Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

A thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye!

A thousand years have passed, and the landscape of this vast land has undergone tremendous changes.

The Forest of Ten Thousand Ancestors has reached the number of twenty thousand ancestral trees. Newly promoted ancestral trees have taken root in the source vein, with branches like dragons and canopies reaching the sky. The Daoist charm has condensed into a substantial halo, covering all the territories.

Xue'er's number of Taiyin Ancestral Trees has increased to one hundred. The Nine-Tailed Silver Fox sits atop the central ancestral tree, its Taiyin True Eye rotating between its brows, and moonlight cascades down like a waterfall, enveloping the entire icy plain.

The number of Crimson Gold Ancestral Trees under Xiao Jin's command has increased to fifty. The war ape roars, and the Crimson Gold Battle Qi soars into the sky. Disciples such as Tie Tou, Ming Yue, Lin Xiao Lun, and Da Niu each govern their own Dao Domain. The ancestral trees form a forest, their roots intertwined, and they are perfectly integrated with the Origin Vein Spirit Network.

On the Starry Dao Platform, the two ancestors, Gu Xi and Hao Tian, ​​stood side by side, their divine senses sweeping across the various realms.

Gu Xi Daozu looked pleased and said happily, "The ancestral tree forest is growing vigorously, the million Dao soldiers are full of vigor, and the atmosphere of the land is incomparable to that before the calamity."

"Yes! All of this is thanks to Dao Master Li!" Dao Ancestor Haotian exclaimed. "Now, there are 137 Dao Ancestors at the peak of the Dao Integration Realm, 1,900 at the late stage of the Dao Integration Realm, and 3,600 at the middle stage of the Dao Integration Realm. Apart from the 15 of us, Xue'er, Xiao Jin, and others have also reached the peak of the Dao Integration Realm. This is a truly remarkable achievement!"

Gu Xi Daozu nodded and smiled, "The batch of Dao Crystals left by the Dao Master before his seclusion played an indispensable role."

The Dao Ancestor Haotian looked towards the direction of the Myriad Dao Source Sea and said softly, "The Dao Lord has been in seclusion for a thousand years; it's time for him to awaken!"

"It'll be soon!" Dao Ancestor Gu Xi nodded, his divine sense directed toward the Myriad Dao Source Sea, as if sensing something.

Before the words were finished, a gray beam of light shot into the sky from the depths of the Myriad Origin Sea.

The Dao light was gentle, containing endless primordial chaos, and instantly enveloped the entire vast land. The source veins and spiritual network trembled, and the twenty thousand ancestral trees swayed. Dao light flowed among the branches and leaves, and their auras all rose to a higher level.

All the Dao Ancestors looked up, their faces beaming with joy: "Dao Master, Dao Master has emerged from seclusion!"

The source of all paths lies in the ocean!

Li Mu opened his eyes, and within them, a chaotic vortex of stars was as deep as an abyss. Within it, the myriad worlds were born and destroyed, the five elements rotated, yin and yang interacted, and all kinds of laws of evolution were endlessly rotating within a small space.

"Mid-stage Transformation Realm, finally stabilized!"

Li Mu uttered a word, his aura becoming as deep and still as an abyss, returning to its original simplicity, with not a trace of pressure leaking out.

The next moment, Li Mu's mind stirred, and the chaotic will spread along the source vein spiritual network, instantly covering the entire vast land. The breath of the 20,000 ancestral trees, the breathing of the million Dao soldiers, and the flow of the source marrow layer deep in the source vein were all reflected in his mind.

"The Forest of Ten Thousand Ancestors is complete, with a million Dao soldiers. The primordial essence of the vast land has increased by more than 30% compared to a thousand years ago. Not bad!"

Li Mu smiled with satisfaction, and the chaotic will continued to spread outward, penetrating the boundary and probing into the depths of the void.

The void surged with chaotic currents, and shattered stars floated in the air. In the distance, several obscure wills lingered, some shining like the sun, others cold and eerie like a tomb, and still others blazing like a furnace. All of them were like giant beasts lying in wait, coldly watching the direction of the vast land.

Li Mu's will bypassed these auras and probed into the depths of the Northern Domain's void.

The turbulent currents grew denser, the scattered stars thinned out, and ahead lay a hazy, gray void. From the depths of the mist, waves of primordial energy emanated, immense and powerful.

Li Mu's will was as focused as a needle, piercing through the fog.

Beyond the mist, a primordial vein stretching for hundreds of millions of miles lies across the void, its body exceeding ten million miles in thickness, its entire surface radiating milky white light, its inner primordial energy surging like the sea.

"The source vein without a master is so vast."

Li Mu's eyes narrowed. If this vein were incorporated into the vast land, the source vein could increase by another 50%.

However, deep within the restriction, several obscure auras lurked, their presence cold and eerie, almost imperceptible. If Li Mu's will, being at the mid-stage of the Dao Transformation realm, were not sufficiently sharp, it would be extremely difficult for him to detect them.

"A Dao Ancestor from another realm, lurking and spying."

Li Mu quietly withdrew his will, without disturbing those auras.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Mu stood up and stepped out of the Myriad Origin Sea.

Starry Sky Platform.

The void rippled slightly, and Li Mu's figure materialized.

Upon seeing this, all the Dao Ancestors were overjoyed and stepped forward to bow in greeting: "Welcome back, Dao Master, from seclusion!"

Li Mu's gaze swept over the assembled ancestors, and he waved his hand, indicating, "No need for formalities!"

Fifteen veteran peak Dao Ancestors, including Gu Xi, Hao Tian, ​​Lei Yan, Qing Yuan, and Chen Guang, as well as disciples such as Xue Er, Xiao Jin, Ming Yue, Tie Tou, and Lin Xiao Lun, were also present. Each of them possessed a calm and focused aura, and their cultivation was stable at the peak of the Dao Integration Realm.

"Brother Li!" Xue'er looked at Li Mu, her eyes filled with longing.

"Master!" Little Gold, Little Wa, Bright Moon, and Azure Moon True Dragon all focused their gazes on Li Mu.

"Master!" Lin Xiaolun, Tie Tou, Da Niu and other disciples were all excited and extremely respectful.

Li Mu and Xue'er exchanged glances and nodded in satisfaction. Then, his gaze swept over everyone, and he nodded in praise, "It's been a thousand years since we last met, and everyone has made great progress. Very good!"

Gu Xi Daozu laughed and said, "Thanks to the Dao Crystals left behind by the Dao Lord, the Ancestral Trees of all Realms were able to grow quickly."

Dao Ancestor Haotian followed up, saying, "Dao Ancestor, cultivation in all realms has never ceased. Now, the number of Dao soldiers in the vast land has reached one million. The Five Elements Chaos Battle Formation has been practiced to perfection. A full-force attack can rival a mid-stage Dao Transformation cultivator!"

Lei Yan Daozu grinned and said, "If that old man Ziji comes again, I will definitely make him suffer a great loss!"

At the Starry Dao Platform, all the ancestors' eyes were focused on Li Mu.

Li Mu raised his hand, and a star map appeared in the void, with a gray light flickering deep in the northern region.

“Deep within the void and mist of the Northern Region, there is a gigantic, ownerless vein stretching for hundreds of millions of miles, brimming with primordial energy.” Li Mu pointed to the gray light: “If this vein were incorporated into the Vast Land, its origin could increase by fifty percent.”

Lei Yan Dao Ancestor's purple eyes lit up: "Fifty percent? Dao Lord, then what are we waiting for!"

“There are restrictions within the mist, a natural void array; a slight misstep could send you to an unknown place,” Li Mu said in a deep voice. “Moreover, there are lurking alien auras around my meridians, cold and eerie, and there’s more than one.”

Haotian Daozu frowned: "Does the Dao Lord mean that the giant vein already has an owner?"

Li Mu nodded and said, "The infiltrator is hiding in the shadows, not revealing his true form, and his cultivation level is difficult to fathom."

After pondering for a moment, Gu Xi Dao Zu said, "Dao Master, why not send an avatar to scout ahead and find out the details before making a decision?"

Li Mu shook his head and said, "The aura of that lurker is strange. If I am distracted, I may not be able to find out its details. I need to go in person."

Xue'er stepped forward: "Brother Li, I'll go with you."

Li Mu looked at Xue'er, thought for a moment, and nodded, saying, "Okay."

Little Wa stepped forward: "Master, I'm going too!"

Mingyue's silver eyes sparkled: "Master, Mingyue volunteers."

Li Mu's gaze swept over the assembled ancestors, and he called out by name: "Xue'er, Xiao Jin, Xiao Wa, Ming Yue, and one hundred more Dao Ancestors in the late stage of the Dao Integration Realm, to accompany me. Fellow Daoists Gu Xi and Hao Tian will be stationed in Hao Tu, in charge of the Zhou Tian Chaos Array. The rest of you will each guard your own domain and await good news."

Gu Xi Dao Zu quickly cupped his hands and said, "Rest assured, Dao Master."

Dao Ancestor Haotian solemnly said, "With the two of us at the core of the formation, we will ensure that Haotu is not lost."

Lei Yan Dao Ancestor said urgently, "Dao Master, I also want to go."

Li Mu waved his hand and said, "The Thunder Domain needs you to be in charge. I'll give this opportunity to someone else, and I'll bring you next time."

Lei Yan Daozu shut his mouth in annoyance.

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Mu unleashed a hazy, gray light that enveloped Xue'er, Xiao Jin, and the hundred others: "Let's go."

As soon as he finished speaking, the group vanished into the void in an instant.

Deep within the void, turbulent currents surged, and fragments of stars floated in the air.

Li Mu led his men on a swift march, and the chaotic will spread out, enveloping the surrounding area for thousands of miles.

Seven days later, a gray, misty void appeared ahead. The mist surged and churned, and faint fluctuations of primordial energy emanated from within, vast and boundless.

"We've arrived." Li Mu stopped and raised his hand to indicate.

Everyone stopped and looked towards the mist.

Xue'er opened her Taiyin True Eye between her brows, moonlight swirling around her, and gazed into the depths of the mist: "Brother Li, the array patterns in the mist are intertwined, layer upon layer. If we are not careful, we will trigger the Lost Restriction!"

“It’s a piece of cake,” Li Mu smiled slightly. The Chaotic Dao Domain unfolded, and the gray Dao light flooded into the mist like a tide. When the Dao light touched the mist, the array patterns suddenly lit up, and billions of Dao patterns flowed and intertwined into a net, crushing the Dao light inch by inch.

see,

Xue'er's Taiyin True Eye rotated between her brows, and moonlight fell like a ribbon, assisting Li Mu in observing the trajectory of the array patterns.

Xiao Jin and Xiao Wa led their soldiers to guard both sides, their crimson-gold battle intent solidified as if it were tangible, keeping watch on all sides.

One day. Two days.

Three days.

Li Mu narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with chaotic star vortexes. He raised his hand and made a finger gesture, causing the condensed gray Dao light to transform into a thin line that pierced into the mist.

The fine threads, like needles, weave through the gaps in the array of patterns, darting left and right, winding their way forward.

"Follow me! Don't wander off!" Li Mu warned in a deep voice, "One wrong step and you'll be teleported to an unknown place."

Xue'er nodded and stepped into the mist first.

Li Mu followed closely behind, and a hundred Dao Ancestors, including Xiao Jin, Ming Yue, Tie Tou, and Lin Xiao Lun, filed in one after another.

The mist churned, and the array patterns flickered.

Li Mu focused intently on manipulating the gray line, leading the way, with the others following closely behind, proceeding cautiously at every step.

Wherever it passed, the array patterns trembled slightly, but were not triggered.

After traveling for three days, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

As the mist dissipated, a primordial vein stretching for hundreds of millions of miles appeared across the void. The vein was over ten million miles thick, its entire body radiating milky white light, its inner primordial energy surging like the sea, and its Daoist essence as rich as a tangible substance.

"What a huge source vein!" Xiao Jin exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

Iron Head grinned: "This vein is enough for us to cultivate for thousands of years!"

Xue'er stared intently at the source vein, her Taiyin True Eye between her brows swirling, then suddenly her gaze sharpened: "Brother Li, there's something in the vein."

Li Mu nodded in understanding, and the chaotic will directly probed into the source vein.

Deep within the pulse, a ghostly blue figure sat cross-legged, surrounded by a chilling death aura, its presence icy and unpredictable, seemingly present yet absent; as if sensing something, it suddenly opened its eyes, its pair of ghostly blue pupils cold and sinister, meeting Li Mu's gaze across the pulse.

The next moment, You Sha suddenly pounced up, its overwhelming death energy condensing into a giant azure claw, which slashed down at Li Mu's head.

Instead of retreating, Li Mu advanced, raised his palm, and pressed down fiercely.

With a "whoosh!", fierce gray chaotic fire surged from Li Mu's palm, transforming into a giant fiery hand that clashed violently with the azure giant claw.

A deafening boom echoed through the sky.
The surface of the source vein cracked with fissures hundreds of feet wide, and milky white light splashed everywhere. Xue'er, Xiao Jin and the others retreated a hundred miles, each displaying their Dao Domain to protect themselves.

The Dao Fire in Li Mu's palm remained burning fiercely, resisting the giant blue claw. As death energy eroded the area, the Chaos Dao Fire surged, burning away the layers of Netherworld Qi.

The demon screeched fiercely, and its other giant claw aimed straight for Li Mu's face.

Li Mu raised his left arm, made a gesture, and the Chaos Heaven-Opening Axe materialized, then cleaved down fiercely.

The axe flashed and split the sky. With a "crack," the giant blue claw snapped in two, the broken claw dissipating into deathly energy.

The Netherworld, in pain, retreated violently, its ghostly light flickering erratically. It let out a shrill cry, and deathly energy surged forth, transforming into thousands of ghostly blue ribbons that coiled around Li Mu.

Li Mu neither dodged nor evaded; the Chaos Dao Fire ignited around him, and wherever the gray flames passed, the dark blue ribbons were burned away inch by inch. He raised his palm and pressed down, the Chaos Dao Fire condensing into a gigantic palm ten thousand feet tall, which he then slammed down fiercely.

You Sha's body suddenly shrank, transforming into a beam of light and disappearing into the rift in the source vein.

"Chase!"

Xiao Jin shouted loudly, ready to lead his men in pursuit.

"Wait," Li Mu raised his hand to stop it, "It can't escape."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu closed his eyes, and his chaotic will spread along the source vein. Deep within the source vein, every wisp of source energy flowing, every direction of the fissure, was reflected in his heart.

Three breaths later, Li Mu opened his eyes.

"come out."

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion, and the hazy Dao light transformed into countless threads that burrowed into the rifts in the source veins. The threads spread like a spider web, and wherever they passed, the Netherworld Avatars were entangled by the threads, struggling and roaring, before being burned away one by one by the Chaos Dao Fire.

Deep within the source vein, the true form of the Netherworld Demon was hidden at its heart, its body shimmering with ghostly light and surging with deathly energy. Seeing that its clones had all perished and it could no longer remain hidden, it let out a fierce roar and burst forth from the vein, carrying with it a boundless aura of death.

"die!"

The true form of the Netherworld Demon was fully revealed, its thousand-foot-long body covered in dark blue scales, with two horns on its head and a ferocious face. It extended both claws, and death energy transformed into two dark blue monstrous dragons, roaring as they pounced on Li Mu.

Li Mu raised his hand and pressed down, unleashing the Chaotic Dao Domain. A hazy Dao light descended like a curtain, enveloping the two monstrous dragons. The dragons struggled and bit, but the Dao light remained unmoved.

"Refine".

Li Mu uttered a single word, and the Chaos Dao Fire rose from the Dao Light. The two monstrous dragons howled in agony, burning away inch by inch until they vanished into nothingness.

The demon's true form trembled violently, and it turned to flee.

Li Mu's figure flickered, appearing in front of You Sha. He raised his hand and placed it on You Sha's forehead, and Chaos Dao Fire burst forth from his palm, instantly enveloping You Sha's entire body.

The demon howled in agony, its azure scales peeling away piece by piece, and its deathly aura surged and dissipated.

"Spare me...spare my life!"

You Sha begged for mercy in pain, his voice hoarse and grating.

Li Mu remained silent and ignored it, while the Dao fire blazed brightly.

As the struggle of the Netherworld weakened, its ten-thousand-foot-tall body crumbled inch by inch, eventually transforming into a ball of dark blue light, which was then enveloped by the Chaos Dao Fire and rendered immobile.

Li Mu withdrew his hand, and the ball of dark blue light hovered in front of him, its death energy surging within, with faint wails emanating from it.

"Brother Li, what's this?" Xue'er stepped forward.

“The Origin of the Netherworld,” Li Mu said. “This thing is formed from death energy and lives by devouring the source veins.”

Xiao Jin leaned closer to examine it, frowning as he said, "It doesn't look like anything good."

Li Mu smiled slightly, and activated the Chaos Dao Fire with all his might. The dark blue light ball churned violently in the fire, the death aura peeled away layer by layer, and the wailing gradually subsided.

After an incense stick's time, the light faded from its deep blue hue and transformed into a milky white primordial energy, pure and gentle, with boundless primordial power.

"Purified?" Iron Head stared wide-eyed.

Li Mu raised his hand and dismissed the mass of origin, his gaze falling into the depths of the source vein: "There's something else at the heart of the vein."

Li Mu stepped into the Origin Vein, and the others followed closely behind.

Deep within the source vein, milky white light flowed, and the source energy was as thick as syrup. Passing through layers of crystals, a void cave with a diameter of a hundred feet appeared in front.

In the center of the cave, a bronze cauldron with three legs and two handles floats, its body mottled and engraved with ancient cloud patterns, exuding a faint aura of death.

Li Mu stopped and stared at the ancient cauldron.

Xue'er's Yin True Eyes swirled between her brows: "There seems to be something inside the cauldron!"

Li Mu nodded slightly, raised his hand in a gesture, and the lid of the cauldron opened. A milky white light shot out from the cauldron, instantly enveloping the entire cave.

As the light faded, a fist-sized, pure white Dao crystal floated above the mouth of the cauldron. Within the crystal, the scenery of mountains, rivers, the sun, the moon, and the stars was faintly visible, and the Daoist charm flowed, mysterious and unfathomable.

"This is... a Source Vein Dao Crystal?" Little Gold stared wide-eyed.

“The core of the source vein,” Li Mu said. “This vein has been nurtured for hundreds of millions of years, and its essence is concentrated here.”

Li Mu raised his hand and lifted the Dao Crystal, sensing the vast Dao source within it, which was more than a hundred times purer than the Dao Crystal of Origin Qi he had obtained before.

Xue'er asked softly, "By refining this item, how much will the essence of the vast earth increase?"

“At least 20%,” Li Mu said happily.

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy.

Li Mu put the Dao Crystal into his sleeve and looked down at the ancient bronze cauldron. The cauldron was mottled and the ancient patterns engraved on it were faintly discernible—the sun, moon, stars, mountains and rivers, and the scene of all spirits paying homage.

“This cauldron is extraordinary.” Li Mu raised his hand and gently touched the cauldron.

Xue'er exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Li, this cauldron is!"

Li Mu raised his hand in a gesture, and the ancient bronze cauldron rapidly shrank, transforming into a three-inch miniature cauldron that landed in his palm. He then tucked the miniature cauldron into his sleeve, frowning as he said, "Its origin is still unclear; we'll investigate it later." (End of Chapter)