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

"Disciple...understands."

Xiang Xuan agreed, hesitated for a moment, and then said:

"Master, your injuries..."

Is it truly beyond cure?

This disciple has heard that on the ancient star Taiyuan beyond the realms, there exists an unparalleled secret method for repairing the Immortal Platform, which might be able to…

However, before he could finish speaking, Chi Xuan waved her hand, interrupting him:

"My injuries cannot be cured by ordinary methods. I have also heard the rumors about the ancient star Taiyuan, but it is of no use..."

You don't need to worry about it.

As she spoke, Chi Xuan looked at the descendant of the Xiang family, whom she had personally ordered to be settled and treated well back then. He was of mediocre talent but had a resilient character.

Decades have passed since then, and with the accumulation of daily resources cut off,

It barely reached the peak of the first level of the Sendai Heaven, only a hair's breadth away from the second level.

This speed might be acceptable in the outside world.

However, within the Tianxuan Holy Land, it still appeared "mediocre".

However, after these years of development, some of its "characteristics" have begun to emerge.

"Xiang Xuan."

Lost in thought, Chi Xuan suddenly spoke.

"The disciple is here."

"You've been in Tianxuan for nearly a hundred years, haven't you?"

Chi Xuan looked at him calmly.

"Yes, it has been more than eighty years since I entered the sect."

Xiang Xuan answered respectfully.

"More than eighty years..."

Chi Xuan repeated softly, a hint of reminiscence flashing in her eyes:

"Have you ever thought about leaving Tianxuan and going out to see the world? Perhaps those Xiang family members who disappeared into thin air back then haven't really gone?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Xuan was taken aback, but then bowed and said:

"This disciple is deeply indebted to the Ancestral Master and the Holy Land, and has no way to repay this kindness. I wish to serve the Ancestral Master for the rest of my life and protect the Holy Land, never daring to have any thought of abandoning him. However, my cultivation is still shallow, and so far I can only do my best..."

I understand your feelings.

Chi Xuan shook her head slightly:

"However, Tianxuan is now a constraint for you."

Your path lies not within the sacred grounds, but in the vast expanse of the world beyond.

She looked at Xiang Xuan, her tone solemn:

"I want you to leave Tianxuan..."

"Grandmaster!"

Xiang Xuan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with confusion and reluctance:

"How could this disciple..."

"No need to say anything more..."

Chi Xuan interrupted him, her voice soft but carrying a deep meaning:

"I observe that you possess a calm and composed nature, unwavering perseverance, and a steadfast commitment to the Dao; these are the foundations for achieving great things."

Staying in the holy land will actually limit your growth.

I've made the arrangements, so you don't need to worry about anything. Because of your Xiang family background, your name has never been recorded in the clan's genealogy. If you find your clan members one day, you can return to the family...

Do not feel burdened by this departure…

She paused, then continued:

"This is not an act of expulsion. Although you are not a native of this place, you can always come back to see every blade of grass and every tree in Tianxuan, regardless of whether you achieve anything in the future..."

After saying that, Xiang Xuan opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

But seeing the undeniable authority in Chi Xuan's eyes, he swallowed all his words.

Immediately, he knelt down with a thud and respectfully kowtowed several times to Chi Xuan.

"Disciple...will obey the Master's command!"

His voice was choked with emotion, and his eyes were slightly red.

He will always remember the kindness of being raised, taught, and protected for eighty-three years.

Even though I am extremely reluctant to part with it,

But since the patriarch had given the order, he had no choice but to obey.

"Get up."

A very faint smile appeared on Chi Xuan's face:

Before leaving, go to the Sutra Repository and make a copy of the "Indestructible Golden Body Remnant Manual" to take with you.

Although this technique is incomplete, it is still a method passed down through your Xiang family, and it may offer you some inspiration. In addition…

She reached into her bosom, took out an antique jade pendant, and handed it to Xiang Xuan:

"This pendant was acquired in my early years. It has the effect of calming the mind and concealing one's aura. You should wear it when you travel, but remember to be cautious and prioritize your own safety..."

After all, you are now one of the few remaining members of the Xiang family bloodline, although that bloodline is faint and barely noticeable..."

"Thank you for your concern, Master!"

Xiang Xuan accepted the jade pendant with both hands and carefully put it away close to his body.

He knew that this might be the last bit of protection the other party could offer him.

"Go."

Chi Xuan waved her hand, closed her eyes, and seemed somewhat tired.

"We will depart tomorrow; there is no need for you to come and say goodbye."

"Disciple... bids farewell to the Ancestral Master!"

Xiang Xuan kowtowed deeply again, then slowly rose and left the cave, turning back every few steps.

The stone door to the cave slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Chi Xuan sat alone on the jade platform for a long time before letting out a barely audible sigh.

Even today, perhaps no one, inside or outside the Taoist tradition, knows that she painstakingly cultivated this descendant of the Xiang family to this point, relying on the long-standing friendship between the Chi and Xiang families.

But more than anything, it's because of that person who is now in Chixiachuan, whose freedom is uncertain.

The Xiang family members, whose consciousness had been in a state of confusion in the past, have either died or disappeared due to unforeseen events.

What kind of cause and effect is this?

Her idea was actually very simple: she wanted to do what she could to reduce his guilt as much as possible, and let him see that there were still some descendants of the Xiang family who were doing quite well.

The next day.

Xiang Xuan quietly left the Tianxuan Holy Land without alerting anyone.

He carried only some essential pills, source stones, a rubbing of the "Undying Golden Body Remnant Manual," and the jade pendant given to him by Chi Xuan, embarking on a journey into the vast unknown.

He moved around several times in other major areas of Beidou.

It took him a thousand years to achieve great things in his twilight years. After successfully breaking through the barriers, his life seemed to "awaken," and he was blessed with unseen fortune.

On the day he severed his Dao, he traveled to the outer starry sky through an ancient teleportation array.

In the great era of enlightenment, all the heavens and myriad realms are dazzling, and the ancient starry road is both cruel and full of opportunities.

Xiang Xuan took each step with unwavering determination, venturing into perilous places to explore ancient sites, experiencing life-or-death battles, and even suffering grievous wounds and near death.

He has experienced betrayal and framing, but he has also made friends with whom he could entrust his life.

His cultivation level improved slowly but steadily through the trials of blood and fire.

Another two hundred years passed, and he became a sage...

Even after he broke through the barriers, his path was not smooth sailing. He was stuck at bottlenecks many times and made no progress for decades.

But he was resilient and never gave up. If he couldn't do it once, he would try ten times, and if he couldn't do it ten times, he would try a hundred times.

He used the most clumsy methods to hone his foundation and refine himself.

During this time, he obtained a fragment of an ancient scripture in a starry ruin.

He once found a small piece of Dao Tribulation Gold at the core of a desolate ancient star and integrated it into his own Dao artifact.

The greatest opportunity came after he became a saint, when he explored a mythical site.

That ruin is extremely dangerous, with strange spatial and temporal turbulence and remnants of killing formations.

Many of the fellow cultivators perished, and Xiang Xuan was also on the verge of despair.

But at the critical moment of life and death, deep within the ruins, in a collapsed ancient venerable's dojo, he triggered some kind of restriction and unexpectedly obtained the complete inheritance of one of the Nine Secrets.

The secret of the character "皆"!

The Secret of All Characters, according to legend, when mastered to its ultimate level, can instantly boost combat power tenfold, making it truly heaven-defying!

He studied this method and, relying on this secret, his combat power increased dramatically. He turned the tide of battle many times and gradually made a name for himself in the ancient road checkpoints he was in.

Because of his steady and solid fighting style, his well-honed physical body, and his possession of what appears to be two secret techniques, he is known as the "Great Sage of Rock" by fellow cultivators.

Yes, since leaving the Tianxuan Holy Land that year, two thousand years of trials and tribulations have taken Xiang Xuan to reach the Great Sage realm!

This speed might not seem like much among top-tier geniuses and imperial princes.

But for a cultivator like him, who started with mediocre talent, had no special physique, and relied entirely on his own hard work to get ahead, it was nothing short of a miracle!

His reputation gradually spread from one ancient road to other ancient roads, and even back to Beidou.

Within the Tianxuan Holy Land

Those disciples who once mocked and ridiculed him have either turned to dust or are stuck at a certain level, unable to make any further progress.

The new generation of disciples, on the other hand, heard the legend from the older generation about the second-generation disciple who was "abandoned by the patriarch" and left in despair, and their hearts were filled with mixed emotions.

Who could have imagined that the once universally acknowledged "good-for-nothing" would, after leaving the Holy Land, achieve such a formidable reputation and attain the position of Great Sage?

The 3903rd year of the Devouring Heaven Calendar.

More than two thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye.

After Xiang Xuan became the renowned "Great Sage of Rock" throughout the myriad realms, he made many friends and was respected by many.

Gradually, he was no longer alone; he gathered around him a group of like-minded friends who had also made a name for themselves on the ancient road.

On this day, Xiang Xuan was with several close friends, including a "Great Sage of Heavenly Craftsmanship" from the Eternal Starfield who was an expert in mecha and technology.

A "Peng King" born into the demon race.

A group of "Taoist Master Taizhen" from the Ziwei Star Region gathered to discuss the future.

"Brother Xiang, the ancient road is good, but it is not a place to stay for long."

The saying goes, "Extreme activity leads to tranquility." Perhaps it's time for us to calm down and carefully consider our future path...

Why not find a place to settle down, reflect on oneself, clarify the principles of the Way, and incidentally establish a lineage?

The Great Sage of Heavenly Craftsmanship spoke.

"I have always heard that stillness breeds movement, not that movement breeds stillness. However, what Fellow Daoist Tiangong said is indeed reasonable..."

Peng Wang first chuckled, then immediately praised him, his golden eyes sharp.

"I observe that Fellow Daoist Panshi's ancestral home, Beidou, is a place of outstanding people and abundant resources, with a prosperous and auspicious atmosphere. Moreover, it is currently in the period following the great era of Dao attainment, when many holy sites have relocated and aristocratic families have suffered losses."

With the overall situation still uncertain, this is the perfect opportunity to establish a tradition that will endure for eternity.