Covering the Sky: A Guide to Proving the Dao Without Cheats

Ji Changkong looked down and saw that the landscape beneath his feet had changed drastically, and was full of devastation.

The family's esteemed members lay scattered in those huge pits, most of them barely breathing and groaning, while many others had already lost consciousness.

Fortunately, the other party seemed to be aiming to intimidate, and left room for maneuver in their attack, thus preventing an irreversible demise.

He raised his head, looking at Elder Liu opposite him, who held the Gray Tower and whose aura remained as imposing as a mountain. His eyes were filled with humiliation, horror, and deep resentment. He gritted his teeth and hissed, "Well... well, what a Yao Guang Holy Land! They even prepared a King-level divine weapon in advance... This time, I, Ji, have lost!"

But then his tone changed, his voice turning fierce, carrying far and wide: "But this matter is far from over! Yao Guang's protection of that traitor and his theft of my Ji family's secret techniques is tantamount to making an enemy of my Ji family! Once I report back to the Holy Lord, I will personally go to Yao Guang and demand justice from you!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Liu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, as if there was a faint hint of mockery.

He didn't waste any more words, but simply raised his left hand, pointed his fingers like a sword, and pointed from afar.

A finger strike, refined to its utmost and infused with the purifying power of holy light and the annihilating power of the gray tower, burst forth from the void, its speed surpassing even thought and perception!

Ji Changkong's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needles. In that life-or-death moment, he squeezed out his last potential. His remaining divine power and the origin of the void burned wildly, rapidly outlining and solidifying in front of him—it was a forbidden secret technique recorded in the "Void Scripture"!

"Reflected in the void!"

A translucent mirror image appears as the secret technique is performed, its surface rippling like water, both real and illusory.

This mirror, forcibly forged from his life essence and the Great Dao of the Void, resonated instantly with his Dao-proving artifact, the "Imitation Void Mirror."

"Buzz—!"

The mirror's reflection and the mirror's reality intertwined, and a terrifying pressure that distorted space suddenly descended! Even more strangely, Elder Liu's figure was reflected in the mirror in the distance.

next moment--

"Pfft! Boom—!!"

A torrent of blazing holy light crashed violently against the mirror surface, where reality and illusion intertwined.

The mirror surface rippled violently, directly absorbing a small portion of the holy light's power.

But that wasn't all. At the same instant, a void rift suddenly opened up in front of Elder Liu in the distance, and the holy light power that had been swallowed by the void secret technique burst out from it, directly hitting Elder Liu's face!

Suddenly, Elder Liu's expression changed slightly, and he promptly blocked the attack with his five-tiered crystal pagoda.

"clang--!!"

A deafening roar, like the sound of a great bell, blasted Elder Liu and the tower backward, crashing into a mountain peak before finally stopping his retreat.

Meanwhile, on Ji Changkong's side—

"Snap—!!"

A piercing cracking sound echoed across the land. The ancient mirror of emptiness shattered in response, dissipating into countless specks of light.

The remaining holy light power, now unimpeded, struck him squarely.

Ji Changkong was struck head-on by an ancient divine mountain. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, leaving a tragic blood-red arc in the air. He crashed through and crushed dozens of mountains along the way before finally slamming into a deep lake behind him.

"BOOM—!!"

The turbid waves, hundreds of feet high, surged into the sky, and the lake surface churned and trembled violently as if boiling.

After a long time, the raging waves subsided, leaving only ripples spreading outwards and a lifeless, silent lake surface.

The remaining Ji family elders who were still conscious were both shocked and furious to see that the Supreme Elder had been knocked to the bottom of the lake with a single blow, his fate unknown.

However, not a single person showed any fear. They all raised their heads and glared angrily at Elder Liu in mid-air, their eyes burning with undiminished fighting spirit.

Elder Liu Yuan merely glanced at the battlefield below before withdrawing his gaze.

The surging aura around him gradually subsided, and the small, gray pagoda in his hand dimmed, returning to its ancient and exquisite appearance, which he gently handed back to Weiwei beside him.

Immediately afterwards, the surging holy light surrounding him softened, spreading outwards like warm water, silently enveloping Ye Fan and Weiwei behind him.

No longer looking at the Ji family members below, he swept the two of them along, transforming into a dazzling streak of holy light that tore through the clouds and sped toward the Yao Guang Holy Land, disappearing into the horizon in an instant.

Amidst the rainbow of light, Ye Fan looked back. The scorched plain, whose landscape had been completely altered, shrank rapidly in his field of vision. His heart was filled with turbulent emotions, making it difficult for him to remain calm.

What he saw today not only allowed him to witness firsthand the terrifying power of high-level cultivators to move mountains and fill seas, but also made him deeply realize how reassuring it is to have a powerful force behind you in this dangerous and dog-eat-dog world of cultivation.

At the same time, a desire for great power ignited within him like wildfire.

He remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "Elder Liu, today's events... with such a large scale, will they bring trouble to the Yao Guang Holy Land?"

Elder Liu gazed at the sea of ​​clouds ahead, his voice still calm and composed, yet carrying an undeniable steadiness: "If the Ji family truly wishes to wage war, I, Yao Guang, will accept it. Since the Holy Son has already ordered me to bring you back, then no matter what, I must bring you safely back to the Holy Land."

As for the subsequent rights and wrongs... they will be weighed and decided by the Holy Son and the Holy Sovereign.

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. He felt grateful to Luo Heng and Yao Guang for their risky protection, and also worried about the potential for a major upheaval. But more than anything, he felt a sense of security and belonging, as if he had finally found a harbor after a long period of wandering.

His gaze drifted towards the direction of the Yao Guang Holy Land, and he felt an unprecedented curiosity and deep anticipation for his old friend who had already risen to a high position but still cherished old friendships.

Two days later, the three finally arrived at the Yao Guang Holy Land. Since their battle with the Ji family that day, their journey had been smooth sailing.

Upon entering the gate of the Yao Guang Holy Land, Ye Fan was immediately captivated by the scene before him—immortal peaks stood tall, springs flowed and waterfalls cascaded, and palaces and pavilions were shrouded in misty spiritual energy. Occasionally, auspicious birds and beasts would leisurely fly by, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was so dense that it was almost impossible to dissolve. With each breath, he could feel his cultivation subtly surging.

The scenery and cultural heritage here are truly far superior to anything he had ever seen during his wanderings.

The three went straight to the Holy Son's Palace, but learned from the maid Hongling on duty that the Holy Son Luo Heng was in seclusion and would not see any guests for the time being.

Elder Liu and Weiwei exchanged a glance, not at all surprised, as it was common for cultivators to go into seclusion.

So the two first led Ye Fan to the guest courtyard to settle him in, and told him to wait patiently. Then they went to the Holy Lord's Hall to report back, detailing the course of their trip, especially the conflict with the Ji family.

Ye Fan stayed in the quiet and elegant guest courtyard for three days.

During these three days, he did not waste any time. In addition to regulating his breathing and cultivating, he also repeatedly pondered what he had seen and heard along the way and the great battle. His understanding of power and the foundation of the sect became more and more profound.

……