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

The excruciating pain at the severed wing felt like fire, tearing at the soul of the Sky-Devouring Sparrow wave after wave.

It had lived for countless years and devoured countless lives, never imagining that it would have such a day.

Those once sky-covering demonic wings are now just two bloody clumps of flesh hanging from his back. He has to clench his teeth to keep his voice from trembling when he speaks a single word.

It lowered its head, its blood-red eyes losing all their ferocity, leaving only humble pleading.

"I would give up all my treasured possessions in exchange for a chance to live."

Its voice was low and rapid, no longer possessing the initial sharpness and madness.

In those years, it searched countless caves and looted many ruins, accumulating treasures that piled up into small mountains.

Precious techniques, spiritual medicines, primordial precious bones, and supreme magical artifacts—each one was obtained at the cost of its life, and each one was enough to drive cultivators in the lower realms mad.

It originally intended to use these things to reach a higher realm, and even hoped to one day step into the Divine Fire Realm and become a true god.

But at this moment, it doesn't want anything anymore.

"I can hand over all the precious techniques, spiritual medicines, primordial precious bones, and supreme magical artifacts." It said, enunciating each word carefully, as if afraid that the other party might not hear it clearly, or that it might have missed something.

It laid all its cards on the table, humbling itself to the dust.

It cast aside all notions of revered authority and the pride of a ferocious bird. Those things were utterly worthless in the face of survival.

Blood was still seeping from the broken wing, black droplets dripping down the tattered feathers and creating craters on the ground that emitted a bluish tinge of smoke. The pain made it tremble slightly all over, but it dared not stop, nor dared to show any dissatisfaction.

It lowered its head so low it was almost touching the ground, and its blood-red eyes, which had once terrified countless creatures, now only dared to stare at its own dripping blood.

All it wanted was to survive.

The Gate of Immortality still hovered at the village entrance, its silvery-white light as cold and clear as the moon. Li Chenzhou held the little one in his arms, glanced down at the little guy, and remained silent.

The Sky-Devouring Sparrow's heart sank little by little, but it dared not urge it on, or even speak again.

It could only wait, waiting for that man to pronounce its fate.

A wind from the wilderness blew from afar, swirling up a few withered leaves that swept across its bare back. Suddenly, it felt that in all its years of life, it had never felt so powerless.

On another chain of light, Qiongqi was suspended in mid-air.

In those murky, emerald-green eyes, violent emotions surged and rose like magma.

It refused to beg for mercy, and showed not even the slightest fear. On the contrary, its killing intent grew stronger and stronger, so strong that it almost overflowed from its eye sockets.

"You think you can trap me with just a door?"

It gritted its teeth, its voice low and fierce, like muffled thunder from the depths of the earth. "Once I break free, I will raze this place to the ground!"

This is a truly ferocious beast.

Unlike the Sky-Devouring Sparrow, it doesn't assess the situation or humbly beg for mercy. In its very essence, there is only battle and slaughter.

It once devoured the people of an ancient kingdom, turning that prosperous city into a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

To it, the wails and cries of those people were nothing more than a little tune to accompany a drink.

At that moment, it had only one thought in its mind.

They devoured all the people of Stone Village and tore the Gate of Immortality that suppressed it, along with the man standing in front of it, to pieces.

It doesn't care what level the other party is at, nor does it care whether it still has the ability to resist.

All it knows is that it wants to kill, it wants to eat, and it wants all living things on this land to kneel and tremble before it.

It has been struggling ever since it was attached to the light chain.

It twisted its body desperately, its dark red scales screeching under the pressure of the light chains, sparks flying everywhere.

It repeatedly activated the runes within its body, trying to break through the suppression, but each time it was shattered by an invisible force transmitted from the light chain.

Its scales cracked, blood seeped out, and its muscles were constricted and deformed, yet it never stopped.

This does not mean that the Sky-Devouring Sparrow is inferior to the Qiongqi.

They are simply different. Qiongqi is malevolent, purely malevolent, and undisguisedly malevolent.

Its brutality is written on its face and etched into its bones; it needs no reason. The Devouring Sparrow, on the other hand, is Yin—treacherous, cunning, and adaptable.

It will bow down when you are strong, and bite your throat when you are weak. One is like fire, the other like a venomous snake.

Both are beings standing at the pinnacle of the Great Wilderness, only their ways of expressing tyranny differ.

As for Zhu Yan, it naturally wanted to live, but its mindset was much calmer than the other two.

It was suspended from a chain of light, its three heads drooping, and its six arms hanging limply at its sides.

The iron rod that once struck fear into the hearts of countless adversaries had long since slipped from their grasp, lying forlornly on the grass below, untouched by anyone.

Its body was covered in wounds, and its long white fur was soaked in blood, clinging to its body in clumps, revealing the dark red flesh underneath.

Its body was covered in wounds, and its long white fur was soaked in blood, clinging to its body in clumps, revealing the dark red flesh underneath.

Those wounds weren't inflicted by Li Chenzhou, but rather from when the four beasts were fighting over the mountain treasure.

Zhu Yan has three heads and six arms, and its fighting power is unparalleled.

In that chaotic battle that lasted for more than two years, it repeatedly seized the mountain treasure by virtue of its three heads and six arms.

Six arms extended simultaneously: three for blocking, two for grabbing, and one for counterattacking.

That fighting style made it impossible for the other three beasts to defend against it. Every time the mountain treasure was snatched away by it, it took a lot of effort to get it back.

Getting a piece of the pie is one thing, but holding onto it is another.

Every time it gets a mountain treasure, the other three beasts will unanimously focus their attacks on it.

The Devouring Sparrow's devouring power pressed down from above, the Qiongqi's sharp claws tore from the side, and the Little Red Bird's flames burned from the front.

Three forces simultaneously bombarded it, and even if it had three heads and six arms, it couldn't withstand it.

Over the course of two years, its injuries accumulated little by little. Old wounds never healed, and new wounds appeared, over and over again, without interruption.

Being suspended here now, it actually feels relieved.

No more fighting, no more arguing, no more constantly on guard against the attacks of the other three ferocious beasts.

It even felt that being suspended was quite nice, at least it could get some rest.

Of the three heads, the one on the left has its eyes closed, as if it's sleeping. The one in the middle has its eyes half-open, staring blankly into the distance.

The one on the right had his head down, his gaze fixed on the iron rod on the ground, lost in thought.

It had no intention of begging for mercy, nor of making threats like Qiongqi. Begging for mercy? It couldn't bring itself to do it.

Making threats? That's pointless.

It hung there quietly, accepting its fate.

If Li Chenzhou wants to kill it, then let him kill it.

It has lived for so long, it has fought enough, and killed enough.

If Li Chenzhou wants to release it, then it should return to its lair, find a cave to sleep in for a few years, and heal its wounds.

As for Shanbao, it no longer wanted to think about it.

"Little Qingfeng is almost five years old, the age when he should be baptized. You're quite lucky," Li Chenzhou said to Shi Qingfeng with a smile.

In recent days, his cultivation has recovered considerably, and he has become more adept at using various methods.

Purifying and harmonizing the precious blood of ferocious beasts at the Venerable Realm to make it milder and easier to absorb has become much easier than it used to be.

These ferocious beasts hanging from the chains of light in front of us can come in handy.

"Spare my life; it will only benefit you, not harm you!"

Upon hearing this, the Sky-Devouring Sparrow's blood-red eyes suddenly flashed with light.

Ignoring the excruciating pain from its broken wing, it desperately raised its head, its voice urgent and humble.

"I know where other ferocious beasts lurk, and I know where rare and precious treasures lie. With me leading the way, you can obtain far more than you would by killing me."

Its voice grew increasingly urgent, as if afraid of being interrupted.

"I can also guard this village for you. You need a watchdog, and I am more suitable than anyone else. I want to be the village's watchdog. If this village really develops into a powerful force in the future, having one more Venerable One like me is better than having one less."

The Sky-Devouring Sparrow adopted the lowest possible posture.

Those blood-red eyes that once terrified countless living beings now only dared to stare at the ground, not daring to meet Li Chenzhou's gaze.

It threw out every chip it could think of, even uttering the term "watchdog."

What it said was utterly disgraceful to the Venerable One's level of attainment.

A ferocious bird at the Venerable Realm, standing at the very top of the eight domains of the lower realm, a demonic bird that once devoured gods, is now actually offering to guard someone's door.

If word of this were to get out, the entire wilderness would likely be shaken. Those ferocious beasts that once trembled in fear of it would probably be utterly astonished.

But the Sky-Swallowing Sparrow couldn't care less about that.

Dignity, face, the pride of a ferocious beast—all are worthless in the face of survival. It only wants to live, even as a watchdog.

Li Chenzhou glanced down at the little one in his arms, then looked up, his gaze falling on the Sky-Devouring Sparrow suspended by the light chain. His tone was light, even somewhat nonchalant, but those words felt like ice water poured over the Sky-Devouring Sparrow's head.

"Are you being left to guard the village, given time, and waiting for an opportunity to turn against them in the future?"

The Sky-Devouring Sparrow froze.

The flame of hope that had just ignited in his bloodshot eyes was instantly extinguished.

It opened its mouth, wanting to defend itself, to swear an oath, to utter a thousand or ten thousand words of unwavering loyalty.

But when it looked into Li Chenzhou's calm eyes, all those words got stuck in its throat, and it couldn't utter a single one.

Because it knows that the other party is right.

It will definitely do that. It's only humbling itself now to survive.

Once it escapes its predicament, and once it finds an opportunity, it will surely turn against its former allies.

It betrayed its master and devoured the remnants of a god's soul. In its eyes, loyalty was nothing more than the shackles of the weak.

But it cannot admit it.

Even if the other party sees through its thoughts, it cannot admit it.

"No, absolutely not!" The Sky-Swallowing Sparrow's voice was urgent and sharp, carrying an almost hysterical sincerity.

"I can swear a blood oath, I can give you my soul imprint, I can..."

Li Chenzhou waved his hand, interrupting it.

He didn't want to hear those words.

He didn't believe those vows either.

He knew better than anyone what the Sky-Devouring Sparrow was. Even if he handed over his soul imprint, this treacherous and cunning demonic bird might still have a backup plan.

Rather than keeping such a time bomb, it's better to let it hang there as a living specimen.

The little one perched on Li Chenzhou's shoulder, looking at the Devouring Sky Sparrow's distorted face with disgust.

"Uncle Li, it's so noisy."

"laugh!"

A clear voice broke the silence.

A chain of light silently emerged from the Gate of Immortality, making a crisp sound as it gently pierced through everything.

It was too fast; so fast that no one had time to react.

Before the Sky-Devouring Sparrow could even close its eyes, the chain of light had already pierced through its head, entering from between its eyebrows and exiting from the back of its head.

The black blood flowed slowly down the chain of light, appearing particularly dazzling under the silvery-white light.

The Sky-Devouring Sparrow's eyes widened suddenly, its pupils contracted sharply, and then slowly dilated.

Its mouth opened as if it wanted to say something, but it only let out a weak, indistinct whimper.

There was no pain, no anger, not even fear in that sob; only an indescribable bewilderment.

It was as if he never understood, even in death, why all the things he had said and done, how he had humbled himself and abandoned all his dignity, had resulted in such a fleeting moment.

Its body began to tremble violently, first its wings, then its back, and finally its giant claws that had once devoured the sky and the earth.

The trembling went from intense to weak, and from weak to still, in just a few breaths.

Then, it stopped moving. The last glimmer of light in those blood-red eyes was completely extinguished.

The winds of the wilderness blew from afar, across its bare back, across its bleeding broken wings, and across its face, forever frozen between humility and astonishment.

The once invincible Sky-Devouring Sparrow, the demonic bird that once devoured gods, the venerable one who once struck fear into the hearts of countless living beings, died just like that.

He died cleanly and silently, without even a proper scream.

The Gate of Immortality still hovers at the village entrance, its silvery-white light as cold and clear as the moon.

The chain of light slowly emerged from the head of the Devouring Sparrow, flicked gently in the void to shake off the black blood, and then shrank back into the doorway as if nothing had happened.

Qiongqi and Zhuyan, which were hanging on the other two chains of light, fell silent at the same time.

The raging emotions surging in Qiongqi's emerald eyes froze at that moment.

It stopped struggling and uttering threats, staring at the still slightly swaying corpse of the Sky-Devouring Sparrow, something deep within its pupils seemed to be shattering little by little.

That wasn't fear, but rather the collapse of some deeper understanding.

It finally realized that the master of that gate to immortality was not negotiating with them, nor listening to their pleas for mercy, but simply pronouncing a sentence.

From the moment they were hung here, their fate was sealed.

Zhu Yan's three heads turned towards the Devouring Sparrow at the same time, its six eyes calm to the point of numbness.

It glanced at the corpse, then slowly closed its eyes, its three heads bowing as if it had long anticipated this outcome.

"Whatever," it thought.

Now I don't even need to think about it anymore.

The little red bird stood beside Little Dot, looking at the corpse of the Sky-Swallowing Sparrow, its heart filled with indescribable feelings.

It fought with the Sky-Devouring Sparrow for more than two years, wishing it could tear the other to pieces.

But when it actually saw it die in front of it, it felt no pleasure as it had imagined, only a deep chill.

It glanced furtively at Li Chenzhou's retreating figure, and in those clear, black and white eyes, there was something new—awe.

The little boy, perched on Li Chenzhou's shoulder, also witnessed the scene. He blinked, showing neither fear nor surprise, but simply buried his face in Li Chenzhou's neck and mumbled, "Uncle Li, it's dead."

Li Chenzhou patted him on the back.

"Yes," he said. "It's dead."