Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Li Mu sat cross-legged beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, a faint, hazy aura swirling around him. The lingering resentment of the Eclipse Moon Mother Queen, filled with venom and unwillingness, raged like a trapped beast deep within his Dao Domain, howling incessantly, attempting to corrupt his divine soul's origin.

The roots of the Chaos Dao Tree, like countless chains, descended from the void, deeply embedding themselves in the lingering thoughts, slowly absorbing the purest essence of annihilation within.

The mad will of the Moon-Eating Queen within the lingering resentment was ground down layer by layer by the chaotic energy, much like stubborn iron being put into a furnace, where impurities were removed, leaving only a wisp of the original Daoist rhyme of "Return to Nothingness". This rhyme initially still harbored a backlash, but the chaos, encompassing all things, eventually melted away its malevolent energy, transforming it into a gentle and profound undercurrent that slowly flowed into the newly born Dao fruit on the branch.

"Om..."

The Dao Tree trembled slightly, and the previously ethereal Dao Fruit of Nirvana suddenly solidified. Its color was deep and somber, neither black nor gray, seemingly capable of swallowing all the light of the myriad worlds; its surface flowed with the ancient Dao rhythm of the end of all things and the return of all laws to nothingness. This fruit hung on the branch, reflecting the brilliance and sharpness of the Metal Dao Fruit, the blazing and violent Fire Dao Fruit, the radiant and colorful Time Dao Fruit, and the dreamlike and illusory Spirit Dao Fruit.

Yin and Yang rotate, time and space intertwine, reality and illusion arise and perish... all kinds of Dao fruits are connected, forming a grand and stable cyclical system.

The true meaning of "returning to nothingness" contained in the Dao Fruit of Nirvana is not severance, but rather the pivot of the cycle. Like yin supporting yang, it establishes the boundary and basis for "life" and "movement". With this, the Chaos Dao Tree becomes more complete, its aura becomes more ancient and vast, its trunk becomes more robust, and the void reached by its roots becomes more resilient, enough to bear more laws of the Great Dao.

……

The battlefield in the void is a scene of devastation.

The allied forces of the four realms are orderly regrouping, treating the wounded, and collecting the remains of their fallen comrades. Damaged warships and puppets are being towed back to the rear workshops, while array masters are working tirelessly to repair the cracks in the boundary barriers caused by the laws of the Moon Eclipse.

The moonlit silver armor was covered in dust, and several damaged sections revealed the flowing puppet patterns beneath. The data flow in the pair of golden eyes gradually subsided, transforming into calm command. One after another, divine sense commands were transmitted, and the remaining Illusionary Puppet Guards and Chaos Ember Puppet silently carried out the tasks of clearing the battlefield and stabilizing the nodes.

Xiao Jingtian's armor was covered in scratches and etched with signs of decay and corrosion. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, straightened his back, and stood at the bow of the Lieyu. His gaze swept over the reorganized army formation, and his voice resounded throughout the entire force: "All units, take stock of casualties. Array masters, prioritize repairing the core barrier. Logistics spirit ships, deploy resources immediately! We have won this battle!"

Although his voice was weary, it also conveyed a sense of relief and strength.

The soldiers below, having survived the ordeal, cheered in unison, their shouts soaring into the sky and dispelling the deathly silence that permeated the battlefield.

Just then, two hazy, yet eternally annihilating Daoist auras broke through the air from the direction of the Chaos Treasure Palace and quietly entered the space between Mingyue and Xiao Jingtian's brows.

Both of them trembled simultaneously.

Mingyue felt a cool yet not chilling sensation surge into the core of the puppet spirit. The puppet patterns, which had become dim due to excessive stimulation, suddenly became vibrant, even more profound and complex. Her understanding of the Dao of Illusion and Reality improved dramatically, and the barrier to her realm began to loosen.

Xiao Jingtian felt a calming force soothe his restless soul and hidden injuries, and his understanding of the way of war and killing made his aura more restrained and profound.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and gratitude, and then bowed deeply in the direction of the Chaos Treasure Palace.

……

Beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, Li Mu opened his eyes, and a fleeting scene of the birth and death of countless worlds seemed to flash in his gaze.

With a slight thought, the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree, which permeated the void, once again extended, like countless tentacles, deeply plunging into the remnants of the Eclipse Moon Ancient Realm below, which was slowly disintegrating and transforming into pure annihilation.

The power of annihilation, emanating from the wreckage, was greedily absorbed and purified by the roots. The roots of the Dao Tree were like the most exquisite furnace, removing the impurities from this power of annihilation, which was enough to corrupt even ordinary immortals, refining it to its purest form, leaving only the purest crystallization of the law of "annihilation".

Moments later, at the tips of the thick roots, specks of dark light gathered. At first, they resembled fireflies, then they converged, eventually forming crystals the size of pigeon eggs, dull in color, and containing the image of a desolate galaxy—the Crystals of Annihilation.

As soon as the spirit crystal was formed, it emitted a chilling aura. Instead of radiating light, it resembled a miniature black hole, constantly absorbing surrounding light and spiritual energy to solidify its "return to nothingness" nature.

Li Mu reached out, and a Nirvana Spirit Crystal fell into his palm, its touch icy cold. Probing it with his divine sense, he felt only absolute stillness and nothingness, containing the true meaning of the law of the end of all things.

"With this as the core, the puppet can obtain the power of 'return to nothingness' to erode all laws; the formation can contain the domain of 'annihilation' to eliminate all techniques. Good."

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Mu unleashed thousands upon thousands of newly formed spirit crystals, raining down towards Mingyue and Xiao Jingtian. A divine thought then entered their consciousness, detailing the crystals' properties and uses.

Mingyue accepted several spirit crystals, her golden eyes suddenly brightening. She immediately deduced how to integrate them into the core of the Illusionary Puppet Guardian to enhance its ability to switch between reality and illusion and to erode the laws of nature.

Xiao Jingtian gripped a spirit crystal tightly, feeling the terrifying power within it. The prototype of the "Great Array of Annihilation of All Realms" had already emerged in his mind—if this array were completed, it would surely be the ultimate weapon in world-level wars.

The Chaos Dao Tree still stood still, its roots spreading in the void, continuously drawing upon the power of the Ancient Realm of Eclipse Moon.

……

The moon, its silver armor covered in frost, stood silently on the border of the Eclipse Moon. Behind it, the "Illusory Puppet Guards" stood like a forest. Their bodies, a mixture of reality and illusion, gleamed with a cold light under the dim sky, as if they could melt into the void at any moment, or solidify into a physical form at any moment to slaughter all living beings.

Further away, the cultivators of the "Divine Soul Legion" sat cross-legged in formation, their brows radiating spiritual light, and an invisible power of thought surged like a tide, enveloping the vast border in a solemn and silent atmosphere.

The remains of the Eclipse Moon Ancient Realm are still crumbling, and the aura of annihilation is like the breath of a dying beast, occasionally stirring up turbulent currents of laws. Bright Moon's golden eyes swirled, and data surged like a galaxy, constantly adjusting the defenses to deal with the lament of this realm before its death.

At the same time, the original core of the Eclipse Moon Ancient Realm has been reshaped by Xiao Jingtian with his supreme magical power.

A majestic city rose from the ground, its body forged from the chaotic divine gold of the Nirvana Spirit Crystal, its entire surface as dark as ink, resembling a lurking ancient beast. Above the city gate, four ancient seal characters were inscribed in Dao patterns—"Nirvana Purgatory".

This city is not a dwelling place, but a place of trial and purification.

Within the city, the remaining laws of annihilation are activated, merging with the power of the mind in the Illusionary Spirit Realm to evolve into endless illusionary demons; through numerous trials, the negative emotions accumulated over millennia within the remnants of the Eclipse Moon are drawn into the divine soul tribulation fire, burning the heart and tempering the will.

Cultivators from the Immortal Dynasty who enter must always uphold their Daoist heart, tempering their souls and refining their will amidst countless hardships and endless resentment.

Those who manage to break through the barrier will not only have an iron will in their Dao heart, but their understanding of the Dao of Nirvana and the Dao of Reality and Illusion will also advance by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, the great formation in the city will collect and refine all the negative emotions scattered by the cultivators, transforming them into pure divine thoughts, which will then nourish all the spirits of the Immortal Dynasty.

Just as the Silent Purgatory began to operate, and the entire Immortal Dynasty was busy digesting the gains from the Eclipse of the Moon—

Deep within the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu sat cross-legged beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, his body radiating Daoist energy, his aura as profound as the sea. Above the Chaos Dao Tree, more than ten Dao Fruits floated uncertainly: the Dao Fruit of Extreme Yin was as deep as an abyss, the Dao Fruit of Extreme Yang was as blazing as the sun, the Dao Fruit of Metal was incomparably sharp, the Dao Fruit of Fire was violent and unrestrained, the Dao Fruit of Time was radiant and colorful, the Dao Fruit of Spirit was dreamlike and illusory, and there was also the newly condensed Dao Fruit of Annihilation, exuding a mysterious aura of the return of all things to nothingness.

Li Mu immersed his mind in the origin of the Dao Tree, sorting out the veins of the various Dao Fruits, harmonizing the rotation of Yin and Yang, and the balance of birth and death. With this as its root, the Chaos Dao Tree grew more and more luxuriant, and its roots spread into the endless void, exploring the secrets of all the heavens and myriad worlds.

Suddenly, Li Mu's mind stirred, and his eyes snapped open. In his eyes, it seemed as if chaos had just begun to open, and cause and effect had been reversed. A strong resonance came from a distant, unknown place extending from the roots of the Dao Tree. It was a vast, boundless sea of ​​blood, with endless, viscous, scarlet blood. Amidst the surging waves, countless remnant souls and broken thoughts floated and howled. The stench of blood was extremely strong, intertwined with the strange Daoist rhythm of life and death.

The sky was perpetually dark red, with a blood-red moon hanging high, casting an eerie glow.

"The Netherworld Blood Realm?" Li Mu murmured, the name itself generating a response.

This realm is the most yin and filthy place in the world, the place where all spirits return to silence, and the abyss where remnant souls gather. Based on the "Law of Blood" and the "Law of Reincarnation", as long as the sea of ​​blood does not dry up and the dark moon does not fall, the remnant souls will not perish and the cycle of reincarnation will not cease.

It contains the meaning of ultimate annihilation, yet within endless death, a trace of primordial life is strangely conceived—this is the image of the true spirit never being obscured and the cycle of reincarnation repeating itself.

“The Dao Fruit of Life… The Dao Fruit of Death…” Li Mu’s eyes were deep, and he had already deduced clearly: This Netherworld Blood Realm is the supreme treasure land for condensing the two fruits of life and death! If he obtains these two fruits and merges them into the Chaos Dao Tree, then the cycle of life and death, the alternation of yin and yang, and the Great Dao of Chaos will advance further and approach the perfect cycle.

With his mind made up, Li Mu moved his divine sense and traversed the endless void, directly reaching the Bright Moon Consciousness Sea at the border of the Eclipse Moon.

"Mingyue."

“Master!” Mingyue’s heart tightened, and she responded solemnly.

"The Netherworld Blood Sea has appeared. This realm is related to life and death, and is the next key to my path. I hereby order you to lead a portion of the Illusionary True Puppet Guard and three thousand Chaos Ember Puppets as the vanguard. Set off immediately, infiltrate the Blood Sea, and investigate its true nature, distribution of power, and characteristics of laws. In particular, you must find out the location of its core hub."

"I will obey my master's decree!" Bright Moon's golden eyes ignited with fighting spirit, without any hesitation.

The order was given and immediately put into action. Chaos Ember City and Silent Purgatory began operating efficiently, and three thousand Chaos Ember Puppets silently emerged from the barracks, their crimson-gold eyes gleaming with a cold, icy light, forming a solemn square formation in the border square.

The five hundred most elite Phantom Puppet Guards under Mingyue's command also quietly gathered, their illusory and unpredictable bodies causing the surrounding space to distort slightly.

Mingyue stood at the front of the formation, her silver armor reflecting the chaotic air, its cold light chilling. She uttered no words, her divine sense sweeping across the entire area. After confirming everything was in order, she lightly waved her jade-like hand: "Let's go!"

The Rift Universe opened a passage through the boundary wall. Bright Moon then offered up an item—the "Void Mirage Boat," a rare treasure obtained from the Realm of Time Ruins.

The boat was long and narrow, forged entirely from void crystals, capable of refracting light and distorting perception. Once activated, it moved like a transparent ripple, silently carrying the bright moon and the puppet army, tearing through the void and speeding toward the coordinates indicated by Li Daozu.

The journey through the void was tedious and perilous. Occasionally, chaotic currents or fragments of spacetime would brush past, but the mirage boat skillfully avoided them or bravely withstood them. Mingyue stood at the bow, her golden eyes constantly calculating and digesting the scattered information about the Netherworld Blood Sea transmitted by Li Mu, while simultaneously adjusting the state of the puppet army in preparation for unforeseen changes.

After several days and nights, the void ahead suddenly changed.

The gray hue was replaced by a chilling dark red, and a rich, bloody stench seeped into the boat, chilling and soul-consuming.

It seemed as if millions of voices roared, wailed, and cursed in my ears—all the obsessions of remnant souls who had sunk into a sea of ​​blood and could never be reborn.

"Conceal your presence and prepare to infiltrate," Mingyue coldly ordered.

The radiance of the Void Mirage Ship was restrained, like ink droplets falling into water, quietly merging into the barrier of that dark red realm.

The instant I crossed the boundary felt like falling into the deepest hell.

The viscous, scarlet sea of ​​blood stretched endlessly, its waves surging and churning up gleaming white bones and twisted souls. The sky was oppressive, like a blood-red curtain, with the dark moon hanging high like a cold, gigantic eye, gazing down upon all living beings in the sea of ​​blood. The air was thick with a pungent, metallic scent, carrying with it a powerful corrosive force and the chaotic impact of chaotic soul energy.

Ordinary living beings, upon reaching this point, instantly have their bodies decay and their souls become corrupted, turning into yet another muddled and remnant soul in the sea of ​​blood.

Mingyue suddenly felt the pressure around her increase sharply, and a faint "sizzling" sound came from the surface of her silver armor as the aura of the sea of ​​blood attempted to erode her. She snorted coldly, and the Chaos Puppet Domain expanded slightly. Within three feet of her, the blood energy was completely pushed away, and the corrosive power was neutralized by the Daoist rhyme.

Mingyue quickly examined her puppet army. The Chaos Ember Puppet's body was ignited by embers, burning close to the bloodstains, but it was not seriously injured for the time being; the Illusionary True Puppet Guard was shifting between reality and illusion, and the aura of the sea of ​​blood passed through its body, but it seemed to have little effect. On the contrary, its core Illusionary Spirit Origin and Nightmare Power revealed a faint "desire" for the remnant soul's obsession.

“The environment here is harsh, and the aura of the Blood Sea has a strong corrosive and soul-tainting ability. The Illusionary Puppet Guards are best suited for this, while the Chaos Ember Puppet needs to protect itself with Ember Fire, which will greatly increase its consumption.” Mingyue judged in an instant: “If the Divine Soul Legion cultivators come here, they will have to activate their protective magic treasures at all times, resulting in a huge loss of magic power.”

Mingyue controlled the mirage boat, which moved slowly beneath the surface of the blood sea like a transparent fish, while carefully extending her divine sense to perceive the laws of this world.

The Law of Blood is omnipresent, dense and violent, full of plunder and devouring intent; the Law of Reincarnation, on the other hand, is hidden and concealed, seemingly lurking at the bottom of the sea of ​​blood, maintaining the balance of life and death in this world, transforming endless death and resentment into a twisted "vitality".

"Hmm?" Mingyue frowned slightly, sensing with her divine sense that there was a violent energy fluctuation beneath the sea of ​​blood in front of her.

The mirage silently approached. Below, towering waves of blood surged as two forces clashed fiercely.

One side consists of demonic creatures formed from blood shadows, with bizarre and varied forms: some resembling giant pythons, others like multi-legged monsters, and still others merely writhing clumps of blood, all exuding pure bloodthirsty energy as they frantically pounce.

On the other side was a semi-transparent humanoid soul, surrounded by resentment and blood light. It seemed to retain some intelligence and fought cunningly, even able to use strange soul techniques to draw upon the power of the sea of ​​blood to counterattack.

"The original demons of the Blood Sea... and the fallen remnant souls and fierce spirits?" Mingyue examined closely. These fierce spirits were not entirely confused; they even cooperated with each other in a simple way, and there were several particularly powerful ones leading the way.

"This realm is not monolithic; it contains various factions and forces."

Just as the battle was unfolding, the situation suddenly changed. The several powerful and fierce spirits suddenly joined forces, unleashing a bizarre spell. Countless bloody hands sprang from the sea of ​​blood, dragging large numbers of demons into the abyss and tearing them to pieces. The rest fled in disarray.

The victorious spirit emitted a sharp soul howl, devouring the blood essence scattered by the demon, and its aura subtly strengthened.

“Devouring and evolution... the survival of the fittest, indeed the iron law of this world.” Mingyue understood.

The bright moon did not disturb the fierce spirit, and steered the mirage boat to continue deeper into the depths.

The closer one gets to the center of the Blood Sea, the heavier the oppression becomes, and the more powerful the demons and fierce spirits encountered grow. Occasionally, a being with a profound and obscure aura lurks in the Blood Abyss, likely comparable to a Celestial Lord, or even stronger.

Along the way, they encountered strange phenomena: suddenly they were trapped in a "blood illusion maze," where the illusions before their eyes stirred their inner demons; suddenly a sea of ​​blood formed a vortex for no reason, devouring everything; and even the light of the dark moon could cause their blood to boil and their souls to become restless.

Relying on her mastery of the power of illusion and reality through the Chaos Puppet Domain and the Illusionary Puppet Guards, Mingyue repeatedly escaped danger, recording everything she saw and felt in her sea of ​​consciousness, awaiting her return. (End of Chapter)