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

The names of the Six Paths of Reincarnation Immortal King, the Endless Immortal King, the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, the Thunder Emperor... these names, sealed deep in the years, surfaced one after another in Liu Shen's mind.

Behind every name lies a poignant and moving story, a tragic and desolate elegy.

In those years, the iron hooves of foreign lands shattered the tranquility of the heavens and the earth, and the flames of war spread from the borderlands to the heartland, and from the heartland to every corner where living beings dwell.

Some of these people had fought alongside Liu Shen, back to back, entrusting their backs to each other, carving out one bloody path after another in the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Although they have never met, they are in different corners and on different battlefields, protecting this land in their own way and fighting to the death with the kings of foreign lands.

They may never see each other's faces in their entire lives, but their hearts are connected because they are protecting the same land and the same people.

Images flashed before Liu Shen's eyes one by one.

With a wave of his hand, the Six Paths of Reincarnation Immortal King turned the Six Paths of Reincarnation, crushing the foreign army into the cycle of reincarnation.

The Immortal King Wuzhong resides in the borderlands, using the Dao of Wuzhong to seal off space and time, preventing reinforcements from other realms from setting foot on the battlefield.

The Nine-Leaf Sword Grass can shatter all laws with a single sword strike, its sword energy piercing through the universe, cutting down foreign kings as easily as mowing grass.

The Thunder Emperor roared, unleashing a thunderous roar that cleaved the sky in two... But in the end, they all fell, collapsing onto the blood-soaked earth, falling in the darkest hour before dawn.

Willow Goddess's gaze pierced through the void, looking towards that distant era.

Her branches trembled slightly, not from fear, not from sadness, but from the weight of those names, which made it hard for her to breathe.

"If one can cultivate to the level of an unparalleled giant, there will be no rivals in the alien realm. If one day one can reach the pinnacle and pacify the alien realm, it will not be just empty talk."

Li Chenzhou's voice came from the side, neither too loud nor too soft, but every word was steady, like a heavy hammer striking Liu Shen's heart.

He sensed the turmoil stirred within Liu Shen's heart, a regret and resentment that transcended countless years.

He didn't offer empty words of comfort or pointless advice; he simply stated the most basic and direct fact in a calm manner.

power.

Only power can bring peace to the departed souls of heroes.

Only power can fulfill those unfulfilled wishes. All schemes, strategies, alliances, and maneuvers are futile before absolute power.

If someone had stood at that highest position back then, if someone had possessed the power to crush everything, the outcome of that battle might have been completely different.

The willow tree's branches swayed gently, and its emerald green light shimmered faintly in the darkness.

She didn't speak, but the atmosphere surrounding her subtly changed.

It is no longer a heavy memory, no longer a suppressed grief, but something more resolute, a flame that has been rekindled.

The little boy stood to the side, glancing at Li Chenzhou and then at Liu Shen. He didn't quite understand what the adults were talking about—what otherworldly realms, what immortal kings, what giants—these terms were too distant for him.

But he could understand Liu Shen's eyes; there was a light in them that he had never seen before, like the brightest star in the night sky.

He grinned, revealing a toothless smile, and reached out his little hand to grab a branch that was hanging down from the willow tree.

"The most important thing right now is to lie low." Li Chenzhou's voice was calm and firm, like a stone sunk into a deep pool, without ripples, yet with its own weight.

The willow spirit gently swayed her branches, and emerald light flowed through the void. "I understand," she replied, her response brief and firm.

She wouldn't act impulsively, nor would she be blinded by past grievances.

That era of impulsive suicides in foreign lands is over.

Besides, given her current state, she can't act impulsively even if she wanted to.

The tree was scorched and withered, and the divine fire was faint; even maintaining its own existence required great effort.

A foreign land?

That world was too far away from her, so far that even her divine senses could not reach it.

Even if she wanted to fight her way in again, she didn't have the strength.

Li Chenzhou's lips curled slightly, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes. "You must recover quietly, silently surpass your former peak, and then one day, shock everyone."

The Willow Goddess did not respond, but the drooping branch gently tapped in the air, as if nodding.

……

The true blood of the Devouring Sky Sparrow and the Qiongqi was carefully collected by the people of Stone Village.

Those black and dark red drops of blood were as heavy as mountains, containing the life essence of a ferocious beast at the Venerable Realm.

The villagers used specially made jade bottles to collect the contents, one bottle after another, filling an entire stone platform.

The blood glowed faintly in the bottle, runes flowed, and it exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.

Li Chenzhou made his move.

He raised his hand and gestured, and streams of silvery-white light flowed from his fingertips, falling into the jade bottles.

He raised his hand and gestured, and streams of silvery-white light flowed from his fingertips, falling into the jade bottles.

Wherever the light passed, the violent elements in the blood were gradually stripped away, and those irritable and aggressive runes were soothed and tamed, becoming docile and gentle.

The blood, which was originally so thick it was almost congealed, gradually became clear and transparent, like a melted ruby, radiating a warm glow.

Purifying the true blood of a Venerable Realm beast to a degree that is gentle enough for mortals who have not formally embarked on the path of cultivation to absorb is not difficult for Li Chenzhou.

He had traversed higher realms, witnessed more violent forces, and dealt with more challenging materials.

The blood of a mere Venerable Realm expert is nothing more than a piece of cake in his hands.

In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, all the true blood had been purified.

The liquids in those jade bottles no longer emitted a chilling pressure, but lay quietly in the bottles like ordinary spiritual liquid, waiting to be used.

This real blood is enough for the children of Stone Village to be baptized.

My time in Shicun was peaceful and fulfilling.

The battle for the mountain treasure has come to an end. The corpses of the Devouring Sky Sparrow and the Qiongqi have been cleaned up, their true blood has been purified and sealed, and their precious bones and scales have been categorized and stored in the treasure vault.

Those materials of the Venerable level, any one of them would be enough to drive cultivators in the lower realms mad, but in this small village hidden deep in the Great Wilderness, they simply lie quietly in the stone houses, waiting for the day they will be used.

The changes were most noticeable in the children.

After being purified by Li Chenzhou, the true blood of the Devouring Sky Sparrow and the Qiongqi became mild and easy to absorb.

The village women mixed this real blood into animal milk and gave it to their children every day.

Those little guys who were originally just ordinary children have all seen their potential greatly increased, their muscles and bones strengthened, and their blood and qi abundant. Even the most mischievous snotty kid has shown signs of breaking through to the Blood Transformation Realm.

The adults were not to be outdone.

Although they don't have the same innate talents as children, they excel in diligence and hard work.

Every morning, before dawn, they would get up to meditate and practice breathing exercises, circulating their qi and blood and strengthening their muscles and bones according to the methods taught by Li Chenzhou.

Day after day, sweat soaked the training ground at the village entrance. Gradually, one adult after another stepped into the Blood Transformation Realm and became true cultivators.

They were originally just ordinary hunters and farmers in the wilderness, making a living with their strength and ancestral hunting skills.

Now, they have finally embarked on the path of cultivation. Although it is only the beginning, the joy and sense of accomplishment have brought smiles to everyone's faces.

The most significant change was seen in the old clan chief, Shi Yunfeng.

He suffered a serious injury when he was young, and had accumulated many years of ailments in his body. In addition, he was old and his blood and energy were declining, so he had to use a cane to walk.

Li Chenzhou's gentle power helped to soothe his meridians and remove the accumulated hidden injuries.

Those old ailments that had plagued his body for decades melted away little by little, like ice and snow meeting the spring sun.

His complexion changed from ashen to rosy, and his hunched back gradually straightened.

Standing at the village entrance, Shi Yunfeng gazed at the shimmering Linghu Lake, at the children playing by the lake, and at the villagers sweating profusely in the martial arts training ground. A gratified smile appeared on his aged face.

He had lived most of his life and never imagined that Shicun would have such a day.

The spirits have been restored, powerful figures are in charge, and precious techniques are piled up like mountains; the children have boundless potential.

Such a stone village is unmatched, not to mention other villages in the Great Wilderness, even the royal residences of ancient kingdoms might not be able to compare.

The entire village presents a thriving and prosperous scene.

On the shore of Linghu Lake, children chase and play, their laughter ringing out like bells; on the martial arts training ground, adults sweat profusely, their blood surging like a tide; under the willow trees, the elderly sit and chat, their faces serene with smiles.

This once little-known village, hidden deep in the wilderness, is now transforming and growing at a visible pace.

Even without considering Li Chenzhou and Liu Shen, Shi Village's current strength is enough to allow it to leave the Great Wilderness and establish itself in the towns near the Great Wilderness.

The treasures are plentiful; the inheritances of the Devouring Sky Sparrow and the Qiongqi are displayed in the treasure vault, along with the supreme treasures left behind by the Supreme Hall. Each one is enough to drive cultivators in the lower realms mad.

With abundant resources, the true blood, scales, and bones of the Venerable Realm beasts were stored in a categorized manner, enough to last the entire village for a long time.

In addition, Li Chenzhou's targeted measures to stimulate the potential of the people of Shicun Village resulted in an astonishingly rapid pace of progress for each individual.

Those villagers who were originally just ordinary hunters are now full of vitality and strong bones. They would be considered good cultivators if they were outside.

For the people of Shicun, the better their talent, the more concentrated the royal blood within them is.

This is the bloodline passed down from their ancestors, a legacy from the heyday of the Shi clan.

Some royal bloodlines are thin, so their progress is slower, but they have never been discouraged. They diligently cultivate every day and make up for the lack of bloodline with their own efforts.

The little one is the best of the best.

His bloodline underwent a certain degree of atavism, moving closer to the origin of the Stone Clan, the Stone King from the ancient times.

Although it is still far from being a true descendant of the Stone King, it is already an unprecedented event in this small village deep in the wilderness.

"Uncle Li, what does 'atavism' mean?" The little one squatted by the lake, holding a can of animal milk in his little hands, gulping down a few mouthfuls, and looked up at the lake to ask curiously.

Li Chenzhou stood beside him, hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the leaping spirit fish on the lake's surface. "It's because something from our ancestors is hidden in your bloodline. It wasn't apparent before, but now it's surfaced."

The little one blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite. "Does that mean I'll become as powerful as our ancestor in the future?"

"There's a chance." Li Chenzhou glanced down at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. "But it still depends on you."

The little one nodded vigorously, took another sip of animal milk, and looked very serious.

He didn't really understand bloodlines or atavism, but he knew that as long as he listened to Uncle Li, cultivated diligently, and drank his milk properly, he would one day become very, very strong.

If they have the opportunity to stimulate even a little bit of the almost non-existent royal blood within them, their talent will improve accordingly.

Li Chenzhou has already begun researching this matter. With his methods, finding a gentle yet effective way to stimulate it is only a matter of time.

By then, even if the children of Shicun have a thin bloodline, they will be able to make up for their congenital deficiencies through opportunities that come their way.

For the people of Shicun, this can be considered a shortcut to cultivation, and a shortcut with almost no side effects.

No need to risk your life or take risks. Just cultivate step by step, consume some purified true blood as needed, and combine it with the methods taught by Li Chenzhou to gradually improve your talent and potential.

Using the power of bloodline to enhance one's talent for cultivation is not inherently a heretical or evil practice.

The improvement brought by bloodline is essentially a leap in talent, an improvement in innate ability, comprehension, and potential, rather than a sudden surge in strength and a leap in realm overnight.

This kind of improvement is subtle and gradual, fundamentally reshaping a person's potential, like bringing fresh water to a dried-up riverbed, making the river itself deeper and wider, rather than relying on a flood to temporarily raise the water level.

The truly crooked paths are those that forcibly elevate cultivation levels using forbidden techniques and evil methods, leaving behind endless troubles.

The improvement of bloodline talent follows the proper path of innate ability, but most people in this world will never be able to reach this level in their entire lives.

As for the concerns that some people might be limited by their bloodline in the future, reaching a certain bottleneck from which they will never be able to break through again.

This question is still too far in the future for the people of Shicun.

The limitations of the Immortal King's bloodline are shackles that only appear at the very deepest levels of the cultivation path.

That is a threshold that would deter countless geniuses, a matter that only those who have truly reached that level have the right to worry about.

For the villagers of Stone Village at present, who have not even reached the level of Spirit Transformation or Inscription, worrying about the bottleneck of the Immortal King bloodline is like a toddler who has just learned to walk worrying about how to climb the divine mountain in the heavens. Although the intention of this far-sighted concern is good, it is really too far ahead of its time.

Looking across the entire Stone Village, how many of these people today, if counted individually, can truly reach the point where they are restricted by the bloodline of the Immortal King?

That step requires traversing the stages of Blood Transformation, Spirit Transformation, Inscription, Array Formation, Venerable One, Divine Fire, True God... all the way up until one stands at the pinnacle of all the heavens and myriad realms.

Such a path is so difficult that even among the most renowned geniuses of ancient kingdoms, let alone ordinary people from Stone Village, few could possibly complete it.

While the children of Stone Village are indeed talented, and the revival of the King's Bloodline has greatly increased their potential, it is still too distant and too far-fetched a hope that they will one day be able to reach the bottleneck of the Immortal King's Bloodline.

For the vast majority of people, even if they spend their entire lives trying, they probably won't be able to even touch the threshold of the Venerable Realm, let alone be trapped by the bloodline of the Immortal King.

Therefore, the only drawback of this bloodline path is not in the future bottlenecks, but in the current difficulty—the difficulty of improving the purity of the bloodline is too great.

The immortal bloodline within Shi Cun's body has been diluted and dissipated over countless generations, to the point that it is almost non-existent.

That faint trace of bloodline was like a wisp of breath left on a fossil by an ancient behemoth—faint and elusive, difficult to detect.

The difficulty of purifying, reviving, and condensing the royal blood that had long since dissipated over the years to make it rich again is so immense that it is almost despairing.

The difficulty of purifying, reviving, and condensing the royal blood that had long since dissipated over the years to make it rich again is so immense that it is almost despairing.

To put it bluntly, purifying the almost non-existent Immortal King bloodline within the people of Stone Village to even a slightly effective level is as difficult as a mortal with no strength climbing step by step to the Ninth Heaven using only their own flesh and blood, without any external assistance.

That requires extraordinary perseverance, incredible luck, and an endless period of dedication.

When mortals ascend to heaven, they have cloud ladders to borrow, celestial birds to ride, and supernatural powers to use. But the people of Stone Village, who want to purify their almost vanished bloodline, don't even have these external things. They can only rely on the most fundamental method to slowly knock on the door that has been sealed by the dust of time.

This path is destined to be more difficult than any other path of cultivation.

However, Li Chenzhou's methods were quite clever.

He did not follow the usual path, nor did he rely on the accumulation of rare and precious materials, nor did he depend on any forbidden techniques that could seize the creation of heaven and earth.

He relied on his understanding of the essence of cultivation and his precise control over intangible things like bloodline, talent, and potential.

With his knowledge and experience, he is quite confident that he can cultivate an ordinary person into the kind of genius defined by the outside world, even in his current state where he has not fully recovered.

His knowledge extends beyond just length; it encompasses a wide range of areas.

What's long is depth, the kind of insight that hits the nail on the head and gets straight to the heart;

It refers to breadth, the kind of erudition that spans many fields and integrates them.

He understands the mysteries of bloodlines and knows how to awaken the mark dormant deep within the royal blood; he understands the laws of cultivation and knows when to advance, when to retreat, and when to accumulate strength for a future breakthrough; he understands people's hearts even more, knows what kind of path is suitable for each person, and knows how to teach according to aptitude so that no potential is wasted.

These things cannot be obtained through brute force, but require the sedimentation of a long period of time and a sufficiently high vantage point to see them so clearly.

Therefore, it was fate that brought the people of Shicun together with Li Chenzhou.

Li Chenzhou's willingness to stay in Shicun is a blessing for Shicun.

After finishing the animal milk, the little one put the jar aside, patted its round little belly, and sighed contentedly.

"Uncle Li, does that mean I'm already the most talented kid in Stone Village?"

Li Chenzhou glanced at him.

"You are the child in Ishimura who drinks the most milk."

The little one paused for a moment, then grinned, revealing a smile with a missing front tooth.

He didn't mind Uncle Li's teasing because he knew that Uncle Li was praising him.

……

Li Chenzhou has gone into seclusion.

He locked himself in the stone house near the Willow God, setting up multiple layers of restrictions outside the door. Silver-white runes flowed in the void, isolating the entire house from the outside world.

The little one peered through the crack in the window for a long time, only to see a blurry figure sitting cross-legged on a futon, with a faint light flowing around him, before falling silent.

"How long will Uncle Li be in seclusion?" the little boy asked, looking up at Liu Shen.

The willow tree's branches swayed gently, but it did not answer.

It doesn't know either. Maybe a few days, maybe a few months, maybe longer.

Those two techniques, whether it's the Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art or the Grass Character Sword Technique, are far too profound. Even for beings who once stood at the pinnacle of all the heavens and myriad realms, it would take time to fully comprehend them.

Li Chenzhou's cultivation level was ultimately only that of a quasi-Immortal King.

Quasi-Immortal King sounds incredibly high, but compared to a true Immortal King, he is still a whole realm below.

Although his knowledge was diverse and profound, neither the Three Thousand Great Daos nor other methods could reach the pinnacle of the Immortal King level. However, the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art and the Grass Character Sword Technique truly stood at the top of the Immortal King level.

The former is inherited from the Six Paths of Reincarnation Immortal King, while the latter is the peerless sword technique of the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, one of the Ten Fiends.

These two techniques are top-tier even among Immortal Kings.

If Li Chenzhou can thoroughly understand these principles and integrate them into his own knowledge, his combat strength will surely experience a qualitative leap.

Perhaps, this opportunity might even allow us to touch that door that has always been tightly closed—the Realm of Immortal Kings.

Inside the stone house, Li Chenzhou sat upright with his eyes closed. The runes of the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art flowed around his body, and six black holes appeared and disappeared, endlessly rotating.

The sword energy of the Grass Character Sword Technique swirled around his fingertips, the silvery-white light so sharp that it even cut tiny cracks in the void.

He was so engrossed in his contemplation that he forgot about time and everything else.

Stone Village fell silent. The children continued their daily cultivation, the adults continued their daily work, and the Willow Goddess still stood quietly at the village entrance. Everything was as usual, except that the figure standing at the village entrance, holding the little one, was missing.

Every day, the little one would run to the stone house door, peek through the window crack for a while, sigh, and turn away.

……

In the second year of Li Chenzhou's seclusion, Little Dot turned five.

I got up early in the morning, ran to the old tree at the entrance of the village and squatted for a while, then ran to the door of the stone house and peeked through the window for a while.

The blurry figure inside remained unchanged, its body shimmering with light, motionless.

He pursed his lips, didn't call out, and turned to leave.

Uncle Li is in seclusion; we must not disturb him.

He already knew this.

But today is his birthday. In previous years, Uncle Li would make him a pot of particularly fragrant animal milk, which was made by mixing five different kinds of animal milk together, as a gift for his fifth birthday.

Uncle Li couldn't hold on any longer this year, so after thinking about it, he decided to do it himself.

The little one moved a stone bench, stood on it, and could just reach the stove.

He pulled out five jars from the storage shelf: milk from the Silver Lightning Beast, milk from the Fire Cloud Beast, milk from the Azure Scaled Eagle, milk from the Golden Horned Deer, and a jar of spirit liquid extracted from the true blood of the Devouring Sky Sparrow. It wasn't exactly beast milk, but it tasted pretty good.

He lined up the five jars in a row, carefully considered the order, and then began pouring the milk into the large milk jar.

First, pour the milk for the Silver Electric Beast; the milk shimmers with a faint silver light, like melting starlight.

Next came the Fire Cloud Beast's milk, warm and with a faint, sweet fragrance. Then came the Azure Scaled Eagle's, clear and cool like spring water.

The Golden Horned Deer's milk was as rich and mellow as honey. Finally, there was the spirit liquid; a few drops added, and the entire jar of milk shimmered with a hazy glow.

The little one stirred it with a spoon, then stuck his finger into the milk jug, dipped it in the animal milk, and tasted it.

He squinted, a look of pure bliss on his face. It tasted good, though not as good as Uncle Li's, but it wasn't bad either.

He took another bite, and another bite, and only when he took the third bite did he realize that if he kept taking more, the milk jug would be empty.

He quickly withdrew his hand, watching the stove fire intently as the animal milk in the milk jug began to bubble.

The aroma of milk is irresistible.

The aroma wafted from the stove, spreading across half the village.

Several children who were practicing martial arts in the training ground sniffed and followed the scent.

The bubbles in the milk jug grew bigger and bigger, and the aroma of milk became stronger and stronger. The little one tiptoed and dipped the spoon into the milk jug, stirring it slowly, his little face full of seriousness.

"Oh, little one, brewing animal milk again?"

A voice came from the doorway.

The little boy looked up and saw it was Skinny Monkey. He had somehow gotten to the kitchen doorway, gripping the doorframe with both hands, craning his neck to look inside, his eyes fixed on the bubbling milk jug.

"You bet!" The snotty kid squeezed out from behind the skinny monkey, sniffed, and almost had two glistening strands of snot fall into his mouth. "It smells so good."

"Of course!" The little one puffed out his chest, a hint of pride on his face. "Mine is Five Beast Milk, a blend of five different beast milks. Has anyone here ever tried it?"

"Five animal milks?" The skinny monkey's eyes widened as he counted on his fingers. "You admit you drank animal milks."

"I knew it! The little guy gets restless if he doesn't drink animal milk for a day." The snotty-nosed kid chuckled and wiped his nose with his sleeve.

The little one's face flushed red.

"No, I didn't!" he exclaimed, stamping his feet in frustration, his voice rising several decibels. "It's my birthday today! I'm turning five! That's why I made it! I don't drink it every day!"

"Did you drink it yesterday?" the skinny monkey asked.

The little one opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

"What about the day before yesterday?" the snotty-nosed child pressed.

The little one lowered his head, the tips of his ears turning bright red.

He drank it the day before yesterday, the day before that, and the day before that. He drinks every day, from the moment he opens his eyes until he closes them, from spring to winter.

"Hahahaha!" The children burst into laughter.

"The little one is blushing!"

"Looks like a monkey's butt!"

"You're the monkeys!" the little one shouted angrily, grabbing a spoon as if to hit someone. The children scattered and ran outside the kitchen, continuing to laugh through the doorway.

The little boy stood in front of the stove, spoon in hand, his face as red as a boiled shrimp. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but after a long pause, he only managed to stammer, "I...I'm just getting good nutrition! Uncle Li said so!"

The children laughed even harder.

Shi Qingfeng stood to the side, smiling with his lips pursed, without saying a word.

The little golden monkey squatted on the stove, tilting its head to watch the noisy children. It squeaked twice, then stretched out its paw and quietly reached for the milk can.

"Smack!" The little one reacted quickly and slapped away the furry paw.

"It's not ready yet!"

The children dispersed, laughing and joking, and he prepared to brew another pot.

The animal milk in the milk jug gurgled and churned, blooming into milky flowers on the milky white surface, and the aroma exploded as if it had been detonated.

The strange fragrance produced by the fusion of the five kinds of animal milk was so strong that it seemed to have a shape, penetrating the nasal cavity in wisps and strands, and rushing straight to the top of the head.

The little one sniffed hard, a look of almost devout ecstasy appearing on his face.

Her big, dark eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up. She was completely immersed in the milky aroma.

Her big, dark eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up. She was completely immersed in the milky aroma.

The taste was so wonderful, so wonderful that it made his soul tremble, so wonderful that he felt like the happiest child in the world.

Every breath is a pleasure, every sniff is like a taste.

He almost couldn't resist burying his face in the milk jug and taking a big gulp.

But he held back.

Because Uncle Li had said that good things should be savored slowly, not hastily. But more importantly, he suddenly remembered something.

The little one suddenly opened his eyes and looked around warily.

There was no one at the kitchen door, and no one outside the window, but the aroma of milk had already wafted out, drifting far away.

He could almost hear the footsteps of Skinny Monkey and Snotty Kid, and smell the scent of his friends approaching.

The little guy took a deep breath. This time he was smarter. He raised his little hand and began to move it quickly in the air.

A faint golden light shone from his fingertips, and simple runes flowed from between his fingers, dancing in the air like fireflies.

The runes looked crooked and uneven, far from the smooth and flowing lines Li Chenzhou had drawn, but each one contained the most basic power of the laws.

This is a rune that Little Dot specially learned from Willow God.

The Willow God only taught him once, but he remembered it firmly. The runes seemed unremarkable on their own, but when combined in a specific order, they could form an invisible barrier that would firmly seal the scent within a certain range, preventing even a trace from escaping.

The little one's face was tense, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

It's too early for him to inscribe runes; his cultivation level is far from reaching that level.

But he just wanted to learn, he just wanted to master this skill. Not for any other reason than to avoid being discovered by his friends when he was making animal milk.

With the final stroke, the rune array was completed.

A transparent light shield emerged from the void, enveloping the stove and the little one inside.

The wafting milky aroma was intercepted, as if it had hit an invisible wall, and obediently retreated back into the light shield.

The little one let out a long breath, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

He leaned closer to the milk can, took a deep breath of the rich milky aroma sealed within the light shield, and was completely captivated.

"Perfect," he muttered to himself, then picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of scalding hot animal milk, carefully blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

The milky aroma explodes on the tongue, five distinct flavors intertwine, sweet but not cloying, rich but not thick, the warm liquid slides down the throat, and warmth spreads from the stomach to every part of the body.

The little one squinted its eyes and let out a satisfied burp.

When Uncle Li comes back, I must let him try my cooking!

The little one was happily calculating in his heart, as if he could already see Uncle Li's surprised and approving expression after drinking the can of Five Beasts Milk.

Uncle Li will definitely say then, "Little one is amazing, it tastes even better than what I make."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but grin, revealing a bright smile.

But then, he glanced longingly at the still steaming jar of animal milk.

The milk jug was still more than half full, the milky white liquid rippling slightly, emitting a fragrance that made his soul tremble.

He really wanted to drink just one more sip, just one more sip.

But his little hand went out and then came back, went back and went out again, several times in a row, and finally he bit his lip and put his hand behind his back.

Uncle Li once said that animal milk is good, but you shouldn't overindulge.

The little boy silently recited Uncle Li's teachings, his face filled with struggle.

He is an obedient and good child, and he shouldn't ignore Uncle Li's words just because he's greedy.

Besides, drinking too much at once will make my stomach bloated, and I'll be laughed at by my friends, which would be so embarrassing.

He took a deep breath and suppressed his craving.

Then, the little one raised his little hand and gently patted the milk can.

A faint golden light shone from his palm, and simple runes flowed from his fingertips, like fine golden threads, wrapping around the surface of the milk can. The runes were crooked and uneven, far less fluid than when Uncle Li had carved them, but each one contained the most basic power of the laws.

He learned these runes after pestering Willow God for several days.

The Willow God said that these runes, when viewed individually, seem unremarkable, but when combined in a specific order, they produce magical changes and exert incredible effects.

The little boy didn't quite understand what they were saying at the time, but he knew that these runes could keep the beast milk warm and prevent it from getting cold, and also keep it fresh and prevent it from spoiling.

Keep warm and fresh.

These are the two functions that the little one needs most.

Uncle Li didn't know when he would be able to leave the pass, so he wanted to save this jar of Five Beasts Milk and drink it together when Uncle Li came back.

As the last stroke was completed, a faint glow appeared on the surface of the milk can, and the runes disappeared into the can.

The little one clapped his hands in satisfaction, a smug smile spreading across his face.

But his smile only lasted for a moment.

He suddenly lowered his head, pulled up his collar, and brought it to his nose to smell.

A rich, milky aroma wafted over, the scent from when the milk was being boiled, so strong it felt like I'd been soaking in a milk jar.

He smelled his sleeves, the back of his hands, and his hair; every part of him exuded a lingering milky fragrance.

The little one's face immediately fell.

He frantically fanned himself with his hands, trying to get rid of the milky smell. He fanned left, right, front, and back, his little hands moving rapidly like a windmill, creating a small gust of air. But the milky scent seemed to be permanently attached to him; no matter how much he fanned, he couldn't shake it off.

As a five-year-old child, you shouldn't smell like milk.

The little guy knew very well that if Skinny Monkey and Snotty Kid smelled milk on him, they would definitely laugh at him again.

They would say that the little one is still a baby who is still nursing and will never grow up.

He's not like that at all!

He is five years old today!

A five-year-old child should be drinking meat broth and eating spiritual fruits. How can he be holding onto his milk jar all day long?

But does he really like drinking animal milk?

The little one frowned in frustration, fanning himself while trying to come up with a solution.

How about taking a bath in the lake? But the lake water is too cold, and he's afraid of the cold.

Or should he ask his great-grandfather for a clean set of clothes to change into? But his great-grandfather would ask him why he needed to change, and he couldn't very well say it was because he smelled of milk.

He thought about it for a moment and finally decided to go to the village entrance to get some fresh air. The wind in the wilderness is strong, and after a while, the milky smell might dissipate.

The little one patted the milk can to make sure the runes were still functioning properly, then jumped off the stone bench, took short strides, and ran towards the village entrance.

After running a few steps, he stopped again, looked back at the jar of Five Beasts Milk emitting a faint glow on the stove, and swallowed hard.

"Uncle Li, please come back soon," he muttered softly. "If you don't come back soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist drinking it secretly."

The little one tiptoed and crouched low, like a kitten stealing fish, and tiptoed towards the village entrance.

His little hands were still fanning his collar, trying to get rid of the lingering milky smell.

He kept looking back as he walked, afraid of being seen by one of his friends.

If a five-year-old child smells like a baby, how will that make him look bad?

But just as he stepped out of the kitchen door—

A hand suddenly reached out from behind and landed precisely on the back of his neck.

The hand wasn't big, but it was as steady as an iron clamp. With a gentle tightening of its five fingers, it lifted the little one up completely.

"Why--!"

The little one's feet were off the ground, and he was suspended in mid-air.

He froze for a moment, then began to struggle desperately. His two short legs kicked rapidly, as if he were riding an invisible windmill; his two little hands waved wildly, drawing messy trails in the air. His body swayed back and forth in mid-air, like a fish being pulled out of the water.

"Who is it!" he shouted angrily, his little face full of defiance. "Don't you know you can't lift a little one by the back of their neck? It'll make them stupid!"

No one answered him.

The hand still held him steadily, neither loose nor tight, just dangling him like a disobedient kitten.

"Snap—"

A slap landed lightly on the little one's bottom.

The force wasn't painful, but it carried an undeniable sense of familiarity. The angle, the rhythm, the slight upward curve of the palm as it touched the little bottom—it all felt like a habit etched into the bones after countless practices.

The little one suddenly froze.

The little legs that were flapping stopped, and the little hands that were waving also stopped.

He seemed frozen in mid-air, completely motionless. Only his large, dark eyes slowly, very slowly widened.

"Oh, Uncle Li!"

His voice carried an irrepressible joy, like the brightest star in the darkness suddenly exploding, radiating light.

He turned half his head, tilting his neck to look at the familiar face behind him. That face still held the familiar calm and indifference, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, as if he had never left.

The little one's eyes suddenly reddened, but his mouth stretched into a wide grin.

"Uncle Li! You're out of quarantine!"

He struggled to turn around and hug Li Chenzhou, but being held by the back of his neck, he couldn't exert any strength and could only flail his arms and legs in mid-air like a little turtle that had been flipped over, struggling in vain.

Li Chenzhou looked at the fussy little thing in his hands, and the smile on his lips deepened. He gently tossed the little one from behind his neck to his arms, catching him steadily.

The little one buried her face in Li Chenzhou's chest, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and whispered, "Uncle Li, I missed you so much."

Li Chenzhou patted his back without saying a word. But the hand that patted his back was lighter and slower than usual, as if it were comforting a little animal that hadn't seen its master for a long time and was both aggrieved and happy.

After a while, the little one finally peeked out from Li Chenzhou's arms. He sniffed, swallowing back the tears that hadn't yet fallen, and tilted his head back, his little face full of pride.

"Uncle Li, I made you Five-Fish Milk! It's your fifth birthday present! I made it myself!"

Li Chenzhou looked down at him, at his red eyes, at his smile with a missing front tooth, at his little face that seemed to say, "Praise me, praise me!"

"Hmm," Li Chenzhou said. "I can smell it."

The little boy paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered that he still smelled of milk. His little face flushed red, and he quickly buried his head in Li Chenzhou's neck again.

Oh no, I've embarrassed myself in front of Uncle Li.