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

Just then, Huo Ling'er skipped and hopped out of the Eternal Trial Tower.

A smile graced her little face, her eyes sparkling, but upon closer inspection, they held a hint of confusion, as if she had seen something extraordinary and hadn't fully processed it yet.

"Father! Uncle God!" she called out in a clear, cheerful voice.

Li Chenzhou glanced at her and nodded slightly.

"good."

Just two words, spoken in a flat tone, yet somehow giving the impression that he had known all along that this would happen.

"Thank you, Uncle God!" Huo Ling'er was unusually well-behaved for once. After saying that, she turned to the Fire Emperor, her little mouth unable to hold back her words:

"Father! I have received an inheritance! It's a precious technique in the art of fire, a direct path to immortality!"

Upon hearing this, the Fire Emperor was greatly shocked.

Fire-based magic, a direct path to immortality?

Their Fire Kingdom was founded on fire, their sacrificial spirit is a descendant of the Vermilion Bird, and the entire royal family's cultivation path is inseparable from the word "fire".

Even the Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique they possessed was only a fragment, passed down from generation to generation from the sacrificial spirits, and far from being complete.

What Huo Ling'er meant by this was that she had obtained a complete inheritance that allowed her to cultivate all the way to the Immortal Realm.

"Is it complete?" The Fire Emperor's voice was somewhat strained.

"Of course it's complete!" Huo Ling'er nodded vigorously, her eyes shining like two small flames. "Father, you don't know, there's more than just one fire-based magic technique inside. I saw several, all of which can directly lead to immortality! I chose the one most suitable for our Fire Kingdom!"

The Fire Emperor's Adam's apple bobbed, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

He understood better than anyone what a complete inheritance meant.

That is the foundation that allows a group or a power to truly stand firm.

It's not something "possible" or "maybe," it's something real and tangible that can be passed down from generation to generation.

"Senior..." He turned to Li Chenzhou, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement, "We will never forget your great kindness!"

Li Chenzhou simply waved his hand lightly, his expression remaining calm.

"She made her own choice; it has nothing to do with me."

That's what they say, but the Fire Emperor knew perfectly well that if Huo Ling'er was able to get in, obtain the inheritance, and choose the most suitable one, it would be strange if there wasn't an arrangement made by her predecessors.

Huo Ling'er excitedly added from the side:

"Father, you have no idea how many wonderful things are inside! I only glanced at it and saw so many legendary names, like the Golden Crow, the Fire Phoenix, Zhu Rong... and so many other celestial treasures, just hearing their names makes them sound incredibly powerful!"

The Fire Emperor listened, his heart churning with turmoil.

If all of that is true... then what is the background of this senior?

Haven't some traditions been broken long ago? Aren't some precious techniques only existing in legends?

He subconsciously looked at Li Chenzhou, his eyes filled with inquiry and awe.

Li Chenzhou met his gaze, offering neither explanation nor proof.

It was just a casual remark, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary:

"Go and prepare."

"Entering early is an opportunity, but it also means that the Fire Party will become the eye of the storm."

After speaking, he turned slightly to the side, his gaze fixed on the distant Trial Tower, his tone remaining calm:

"Opportunity may come, but whether you can hold onto it and how well you can stand firm in the storm depends on your own abilities."

The Fire Emperor's expression hardened, and he immediately bowed in respect:

"The Fire Emperor will always remember the teachings of his predecessors."

He knew this wasn't just polite talk.

Having something that others don't have ahead of time means you'll become the target of everyone's envy and criticism.

This is a great gift, but also a great test.

Huo Ling'er blinked, looked at Li Chenzhou, then at her father, and seemed to understand something. She put away her earlier excitement and quieted down.

Li Chenzhou didn't say anything more.

Everything that needed to be said has been said.

The rest depends on how the Fire Emperor handles this situation.

The Fire Emperor left with Fire Spirit.

Before leaving, Huo Ling'er waved to Li Chenzhou, saying, "Remember to tell that little guy I'll collect lots and lots of beast milk for him!"

Li Chenzhou raised an eyebrow slightly, said nothing, and simply nodded.

The Fire Emperor listened from the side, but his heart was in turmoil.

The descendants of the gods... are still drinking milk?

Little Stone: ? ? ?

Are you polite?

The Fire Emperor remained outwardly calm, but he had already made up his mind that he would have to ask his daughter a good question when he returned to the palace.

The spiritual fluctuations of the illusory god realm dissipated, and the Fire Emperor and Fire Spirit opened their eyes in the mortal world.

In the magnificent and grand palace of the Fire Kingdom, the Fire Emperor sat on his throne, his aura flowing around him. In his eyes, one could see the rising and falling of the sun and moon, and the collapse of mountains and rivers. In the distance, one could also vaguely see divine fire raging in the sky.

That was the unique aura of a Venerable Realm expert.

But he couldn't care less about that at the moment; his gaze was fixed intently on his daughter.

"You really got it?" His voice was low, but he couldn't hide the slight tremor in it.

Huo Ling'er raised her little face, her tail practically wagging in the air: "Of course! With this princess taking action, a mere fire-based inheritance is nothing to me!"

The Fire Emperor took a deep breath and, instead of rushing to inquire about the contents of the inheritance, asked about the situation inside the Trial Tower.

He wanted to go in too.

"After I went in, I saw many orbs of light floating in the air, sparkling, each exuding a different aura." Huo Ling'er gestured with her eyes shining, "I remembered the names of those who were passed down from my father, and then I saw one that was particularly bright, it felt like it was calling me."

"and then?"

"Then I reached out and grabbed it, and it came in." Huo Ling'er pointed to her head. "Look, it's all here."

The Fire Emperor fell silent.

He looked at his daughter's matter-of-fact little face, and after a long while, he managed to stammer out:

"...Is it really that simple?"

"Yeah, right." Huo Ling'er blinked. "What else? Are we going to have to fight again?"

The Fire Emperor suddenly felt like laughing, but also like sighing.

Isn't this just a free gift?

He finally understood that his daughter's trip was simply a gift from that senior.

As for how others are treated when they go in... well, that's uncertain.

Meanwhile, in the Realm of the Void Gods, Li Chenzhou was leading two old men into the Tower of Eternal Life.

Unlike the countless orbs of light that Huo Ling'er saw, the first thing they saw when they entered the tower was a stone tablet.

The stone tablet bears only two lines of text, written in an ancient and simple style, yet conveying an indescribable meaning.

Take my inheritance, and bear my karma.

Bird Master leaned closer for a couple of glances, then clicked his tongue and said, "Taking something from you, and all I get is karmic retribution? That's a far too lenient price."

Grandpa Jingbi chimed in from the side, "That's right, that's right, you made a bad deal!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chenzhou simply smiled and offered no explanation.

Cause and effect can be as light as a feather or as heavy as eternity.

For most people, cause and effect is just a casual remark or a simple act, something that's over and done with. But he's different.

He cultivated the causes of various fruits in the world of Shrouding the Heavens.

If he so desires, no one involved in karma can keep a secret from him. Through that faint connection, he can accomplish many things within his power.

People who reap what they sow must reap what they sow.

This tower is now his gift to this era, but in the future, it will bring him countless rewards.

Besides fostering a surge of powerful figures in this era, he wanted more.

He'd tasted the sweetness of the immortality realm's system. Gathering the wisdom of all beings and combining all methods—the feeling... anyone who's used it knows.

Although the Realm of the Void Gods is not as convenient as the Realm of Immortality, it is still usable.

Unfortunately, he cannot rule this world. The wisdom of all beings cannot be accumulated and can only be fed back little by little through the line of cause and effect.

But that's enough.

Cultivating alone is too slow, so having countless people help him cultivate is the shortcut on the righteous path that all the worlds are taking. Why can't he take it?

After passing the stone tablet, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before us.

It was an endless void, unfathomable in its depth and immeasurable in its breadth. Stars twinkled in the void, their light flickering, like pairs of eyes, or like beating hearts.

"These stars..." Bird squinted.

"Every star holds a legacy." Li Chenzhou stood with his hands behind his back, his tone calm. "Scriptures of alchemy, scriptures of weaponry, supernatural powers, the Dao of Time, the Dao of Space... as long as you pass the corresponding trials, you can obtain them."

"What if someone wanted to exchange their own heritage for it?" Grandpa Jingbi asked.

"Okay." Li Chenzhou nodded. "As long as the value is equivalent."

He spoke casually, but both old men understood the underlying meaning.

Do you want to exchange your divine techniques for a celestial inheritance?

Are you dreaming?

Are you four years old and still not weaned?

Of course, in the lower eight realms, this tower is actually a bit of a waste of its potential.

No matter how vast the Eight Domains are, or how many geniuses there are, compared to the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, apart from a few exceptions, they are merely the difference between a drop of water and an entire ocean.

But it's okay.

Consider this period in the lower realm as a trial operation.

"The Void God Realm has always treated geniuses with preferential treatment. With your tower erected, it's likely to spark another grand feast for geniuses," Bird Master remarked.

"Not necessarily." Li Chenzhou shook his head. "Even the worst performer will gain something as long as they enter this tower."

He paused, a hint of seriousness creeping into his voice:

"I'm willing to give everyone a chance."

The words were spoken softly, but both old men were taken aback.

"Everyone has it?" Grandpa Jingbi's voice changed.

He knew all too well what this meant.

In the Eight Domains, a large tribe can have one clan-protecting treasure technique, along with a few minor supernatural abilities, enough to be passed down for generations. If everyone truly possessed treasure techniques and supernatural abilities, even the most basic standard treasure techniques, it would be a frenzy that would sweep across the entire world.

"Gods don't save people; people save themselves." Li Chenzhou gazed at the stars in the void, his tone leisurely. "Opportunities must be seized by oneself, and miracles must be created by oneself."

In the realm of immortality, any being who enters for the first time will receive a method of cultivation. Moreover, that method is the Wheel of Life scroll of the Daoist scriptures.

Over there, everyone can now cultivate the Emperor's Scripture.

Lao Tzu, the founder of the Tao Te Ching, put a lot of effort into this matter.

In the chaotic ancient times, he did not have scriptures like the Daoist scriptures, but he could organize the simplest bone script, and even simplify it further, to the point that even the most stupid person could master it in a few decades.

Mastering a single bone script is far from embarking on the path of cultivation. But for an ordinary person to master a single bone script grants them a sliver of power.

Countless mortals possess even a trace of power.

What kind of frenzy will that unleash?

The current population of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths far exceeds that of the later cosmic eras. Not to mention, under his influence, how many True Immortals, Immortal Kings, and even Quasi-Immortal Emperors will be born in this era?

"Your ambitions are too great." Grandpa Jingbi was unusually serious, his brows furrowed. "Be careful not to overdo it."

"I can tell you're of human origin, and the way you speak to the Human Emperor suggests you favor humans," he continued. "But there are many races in this world stronger than humans. In the end, it's not certain who will eat the most from this feast."

Upon hearing this, Li Chenzhou smiled and shook his head.

"You don't understand," he said. "At least not yet."

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the boundless void, his tone as calm as if he were discussing what to eat today:

"In my life, I never do anything I'm not sure I can do. I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure about everything, but I'm 98% sure."

In this era, there's only one possibility that could cause him to mess things up:

The little guy has grown up; turn around and stab him.

is it possible?

Obviously impossible.

As for other races

Li Chenzhou did not continue speaking.

He simply smiled, stepped into the constellation, and occasionally paused before a particular star to perform some deductions. Sometimes he would even personally enter the trial to experience it for himself.

In the past, one could create the world with a mere thought and have one's wishes fulfilled.

Now, being so weak and frail, it has a unique charm.

Bird Master and Master Jingbi watched for a while, then turned and left. They clearly weren't interested in the trial.

Li Chenzhou was not in a hurry to build pagodas in other blessed lands.

He wants to thoroughly test himself here first.

The Void God Realm was already in ruins, and anything built upon that ruins was bound to have some minor flaws.

It needs to be repaired slowly.

"Willow God," the little one squatted under the willow tree, looking up at the increasingly lush willow branches with longing eyes, "When is Uncle Li coming back?"

The willow branches swayed gently.

"have no idea."

"I miss him so much," the little one drawled, curling himself into a tiny ball. Anyone who saw him would feel a pang of sympathy.

Liu Shen remained silent for a moment.

Then he said calmly, "I don't know how to make animal milk."

The little one blushed instantly.

"I...I didn't want Uncle Li to make me milk!" His eyes darted around, and he was still trying to argue, but his true intentions were written all over his face.

"I know." Liu Shen's tone remained calm, making it impossible to tell whether she believed him or not.

The little boy pouted, thinking that Willow God definitely didn't believe him. But he quickly perked up again, a smug smile spreading across his face:

"When Uncle Li comes back and sees that I brought back a Suanni (a mythical lion-like creature), with its precious bones still intact, he'll be absolutely astonished!"

As he spoke, he was so pleased with himself that snot bubbles were practically bubbling out of his nose.

The willow branches swayed gently in the wind, and the Willow God remained silent.

But in her heart, she was satisfied with the little guy's performance.

During the time Li Chenzhou was away, Shicun was not idle.

Not far from the village, a Suanni (a mythical beast) died of old age.

The Suanni, that's an ancient remnant species. In life, it was incredibly majestic; even in death, its body is a treasure trove. Once the news spread, countless eyes in the vicinity were fixed on this corpse.

The results of it?

Little One, all by himself—no, riding the Azure Scaled Eagle—snatched the Suanni's corpse right under the noses of those menacing enemies.

Originally, the village planned to use the true blood of a Suanni (a mythical lion-like creature) for the little one's first baptism. However, Li Chenzhou used something even better for him beforehand, allowing him to enter the Blood Transformation Realm much earlier.

Even if the baptism isn't necessary, a complete Suanni corpse is an invaluable treasure to Shicun. There's no reason for them to let it go.

So the little one went.

And then they succeeded.

That Azure-Scaled Eagle is now part of Stone Village. It shared many of the benefits from the ancient remnants and pure-blooded ferocious beasts Li Chenzhou brought back with its family. Already dominating this area, the Azure-Scaled Eagle's strength increased even further, and with Little Dot's help, they easily obtained the Suanni's corpse.

This isn't the only thing that's happened in the village lately.

The people from the Wolf Village came, trying to seize the bodies of those remnants, but they were all killed, and even their sacrificial spirit was lost.

The little brat started fighting again. Those people from the Wolf Village are just too despicable.

Even deep within the Great Wilderness, there was no peace. Villagers had seen from afar a fierce battle raging, the shadows of ferocious beasts obscuring the sky, a battle that darkened the heavens and earth, supposedly for a treasure of the mountains. Among them was the little red bird that Little Dot had chased before, the sacrificial spirit of the Fire Kingdom.

Such a battle, just watching it from afar, is enough to make one breathless.

But Ishimura's own life is getting better and better.

Besides Little Dot, Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others also entered the Blood Transformation Realm through various opportunities. Although they couldn't compare to the monstrous Little Dot, they were still legitimate cultivators.

The men in the hunting party were all incredibly strong; it was only a matter of time before they embarked on the path of cultivation.

Needless to say, the little ones are all showing great potential and their futures are dazzlingly bright.

This is the most powerful time Shicun has been since its decline.

That was also the time when there was the most hope.

Everyone in the village had a smile on their face.

And everyone remembers one person in their heart.

Mr. Li.