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

Li Chenzhou looked at the old man, his voice calm yet warm.

"The little one is doing very well now."

The old man's eyes lit up instantly, staring intently at Li Chenzhou, as if trying to read more information about the child from his face.

"At just over four years old, he already has the strength of 60,000 to 70,000 jin (30,000 to 35,000 kg)."

These words struck the old man like a thunderbolt. His withered hands trembled slightly, and tears welled up in his cloudy old eyes.

Sixty to seventy thousand jin of strength!

What does that mean? That's the pinnacle of the Blood Transformation Realm! That's a height that countless cultivators can't reach even after a lifetime of effort!

And that child, the one who was brought to us on the verge of death and whom everyone thought wouldn't survive, is now only four years old and has already reached this point!

"He does not have the Supreme Bone."

Li Chenzhou continued, his tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable certainty.

"But he will also be supreme."

The old man shuddered.

He looked at Li Chenzhou, at those deep, starry eyes, at the absolute confidence hidden beneath that calm. He knew that what the man before him said was not comfort, not expectation, but the truth.

It is a fact that was already destined.

"Your efforts back then were not in vain."

These words were like the last straw, completely breaking down the old man's resilience.

He lowered his head, covered his face with his withered hands, and his shoulders trembled violently. Tears spilled from between his fingers and dripped onto the tattered bedding.

how many years?

He guarded this dilapidated village, watching the old people around him pass away one by one, watching that innocent child suffer in place of the little one. Countless times in the quiet of the night, he thought of that desperate couple from back then, of that dying infant, and of his own powerlessness, unable to do anything.

He thought he would never hear from that child again in his life.

He thought the child might already be gone.

But now, someone is standing in front of him, telling him personally—

The child is alive.

That child is very good.

That child may not have the supreme bone, but he will be a supreme being nonetheless.

"Thanks……"

The old man's voice trembled so much it was almost broken, but he tried desperately to make himself clear.

"Thank you……"

He looked up, tears streaming down his face, yet he smiled like a child.

The old man listened to Li Chenzhou's words, his tears still wet on his face, when he heard that childish voice ring in his ears.

"No, it's because the little one works very hard."

Li Chenzhou's voice remained calm, yet carried a hint of relief. He looked down at the small figure beside him, a gentle light flashing in his eyes.

"He already knows about what happened back then."

The old man shuddered.

You know what happened back then?

Did they know their supreme bone had been removed? Did they know where their parents were? Did they know what those people had done?

He looked at the little one, his eyes filled with heartache, worry, and a complex mix of emotions. That child was only four years old; did he have to endure all this?

But the little one raised his head and met the old man's gaze.

In those big, dark eyes, there was no hatred or gloom as he had imagined, only a firmness and clarity that was beyond his years.

"Great-grandfather".

The little one spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and distinct.

"I will definitely work hard in my training."

He clenched his little fists, his small body standing ramrod straight.

"We'll get an explanation from you later!"

These words were spoken lightly, yet they struck everyone's heart like a stone.

The old man stared at him, at the innocent yet earnest little face, at those eyes burning with passion. He suddenly understood that this child was truly different.

He was not blinded by hatred, but he also did not forget the hurt he had suffered.

He knew what he was going to do, and he knew why he was doing it.

Not for anyone else.

He also wanted to remember those who helped him in the first place.

For the Shicun aunties who raised him with their rough hands, for the playmates who played with him, and for Liu Shen, who could have helped but chose to let go and let him survive on his own.

Also for the sake of the great-grandfather in front of him, who guarded the second ancestral land and suffered for him for many years.

After the little boy finished speaking, he looked at Shi Qingfeng. The thin child was standing to the side, staring at him blankly.

"And there's a gentle breeze."

The little one walked over and took Shi Qingfeng's hand.

"He suffered for me. When I become stronger, I won't let anyone bully him."

Shi Qingfeng's eyes reddened, and he lowered his head without saying a word. But his hand held the little one's hand tightly.

The old man's eyes welled up with tears as he watched this scene.

But this time, they were tears of relief and tears of pride.

He looked at the little child, at the determination that didn't belong to someone that age, and felt an overwhelming sense of emotion.

Shi Ziling, may your spirits rest in peace now.

This child will be stronger than anyone else.

It wasn't because of his supreme bones, but because of his heart.

Li Chenzhou stood aside, watching all of this without saying a word.

He simply reached out and gently placed his hand on the little one's head, rubbing it lightly.

That gesture contained unspoken praise and silent affirmation.

The little one looked up and smiled at him.

That smile was clean and pure, yet it carried a reassuring power.

Outside, it was broad daylight.

Sunlight streamed in through the dilapidated window, falling on the two small figures, on the aged yet contented face, and on Li Chenzhou's calm expression.

A new day has truly begun. The old man listened to Li Chenzhou's words, his tears still wet on his face, when he heard that childish voice ring in his ears.

"No, it's because the little one works very hard."

Li Chenzhou's voice remained calm, yet carried a hint of relief. He looked down at the small figure beside him, a gentle light flashing in his eyes.

"He already knows about what happened back then."

The old man shuddered.

You know what happened back then?

Did they know their supreme bone had been removed? Did they know where their parents were? Did they know what those people had done?

He looked at the little one, his eyes filled with heartache, worry, and a complex mix of emotions. That child was only four years old; did he have to endure all this?

But the little one raised his head and met the old man's gaze.

In those big, dark eyes, there was no hatred or gloom as he had imagined, only a firmness and clarity that was beyond his years.

"Great-grandfather".

The little one spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and distinct.

"I will definitely work hard in my training."

He clenched his little fists, his small body standing ramrod straight.

"We'll get an explanation from you later!"

These words were spoken lightly, yet they struck everyone's heart like a stone.

The old man stared at him, at the innocent yet earnest little face, at those eyes burning with passion. He suddenly understood that this child was truly different.

He was not blinded by hatred, but he also did not forget the hurt he had suffered.

He knew what he was going to do, and he knew why he was doing it.

Not for anyone else.

He also wanted to remember those who helped him in the first place.

For the Shicun aunties who raised him with their rough hands, for the playmates who played with him, and for Liu Shen, who could have helped but chose to let go and let him survive on his own.

Also for the sake of the great-grandfather in front of him, who guarded the second ancestral land and suffered for him for many years.

After the little boy finished speaking, he looked at Shi Qingfeng. The thin child was standing to the side, staring at him blankly.

"And there's a gentle breeze."

The little one walked over and took Shi Qingfeng's hand.

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"He suffered for me. When I become stronger, I won't let anyone bully him."

Shi Qingfeng's eyes reddened, and he lowered his head without saying a word. But his hand held the little one's hand tightly.

The old man's eyes welled up with tears as he watched this scene.

But this time, they were tears of relief and tears of pride.

He looked at the little child, at the determination that didn't belong to someone that age, and felt an overwhelming sense of emotion.

Ziling, you can rest in peace now.

This child will be stronger than anyone else.

The little one clung to the old man's arm, hanging his entire tiny body on it, swaying back and forth affectionately.

"Grandpa, please come with us to Stone Village!"

His voice was clear and resonant, with a childlike softness and anticipation. His big, dark eyes blinked, looking at the old man with great expectation.

"Ishimura is great!"

He started counting on his fingers, his little face full of excitement.

"There were so many children playing together! We raided bird nests, chased rainbow finches, and caught fish in the lake!"

"And there's more—"

He leaned closer and lowered his voice mysteriously, but it was still very clear and crisp.

"We get to drink animal milk every day! It's so fragrant and sweet!"

The old man swayed slightly as he was shaken, and looking down at the tender little face and expectant eyes, a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

I want to take this child with me to enjoy a better life.

She wanted to bring the other child, who had suffered in her place, to a happy life as well.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at Shi Qingfeng standing to the side.

The thin, small child was looking down, his little hands clutching the hem of his clothes, too afraid to look over. He heard the little boy's words, the words "stone village," "little friend," and "play together," but he dared not raise his head, dared not hope.

Over the years, he has gotten used to not expecting anything.

The old man looked at Shi Qingfeng, his eyes flashing with complex emotions.

This child, though not his own flesh and blood, was someone he had watched grow up. From the infant in swaddling clothes when he was brought here to the limping, frail child he was now, he had watched him grow day by day, his heart aching with each passing day, yet there was nothing he could do.

Now, someone is going to take him away.

Take me to a place with lots of children, a place where I can live happily.

The old man looked at the little one again, his innocent face full of sincere expectation.

He recalled Li Chenzhou's words—this child already knows what happened back then, knows that his supreme bone was removed, knows where his parents went, and knows what those people did.

But there was no hatred in his eyes.

But there was no hatred in his eyes.

It was only longing for the future, concern for loved ones, and tenderness for a stranger's child.

The old man suddenly smiled.

He reached out his withered hand and gently stroked the little one's head.

"it is good."

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried a smile.

"Okay, Grandpa will go with you."

The little one paused for a moment, then cheered with a "Wow!"

"Great! Grandpa agreed!"

He released the old man's arm, turned and ran towards Shi Qingfeng, grabbing his hand.

"Qingfeng! Did you hear that? Great-Grandpa is going too! We're all going!"

Shi Qingfeng raised his head, staring blankly at him, then at the kind-faced old man on the bed, and finally at Li Chenzhou standing calmly at the door.

He suddenly felt his eyes getting hot again.

But he blinked hard, holding back the tears.

Then he nodded.

She nodded very, very slightly.

But in that nod, there was all the longing, all the expectation, all the... unspoken hope of all these years.

The little one was so happy that he jumped and danced, pulling Shi Qingfeng's hand and spinning around.

"That's great! That's great! From now on, we'll play together every day! We'll drink animal milk together! We'll chase the five-colored birds together!"

Shi Qingfeng was pulled around and staggered, but the corners of his mouth finally curved into a smile.

The old man sighed softly, his withered hand gently stroking the little one's head, his eyes filled with a complex mix of love and worry.

"If we leave, it will drive some people crazy."

His voice was deep, carrying the caution and foresight that come with the passage of time.

"You haven't matured yet; you can't expose yourself."

He knew better than anyone how ruthless those people could be. They were capable of harming an infant back then; if they knew the child was still alive, knew someone had taken Shi Qingfeng away, knew the events of that year might be brought up again—he didn't even dare to imagine what they would do.

The old man looked at the little one, whose innocent face still wore an excited smile, unaware of the depths of the world's dangers.

He is still too young.

They haven't grown up yet.

We cannot expose ourselves at this time.

The little boy blinked, seemingly understanding the old man's worries, yet also seemingly not quite comprehending them. He looked up at Li Chenzhou.

Li Chenzhou stood to the side, his expression calm, with even a faint smile on his lips.

"Don't worry, old man."

He spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a reassuring certainty.

"They can't find Stone Village."

The old man looked up at him.

Li Chenzhou's gaze passed through the dilapidated windowpane and looked towards the vast, desolate mountains and forests in the distance.

"How could the ancestral land of the Stone Clan be found so easily?"

His tone carried a faint smile, a smile that contained confidence, composure, and an indescribable...playfulness.

The old man paused for a moment, then understood.

Yes.

The ancestral land of the Stone Clan.

That was the true origin of the Stone Clan, a place even the royal family of the Stone Kingdom couldn't find. It was an incredible stroke of luck that Shi Ziling and his wife were able to find it back then. And now, that place has been concealed in the void by this person using extraordinary means.

No matter how crazy, how unwilling, or how desperate those people were to find that child—

They couldn't find it.

You'll never find it.

The old man suddenly smiled, a smile that carried relief, relief, and a hint of admiration for the young man before him.

"well……"

He said "good" twice, his eyes glistening with tears.

Although the little one didn't quite understand what the adults were saying, when he saw his great-grandfather smile, he smiled too, and clung to the old man's arm, swaying back and forth.

"Grandpa, don't worry! Uncle Li is amazing! He can even defeat King Wu!"

Upon hearing this, the old man looked at Li Chenzhou with even more awe.

King Wu.

That was a renowned figure among the kings of the Stone Kingdom, a top-tier king who once rivaled the Human Emperor.

And this young man in front of me can actually defeat King Wu?

No, not defeat.

It was suppression.

This left King Wu with no room to resist.

The old man took a deep breath, and the last trace of worry in his heart vanished.

With such a person protecting that child, what else could he possibly worry about?

Li Chenzhou walked to the window and stood with his hands behind his back.

The sunlight shone on him, gilding him with a faint golden edge.

"Let's tidy up."

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable power.

"Let's go home."

The little one cheered and grabbed Shi Qingfeng's hand, running towards the door.

"Qingfeng! Quick! Let's pack our things and go home!"

Shi Qingfeng was being pulled along by him, his steps still limping, but his face was adorned with a smile he had never seen before.

The old man looked at the two small figures from behind, at the bright sunshine outside the window, and at the tall, imposing figure standing in front of the window.

Suddenly, I realized that today is the happiest day of all my years.