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

An unknown outsider suppressed a royal palace in the capital.

He utterly destroyed the Martial King, who had been personally appointed by the Emperor, turning his once glorious mansion into an eternal prison.

From any perspective, this is a provocation against the entire Kingdom of Shi.

It is a challenge to the authority of the Emperor, a trampling of the order of the Stone Kingdom, and a silent warning to all the kings and nobles on this land.

But the Emperor remained silent.

However, that mysterious powerful figure escaped unscathed.

Unfortunately, the entire capital could only watch helplessly as that figure calmly departed, not daring to utter a sound, not daring to stop him, and not even daring to ask any questions.

Someone spoke in a low voice, as if afraid of being overheard by some being.

"If that mysterious expert is also a member of the Stone Clan, then it makes sense. It's the rule that the Human Emperor shouldn't interfere in internal clan disputes and should let them resolve their own conflicts."

Immediately, someone nearby shook their head, their brows furrowed.

"But what Stone Clan member would do such a thing?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the direction of the Martial King's Mansion, which appeared particularly eerie in the night, shrouded in an invisible barrier.

"Fratricide within one's own clan, even the greatest grudge, is rarely committed in the capital. To kill a prince personally appointed by the Emperor is no less serious than a slap in the face to the Shi Kingdom."

"But the Emperor didn't even show his face."

Upon hearing this, the people around him fell silent.

Yes, the Emperor didn't even show his face.

Not only did he not show himself, but he also reprimanded the people from the Martial King's Mansion. His words clearly indicated that he was trying to distance himself from the matter and even curry favor with the mysterious expert.

This is very unusual.

How terrifying must someone's identity be to make a country's ruler so wary?

But if they were outsiders, why didn't the Stone Emperor protect his own people? Why didn't he uphold the dignity of the Stone Kingdom? Why did he stand by and watch a royal palace be suppressed and a king be reduced to ashes, without daring to utter a single harsh word?

unless……

Unless that person's background is so great that even the Stone Emperor wouldn't dare to offend them.

Unless what the Prince Wu's mansion did back then was so filthy that even the Stone Emperor felt they deserved it.

But what exactly is that?

What kind of old grudge could drive an outsider to such a frenzied revenge?

What kind of secret could make a king of a country choose to watch his people be suppressed rather than help them?

Nobody knows.

But the less you know, the more you want to know.

The Emperor's silence has stirred up some people's thoughts.

Those gazes hidden in the shadows, which were originally filled with fear and awe, now carried a more complex meaning. Some were secretly plotting, some were quietly making hand seals in their sleeves, and some were exchanging glances without making a sound.

If this hadn't happened in the capital, if it had occurred elsewhere—

Even before Li Chenzhou displayed such terrifying power, these forces couldn't wait to flock to him. To establish a connection with such a powerful figure, even just to become acquainted with him, would be an immense opportunity. Perhaps in the future, when facing insurmountable obstacles, they could even borrow the light of this great being.

But this happens to be in the capital.

Right under the emperor's nose.

In the heart of the Stone Kingdom.

That little thought could only be suppressed deep in his heart, never daring to reveal it in the slightest.

But at this moment, watching that composed departing figure, looking at the still silent palace, looking at the emperor who dares not show his face to this day—

Some people began to have other ideas.

The Emperor was so wary of it.

The emperor didn't even dare to show his face.

The Emperor preferred to watch the Martial King's Mansion be suppressed rather than stand up and say a word against it.

What does this mean?

This means that the person's background is so powerful that even the ruler of a country must bow down to him.

This means that the power of that being is so great that even the peak experts of the Eight Domains dare not provoke it.

mean……

If they can establish this relationship, who will dare to touch them in the Stone Kingdom, or even in the entire Eight Regions?

Once this idea pops into your head, it grows wildly like weeds.

Someone quietly moved their feet and looked in the direction where Li Chenzhou had disappeared.

Someone secretly transmitted a message, instructing their subordinates to keep an eye on the whereabouts of that being.

Some people are already planning what kind of gift to prepare and what kind of attitude to adopt in order to leave a good impression on the next meeting.

But when they looked in the direction where the figure had disappeared, they found that the place was already empty.

Only the vast darkness of night and endless silence.

Those people exchanged glances, suppressed their restless desires, and silently withdrew their gazes.

Not urgent.

Since that being has been here, it will surely come again.

Since the debts owed by the Prince Wu's Mansion have not yet been paid off, someone will definitely continue to come and collect them.

They just need to wait.

……

When Li Chenzhou returned to Shicun, he saw a small figure running around at the village entrance from afar.

It's tiny.

He was chasing a tiny sparrow, no bigger than the palm of his hand, sweating profusely as he chattered away. The sparrow's feathers were multicolored and particularly striking in the sunlight. It flew around, stopping occasionally, always maintaining a perfect distance from the little one.

Soon, we'll fly farther.

If it's too slow, stop and wait.

The little boy was so excited chasing that his short legs kicked incredibly fast, but every time he was about to catch the sparrow, it would deftly flap its wings and fly away to a place he couldn't reach.

"Don't run!"

The little one called out in a sweet, childish voice, his little face flushed from running.

Li Chenzhou stood not far away watching, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He remembered hearing from the villagers that the big yellow dog in the village was no longer big enough for the little boy to play with. The child was naturally strong, and although he was young, he always had to hold back when playing with the big yellow dog, for fear of accidentally hurting it.

But this five-colored bird in front of us is different.

The little guy chased after it for so long, but didn't even manage to touch a single feather.

The sparrow looked small, but it was very clever. Its flight path was unpredictable. Even when it was right in front of you, it could always dodge perfectly when you reached out to grab it.

The little one got impatient, stopped, put his hands on his hips and panted, his big, dark eyes fixed on the five-colored bird that had landed on the branch, his little face full of resentment.

"When I'm a little older, I'll definitely be able to catch you!"

He waved his little fist at the sparrow.

The five-colored bird tilted its head and looked at him, chirping a few times, as if responding or mocking him.

The little one got even more excited and took off chasing after it again.

A hint of tenderness flashed in Li Chenzhou's eyes as he watched this scene.

In the capital, he was a figure even the ruler of a nation feared, a powerful figure who could suppress a royal palace with a flick of his finger. But here, he was just an ordinary person watching children play.

He watched the little one chase the five-colored sparrow into the distance, watched that tiny figure hopping and skipping in the sunlight, and watched the pure joy radiating from that little face.

The turmoil in the capital, the old grievances of the Prince Wu's mansion, and all those dirty and sordid things are long gone.

Here, there is only the laughter of children, the joy of chasing birds, and the tranquility of life.

The little one was running along when he suddenly looked back.

He saw Li Chenzhou.

Those big, dark eyes immediately lit up.

"Uncle Li!"

He shouted excitedly, but forgot that he was chasing birds. He stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.

But the child was very resilient. He scrambled to his feet in no time, not even bothering to brush the dirt off his body, and ran towards Li Chenzhou.

"Uncle Li, you're back!"

He rushed to Li Chenzhou's side, tilted his little face up, and smiled like a flower.

Li Chenzhou reached out and rubbed his head.

"Yes, I'm back."

The little one blinked, then suddenly remembered something and turned back to look at the five-colored bird.

The sparrow was still perched on the branch, tilting its head as it looked at them.

The little one waved at it: "I'm not chasing you today, Uncle Li is back!"

The five-colored sparrow chirped a few times, flapped its wings and took flight, circling in the air before disappearing into the distant mountains and forests.

The little one didn't mind at all, and pulled Li Chenzhou's hand as they walked into the village, chattering away about what had happened in the village these past few days.

Whose child has grown taller? Who has hunted a big prey? Whose animal milk is especially delicious?

Li Chenzhou listened quietly, nodding occasionally and responding with a sound.

Sunlight shone on the two of them, casting long shadows on the ground.

One big and one small.

One that has just returned from a bloody and turbulent time.

One who is unaware of the many dangers in this world.

But at this moment, they walk side by side, just like any ordinary family in the world.

Li Chenzhou glanced down at the chattering little one beside him and felt a warm feeling well up in his heart.

This trip was worthwhile.

For this child's smile, so that he can continue to chase birds, play, and grow up carefree.

He took care of all the dirty work for him.

He took care of those old debts for him.

And this child only needs to do one thing—

Grow up happily.

He will face those past events when he is strong enough in the future.

The little boy was chasing a five-colored sparrow all over the village, his face flushed and beads of sweat on his forehead. His eyes were fixed on the nimble little sparrow, he was chirping and kicking his short legs as fast as he could, determined not to give up until he caught it.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

It's Uncle Li!

The little one's eyes lit up instantly. He didn't even care about the five-colored sparrow that was right in front of him. He turned around in a flash and ran towards Li Chenzhou with his short legs.

"Uncle Li!"

He rushed to Li Chenzhou's side, grabbed Li Chenzhou's sleeve with his little hand, and looked up with his big, dark eyes full of concern.

"Uncle Li, did you go to Prince Wu's residence?"

Li Chenzhou looked down at the little guy tugging at his sleeve, a slight thought stirring in his heart. Although the child was young, he was very perceptive; nothing could be hidden from him.

He bent down, picked up the little one, and pinched his chubby little face.

"The little one is so smart."

The little one let him pinch his cheeks, but his eyes were fixed on Li Chenzhou, looking him up and down, his little face full of seriousness.

"Is Uncle Li injured?"

That childish voice carried an unconcealable worry.

Looking at the earnest little face, Li Chenzhou felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He reached out and ruffled the little one's head, making the soft fur all messy.

"Your Uncle Li, although I'm not very talented, is still quite capable in combat."

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I was lucky this time I wasn't injured."

The little boy blinked and stared at Li Chenzhou for a long time, seemingly trying to confirm the truth of his words. After looking for a while and confirming that Uncle Li was indeed alright, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile returned to his little face.

"That's good, that's good."

Like a little adult, he patted Li Chenzhou on the shoulder and said in a childish voice, "Uncle Li, be more careful next time."

Li Chenzhou looked at the little guy who was giving him serious instructions and couldn't help but pinch his cheek again.

"Understood, little one."

The little one's face was pinched until it was deformed, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled and his eyes curved into two crescent moons.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the two of them, casting their shadows long and thin.

In the distance, the five-colored bird flew back at some point and landed on a tree branch at the village entrance. It tilted its head and watched this scene, chirping a few times as if urging the little one to continue chasing.

But the little guy had no interest in chasing birds at the moment. He was perched on Li Chenzhou's shoulder, chattering away, talking about what had happened in the village these past few days, his achievements in chasing the five-colored sparrows, and how he had grown stronger.

Li Chenzhou carried him and slowly walked into the village.

Behind me, the sky was ablaze with the colors of sunset.

"Little one, you must work hard in your cultivation."

Li Chenzhou moved his hand away from the little boy's face and instead pinched his ear, tugging at it gently. The ear was soft and felt nice to pinch.

The little one's head was tilted to the side by the pinch, but he didn't flinch. He just blinked and looked at Li Chenzhou.

"I said this at the Martial King's Mansion that we will determine who will be the supreme ruler in the future."

Li Chenzhou spoke casually, as if he were talking about what he had eaten that day. But there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

"If you lose, it will be a slap in my face."

Upon hearing this, the little one's eyes widened immediately.

Slap Uncle Li in the face? How can that be allowed!

"I will definitely not lose!"

He shouted loudly, his clear and resonant voice echoing at the village entrance. His little face was full of seriousness, and his big, dark eyes seemed to burn with flames. He clenched his little fist and waved it at the sky, as if making a vow.

"I will personally go to the Martial King's Mansion and stand before those people to show them who the true supreme ruler is!"

"I won't lose!"

His voice held no hesitation, no doubt. It was a confidence that emanated from his very bones, an innate pride.

Li Chenzhou looked at the little guy waving his little fists in his arms and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Um."

He responded softly, placing his large hand on the little one's head and rubbing it.

"I also believe you won't lose."

The voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable certainty.

It's not about comforting or encouraging, but about genuine belief.

He has seen too many geniuses and too many outstanding talents, but there are probably very few he can truly believe in.

And this little one in front of us is one of them.

So what if I don't have the Supreme Bone?

So what if something you were born with is taken away?

That kid's inner strength, that indomitable spirit, that belief that he can go anywhere, is more precious than any talent.

As the setting sun cast its warm glow, it bathed the two figures in a warm light.

The little one perched on Li Chenzhou's shoulder, his face still bearing the seriousness of his earlier vow, but his lips couldn't help but curl into a wide smile, like a flower in bloom.

"Uncle Li, I will be very good."

"Yes, I know."

"More capable than anyone else."

"Yes, I know."

"I'll protect you then!"

Li Chenzhou was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

"Okay, I'll wait."

A gentle evening breeze carries the fragrance of grass and trees.

In the distance, the five-colored bird flew back and landed on the branch, chirping as if providing accompaniment for this little vow.