Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Time flies, and the land is rebuilt.

The earth's vein network gradually healed under the nourishment of the primordial chaos, and the flow of primordial energy gradually stabilized. Each ancestor guarded their own domain, using the true meaning of chaos given by Li Mu to repair their Dao foundation, and their aura grew stronger day by day.

The Starry Sky Platform became the central hub of the vast land.

The two ancestors, Gu Xi and Hao Tian, ​​reside here, working with Li Mu's avatar to manage the prototype of the Chaos Array—strands of gray roots spread from the Dao Platform, penetrating various domains, drawing upon the free-floating source energy of the void, and nourishing the veins of the vast land.

Thirty years have passed.

A phantom image of a giant, ice-blue tree soared into the sky, its canopy like an umbrella, with the true essence of Yin flowing between its branches and leaves, causing the earth's veins to resonate, and the source energy from thousands of miles away to surge in like a tide.

Xue'er stood atop the tree, her nine tails flying, her Dao-merging aura sweeping across all directions.

Gu Xi Daozu looked up and saw a hint of surprise flash in Qinghui's eyes. He exclaimed, "In less than a hundred years, she has already condensed the Dharma form of the Ancestral Tree. This girl's talent is truly extraordinary."

Dao Ancestor Haotian stroked his beard and said, "The Chaos True Meaning bestowed by Dao Lord Li is of great merit."

Before the words were finished, a crimson-gold war tree rose from the ground, its branches like writhing dragons and its leaves like swords and spears. Little Jin stood on the tree crown, his arms outstretched, his battle intent condensing into a tangible cloud of malevolent energy, enveloping a vast Dao domain.

“The second one.” Li Mu opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

In the years that followed, strange phenomena frequently occurred in the vast forest.

In the Myriad Realms of Puppets, data streams intertwine to form a silver-white ancestral tree, with the bright moon residing at its core, and puppet patterns merging with the earth's veins;

In the Mysterious Water Dragon Realm, ancient azure trees stir up the reversed flow of the Weak Water; in the Myriad Gu Insect Realm, verdant poisonous trees spread for billions of miles…
A century has passed, and 653 disciples and more than 300 world lords have successively formed the Ancestral Tree Dharma Image. The rest have not yet formed it, and most of them have touched the threshold, just one step away from success.

The illusory images of a thousand ancestral trees reflected on the vast land, creating a magnificent spectacle. Xue'er, Xiao Jin, Mingyue, Tie Tou, Lin Xiaolun, and others stood at the forefront, their auras calm and focused, firmly established in the early stages of the Dao Integration Realm.

The Starry Sky Platform, where the images of a thousand ancestors reflect the heavens.

Li Mu, his green robe fluttering, stood in the center of the platform, his gaze sweeping over the fifteen Dao Ancestors at the peak of the Dao Integration stage, as well as the more than a thousand newly promoted Dao Ancestors behind him.

"Everyone," Li Mu looked around the room and addressed the assembled Dao Ancestors, "The old order has been established, but external threats have not been eliminated; the purpose of this gathering today is to establish the future rules for the Vast Land."

Gu Xi Daozu stepped forward, his Qinghui Daoist robe rippled slightly, and praised with a smile: "Daoist Master Li is absolutely right. The vast land has just been established, and we need a pact to jointly safeguard it in order to deal with the covetous eyes of the heavens."

Dao Ancestor Lei Yan lowered his posture and said respectfully, "What kind of agreement do you want? Dao Master, please just tell us, and we will not dare to disobey!"

Li Mu raised his hand and made a gesture, and a gray scroll unfolded from his palm, with dense Dao patterns appearing on it. It was the prototype of the "Covenant of the Vast Land".

"The three articles of the alliance." Li Mu pointed his finger, and the scroll's Dao patterns lit up as he explained, "First, within the vast land, unwarranted warfare is prohibited. Disputes between different regions shall be arbitrated by the Star Evolution Dao Platform."

"Secondly, the ancestral trees in each region need to open 30% of their earth vein nodes and connect to the Chaos Array Network to allow the flow of source energy and jointly defend against crises."

"Thirdly, a portion of the source energy of the Vast Earth should be used first to repair the source veins and enhance the source of the Vast Earth. The secret methods and classics of the ancestors should be shared as appropriate to increase the foundation of the Vast Earth."

As soon as he finished speaking, the platform fell silent.

The Crimson Sky Dao Ancestor's fiery eyes flashed as he said unwillingly, "Open the earth vein nodes? Dao Lord Li, are you trying to bring all our ancestral trees under your control?"

The Heavenly Demon Ancestor hesitated and said, "Sharing secret techniques? The foundation upon which each lineage stands cannot be easily given away!"

Li Mu's expression remained unchanged as he said indifferently, "If we don't unite as one, how can we deal with powerful enemies at the Dao Transformation stage? Don't forget, everyone, those beings like Dongfang Zixiao and Xibei Lengyou... don't follow the rules with us."

The Dao Ancestor Haotian's starry eyes were solemn as he replied, "What the Dao Lord says makes sense. Haotu is weak; if it continues to fight on its own, it will surely be defeated one by one."

Gu Xi agreed, saying, "This old Daoist is willing to take the lead in opening up the ancient domain's leyline nodes and offer the first six volumes of the 'Guicang Secret Manual' for all Dao Lords to study and comprehend."

After frowning for a long while, Dao Ancestor Lei Yan resolutely said, "I will open the outer three thousand miles of the Thunder Pool to allow all ancestors to comprehend the true meaning of thunder. However, the core thunder source must not be exposed!"

The six patriarchs, Qingyuan, Chaoyuan, Yinghong, Youguang, and Yeyan, successively expressed their willingness to cooperate.

As the sun descended from the sky, Dao Ancestor Chenguang continued, "The Chenguang Daoist Temple can open the 'Starlight Tempering Pool'."

The four ancestors, Minggu, Jinxi, Wenhuang, and Xuansha, looked at each other and finally nodded.

All the ancestors' gazes were focused on Chixiao and Tianyao.

The Crimson Sky Dao Ancestor's expression shifted, his fiery heart pounding with excitement. He agreed, saying, "I agree. The Fire Hell Earth Veins can be opened to thirty percent, but the 'Great Dao of Burning the World' will never be passed on to outsiders!"

The Heavenly Demon Ancestor's blood-red eyes swept over Li Mu, then looked beyond the vast sky, and said helplessly, "The Blood Forest can be connected to the great formation, but the method of the Blood Sacrifice of Ten Thousand Demons is my foundation. Don't even think about it!"

Li Mu nodded and smiled, then pointed, and the scroll of the covenant shone brightly, with the original imprints of the fifteen Dao Ancestors being successively imprinted into the scroll.

With a "hum," the sound of the Great Dao resonated throughout the Dao Platform, and the scroll transformed into a golden light that disappeared into the void, signifying the completion of the covenant.

“Next, we will construct the ‘Zhou Tian Chaos Grand Array’.” Li Mu flicked his sleeve, and a gray vortex appeared in the center of the platform, which was the projection of the Chaos Dao Fruit: “This array is based on the Chaos Dao Fruit. We need to draw three-tenths of your original essence and inject it into the array eye to forge the array veins.”

Dao Ancestor Lei Yan was startled and said reluctantly, "Thirty percent? The alliance only mentioned opening the earth vein nodes, but it didn't mention extracting the source!"

Li Mu calmly said, "With only the nodes open, the great formation is merely in form. It needs the origin of all ancestors as fuel to truly operate and mobilize the power of the vast land."

Gu Xi Daozu pondered and said, "Daoist Master Li, is three parts of the origin too much? The Daoists' foundations have just been restored, and I'm afraid they will not be able to bear it."

“It will be injected over ten years, with no more than three-tenths each year.” Li Mu looked at the ancestors and said, “After the formation is completed, the power of the Chaos Formation will be enough to make up for the losses and even make it more advanced.”

Xuan Sha Dao Ancestor suggested in a dry voice, "Daoist Li, could we establish a formation agreement to limit the authority of the great formation and prevent one side from becoming too powerful?"

Li Mu nodded in agreement, saying, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Li Mu formed a hand seal, and thousands of wisps of gray mist separated from the projection of the Chaos Dao Fruit, drifting towards the ancestors.

"This is the 'Array Core Sub-Spirit.' After refining it, each of you will be able to control a portion of the array's authority. The operation of the array's veins and the distribution of source energy require the consent of more than half of you to be changed. I will control the array core, but if it is misused, you can jointly activate the sub-spirit to temporarily seal the power of the core."

The ancestors took the gray, fine stream, examined it carefully, and found no hidden dangers. Their expressions eased slightly.

“That’s acceptable…” Dao Ancestor Chenguang nodded.

The Golden Dawn Dao Ancestor slightly withdrew his sword intent: "I have no objection."

The fifteen Dao Ancestors had no objections, and Xue'er, Xiao Jin, and the others all followed Li Mu's lead and did not say anything more.

Li Mu smiled slightly and immediately said, "Then let's begin immediately. Everyone, return to your positions and draw your source into the array's core."

The Taoist patriarchs dispersed around the Taoist platform and sat cross-legged.

Li Mu's true form hovered in the air, and the Chaos Dao Fruit fully unfolded, transforming into a gray array that blotted out the sky.

Above the array diagram, the veins crisscross, corresponding to the earth's vein network. At the center, a chaotic vortex slowly rotates, which is the core of the array.

"lead!"

Li Mu gave a low shout.

Gu Xi took the initiative, and the clear radiance of the Dao surged from between her brows, transforming into a pillar of light that pierced into the eastern node of the array.

The radiance of the Great Heavenly Dao Ancestor flowed like a waterfall into the Northwest Node.

Thunder and purple lightning surged wildly, and azure light flowed. Chao Yuan, Ying Hong, You Guang, and Ye Yan each displayed their original nature, and the seven colors of Daoist rhyme converged into a torrent.

The seven ancestors, Chixiao, Tianyao, Xuansha, Wenhuang, Chenguang, Minggu, and Jinxi, no longer hesitated and activated their origins.

Xue'er, Xiao Jin, Mingyue, Xiao Wa, ... Lin Xiaolun, etc., all poured their Dao-merging origins into the array diagram. The array veins gradually lit up, the gray array diagram trembled violently, and the veins spread at a speed visible to the naked eye, extending towards the various domains of the vast land.

Li Mu swiftly formed hand seals, channeling the Chaos Dao Fruit to its full potential, harmonizing and organizing the thousands of fundamental elements to forge the array's foundation.

Time passed slowly. In the first year, the array covered the eight regions of the starry sky.

In the third year, it extended to the domain of a thousand ancestral trees.

In the fifth year, all the middle-level domains of the Vast Land were shrouded by the array veins.

In the tenth year, the array veins reached the edge of the vast land…

The Great Chaos Array of Zhou Tian is complete!

The entire vast land trembled, and a faint, gray, gigantic net appeared in the sky, with starlight flowing through its meshes and connecting to the earth's vein nodes.

At the center of the formation, the chaotic vortex materialized, absorbing and releasing the primordial energy of the vast earth.

Each of the Dao Ancestors withdrew their original essence, their faces showing slight fatigue, but their eyes all revealed joy.

As Gu Xi Daozu sensed the vast primordial energy flowing within the array, he exclaimed in amazement, "With the formation complete, the efficiency of the earth's primordial energy circulation has increased by more than five times!"

Lei Yan Daozu, his purple lightning subdued, exclaimed in surprise, "The array's energy has returned. The source of my depletion should be replenished within three years."

Li Mu's true form faded away, and a clone solidified, sitting in the center of the formation.

"For the next hundred years, my avatar will take charge of the main structure of the great array, harmonize the source energy, and repair the source veins. Fellow Daoists can use the power of the avatar to mobilize part of the array's power to stabilize this domain."

"A hundred years from now, when the base of the array is stable, we can discuss the next steps."

The ancestors nodded, clasped their hands in greeting, and dispersed one after another.

Only Li Mu's clone, along with the two ancestors Gu Xi and Hao Tian, ​​remained on the platform.

Gu Xi Daozu flipped his hand and took out a jade slip, handing it to Li Mu's clone: ​​"This is the complete 'Guicang Secret Canon,' which the Daoist Master may be able to learn from."

Li Mu's clone accepted it, scanned it with his divine sense, and nodded, saying, "Thank you."

The Dao Ancestor Haotian gazed at the array's core with his starry eyes, looking at Li Mu's avatar and saying, "Dao Master, true form..."

"I need to go into seclusion to nurture my Dao Transformation realm." Li Mu's clone said indifferently, "This time, my foundation for Dao Transformation is not yet solid, and the fusion of the Chaos True Meaning and the Vast Earth is not yet complete. It will take at least a hundred years, or at most a thousand years, before it can be truly stabilized."

Gu Xi Dao Zu understood and respectfully said, "Dao Master, rest assured, Hao Tian and I will take turns guarding the array core, and we will not allow any external objects to disturb it."

Li Mu closed his eyes and said no more.

Gu Xi and Hao Tian exchanged a glance, each taking their place on one side of the platform, quietly protecting the Dharma.

Li Mu sat cross-legged in the void of the Myriad Dao Source Sea, his body enveloped in a gray Dao light like a cocoon, with the Chaos Dao Fruit hanging above his head, within which myriad Daos flowed and gradually became harmonious.

"The realm of transformation is truly profound."

Li Mu focused his mind on the Dao Fruit, comprehending the mechanisms of its evolution.

In the previous battle, he forcibly opened the door to the Dao of Transformation by borrowing the essence of the former master. There are many wonders that he has not yet fully comprehended. Now that the vast land has been stabilized and the great formation has been completed, it is the perfect opportunity to go into seclusion.

Li Mu formed hand seals, and the Chaotic Dao Domain unfolded, enveloping the entire Myriad Dao Source Sea.

Time slows down dramatically within the domain; one year outside is equivalent to ten years within the domain.

The words of the old man in black robes still echoed in my ears: The true nature of chaos is the source of evolution.

Li Mu closed his eyes and focused his mind on the Dao Fruit.

Within the Dao Fruit, the chaotic primordial energy flowed slowly, sometimes exploding into a fireball, scattering starlight; sometimes condensing into a long river surging forth, rippling with time; sometimes revealing the rudiments of mountains and rivers, with vegetation sprouting...

However, whenever the evolution reaches the point of "the clear and the turbid separating, and the five elements rotating," it abruptly stops and returns to chaos.

“We’re missing a bit of the ‘power to create the world’,” Li Mu said, seemingly realizing something.

What is the power of creation? It is not the violence of thunder, nor the gentleness of water, nor the power of all paths... but the spontaneous "evolutionary mechanism" of chaos.

Li Mu pondered for a long time, then suddenly raised his finger and touched the space between his eyebrows.

A wisp of divine soul essence was separated and put into the chaotic primordial energy.

The soul enters the chaos, like a pebble dropped into a still pond, creating ripples.

The primordial chaos suddenly boiled!

The clear and turbid energies spontaneously separated; the lighter ones rose to become "heaven," while the turbid ones sank to become "earth." As the light of heaven first appeared and the earth's veins began to form, the Five Elements emerged from the chaos, endlessly cycling...

Li Mu's soul was immersed in it, witnessing this miniature "creation of heaven and earth" firsthand.

However, in less than three breaths, heaven and earth vanished once more, returning to chaos.

"The divine soul can serve as a catalyst, facilitating evolution, but it's not a long-term solution." Li Mu withdrew his divine soul, his face slightly pale. "To truly comprehend it, one must completely integrate one's own will into the chaotic laws..."

Li Mu was fully immersed in comprehending the Dao when he suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation coming from the direction of the easternmost point.

A wisp of brilliant purple light pierced through like a needle. Though only as thick as a hair, it carried an overbearing Daoist aura that commanded all directions, directly striking the earth's vein nodes!

The Chaos Array of Zhou Tian operated spontaneously, with billions of gray roots intertwining into a net that tightly bound the wisp of purple light.

"laugh--"

The purple aura collided with the Daoist principles of the grand formation, producing a piercing shriek that sent ripples through the void.

"Who dares to covet my vast land!"

Li Mu snorted coldly, his body remaining still, a wisp of chaotic Dao thought had already traced back along the great array's veins, instantly traversing the endless void, directly reaching the source of that wisp of purple intent.

……

Deep within the void, the outline of a magnificent realm appears, its walls flowing with purple-gold divine light, its inner Dao principles perfected, and its primordial energy as vast as the sea.

Beyond the boundary wall, a blurry figure stood with his hands behind his back, surrounded by nine purple divine chains. His eyes, like two purple suns, stared indifferently at the direction from which Li Mudao thought had come.

"The aura of a Dao Transformation Realm cultivator? This weak and desolate land actually has a newly ascended Dao Transformation Realm cultivator?" The Dao voice of the Purple Extreme Lord pierced through the void, carrying a hint of surprise.

Li Mu's Daoist thoughts materialized into a gray-robed phantom standing in the void, gazing at him and saying, "Fellow Daoist, you have crossed the line."

The Lord of Purple Extremes scrutinized Li Mu, his purple eyes gleaming with divine light, and stated, "I am the Lord of Purple Extremes, in charge of the Purple Heaven Vast Land. The origin of your world is in turmoil, and the source of your Dao is unstable. Just now, there were violent fluctuations of Dao struggle... I have come here specifically to take a look."

"Oh! You've seen it, please go back." Li Mu gestured for him to leave.

The Lord of Purple Extremes chuckled, "Fellow Daoist, you've only recently advanced to the Transformation stage, yet you speak with such arrogance. The origin of this vast land is severely depleted. It's like a young child carrying gold in the market; possessing such a treasure is a crime. You should understand this principle."

Li Mu's gaze darkened slightly: "This is my domain, there's no need for you to trouble yourself, fellow Daoist."

"Too much trouble?" The Lord of Ziji shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm too much trouble, but that I feel it's a pity. Such a vast land, even if its origin is flawed, could be restored to its ancient glory if it were to be replenished by the Dao Principles of Zixiao. Fellow Daoist, you cannot support it alone. Why not submit to Zixiao? I will grant you the position of Lord of a Dao Domain."

"To submit?" Li Mu laughed. "Fellow Daoist, why don't you come and take it yourself?"

The Lord of Purple Extremes narrowed his purple eyes: "Arrogant."

Before the words were finished, a purple divine chain suddenly snapped, transforming into a ten-thousand-foot-long purple lightning spear that tore through the void and pierced straight at Li Mu's illusory Dao thought! (End of this chapter)