Covering the Sky: I Prove the Great Dao Through the Gate of Immortality

The void was desolate, and all sounds were silent.

Li Chenzhou stood alone in the boundless starry space, the lightning around him dissipated, as if everything just now was a dream.

That surreal feeling makes it hard to distinguish between reality and illusion.

The vast universe and the boundless starry sky are revealed in their most authentic form.

Cold, dark, eternally silent.

After the various strange phenomena dissipated, everything returned to tranquility, except for one figure standing naked, his body radiating a faint, precious glow.

"It's done." Li Chenzhou said softly, his tone calm.

He fought nine young emperors in succession, narrowly escaping death nine times, and actually survived.

Despite successfully severing his path, he felt no excitement as he had expected; instead, he was unusually calm.

In this desolate universe, he stood for a long time, reflecting on this transformation between life and death.

Suddenly, he let out a clear whistle and spat out a galaxy of stars.

His aura was sharp and fierce, like a celestial sword being drawn from its sheath. With a clang, his military aura shook the star field for tens of thousands of miles, as if ten thousand swords were cleaving the sky.

"Whoosh!"

The clear light flashed and disappeared in an instant, and all the strange phenomena vanished.

He looked serene, stretched his body, and faced the vast starry sky.

His eyes gleamed, and he suddenly gasped.

The entire star field was shaken.

Thousands upon thousands of starlight rays fell from the depths of the universe, flowing along the Milky Way and converging into a silver ocean that completely engulfed him.

Every pore was opening up, breathing in and out starlight, replenishing the energy consumed during the tribulation.

His flesh and bones seemed to transform into endless ancient stars, flickering and connected by countless great paths.

The stars are countless, the Milky Way is boundless.

After an unknown amount of time, the starlight gradually subsided, and the universe returned to darkness and coldness.

Li Chenzhou's radiant body was now fully revealed, and his Dao-slaying technique had finally reached perfection.

He blazed straight through the four extremes, broke through three barriers, and stood atop the King's Steps.

Such progress is nothing short of a miracle.

Upon closer reflection, it makes perfect sense.

He had accumulated his strength over time, and his power had already reached such a level, but he had not yet proven it to the world.

Now that he has broken through the barrier in one fell swoop, he has severed the Dao with his own body to verify himself, and naturally revealed the true Dao fruit, creating a rare and extraordinary event in history.

No one has ever done this before, from ancient times to the present.

Li Chenzhou stood silently for a long time, then suddenly looked up at the sky and laughed loudly.

He took out his clothes and put them on, then looked at the Gate of Immortality in disbelief.

This door has long been interwoven with Tao and reason.

And that's not all...

"Hmm? This is... the birth of a god?"

He showed surprise. He had cultivated the Dao of Severance, which was undoubtedly powerful, but he was still some distance away from being able to make a weapon give birth to a deity.

It should be known that weapons capable of giving birth to deities must be forged by sages to become sacred weapons.

"Could this be the work of that person?" Li Chenzhou frowned, sensing the Gate of Immortality.

The next moment, he shuddered and clearly sensed a hazy consciousness awakening inside the door.

"A god has truly been born!"

This deity was radiant with precious light, and its form was identical to Li Chenzhou's.

This deity was perfectly in tune with his mind, acting as if it were an extension of himself.

"That's it... During my tribulation, I projected an avatar through the Gate of Immortality. Could it be that spiritual being transformed into a deity?"

Li Chenzhou guessed, then thought of something else, "Perhaps... it's also because of that person who is suspected to be the Primordial Heavenly Venerable?"

He recalled the refining process.

He based his work on the secret techniques of weapon crafting in the Hengyu Scripture, and he relied heavily on the power of the external environment, just as the Hengyu Emperor used the power of the Primordial Ancient Mine, Fallen Sun Ridge, to craft the Sun God Furnace.

"My Gate to Immortality borrows the power of Heavenly Tribulation. This power is inherently mysterious and unpredictable, so it's reasonable that it can foster spirituality. Moreover, it also incorporates a wisp of my own spirituality, as well as divine materials like the Mother Qi of All Things and Divine Mark Purple Gold..."

After much deliberation, Li Chenzhou accepted this fact.

Everything seems incredible, but in fact it is in accordance with the great principles of Tao.

The Heaven-Covering Technique for refining artifacts involves deities that are formed from interwoven Dao patterns. Only Dao patterns at the Saint level can generate sufficient spirituality.

But the Gate to Immortality is an exception. It is the source of all things' primordial energy, imbued with divine marks of purple gold, tempered by heavenly tribulations, with the intervention of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, and its own spiritual essence integrated into it...

With so many factors combined, it is not surprising that deities were born.

"But..." Li Chenzhou stroked the door, feeling the surging power within, "is this a king's weapon, or a holy weapon?"

He immersed himself in it, carefully sensing its presence.

"With the primordial energy of all things and the divine trace purple gold material, plus this nascent deity, it's not weaker than a sacred weapon?" Li Chenzhou nodded to himself, "This level is reasonable."

"besides……"

Li Chenzhou sensed a strange rhythm emanating from the depths of the Gate of Immortality.

It was a completely different aura from before; it was no longer a cold, impersonal object, but rather the pulse of a truly "living" life.

"This aura... has it awakened the profound mysteries of immortal metal?" He was shaken as he carefully sensed the changes in the Gate of Eternal Life.

Divine marks of purple and gold flowed across the door, and countless runes combined and evolved on their own, radiating a powerful life force. The door seemed to have truly come alive, no longer an inanimate object, but possessing its own life rhythm.

"After the Immortal Gold awakens its profound meaning, it undergoes such a transformation..." Li Chenzhou could not hide his shock.

"This life rhythm... is it the manifestation of the complete awakening of the Immortal Metal's profound meaning?" He was shocked, never expecting that the Immortal Metal would undergo such a transformation after awakening.

The primordial energy of all things also circulates within the gate, absorbing and releasing the essence of heaven and earth, as if it possesses life.

It's like a tree root; as long as it gets enough nourishment, it can "reproduce" more maternal energy on its own.

Li Chenzhou recalled Ye Fan's Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron, which was initially only the size of a fist, but as his cultivation improved, the source of the mother qi continued to "proliferate," eventually becoming as large as the sun and moon.

At this moment, he clearly sensed that his own gate to immortality was also undergoing a similar change.

The source of all things within the gate is slowly "growing," constantly generating new sources of primordial energy, thus elevating the essence of the entire gate.

This growth is not simply an increase in quantity, but a sublimation of essence.

Just like cultivators practicing cultivation, the Gate to Immortality is also evolving autonomously, moving towards a higher level.

"Perhaps I don't need to deliberately refine it. As long as I place it in a treasure land, it can absorb the laws on its own and continue to grow." Li Chenzhou was increasingly shocked as he thought about it. "It might even one day become an Emperor Weapon on its own!"

With a casual flick of his wrist, that being perfectly fused the two divine artifacts.

At this moment, the Gate of Immortality not only possesses the power to suppress all heavens from the source of the primordial energy of all things, but also the power to comprehend all laws from the divine mark purple gold. Within the gate, countless worlds are faintly seen being born and dying.

"So that's how it is!" Li Chenzhou exclaimed in realization. "That person not only helped me fuse two divine artifacts, but also enlightened me on the profound mysteries of immortal metal, truly bringing the Gate of Eternal Life to life!"

He recalled the imperial artifacts from the original trajectory: the Undying Heavenly Blade, the Primordial Bell, the Cauldron of the Mother Qi of All Things...

What makes these imperial weapons special is that their materials themselves possess "life," allowing them to grow alongside their owners.

A thought struck Li Chenzhou, and many clues suddenly connected.

No wonder the two imperial weapons, the Undying Heavenly Blade and the Beginningless Bell, seem to have their own life.

The reason why the Ruthless Great Emperor's Devouring Demon Jar has a spirit is because it was originally made from her own physical body, and it also contains a wisp of her remnant soul left behind when she transformed.

But what makes the Undying Heavenly Blade and the Beginningless Bell so special?

Is it simply because they were created by the Immortal Emperor and the Great Emperor Wushi?

Even the immortal artifacts crafted by true immortals in the immortal realm rarely possess such spiritual power.

Otherwise, wouldn't all the sects that possessed immortal artifacts during the chaotic ancient era be equivalent to having true immortals in charge?

The key lies in the profound meaning.

The Undying Emperor's Undying Heavenly Blade awakened the profound mysteries of Immortal Metal, and the material itself gained spirituality, which led to this change.

The Wushi Bell of the Great Emperor Wushi clearly also possessed "life".

Otherwise, given the level of the Great Emperor Wushi, if he only needed immortal gold, why would he need to travel all over the heavens to find it?

There is an unformed Immortal Golden Spirit in the Undying Mountain of the Big Dipper. If one were to truly use it, it would be a ready-made, peerless artifact.

What the Great Emperor Wushi was looking for was not ordinary immortal gold at all.

To be precise, ordinary immortal gold no longer catches his eye.

What he wanted were materials that inherently possessed "life potential".

If the materials are inanimate, even if they are forged into an imperial weapon and give birth to a deity, it is like a dead object becoming sentient, almost like possession. But if the materials are alive, they can be cultivated and developed together with the weapon, which is the original harmony and can lead to the ultimate together.

More importantly, the material itself possesses a spirit, so there is no need for the concept of "revival" for imperial weapons, because they have always been "alive".

Just as if the Emperor were alive, why would he need to be resurrected?

He was already alive, breathing in the heavens and earth, and wielding the power of all laws.

The Undying Heavenly Blade has always lived, silently protecting the Little Immortal Phoenix; the Beginningless Bell has always lived, guarding Purple Mountain and waiting for the Immortal Path to open; even the cauldron of Ye Fan in later legends has always been alive.

These weapons have never "died" since their creation.

And now, his gateway to immortality has also reached that level.

With the awakening of the profound mysteries of the Divine Mark Purple Gold, coupled with the enlightenment of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, this door has transcended the realm of ordinary weapons.

Li Chenzhou stroked the door, feeling the surging vitality within it. "It's like an emperor alive today; why would he need to be resurrected?"

To his greatest surprise, the Reincarnation Watch also merged into the Gate of Immortality, gaining the... incomplete abilities of the previous Reincarnation Watch.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the Demon Prison Mystic Embryo Scripture no longer manifested in the form of scriptures, and the Samsara Watch disappeared altogether.

"It can contain all paths and traverse all heavens... This gate to immortality may one day become the true gate to immortality."

The Gate of Immortality trembled slightly, as if responding to his expectations.

"It's time to go out."

Having mastered his supernatural powers, he rose from the high heavens, and the clouds around him naturally parted, leaving a path.

With one step, one disappears into the vast sea of ​​clouds.

Walking on the earth, Li Chenzhou did not use his supernatural powers, but he felt that the great principles of heaven and earth had never been so clear.

All things live and thrive, and the rules flow and change, just as the lines on the palm of one's hand reflect all that in one's heart.

He had no clear direction on how to enter the Saintly Realm, so he simply concealed his aura and stepped into the mortal world to seek enlightenment.

Unbeknownst to him, he had returned to his starting point: the capital of the Yan Kingdom in the southern part of the Eastern Wilderness.

The market was bustling with activity and teeming with people.

Occasionally, a few streaks of divine light would streak across the sky at low speeds, yet they still drew the gazes of the mortals on the ground, who would gasp in amazement.

In this world of shrouding the heavens, cultivation is an eternal theme, but for most mortals, the path to immortality is unattainable.

Those cultivators who can ride rainbows are those who can never reach the heavens and the Dao in their lifetime.

"Meat buns, big and fragrant meat buns—"

"Lamb soup, piping hot lamb soup!"

"Roasted chestnuts, fragrant roasted chestnuts—"

The shouts and calls rose and fell, carrying a strong sense of bustling activity.

Li Chenzhou composed himself and strolled slowly through the streets like an ordinary passerby, occasionally pausing in front of vendors and calmly observing the mundane items.

Compared to the turmoil of their previous lives, the mortals of this world live simpler lives.

Aside from the unattainable destiny of becoming a celestial being, peace and good fortune are their simplest wishes.

Li Chenzhou strolled into a teahouse, listened to a storyteller, found it interesting, and then quietly left after flicking out a wisp of his spiritual energy as a reward.

As soon as he stepped out of the teahouse, he saw a little girl not far away, her clothes tattered and her face covered in dust, timidly tugging at the hem of a middle-aged man's sleeve, pleading, "Uncle... I'm so hungry, can you buy me a steamed bun? Please..."

The man, dressed in a brocade robe, looked disgusted and shouted, "Get out of the way, you little beggar, don't get in my way."

The little girl was so frightened that she immediately shrank back against the wall, hugging her knees and daring not to make a sound.

Li Chenzhou's eyes flickered slightly. He stepped forward, knelt down in front of her, and asked gently, "What's your name?"

The little girl looked up, her eyes big and bright, and whispered, "My name is Nannan... Big brother, I'm so hungry, can you buy me a steamed bun?"

She gently tugged at his sleeve, her gaze as pure as untouched spring water.

Li Chenzhou smiled slightly and took out two spiritual fruits.

Its fruity aroma is refreshing, and its surface shimmers with a lustrous sheen. I offer it to her: "Little one, have some."

The little girl was stunned, staring at the fruit she had never seen before, swallowing hard, but not daring to reach out.

She glanced at Li Chenzhou and felt inexplicably at ease with this older brother. Finally, she carefully took the food and began to eat it in small bites.

Li Chenzhou waited quietly until she finished eating before asking, "Where are your family members?"

The little girl lowered her head, clutching the hem of her clothes: "I have no family left."

"Then would you like to come with me?" He ruffled her messy hair.

All the information matches up.

The little girl before them was none other than the Dao Fruit of the Empress, whose talent surpassed all others throughout history.

"I'm willing, Nannan is willing to follow big brother!" she said, looking up, her eyes finally shining.

Li Chenzhou smiled, took her small hand, and said half-jokingly, "Following me might mean traveling around a lot, and you might get chased and beaten by a lot of people, aren't you afraid, little girl?"

"I'm not afraid!" the little girl shook her head vigorously, her voice clear and bright. "As long as I'm with my big brother, I'm not afraid of anything!"

Li Chenzhou led the little girl as they walked through the territory of the Yan Kingdom.

The little girl had changed into a dress, looking like a little princess. She was holding a string of glistening candied hawthorns, eating them with a smile on her face, full of joy.

"My dear, shall I take you to the place where I first began my spiritual practice?"

"Wherever big brother goes, I will go." She didn't understand what a sect was, but she felt warm and at ease following Li Chenzhou.

Li Chenzhou smiled slightly, took her small hand tightly, and raised his divine light.

"The little girl can fly now..."

The next moment, the two stood before the gate of Lingxu Cave Heaven.

The scene remained shrouded in mist, with gurgling springs and graceful white cranes, exuding an ethereal atmosphere.

The Lingxu Cave Heaven today seems to have been largely unaffected by the previous turmoil at the Azure Emperor's Tomb, but it has also not gained any benefits from it.

The higher-ups of the cave have long recognized reality:

The struggle over the Demon Emperor's relics is not something a sect like theirs can meddle in.

However, many minor sects, blinded by greed, continued to fight and vie for power around the tomb, staining that land red.

Looking at the scenery before him, which was just as it had always been, Li Chenzhou felt a sense of familiarity. After all, this was where he first started in Beidou.

He took a step forward and led the little girl straight into the sect leader's hall.

"Who is this extraordinary person who has graced us with their presence? I wonder what offense our Lingxu Grotto-heaven has committed!"

As soon as he entered the hall, a faint trace of his aura was revealed, and Sect Leader Li immediately felt an immense pressure descend upon him, as if mountains and seas were collapsing, and he was immediately on high alert.

"Li Chenzhou? Is that you back?"

Upon seeing who it was, Sect Leader Li was first taken aback, then overjoyed and went to greet him, never expecting that Li Chenzhou would return to his old haunts.

But his expression quickly changed, and he said urgently:

"Your affair has already spread like wildfire, and the Yao Guang Holy Land is still searching for you. How dare you show your face at this time?" His tone was full of anxiety.

Li Chenzhou smiled calmly, and with a wave of his hand, a curtain of light descended.

From the outside, it appeared that only Sect Leader Li was seated in the main seat in the hall.

Upon seeing this, Sect Leader Li immediately sent a message.

Before long, the four Supreme Elders and other elders arrived and gathered in the hall.

"Chen Zhou, are you confused? Why did you have to come back at this time!" Elder Wu Qingfeng was initially happy but then worried when he saw him, and shook his head repeatedly.

"It's alright," Li Chenzhou said calmly. "As long as I don't want to, no one can track me down, and no one can harm me in the slightest."

"Having traveled far and wide in search of a breakthrough opportunity, I passed through the State of Yan and took the opportunity to come back and visit you all."

"It's alright," Li Chenzhou said calmly. "As long as I don't want to, no one can track me down, and no one can harm me in the slightest."

"Having traveled far and wide in search of a breakthrough opportunity, I passed through the State of Yan and took the opportunity to come back and visit you all."

It's been almost two years.

Nearly two years have passed since he left Lingxu Cave.

Everything here remains the same, as if time has never passed.

"Since you killed the people of Yaoguang and Ji family and fled to another place, they have not made things difficult for us." Another Supreme Elder, Wei Gongyang, said, "Our cave heaven also has seniors serving in Yaoguang. According to them, the Holy Land believes that our Lingxu Cave Heaven could not possibly cultivate a disciple like you. They think you are a spy sent by them, intending to take the opportunity to infiltrate Yaoguang—haha, this actually saves us a lot of trouble."

"Chenzhou, what level of cultivation have you reached now?" A senior elder asked. It was Wei Qingyang, the senior elder who had been saved by Li Chenzhou outside the tomb of the Azure Emperor. The two senior elders were brothers.