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

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News of the Fire Emperor's banquet spread throughout the entire capital that very afternoon. It was no ordinary banquet, but a state banquet, held in the grandest hall of the imperial palace, the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Invited were not only the civil and military officials of the Fire Kingdom and representatives of various factions, but also envoys from neighboring countries, messengers from the Ancient Divine Mountain, and leaders of various religious sects. The Fire Emperor's stated reason was to welcome distinguished guests from afar, but everyone knew who those distinguished guests were.

The news caused a sensation in the capital. Those who hadn't been invited crowded the streets outside the palace, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the distinguished guest. Those who had been invited, meanwhile, prepared in their residences, donning their finest attire and bringing their most precious gifts, hoping to make a good impression on the guest. They knew that although the guest was only a five-and-a-half-year-old child, the person standing behind him was someone they couldn't afford to offend.

As the sun set, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was brightly lit. Long tables lined both sides of the hall, covered with brocade and laden with golden platters and jade cups. The platters were overflowing with delicacies, and the cups were filled with exquisite nectar. Attendants moved about the hall with light, practiced steps. In the very center of the hall, the Fire Emperor sat regally on his dragon throne, clad in a crimson dragon robe and wearing a purple-gold crown, his face majestic, his gaze sharp as lightning. Beside him, two seats were empty: one for Li Chenzhou, and the other for Little One.

The guests arrived one after another. They took their seats in order of rank. Near the dragon throne sat the princes, dukes, and princesses of the Fire Kingdom, as well as the leaders of various powerful factions. Behind them were civil and military officials, envoys from various regions, and representatives of independent cultivators. The hall was packed, with at least two or three hundred people. They whispered and murmured among themselves, discussing the child who was about to appear.

"I heard that kid defeated Lieyang with just one punch."

"Lieyang is at the Inscription Realm, while that child is only at the Cave Heaven Realm. How is this possible?"

"Why is it impossible? You didn't go to the Realm of the Void Gods, you didn't see the three-day challenge. Those masked Venerables, who have lived for seven or eight hundred years, couldn't even last five moves against him."

"What kind of monster is that child? At five and a half years old, all nine caves of the Cave Heaven Realm have opened simultaneously, and he can wield 200,000 jin with a single swing of his arm. Such talent is unparalleled in the entire Eight Regions."

"It's not that we can't find a second one, it's that there has never been one before. He is the first person in the history of cultivation."

The murmurs rose and fell, like a pot of bubbling porridge. Some were amazed, some doubtful, some envious, and some fearful. But whatever their emotions, their eyes kept glancing towards the palace entrance, waiting for the child to appear.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the palace gate.

All eyes turned to it.

Li Chenzhou walked in.

He wore a simple blue robe, his hair tied back with a wooden hairpin, his face calm, his gaze indifferent. He walked at a leisurely pace, as if strolling in his own backyard. He didn't look at the guests on either side, but went straight to the seat beside the dragon throne. The guests watched his back, a feeling they couldn't quite describe welling up inside them. This man was too ordinary, so ordinary that he would be lost in a crowd. Yet they knew he was extraordinary. How could someone whom the Fire Emperor himself came out of the city to greet?

Li Chenzhou walked to the dragon throne, sat down, and said nothing.

The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat subtle. The guests didn't know how to face this person. They wanted to approach him and speak, but they didn't dare. Because this person gave them the feeling that he was too unfathomable. He sat there like an ancient well, calm and still, but you knew that beneath it lay bottomless waters.

Just then, footsteps sounded again outside the palace gate.

This time, it wasn't one person, but two.

Little Dot walked in, with Huo Ling'er by his side.

Little Dot was wearing the new clothes Huo Ling'er had prepared for him—a red brocade robe embroidered with golden flame patterns. Huo Ling'er had the best tailor in the capital rush-make it overnight, spending a considerable amount of her private savings. Little Dot felt very uncomfortable wearing it, but he was too embarrassed to refuse, because Huo Ling'er had said she wouldn't take him out for a good meal if he didn't wear it. He had no choice but to wear it, still clutching the broken pottery jar in his arms, a stark contrast to the brocade robe.

Huo Ling'er wore a long red dress, her hair styled in a high bun, adorned with a golden hairpin that jingled as she walked. A faint smile graced her face, but a hint of nervousness lingered in her eyes. This was her first time attending such a grand banquet, and as the hostess no less. Her father had instructed her to be responsible for entertaining the little one tonight, ensuring he didn't embarrass himself at the banquet.

The two walked into the main hall side by side, and all eyes were on them.

The little boy sensed the gazes, but showed no tension or fear, only curiously looking around. He saw the magnificent decorations, the elegantly dressed guests, and the long tables laden with delicacies, and his eyes lit up. He tugged at Huo Ling'er's sleeve and whispered, "Fat Sister, can we eat those things?"

Huo Ling'er glared at him. "Yes, but you can only eat after Father Emperor gives the order. You can't move around."

The little one said "Oh" and obediently followed Huo Ling'er toward the dragon throne.

When the Fire Emperor saw them approaching, he stood up. His movement caused everyone else to rise as well. This was the rule: the emperor must stand, and his subjects could not remain seated.

"Mr. Li, little one, please take a seat." The Fire Emperor's voice echoed in the hall, majestic and solemn.

Li Chenzhou nodded without moving. He had already sat down.

The little boy walked over to Li Chenzhou, climbed onto a chair, and sat down. He placed the earthenware pot on the table and began to examine the food on the plates. There was roast suckling pig, steamed spirit fish, braised spirit beast meat, stewed spirit mushrooms, stir-fried spirit vegetables, and various pastries he couldn't name. His mouth watered, and his stomach rumbled.

The Fire Emperor raised his glass, facing all the guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight's banquet is a welcome feast for Mr. Li and Little One. Let us raise our glasses together to our distinguished guests who have traveled from afar."

"To our distinguished guest!" Everyone raised their glasses and shouted in unison.

Li Chenzhou picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and put it down.

The little one also picked up his wine cup, which contained the animal milk that Huo Ling'er had given him. He raised it, imitating the adults, and shouted "To our honored guest!" before gulping down a large mouthful.

The Fire Emperor put down his wine cup and gestured for everyone to sit down. Then he clapped his hands, and the waiters filed in to serve the dishes.

The banquet officially began.

The little guy couldn't wait any longer. As soon as the food was on the table, he started eating. He grabbed a chicken leg in his left hand and a piece of roast meat in his right, his mouth stuffed full, his cheeks bulging like two buns. Huo Ling'er sat next to him, constantly wiping his mouth and reminding him to eat slowly so he wouldn't choke. But the little guy didn't listen at all, eating very quickly, and soon he had devoured more than half of the food on his plate.

The guests looked at the little boy's eating habits, exchanging bewildered glances, their hearts filled with mixed emotions. Was this the number one Blood-Moving Realm cultivator? Was this the monstrous genius who had opened all nine caves of the Cave Heaven Realm? Was this the powerful expert who defeated Lieyang with a single punch? How could he look like a little brat reincarnated from a starving ghost?

Some people couldn't help but laugh, not mocking, but finding it amusing. That child was so genuine. He wasn't pretentious, affected, or affected. He was simply himself, a five-and-a-half-year-old child still drinking milk, missing a front tooth. He didn't care what others thought of him, only whether he had enough to eat. This purity was endearing.

The Fire Emperor looked at the little boy, a slight smile playing on his lips. He felt no shame, only pride. This child hadn't become arrogant or complacent just because he'd become the best in the world, nor had he become reserved or pretentious in the capital. He was still the little boy from Stone Village, the little boy chasing the five-colored sparrows all over the village, the little boy clinging to the pottery jar. This unwavering spirit was more precious than any talent.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became lively. The guests began to toast each other, exchange pleasantries, and discuss various topics. Some talked about cultivation, some about business, some about politics, and some about gossip. The little one didn't understand any of that, nor did he want to listen; he just focused on eating.

Just then, a middle-aged man stood up. He wore a brocade robe, had a square face, a long beard, and an extraordinary air about him. He was a prince of the Fire Kingdom, the younger brother of the Fire Emperor, named Huo Lie. He held a wine cup and walked up to the little boy.

"Little one, let me toast you."

The little boy looked up at the middle-aged man, a piece of meat still in his mouth. He swallowed, wiped his mouth, and picked up his wine glass. "Who are you?"

"I am Huo Lie, the prince of the Fire Kingdom."

The little one thought for a moment, then realized he didn't recognize him. "Oh. What are you offering me?"

Huo Lie paused for a moment, then laughed. "I respect you for being the number one in the Blood Transformation Realm, for opening all nine caves, and for defeating Lie Yang with a single punch."

The little one thought the reason was good, raised his wine glass, clinked it with Huo Lie's, and then took a big gulp of beast milk.

Huo Lie finished his drink and returned to his seat.

His actions seemed to send a signal. The guests stood up one after another, holding their wine glasses, and approached the little boy. Some were officials from the Fire Kingdom, some were leaders of various powerful forces, and some were envoys from neighboring countries. Their reasons for toasting him were varied: some toasted his extraordinary talent, some toasted his unparalleled combat prowess, some toasted his youthful achievements, and some toasted his bright future.

The little boy accepted everything offered to him; he drank whatever anyone offered. Of course, he drank animal milk. Huo Ling'er prepared a large pot for him, enough for him to drink until the end of the banquet.

Huo Ling'er sat beside him, watching him surrounded by a group of people, feeling a little worried. She feared he wouldn't know how to speak properly, that he would offend someone, or that he would make a fool of himself. But she found her worries were unnecessary. Although the little guy was young and spoke bluntly, his words weren't annoying. Because he spoke the truth, without hypocrisy, politeness, or beating around the bush. The guests, far from being angry, found him endearing.

"Little one, what do you think of our Fire Kingdom?" an official asked.

"Very good," the little one said. "There's delicious beast milk, tasty spirit fruits, and a pretty chubby older sister."

Huo Ling'er's face turned red instantly, and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The guests laughed. Someone teased, "Your Highness, the little one is praising your beauty!"

Huo Ling'er glared at the person but didn't say anything. Her heart was pounding, her face was burning, and she didn't dare look at the little one.

The little boy didn't notice Huo Ling'er's strange behavior and continued eating. He grabbed another chicken leg and gnawed on it, his mouth dripping with oil.

At this moment, an old man stood up. His hair and beard were all white, his body was hunched, and he leaned on a dragon-headed cane, walking shakily to the little one. He was an old minister of the Fire Kingdom, a veteran of three reigns, and highly respected. He held a wine cup, looked at the little one, and his cloudy old eyes were full of kindness.

"Little one, this old minister toasts you."

The little boy looked up at the old man, put down his chicken leg, wiped his hands, and picked up his wine glass. "Grandpa, please don't stand, sit down and let's talk."

The old man paused for a moment, then smiled. "Very well, this old minister will sit down."

He sat down beside the little one, looking at him with deep emotion. "I've lived for eight hundred years and seen countless geniuses. Perhaps the only one I truly admire is you. Not because of your talent, not because of your strength, but because of your heart. You have a pure and innocent heart, which is more precious than any talent on the path of cultivation."

The little boy listened, seemingly understanding but not quite, but he felt the old man was a good person. "Grandpa, have you had too much to drink? Your face is all red."

The old man laughed heartily. "This old minister isn't drunk. This old minister is just happy. Happy that I can see a child like you in my lifetime."

He raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp. Then he stood up, bowed deeply to the little boy, and turned back to his seat.

The little boy watched his retreating figure, scratched his head, and didn't understand why he was bowing. Huo Ling'er told him that it was an old minister expressing respect, because the little boy was worthy of respect. The little boy thought about it and felt that he was indeed worthy of respect, so he didn't dwell on it.

The banquet lasted for two hours, ending late into the night. One by one, the guests took their leave, and the hall gradually quieted down. The servants cleared away the dishes and swept the floor. The Fire Emperor sat on his dragon throne, his face slightly flushed, clearly having drunk quite a bit. He was very happy today because his plan had succeeded. He had let everyone see Little One, making him appear before everyone. From now on, those who wanted to harm Little One would have to think twice.

The little one, his belly round and full, leaned back in his chair, burping. He had eaten a lot today, drinking over a dozen bowls of animal milk, and was so full he could barely move. Fire Spirit sat beside him, equally exhausted. She had spent the entire day with him, wiping his mouth, pouring his milk, and helping him deal with the people offering him toasts. She felt more tired than if she had been fighting all day.

"Big Sister Fatty, is today's banquet specially for me?" the little one asked.

"Yes." Huo Ling'er did not deny it.

"Why didn't you say so sooner? If you had, I wouldn't have worn this dress; it's uncomfortable."

Huo Ling'er glared at him. "Do you know how much that dress cost? I saved up my allowance for months and spent it all on this dress. You dare not wear it?"

The little one looked at her, at the light in her eyes, and suddenly smiled. "Fat sister, you're so kind to me."

Huo Ling'er turned her face away. "Who's being nice to you? I'm just... just worried that you're dressed too poorly and will embarrass the Fire Kingdom."

The little one didn't say anything, he just smiled.

Li Chenzhou stood up and walked to the little one. "Let's go, go back to sleep."

The little boy jumped off the chair, picked up the pottery jar, and followed Li Chenzhou out of the hall. After a few steps, he stopped and glanced back at Huo Ling'er.

"See you tomorrow, Fat Sister."

Huo Ling'er nodded. "See you tomorrow."

The little one grinned, revealing a bright smile with a missing front tooth, then turned around, took short strides, and chased after Li Chenzhou.

The Fire Emperor watched the small figure disappear outside the palace gates and sighed softly. He knew that this child would eventually leave the Fire Kingdom, leave the lower realm, and venture into a wider world. But he also knew that wherever he went, the Fire Kingdom would always be his friend, and Fire Spirit would always be his friend.