Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Li Mu remained silent for a long time.

The mysterious mother stared at Li Mu with her white eyes, calm and composed.

"Three months." Li Mu looked up at the Ghost Mother and gestured, "I will give you an answer after three months."

The Demon Mother smiled and said happily, "Alright. We'll await good news in three months."

As soon as she finished speaking, the figure of the Ghost Mother gradually faded away, turning into a streak of eerie white light and disappearing without a trace.

Beyond the border, the treacherous obstacles continued to surge as usual, with no further movement.

Starry Sky Platform.

Gu Xi Dao Zu stepped forward, his expression solemn: "Dao Master, this woman is cunning and deceitful. She is trying to get something out of a tiger, and the consequences will be dire."

Li Mu waved his hand, indicating, "Let's go into the council hall to talk."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu's figure vanished, and everyone followed closely behind.

Council Hall.

The palace is majestic, with a hazy, ethereal light flowing through it. The walls are engraved with chaotic Daoist patterns, the lines of which depict the creation of heaven and earth.

Li Mu took his seat in the main position, his body shrouded in a greyish aura.

Gu Xi and Hao Tian, ​​the two ancestors, sat on the left, Xue'er sat on the right, and Xiao Jin, Tie Tou, Lei Yan Dao Ancestor, and others were arranged on both sides.

Li Mu's gaze swept over the crowd, and he asked inquisitively, "What do you all think of the deal proposed by the Ghost Mother?"

Gu Xi Daozu stood up, cupped his hands and said, "Dao Master, the Demon Mother is dangerous. Today, she borrowed Dao Master's Dao Yuan to temper and transform herself. Tomorrow she will devour the Sea of ​​Time, and the day after tomorrow she will devour my Chaos Land. Cooperating with her is no less than seeking a tiger's skin!"

The Dao Ancestor Haotian said in a deep voice, "Dao Lord, I have made calculations. The four-domain allied forces are lying in wait at the border. The four Dao Lords, Ziji, Yousha, Taichu, and Tianshi, are joining forces with tens of millions of Dao soldiers. If the four domains attack together, once the barrier is broken, Haotian's chances of winning will be less than 20%."

Gu Xi Dao Zu looked at Hao Tian Dao Zu and asked in surprise, "Hao Tian, ​​what do you mean?"

The Dao Ancestor Haotian gestured and said, "What I mean is, if the Ghost Mother falls to the Four Domains, Haotu will surely perish."

The hall fell silent.

Gu Xi Daozu frowned and remained silent.

Haotian Daozu continued, "If the Guimu side with the Four Domains, the Four Domains' allied forces will be empowered by the Guidao, and Haotu's chances of winning will be less than 10%. At that time, no matter how strong the Dao Lord is, he will not be able to withstand the combined efforts of five Dao Lords."

Lei Yan Dao Ancestor, his purple lightning flashing, said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Haotian is right. With the Ghost Mother blocking the border, the Four Domains dare not move. If the Ghost Mother leaves, the Four Domains will surely follow."

"So, we're going to cooperate with that woman? I don't feel comfortable with that."

"That woman is very cunning. What if she turns around and bites us after our master helped her swallow the Sea of ​​Time?"

……

The Daoist masters were immediately abuzz with discussion.

Xue'er's icy blue eyes swept over the crowd, and she looked at Li Mu calmly and said, "What the Ghost Mother said is not false."

The hall fell silent.

Gu Xi Dao Zu looked at Xue'er: "Fellow Daoist Xue'er, are you sure?"

Xue'er nodded and said, "I sensed her emotions; there was not a trace of falsehood in her voice when she spoke."

Gu Xi Daozu's expression softened slightly, but his brows furrowed as he said, "Those who are not false may not be without ulterior motives."

Li Mu looked at the crowd, and the ancestors immediately fell silent, all turning their heads to watch.

"Whether it's true or false is not important," Li Mu said indifferently. "What I'm worried about is that she has swallowed the Sea of ​​Time and perfected the Path of Deception. At that time, what will I use to restrain her?"

Gu Xi Dao Zu looked at Li Mu and suggested, "Dao Master, may we have her take a Dao oath?"

Li Mu shook his head and smiled, "At the Transformation Realm, the binding force of the Dao Oath no longer exists. If she breaks her promise, the backlash of the Dao Oath will not harm her in the slightest."

Xue'er asked in surprise, "Then the oath is useless?"

Li Mu nodded and said, "It's useful, it's useful when she keeps her promises. If she doesn't keep her promises, then the oath is just a piece of paper."

Dao Ancestor Haotian frowned: "Dao Master, wouldn't that mean there's no way to control it?"

Li Mu rose and paced around the hall, the hazy light of the Dao flowing with his movements.

"The way to maintain balance of power lies not in oaths, but in strength."

Li Mu stopped, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "The Demon Mother has completed her transformation, and my Chaos Dao is also progressing. She devoured the Sea of ​​Light and Yin, while I have refined the Demon Clan for a thousand years. We have each gained something. She is strong, and I will also become stronger."

Gu Xi Daozu seemed to be deep in thought.

Li Mu continued, "She made a deal with me because she can't kill me, and I can't kill her either. It's a lose-lose situation, and the four regions benefit from it."

Xue'er's icy blue eyes lit up: "Brother Li, do you mean that the Ghost Mother doesn't want to fight to the death either?"

Li Mu nodded: "She values ​​her life more than anyone else. After her transformation, she values ​​it even more. She sought my cooperation as an ally, not an adversary."

After calculating for a moment, Dao Ancestor Haotian agreed, saying, "Dao Lord is right. If the Ghost Mother wants to devour the Sea of ​​Time, someone needs to restrain Dao Lord Tian Shi. Tian Shi devours time and is countered by the Ghost Dao. The Ghost Mother alone has less than a 50% chance of winning against Tian Shi. With Dao Lord's help, the chance of winning is over 70%."

Gu Xi Daozu suddenly realized, "Therefore, she needs the Dao Master even more."

Li Mu nodded and said, "She needs me, and I need her to defend the four regions. It's a win-win situation."

Gu Xi Daozu pondered for a moment: "Dao Master, if she swallows the Sea of ​​Time and her strength increases greatly, she will turn against you!"

Li Mu waved his hand and said, "Her strength has increased greatly, and I will not stand still. After a thousand years of refining, my Chaos Origin has increased fivefold. If I were given another thousand years, I would not waste them."

Li Mu looked out of the hall, his gaze piercing through the void and landing on the eerie white barrier at the boundary.

"Moreover, she has swallowed the Sea of ​​Time and perfected the Dao of Deception. The Dao Lord of Heavenly Eclipse will surely die. With one less Dao Lord, the Four Domains Allied Forces will have one less route."

Gu Xi Daozu's eyes lit up: "Does the Dao Lord mean to use the Ghost Mother to weaken the strength of the four domains?"

Li Mu's lips curled into a smile: "If Tian Shi dies, only three of the four domains will remain. With the Ghost Mother blocking the border, would they still dare to come?"

The Dao Ancestor Haotian's starry eyes shone brightly: "We dare not come. Once Tian Shi dies, Zi Ji, You Sha, and Tai Chu will inevitably have a rift. Even if the three domains join forces, each with their own agenda, their chances of victory are less than 30%."

Gu Xi Dao Zu stroked his beard and nodded: "Dao Master has profound foresight."

"This matter requires further consideration. We will give the Ghost Mother an answer in three months." Li Mu looked at Gu Xi and Hao Tian: "Send orders to all domains to prepare for war with all their might, urge the Ancestral Tree to grow, expand the Dao Army, and purify the Spirit Network."

Gu Xi and Hao Tian bowed and said, "Yes, sir."

Li Mu looked at the assembled ancestors and gestured, "It's decided then. You may all disperse."

"Yes!" The crowd readily agreed, bowed, and withdrew.

……

The three-month period passed in the blink of an eye.

On the Starry Dao Platform, the light screen of the Source Measurement Array flowed, reflecting the eerie white barrier at the boundary, outside which four-colored energy surged like a tide.

The void cracked open, and a strange white light flashed.

The true form of the Evil Mother arrived in person, stepping out and landing her slender figure in the center of the platform. Her eyes were eerily white, and her long hair fell over her shoulders, with a wisp of eerily white light flickering at the end of each strand, making her extremely sinister.

"Master Li, March has arrived. What have you decided?" The Ghost Mother looked at the gray figure deep within the Dao Platform and asked directly to the point.

Li Mu sat cross-legged on the main seat of the Dao Platform, his body surrounded by a restrained gray Dao light. He opened his eyes and awoke, his pupils swirling with chaotic starlight. Looking at the Ghost Mother, he went straight to the point: "Joining forces to attack the Sea of ​​Time is possible. But there are conditions."

A smile appeared on the face of the vengeful mother, and she asked curiously, "Speak."

Li Mu held up three fingers, indicating: "First, I swear an oath. Second, you will personally deal with the Heavenly Eclipse Dao Master. Third, after the Sea of ​​Time is breached, I will take 30% of the source vein, plus some fragments of the Laws of Time."

The Ghost Mother's white eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at Li Mu and chuckled, "Master Li is quite shrewd. I'll handle the Heavenly Eclipse, and you'll take thirty percent of the Source Vein. It sounds like I'm the one who's getting the better deal."

Li Mu's expression remained unchanged as he solemnly said, "You devour the heavens and erode your origin to complete your demonic path. I will take thirty percent of the source vein; we each get what we need. What's wrong with that?"

The Ghost Mother paced across the Starry Dao Platform, chuckling softly, "I do indeed need the Heavenly Eclipse Dao Lord to devour the Dao Source of Time in order to achieve perfection. I can agree to give you 30% of the source vein; however, that old thing Heavenly Eclipse devours Time, which is incompatible with the Ghostly Dao. My chances of defeating him alone are less than 70%." The Ghost Mother stopped and looked at Li Mu, indicating, "I need you to take action and use the Chaos Dao Yuan to restrain him, giving me a chance to devour his origin."

Li Mu was silent for a moment: "I'll make the move, but I'll add some conditions."

The vengeful mother stared at him: "Speak."

Li Mu raised his hand: "I will make my move three times. After that, regardless of success or failure, I will stop."

The Ghost Mother's white eyes flickered as she rejected the idea, saying, "Three times isn't enough. That old bastard Tian Shi has countless ways to save his life; three times might not be enough to force him into a desperate situation."

"Four times." The Ghost Mother held up a finger, her tone leaving no room for doubt: "You will make four moves. The fourth time, you must use Chaos Dao Yuan to seal off the Heavenly Eclipse's retreat route, allowing me to devour its origin."

Li Mu shook his head: "Four times is too many. If I go all out, Ziji, Yousha, and Taichu will definitely take the opportunity to attack, and my Chaos Land will surely be doomed."

The Demon Mother sneered, "Lord Li, you are overthinking it. The demonic barrier I left at the border of the Vast Land is enough to withstand the combined forces of the Three Domains for a hundred years."

Li Mu looked at the Demon Mother and retorted, "If the Demon Barrier were truly that strong, you wouldn't need to come to me for help."

The mother's expression darkened.

Li Mu continued, "Can your barrier stop ordinary Dao soldiers? Can it stop Ziji, Yousha, and Taichu? If the three Dao Lords join forces, your barrier won't last more than thirty years."

The mysterious mother remained silent.

Li Mu said calmly, "Besides, is a mere thirty years enough for you to devour the Sea of ​​Time?"

The Ghost Mother's white eyes flashed, and she said coldly, "Fifty years? With my Ghost Barrier power, it will definitely not be broken within fifty years."

Li Mu stared at her: "What if you can't swallow the Heavenly Eclipse within fifty years?"

The Demon Mother's expression changed slightly, and she snorted coldly: "If I can't swallow it, it's my bad luck, it has nothing to do with you."

Li Mu shook his head and said, "It concerns me. If you can't swallow the Heavenly Eclipse, it will retaliate, and I will have to face the combined attack of four Dao Lords. This deal is not worth it!"

"Without my protection, you will still face the same fate. Think it through!" The Ghost Mother glared at Li Mu and reminded him in an unfriendly tone.

Li Mu was unfazed by the threat from the Demon Mother. He smiled faintly, raised four fingers, and said, "I will make four moves. The first three will restrain the Heavenly Eclipse, and the fourth will block the retreat. However, you must swear an oath that if you fail to break through the Sea of ​​Time, the Demon Barrier will not be withdrawn, and I will immediately return to its aid!"

The Ghost Mother stared at Li Mu with her strange white eyes, and asked unhappily, "You want me to use the Ghost Barrier to shield you from the Lord of the Three Realms?"

Li Mu said indifferently, "Each takes what they need. If you want me to take action, you must first ensure the safety of the Chaos Land!"

The Ghost Mother remained silent for a long time, then paced the platform, her long hair falling down, the ends of which flickered with a ghostly white Dao source.

Li Mu sat cross-legged in the main seat, his expression calm and unhurried.

The hall was silent, with only the echoing footsteps of the Ghost Mother remaining.

After a long while, the Ghost Mother stopped and looked up at Li Mu: "Four times, I agree. The first three times you restrained the Heavenly Eclipse, the fourth time you blocked the retreat. If you cannot break through the Sea of ​​Time, the Ghost Barrier will not retreat."

Li Mu nodded: "Okay."

The Demon Mother raised her hand, and a strange white light condensed in her palm, revealing a strange crystal. Within the crystal core, countless twisted Dao patterns flowed, evolving into a scene of the collapse of all worlds and the sinking of all living beings.

"I swear by the very origin of the Deceptive Path." The Deceptive Mother solemnly swore, "To join forces with the Chaotic Vast Land to attack the Sea of ​​Time, to keep the Deceptive Barrier in place, and to protect the Vast Land completely. If I break this oath, may the Deceptive Path collapse and be doomed forever."

As soon as he finished speaking, the strange crystal shattered, turning into countless eerie white threads that disappeared into the depths of the void.

The demonic mother stopped and looked at Li Mu.

Li Mu raised his hand, and a hazy light condensed, forming a chaotic Dao seal that flowed with the scene of creation and the opening of heaven and earth.

"I swear by the Great Dao of Chaos," Li Mu said in a deep voice. "I will join forces with the Ghost Mother to attack the Sea of ​​Time, make four moves, restrain the Heavenly Eclipse, and block the retreat route. If I break this oath, my Dao foundation will crumble and my origin will dissipate."

The Chaos Dao Seal shattered, turning into gray specks of light that disappeared into the void.

The two looked at each other.

The Demon Mother's lips curled into a smile: "When shall we depart?"

Li Mu looked towards the border, his gaze piercing through layers of void, landing on the outside of that eerie white barrier.

"A hundred years from now!"

The Demon Mother raised an eyebrow: "Why wait a hundred years? That's so long!"

Li Mu said calmly, "I need to make some preparations!"

The Demon Mother looked at her and sneered, "After all this time, aren't you afraid that the four realms will take advantage of the situation and invade?"

"Don't we have fellow Daoists to help us? Besides, if we are not fully prepared, this surprise attack may fail!" Li Mu smiled slightly and said calmly.

"Then it is as Fellow Daoist Li wishes!" The Ghost Mother chuckled helplessly, and then her figure transformed into a streak of eerie white light and vanished without a trace.

Li Mu stood on the platform, gazing at the eerie white barrier at the border, and remained silent for a long time.

“Ancient and vast.”

The Second Patriarch appeared and bowed to receive his orders.

Li Mu looked at the two of them and said in a deep voice, "Within the next hundred years, the Vast Land will be fully prepared for war. The Ancestral Tree will be nurtured, the Dao Army will be expanded, and the Spirit Network will be reinforced. During my campaign, the Vast Land will be under the full jurisdiction of the two of you."

Gu Xi Dao Zu bowed and said, "As you command."

Dao Ancestor Haotian hesitated and said, "Dao Master, what about that Ghost Mother!"

Li Mu looked at the two of them solemnly and said, "The oath has been made, and she dares not break it. A hundred years from now, I will personally lead the expedition to the Sea of ​​Time. The safety of this vast land will depend entirely on the two of you."

The two patriarchs exchanged a glance and bowed in unison: "Your subordinates will certainly not fail the Dao Master's trust."

Li Mu nodded, his figure vanished, and he disappeared into the Myriad Origin Sea.

……

In the depths of the sea of ​​time, the long river of time surges like a tide.

The Celestial Eclipse Palace floats in the center of the long river, its gray-white light flowing endlessly. The Celestial Eclipse Lord sits cross-legged on the platform, surrounded by time markers, each marker reflecting a segment of the long river of time, where birth and death cycle, withering and flourishing alternate.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Eclipse Dao Master's heart skipped a beat.

His gray-white pupils suddenly shone brightly, the time scale around him trembled violently, waves surged in the long river, and countless fragments of time exploded.

The Heavenly Eclipse Dao Master's expression changed slightly. He formed hand seals and activated the Time and Space Secret Technique at full power.

A gray-white ripple emerged from the fingertip, seeping into the depths of the void, attempting to deduce the source of that sudden impulse.

The ripples ventured into the void, vanishing without a trace, like a clay ox entering the sea.

"The secrets of heaven have been concealed."

The Celestial Eclipse Dao Master's gray eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand in a gesture, causing a Time Compass to appear in his palm. On the compass, the markings spun wildly, and the pointer swung back and forth, pointing uncertainly.

"Chaos? Devious Path?"

The Celestial Eclipse Dao Master stared at the compass. Every time the pointer pointed in a direction, a mark would shatter. In a short while, the compass was covered with cracks, the pointer stopped, and pointed to a certain place deep in the void, but it was still blurry.

The Lord of Heavenly Eclipse withdrew his attack, and the compass shattered into dust.

The Lord of Heavenly Eclipse rose and paced back and forth, his gray-white light flowing with his movements. His brows were furrowed: "A sudden whim always foreshadows trouble. The ability to conceal heavenly secrets is no ordinary feat."

The Lord of Heavenly Eclipse stopped, gazing at the void outside the hall, his gray eyes as deep as an abyss.

"Someone come here."

The void cracked open, and a gray-white phantom fell into the hall: "Dao Master."

The Heavenly Eclipse Dao Lord said in a deep voice, "Send a message to the three Dao Lords, Ziji, Yousha, and Taichu, saying that I have important matters to discuss with them and requesting that they come to the Sea of ​​Time for a meeting as soon as possible."

The grayish-white phantom bowed: "Yes, sir."

As soon as he finished speaking, the illusory figure vanished. (End of Chapter)