Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty is preparing for war with massive resources, putting the entire realm on high alert.

However, the Ghost Clan vanished without a trace, and the anticipated calamity was long overdue. Throughout the Immortal Dynasty, from the most powerful figures to ordinary mortals, the tension in their hearts gradually eased during the long wait, giving rise to weariness and doubt.

The massive war machine became a boulder weighing on the lifeline of the Immortal Dynasty. Heavy taxes and harsh corvée labor were imposed. Countless blessed lands, spiritual veins, and mineral deposits were requisitioned for military use. The inheritance of sects was hindered, the livelihood of independent cultivators was difficult, the people were exhausted, and there was widespread discontent.

"Prepare for war! Prepare for war for thirty years! Where is the Ghost Clan?"

"The foundation of the Immortal Dynasty is gone! We have no way to cultivate, and our path to survival is cut off!"

"Emperor Qian Yuan! Return my sect's spiritual veins!"

Sparks of resistance crackled and popped on weary tinder, gradually growing into a prairie fire. From border towns to the core immortal realm, unrest erupted one after another. Cultivators stormed the immortal dynasty's treasury, rogue cultivators formed alliances to resist conscription, and undercurrents surged within some ancient sects whose spiritual lands had been forcibly requisitioned.

Inside the Heavenly Observation Hall, the shimmering light of the celestial sphere illuminated the solemn faces of the powerful figures. The faint turbulent aura emanating from outside the hall failed to disturb the incense burning within. Emperor Qian Yuan sat regally on the Nine-Dragon Throne, his eyes beneath the flat-topped crown as deep as a frozen pool, the dragon patterns on his nine-dragon robes seeming to roar silently.

“Your Majesty,” an old man in a star-patterned robe said in a hoarse voice, “urgent reports from all regions indicate that public resentment is boiling over. Large-scale cultivator uprisings have broken out in three star regions, storming the boundary gates and demanding the cessation of the ‘Xuanhuang War Preparedness’ and the return of the spiritual land resources.”

Blood Slaughter God grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth: "You noisy ants! Kill a few as a sacrifice to appease the flag, and it will naturally quiet down."

The sword cultivator patriarch frowned slightly: "It's better to guide than to block. The war preparations have indeed consumed too much resources. If this continues, before the Ghost Clan even arrives, the foundation of our Immortal Dynasty may collapse."

The Buddha of Kuchan chanted in a low voice: "The hearts of men are restless, like boiling water that cannot be calmed. Your Majesty, you must pacify the hearts of men."

Emperor Qian Yuan tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his throne, producing a dull, metallic sound. The starlight screen remained calm, and only ancient void turbulence could be seen near the boundary barrier.

"If the Ghost Clan doesn't come, does that mean we're wrong?" Emperor Qian Yuan's voice was deep and resonant, carrying the oppressive aura of an emperor that drowned out all other noises in the hall: "The strange phenomena are not unfounded! The mournful cries of the Heavenly Dao from the neighboring realm still echo in our ears! Have you all forgotten the shadow of that strange tree?"

The hall was deathly silent; no one dared to forget that terrifying scene.

"Preparing for war is not for the sake of war itself, but for survival!" Emperor Qian Yuan abruptly rose, his dragon aura surging, causing the star projections within the palace to sway. "The people are weary? Then let them know that complacency will lead to annihilation! Issue the decree:"

Emperor Qian Yuan's voice, like thunder, rolled across the palace: "First, activate the 'Heavenly Hearing' crystal tablet! Select fragments of the collapsing afterimages of neighboring realms and the erosion of the eerie tree captured by the Star Instrument and project them onto the core crystal tablets of the major star regions of the Immortal Dynasty, so that all living beings may witness what the 'cancer of the Great Dao' truly is!"

"Second, anyone who attacks the Immortal Dynasty's treasury, damages war preparations, or incites rebellion, regardless of their background, will be punished for treason! They will be jointly apprehended by the Enforcement Envoy of the Hall of Offerings and the Blood Sea Floating Pagoda Guards, and executed without pardon!"

"Third, a notice to the Immortal Realm: The Great Qian Immortal Dynasty is preparing for the calamity of the Ghost Clan with the full power of the entire realm! Anyone who is determined to defend the righteous path, regardless of sect or rogue cultivator, righteous or evil, may join the 'Demon-Slaying Army' to share resources and fight the great calamity together! Wartime merits can offset all past achievements! All gains during the war belong to the individual's sect!"

"Fourth, order the garrison commanders of each region to open the official granaries, stabilize the price of spiritual goods, and use the surplus funds from war preparations to aid virtuous sects and independent cultivators who have suffered losses due to war preparations. This is an extraordinary time, and extraordinary measures must be taken!"

Orders were issued one after another, ruthless and decisive, using fear to intimidate, iron-fisted suppression, hope to win over, and benefits to appease. The emperor's mind was laid bare at this moment.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Blood Slaughter God Lord accepted the order with a sinister grin, his eyes gleaming even brighter with bloodlust.

The Sword Cultivator Ancestor and the Dry Zen Buddha exchanged a glance, both seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes, but neither spoke further.

Ji Yu, pale-faced, still forcefully activated the Star Instrument to maintain monitoring of the myriad realms.

Outside the hall, the faint clamor of resistance could be heard; inside, the chilling iron order had already been issued.

The massive war machine of the Great Qian Dynasty, under immense pressure from both internal and external troubles, not only did not stop, but was forcibly pushed to an even more ruthless operating speed by Emperor Qian Yuan.

Will it turn the tide or hasten the collapse? No one knows, but one thing is certain: the shadow of the Ghost Clan has not yet arrived, but the storm within the Immortal Dynasty itself has already descended.

The crystal-like light screen illuminated the cores of each domain, revealing for the first time the terrifying scenes of otherworldly destruction and the horrifying sight of the eerie tree devouring the Heavenly Dao.

Panic, despair, and deathly silence... instantly replaced the clamor of resentment. The figures of the Blood Slaughter God Lord's Floating Pagoda Guards appeared in the star field where the riot was most intense, like blood clouds seeking death.

The recruitment notices for the "Demon Slayer Army" were also posted all over every major city and market in the Immortal Dynasty.

The figure in the nine-dragon robe stepped out of the imperial palace and stood at the entrance of Jingyuan Valley.

Emperor Qian Yuan's gaze, beneath his crown, was deep and focused, piercing through the layer of chaotic mist and landing on the spiritual academy within the valley. Without uttering a word, his imperial might naturally spread, causing the chaotic airflow within the valley to stagnate slightly.

The next moment, Li Mu appeared from the valley entrance, his white robe spotless, standing in an absolutely calm place about ten feet in diameter.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Li Mu said, offering his greetings.

Emperor Qian Yuan's gaze swept over the chaotic domain around Li Mu, which was impervious to all laws. A dragon shadow flashed deep in his eyes. He went straight to the point and said, "Thirty years. The Immortal Dynasty is on high alert, expending massive amounts of resources to prepare for war across the entire realm."

Emperor Qian Yuan's voice was deep, carrying the weight of thirty years of pent-up emotions: "However, the Ghost Clan has vanished without a trace. Public resentment is boiling, and war is raging everywhere. Iron-blooded suppression, crystal tablets as warnings, recruitment of 'Demon Slayers'... I have exhausted all means to push this behemoth to its limit."

"However," Emperor Qian Yuan's tone suddenly sharpened, his gaze locking onto Li Mu like lightning: "As far as the Star Instrument can reach, the barriers of the myriad realms, the aura of the Ghost Clan... there is still not a trace! Fellow Daoist Li, the Great Dao of Chaos is the beginning of all Daos, capable of sensing the changes of all things. In these thirty years of silence, have you... sensed anything unusual here?"

This question is heavier than the stars, concerning the very foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty's survival.

Li Mu smiled slightly and asked in return, "Does Your Majesty wish for the Ghost Clan to appear immediately, or for them to appear later?"

Li Mu's question was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, stirring up a barely perceptible ripple in the eyes of Emperor Qian Yuan, who fell silent.

Beneath the nine-dragon robe, his body was as solid as a mountain, exuding imperial might that completely stagnated the chaotic airflow at the valley entrance.

Li Mu remained silent, simply watching the Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty.

After a long while, the dragon-like shadow in Emperor Qian Yuan's eyes churned, eventually settling into silence. He gave Li Mu a deep look, his gaze complex, seemingly heavy yet utterly empty. There was no answer, no further questioning.

Emperor Qian Yuan turned around, took a step, and his figure disappeared into the vast void, leaving only a faint, heavy feeling. Li Mu stood in place, gazing in the direction where the emperor had disappeared, and sighed softly, understanding his meaning.

Li Mu channeled his divine sense into the Chaos Dao Tree within the Chaos Treasure Palace, attaching his divine sense to the base of the Chaos Dao Tree and sensing the situation of the three thousand disciples along its branches and leaves.

Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The figures of the three thousand disciples who planted the Dao seed back then have already spread throughout the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty and even the wider world.

In a secluded mountain palace, a female cultivator in a green dress stood quietly beneath an ancient tree. The tree was not a real tree, but a phantom of her "Azure Tree," a manifestation of her Wood-based Dao Seed. Its roots could briefly penetrate the void, absorbing vital energy. A touch of green light from her fingertip fell onto a withered branch, causing it to sprout and bloom in an instant. Her aura was profound, having reached the Mahayana realm.

On a spiritual island in the East China Sea, a lone figure stands on a reef, carrying an ancient sword. Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the sharp Dao seed has transformed into a small sword, barely an inch long, exuding golden sharpness. Ahead lies a giant whale demon; with a flick of his finger, he kills it silently. The sword intent soars to the heavens, its sharpness concealed.

In the Western Regions, amidst the endless yellow sand, a dilapidated ancient city was shrouded in an invisible force field, impervious to the wind and sand. A gray-robed cultivator sat at the center of the formation, his earth-elemental Dao seed within his sea of ​​consciousness manifesting the illusory image of the "Nine Mountains Suppressing Prison Seal," connecting with the earth's veins. The foundation of the ancient city was invisibly reinforced, and the crumbling walls faintly gleamed with an earthy yellow luster. He alone was the foundation of the entire city.

……

Li Mu didn't need to consciously sense it; within the Chaos Treasure Palace of his sea of ​​consciousness, three thousand invisible "roots" extended out from the towering Dao Tree, piercing through the void and connecting the disciples scattered in all directions.

Most of the roots are strong and vigorous, conveying a rhythm that is sharp, thick, or full of vitality, indicating that the seed is growing well and coexists and grows together with the host.

A few roots are dim, withered, and even exude a deathly chill, indicating that the Dao Seed is incompatible with the Dao Master and cannot help it step into a deeper realm.

Furthermore, there are hundreds of roots whose rhythm is powerful and unique, subtly touching the origin of the Great Dao, indicating that its host has reached an extremely high realm and the Dao seed is about to "bloom".

Thirty years of breeding have made the Dao Seed and the cultivator indistinguishable; some have ascended to great heights, while others have turned to dust.

The nascent forms of the Three Thousand Great Daos are quietly growing in this world, using the human body as fertile ground.

“It’s almost done!”

Li Mu opened his eyes and woke up, sighed, and then the Chaotic Dao Domain unfolded, the profound Chaotic Dao intent spreading throughout the entire Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, summoning three thousand disciples back to prepare for the great calamity of the invasion of the Ghost Clan.

In response to Li Mu's summons, in the capital, an unassuming accountant's fingertip silently turned an ebony abacus bead into dust. His entire being, like ink erased by an eraser, quietly faded away amidst the clamor, leaving no trace.

The wealthy gentleman who was visiting the brothel suddenly became serious, and then, in full view of everyone, he transformed into a golden streak of light and disappeared without a trace.

……

Sharp sword light, vibrant wood shadows, explosive flames, somber earth glow, eerie poisonous miasma, and elusive threads of cause and effect… streams of light, each unique in form and aura yet sharing a common origin, tore through the tranquility of the heavens. They pierced through layers of boundary barriers, disregarding distance, carrying Daoist charms that were sometimes sharp, sometimes profound, sometimes mysterious, like thousands of arrows returning to their nests, all aimed at the same place.

……

More than two thousand figures, their auras ranging from as strong as the deep sea to as weak as fireflies, from dignified and upright to sinister and unpredictable, all returned to their positions. They stood silently behind Li Mu, like his extended shadows, and a vast aura, a mixture of resolute determination, killing intent, anticipation, and deathly stillness, silently spread out.

At that moment, Li Mu's gaze pierced through the void and locked onto the outermost layer of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, that solid boundary wall that isolated the eternal void.

"Snap—!" A crisp sound.

A terrifying, crisp sound, exploding directly from the very depths of the very essence of billions of living beings, suddenly descended!

The solid boundary wall that stretched across the galaxy and protected the Immortal Dynasty for billions of years was instantly covered with dense, spiderweb-like cracks, like a crystal dome struck by an invisible giant hammer! Then, under the gaze of countless horrified eyes, a huge gaping hole that spanned the entire galaxy burst open with a deafening roar!

Beyond the breach, a surging, deathly still, and all-consuming light and heat—a strange, thick white fog!

The thick fog was as viscous as a substance, exuding an extreme chill that annihilated life. Ignoring the constraints of spatial laws, it poured in like a sea of ​​death bursting its banks!

The light of the nearby stars dimmed and went out instantly, like embers that had burned out. The pure spiritual energy in the space was greedily sucked up and polluted, turning into a rotten, eerie white. The laws of heaven and earth of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty groaned under the unbearable burden, and wailed as they twisted and collapsed!
Deep within the eerily white sea of ​​fog, so thick it seemed impossible to dispel, indistinct and terrifying outlines began to writhe and emerge.

It was a twisted existence that defied common sense. Segments and tentacles were haphazardly pieced together, bone spurs and tumors coexisted in a deformed way, flowing with filthy mucus, exuding a decay and pure malice that sent chills down one's spine. Countless scarlet, pale green, and dark compound eyes lit up one after another in the thick fog, coldly, greedily, and without emotion locking onto the vibrant world of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty.

The thick, eerie fog, like a tide of death, swept in with unstoppable force.

Behind the massive wound in the breach in the boundary wall, countless hideous figures of the Ghost Clan, like maggots that have smelled blood, began to gather and surge, forming a filthy, twisted, and destructive white torrent that was about to pour down!

The Imperial Palace Square fell into absolute silence.

The terrifying sight in the sky, the eerie white light that sent chills down the spines of trillions of cultivators in the entire Great Qian Immortal Dynasty.

Behind Li Mu, the auras of the three thousand figures instantly tightened to their limit, like a fully drawn bow, the air solidified, heavy and suffocating.

A deep, resonant sword hummed within its sheath, the sturdy wooden shadows swayed slightly, and intense flames danced deep within their eyes. A dense, earthy aura covered their bodies... The Dao seeds within them, sensing the stimulation of their nemesis, emitted silent yet fierce throbbing and hissing.

Li Mu's expression was calm, like a cold jade stone thrown into stagnant water. The voice of the Great Dao clearly resounded in the minds of every disciple: "The seed of the Dao has taken root for thirty years, all for this day!"

Li Mu slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on the eerie white gaping hole that was devouring the entire world. A powerful aura originating from the source of chaos rose from his body, stirring the solidified air around him.

"Gentlemen, please follow me... to slay the demons!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Mu transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky, with his three thousand disciples following closely behind.

“Rumble——!!!”

The first torrent of extremely viscous, eerie white liquid, carrying countless shrieking, howling, and grotesquely distorted monsters, surged violently into the territory of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty through the massive breach in the boundary wall, like a filthy celestial river bursting its banks!

The curtain of destruction has been raised with a deafening roar! (End of Chapter)