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

When Little Dot followed Huo Ling'er out of the palace, the streets of the capital were already packed with people. Not because of any festival, but because news had spread—the number one Bloodthirsty Realm cultivator, the Little Tyrant of Beast Milk, had arrived in the Fire Kingdom. Rogue cultivators, small merchants, and ordinary people all flocked to the streets, eager to see what the legendary child looked like. They saw him—a little boy clutching a pottery jar, with messy hair, a dusty face, and a missing front tooth. Some were disappointed, some curious, some whispered, and some pointed.

"Is that him? The one who sent the Venerable One flying with one punch?"

"It doesn't seem like it. So small and thin, how much strength could it possibly have?"

"Don't judge a book by its cover. Haven't you heard? He broke records in the Realm of the Gods, wielding 120,000 jin with a single arm."

"120,000 jin? That's just bragging!"

"Bragging? You try it! If you can catch one of his punches, I'll twist my head off and let you kick it like a ball."

The whispers rose and fell, like a pot of bubbling porridge. The little boy heard them but paid no attention. He was used to being talked about. Back in the Realm of the Gods, the whispers were much louder. He carried the earthenware jar, walking beside Huo Ling'er, looking left and right, sometimes drawn to the candied hawthorns, sometimes to the kebabs, sometimes to the street performers—he wanted to explore the entire street.

Huo Ling'er walked beside him, occasionally glaring at him to remind him not to run around. But the little guy wouldn't listen at all, rushing towards anything delicious and stopping at anything fun, and Huo Ling'er couldn't pull him back. She stomped her feet in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. She could only follow him, going from shop to shop, eating everything one by one.

"Fat sister, this is delicious!"

"Big sister, this is fun!"

"Big sister, what is this? Can I eat it?"

Huo Ling'er was overwhelmed by his questions, but she patiently answered them one by one. She told herself that this brat was a guest, and she was the hostess; she had to be a good hostess. She couldn't get angry, couldn't lose her temper, and couldn't leave him on the street. She took a deep breath, forced a smile, and continued to accompany the little one.

When they reached the entrance of an alley, the little boy suddenly stopped. He tilted his head, looking into the depths of the alley, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

"Hey chubby sister, what are they doing over there?"

Huo Ling'er followed his gaze and saw a large mansion deep in the alley. Two young men in brocade robes stood at the gate, their faces cold and their eyes sharp. Above the gate hung a plaque with the words "Heavenly Pride Pavilion." It was a gathering place for the younger generation of the Huo Kingdom, and only young cultivators who had reached a certain level of cultivation could enter. She had been there a few times before, but found it uninteresting and stopped going.

"That's the Heavenly Pride Pavilion. The younger generation of cultivators from the Fire Kingdom gather there to spar and exchange ideas. Would you like to go take a look?"

The little one thought for a moment, then nodded. "Let's go take a look."

Huo Ling'er led him towards the Heavenly Pride Pavilion. The two young men at the courtyard gate saw Huo Ling'er and quickly bowed. "Your Highness." Then they looked at the little one, their gazes scrutinizing. "And who is this?"

"My friend." Huo Ling'er didn't explain further and led the little one inside.

The Heavenly Pride Pavilion is vast, covering several acres, with pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and ponds, all arranged elegantly yet grandly. In the courtyard lies an open space paved with bluestone slabs, where a dozen or so young people, both men and women, stand, all between fifteen or sixteen and twenty years old. They wear various colored brocade robes, with magical artifacts at their waists, exuding an extraordinary air, clearly indicating their distinguished origins. They are the direct descendants of major powers in the Fire Kingdom, the cream of the crop among the younger generation, and future kings and generals.

At this moment, they were watching a sparring match. In the open space, two teenagers were exchanging blows. One wielded a saber, his swordsmanship sharp and fierce, the blade flashing like snow. The other wielded a sword, his swordsmanship elegant and graceful, the sword's shadow like a rainbow. The two fought fiercely, the sounds of their clashing swords echoing in the courtyard, sparks flying everywhere.

The little boy stood outside the crowd, clutching the pottery jar, tilting his head as he watched the sparring match. After a while, he found it uninteresting. In his eyes, the two boys' strength was just so-so. Peak Blood Refining Realm, having opened three or four cave heavens, their swordsmanship and saber techniques were decent, but that was all. They were considered excellent among their peers, but in front of him, they were not worth mentioning.

Huo Ling'er stood beside him, looking at his expression, and couldn't help but ask, "What do you think?"

"Not bad," the little guy said. "But if they were to fight me, they wouldn't last three moves."

Huo Ling'er opened her mouth, wanting to say he was too arrogant, but then she felt he was right. She had witnessed his battles in the Void God Realm; those prodigies and venerables couldn't withstand more than three moves from him. Although these two youths were excellent, they were still far inferior to those prodigies.

The little boy's words were overheard by a young man nearby. The young man was tall and handsome, wearing a silver-white brocade robe with a long sword at his waist. He turned to look at the little boy, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

"Young man, don't speak so confidently. Do you know that those two were among the top ten young masters in our Fire Kingdom?"

The little boy looked up at the young man. "So what if I know? I'm telling the truth."

The young man's expression changed. He was about to say something when someone next to him pulled him back. "Don't be impulsive. He was brought by Her Highness the Princess; give Her Highness face."

The young man took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and turned away from the little one.

But the little guy's words had already spread. The young people who were watching the sparring all turned to look at the little brat holding the pottery jar. Some were curious, some were disdainful, some sneered, and some shook their heads. They didn't recognize the little guy, and they didn't know that he was the number one Blood Refining Realm expert in the world. All they knew was that this was an arrogant little brat who didn't know his own limitations and was just bragging.

"Little kid, whose child are you? Why are you so arrogant?" A woman in red walked over, looked down at the little one, and her eyes were full of amusement.

The little one glanced at her. "I'm from Shicun. My name is Little One."

Stone Village? Little One? The woman in red paused, then her eyes widened suddenly. "You're that little one who's the number one Blood Refining Realm cultivator in the world?"

"It's me." The little one puffed out his chest and held his chin high.

The woman in red's expression changed. The young people around her also changed their expressions. Although they hadn't witnessed the little one's battle firsthand, they had heard of it. The three-day challenge in the Void God Realm, the number one Blood-Moving Realm cultivator, one punch against a Venerable, breaking records repeatedly. They'd heard these legends countless times. They imagined him to be a magnificent, awe-inspiring genius, but standing before them was a little kid clutching a pottery jar, milk stains still on his lips. The contrast was too great, too much for them to accept so easily.

"You're the best in the world?" someone questioned.

"What, doesn't it look like him?" The little one tilted his head and looked at the person.

The man was speechless, choked. He thought about it and realized there was really nothing amiss. There were no rules about what the number one in the world had to look like, wear, or use. A little kid holding a pottery jar could also be the number one in the world.

The scene was somewhat awkward. The young men exchanged glances, unsure how to respond. They had originally intended to teach this arrogant brat a lesson, to show him the strength of the younger generation in the Fire Kingdom. But now that they knew his identity, they dared not make a move. Not out of fear of losing, but out of fear of the humiliation. They were the cream of the crop among the younger generation in the Fire Kingdom; if they were defeated by a five-year-old, how could they ever face anyone in the Fire Kingdom again?

Seeing that no one was speaking, the little one grew impatient. "Are you going to fight or not? If not, I'm leaving. I need to drink some animal milk."

Those words were infuriating. The young men's faces flushed red, veins bulging, and they wanted nothing more than to rush up and beat this brat to a pulp. But they held back, because they knew they couldn't win. It wasn't a lack of confidence, but reason told them they couldn't. That kid could send even a Venerable flying with a single punch in the Void God Realm; for them, mere Cave Heaven Realm cultivators, to go up there would be nothing more than feeding them.

Just then, a voice came from behind the crowd.

"I'll do it."

The crowd parted to make way for a young man. He appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, tall and slender, with a cold and stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. He wore a black, close-fitting outfit, a short sword at his waist, and exuded the aura of a master inscription cultivator. He was the number one young talent in the Fire Kingdom, named Lieyang, the eldest son of the Great General, and Zhao Feng's older brother.

Lieyang walked up to the little boy, looked down at him, and his gaze was calm.

"You're the little one?"

"It's me. Who are you?"

"Blazing Sun".

The little one thought for a moment, realizing he'd never heard of the name. "You want to fight me?"

"Yes." Lieyang's voice was calm, without provocation or anger, only a pure, burning desire for battle. "I've heard you're the strongest in the Blood Refining Realm, with all nine caves open. I want to see just how strong you really are."

The little one looked at him, at the light in his eyes, and suddenly smiled. "Alright, I'll fight you. But I can't fight for nothing. If you lose, you have to buy me some animal milk."

Lieyang paused for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. If you lose, you have to buy me some beast milk."

"I won't lose." The little one handed the pottery jar to Fire Spirit. "Fat sister, hold this for me."

Huo Ling'er took the pottery jar, looked at the little one, wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say. She just nodded and stepped aside.

Little Dot and Blazing Sun walked to the center of the open space and stood facing each other. The surrounding young people automatically dispersed, making room for them. They held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two in the arena. One was the number one young talent of the Fire Kingdom, a master of the Inscription Realm, with unparalleled combat power. The other was the number one Blood Transformation Realm expert in the world, with all nine of his cultivation points open, his name resounding throughout the eight regions. This duel, no matter the outcome, would be something they could boast about for a lifetime.

Without a word, Lieyang attacked directly. With a flick of his right hand, a blazing blade of light shot forth from his short sword, aiming straight for the little boy's face. The blade of light was incredibly fast, imbued with the runic power of the Inscription Realm, incomparably sharp, seemingly capable of cleaving even the void itself. He used seventy percent of his strength in this strike, not out of underestimation of the little boy, but as a test. He wanted to see just how capable this legendary child truly was.

The little boy didn't dodge, didn't flinch, and didn't even take a step back. He simply raised his right hand and pointed lightly. A wisp of the essence of heaven and earth shot out from his fingertip, colliding with the blade's light.

"boom!"

The blade's edge shattered, transforming into a shower of light that scattered across the sky. The wisp of heaven and earth's essence, however, continued its relentless advance, hurtling straight towards Lieyang. Lieyang's expression changed; he dodged the essence in a flash. The essence struck the artificial hill behind him, causing it to explode with a deafening roar, sending debris flying everywhere.

The scene was deathly silent.

The young people stared blankly at the pile of rubble, then at the little boy, their hearts filled with shock. They had witnessed the blazing sun's blade-like light, capable of cleaving even iron and stone. Yet, before this little boy, it couldn't even withstand a single finger's strike. Just how strong was that child?

Lieyang steadied himself, looking at the little one with a hint of seriousness in his eyes. He knew the little one was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this strong. He hadn't used his full strength in that finger strike, but the little one hadn't either. He had tested the little one, and the little one was testing him. The result of the test was that he lost. Not because of cultivation level, but because of power. The child's power had already surpassed the realm of the Cave Heaven Realm, reaching a height he couldn't comprehend.

"Again!" Lieyang wasn't discouraged; instead, he became even more excited. He gripped the sword with both hands, the runes within his body surging wildly, and the blade shone with a blinding light. That was his strongest move, the Blazing Sun Slash. With a single strike, it was like a blazing sun crashing to earth, incinerating everything in its path.

The little boy watched the increasingly bright light, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. This strike was far more powerful than the previous one. He no longer used his fingers, but clenched his fist. The nine inner heavens within his body rotated simultaneously, and six streams of spiritual energy surged forth, converging on his right fist.

He threw a punch.

"boom!"

The force of the fist collided with the blade's edge, producing a deafening roar. The entire Heavenly Pride Pavilion trembled, and several cracks appeared in the bluestone slabs. The young people were thrown back by the aftershocks, some even falling to the ground.

The light faded, and Lieyang stood there, gripping the short sword in both hands, its gleam now completely dim. His hands were split open, blood dripping from the hilt onto the ground. His face was pale, his breathing rapid, his eyes filled with horror. His strongest move had been shattered by that child's punch. Not by trickery, not by technique, but by pure, overwhelming power. That child's fist was like a mountain, crushing him until he could barely breathe.

The little one retracted his fist and blew away imaginary dust. "You lost."

Lieyang remained silent for a long time, then released the short sword, letting it fall to the ground. He raised his head, looking at the little one, his eyes filled with admiration, not resentment.

"I lost. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."

The little one grinned, revealing a bright smile with a missing front tooth. "Don't forget to buy me some animal milk."

Lieyang smiled too. "I can't forget it."

The surrounding young people watched this scene with mixed feelings. They had once thought that with Lieyang among the younger generation of the Fire Kingdom, they were enough to dominate the eight regions. But today, they witnessed Lieyang being defeated by a five-year-old child with a single punch. The child's strength filled them with despair. It wasn't that Lieyang wasn't strong enough, but that the child was too strong. So strong that they felt their years of cultivation had been wasted.

Huo Ling'er, clutching the pottery jar, stood outside the crowd, watching the little one, a smile involuntarily curving her lips. That brat, still so formidable. No matter where he was, no matter who he faced, he could always win. She didn't know if he would never lose. She only knew that she didn't want to see him lose.

The little boy took the earthenware jar from Huo Ling'er, opened the lid, and took a sip of beast milk. The aroma of milk wafted through the courtyard, filling everyone's nostrils. The young people, smelling the milky fragrance and watching the child still drinking milk, felt an indescribable mix of emotions. This was the number one Blood-Moving Realm cultivator in the world, this was the monstrous genius with all nine caves open, this was the child who shook the eight regions. He was indeed strong, so strong that it inspired despair. Yet, he was still just a child, a child still drinking milk, missing a front tooth, clutching an earthenware jar.

"Fat sister, let's go. This place isn't fun." The little one took Huo Ling'er's hand and walked towards the outside of the courtyard.

Huo Ling'er, pulled along by him, glanced back at the young people still in a daze and sighed silently. She knew that from this day forward, the younger generation of the Huo Kingdom had gained another person to look up to. That person's name was Little Dot.

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