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

"We have moved away. When the time is right, and His Majesty has fallen into seclusion, it will not be too late to return to Beidou and rebuild our home. What do you and the others think, Uncle?"

Her clear and melodious voice drifted down.

rustling... rustling...

A brief silence fell over the ancestral hall.

Xiang Yun, Xiang Ning, and the others looked at each other, their eyes filled with struggle and hesitation.

Leaving BeiDou?

Leaving Chixia River?

Leaving this ancestral land where their lineage has lived and thrived for tens of thousands of years?!

But if they don't leave, similar crises to today's will likely occur countless more times as the world grows ever more chaotic.

Must we always rely on outsiders for help?

With conflicting thoughts, they all turned their gazes to Xiang Li in the main seat, waiting for him to make up his mind.

There, Xiang Li's aged fingers were unconsciously stroking the armrest of the seat.

His gaze swept out of the hall, as if piercing through the walls, revealing the stone fortress, now utterly ruined, yet a repository of countless memories, and the ancestral tablets enshrined in the rear hall.

Furthermore, I saw...

Deep within the Crimson Cloud River lies an abyss, a secret guarded by the family for millennia.

And at the bottom of the abyss, there stands an ancient monument inscribed with the spirit of invincible fist...

That is one of the supreme legacies left by some great ancestor from countless ages ago, and now it is a symbol of the Xiang family spirit.

Even though their bloodline is so thin, they still firmly believe that one day their glorious roots will be restored!

The base of this monument is connected to the deep ley lines of the Crimson Cloud River, mysterious and unpredictable, as if it exists in another world. Even with their abilities, and with the help of the Chi family, they simply cannot move or take it away.

And even if they move, where can they go?

How could a hidden place beyond the realm, which is not easily found by supreme beings, be so easy to find?

Even if we could find them, would it be possible for them, who have already fallen on hard times, to be found?

For the supreme being, the concentration and density of Qi and blood are the main factors that attract them.

Even in the most secluded places, without imperial-level methods of concealment, the more people who come, the more traces and flaws will appear, like a tiny flame in the dark, which is actually quite conspicuous.

Sometimes I think, if only the ancestral star of their Undying Golden Body lineage were still alive!

Why did those great ancestors, one after another, rush forward to shield their clans from the turmoil, only to perish and bring about the decline and extinction of their tribes...?

If this had not happened, the foundation left over from the ages would have been more than enough for them to weather one upheaval after another, remaining evergreen for eternity, just like the ancestral star of the Overlord, which has always stood firm in the starry sky.

At least according to the records left by the ancestors tens of thousands of years ago, there were no fewer than two supreme beings sleeping in the ancestral cave of the Overlord Ancestral Star at that time.

Such a foundation is enough to withstand most of the turmoil throughout history.

After all, even the Supreme Beings are not of one mind. To destroy that ancestral star, it would require at least two Supreme Beings to join forces. Moreover, the Supreme Beings themselves would risk their own demise. If they were forced to reach the ultimate level of sublimation, it would be a complete loss.

However, if they choose to be like the ancestral star of the Overlord Body, then their indestructible golden body would no longer be an indestructible golden body...

"We, along with our entire clan, are deeply grateful for the Chi family's kindness."

After a long silence, Xiang Li slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and heavy:

"However... Chixia River is the ancestral home of my Xiang family. Our ancestors attained enlightenment here and left behind their legacy."

Every brick and tile of this stone village is imbued with the blood, sweat, and hopes of generations of my Xiang family.

Deep within the crimson glow, there lies something of great importance left behind by our ancestors, something that cannot be moved…

He paused slightly, a resolute glint flashing in his old eyes:

"Migration to avoid disaster is a matter of course."

Although the Holy Spirit is watching us with predatory intent, and darkness and turmoil loom overhead...

Although my Xiang family has declined, if we abandon our ancestral land and flee, allowing our ancestors' resting place to be trampled and our lineage to be severed, what face will we, the descendants, have to stand between heaven and earth?

If I were to return to the underworld, how would I face my ancestors?

"grandfather!"

Xiang Yun couldn't help but speak up, her eyes reddening:

“This ley line can be moved by a Source Mage, so the legacy can be taken along as well, and the ancestral tablets can be taken! That ancient stele… perhaps we can also find a way to move that ancient stele…”

"Foolish!"

Xiang Li suddenly looked at his grandson, his gaze sharp as lightning, carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"What nonsense are you spouting? Who has the ability to move that ancient stele? Do you know how much conflict this involves? Even during the last upheaval, when our ancestors blocked the enemy at the abyss, and that ancient stele was trapped in the heart of the battlefield, it never broke..."

Moreover, since the Holy Spirit Ancestral Court has already set its sights on this place, and our entire clan is migrating, making us a huge target, how can we leave safely? I'm afraid we'll be intercepted before we even leave the Big Dipper! This would needlessly implicate our family friends, and then no one would be able to leave..."

As he spoke, he looked at Chi Yao and Chi Xuan, his tone softening slightly:

"My two nieces, the Chi family's kindness is something the Xiang family will never forget."

"The matter of migration concerns the survival of the entire clan. I certainly cannot burden the Chi family because of my own selfish desires, but I also cannot allow the last bloodline of the Xiang family to be severed because of my stubbornness..."

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and made his decision:

"How about this?"

Those young and strong men in the clan who have potential and promise are entrusted to the Chi family to migrate with your noble clan, to find a stable place to continue the family line and develop their talents.

As for the old man, and some other clansmen who were old and frail but voluntarily stayed behind, they remained to guard the ancestral land.

We are old, but we cannot bear to leave our homeland. Our roots are here, our souls are here. Even in death, we will live and die with our ancestral land!

"Li Lao?!"

"Grandpa, no!"

"Old Master!!!"

Inside the hall, Xiang Yun, Xiang Ning, and other core members of the Xiang family became agitated upon hearing this, and they all voiced their opposition, vying to stay behind.

"As the clan leader, I, Xiang Yun, should stay and guard the ancestral land! Grandfather, you should lead everyone away!"

“I, Xiang Yan, am an old man, I will stay! Yun’er, you are the future of the family, and Elder Li, you are highly respected and knowledgeable, you must also leave!”

"..."

"We will all stay! We swear to live and die with our ancestral land!"

"..."

Snapped! !

Sitting in the main seat, watching his clansmen arguing heatedly, Xiang Li slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair, emanating an aura of authority that, though weakened by blood and energy, still held undeniable power.

"Shut up, all of you!"

hum...

Having single-handedly supported the Xiang family for thousands of years, Xiang Li, though old and frail, still possessed considerable cultivation and prestige.

The moment these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

shuh...

Xiang Li's gaze swept over the crowd, and he slowly said:

My mind is made up; there's no need for further discussion.

Yun'er, Ning'er, and you young people with high blood purity and achievements, you are all the future of the Xiang family. You must leave!

I am old and my lifespan is short. My vital energy is depleted. Even if I leave this world, how long can I live?

Staying behind would at least allow them to use their familiarity with the ancestral land and even the abyss to hold off the attacking enemies, preventing any outside monsters from entering the abyss unchecked.

Furthermore, it can distract the Holy Spirit Ancestral Temple from your attention, buying you time when necessary...

That's settled then!

At this point, he turned to look at the two sisters, Chi Yao and Chi Yao, then slowly stood up and bowed deeply to them:

“My two nieces, this relocation concerns the lives of these children and the future of the Xiang family. I am deeply grateful for the Chi family’s assistance.”

"If the Xiang family manages to preserve even a single bloodline in the future, if I have an afterlife, I will surely repay their kindness in return."

Upon hearing this, Chi Yao and Chi Xuan quickly moved aside, then exchanged a glance, both seeing the complex emotions in each other's eyes.

They understood Xiang Li's decision; it was the final choice made by the head of an ancient family in a desperate situation to preserve his bloodline and safeguard the dignity of his lineage.

Tragic, yet helpless.

"Uncle, you're too kind..."

Chi Yao stood up and solemnly returned the greeting:

"Please rest assured, Uncle. The Chi and Xiang families have a friendship spanning tens of thousands of years. This time, the Chi family will do everything in its power to escort the Xiang family members to safety and make proper arrangements for them."

Beside her, Chi Xuan also said gently:

"Uncle's noble character is admirable, but... Uncle and the clansmen who remain, please take good care of yourselves. Perhaps... things may not actually come to the worst."

Her words seemed to have a deeper meaning, but she didn't say it explicitly.

Xiang Li naturally understood the implied meaning; a barely perceptible glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

But then it vanished, and all those thoughts turned into a long sigh:

"I hope so. Thank you both."

He knew what the other person meant.

However, if that time really comes, that person's situation will probably not be much better than the Xiang family's.

As they get closer to the Great Completion stage, how could those Supreme Beings and the ancient ancestors who are dormant within the Hegemon Ancestral Star really sit idly by?

Perhaps everything is just waiting for its next appearance!

Otherwise, given that person's temperament, how could he have gone for hundreds of years without ever returning to the Xiang family to visit them?

A single hair can affect the whole situation...

……

In the following days,

The Xiang family was shrouded in a somber yet busy atmosphere.

With the assistance of Chi Yao, Chi Xuan, and other clan members and cultivators who arrived later, the Xiang family began a secret selection process, gathering the able-bodied young men who were preparing to migrate, and sorting out the inheritances and treasures from resource points in the outside world that could be taken with them.

Meanwhile, Xiang Li, along with a few elderly and weak clansmen who volunteered to stay behind, began to reinforce the remaining array patterns in the ancestral land, making final preparations.

The dark clouds above Chixia River seemed to have temporarily dispersed.

However, the Chi and Xiang families, and even many other powerful sects outside, knew that this was merely the calm before the storm.

An even greater storm may be brewing in the direction of the Southern Ridge, or perhaps in the realm of the Fire Demon, who is still elsewhere, preoccupied with some unknown matter.

Beneath this seemingly calm surface, the situation in the Big Dipper and even the entire universe is becoming increasingly turbulent and unpredictable, with undercurrents surging.

…………

Time flies, and more than seventy years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The ancient star of the Heavenly Soldiers, the land of creation formed from the celestial platform of the head of the Heavenly Venerable Lingbao.

At the heart of the world, the ancient tree of life is lush and verdant, casting countless rays of sunlight and surging life force, making this area resemble a fairyland.

Four figures sat cross-legged under the tree.

Tan Lin, positioned at the Heavenly Origin, with his eyes slightly closed, began to expound the profound principles of the Great Dao.

Its sound was not loud, yet it was like a great bell, shaking the void and resonating with the principles of the Dao.

Around him, as the Daoist chanting continued, things like golden lotuses sprang from the earth, sweet rain fell from the sky, and flowers bloomed in the void appeared...

Various unusual phenomena appeared within the area enveloped by its Daoist sound, the Daoist rhythm permeated the air, and the laws intertwined.

It is believed that if it weren't for the spiritual treasure array diagram suppressing the surrounding space, such a strange phenomenon would surely have attracted cultivators from the outside world to come and listen.

rustling... rustling...