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

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Long after the imperial decree faded in the void, the crowd still lingered. Some were still savoring the earth-shattering battle of the past three days, some were still discussing the arrogant child clutching the pottery jar, and some were already plotting how to establish a connection with the newly crowned number one Blood-Transfer Realm expert. The Fire Emperor, standing with his hands behind his back at the forefront of the crowd, gazed across the gradually calming battlefield, landing on the open gates of the Eternal Life Trial Tower. His face was calm as still water, but within his deep eyes surged waves unfathomable to others.

He was thankful. Not just any kind of thankful relief, but a deep-seated, almost primal, relief, like surviving a catastrophe. If he hadn't let Huo Ling'er approach that child, if he had adopted a wait-and-see or even hostile attitude towards Stone Village like the other forces, if he had hesitated at that door—what would the Fire Kingdom be like today? He dared not think about it.

The Fire Emperor remembered clearly that when he first heard of Stone Village, he didn't pay much attention. What could be so special about a small village deep in the Great Wilderness? Even with that being in charge, he was just a reclusive powerhouse living in a remote corner. Such beings weren't uncommon in the Eight Domains. They didn't concern themselves with worldly affairs or interfere in conflicts; as long as they weren't provoked, they lived in peace. But later, when Huo Ling'er returned from the Void God Realm, constantly muttering "that brat," he began to truly pay attention to the village. He sent people to investigate, and the results shocked him—the village not only housed that unfathomable being, but also a willow tree that had once been a god, a group of villagers growing rapidly, and a child personally nurtured by that being.

The Fire Emperor acted decisively, sending Huo Ling'er to Stone Village multiple times under the guise of "traveling." It wasn't for intelligence gathering or recruitment, but simply for genuine friendship. He told Huo Ling'er to go without any ulterior motives, like visiting a friend's house—to play with the child, chat with the villagers, eat their food, and drink their animal milk. Although Huo Ling'er feigned reluctance, she went nonetheless, time and time again. She and the child went from bickering to becoming close, and from close to developing a true friendship. The child called her "Fat Sister," and she called him "Dead Milk Baby"—it sounded like mutual disdain, but the Fire Emperor knew it was a kind of intimacy only found between true friends.

Now, the Fire Emperor stands here, watching the child be bestowed the title of the number one in the Blood-Moving Realm, watching those masked Venerable-level beings retreat in disgrace, watching those forces that once pressured the Fire Kingdom now turn pale and are caught in a dilemma. He has only one thought in his mind—thankfully, thankfully my daughter knows him.

He turned to look at Huo Ling'er beside him. The little girl was squatting on the ground, drawing something in the air with a twig. Upon closer inspection, it was a grotesque portrait of Little Dot—his head was drawn exceptionally large, his mouth extremely crooked, and he was holding a round pottery jar in his arms, with four words written beside it: "Dead Milk Baby." Huo Huang's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he held back. That was just his daughter's nature; she would complain vehemently, but deep down she cared more than anyone else. He could tell that although Huo Ling'er always bickered with Little Dot, she truly cherished their friendship. Every time she returned from Stone Village, she would chatter on and on, talking about what stupid things that dead milk baby had done, how delicious the animal milk in Stone Village was, how beautiful Willow Goddess was, and how powerful Uncle Li was. Her eyes would shine, a light that only appeared when she encountered people and things truly worth cherishing.

The Fire Emperor withdrew his gaze and looked again at the open tower door. He remembered the forces that had once united to pressure the Fire Kingdom: the ferocious beasts of the Ancient Divine Mountain, the elders of various sects, and even envoys from some ancient kingdoms. They gathered together, using various methods to force the Fire Kingdom to hand over the secrets of the Eternal Trial Tower. Some offered bribes, some threatened, some secretly sabotaged, and some openly pressured. During that time, the Fire Emperor endured immense pressure, but he did not back down, because he knew that he was protecting not only the interests of the Fire Kingdom, but also the trust of that being. Now, those forces that had once exerted pressure stood in the crowd, their faces ashen, watching that child wreak havoc, watching the Fire Kingdom peacefully enjoy its initial advantage. They must be feeling terrible. The Fire Emperor even wanted to laugh, but he held back. Because he knew that true victory was not about how disheveled the enemy was, but about how steady one's own forces were.

He suddenly remembered the Stone Emperor. That emperor of the Stone Kingdom had already left the crowd and returned to his palace. The Fire Emperor didn't know what he was thinking, but he could guess some things. That child was of the Stone Clan's bloodline, a descendant of the Martial King's Mansion, an abandoned infant cast aside by the Stone Clan. Now he stood at the pinnacle of the Eight Domains, becoming the number one Blood-Moving Realm expert, while the Stone Kingdom had nothing to do with him. The Stone Emperor's silence wasn't due to a lack of words, but rather a deep sense of shame. The Fire Emperor secretly sighed inwardly, thankfully, thankfully the Fire Kingdom hadn't made the same mistake. Thankfully, Huo Ling'er hadn't looked down on him because the child was "still nursing." Thankfully, he, the Fire Emperor, wasn't a shortsighted person.

He recalled the first time he encountered that being. It was in the Tower of Eternal Life, with its towering, ethereal silhouette, its vast, boundless sea of ​​stars, and its aura that sent shivers down one's spine. He thought himself a peak being of the Eight Domains, but before that being, he felt like an ant, insignificant even less than dust. In that instant, he understood that this being was neither someone he could provoke nor someone he could scheme against. The only thing he could do was be sincere, trusting, and simply do what needed to be done.

Therefore, unlike other forces, he didn't test the limits of that being; unlike the Primordial Divine Mountain, he didn't secretly collude with other realms; unlike some ancient kingdoms, he wasn't two-faced. He simply followed the being's instructions honestly, selecting allies loyal to humanity, arranging for trustworthy individuals to enter the Trial Tower, and transforming the opportunities he gained into the strength of the Fire Kingdom. He didn't cheat, didn't embezzle, and didn't feign compliance. Everything he did was worthy of the being's trust. Now, that trust has become the Fire Kingdom's strength. Those forces that once exerted pressure no longer dare to act rashly. Because behind the Fire Kingdom stands not just an ancient kingdom, but that being, and the child personally nurtured by that being.

The Fire Emperor took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He turned and walked towards Huo Ling'er. "Ling'er, let's go."

Huo Ling'er looked up, still holding the twig in her hand. The ground was covered with ugly drawings of little figures. "Father, wait a little longer, I haven't finished drawing yet."

"What are you drawing?" The Fire Emperor looked down and his lips twitched involuntarily. "What are you drawing? The head is so big and the body is so small, it looks like a monster."

"He's a monster," Huo Ling'er said matter-of-factly. "A monster who drinks milk. The number one monster in the Bloodstained Realm."

The Fire Emperor shook his head and reached out to help his daughter up. "Let's go back and talk about it. Your mother is waiting for us."

Huo Ling'er reluctantly stood up, dusted off her skirt, and tossed the branch aside. She glanced back at the open tower door and muttered under her breath, "You brat, just wait until you come out, I'll steal your pottery jar."

The Fire Emperor heard this but said nothing, only smiled slightly. He knew his daughter was expressing her care for that child in her own way. She wouldn't say anything mushy, wouldn't say things like "You're so amazing" or "I'm so proud of you," she would only say things like "You little brat," "Fat sister," and "You stole my pottery jar." But it was precisely this awkward expression that was the most genuine.

Father and daughter walked side by side out of the crowd, heading towards the exit of the Void God Realm. Behind them, the leaders of the various factions were still discussing amongst themselves, the prodigies were still ashamed, and the rogue cultivators were still excitedly discussing the earth-shattering battle of the past three days. But the Fire Emperor simply walked calmly, his steps unhurried, his back straight. He felt no pride, no arrogance, only a deep, surviving sense of relief.

Fortunately, the Fire Kingdom chose the right side. Fortunately, Huo Ling'er made that friend. Fortunately, he didn't play any tricks on that being. Fortunately, he chose trust, chose sincerity, and chose to do what he was supposed to do.

Because he knew that in this world, some things were more important than strength. More important than magical techniques, more important than the inheritance of immortal cultivation, more important than the title of the best in the world. That was trust, that was sincerity, that was having someone willing to stand behind you and support you in crucial moments.

The Fire Emperor glanced back at the open tower gate and silently said in his heart: Thank you. Not to that being, not to the little one, but to fate. Thank you, fate, for allowing the Fire Kingdom to not miss any of this.

In the distance, the light of the Tower of Immortality gradually dimmed, but the door remained open. It waited, waiting for the child still nursing to emerge from the tower and claim his glory. Meanwhile, the Fire Emperor, with his daughter, was already on his way home. He knew that from this day forward, the relationship between the Fire Kingdom and Stone Village would no longer be a simple alliance, but a true and unbreakable bond. Because the friendship between that child and Fire Spirit was stronger than any covenant.

A gentle night breeze stirred, and starlight flowed silently through the void. The Fire Emperor's figure gradually disappeared into the light, yet a faint smile lingered on his lips. It was a smile of relief, a smile of acceptance, a smile that saw the future.

He knew that the future of the Fire Kingdom was brighter from this day forward. Not because the Fire Kingdom was particularly strong, but because the Fire Kingdom had a good friend. That arrogant, milk-drinking, one-punch-a-Venerable—the number one Blood-Moving Realm expert in the world.