Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

The branches and leaves moved swiftly without wind, making a soft rustling sound, and the divine medicine shimmered with an even more dazzling light, as if expressing some kind of emotion.

Tan Lin reached out, his slender fingers gently stroking the ancient tree's gnarled trunk.

He felt a warm, smooth texture to the touch, not the roughness of wood on the surface, but rather a delicate smoothness like jade.

By stroking it with his fingertips, he could feel the vast, endless life essence flowing and circulating within it.

At that moment, as if sensing something, he slowly closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a realization dawned on me, a truly unexpected and delightful surprise.

The profound explanation of the laws of life in this immortal elixir is particularly unique, worthy of his deep contemplation and integration into his own "Great Dao of Myriad Selfs" for further deduction.

All of us are myself, yet we are all distinct from one another.

The myriad selves, the myriad selves across lifetimes, all follow their own path, yet all return to oneness, pushing the combat power and status of this life to their ultimate limit.

The Great Dao of Myriad Self that he has now comprehended can only manifest several similar-looking Dao patterns of his true self based on his own Dao journeys through countless past lives.

Based on this foundation, ten becomes a hundred, a hundred becomes a thousand, a thousand becomes ten thousand, thus deriving all sorts of laws and paths to which the myriad selves, which cannot yet be truly defined or manifested, are derived.

But this sudden realization allowed him to recreate the ingenuity of his past life.

If he can fully comprehend this, then his path in this life—the Great Way of All Self that can be continued through generations, constantly accumulating and rising higher and higher—will be further perfected and reach a higher level.

Then I will comprehend the supreme mystery of the word puzzle within the Spirit Treasure Formation Diagram...

Tan Lin stroked the tree trunk for a moment, his thoughts wandering.

Now is not the time to seek enlightenment on the spot, and the current situation does not allow it.

hum...

Just then, he caught a glimpse of a thought conveyed by the ancient tree, and a sudden thought struck him.

Immediately afterwards, he burned away the half-finished firefly within the sixth deep crimson light, activating the Soul Pearl's divine power. A wisp of his consciousness then connected with the depths of his soul—to the crimson mark of the former Human Emperor.

shuh...

Soon, a wisp of his mind, carrying the supreme status of his past life, quietly passed to the Ancient Tree of Life, communicating with its spontaneously arising thoughts.

At this moment, facing the immortal elixir that all the heroes present coveted and coveted,

He did not use the Emperor's Banner or the Immortal Slaughtering Formation to forcibly suppress it, thus taking it away.

During the conversation, his thoughts were peaceful yet vast.

There was no coercion, no threats or inducements, only a vast and all-encompassing universal principle, and an explanation of all principles, of longevity, and of the essence of life.

Within it, there is also a faint trace of the majestic imperial aura of the Human Emperor who nurtured all living beings and bestowed blessings upon all people.

rustling... rustling...

Time passed little by little.

The ancient tree of life swayed gently, and the rosy light fell like rain, enveloping Tan Lin.

The rays of sunlight seeped into his body, bringing him an incomparably comfortable feeling. The energy, spirit, and soul power that he had consumed during his journey up the mountain and into battle since emerging from the Divine Soul Pool were rapidly recovering.

After a while,

Within and outside the divine realm, under the gaze of countless burning, greedy, and complex eyes filled with envy and jealousy, the ancient tree of life suddenly shone with divine light!

Boom...

Suddenly, the entire majestic sacred mountain seemed to tremble slightly at that moment.

Then, the ancient tree, rooted on the mountaintop and with its roots immersed in the boundless ocean of divine faith and power of the mountain, its spread extending to an unknown depth and distance of the sacred mountain, slowly rose from the mountain on its own!

Rumble... Rumble...

When its roots leave the rocks, they bring with them a vast expanse of misty, ethereal light, and an intense, life-giving essence, like a series of nine-colored waterfalls cascading down from a celestial realm.

Splash...

Finally, after a short while, the ancient tree of life detached itself from the sacred mountain that had been rooted there for hundreds of thousands of years.

However, it did not appear weak; on the contrary, the glow of the sunset was even brighter, and the vitality of life was even more magnificent.

Swish!

next interest.

It shrunk in size, briefly transforming into a small, exquisite, nine-colored tree about a foot tall, its branches and leaves swaying.

It actually flew to Tan Lin's side on its own, gently nuzzled his palm, and made a cheerful and affectionate "shush" sound.

Finally, it transformed into a nine-colored stream of light, which also disappeared into Tan Lin's sleeve and vanished from the sight of the heroes outside.

The elixir of immortality... it has recognized a master?!

And it was voluntary following?!

Without any oppression...

How is that possible?!

At this moment, this scene atop the sacred mountain once again deeply impacted the hearts and minds of all living beings there.

"The elixir of immortality possesses a spirit, choosing its master to reside in. It cannot be obtained without great fortune, great destiny, great merit, or a predestined affinity with the elixir itself..."

Within the forbidden land of gods and demons, beside Jiang Wanqing, the old woman from the Jiang family once again showed an undisguised expression of emotion:

"I never imagined that this person would receive the divine medicine and willingly follow me. Such a thing is unheard of throughout history!"

"The divine medicine allows one to fly and disappear into the earth. Whether it's something one actively follows or something others forcibly confine one with, there are very few precedents in ancient texts for it to be done by someone who hasn't attained enlightenment..."

Jiang Wanqing's lips parted as if she were talking to herself.

Ancient books record only a few instances of this, yet now that indestructible golden body has actually caused a complete immortal elixir to willingly follow it...

This person's good fortune and luck, and the unknown mystery, once again refreshed her understanding and exceeded the imagination of everyone present.

The mountaintop.

hum...

Crimson mist surged, and on the Soul Pearl barrier, some of the thin causal lines that were originally on the verge of breaking at any moment thickened slightly, gaining a bit more resilience.

Tan Lin carefully put away the ancient tree of life and left without lingering.

He didn't even glance at the ravaged sacred mountain or the various cultivators from within and outside the divine realm.

Hey!

With a single step, his figure merged into the void, vanishing without a trace.

All that remained was a deathly silence over the entire sacred mountain, and countless gazes from different corners of the divine realm, unable to recover for a long time.

……

Beside the Pool of Divine Souls.

The divine energy barrier cast by the Emperor's Banner still shrouded this area, isolating it from the outside world.

Inside the light barrier, Suiren Lianlei sat cross-legged, her aura deep and concentrated.

Two distinctly different Daoist principles, Taiyin and Taiyang, flowed alternately around her body, sometimes as cool and clear as moonlight, sometimes as intense and fiery as the divine sun.

However, all of this eventually settled into a clever balance, transforming into a hazy, illusory image of a yin-yang millstone, appearing and disappearing behind it.

Although her cultivation level did not show significant improvement after several days of seclusion, she remained in seclusion for a long time.

However, his aura became increasingly profound and restrained. The sharpness and impatience he had shown before, like a sword being drawn from its sheath, had been refined away, replaced by a harmonious and serene Daoist charm.

wow...

At this moment, as if sensing something, she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze reflecting the ebb and flow of the sun and moon, before finally settling into calm.

She did indeed feel the brief but earth-shattering fluctuations in the outside world, and soon after, she saw Tan Lin return.

Upon seeing Tan Lin's figure appear, she stood up and bowed respectfully to him:

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your guidance and help me understand the true meaning of the Yin and Yang. I will always remember this kindness."

Her voice was clear and melodious, filled with sincere gratitude.

Although this period of seclusion did not result in a breakthrough,

But she felt that her foundation was more solid and her path ahead was clearer, which was more precious than a simple improvement in her realm.

Tan Lin nodded slightly in response.

His gaze swept over Suiren Lianlei, and he could sense the change in her aura, understanding the situation immediately.

Immediately, he raised his hand and summoned the Emperor's Banner from his sleeve, which transformed into a stream of light and hovered in front of him.

He stroked the flagpole of the old battle banner, feeling the faint weariness and dimness emanating from it, and then handed it to Suiren Lianlei:

"This banner is given to you again for protection. When you return to Ziwei in the future, you can also place it on the altar of the Taoist lineage so that it may be nourished..."

At this point, he changed the subject and said directly:

"Now that this matter is settled, I need to stay here for some more time to reflect. Tianling and you, it is up to you to decide whether to stay or leave."

Tan Lin's voice remained calm throughout, as if he had no emotional fluctuations about parting, even when speaking to Tian Ling.

Upon hearing this and seeing this, Suiren Lianlei's expression turned solemn, and she respectfully accepted the Emperor's Banner with both hands.

The battle flag felt slightly heavy in her hand. The moment she held it, the vast imperial majesty and the aura of war made her heart tremble, and at the same time she felt a heavy sense of "responsibility".

She knew that what was being handed to her was not just a supreme weapon of immense power, but also a trust.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, Lian Lei will certainly live up to your expectations."

She said in a deep voice, carefully putting away the Emperor's Banner.

She did not inquire about Tan Lin's actions on the sacred mountain, nor did she wonder what caused the earth-shattering fluctuations.

There are some things that shouldn't be asked, and that's her sense of propriety.

As soon as they finished speaking,

Beside her, Tianling, who had already finished her meditation, was looking at Tan Lin with a half-smile.

With her spiritual affliction resolved, her intuition became even sharper, allowing her to fully deduce that the recent changes in the direction of the sacred mountain were related to Tan Lin.

However, she didn't ask any further questions. But in her bright and sparkling eyes, which had recently become more radiant, there was a knowing look that seemed to understand everything, as well as a hint of cunning.

"The matter has just ended, and Xiao Lin'er is already eager to send us away?"

Tianling's lips curled slightly, her voice carrying a hint of languor and mischief:

"Very well, now that my spiritual ailment has been resolved, there is no point in me staying here any longer."

It's time to return to the Big Dipper, merge with Shen Yue's physical body, and return this young girl's body, a descendant of the Daoist lineage, to her true self.

As she spoke, she gently patted "her" stunning cheeks, a gesture that seemed somewhat strange.

Tan Lin looked at her, his expression remaining calm, and said as if he were sparing with words:

"Early integration, early breakthrough, and the great path is within reach."

Da...da...

Upon hearing this, Tianling lightly touched the ground with her delicate feet, which were encased in a pair of purple-gold stiletto heels with openwork embroidery, and took a few steps to stand in front of Tan Lin, looking up at him.

At this moment, she was using Gu Qingying's body. Although she was also tall, she was not as tall as Gu Qingying or Shen Yue's original body. She looked half a head shorter than Tan Lin and had to look up slightly.

Her beautiful eyes sparkled, revealing a deep and intense affection deep within, but even more so, a resolute and carefree spirit rekindled after the hidden dangers had been resolved.

"Alright then, my dear 'nephew'..."

As she spoke, she suddenly tiptoed, leaned close to Tan Lin's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, her voice low, carrying a teasing and intimate tone that only the two of them could hear:

"Auntie is going back to seclusion to try and become a Quasi-Emperor. You have to be good and don't let that vixen surnamed Shao bewitch you and make you forget about your aunt while I'm gone."

A warm breath brushed past my ear, carrying a fragrance that was both strange and familiar.

Tan Lin gently inhaled the fragrance.

His eyes flickered slightly, but he did not look away; he simply gazed quietly at "Gu Qingying".

After Tianling finished speaking, she took a small step back and gazed at him intently with her beautiful eyes, as if she wanted to etch his handsome appearance, which was becoming more and more like his appearance in his previous life, into her heart.

Finally, she smiled sweetly, a smile as bright as the morning sun, carrying a sense of worldly wisdom and a feeling of relief, with boundless anticipation for the future.

"There is ample time."