream waiting for water to well up from its source again.
And now, he could feel that the stream had finally filled once more.
That was not all.
The power of Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light was purer and more profound than before.
It was as though his experience atop Mount Buzhou had not merely erased his status as an "anomaly," but had also brought about some qualitative transformation in this divine ability.
That axe stroke that had cleaved heaven and earth apart, that power in which creation and destruction coexisted, that compassion that enlightened all things-all seemed to have merged into Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light, making it more wondrous and more powerful.
Pan Xuan opened his eyes, a trace of golden light flashing through his gentle gaze.
"It's recovered..." he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He rose, left the quiet chamber, and headed toward the main chamber of Pangu Hall.
Throughout these origin cycles, the Twelve Ancestral Witches had remained in Pangu Hall cultivating. Some contemplated the Great Dao of Strength, some practiced the Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation, and some studied their respective laws. None had ventured out.
When Pan Xuan arrived in the main chamber, Di Jiang was seated in the place of honor, his eyes closed in contemplation. The other Ancestral Witches were also sitting cross-legged, and a still, weighty aura pervaded the entire chamber.
"Brothers and sisters." Pan Xuan's voice rang through the hall, quiet but reaching every Ancestral Witch's ears clearly.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches opened their eyes in unison and looked at him.
Houtu spoke first, asking gently, "Pan Xuan's younger brother, is something the matter?"
Pan Xuan walked into the chamber and stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over each Ancestral Witch as he said slowly, "Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light has recovered."
At these words, all the Ancestral Witches perked up.
Zhu Rong was the first to jump to his feet, laughing heartily. "Recovered? Wonderful! Brother Pan Xuan, that wisdom light of yours is good stuff. After it shone on me last time, my mind stayed clear for quite a while!"
Even Gong Gong showed a rare look of anticipation. "Indeed. Although Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light cannot bring forth my Primordial Spirit, its enhancement of comprehension is very real.
"Over these origin cycles, contemplating the Great Dao of Strength has felt much smoother than before. I imagine that must be the lingering effect of that wisdom light."
Xuan Ming said coldly, "Since it has recovered, use it again.
"The Great Dao of Strength Father God taught us is far too profound. Every bit more comprehension means another measure of insight."
Houtu said softly, "Pan Xuan's younger brother, you just said Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light has recovered.
"Could this recovery be different from before?"
Pan Xuan smiled slightly and nodded. "Sister Houtu, you are perceptive indeed. It is different."
He paused, a gleam of gold flashing in his eyes. "Atop Mount Buzhou, Father God took me to witness the creation of heaven and earth, letting me experience that axe stroke firsthand.
"That experience not only erased my status as an anomaly, but also transformed my Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light.
"Its effects are now a notch above what they were before."
Zhu Rong's eyes widened. "A notch above? Doesn't that mean I'll become smarter after it shines on me?"
Gong Gong scoffed. "You can become smarter? However much smarter you get, you'll still be the same."
Zhu Rong snapped, "Gong Gong, are you looking for a fight?"
"Enough." Di Jiang spoke calmly, quelling their argument.
He looked at Pan Xuan and said gravely, "Brother Pan Xuan, in that case, please use Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light on us once more."
Pan Xuan nodded. "That was precisely my intention."
The Twelve Ancestral Witches settled into their seats in the chamber. Pan Xuan walked before them, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and summoned the transformed power deep within his soul.
A moment later, he opened his eyes.
Those eyes had changed.
His once distinct black-and-white eyes had become two golden suns, dazzlingly brilliant, yet gentle rather than blinding.
That golden radiance seemed to contain the most fundamental light of wisdom in all heaven and earth, capable of illuminating every confusion and enlightening every living being.
Unlike before, the golden light also held a faint hint of the creation of heaven and earth.
It was the gift Pangu's World-Creation Diagram had bestowed upon him, the new power born from Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light's transformation.
Pan Xuan extended a finger, and a speck of golden light gathered at its tip.
The golden light grew brighter and stronger, like a miniature sun hovering at his fingertip.
Within that radiance, runes faintly flowed, the sounds of the Great Dao echoed, and scenes of the creation of heaven and earth flickered in and out of view.
"Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light."
Pan Xuan softly spoke the ability's name, and the speck of golden light at his fingertip became a beam that shone upon the point between Di Jiang's brows.
Di Jiang shuddered, feeling a warm current pour in between his brows and flow straight into the depths of his soul.
That current was richer and more profound than last time, seemingly carrying a trace of the power that had created heaven and earth as it washed and polished his soul layer by layer.
He could feel his thoughts becoming clearer than ever before.
Questions he had once been unable to resolve now seemed to offer clues; mists he had once been unable to see through now vanished like smoke and clouds.
The mysteries of the Great Dao of Strength became much clearer in his eyes.
A moment later, the golden light faded. Pan Xuan turned to Zhu Jiuyin and used the ability again.
One after another, the Twelve Ancestral Witches received the baptism of Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light.
After receiving the wisdom light, each Ancestral Witch's gaze grew clearer, and the aura surrounding them became more vibrant.
Although the wisdom light could not bring forth their Primordial Spirits, its enhancement of comprehension was very real. Especially at this crucial stage in their contemplation of the Great Dao of Strength, that small improvement was immensely precious.
When Tianwu, the last Ancestral Witch, finished receiving Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light, Pan Xuan withdrew his finger and briefly regulated his breathing.
Although using Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light taxed his mental strength, with the Righteous Vitality Formula protecting him, he remained at his peak.
"Brothers and sisters, how do you feel?" Pan Xuan asked.
Zhu Rong grinned. "Good! Wonderful! Much stronger than last time! I feel as though someone stirred up that lump of paste in my head, making it much clearer!"
For once, Gong Gong did not mock him. He nodded. "It is indeed stronger than last time.
"There seems to be something more within Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light... a hint of the creation of heaven and earth.
"This must be what Brother Pan Xuan gained atop Mount Buzhou."
Houtu said softly, "Pan Xuan's younger brother, you said Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light had advanced another step. That was certainly true.
"I can feel this wisdom light nourishing my Primordial Spirit as well. Although it is not as direct as the first time, it is more enduring."
Pan Xuan nodded. "After its transformation, Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light did gain a measure of the power that created heaven and earth.
"Creating heaven and earth is itself the greatest enlightenment-opening up space for all things in heaven and earth to survive.
"The incorporation of this power into Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light has taken its effects to another level."
He paused, a gleam flashing in his eyes. "But Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light was merely the appetizer.
"What comes next is what I truly wanted to show you, brothers and sisters."
The Ancestral Witches paused in surprise and looked at him.
Pan Xuan walked to the center of the chamber, stood with his hands behind his back, and took a deep breath.
"Atop Mount Buzhou, Father God took me to witness the creation of heaven and earth, letting me experience that axe stroke firsthand."
His voice grew solemn. "I have imprinted the scene of that axe stroke within my soul.
"Today, I will display it to you, brothers and sisters, so that everyone may see Father God creating heaven and earth."
At his words, all the Ancestral Witches perked up.
The creation of heaven and earth was Father God Pangu's greatest feat, a sight that these Ancestral Witches, born from his blood essence, had never witnessed with their own eyes.
Although they could sense some fragments through their inherited memories, those were ultimately only vague remnants, far less vivid than witnessing it themselves.
"Brother Pan Xuan, you can display the scene of heaven and earth's creation?" Di Jiang's voice held a trace of excitement.
Pan Xuan nodded. "I can. Although it is only an imprint, it is clear enough."
He closed his eyes and summoned the imprint deep within his soul.
That imprint contained the entire process of Pangu creating heaven and earth-from chaos yet undivided, to the fall of that axe, to heaven and earth first opening, to all things beginning to live.
A moment later, Pan Xuan opened his eyes. An image suddenly appeared within them.
The image projected from his eyes and slowly unfolded within the main chamber of Pangu Hall, becoming a vast, lifelike scroll.
Within the scroll lay endless chaos.
There was no heaven or earth, no sun or moon, no stars-only that vast, primordial, boundless chaos.
Within the chaos, currents surged. Yin and yang were not yet separated, the clear and turbid were not yet divided, and everything remained in its most primordial state.
Chaos Qi churned ceaselessly, like boiling lava and a roaring ocean, filled with power in which destruction and creation coexisted.
And within that chaos stood a giant.
The giant stood tall enough to support heaven and earth, countless tens of millions of li in height, his entire body radiating the mighty power to create heaven and earth.
He held an enormous axe, Chaos Qi churning endlessly along its blade as the powers of yin and yang intertwined.
His body towered higher than any mountain range, and his aura was vaster than any ocean.
That was Pangu, before he created heaven and earth.
The instant the Twelve Ancestral Witches saw that figure, they all held their breath.
From that figure, they could sense an aura that shared their origin.
It was Father God's aura, the source of their bloodline.
Although they had already seen Father God's phantom atop Mount Buzhou, seeing him again still set their hearts surging.
Pangu moved within the image.
He raised the massive axe in his hands. The movement seemed slow, yet held an indescribable sense of power.
The instant the massive axe rose, all of chaos seemed to freeze. All the Chaos Qi ceased churning, as though waiting for something.
Along the axe's blade, Chaos Qi surged wildly, the powers of yin and yang intertwined, and an unimaginable force gathered upon its edge.
That force was enough to cleave chaos apart, enough to separate heaven and earth, enough to create everything.
Then that axe fell.
Boom-!
The Twelve Ancestral Witches felt as though the entire world had shattered beneath that axe stroke.
Chaos was cleaved apart. The clear rose to become heaven, and the turbid sank to become earth. Heaven and earth first opened, and all things began to live.
The power of that axe stroke not only split chaos, but also split time and space, yin and yang and the five elements, and every law between heaven and earth.
That axe stroke was one of creation, one of destruction, one that opened heaven and earth, one that laid the foundation of the Primordial World.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches were immersed in this scene, shock and insight flickering in every pair of eyes.
Within that scene of heaven and earth's creation, they could sense the origin of the Great Dao of Strength.
It was not mere brute force, but power in which creation and destruction coexisted, an embodiment of the fusion of laws and will.
Before you continue