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

Little Dot spent seven days in the capital of the Fire Kingdom. During those seven days, he sampled all the delicacies of the capital, explored every street and alley, and met all the young prodigies of the Fire Kingdom. He fought two more matches with Lieyang; in the first match, Lieyang lasted five moves, and in the second, seven. Lieyang said he was improving, but Little Dot said he was holding back. Lieyang didn't believe him, and Little Dot didn't explain. He was indeed holding back because he didn't want to embarrass Lieyang too much. Lieyang was the number one young talent in the Fire Kingdom, a role model for countless people. If he lost too badly, those who looked up to him would lose faith. Although Little Dot was arrogant, he wasn't stupid; he knew when to be arrogant and when to back down.

Fire Spirit stayed with him every day, from morning till night, inseparable. She took him to eat the best breakfasts, to drink the best animal milk, and to see the most beautiful scenery. She bought him many things: new clothes, new shoes, new toys, and a new pottery jar. The little one said he already had a pottery jar and didn't need a new one. Fire Spirit said that the old pottery jar needed replacing; one corner was chipped off. The little one said he had chipped that corner on purpose; it was his magical weapon, and he had grown attached to it. Fire Spirit stomped her feet in anger, saying he was ungrateful. The little one chuckled and accepted the new pottery jar, saying he would keep it for later.

On the day of parting, before dawn, Little One got up. Holding the pottery jar and carrying the bundle his great-grandfather had prepared for him, he stood at the entrance of the side hall, waiting for Li Chenzhou. Li Chenzhou emerged from the study, standing with his hands behind his back, his expression calm. He glanced at Little One, said nothing, and simply strode towards the palace gate. Little One followed behind him, took a few steps, stopped, and looked back at the side hall where he had spent seven days. The hall was empty, containing only a bed, a table, and a chair. Yet, he felt that it held his memories of those seven days, his seven days of happiness.

The Fire Emperor stood by the study window, watching the two departing figures, remaining silent for a long time. He didn't see them off, afraid he would utter words of entreaty to keep them. He knew that the child didn't belong to the Fire Kingdom, nor to anyone else. He had his own path to walk, his own mission to fulfill. The Fire Kingdom was merely a stopover on his journey, a place to rest, drink some water, and then continue on his way.

Huo Ling'er stood at the palace gate, wearing a long red dress, her hair neatly combed, a smile on her face. But hidden in that smile was a trace of reluctance. She watched the little one walk over, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

"Fat sister, I'm leaving." The little one stood in front of her, looking up at her. "I'll be back in a few days; I'm going to the border."

Huo Ling'er nodded. "Be careful on the road."

"understood."

"Don't run around, don't cause trouble, and don't fight."

"Okay, okay."

"And don't forget to drink animal milk."

The little one smiled, revealing a bright smile despite missing a front tooth. "I can't forget it."

He turned around, took short strides, and chased after Li Chenzhou. After running a few steps, he stopped, glanced back at Huo Ling'er, and said, "Fat sister, you also need to work hard in your cultivation. When I come back, we'll fight again. Then, I won't hold back anymore."

Huo Ling'er paused for a moment, then laughed. "Who needs you to let me win? I'll defeat you sooner or later."

The little one grinned, turned around, and ran away without looking back.

Li Chenzhou waited for him outside the city gate. He didn't open a spatial portal because he had said he would walk next time. The little boy didn't understand why he wanted to walk, since opening a spatial portal would be faster and less strenuous. But he didn't ask, because Uncle Li must have a reason.

The two walked along the official road towards the Great Wilderness. Leaving the capital, the population gradually thinned, houses became more sparse, and forests grew denser. After walking for half a day, the official road turned into a mountain path, and the mountain path into a narrow, winding trail. All around was quiet, save for the sounds of birdsong and the wind. Little One, carrying the pottery jar, walked behind Li Chenzhou, looking left and right, and thought the Great Wilderness was better than the capital. The capital, though bustling, was too noisy. The Great Wilderness, though desolate, was peaceful.

"Uncle Li, why don't we take the spatial portal back?" the little one finally couldn't help but ask.

"Because you need to hone your skills," Li Chenzhou said. "Although the spatial passage is fast, you can't learn anything from it. Walking is slow, but you can see and learn a lot. Every mountain, every river, every tree, and every blade of grass in the Great Wilderness has its own story. If you look carefully, you will see it."

The little boy seemed to understand, but he kept Uncle Li's words in mind. He began to carefully observe everything around him. He saw mountains, each with its own unique shape: some towering into the clouds, some undulating, some solitary peaks. He saw water, each with its own form: some rushing like arrows, some calm as a mirror, some unfathomably deep. He saw trees, each with its own life: some ancient as the elderly, some youthful as children, some withered and dead as rotten wood. He saw grass, each with its own resilience: some growing in cracks in rocks, some swaying on cliff edges, some standing firm in wind and rain.

Suddenly, he realized that the Great Wilderness was no longer just a desolate wilderness. It was alive, vibrant, and full of stories. Every mountain spoke of the vicissitudes of time, every river flowed with the memories of bygone eras, every tree bore the marks of wind and rain, and every blade of grass displayed the tenacity of life. He had never noticed these things before because he was too busy. Busy drinking milk, busy chasing birds, busy fighting, busy being the best in the world. Now he had quieted down, and he saw it.

"Uncle Li, I think I understand something," the little one said.

"What do you understand?"

"Now I understand why you didn't open a spatial portal."

Li Chenzhou didn't speak, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

The two continued on their way. The sun rose in the east and set in the west. One day, two days, three days passed. They traversed forests, crossed streams, climbed hills, and traversed plains. The little one no longer rushed, but slowed his pace, focusing on sensing the atmosphere of the Great Wilderness. He felt its vastness, its desolation, its profound depth. He sensed the aura of the ferocious beasts within, some weak, some strong, some friendly, some savage. He sensed the aura of the spiritual herbs, some on mountaintops, some in valleys, some on cliff edges, some in deep pools. He sensed the aura of danger within the Great Wilderness, some in the light, some in the shadows, some right before his eyes, some in the distance.

He wasn't afraid, for he was a child of the Great Wilderness. He was born there, grew up there, learned to walk, to talk, to fight, and to drink milk there. The Great Wilderness was his home; he knew it as well as he knew his own hands. He knew where the ferocious beasts were, where the medicinal herbs were, where the danger was, and where the safety was.

On the evening of the fourth day, they finally saw the smoke rising from the chimneys of Stone Village. The smoke rose from the shore of Spirit Lake, drifting gracefully into the sky, like golden ribbons in the setting sun. Little One watched the smoke, and an indescribable feeling welled up inside him. It was the feeling of home, the feeling of warmth, the feeling of peace.

He quickened his pace and ran towards the village.

"I'm back!" he shouted as he ran, his clear and loud voice echoing across the spirit lake and through the mountains and forests.

Hearing this, the people of Stone Village rushed out of their houses. Shi Yunfeng, leaning on his wooden cane, stood at the village entrance, his cloudy old eyes brimming with tears. His great-grandfather stood straight, his face calm, but his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner turmoil. Skinny Monkey and Snotty-Nosed Boy held hands, jumping and skipping, their eyes brimming with tears. Shi Qingfeng, holding the little golden monkey, stood at the back of the crowd, a slight smile playing on his lips. Women wiped away their tears, men clenched their fists, and children stood on tiptoe, waving frantically.

The little one ran into the village and buried himself in Shi Yunfeng's arms.

"Grandpa Chieftain, I'm back!"

Shi Yunfeng held him tightly, patting his back, unable to say a word. He just held him close, as if afraid he would run away again.

Great-grandfather came over and reached out to pat the little one's head. "You've grown taller."

The little one looked up at his great-grandfather and grinned. "Of course! I drink lots of animal milk every day, so I grow really fast."

Skinny Monkey and Snotty Kid rushed over and hugged the little one tightly. "Little one, you're finally back! We missed you so much!"

The little one was held tightly in their arms, unable to move, so he could only say, "I missed you all too. Please stop holding me, I can't breathe."

Skinny Monkey and Snotty Kid let go of him, crying and laughing at the same time.

Shi Qingfeng walked over, stood in front of the little boy, looked at him, and didn't say anything. He simply reached out and took the little boy's hand. The little boy also took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm back," the little one said.

"Mm." Shi Qingfeng nodded.

The little golden monkey jumped off Shi Qingfeng's shoulder and perched on Xiaobudian's shoulder, squeaking and scratching his hair with its paws. Xiaobudian reached out and petted it, and it quieted down, nestled on his shoulder with its eyes half-closed, looking completely content.

The little red bird flew down from the willow tree and landed on Little Dot's shoulder, pushing the little monkey aside. The little monkey squeaked a few times in protest, but the little red bird ignored it. Little Dot had a bird and a monkey perched on his shoulder, looking extremely comical.

The women surrounded him, bombarding him with questions. "Did you eat well in the Fire Kingdom?" "Did you sleep well?" "Did anyone bully you?" "Is Fire Spirit good to you?" The little boy answered them one by one, saying that he ate well, slept well, and no one dared to bully him. Fire Spirit was very good to him, taking him out to eat and drink delicious food every day and buying him many things.

The men stood to the side, listening to the little one speak, their faces filled with pride. Their Stone Village child had gone to the Fire Kingdom, met the Fire Emperor, ate at a state banquet, and become a distinguished guest of the Fire Kingdom. This was something they never dared to dream of.

Li Chenzhou stood outside the crowd, hands behind his back, watching the scene with a slight smile on his lips. He didn't speak; simply watching was enough.

As night fell, Stone Village came alive again. Shi Yunfeng announced an extra meal to celebrate Little One's return. Women slaughtered chickens and fish, men carried wine and meat, and children lit a bonfire at the village entrance. The shimmering waters of Linghu Lake rippled gently in the moonlight, and the willow branches swayed softly in the night breeze, scattering dappled green raindrops. The entire village was immersed in joy, as if it were New Year's.

The little boy sat by the campfire, hugging a clay pot, eating roasted spirit fish, drinking beast milk, and recounting his experiences in the Fire Kingdom. He said the Fire Kingdom's capital was enormous, larger than a hundred Stone Villages combined. He said the Fire Kingdom's palace was incredibly beautiful, resplendent in gold and jade, like a palace in the heavens. He said the Fire Kingdom had many prodigies, including one named Lieyang, a master of the Inscription Realm, whom he defeated with three punches. He had originally intended to say one punch, but after thinking about it, he said three punches instead. He felt that saying one punch was too arrogant; although he could do it, he wanted to save face for his opponent.

Skinny Monkey and Snotty Boy's eyes lit up; they couldn't wait to go to the Fire Kingdom. Shi Qingfeng didn't speak, just listened quietly with a smile on his lips. He didn't need to go to the Fire Kingdom, because he knew that Stone Village was the best place. It had Spirit Lake, Willow God, Great-Grandfather, Clan Chief Grandfather, and Little One. That was enough.

Night deepened, the campfire gradually died down, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Little One, clutching the pottery jar, walked back to his little stone hut. He lay on his bed, covered himself with the blanket, and gazed at the ceiling, a feeling of unprecedented contentment welling up inside him. He had stayed in the Fire Kingdom for seven days, eating many delicious foods, playing many fun games, and meeting many people. But he still felt that Stone Village was the best. Because Stone Village held his home, his family, and his roots.

He turned over, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.

Cola Novel Reading Feast: A vast collection of books and an ultimate reading experience.