Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

The Chaos Treasure Palace condensed into an imperceptible grain of sand, swiftly and silently traversing the vast sky of the Demon Spirit Realm.

Li Mu sat cross-legged at the core, his divine sense locking onto the location within the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's information stream—Tianyong City, one of the three major forces of the human race.

Just as the grain of sand was about to cross a desolate plateau shrouded in blood, the scene below suddenly changed!

"Wow—!"

A piercing shriek tore through the sky, its fierce aura soaring to the heavens! Then came a second, a third… countless howls converged into a terrifying sonic wave, sweeping out from the depths of the plateau! The sky was instantly obscured, and countless dark figures, like gushing ink, surged wildly from their lair on the rugged cliffs!
A vast swarm of demonic birds—the Xuan Yu Eagle Clan!
They were enormous, the smallest over ten feet tall, with wingspans like iron curtains, their feathers gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, each one like a poisoned steel needle. Their sharp beaks curved like hooks, flashing a dark red, menacing light. Their sheer numbers resembled a rolling cloud of death, their target unmistakably aimed at the towering bronze city—Tianyong City—standing beyond the chasm of the distant canyon!
"kill!"

"Tear humanity apart!"

"Presented to the King!"

A bloodthirsty intent exploded on the spiritual level, and the desire for greed and destruction boiled over.

boom! boom! boom!
The swarm of Xuan Yu demonic eagles, blotting out the sky, surged towards Tianyong City like a black torrent bursting its banks! Their wings flapped wildly, unleashing a torrent of countless dark, piercing feathers, each imbued with the power to pierce metal and stone! Their target was the tense, vigilant human guards on the city walls!

The space was cut into fine white streaks by the dense black feathers, and the terrifying sound of the air being torn apart was like the roar of death.

Above the city wall, the pale blue defensive light barrier fluctuated violently, its light flickering. The guards roared and formed a battle array, their various magical treasures gleaming as they desperately resisted this sudden and catastrophic disaster!

However, the number of demonic eagles was simply too great, and their attacks were too dense. The light barrier was on the verge of collapse, and a large number of human guards on the city wall died. Rock fragments flew everywhere, and screams could be faintly heard!
The grain of sand that the Chaos Treasure Palace had transformed into floated high in the sky, silently overlooking this bloody hunt against the human race.

Li Mu sat cross-legged inside, his gaze piercing through the walls of the mansion and landing on the brutal battlefield. The human guards fought valiantly, but were like small boats in a raging sea, retreating step by step under the onslaught of the demonic eagles, their defenses on the verge of collapse.

"Ugh!"

Li Mu sighed, forced to make a move, and a chaotic halo quietly appeared at his fingertips.

Facing the core of the Xuan Yu Eagle flock that was crashing into Tianyong City like a black storm below, Li Mu casually pressed his fingertip downwards.

The action is understated.

hum-

A deep, resonant tremor shook the space.

The chaotic halo suddenly spread out, transforming into an invisible ripple composed purely of the will of the chaotic origin, silently sweeping across the core area of ​​the raging eagle flock below!

puff! puff! puff! puff!
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Within the core area, dozens of the most ferocious Xuan Yu giant eagles, charging at the forefront, suddenly stiffened! Their bodies, harder than refined steel, seemed to be crushed from the inside by an invisible giant hand, exploding instantly!
With a single finger, dozens of demon king-level demon eagles were reduced to ashes!
Dead!

Absolute silence instantly replaced the deafening shouts of battle!

The previously rampaging flock of eagles seemed frozen in place, their bloodthirsty, greedy vertical pupils instantly filled with incomprehensible horror and the deepest fear! The overwhelming "dark clouds" abruptly stopped.

Tianyong City.

On the wall, the human guards who were struggling to hold on were also stunned by this sudden turn of events. They looked at the terrifying demon kings that had been annihilated in an instant, and at the flock of eagles that were frozen in place, their faces filled with disbelief, shock, and bewilderment.

The pressure on the defensive light barrier suddenly disappeared, leaving only the hum of energy flowing.

The fear that originated from the depths of their bloodline overwhelmed all bloodlust, and a short, shrill wail was heard from one of the creatures.

Immediately afterwards, with a "whoosh," like the receding tide, the black "clouds" that had blotted out the sky suddenly dissipated! The surviving demon eagles flapped their wings frantically, turning around recklessly and fleeing desperately into the depths of the blood-red plateau, leaving behind only a sky full of scattered black feathers and a faint smell of blood.

On the Tianyong City Wall, the pale blue light curtain gradually stabilized.

The guards looked at each other, watching the fleeing demonic figure and then at the dozens of abrupt holes on the plateau—where the ferocious demon king eagle had just been, now only scattered dust and a few tattered black feathers slowly falling remained.

The immense shock overwhelmed the elation of surviving the disaster; only heavy breathing and suppressed discussions spread across the city walls.

"what happened?"

"Who...who did this?"

"That power...it's terrifying..."

"The Demon Eagle King... was scared away?"

No one could answer that question. That invisible, all-annihilating force came abruptly and left without a trace, like a miracle in a nightmare.

The dust transformed from the Chaos Treasure Palace has quietly crossed the boundary of the Crimson Plateau, carried by the chaotic air currents.

Below, the majestic bronze city wall of Tianyong City became increasingly clear in the field of vision, and the huge city gate was like the mouth of a giant beast, swallowing and spitting out the flow of people and carriages.

a few days later.

In the depths of an ordinary alley in the west of Tianyong City.

The gate to an unassuming little courtyard was slightly ajar. The walls were dusty and gray, with a few clumps of stubborn moss growing in the corners. An old locust tree cast dappled shade in the courtyard, and beneath it sat a simple and clean stone table and benches.

Li Mu changed into a faded blue cloth robe, his aura completely concealed, making him appear like a rogue cultivator of mediocre cultivation, struggling to make a living. He pushed open the door, went inside, and casually brushed off the dust from his clothes. The courtyard contained only three small rooms, simply furnished with a bed, a table, and a chair, exuding a cold and desolate atmosphere.

Outside the window, the hustle and bustle of the city could be faintly heard: the cries of vendors, the laughter of children, the rumbling of wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs... It was as if it were a different world from the earth-shattering cries of eagles and the desperate roars of human guards on the blood-red plateau.

"Brother Li, are we going to stay here?"

Xue'er looked around the courtyard with delight and asked expectantly. She concealed her aura and used magic to hide her appearance. Her slender figure was wrapped in coarse cloth, and her face also had a deliberately plain look.

However, the pure and clear spirit that emanated from her very being, and the limpid clarity that flowed in her bright, clear eyes, were like a pearl hidden under a thin veil; even crude disguise could not conceal its natural, unadorned brilliance. Xue'er walked lightly around the courtyard, her fingertips brushing against the rough bark of the old locust tree, then she squatted down and curiously touched the moss in the corner of the wall.

"Yes, I'll stay for a while." Li Mu smiled and nodded, seeing the long-lost ease and joy in her eyes.

After wandering for too long, this small courtyard and the everyday life of the city are a rare sense of peace for Xue'er.

"That's wonderful!" Xue'er's eyebrows curved into a smile, and her eyes radiated a joy that made everything around her seem more vivid and bright.

Xue'er walked to the stone table and sat down, resting her chin on her hands: "No more rushing, no more worrying, I can hear the neighbor's aunt calling the children to eat..."

The air was filled with the aroma of food wafting from someone's stove, mixed with the faint fragrance of the old locust tree, which made Xue'er squint her eyes in satisfaction.

……

On the other side, the Nine Heavens Demon Court, the Suspended Holy Temple.

Above the Nine Heavens Palace, the sea of ​​clouds churned like boiling water, and the vast expanse of rosy light fell down, yet it could not penetrate the eternal depths of the palace. It was as if a condensed piece of the primordial universe had been extracted, with star fragments floating and flickering in the void. Ancient star trails transformed into tangible Dao traces imprinted on the dark palace walls, flowing slowly.

This is the Daoist temple of the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens, the place of quiet cultivation for the supreme being, one of the twelve pillars supporting the heavens of the demon realm.

At the heart of the hall, on an ancient, unadorned platform, neither gold nor jade, but the color of ink, a figure sat cross-legged, clad in a long, dark robe, upon which flowed a faint, star-like light. His face was blurred behind the swirling, profound aura, only his eyes clearly visible.

Those were a pair of ancient golden eyes, deep and all-encompassing, with countless foxfires flickering within them, and a terrifying Daoist aura permeating them, as if the stars were turning back and the years were rising and falling.

Nine enormous, illusory yet solid, dark golden fox tail phantoms, like pillars of the Dao supporting heaven and earth, appeared and disappeared behind him.

He was the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens, the supreme ancestor of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox lineage.

At this moment, this supreme being who commands all demons and can move stars and change constellations with a single thought is meditating with his eyes closed, his aura resonating faintly with the entire suspended holy temple and even the vast demon spirit realm beneath his feet.

suddenly!

The floating star fragments within the hall all froze! The flowing star-like traces instantly solidified! A subtle yet incredibly clear tremor, originating from the depths of one's bloodline, shattered the ancient silence and balance like a pebble thrown into a deep well.

The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens suddenly opened his pair of ancient golden eyes!

At that very moment, the star-shaped Dao traces imprinted on the dark walls of the entire suspended temple were forcibly twisted and torn by an invisible force, emitting a creaking sound as if they could not bear the weight!
The eternally churning chaotic sea of ​​clouds deep within the palace seemed to have been suppressed by the supreme will, instantly calmed down, and transformed into a deathly silent, suffocating realm of absolute nothingness!

An indescribable solemnity descended like a massive mountain! This solemnity originated from the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens himself, a resonance with the Great Dao triggered by the sudden change in his emotions!
The scene of starlight and foxfire that had just flowed within those ancient golden eyes vanished completely, replaced by a profound stillness that seemed to pierce through eternity. Wherever the gaze fell, space froze, and even the radiant glow seemed to be crushed and swallowed by that invisible pressure.

"The Ghost Clan?"

A deep, hoarse name, as if unearthed from the dust of endless ages, slowly echoed in the deathly silent temple. Each syllable was as heavy as a star, striking the frozen space and stirring up visible ripples that distorted the very laws of nature.

The moment the name was uttered, the nine enormous, illusory fox tails behind the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens suddenly solidified for a moment, and the ghostly blue fox flames at their tips silently surged, scorching the solidified void with spiderweb-like black cracks!

The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens slowly raised one hand towards the frozen void in front of him, his five fingers slightly spread, making a "leading" gesture.

hum!
The towering gate of the Floating Temple, forged from star remains and chaotic divine iron, along with the numerous spatial restrictions placed around it, opened silently!

A stream of dark blue light, carrying overwhelming demonic energy and chilling cold, seemed to be summoned by the supreme source of bloodline. In an instant, it traversed endless distances and was precisely projected onto the cold ground in the center of the palace, which was marked with a star map!

The azure flames subsided, revealing the figure of the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint, clad in a black robe and with a cold, stern expression. He bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Your son greets Father!"

The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens' gaze fell upon the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint. In his ancient golden eyes, there was no reproach, only a soul-piercing scrutiny, and... a trace of unprecedented solemnity that even the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint felt a great shock in his heart.

"Tell me about your encounter with that outside cultivator who controls the Great Dao of Chaos, and about his words about the reappearance of the 'Strange Race'..." The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens stared at the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint, and said with an unquestionable, soul-piercing command: "Tell me everything without missing a single word."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint felt as if he were carrying the weight of the entire Demon Spirit Realm, and his soul trembled slightly under that invisible gaze.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint steadied his mind and suppressed the pressure emanating from his bloodline. He then recounted in detail everything that had happened, from his encounter with Li Mu, being taken into the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu's spying on the human race, the Tree of Devious Paths, to the shocking warning about the Mu Realm Clan's unexpectedly profound strength.

His voice was steady and clear, only when he mentioned the "Tree of Devious Paths", the "Cataclysm from Beyond the Realm", and Li Mu's words, "The Shepherd Clan is no ordinary person, their foundation should not be so weak, and our realm is also in danger", his tone unconsciously became more serious.

As the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint recounted his story, the aura surrounding the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens, which had been as still as an abyss, began to subtly fluctuate.

On the palace walls, the torn star-shaped marks convulsed and twisted violently like living things, emitting even more mournful cries! At the edge of the solidified void domain, space silently collapsed and annihilated, forming patches of absolute darkness that devoured everything!

The nine enormous fox-tailed shadows behind him stirred restlessly, each movement unleashing a devastating surge of energy. The ghostly blue foxfire flickered erratically, scorching the void with a crackling sound! A terrifying will, a billion times heavier than before, powerful enough to make all demons bow down and eclipse the stars, silently brewed and rose within the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens!
Upon hearing that "Li Mu personally experienced its harm and said that its foundation was unfathomable," the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens' ancient golden eyes suddenly contracted! Deep within his pupils, it was as if the terrifying imprint of the "Ghost Clan" left over from countless years ago was instantly ignited!

A chilling dread, originating from the depths of one's soul, spread uncontrollably like a icy tide from the depths of hell!
"Humph!"

A cold snort, seemingly from the primordial era, suddenly exploded deep within the soul of the Nine-Tailed Demon Saint!

boom!
The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint felt as if he had been struck by an ancient divine mountain, his body trembling violently! The surging demonic power around him was instantly suppressed back into his body, and the eerie blue flames on his nine fox tails flickered violently, almost going out.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Saint's face paled, and golden flames flickered in his pupils. He forcibly steadied himself, his throat bobbing as he suppressed his surging blood pressure to prevent him from losing his composure. With just a cold snort containing supreme will, he felt the insurmountable chasm between himself and his father!
The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens remained seated cross-legged on the Chaos Dao Platform, his black robes fluttering even without wind. He slowly raised his head, his ancient golden eyes seeming to pierce through the dome of the suspended holy temple, through the boundary wall of the Demon Spirit Realm, and into the vast, boundless, and perilous Three Thousand Main Realms.

The Great Sage of the Nine Heavens had an extremely heavy gaze, as if he were carrying the weight of the rise and fall of the entire world on his shoulders.

The hall was eerily silent.

Only the silently annihilating space, the collapsing star traces, and the nine restless fox-tailed shadows behind the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens, exuding an aura of destruction, revealed the monstrous waves surging within the heart of this Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Supreme.

The name "Ghost Clan" tolled like the most ominous death knell in the heart of this ancestral court of ten thousand demons.

After a long silence, a chilling voice, seemingly capable of freezing time and space, slowly echoed in the deathly quiet temple, carrying a profound weight of understanding the ages and an undeniable resolve: "Issue the order... to the Eleven Demon Courts, informing them of the reappearance of the Ghost Clan!" (End of Chapter)