Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

The journey from here to outside the domain is long, and I don't know how long it will take to return to the sect. To be on the safe side, Li Mu decided to transplant the two sixth-level spiritual plants, Yanyuan Lingcao and Mouxing Lingcao, to the Painting World Treasure House for continued planting.

Li Mu's figure appeared beside the high-quality spiritual fields on both sides. With the blessing of the Spirit Gathering Array and the Star Attracting Array, the two originally fertile lands added a bit of vitality and spiritual energy.

Each of the Mouxing spiritual grasses is growing vigorously. They have unique shapes, with a faint silver glow on the edges of their leaves and dotted with starlight, just like the stars in the night sky. The whole spiritual plant condenses rich star power.

The Yanyuan spiritual grass on the other side is a different scene. Their stems are upright, more than three inches high, and contain unyielding vitality. The leaves are dark green, like jade carvings, and the surface is covered with a layer of delicate luster, which is more crystal clear under the sunlight or spiritual light. What's more peculiar is that a drop of invisible dew-like substance is condensed at the tip of each Yanyuan spiritual grass. It is not a dewdrop, but the essence of life condensed by the Yanyuan spiritual grass - the Yanyuan spiritual fruit. Large areas of Yanyuan spiritual grass have begun to bear fruit, but it will still take a long time for the real spiritual fruit to mature.

As the breeze blew, the leaves of Yanyuan Lingcao swayed gently, and the essence of life seemed to tremble slightly, emitting a faint halo, which intertwined with the rich spiritual energy around it, forming a harmonious and beautiful picture.

The two large spiritual fields, the Yanyuan spiritual grass and the Mouxing spiritual grass complement each other, one is emerald green and full of vitality; the other is starry, mysterious and magnificent.

Li Mu smiled with satisfaction. Under his innate magical power - identifying all spirits, the attribute information of the two sixth-level spiritual materials were all presented in Li Mu's eyes.

【Yanyuan Lingcao (growth period)】

[Grade: Sixth-Level Spiritual Plant]

[Characteristics: Increase energy and prolong life, prolong the soul, eliminate the five declines, refine vitality, purify the spirit and strengthen the body. 】

[Status: Abundant power of time, growing rapidly, 32 years to maturity. ]

[Yanyuan Spiritual Grass, sixth-level spiritual plant, seventy years of medicinal age, growth requirements: needs to be planted in a spiritual land with vigorous vitality, spiritual energy, and abundant power of time. It takes a hundred years to grow into a seedling, fifty years to bloom, and fifty years to produce Yanyuan Longevity Fruit. The hundred-year-old Yanyuan Longevity Fruit has the effect of increasing longevity. The Yanyuan Longevity Fruit is the main material for refining Yanshou Pills and Yanshou Wine.]

【Mouxing Lingcao (growth period)】

[Grade: Sixth-Level Spiritual Plant]

[Characteristics: Mou Xing condenses the soul, Mou Xing solidifies the soul, Mou Xing gathers the source, tempers the soul, and has affinity with the stars. 】

[Status: Full of starlight, bathed in starlight, growing rapidly, 18 years to maturity. ]

[Mouxing Spiritual Grass, a sixth-level spiritual plant, 110 years old, growth requirements: needs to be planted in a place with abundant star sources and abundant spiritual energy of heaven and earth, needs to be accompanied by starlight crystals to help it grow, matures in 150 years, blooms in 60 years, and bears Mouxing Spiritual Fruit in 60 years. The 60-year-old Mouxing Spiritual Fruit has the effect of strengthening the soul, and is the main material for refining Jushen Pills and Tianxing Pills.]

Looking at the properties of the two sixth-level spiritual plants, Li Mu was inexplicably happy. The Mouxing spiritual grass was the first to mature. When they matured, he could upgrade the nebula visualization method to strengthen his soul, and then he could proceed to the next step to condense the Refining Void Domain.

It’s a pity that Li Mu had to go to accept the invitation from Master Feng Jian and could not continue to guard this spiritual field.

However, with the Huajie Baofu, the most precious treasure of the cave, inside it, using star spirit sand, star crystals, these high-level spirit stones containing a large amount of star power to set up a star-attracting formation, it can also provide a space suitable for the rapid growth of Mouxing spirit grass.

Li Mu had made some preparations beforehand to transplant the two sixth-level spiritual plants into the treasure house space, so it was not a difficult task.

Li Mu clasped his hands together and activated the magic circle that isolated the spiritual field from the prying eyes of the gods and opened the protective formation. Then, he took out the Painting World Treasure House from his arms, and with a flash of his figure, he plunged into the treasure house. Only a emerald green Painting World Treasure House was left behind, which gathered and shrank, turning into a grain of sand and fell to the ground.

Li Mu showed up in the treasure house, and immediately summoned the treasure house's spirit - the five-colored dragon, to help him open up two large tracts of top-grade spiritual fields, arrange a star-attracting formation, and prepare to transplant two sixth-level spiritual plants.

Li Mu pointed to an empty area in the treasure house that was full of spiritual energy, and told the weapon spirit: "Help me open up two places with the richest spiritual energy as new homes for the two sixth-level spiritual plants!"

"Okay master, how big an area do you want?" asked the five-colored dragon.

"Let's open up two thousand acres!" Li Mu gestured.

Upon hearing this, the five-colored dragon swung its giant tail lightly, and instantly turned into a stream of light, rushing straight into the sky, and then swooped down from the sky, sweeping its tail across wherever it passed, laying out two thousand acres of top-quality land accurately and without error according to Li Mu's requirements.

Li Mu summoned nine golden spiritual swords and used the swords as pens to begin carving array patterns around the two thousand acres of spiritual fields.

Then, Li Mu took out pieces of star spirit sand and star crystals. These high-level spirit stones emitted a soft and bright light, like the brightest stars in the night sky. With his skillful technique, he embedded these spirit stones into the star-attracting array according to specific directions. Every time a piece of the array was embedded, a ray of light would light up, and finally converged into a complex and exquisite star map, covering a large area of ​​spiritual fields.

Next was the spirit gathering formation, which was embedded with top-grade spirit stones. With the activation of the formation, the concentration of spiritual energy near the spirit field suddenly increased. The star-drawing formation drew out a large amount of power from countless stars, covering the spirit field. The soil on the spirit field became softer and full of vitality. The soil and air all contained rich star power, creating a nourishing place that was extremely suitable for the Mouxing spirit grass.

In another spiritual field, the Great Array of Time was activated. The entire space seemed to be slowly pulled by an invisible force. The power of time was abundant, forming an environment suitable for the growth of Yanyuan spiritual grass.

Seeing this, Li Mu exited the treasure house space and returned to the outside world again. He waved his sleeves lightly, and the sand-like treasure house in the painting world instantly expanded and returned to its original state, floating steadily in the air. Li Mu pinched the magic formula with his hands, and his mind covered the two thousand-acre spiritual fields planted with Mouxing spiritual grass and Yanyuan spiritual grass. The spiritual power in his body surged out, and as his mind was like a thread, it penetrated into the two spiritual fields accurately and attached to each spiritual plant.

"Get up!" As Li Mu shouted in a low voice, his mind suddenly vibrated, as if an invisible giant hand gently lifted up the two precious sixth-level spiritual plants - Mouxing Spiritual Grass and Yanyuan Spiritual Grass. Their roots slowly separated from the soil, but they were not damaged at all.

Guided by Li Mu's spiritual thoughts, the Mouxing Spiritual Grass and the Yanyuan Spiritual Grass slowly rose up. A suction force emerged from the Painting World Treasure House, sucking these spiritual plants in one by one. Under the control of the Treasure House spirit, they were planted one by one in the top-grade spiritual fields.

The relocation of two thousand acres of spiritual fields was completed in an instant.

Li Mu's figure flashed, and he entered the treasure house again to confirm the transplanting status of the two sixth-level spiritual plants.

Two days later, after Li Mu asked several elders of the Seven Sects to look after the sect, he followed Master Feng Jian on a high-level spirit ship and set off for the land outside the Nine Netherworld.

On the deck, Li Mu and Master Feng stood side by side, gazing at the mountains ahead, each with their own thoughts in their hearts. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the two of them, adding a touch of warmth to this unknown journey.

"Sword Master, the purpose of our trip is to the Nine Netherworld, but I have always had doubts." Li Mu broke the silence and asked with a serious tone: "The two Dao Lords are both powerful people in the world. Why are they trapped in the land outside the Nine Netherworld and unable to escape?"

Hearing this, Sword Master Feng turned around and looked at Li Mu with a deep gaze, as if he was evaluating something, as if considering whether to tell Li Mu the truth.

After a moment, Master Feng sighed, looked at Li Mu and slowly introduced: "Elder Li, you don't know that the land outside the Nine Netherworld is not an ordinary place, but a very special secret place between heaven and earth. It is said that it connects multiple different spaces and interfaces, with endless treasures and opportunities, but also unimaginable dangers and dilemmas."

“Since ancient times, Jiuyou has been regarded as the gateway between the spiritual world and other unknown worlds. The rules inside are disordered and time and space are distorted. Even a Taoist master with unparalleled cultivation will inevitably encounter unexpected changes once he goes deep into its core area. The two Taoist masters of our sect conducted a joint exploration this time, but they accidentally triggered an ancient restriction and were trapped on the edge of Jiuyou by an unknown force, and cannot return easily.” Sword Master Feng explained solemnly in a low and powerful voice.

"The unusual movements of Jiuyou seem to be closely related to the increasingly thin spiritual energy in the spiritual world. According to ancient records, whenever there are huge changes in the depths of Jiuyou, the spiritual energy in various parts of the spiritual world will fluctuate to varying degrees, or even be extracted in large quantities, leading to the depletion of spiritual energy. We are not only looking for a way to rescue the two Taoist monarchs, but also to find out the truth behind this and solve the crisis of spiritual energy depletion that the spiritual world is about to face." Master Feng Jian finally added.

"What! The spiritual energy is exhausted!"

Hearing this, Li Mu's face suddenly changed, his eyes full of shock. He knew very well that spiritual energy was like the source of life for cultivators. Once it was exhausted, the entire spiritual world would fall into an unprecedented predicament. The growth of spiritual plants and the improvement of cultivators' cultivation all depended on the nourishment of spiritual energy.

"Sword Master, the consequence of the depletion of spiritual energy means that our path of cultivation will become extremely difficult, and may even regress?" Li Mu's voice trembled slightly, and he was obviously shocked by this sudden news.

Master Feng nodded, his expression becoming more solemn, and he said in a deep voice: "Yes, the exhaustion of spiritual energy will directly affect the foundation of the cultivators in this world. If a solution is not found in time, not only will the cultivators' cultivation be difficult to improve, but it is also likely to trigger a fight for resources between sects, causing the entire spiritual world to fall into chaos. What's more serious is that if the spiritual energy disappears completely, the Dharma Ending Age will come, and all living beings in this world will face a catastrophe."

"Is the depletion of spiritual energy related to the Chaos Sealing Array? This array seals the passage to the Demon Abyss and the upper realm!" Li Mu thought of something and asked.

"The Chaos Sealing Array? It does have some relationship, but not the main one. There are countless spiritual veins in this world, and the amount of spiritual power transported by the channel between the two worlds is limited. Even if it is closed, it cannot dry up the spiritual energy of this world! The influence of Jiuyou on the spiritual power of this world is different." Sword Master Feng shook his head and denied Li Mu's judgment.

Master Feng slowly raised his head, his eyes seemed to penetrate the barriers of time and space, returning to that distant and glorious era: "In ancient times, the spiritual energy of the spiritual world was so rich that it could almost be liquefied. Mountains, rivers, and plants all contained spirituality. Birds and beasts could practice and transform. There were high-level cultivators everywhere. It was not difficult to achieve the realm of a great master. Even if the passages to the Demon Abyss and the upper realm were opened, it did not have much impact."

After a pause, Master Feng continued to introduce to Li Mu: "The ancient cultivators, bathed in such abundant spiritual energy, made rapid progress in their cultivation, and many powerful people emerged. Moving mountains and seas, picking stars and taking the moon were just a piece of cake. There were many sects, and each displayed its magical powers. Not only did they not fight for resources, but they often exchanged their Taoism and studied the secrets of longevity together. It was a real golden age."

"However, the good times did not last long. With the imbalance of some unknown power between heaven and earth, and the greed and ambition of some powerful beings, the ancient catastrophe quietly descended. The Nine Netherworld, which was originally a place of ghosts and evil, began to overflow crazily due to some unknown reason, corroding the entire spiritual world. When this filthy air met the pure spiritual energy, it was like water and fire that could not coexist. Not only did it consume a large amount of spiritual energy, but it also made the laws of heaven and earth chaotic."

Having said this, Master Feng paused, his eyes penetrated through the layers of clouds and mist, and saw the dark age of ancient times.

"The ancients successfully isolated the Nine Netherworld. Now, for some unknown reason, the pollution in the Nine Netherworld is getting worse and worse, gradually eroding the foundation of the spiritual world, causing a large number of main spiritual veins to be damaged. The spiritual energy is becoming increasingly thin, until today, resulting in the spiritual energy depletion problem we are facing."

"If we want to solve this fundamental problem, we need to go deep into the Nine Netherworlds to explore the source of the pollution. Perhaps we can find the key to restoring spiritual energy and rebuilding order. However, this journey is extremely dangerous and there is a high risk of death. Only those with supernatural powers and a fearless heart can do it."

Master Feng felt extremely heavy-hearted when he said this. He turned to look at Li Mu and finally introduced: "The two Dao Lords of our sect wanted to completely resolve this crisis, so they resolutely decided to go deep into the Nine Netherworld to try to find the secret of the Nine Netherworld and the exhaustion of spiritual energy, in order to gain a glimmer of hope for this world."

After listening to Sword Master Feng’s detailed introduction, Li Mu felt inexplicably complicated. He did not expect that the top leaders of Xuantian Sword Sect would bear such a heavy responsibility.

"Sword Master, based on the current rate at which spiritual energy is depleting, how long can the spiritual veins of the spiritual world last?" Li Mu thought of something and asked Sword Master Feng with concern.

Master Feng pondered for a moment, frowning, and slowly said, "According to the calculations of the elders of the sect and the frequency of the recent fluctuations in spiritual energy, if there is no external intervention, the spiritual world can only support another three thousand years at the current rate of depletion. After a thousand years, the spiritual energy will become thin, and it will become difficult for high-level cultivators to practice, and it will be even more difficult for low-level cultivators to survive. By then, the entire spiritual world may fall into an unprecedented crisis."

“If this problem cannot be completely solved within two thousand years, the spiritual veins of this world will suffer devastating damage and will be completely beyond repair. By then, the Dharma Ending Age will officially arrive.” Sword Master Feng said finally.

Hearing this, Li Mu's heart sank. Two thousand years may seem like a long time, but for a cultivator, it is just a blink of an eye. (End of this chapter)