Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

The surviving army of fire demons, whose will was forged from pure destruction and rage, was for the first time infused with an impurity called "fear." They stood frozen in place, their scarlet pupils reflecting the slender figure atop the fortress, as if gazing up at an indescribable, unapproachable ancient deity.

On the Rift Universe, Xiao Jingtian and the others witnessed this scene through the Mystic Mirror. Their minds were shaken and a deathly silence fell. They had speculated about Mingyue's strength, after all, she could recreate millions of puppets with a single thought. However, seeing it with their own eyes, they realized that such power could not be described as "powerful" but was close to the manifestation of the Dao, which did not follow cause and effect and could not be defied.

It is not a crushing force, but an absolute transcendence of life level and the origin of laws.

"Is this... the one who follows the Lord closely?"

An old general from the Immortal Dynasty murmured, his voice trembling slightly, filled with both shock and almost fanatical reverence. In their eyes, Mingyue was no ordinary strongman; she was the embodiment of the Chaos Dao that Li Mu wielded, the extension of divine power, and the representative of order.

Xiao Jingtian took a deep breath to suppress his surging emotions.

"Lord Mingyue's divine might is unparalleled!" Xiao Jingtian transmitted his thoughts with utmost respect, asking, "The Fire Demon army's morale has collapsed. Should we press our advantage and strike directly at the Burning God Abyss?"

At the summit of the fortress, Mingyue's golden eyes remained indifferent, without turning back. She gazed into the abyss, where the aura of destruction had not diminished but instead grown even more profound and eerie.

"Do not pursue a desperate enemy." Mingyue's voice was as cold as ice: "The enemy in this realm is far more complex than it appears. Order the entire army to solidify the defenses, rest in place, and await further instructions."

"Yes!"

The moon's reflection was precise and without error.

Just as the fire demons were retreating, in the vacuum zone cleared by the light curtain, beneath the sea of ​​ashes, wisps of almost imperceptible gray smoke quietly rose and silently merged into the defeated army. Those fire demons who had trembled with fear suddenly stiffened, and the fear in their eyes was quickly replaced by a deeper and more cunning madness.

They retreated to the Burning God Abyss, like a wounded viper lurking in the shadows, waiting for the fatal blow.

Li Mu's indifferent voice traversed the void and resounded in the minds of all the high-ranking officials of the Immortal Dynasty: "Burning Heaven Valley has taken the earth vein fire source. The army has assembled and is advancing towards the core of this realm—the land where gods and demons fell."

Once the order is given, there is no room for doubt.

A moment later, the Valley Master of Burning Heaven led his followers to burst out from underground.

Despite their injuries, the group was in high spirits. The giant lava golem had been suppressed by their combined efforts, and the top-grade ash marrow in its chest was now held in the palm of the Burning Heaven Valley Master, like a small, dancing sun, radiating pure and powerful fire elemental energy.

"My lord!" The Valley Master of Burning Heaven bowed to the Rift Universe from afar, "I have not failed in my mission!"

The two armies merged, a torrent of iron. With the puppet guards of the bright moon leading the way, the entire army of the Immortal Dynasty transformed into an invincible torrent of steel, bypassing the unfathomable Burning God Abyss, heading straight for the core of the Profound Abyss Realm—the legendary burial ground of the Burning Heaven God and Demon.

The deeper you go, the heavier the pressure from heaven and earth becomes.

The dark red sky overhead grew increasingly viscous, as if it were about to drip blood.

Beneath their feet, in the sea of ​​ash, emerged enormous, unweathered fragments of bones. Each piece was as majestic as a mountain, imprinted with ancient Daoist runes, emanating a chilling aura even after countless ages.

Those were the remains of the Burning Heaven Demon God; even just scattered fragments were so terrifying.

In the air, the scorching heat that burned the soul was gradually replaced by another aura—an absolute suppression originating from the level of life, a sense of insignificance like an ant looking up at the starry sky.

The army's advance was forced to slow down. Those with weaker cultivation were already on the verge of having their immortal bones shattered and their souls trembling. They had no choice but to form formations and move forward together to resist the invisible power.

"The interference with divine sense has increased by seventy percent... no, eighty percent!" Inside the Rift Universe, the monitoring cultivator's voice was tense as he urgently reported, "The spatial laws ahead are extremely distorted, as if a living, supreme being is breathing!"

Finally, after passing through a bone canyon made of giant claws, the sight before them made everyone stop in their tracks, their breath catching in their throats.

At the edge of the vast plain, an indescribably enormous wreck lies across the sky and earth.

That was half of the body of the Burning Heaven Demon God. It seemed that even in its final moments of falling, it remained kneeling on one knee, one hand deeply embedded in the earth, the other arm raised towards the sky, as if filled with endless resentment.

The head was gone, the chest was mangled, yet it resembled a continuous black mountain range. Above it, the enormous wound transformed into abyssal canyons, from which dark golden divine blood flowed slowly, never condensing over countless ages, turning into rivers of blood imbued with the laws of destruction.

Simply by gazing upon it, one feels as if witnessing the end of an era, with the dying roars and lamentations of gods and demons echoing in one's ears.

This is the core of the Xuan Yuan Jin Realm, the burial ground of the Burning Heaven God and Demon!
"Attention everyone! The residual Daoist energy here is extremely strong, which can easily attract inner demons! Guard your mind and keep your spirit clear!" Xiao Jingtian shouted sharply, his voice echoing throughout the army.

However, Xiao Jingtian's warning came a step too late.

Just as the army was pacified, an unexpected event occurred!
"Kill! Kill these extraterrestrial demons!"

A lieutenant, his eyes bloodshot, suddenly drew his sword and, without warning, slashed at his comrade beside him!
The sword light was sharp and sudden, catching his comrade off guard, and he was instantly severely injured!

"Wang Tingwei, have you gone mad!"

"You're the ones who've gone mad! Didn't you see? They're all possessed by demons! Look at their shadows! They're all twisted!" Wang Tingwei was like a madman, his immortal sword dancing wildly, sword energy crisscrossing, instantly injuring several people.

Soon, chaos spread like a plague among the army.

"No! Senior brother, why are you killing me? Didn't we agree to attain immortality together?"

"Get out of my way! You monster in my junior brother's skin!"

"Father! Mother! Your unfilial son has come to join you..." A young cultivator, tears streaming down his face, actually committed suicide by cutting his own throat with his sword.

Screams, roars, and the clash of weapons mingled together as thousands of cultivators were trapped in their own illusions, seeing only demons and monsters, scenes they feared and regretted most in their lives. They began to attack and kill each other, creating a bloody and chaotic scene.

These illusions are not merely mental attacks, but rather use the power of the remains of gods and demons to pry open the deepest cracks in people's hearts, infinitely amplifying a trace of nightmare and turning it into a real calamity!
"Form the Golden Light Soul-Suppressing Array, quickly!" Xiao Jingtian was both shocked and furious, and immediately gave the order.

A golden array instantly rose up, with Buddhist light as vast as the sea and chanting of Buddhist hymns filling the air. Countless golden lotuses bloomed from the void, their hearts radiating compassionate Buddhist light that enveloped the cultivators caught in the chaos.

The Buddha of Withered Zen stood at the center of the formation, with the Nine-Rank Karmic Fire Golden Lotus hanging above his head. His three eyes were open, and a swastika mark between his brows radiated boundless light. He chanted the Pure Lapis Lazuli Heart Sutra, his voice as loud as a great bell, resonating with the soul.

"A heart as clear as crystal, untouched by dust; when all thoughts are still, evil spirits vanish!"

The chanting of Buddhist scriptures was like a gentle rain, and for a moment, some cultivators' eyes cleared and their sword movements slowed down, as if they were about to awaken.

"With the Buddha's intervention, the inner demons can surely be suppressed!" Xiao Jingtian felt somewhat relieved upon seeing this.

However, another unexpected event occurred!

The cultivators enveloped in the Buddha's light suddenly rolled their eyes back, and distorted gray shadows appeared deep within their pupils. Far from waking up, they unleashed an even more violent aura, wielding their weapons with increasing madness, tearing cracks in the Buddha's light!

"Ah—! I see the Buddhist kingdom collapse! All the Buddhas have perished!" a cultivator roared, tears turning into blood droplets that rolled down his cheeks.

"Demons! They're all demons! Even the Buddha is fake!" Another man laughed maniacally, shattering his own skull with a single palm strike.

……

The Buddha's light flickered, the golden lotus withered, and the power of the nightmare was able to devour the Buddha's will and turn against its master.

The Buddha of Withered Zen's three eyes suddenly shone brightly, and the Golden Lotus of Karmic Fire trembled violently. The nine-tiered lotus platform bloomed one after another, and the karmic fire that had burned away the three calamities surged out, turning into a fire net that enveloped several of the most frenzied cultivators.

"Refine your mind with the fire of karma, and burn away falsehood with the fire of truth!"

Amidst raging flames and screams, the bodies quickly turned to charred black, but their souls continued to struggle and roar within the flames, emitting sinister laughter that did not belong to them.

"Buddha? How laughable! All beings suffer, but my mind is forever tormented! You bald monk, you are nothing but a slave to fear!"

The expression on the face of the Buddha Kuchan changed slightly, and the hand seals in his hands changed again, forming the "Great Sun Tathagata Demon-Suppressing Seal". A golden Dharma image a hundred feet tall appeared behind him, holding a golden wheel, standing on a lotus platform, and surrounded by pillars of Buddha light that shot straight into the sky.

"Om! Mani! Padme! Hum!"

As the six-syllable mantra was uttered, the heavens and earth roared, and the Buddha's light transformed into six pillars of light, intertwining into a net, attempting to completely purify the nightmare power of the entire battlefield.

But just as the Buddha's light shone at its peak, from deep within the remains of gods and demons, the Nightmare Lord's laughter rang out once more, filled with endless mockery. "Ants, yet you dare speak of purification?"

A soft whisper, like the wind passing by.

The next instant, all the Buddha light suddenly dimmed, and the hundred-foot-tall Dharma image slowly twisted and deformed under everyone's watchful eyes. Pain and despair appeared on its golden face, and it finally turned into a weeping demon Buddha. The mantra it chanted also turned into a bewitching spell!

"Those who convert to me will be forever imprisoned in their own hearts..."

"Shut up!" the Buddha Kuchan roared, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence as he forcibly severed the connection with the Dharma form. The golden lotus platform trembled violently, and two of the lotus petals became dull and on the verge of cracking!
The Buddha of Withered Zen, his eyes bloodshot, finally understood—this place was where gods and demons had fallen, the remnants of Daoist essence still lingering, but already tainted by nightmares. His Buddhist supernatural powers, used in this realm, were like fighting in enemy territory; every ray of Buddhist light was twisted into nourishment for the nightmares!
At the critical moment, the previously silent Mingyue moved. Her platinum hair moved without wind, and as her golden eyes opened and closed, billions of data streams flowed like the rise and fall of a galaxy, instantly revealing the essence of everything.

"It is not a backlash from the divine and demonic Daoist principles, but rather guided secretly by the will... it is the power of the Nightmare."

Mingyue's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear and distinct, like a bucket of cold water being poured over someone's head, instantly sobering Xiao Jingtian and the others up.

"Nightmare?" Xiao Jingtian was taken aback.

"The despair, resentment, and hatred of the Burning Heaven God and Demon when they fell... these negative emotions mingled with the ashes of this world, giving birth to a new 'thing'." Mingyue's tone was icy: "It nests in the remains of gods and demons and feeds on the inner demons of all living beings."

Before she finished speaking, Mingyue took a step forward, slowly bringing her hands together to form a profound hand seal.

"In my name, I will build order and isolate falsehood."

"Chaos Puppet Path - Spirit Weapon Purification Domain!"

Om-!
A soft hum originating from the origin of the universe.

Centered on the bright moon, a pure and translucent platinum realm spread out like ripples.

Wherever it passed, the laws became gentle, the air became cool, and even the omnipresent pressure of gods and demons was soothed by a supreme and rational force of order.

Within the domain, countless chains of laws composed of chaotic runes and platinum gears emerged, intertwining and swirling to form a "divine kingdom" of absolute logic and order.

There is no emotion, no distracting thoughts, no delusion in this place, only the true origin.

The Spiritual Mechanism Purification Domain expanded rapidly, enveloping all the chaotic cultivators.

"what--!"

Another scream rang out, but it did not come from the mouth of the immortal cultivator.

Wisps of twisted gray smoke were forcibly expelled from their bodies! This thing was more solid and more evil than the Ember Spirit, struggling wildly in the platinum law chain, emitting a piercing shriek, like the wailing of billions of wronged souls.

This is the origin of nightmares!

Losing control, the cultivators of the Immortal Dynasty collapsed one after another, their souls damaged, but their lives were spared.

"Purify." Bright moon's golden eyes remained calm, and his words became law.

The chains of law tightened, transforming into countless blades of order that cut, crushed, and decomposed the source of the nightmare, ultimately turning it into pure spiritual energy that merged into the Pure Realm.

An internal strife that could have severely damaged the Immortal Dynasty's army was easily resolved by Mingyue with almost divine skill.

As Xiao Jingtian gazed at the platinum divine kingdom and the moon in the center, which resembled a deity, the last bit of pride in his heart transformed into awe and submission.

These methods are beyond mere "power"; they are manifestations of the "Tao."

However, the bright moon did not stop shining.

The bright moon's golden eyes pierced through the void, staring directly at the remains of gods and demons; its voice was icy cold, resounding throughout heaven and earth.

"How dare such a cowardly and secretive person steal the power of gods and demons?"

"Using chaos as a guide, we trace the origins and follow the traces!"

In an instant, the Spirit Machinery Purification Domain shone brightly! The absorbed Nightmare energy transformed into a beacon, and countless chains of laws surged upstream like hunting dogs, instantly locking down the Nightmare Lord's hiding place!

Boom!

The mountain-like chest of the remains of the god and demon suddenly trembled!
From the deepest abyss wound, thick black and gray mist erupted like a volcano!

"Jie Jie Jie Jie..."

A piercing, eerie laugh echoed through the heavens and earth.

"What a perceptive puppet spirit! I have been asleep for countless epochs, and you have awakened me... Truly, an unexpected gift!"

The black mist surged and coalesced into a huge, blurry face, without features, only two vortexes reflecting the fear of all living beings.

"Oh? You figured it out?" The face mocked. "Indeed, I am a wisp of remnant spirit of the Lord of Nightmares. Back then, this foolish god-demon fought a great battle with my lord. Although he was suppressed, my lord also planted the seed of Nightmares in his soul. The endless despair he felt when he fell is my breeding ground, hahaha!"

"I slumbered, feeding on corpses and nourished by the negativity of all living beings, intending to awaken only after several more epochs, but unexpectedly, you have arrived..."

His gaze swept over the army of the Celestial Dynasty, filled with greed, as if he were looking at a gluttonous feast.

"So many vibrant souls, so many delicious emotions... fear, anger, despair... devour you all, and I will be completely resurrected, even surpassing my former self!"

“I see.” Mingyue understood: “A thief who parasitizes corpses.”

"Thief? No, no, no!" The Nightmare's lingering remnant laughed wildly: "This is a rebirth! The Path of the Burning Gods and Demons, the Fire of Destruction; My Path, the Prison of the Hearts of All Beings! Now, this body and this world are all my domain! Here, I am the Heavenly Dao!"

boom--!
As the words fell, the entire remains of the god and demon trembled violently. The dark golden divine blood river boiled, transforming into crimson tentacles that tore through the void! The sea of ​​ashes writhed, and billions of ashe spirits and fire demons crawled out from the ground, converging into a boundless demonic tide!
Heaven and earth responded, launching a final all-out attack on the celestial dynasty's army.

"Now, become a part of me!"

Faced with the devastating scene, Mingyue remained unmoved.

Mingyue slowly raised her hand, pointing to the overwhelming demonic tide and the "awakened" remains of gods and demons.

"Within this domain, I am also the Heavenly Dao."

"All puppets unite as one, the edict of order: Divine transformation!"

At his command, the millions of puppet guards and the myriad mechanical barriers behind him instantly disintegrated! They transformed into countless metallic particles and a torrent of energy, which, guided by the will of the bright moon, gathered in his palm!
In an instant, a colossal weapon, ten thousand feet tall and forged entirely of platinum and chaotic runes, slowly took shape in the Spirit Weapon Purification Domain!

Its form bears a seven-tenths resemblance to the Burning Heaven Demon God, yet it lacks the rage and resentment of the demon, possessing only absolute order and coldness. Its pupils are none other than the golden eyes of the bright moon, overlooking all living beings.

The bright moon has completely merged with the puppet army!
The bright moon, embodied as the god of order, walks among the world!

The colossus slowly raised its hand, and a platinum giant sword formed from billions of chains of laws appeared in its palm.

Where the sword points, lies the Lord of Nightmares!

"Thief, be executed."

The chilling divine decree echoed throughout the Xuan Yuan Jin Realm.

An ultimate battle between order and nightmare, between puppetry and demonic thoughts, has begun abruptly atop the corpses of gods and demons. (End of Chapter)