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

The little red bird had been very restless lately. It perched on a willow branch, its feathers ruffled, eyes half-closed, looking utterly listless. It hadn't eaten fish for days; even when Little Dot waved a grilled spirit fish in front of it, it just rolled its eyes and turned its head away. Little Dot thought it was sick and ran to tell Li Chenzhou. Li Chenzhou glanced at the little red bird in the tree, said nothing, and simply turned and went into the kitchen.

The little red bird was indeed ill, not physically, but emotionally. It had been stuck at the peak of the Venerable Realm for many years, even longer than the Fire Emperor. The Fire Emperor had surpassed it, reaching the peak of the Venerable Realm, just one step away from the Divine Fire Realm. And it remained at the peak of the Venerable Realm. It wasn't that it wasn't hardworking, nor that it lacked talent, but rather that it lacked one thing—opportunity. The gap between Venerable and Divine Fire was insurmountable. Crossing it meant becoming a god, the most powerful being in the eight lower realms. Failing to cross it meant remaining mortal, forever trapped in the Venerable Realm until its lifespan ended, turning into a handful of dust.

It was unwilling to accept this. It was a descendant of the Vermilion Bird, with the blood of an ancient divine bird flowing through its veins. Its ancestors had once roamed the heavens and earth, commanding respect even from celestial kings. Yet it couldn't even ignite the divine fire. It felt it had failed its ancestors, its bloodline, and its very name.

That night, the little red bird flew down from the willow tree and landed in front of Li Chenzhou's window. It pecked at the windowpane with its beak, making a crisp sound. Li Chenzhou opened the window, looked at it, and said nothing.

"Mr. Li, I want to break through," the little red bird said. Its voice was very soft, as soft as a leaf falling in the wind. But behind that understated statement were countless days and nights of torment, countless attempts and failures, and countless drops of sweat and tears.

Li Chenzhou looked at it, at the light in its eyes, and remained silent for a long time. "Have you thought this through? Breaking through to the Divine Fire Realm is no joke. If you succeed, you'll be a god. If you fail, you might die."

"I know," said the little red bird. "But I don't want to wait any longer. I've been stuck at the Venerable Realm for too long, so long that I'm getting annoyed with myself. I want to break through, even if I fail, I have to try."

Li Chenzhou nodded. "Okay. I'll help you tomorrow."

The little red bird paused, taken aback. "You'll help me? How will you help?"

"I have a way." Li Chenzhou didn't explain further, closed the window, and turned to go back inside.

The little red bird stood outside the window, looking at the tightly closed door, a complex feeling welling up inside it. It didn't know what method Li Chenzhou had, but it trusted him. Because he was Li Chenzhou, that unfathomable being, the man even the gods had to bow to. If he said he had a way, then he must have a way.

The next morning, Li Chenzhou led the little red bird out of Stone Village. Little Dot wanted to go with them, but Li Chenzhou stopped him. "You wait here and don't run around." Although Little Dot was unwilling, he had no choice but to stay obediently in the village since Uncle Li had told him to.

Li Chenzhou, leading the little red bird, ventured deep into the wilderness. They traveled a great distance, so far that the smoke from the chimneys of Stone Village could no longer be seen, and the shimmering light of Spirit Lake had vanished. They arrived at a desolate mountain, barren of trees and grass, covered only in bare rocks and gray earth. At the summit was a massive crater, as if struck by something, its bottom dark and unfathomable.

"Where is this?" the little red bird asked.

"An abandoned volcano," Li Chenzhou said. "There's subterranean fire beneath, though it's extinguished, the embers still burn. If you ignite it with your Vermilion Bird bloodline, you can borrow its power to ignite your own divine fire."

The little red bird looked down at the bottomless pit, a sense of dread creeping into its heart. It wasn't afraid of the earth's fire; it was, after all, a player of fire. But it feared failure. Failure meant death, meant never seeing the people of Stone Village again, never seeing Little Dot again, never seeing Fire Spirit again. It remained silent for a long time, then took a deep breath, flew off Li Chenzhou's shoulder, and headed towards the bottom of the pit.

"Wait a minute," Li Chenzhou called out to it. He took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to the little red bird. "Drink it."

The little red bird opened the porcelain bottle, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out. It wasn't an ordinary fragrance; it was one imbued with the laws of heaven and earth, a fragrance that sent shivers down one's spine. It didn't know what was inside, but it knew it was incredibly precious, so precious that even the Fire Kingdom couldn't produce it.

"What is this?"

"Marrow Cleansing Pill," Li Chenzhou said. "It can help purify your bloodline and increase your chances of breaking through."

The little red bird was stunned. It had heard of the Marrow Cleansing Pill. It was a legendary elixir, one that even True Gods couldn't refine. Li Chenzhou actually possessed it, and had given it to it. Its eyes welled up with tears. But it did not cry, because it was a proud descendant of the Vermilion Bird and could not cry.

It tilted its head back and poured the elixir from the porcelain bottle into its mouth. The elixir melted instantly upon entering its mouth, transforming into a warm liquid that flowed down its throat into its abdomen. Wherever that liquid passed, its meridians burned, its bones were tempered, and its blood boiled. It felt the long-dormant Vermilion Bird bloodline within its body awakening. Not gradually, but like a volcanic eruption, violently and unstoppably awakening.

It couldn't help but let out a long howl, a sound that pierced the clouds and shook the entire desolate mountain. Its body began to change; its feathers became even more crimson, its eyes brighter, and its breath deeper. It felt itself filled with power, confidence, and hope.

"Go ahead," Li Chenzhou said.

The little red bird spread its wings and flew towards the bottom of the pit. Its speed was astonishing, like a red lightning bolt piercing the darkness. It flew into the pit, where the temperature was terrifyingly high, even the air seemed to be burning. It was not afraid, for it was fire itself. It opened its beak and spat out a ball of crimson flame, which fell into the pit and ignited the long-dormant subterranean fire.

"boom--"

The earth erupted in flames. These were no ordinary flames, but the purest fire from the depths of the earth's core, containing the primordial power of the beginning of time. It burst forth from the bottom of the pit, soaring into the sky, engulfing the entire barren mountain in a sea of ​​fire. The little red bird stood in the center of the inferno, wings outstretched, letting the flames consume its body. It did not flinch, for it knew this was the inevitable path. To ignite the divine fire, one must first endure its burning.

The flames tore its skin apart, charred its feathers, and caused it excruciating pain. Gritting its teeth and enduring the agony, it absorbed the flames into its body. It would use these flames to ignite the divine fire within itself. The flames surged into its meridians, its bones, and its blood. It felt something awakening within it—a seed, a seed of divine fire. It had waited countless years, and finally, this day had arrived.

Li Chenzhou stood on the edge of the crater, hands behind his back, calmly gazing at the sea of ​​fire below. His senses spread out, enveloping the entire barren mountain and the little red bird. He sensed the changes within the little red bird, the awakening power, and the spark about to ignite. He knew the little red bird was close to success. But he also knew the most dangerous moment was yet to come.

Just then, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky, accompanied by thunder and lightning. This was no ordinary lightning; it was a heavenly tribulation, a test from Heaven for those attempting a breakthrough. The Venerable One was breaking through to the Divine Fire realm and had to undergo this heavenly tribulation. If they succeeded, they would become gods. If they failed, they would be reduced to ashes.

The little red bird raised its head, looking at the rolling lightning in the sky. Its eyes held no fear, only fighting spirit. It spread its wings and burst forth from the sea of ​​fire, soaring straight into the sky. Its speed was astonishing, like a red lightning bolt, meeting the thickest bolt of lightning head-on.

"boom--"

Lightning struck its body, charring it black and leaving it covered in blood. But it didn't flinch; instead, it charged even more fiercely towards the next bolt of lightning. One, two, three… it endured each strike, overcoming each one. Its body trembled, its wings bled, its eyes bloodshot. But it didn't give up, for it knew that giving up meant death.

Li Chenzhou stood on the edge of the crater, watching the small figure in the sky, saying nothing. He didn't intervene because he knew he couldn't help with the heavenly tribulation; helping would trigger an even more terrifying tribulation, one that even he might not be able to withstand. All he could do was watch and wait, guarding the little one as he ran from Stone Village. By the time he arrived, it was already afternoon. He saw the rolling lightning in the distant sky, and the red figure struggling within it, and an inexplicable anxiety welled up within him. He wanted to rush over to help, but he knew he couldn't. The heavenly tribulation was a personal matter; no one could help anyone else.

"Uncle Li, will Xiaohong succeed?" The little boy looked up at Li Chenzhou, his eyes full of worry.

Li Chenzhou remained silent for a long time. "Yes."

The little boy didn't know why Uncle Li was so sure, but he trusted Uncle Li. If Uncle Li said it was possible, then it definitely was.

He stood on the edge of the crater, clutching the clay pot, watching the tiny figure in the sky, silently praying. Little red bird, you must succeed. You promised to teach me how to grill fish; you can't go back on your word.

The heavenly tribulation lasted for a full hour.

The little red bird was struck by eighty-one bolts of lightning, its body charred black, all its feathers gone, and it could barely stand. It plummeted from the sky, heading towards the volcano's crater. The little one's heart leaped into his throat, and he almost cried out.

Just then, a dazzling light suddenly erupted from within the little red bird. The light wasn't red, but golden, like a sun burning in the darkness. It illuminated the entire barren mountain, the entire wilderness, and the entire sky. It was divine fire, the divine fire it had ignited.

The little red bird succeeded.

It broke through from the Venerable Realm to the Divine Fire Realm.

It was no longer an ordinary bird, but a divine bird. Its feathers grew back, redder and brighter than before. Its eyes were brighter and deeper. Its aura was stronger and more profound. It spread its wings and soared in the sky, letting out a clear, long cry. That sound pierced through the clouds, through the vast wilderness, and reached far, far away.

In the capital of the Fire Kingdom, the Fire Emperor was reviewing memorials in his study when he heard that long cry. He abruptly stood up, walked to the window, and gazed into the distance. He knew it was the little red bird's voice—the sound of its successful breakthrough. His eyes welled up with tears. Because he had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Huo Ling'er was practicing her sword in the back garden when she heard that long cry. She stopped and looked up into the distance. She knew it was the little red bird's voice, the sound of its successful breakthrough. She smiled, a smile that brought tears to her eyes. That proud bird had finally become a god.

In Stone Village, Shi Yunfeng, leaning on his wooden cane, stood at the village entrance, gazing at the golden light in the distance, his cloudy old eyes filled with tears. He knew that was the little red bird, the light of its successful breakthrough. He had lived most of his life, never expecting to witness the birth of a divine bird.

Grandpa stood under the willow tree, his back straight, his face calm, but his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner excitement. He knew that the little red bird had broken through, and Stone Village's strength had increased once more. From now on, with the divine bird guarding Stone Village, who would dare to bully them?

Skinny Monkey and Snotty Kid held hands, jumping and skipping, their eyes brimming with tears. They didn't understand anything about breakthroughs; all they knew was that Little Red Bird had become stronger. Little Red Bird had become stronger, and Stone Village had become stronger. Stone Village had become stronger, and no one would dare bully them anymore.

The little golden monkey perched on a willow branch, chirping as if cheering for the little red bird. It was a member of Stone Village, and so was the little red bird. The little red bird had made a breakthrough, and of course it was happy.

The little red bird flew down from the sky and landed on Li Chenzhou's shoulder. Its body was smaller than before, but its aura was ten times stronger. It was no longer an ordinary descendant of the Vermilion Bird, but a divine bird that had ignited divine fire. It looked at Li Chenzhou, its eyes filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

Li Chenzhou shook his head. "No need to thank me. It's the result of your own hard work."

The little red bird remained silent, for it knew Li Chenzhou was telling the truth. It had indeed tried its best, but without Li Chenzhou's Marrow Cleansing Pill, his guidance, and his protection, it might have remained stuck at the Venerable Realm for many more years, perhaps even its entire life. It would remember this kindness forever.

The little one ran over, looked up at the little red bird, and his silly grin, missing a front tooth, was as bright as the rising sun.

"Little Red, are you a divine bird now? Can you carry me around from now on?"

The little red bird rolled its eyes. "I'm a divine bird, not a mount."

"But you used to fly with me."

"The past is the past, the present is the present."

"What's the difference?"

The little red bird ignored him and turned its head to the side. But the corners of its mouth couldn't help but curve up.

Li Chenzhou watched this scene, a slight smile playing on his lips. He knew that with Little Red Bird's breakthrough, Stone Village's strength had risen to another level. But he also knew that this was just the beginning. The road ahead was long, and many hardships and obstacles awaited them. But he wasn't afraid, because he wasn't alone. He had Stone Village, Willow God, Little Dot, Little Red Bird, and everyone willing to stand by him.

As the sun set and the sky was ablaze with evening glow, Li Chenzhou, with Little Dot and Little Red Bird, embarked on their journey home. Their figures gradually blurred in the twilight, but their laughter still lingered in the wind.