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

Chapter 320 Border War 2

The news that Little Dot had killed the Ironback Wolf, a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, with a single punch spread like wildfire throughout the entire border of the Fire Kingdom.

The ferocious beasts that had been watching from afar felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this news. They knew the child was strong, but they hadn't expected him to be this strong. The Ironback Wolf, a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, was already considered above average among them, yet it had been killed by that child with a single punch, without even a chance to struggle. They began to hesitate, to retreat, and to doubt whether their attack had been a mistake.

But their hesitation didn't last long, because more ferocious beasts surged forward.

That was the main force of the ancient divine mountain, tens of thousands of ferocious beasts, sweeping in from the depths of the Great Wilderness. Among them were iron-backed wolves, blood-eyed demonic apes, golden-winged centipedes, three-headed pythons, crimson flame scorpions, frost tigers, thunder leopards, wind beasts… densely packed, covering the sky and earth, like a black tide, sweeping in. Their footsteps shook the earth, their roars changed the color of the sky, and their ferocious flames distorted the air.

Leading the pack was a Blood-Eyed Demonic Ape, a peak Venerable Realm being. Its massive form was like a mountain, covered in jet-black scales, its eyes blood-red like lanterns, gleaming with a bloodthirsty light. In its hand it gripped a thick iron rod, its surface covered in ancient runes, radiating a chilling aura. Behind it followed three other ferocious beasts of the same Venerable Realm: a Golden-Winged Centipede, tens of feet long, its entire body golden, each segment covered in sharp barbs; a Three-Headed Python, each head serving a specific function: one breathed fire, one venom, and one ice; and a Crimson Flame Scorpion, its tail hook held high... Black venom dripped from the hook tip, corroding deep pits that emitted bluish smoke as they fell to the ground.

Four Venerable Realm beasts and tens of thousands of Spirit Transformation Realm, Inscription Realm, and Array Formation Realm beasts—such a lineup is enough to flatten an ancient kingdom.

In the camp on the border of the Fire Kingdom, the soldiers, seeing the dark, overwhelming tide of beasts in the distance, turned pale and their legs went weak. They knew there were many ferocious beasts, but they hadn't expected so many—so many that it filled them with despair. Their hands gripping their spears trembled, their teeth chattered as they bit their lips, and their hearts pounded as if they would burst from their chests. They wanted to run, but their legs wouldn't obey them, as if nailed to the ground. They wanted to cry, but their tears had already dried up.

The Fire Emperor stood at the edge of the camp, his face grave, his gaze sharp as lightning. He knew this battle would be difficult, but he hadn't expected it to be this difficult. Four Venerable Realm beasts, an army of tens of thousands of beasts—such strength far exceeded the Fire Kingdom's border garrison's capacity to withstand it. He only had three thousand soldiers at his disposal, capable of at most holding off beasts at the Spirit Transformation Realm and Inscription Realm. Against those at the Array Formation Realm and Venerable Realm, they would only be sent to their deaths.

Huo Ling'er stood beside the Fire Emperor, her hand gripping the Crimson Flame Sword trembling slightly. She wasn't afraid of death, but she feared the deaths of the soldiers, the deaths of the civilians, and the fall of this land. She turned to look at the little boy standing not far away, a complex emotion welling up within her. Could this child withstand those ferocious beasts? Could he withstand those Venerable Ones? Could he withstand that army of tens of thousands?

The little boy, clutching the pottery jar, stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the dark, surging tide of beasts in the distance. His face was calm, but his dark, bright eyes gleamed with fighting spirit. He wasn't afraid, because he was the little boy, the number one in the Blood-Moving Realm, a prodigy who had opened all nine caves of the Cave Heaven Realm. He couldn't be afraid, because behind him were those who trusted him, relied on him, and placed their hopes on him.

"Little Red, it's your turn." The little one turned his head and looked at the little red bird perched on his shoulder.

The little red bird rolled its eyes. "Why me? Aren't you the best in the world? Go fight!"

"I can't handle that many," the little one said honestly. "There are too many. I can't kill them all by myself. You can burn a large area, I'll deal with the Venerables first, and you can take care of the smaller ones."

The little red bird was silent for a moment, then nodded. It knew the little one was right. There were too many ferocious beasts; the little one couldn't possibly kill them all by itself. Although it had just broken through to the Divine Fire Realm, its flames were more than enough to deal with those ferocious beasts at the Spirit Transformation Realm and the Inscription Realm.

"Alright." The little red bird flew off Little Dot's shoulder, spread its wings, and soared into the sky. "But don't die. If you die, no one will grill fish for me."

The little one grinned, revealing a bright smile with a missing front tooth. "Don't worry, I won't die. I still need to drink animal milk."

The little red bird didn't speak again, but increased its speed and flew towards the dark, surging tide of beasts. Its body kept growing larger as it flew, from the size of a fist to the size of a palm, from the size of a palm to the size of a millstone, from the size of a millstone to the size of a house, and from the size of a house to the size of a mountain.

Its feathers became even more crimson, brighter, and more dazzling, as if dyed with blood, as if forged in flames. Its eyes became brighter, deeper, and sharper, like two burning stars. Its aura became more powerful, deeper, and more terrifying, like the calm before a volcanic eruption, like the silence before a storm.

It spread its wings, wings that blotted out the sky, turning the entire sky red. Its wings were covered in runes, each rune burning, each rune pulsating, each rune radiating destructive power. It opened its mouth and let out a clear, long cry.

The voice pierced through the clouds, through the vast wilderness, and reached far, far away. Within that voice lay anger, compassion, resolve, and an undeniable majesty. It was the majesty of the Vermilion Bird's descendant, the power of the bloodline of the ancient divine bird, the aura possessed only by those who had ignited the divine fire.

Hearing the long cry, the ferocious beasts all raised their heads, staring at the enormous red figure in the sky, their eyes filled with terror. They recognized the bird; it was a descendant of the Vermilion Bird, the sacrificial spirit of the Fire Kingdom, a being who had ignited the divine fire. They knew that the bird was incredibly powerful, so powerful that they were utterly powerless to resist. They wanted to run, but their legs wouldn't obey them, as if nailed to the ground. Their bodies trembled, their souls trembled, and their instincts told them—run, run, or it would be too late.

But they can't escape. Because the little red birds have already started attacking.

It opened its mouth and spat out a ball of crimson flame. This was no ordinary flame, but the Vermilion Bird Divine Flame, a supreme power that only those who had ignited it could wield. The flame was extremely hot, so hot that even the void itself distorted, and the air itself seemed to burn. It plummeted from the sky like a shooting star, crashing heavily into the horde of ferocious beasts.

"boom--"

Flames exploded, transforming into countless fiery raindrops that scattered in all directions. These fiery raindrops landed on the ferocious beasts, instantly igniting them. The beasts let out piercing screams, struggling frantically, rolling on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames. But it was divine fire, not something ordinary water could extinguish. The more they struggled, the fiercer the flames burned. Their rolling on the ground mirrored the rolling flames. They died in despair, their bodies turning to ashes, scattering with the wind.

A single burst of fire killed hundreds of ferocious beasts.

The little red bird didn't stop, continuing to spew flames. One, two, three... flames shot from its mouth, crashing into the horde of ferocious beasts, exploding and turning into a rain of fire that filled the sky. That rain of fire, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, blanketed the entire battlefield.

The ferocious beasts had nowhere to escape, nowhere to hide, nowhere to conceal themselves. They could only watch helplessly as they were consumed by flames, as their bodies burned, as their lives ebbed away. Their screams rose and fell, like wails from hell, chilling to the bone. Their corpses piled up like mountains, their blood flowed like rivers.

They turned to ashes in the flames, leaving not even a trace of bone.

The little red bird's eyes were red, not from crying, but from the reflection of the flames. There was no pity in its eyes, only indifference. For it was the spirit of the Fire Kingdom, the guardian of this land. Those ferocious beasts had come to invade, to kill, to seize territory. To show them mercy would be to be cruel to the dead. It could not be soft-hearted, could not show mercy, could not be soft-hearted. It had to kill, kill until they were terrified, kill until they despaired, kill until they would never dare set foot on human territory again.

A golden-winged centipede burst forth from the horde of ferocious beasts, lunging at the little red bird. It was a beast at the Venerable Realm, enormous in size, entirely golden, with sharp barbs growing from every segment of its body. Its speed was astonishing, like a golden lightning bolt tearing through the sky. It opened its massive jaws, revealing a mouthful of fangs, and snapped at the little red bird's neck.

The little red bird didn't dodge, didn't flinch, and didn't even glance at it. It simply flapped its wings lightly, and a ball of flame flew from its wings, striking the golden-winged centipede squarely on the head.

"boom--"

The golden-winged centipede's head exploded, splattering blood and brain matter everywhere. Its body convulsed a few times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, creating a huge crater. It was dead, killed instantly, without even a chance to struggle.

The ferocious beasts, terrified at the sight of the golden-winged centipede's corpse, turned and fled. They no longer obeyed their leader's commands, nor cared for the lives of their companions; they only wanted to get as far away from that demon as possible. They ran swiftly, like the wind, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye. But they couldn't outrun the little red bird's flames, for those flames descended from the sky, overwhelming and omnipresent. Wherever they ran, the flames burned. Wherever they hid, the flames pursued them. They had nowhere to escape, nowhere to hide, nowhere to conceal themselves.

The Blood-Eyed Demon Ape roared furiously as it watched the fleeing beasts. It raised its iron rod and swung it down at the little red bird. The rod was covered in ancient runes, which burned, pulsed, and radiated destructive power. With a single strike, it tore open the void, and chaotic mist poured out from the cracks, shrouding the entire sky in a hazy fog.

The little red bird looked at the iron bar hurtling towards it, but it didn't dodge, didn't flinch, and didn't even move. It simply opened its beak, spat out a ball of flame, and met the iron bar head-on.

"boom--"

The flames collided with the iron rod, producing a deafening roar. The iron rod burned in the flames, the runes crumbled, and the entire rod turned into molten iron, dripping from the sky. The Blood-Eyed Demon Ape's hand was burned, its skin torn and bleeding profusely. It let out a miserable cry, dropped the molten iron, and turned to run away.

It ran fast, as fast as the wind, but it couldn't outrun the little red bird's flames. A ball of fire fell from the sky, striking it squarely on the back. It was ignited, its entire body ablaze with crimson flames. It screamed, struggling frantically, rolling on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames. But it was divine fire, not something it could put out on its own. Its body burned, its scales melted, its flesh evaporated. It died in despair, its corpse turning to ashes, scattering with the wind.

A Blood-Eyed Demonic Ape at the Venerable Realm died just like that. It died cleanly and silently, without even a proper struggle.

The remaining two Venerable-level ferocious beasts—the Three-Headed Python and the Crimson Flame Scorpion—were terrified by the fate of the Blood-Eyed Demon Ape and the Golden-Winged Centipede, and turned to flee. They no longer thought of attacking, killing, or seizing territory; they only wanted to live, and to get as far away from that demon as possible.

The little red bird didn't chase after it, because it was exhausted. It had only recently broken through to the Divine Fire Realm, and the divine fire within its body was still unstable, preventing it from fighting for long. It needed to rest, to recover, and to go back for a drink of water. It folded its wings, descended from the sky, shrunk back to the size of a fist, and landed on the withered tree, panting heavily.

The ferocious beasts continued to run, running without looking back, running desperately. They ran back to the depths of the Great Wilderness, back to the ancient sacred mountain, back to their old nest. They dared not come out again, for that bird was too terrifying. That flame, that divine fire, that destructive power, would be unforgettable for them for the rest of their lives.

In the camp, the soldiers watched this scene with utter shock. They watched the ferocious beasts engulfed in flames, watched those Venerable Realm beasts killed in a single blow, watched the tens of thousands of beasts flee in disarray, and an indescribable excitement welled up within them. They had won; they had truly won. Not by themselves, but by that bird, by that child, by all those who were willing to fight for them.

The Fire Emperor stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the scorched earth in the distance, at the corpses of the ferocious beasts, and at the still-burning flames. A complex feeling welled up within him. He knew the little red bird was strong, but he hadn't expected it to be this strong. The Divine Fire Realm was indeed far beyond the Venerable Realm. The flames, the power, the speed—all exceeded his comprehension. He was grateful, grateful that the little red bird was the Fire Kingdom's sacrificial spirit, their friend, their ally. If it had been an enemy, he didn't know if the Fire Kingdom could have stopped it.

Huo Ling'er stood beside the Fire Emperor, her grip on the Crimson Flame Sword finally loosening. Her palms were sweaty, her heart was still pounding, and her face was still pale. But she smiled, a smile that brought tears to her eyes. The ferocious beasts had fled, the Venerables were dead, and this land was safe. She no longer needed to worry about the soldiers dying, the people dying, or the land falling.

The little boy, clutching the pottery jar, stood at the edge of the camp, watching the red figure in the sky. He grinned, revealing a bright smile with a missing front tooth. He knew the little red bird was strong, but he hadn't expected it to be this strong. The Divine Fire Realm—it was truly beyond his comprehension. The flames, the power, the speed—all exceeded his understanding. He was grateful, grateful that the little red bird was their friend, their family, their comrade-in-arms.

"Little Red, you're amazing!" the little one shouted to the sky.

The little red bird flew down from the withered tree, landed on his shoulder, and rolled its eyes. "Stop flattering me. Go catch me some fish, I'm hungry."

The little one chuckled, grabbed the clay pot, and ran out of the camp. As he ran, he shouted, "I'm going to catch fish! You guys wait!"

Huo Ling'er watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but laugh. "That brat, all he knows is eating."

The Fire Emperor smiled, but as he smiled, his eyes reddened. He knew this battle was not the end, but the beginning. The ferocious beasts would return, the beings from the upper realms would appear, and even more powerful enemies lay ahead. But he believed that as long as they were united, as long as they didn't give up, as long as they still had hope, they could win.

He turned and walked towards the camp. His steps remained steady, his expression calm, but a newfound resolve stirred within him. He had to go back, back to write memorials, back to mobilize troops, back to prepare for the next battle. He couldn't wait here, couldn't place all his hopes on Little Dot and Little Red Bird. He too had to contribute, to fight, to shed blood and sweat for this land.

The sun was setting, casting a colorful glow across the sky. Smoke still rose from the scorched earth. The corpses of the ferocious beasts continued to burn. The soldiers continued to cheer. And the child was still catching fish by the lake.

He knew that more battles awaited him tomorrow. But he wasn't afraid, because he was Little One, the number one in the Blood Refining Realm, a prodigy who had opened all nine caves of the Cave Heaven Realm. He had Little Red Bird, Golden Monkey, Fire Emperor, Fat Sister, and Uncle Li. He also had an indomitable heart, an unyielding will, and a burning passion.

He grabbed a fish, held it high above his head, and shouted to the little red bird, "Little Red, look! What a big fish!"