Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Xiao Jingtian stood at the bow of the Lieyu ship, his black armor still bearing the deathly aura of the previous "All Spirits Grieve," his eyes burning with fierce flames.

Xiao Jingtian glanced in the direction of the bright moon, then looked at the slowly dissipating river of time. Finally, his gaze fell on the empty world that contained endless spiritual power. The awe he felt for Li Mu had surpassed the worship of a god.

In the blink of an eye, cause and effect were reversed, and the ancestor of a realm was annihilated.

With a wave of his sleeve, he established order in the world and bestowed upon us unparalleled opportunities.

Such power cannot be described by the word "supernatural ability"; it is... the Dao! It is the supreme Dao that transcends all laws!

"Pass on the order!" Xiao Jingtian's voice echoed across the fleet once again.

"The Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang armies will be stationed in the four directions of the Illusionary Spirit Realm to clear away the remnants, measure the earth's veins, and draw star maps!"

"The Four Guardians of the Celestial Pivot, follow me to the Central Plains and prepare to establish the foundation of the Immortal Dynasty!"

"Burning Heaven Valley, explore the spiritual mineral veins of this realm; Sword Sect, patrol the void, cut off all external spying; Hundred Herbs Sect, investigate whether there are any special spiritual plants or exotic species in this realm!"

Military orders flowed smoothly and in an orderly manner.

The massive Immortal Dynasty fleet transformed into a sophisticated construction behemoth, beginning a thorough overhaul and planning of this nascent world.

At this moment, in the eye of the storm, which is also the center of the new world, the moon's figure sank to the original site of the Illusionary Spirit Sea.

Li Mu's decree was imprinted on her puppet spirit essence. Her mission was more fundamental and more important than Xiao Jingtian's.

Mingyue sat cross-legged in the void, below her were wisps of the purest primordial energy remaining after the "Seed of Emotion and Will" had dissipated. To Li Mu, these wisps were merely embellishments to the Chaos Dao Tree, but to Mingyue, they were a ladder to a higher realm!
Silver hair moves without wind, and the bright moon closes its eyes.

In an instant, Mingyue's divine sense extended infinitely, creating a wondrous resonance with this vast world. She could "hear" the echoes of countless lives' dreams shattered in the void; she could "smell" the fragrance of endless emotions accumulated over millions of years buried deep within the earth.

Li Mu severed the "resentment," but left the root of "affection."

"Bestowed by my master, the origin of the phantom spirit..."

With a thought, the primal power within Mingyue, which had long been integrated with her, surged wildly like an awakened dragon.

Mingyue's divine sense connected the Nightmare Puppet Guards and the Chaos Ember Puppets. Five hundred Nightmare Puppet Guards and three thousand Chaos Ember Puppets emerged from the void behind her, like the most loyal guards, surrounding and protecting her.

The Nightmare Puppet Guardian, entirely black, is a predator of emotions and spirits, representing one aspect of "emptiness".

The Chaos Ember Puppet, clad in dark armor and engulfed in embers, is the executor of matter and destruction, representing one aspect of "reality."

"The interplay of illusion and reality is the true path..."

Mingyue murmured to herself, this was a glimpse of profound truth she had gleaned from Li Mu's finger that reversed cause and effect.

The past was an illusion; the present is real.

Dreams are illusions, reality is reality.

The spirit is illusory, the body is real.

If Mingyue's puppetry method only focuses on devouring emotions or purely physical attacks, it will ultimately fall into a lower level.

"melt!"

With a soft shout, Mingyue uttered a sound from the depths of her soul; the illusory spirit essence within her body transformed into dreamlike threads, one end connecting to the Nightmare Puppet Guard and the other to the Chaos Ember Puppet.

Buzz buzz—!
The eight hundred puppet guards trembled violently at the same time. Two completely different primal powers began to merge in an unprecedented way under the harmonization of the Illusionary Spirit Origin!
On the pitch-black body of the Nightmare Puppet Guardian, a dark metallic luster similar to that of the Chaos Ember Puppet began to emerge, as if it had gained a physical form. Meanwhile, the solid surface of the Chaos Ember Puppet began to blur and distort, as if shrouded in a layer of unreal mist, as if it might vanish into nothingness at any moment.

This was a painful and protracted process. The clash between the two forces nearly tore the puppet guards apart. But the will of the bright moon, like eternal ice, forcibly fused them together.

The Moon Puppet Spirit's body was also under tremendous pressure at this moment. Its body surface was filled with silver light, sometimes solid as glass, and sometimes illusory as smoke.

Mingyue's cultivation level was continuously solidified and honed during this high-stakes fusion, and then... she launched an attack on that higher barrier!

I don't know how much time has passed; perhaps it was a moment, or perhaps a century.

When the first brand-new puppet guard was successfully fused, the core of the Illusionary Spirit Realm trembled!

It was a creation that could not be defined as "illusory" or "real".

Its form is somewhere between clear and blurry, as if it can switch between reality and dreams at any time; its dark armor flows with a dreamlike radiance, and its eyes are a pair of deep vortexes that seem capable of devouring a person's soul along with their body at a glance.

It can shatter stars with a single punch, and it can also corrupt the Dao heart with a single thought!
"This is... the Illusionary Puppet Guard."

Mingyue opened her eyes, and in her golden pupils, she saw the perfect masterpiece reflected.

Once a leader succeeds, it spreads like wildfire.

Immediately afterwards, the second, the third... all eight hundred puppet guards completed this astonishing transformation!
Eight hundred illusory puppet guards stood silently behind Mingyue, their auras merging into one, emanating a kind of... conceptual pressure! It was as if their very existence was a law!
And the aura of the bright moon reached its peak at this moment!
boom--!
An immense and unparalleled aura erupted from his body, sweeping across the entire Illusionary Spirit Realm! The cultivation barrier that was originally at the early stage of the Dao Ascension Realm shattered like paper in the face of this power!
Mid-stage of the Dao Attainment Realm!

Behind Mingyue, what was no longer just a puppet realm was a... slowly unfolding real world!
In that world, there are mountains and rivers, sun, moon and stars, but everything carries an unreal, dreamlike quality. A mountain peak may transform into a roaring, angry dragon in the next instant; a river may turn into a sea of ​​sorrowful tears in a moment.

The illusion and reality can shift at will!
This is her brand new realm—the Realm of Illusion!

"Congratulations, Lord Mingyue, on your great progress in cultivation!"

Xiao Jingtian's voice came at just the right time. He and a group of high-ranking officials of the Immortal Dynasty had been waiting in the distance for a long time and witnessed this amazing breakthrough.

Their gazes towards the bright moon held not only awe at Li Mu's wondrous creation, but also a deep reverence for the powerful himself.

Mingyue stood up, her golden eyes sweeping over everyone, and she nodded slightly in response; her aura was already restrained, but the pressure emanating from the level of life itself made all the Supreme Immortal Lords present feel a chill in their hearts.

With a single step, Mingyue was already in front of Xiao Jingtian.

"By the master's decree, this realm will become the training ground for the seventh war puppet of the Immortal Dynasty." Mingyue's voice was cold and clear, indicating that it would also be... a spiritual testing ground for the cultivators of the Immortal Dynasty.

Having said that, Mingyue waved her jade hand.

The "Illusory Realm" behind him suddenly expanded, completely enveloping the void within a radius of millions of miles!

"Those who enter my realm can experience all kinds of inner demons and perceive the Dao of illusion and reality. This is the Hall of Illusionary Trials."

Xiao Jingtian and the others were deeply shaken. They clearly felt that although that world seemed illusory, the power of the laws contained within it was incredibly real. If a cultivator were to enter it for training, it would be like experiencing the most dangerous inner demon tribulations and Dao realm insights in an absolutely safe environment!
Its value... is immeasurable!
"Lord Mingyue is truly virtuous!" Xiao Jingtian exclaimed sincerely.

"It is not my achievement, but the grace of my master." Mingyue said indifferently, then looked down: "The core of this world also needs to be reshaped."

Just then, something unexpected happened!
Above the entire Illusionary Realm, a massive rift silently opened in the void. The rift was pitch black and deep, as if leading to the most ancient chaos.

An indescribable aura of vastness, weight, and supreme power slowly seeped from the crack. At this moment, the three armies of the Celestial Dynasty, millions of soldiers, all felt a tremor originating from the very source of life, as if ants gazing up at a dragon, unable to resist the urge to prostrate themselves in worship!
"It's... Master's aura!" Xiao Jingtian's breath hitched, and his eyes blazed with fanaticism.

A… indescribable “root” slowly emerged from the chaotic crack!

It was enormous; even the protruding section was thicker than a star. It was covered with ancient Dao patterns, each line seemingly illustrating the fundamental principles of the Great Dao's creation and destruction. It was neither flesh and blood, nor metal and stone, but rather formed from the purest chaotic energy and the laws of the Great Dao!

The root of the Chaos Dao Tree!

This tendril, like a primordial dragon, descended and precisely pierced the core of the original site of the Illusionary Spirit Sea, the very place where Mingyue had just gone into seclusion.

Rumble!
The entire Phantom Realm resounded with jubilation! It was as if a lost child had found its home. The remaining laws of the world were easily combed, suppressed, and reconstructed by this root!
"Based on this, set up the 'Great Array of Returning to the True Nature of All Things'!"

Li Mu's calm yet authoritative voice resounded directly in the spiritual seas of Xiao Jingtian and the others.

"As you command, senior!"

Everyone responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

Xiao Jingtian immediately mobilized the array masters and countless resources who were already on standby. Using the root of the Chaos Dao Tree as the array's core, an unprecedentedly vast array began to unfold on this newly born land.

Countless rare and precious materials were melted down and transformed into array patterns, imprinted on the earth. The three hundred and sixty-five main battle immortal ships moved again, transforming into nodes of the great array and continuously injecting their own energy into it.

The cultivators of Burning Heaven Valley drew upon the fire from the earth's core to temper the array's foundation.

The cultivators of the Sword Sect use their supreme sword intent to cut through the void and delineate array patterns.

The cultivators of the Hundred Herbs Sect then brought countless calming and tranquil herbs and incorporated them into the grand formation for harmonization.

The entire Phantom Realm has been transformed into a massive, bustling construction site.

A hundred years is but a fleeting moment for a cultivator.

When the final stroke of the grand formation was completed, the core area of ​​the entire Illusionary Spirit Realm had transformed into a majestic city. The city was entirely forged from "Illusionary God Crystals," which could bear divine thoughts, and refracted a seven-colored light under the sunlight.

In the center of the city, the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree shot into the sky, like a divine pillar connecting heaven and earth. Its branches stretched out, and tender green leaves had already sprouted, exuding vitality.

This city is none other than "Zhenhuan City"!
"Activate the formation!" Xiao Jingtian stood atop the City Lord's Mansion and gave the order.

Om-!
The Great Array of Returning to Truth of All Things began to operate with a roar!
With the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree at its core, a massive, invisible vortex formed above Zhenhuan City. Throughout the entire Illusionary Spirit Realm, the chaotic emotional energies, shattered dream fragments, and lingering negative thoughts that once belonged to the Ancestor of Illusionary Spirits and were now scattered and unclaimed were frantically sucked into the vortex like rivers flowing into the sea!

These energies are mixed and violent, and are highly poisonous to cultivators.

But under the operation of the grand formation, and with the purifying aura emanating from the roots of the Chaos Tree, all impurities were eliminated, all violence was calmed, and all negativity was transformed...

Finally, from the energy outlet of the great array, fist-sized, translucent crystals with what appeared to be nebulae flowing inside were continuously "produced"!
Within crystals lies the purest and gentlest spiritual energy!
"Divine Sense Crystal!"

A master of formations, his hands trembling, picked up a newly formed crystal and exclaimed excitedly.

He only absorbed a trace of the dissipated aura, and he felt that his long-dormant divine sense had actually made some progress!
This... this is a treasure that could drive all cultivators in the entire Immortal Dynasty mad!
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" Xiao Jingtian laughed heartily, his spirit soaring.

Xiao Jingtian seemed to see each soldier of the Immortal Dynasty wielding a Divine Sense Crystal, their spiritual cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds! He seemed to see, based on these crystals, an invincible legion specializing in illusions and spiritual attacks rising up!
The price paid by the Immortal Dynasty in conquering the Illusionary Spirit Realm was negligible, but the rewards it received were unimaginable!
“Lord Mingyue, this realm is now stable.” Xiao Jingtian turned to Mingyue, who was standing quietly to the side. “I have already set up the ‘Divine Soul Legion’ camp in the city and, as you wish, established the ‘Illusion Trial Hall’. All soldiers of the Immortal Dynasty can enter the hall for trials based on their military merits.”

Mingyue nodded slightly, her golden pupils gazing at the root of the Chaos Dao Tree. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the endless void, revealing the true form rooted in the chaos.

"This world is only the beginning."

Mingyue is responsible for suppressing this realm and overseeing the Illusionary Puppet Guards and the Divine Soul Legion. Her mission is to transform this realm into the sharpest "spiritual spear" in her master's hands!
……

Inside the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu sat cross-legged under the Chaos Dao Tree.

With his eyes slightly closed, his mind had already multiplied into countless forms, overlooking the myriad worlds he had created.

In the Golden Puppet Realm, golden light shone brightly, and countless battle puppets were being continuously created. The Golden Dao Fruits gleamed, radiating an invincible sharpness.

In the Xuan Yuan Ash Realm, flames rise, and the power of destruction and creation intertwine. The Chaos Ash Puppet Army is tempered in this realm, and the Way of Fire is indeed like a burning star, containing the domineering power to incinerate all things.

In the Realm of Time Ruins, the River of Time has been reorganized. Although there are still turbulent currents, they are now under control. The Time Dao Fruit hangs on the branch, exuding a mysterious and unpredictable aura of time.

Now, the newly born Phantom Realm, like a dreamlike pearl, has been incorporated into his territory.

Li Mu's thoughts sank into the origin of the Chaos Dao Tree.

"The four realms are still scattered."

With a thought, the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree, which were planted in the four worlds, began to extend and converge in the void!
boom! boom! boom! boom!
Four earth-shattering roars, as if the heavens and earth were being created, exploded in the invisible dimension!

The golden energy of the Golden Puppet Realm can instantly flow to the Profound Abyss Realm through its root system.

The Destructive Flame of the Profound Abyss Realm can be enhanced on the Illusionary Puppet Guard through the root system.

The power of time in the Realm of Time Ruins can encompass the four worlds and adjust the flow of time in certain areas.

The spiritual energy of the Illusionary Realm can nourish the souls of cultivators in all immortal dynasties of all worlds!

Resources from all four realms are exchanged for each other!
The armies of the four realms can be teleported at any time!
The laws of the four realms intertwine and mutually corroborate each other!

With the Chaos Dao Tree at its core, an incredibly stable and infinitely potential "Four Realms Linked" formation has already taken shape! This is not merely a simple superposition of four worlds, but rather a... "Little Chaos" that is being nurtured and belongs exclusively to Li Mu!
Li Mu slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with a chaotic energy that seemed to hold the very essence of the universe's creation and destruction.

Li Mu raised his head and looked at the lush branches of the Chaos Dao Tree.

Yin, Yang, Metal, Fire, Time... The five Dao Fruits have been perfected, radiating immortal brilliance; and on the tree trunk that has just absorbed the origin of the "Emotional Dao Seed," a brand new flower bud representing "Emotion" and "Spirit" is quietly taking shape.

The Three Thousand Great Paths have already taken several solid steps.

Li Mu's gaze seemed to pierce through the Chaos Treasure Palace and the endless void, looking towards the more distant and vast unknown realm.

"The four realms serve as a foundation and can be used as a springboard."

"Where should we go next?"

Li Mu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a deep smile.

The chessboard has been set up.

He eagerly awaited his next opponent's move. (End of Chapter)