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

Before anyone knew it, Shi Yunfeng was standing outside the door.

He looked at the sleeping baby on the bed for a while, his expression complex, and finally sighed before stepping inside.

"This child... has suffered so much."

He stopped beside Li Chenzhou, his voice hoarse, filled with exhaustion and tenderness.

When the little boy returned to the village, the first person he met was him. The child tried to remain calm but could not hide his confusion, and the smell of blood on his body could not escape his eyes.

He gently stroked the little one's hair with his fingertips. "Some things, sooner or later, we all have to experience."

Looking at the youthful face that was finally completely relaxed in his sleep, and which vaguely resembled the future Heavenly Emperor, a strange feeling lingered in Li Chenzhou's heart.

In a daze, he felt that he might have gained a "son" in this chaotic ancient era, rather than a disciple.

Shi Yunfeng remained silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the little boy's chest.

There, the skin was smooth and even, yet one could vaguely sense a kind of emptiness.

He said slowly, "Although I don't know what happened to this child in the past, the bone in his chest didn't disappear for no reason."

The moonlight moved, climbing up the little boy's cheeks and dancing on his long eyelashes.

In his sleep, he seemed to be dreaming about something; his little mouth smacked unconsciously, and he mumbled something indistinctly:

"Farmer milk...it tastes so good..."

Li Chenzhou chuckled and tucked the blanket around him.

The night is long and the wilderness is boundless.

But at this moment, the lingering fragrance of animal milk and the warmth of protection in this simple stone house are enough to allow a child who has just experienced the storm to have a sweet dream where he can temporarily forget the blood and fire.

Shi Yunfeng stood silently for a long time, then sighed softly, thinking of that evening a few years ago.

On that day, a weary young couple, carrying a faintly breathing infant, stepped into the ancestral land of the Stone Clan.

The baby was a tiny bundle wrapped in delicate swaddling clothes, but his face was so pale it was almost transparent, and there was a faint air of decay about his chest.

The man was handsome but his brows were furrowed, and the woman was beautiful but her tears were still wet on her face; her eyes held a desperate hope and sorrow.

They had heard that this ancient land was the glorious origin of the Stone Clan, and perhaps still held the protection of their ancestors. They hoped that this ancestral land could bring a glimmer of hope to their beloved children.

However, reality is as cold as iron.

All they saw were broken walls and overgrown weeds; the smoke from the past sacrifices had long since dissipated, and the protective runes had faded and disappeared.

This ancestral land, like them, has been reduced to ruin and silence by the passage of time and calamities.

It couldn't give them the miracle they wanted, not even a single response.

Hope shattered.

The light in the couple's eyes quickly dimmed. They didn't cry out, but simply hugged their child even tighter.

They did not abandon the child.

Before leaving, the young father entrusted the baby to Shi Yunfeng, his lips trembling as he uttered only a few words.

They were going to make a final gamble, venturing into a perilous place where the sacred medicine grew. It was a path with a slim chance of survival, and taking their weak, dying child with them would be tantamount to dragging him to his death.

Leaving their child in this dilapidated yet relatively peaceful ancestral land was the only hope they could think of in their despair, a sliver of possibility for the child's survival.

Even that hope is as faint as a lone star.

They left, their figures blending into the blood-red setting sun, heading towards the land of knowledge, never to return.

Shi Yunfeng snapped out of his thoughts and turned his gaze back to the child who was sleeping soundly on the bed.

"They didn't abandon you; rather, they gave you the last option they could offer."

The cool moonlight shone on the old man's slightly hunched back and on the child's peaceful sleeping face.

The farewell and entrustment from years ago, and the first trace of blood on the child's hands tonight, are like two lines that intersect in this quiet night.

"Yes," Shi Yunfeng's voice drifted, as if talking to himself, or as if conversing with the world, "He will have to experience all the storms and battles of this world sooner or later. This child was destined from birth to be extraordinary."

Where is even a trace of the fragile, lifeless appearance of the little guy from back then, who seemed about to die at any moment?

Memories surge back like a receding tide.

The infant, wrapped in brocade yet chillingly cold, had barely perceptible rises and falls of his chest; each breath seemed like a desperate struggle to escape the brink of death.

At that time, Shi Yunfeng didn't even dare to hug him tightly, for fear that the slightest touch would extinguish the flame of life completely.

And now...

The little guy unconsciously smacked his lips, rolled over, put his little fist next to his cheek, and made a soft humming sound.

That healthy blush, that long, powerful breath, that vibrant energy that couldn't be concealed even in sleep—it was worlds apart from what it used to be.

The rustic yet comforting food of Shicun, the vitality flowing from the sacrificial spirits, and Mr. Li's meticulously prepared animal milk and teachings day after day, together created this almost miraculous transformation.

......

It's time for the little one's baptism.

In the open space in the center of Shicun Village, the atmosphere was solemn yet bustling. An ancient cauldron had been placed in its proper place; its body was mottled and engraved with totems that could not be erased by time.

There are divine birds poised to take flight, ferocious beasts lying in wait, flowers, birds, insects, and fish depicting life, death, prosperity, and decline, as well as vague scenes of ancient people worshipping heaven and earth and fighting against the primordial chaos.

At this moment, a raging fire was burning beneath the cauldron, the intense heat causing the air to distort slightly.

The villagers of Shicun held their breath and poured precious herbs and bottles of true blood essence into the cauldron.

These are all rare treasures collected by Li Chenzhou and Liu Shen over the past two years. If any one of them were to fall into the wrong hands, it would be enough to cause a bloodbath.

Today, they are being used as fuel and nutrients, and as baptismal offerings for tiny creatures.

Li Chenzhou, holding the little one's hand, stood beside the cauldron.

The medicinal liquid in the cauldron boiled, radiating countless rays of light and auspicious energy. The faint phantoms of the four mythical creatures—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—appeared beneath the liquid's surface, roaring and charging about, causing the cauldron's walls to vibrate. The deep roars of the beasts and the sounds of energy colliding echoed throughout the village, stirring the hearts of all who beheld them.

"In a little while, you'll be going into this cauldron and being boiled for a while," Li Chenzhou said, pointing to the black cauldron.

The little one tilted his head back, his big eyes fixed on the black cauldron.

Boiled?

He wasn't afraid; he'd taken plenty of medicinal baths over the past two years and was used to it.

He was more concerned about something else:

"Uncle Li, after this baptism, will my cultivation level be able to catch up with yours?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chenzhou pinched his index finger and thumb together, making a tiny gap, and waved it at the little one: "The items used for this baptism are top-notch even in the Eight Regions. However, you are still young and your foundation needs to be strengthened. After the baptism, you will probably be just a little bit short of me."

"Just a little bit?"

The little one's eyes lit up, and he clenched his tiny fist tightly. "Then I'll definitely work harder to cultivate in the future. When I become stronger, it'll be my turn to help Uncle Li!"

"Okay, I'll wait." Li Chenzhou smiled and ruffled his hair.

Before long, everything was ready.

The medicinal liquid in the cauldron had transformed into a dazzling sea of ​​light, with energy surging violently. The phantoms of the four spirits became increasingly solid, radiating an ancient and ferocious power that made one's soul tremble.

"Go inside." Li Chenzhou patted the little one on the back.

Without hesitation, the little guy quickly took off his clothes, becoming as naked as a small white jade fish, and jumped into the cauldron with a "plop".

Li Chenzhou then raised his hand and closed the heavy lid of the cauldron, sealing it perfectly.

"boom!"

The black cauldron trembled violently, and all the engravings on its surface lit up.

Flowers, birds, insects, and fish roam and dance, fierce birds and beasts roar to the sky, and the figures of ancient ancestors also stride forward, enacting an ancient scroll of hunting, sacrifice, and conquest.

The entire cauldron seemed to awaken, radiating a vast and joyful aura. It had been dormant for too long, and now, the top-grade true blood and precious medicinal essence within the cauldron finally made it feel "worthy" of its status.

Inside the cauldron, however, was a completely different scene.

As soon as the little one entered, the pure energy seemed to find an outlet, surging into his small body.

The Azure Dragon lashed out with its tail, striking his sinews and bones; the Tiger reached out with its claws, tearing at his flesh and blood; the Vermilion Bird spat out flames, scorching his meridians; and the Black Tortoise suppressed the sea, crushing his internal organs.

The true meaning of the Four Spirits transformed into the most intense millstone, seemingly intent on crushing and reshaping every inch of his flesh and every bone.

This is the ultimate pain, and a test of life and death.

No one dared to use Venerable-level true blood during the first baptism, precisely because no one could withstand this violent energy.

However, under Li Chenzhou's control, this force was cleverly divided.

Most of the energy did not directly impact Xiaobudian's cultivation level, but instead penetrated deep into the source of his life, strengthening his foundation, expanding his potential, and cleansing his hidden injuries and stagnation.

His rebirth from the brink of despair forged an incredible resilience in him.

At this moment, under this heaven-defying fortune, his supreme potential truly began to awaken and surge forth.

Outside the cauldron, strange phenomena soared into the sky.

The four spirits' light and shadow swirled and roared around the black cauldron, while the totems on the cauldron's body flowed endlessly, as if suppressing something, yet also as if cheering.

The villagers of Shicun watched from afar, feeling the suffocating energy fluctuations and ancient majesty, their hearts filled with overwhelming shock.

"Could it be that this ancestral black cauldron holds some secret we are unaware of?"

Shi Yunfeng stared at the ancient carvings on the cauldron, his eyes filled with undisguised astonishment.

Such an unusual phenomenon was unheard of in all previous records of Shicun.

But then I thought about it again. In the past, the village was desolate and resources were scarce. The so-called "baptism" was nothing more than the blood essence of ordinary ferocious beasts and herbs of shallow age. How could it compare to the top-grade true blood and holy medicine essence in the cauldron today?

The absence of any unusual phenomena is perhaps the normal state of affairs.

"This cauldron is indeed quite good."

Li Chenzhou's gaze swept over the black cauldron, his tone carrying a hint of admiration.

These words were nothing short of confirmation to Shi Yunfeng.

The ancestors of Shicun must have had an unimaginably glorious era, far beyond that of ordinary desolate villages. This cauldron is the witness to that.

The baptism process is long and agonizing.

Inside the cauldron, light flowed and strange phenomena occurred continuously, sometimes emitting muffled thunderous energy roars, and sometimes releasing a rich medicinal fragrance.

People from Stone Village came and went, and the meals changed several times. Days rose and nights fell, but the little one in the cauldron continued to undergo trials and tribulations.

At first, people could hear faint groans and the subtle sounds of gritting teeth and perseverance emanating from inside the cauldron.

Later, the cauldron fell into silence, with only the energy surging continuously and light shining through it.

Some people are starting to worry that the little one might have been "cooked" to death.

Ten days and ten nights.

Finally, just before dawn on the eleventh day, a sudden change occurred.

"Bang!"

With a loud bang, the lid of the cauldron was suddenly blasted open by a tremendous force, flying several meters high.

Immediately afterwards, a black shadow shot out from the cauldron, soaring into the sky and rising dozens of meters into the air.

Li Chenzhou looked up at the small black shadow in the dim morning light, and a quirky but fitting joke inexplicably popped into his mind: "Old Sun is out!"

"Thump!"

The dark figure landed and stood firmly on the ground.

Everyone stared intently and saw a tiny figure completely covered in black, with a thick layer of black substance from head to toe. Only its large eyes darted around, appearing exceptionally lively.

Sitting at the bottom of the cauldron for ten days and ten nights, even with the protection of the medicinal liquid, the feeling was truly "scalding" and unforgettable.

It's a pity he didn't know Journey to the West, otherwise he would definitely have something in common with Sun Wukong.

For a moment, the open space was silent.

Everyone was stunned by this comical yet shocking scene.

"Uncle Li, I think I'm a little hungry?"

"Pfft!"

Someone couldn't help but laugh out loud first, and soon, good-natured laughter and relieved cheers broke the silence, filling the rising morning light in Shicun.

Li Chenzhou smiled, stepped forward, and carefully examined the "little black guy".

He could feel that beneath that layer of black substance, the little boy's powerful blood and energy were surging. His bones were translucent, like jade with an inner glow, and his blood flowed with a faint sound of wind and thunder.

This ten-day ordeal has laid an unparalleled foundation for this rough gem, one that will be remembered for generations to come.

"Go wash up first."

"A monster! A little black monster!"

When the children watching saw the little black figure, they were first stunned, then burst into deafening laughter, some laughing so hard they were doubled over and slapping their thighs.

The little one stood in the middle of the open space, a bit dazed by everyone's laughter. He looked down at his shiny black "new skin," then looked up at the familiar smiling faces, and couldn't help but grin and chuckle.

This smile revealed the only part of her body not covered by black: two rows of neat, white teeth, which looked particularly striking and comical against the backdrop of her black face.

His first instinct was to run towards Li Chenzhou, seeking the most familiar support.

"Stop!" Li Chenzhou's eyelids twitched, and he decisively raised his hand to stop him. "Go wash yourself clean first! Do you want to cover me in this black leather?"

The little one paused, scratched his head, and then realized what he looked like.

Before he could make a move, the other children swarmed around him, curiously circling him and giggling as they reached out to touch his dark arms and back.

"Huh? This black thing is hard."

"It looks like a shell?"

A bold child rubbed it hard, and sure enough, the black shell fell off easily, revealing the delicate, jade-like new skin underneath, as if it were carved from the finest mutton fat jade.