Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

The bright moon, commanding a mirage boat in the void, silently slipped into the depths of the Netherworld Blood Realm, like a shadowless phantom.

The blood mist thickened all around, and the crimson seawater resembled congealed blood plasma, with a pungent, sweet smell and a bone-chilling cold. As the waves surged and churned, they swept up not ordinary white bones, but countless twisted, pained faces and fragmented souls, which screamed silently in the blood waves before vanishing.

Suddenly, ripples of hidden spiritual light appeared around the mirage, and the viscous sea of ​​blood below exploded with a deafening roar. Countless slender tentacles burst forth from the waves—they were formed entirely of condensed blood demons, covered with suckers, like venomous snakes spitting their tongues, rushing straight at the mirage! These were the "blood demon worms" lurking in the abyss of the blood sea, shaped like giant pythons, without eyes or mouths, hunting unseen, only using the life force and soul light of living beings as bait.

At the same time, a series of semi-transparent giant umbrellas, resembling jellyfish, quietly appeared above the sea of ​​blood. Thousands of eerie tentacles hung from the edges of the umbrellas, and as they swayed gently, they emitted a soul-devouring suction force and corrosive ripples—these were the "Soul-Devouring Jellyfish," which specifically devoured the spiritual light of cultivators.

Attacked from both above and below, the Blood Fiend Worm blocked the escape route, while the Soul-Devouring Jellyfish enveloped the realm of divine consciousness. Their seamless coordination showed that they were experienced hunters and well-versed in the art of encirclement and annihilation.

Mingyue's golden pupils flickered slightly as data streamed past like stardust, but her expression remained unchanged. With a thought, the mirage boat's radiance vanished, its speed increased dramatically, and at the critical moment, it passed through the gaps in the worm's tentacles.

The bloodthirsty tentacles struck the boat's shadow, only causing ripples in space; the boat remained unharmed.

"Disperse."

A clear shout from the bright moon was like a cold spring striking a rock.

The mirage's hatch opened silently, and three hundred illusory puppet guards poured out like ghosts. They were without blood, flesh, soul, or fire. The greedy perception of the Blood Fiend Worm and the soul-devouring ripples of the Soul-Eating Jellyfish fell on them, but they were like mud oxen entering the sea, leaving no echo.

The worm tentacles wrapped around the puppet guard's body, and the bloodthirsty power that corroded the immortal metal surged in. The puppet guard's figure suddenly became ethereal, and the tentacles passed through his body as if trying to scoop up the moon's reflection in water.

The next instant, the puppet guard solidified in another place, and the energy blade in his hand was formed by the law of illusion and reality. It fell silently, and the worm tentacles were severed in response. The blood and evil energy at the cut dissipated and could not regenerate!

The ghostly tentacles of the Soul-Devouring Jellyfish brushed past the Puppet Guardian, and the soul-corroding ripples touched the core of the Puppet Guardian—the "Spirit Core" forged from the Chaos Dao Seed and the Illusionary Spirit Origin. It remained motionless, like a gentle breeze sweeping across a mountain.

Instead, the puppet guard's golden eyes suddenly lit up, and it actively drew upon the ghostly tentacles. The nightmare power deep within its core spun slightly, actually reversing the process of analyzing and devouring the mental pollution and soul power scattered by the jellyfish.

Mingyue stood atop the mirage, her silver hair swaying gently with the dark currents of the blood sea. Her hands formed a seal, and the Chaotic Puppet Domain quietly spread out, disturbing the laws of this sea area.

The three hundred illusory puppet guards moved with ease, seamlessly transitioning between reality and illusion.

A puppet guard was surrounded by several worms. Its body suddenly disintegrated into thousands of dark gold particles, which pierced through the worms' bodies and then reassembled. The spear had already pierced the core of one of the worms.

The other one, despite being entangled by the jellyfish's tentacles, rippled outwards like a reflection in a mirror or the moon in the water. Its tentacles retracted, shattering only a phantom image. Its true form appeared above the jellyfish's head, and a giant energy blade cleaved down, splitting the umbrella in two. The dissipated soul power was quickly absorbed by the core of the puppet guard.

The battle turned in one direction. The corrosive blood demons and soul-devouring techniques that enabled the Blood Sea Demons to run rampant had almost no effect on this bloodless and soulless puppet army; however, the puppet guards' ability to switch between reality and illusion and to cut through order always struck at the heart of the enemy.

In a short while, the besieging enemy was decimated, and the survivors let out silent screams before fleeing into the depths of the sea of ​​blood.

The sea of ​​blood returned to deathly silence, with only the pure blood essence and soul power left behind by the scattered demons slowly drifting in the crimson water.

Mingyue did not order the puppet guards to pursue. Her golden eyes swept across the battlefield, and with a flick of her finger, a chaotic puppet pattern flew out, transforming into countless fine threads that probed into the dissipating energy, carefully extracting fragments of laws unique to the core area of ​​this realm—the Blood Law containing strange vitality within the ultimate death intent, and the profound Dao of Reincarnation that maintains the operation of the Netherworld Blood Realm.

The fragments of the law were quickly sealed into a special crystal. Just as Mingyue was about to recall the puppet guards, her gaze suddenly sharpened, landing on a blood-red abyss rift below, torn open by the fierce battle just now.

Beneath the crack, endless scarlet gleamed with a deep, crystalline dark red sheen.

Upon closer inspection, they are strange crystal minerals embedded in the seabed rock layers! They are clustered in shape, and their entire body resembles congealed blood, yet life seems to flow within them. The blood energy and soul power are extremely concentrated, and they even faintly resonate with the pulse of the entire Netherworld Blood Realm.

“Blood Soul Crystal Ore…” Mingyue murmured, a sharp glint flashing in her golden eyes.

The energy contained in this object far surpasses that of ordinary demonic spirits, and it is closely connected to the origin of the realm. It is very likely the core mineral deposit that supports the energy cycle of the Netherworld Blood Realm, or even the cornerstone of some kind of massive structure.

Mingyue immediately ordered a puppet guard to quietly approach and take a small sample of the crystal ore.

The moment the puppet guard's palm touched the crystal ore, the surrounding sea of ​​blood seemed to boil slightly, and a hidden yet vast will quietly swept across the area before falling silent.

Mingyue felt a slight chill and dared not linger. She quickly scanned the area with her divine sense, imprinting the spatial coordinates of the location and sealing them along with the crystal ore sample. The three hundred puppet guards retreated like the tide, all returning to the mirage boat.

"Walk."

The mirage boat transformed into invisible ripples and retreated rapidly along its original path at an extreme speed.

On the way back, Mingyue clearly sensed that deep within the boundless sea of ​​blood behind her, a large number of powerful auras seemed to be faintly awakening due to the fluctuations of the crystal ore, opening their eyes from their ancient slumber.

The dangers of the Netherworld Blood Realm are only the tip of the iceberg.

Mingyue, riding a mirage-like vessel, moved like a shadow through the viscous sea of ​​blood, surrounded by churning crimson and the wailing of countless remnant souls. Data flowed within her golden eyes, constantly analyzing the laws of this realm and deducing the order hidden deep within the sea of ​​blood.

Suddenly, the blood-red waves parted silently ahead, and a group of figures clad in dark red bone armor, their faces hidden behind ferocious masks, strode across the water. They wielded blood-jade bone staffs, and their bodies were shrouded in dense bloodlust and soul energy fluctuations. They were none other than the patrol team of the Blood Soul Clan, a native force of the Netherworld Blood Realm.

The leader's bone staff was topped with a beating heart-shaped gem, each beat causing the surrounding sea of ​​blood to pulsate in rhythm.

"You filthy creatures from beyond the realm, how dare you trespass into the Holy Blood Territory!"

A hoarse, soul-piercing voice exploded directly in Mingyue's sea of ​​consciousness, carrying a power that corroded the soul. The twelve Blood Soul Clan warriors simultaneously raised their bone staffs, and the sea of ​​blood instantly boiled, transforming into countless crimson chains entwined with vengeful spirits, wrapping around the mirage ship from all directions. Twisted, dark red incantations appeared in the void, and wherever they passed, even space itself began to decay and collapse—this was the "Soul-Eating Blood Curse," a direct attack on the very source.

Mingyue's eyes sharpened, her silver hair dancing silently in the sea of ​​blood. She formed hand seals, and the Chaos Puppet Domain suddenly unfolded, with billions of phantom gears flowing within it, precisely simulating the fluctuation frequency of the sea of ​​blood itself.

The crimson chains that attacked touched the edge of the Puppet Domain, but were assimilated and absorbed like streams flowing into the sea. The Soul-Eating Blood Curse collided with the distorted boundary of the domain and was also led to nothingness by the chaotic laws. "Holy Blood Resonance... how could it fail?" The elder holding the Heart Gem Staff let out a surprised and doubtful soul cry.

In that instant, a thousand chaotic puppet patterns emerged from Mingyue's fingertips, disappearing into the sea of ​​blood like threads. The fluctuations of the entire sea were subtly altered. In the Blood Soul Clan's perception, the target ahead suddenly split into dozens of elusive afterimages, each emanating the same bloodthirsty aura as them.

Beware of illusions!

The elder issued a stern warning, his bone staff erupting with blinding blood-red light, attempting to forcibly tear apart the false fluctuations. But this was the very moment Mingyue had been waiting for—three illusory puppet guards stepped out from the void, forming a triangular formation around the elder. At their cores, chaotic Dao seeds rotated, and the illusory spirit essence intertwined into an invisible giant net, forcibly severing his connection with the sea of ​​blood.

The elder roared and activated his soul technique, a bloodshot eye splitting open between his brows, unleashing a "soul-burning demonic light" that tore apart the soul.

However, under the illumination of the demonic light, the three puppet guards' figures rippled like water, actually splitting and refracting the attack, sweeping it back towards the other Blood Soul Clan warriors! Taking advantage of this chaos, Mingyue's true form silently appeared behind the elder, her fair hand pressing on his crown.

"Searching for the soul and stealing the mind".

A chilling divine sense penetrated, causing the elder's body to tremble violently, and his eyes beneath the mask instantly lost their luster. Countless fragments of memory surged into Mingyue's sea of ​​consciousness like a burst dam—

Mingyue saw that in the center of the endless sea of ​​blood, nine majestic blood and bone thrones surrounded an ancient, boiling "Reincarnation Blood Pool". The pool contained the essence of life from countless worlds, and every moment, remnant souls wailed and were reshaped within it, only to be drawn from their origin again.

The blurry figure seated on the highest throne could cause stars to fall and realms to crumble with a single glance… that was the "Blood Ancestor," ruler of the Netherworld Blood Realm. And deep within the Pool of Reincarnation Blood, floats half a fragment of an ancient rune, the very core nexus that maintains the cycle of life and death in this realm…

Mingyue abruptly withdrew her divine sense. The captured elder had become an empty shell, assimilated and dissipated by the sea of ​​blood. A cold light flashed in her golden eyes. Just now, when she read the memories, a will containing supreme blood power had already traced back along the causal line.

"retreat!"

The bright moon made a decisive move, and the mirage in the void transformed into a streak of light and vanished swiftly.

Almost simultaneously, the entire sea of ​​blood churned wildly, and a Blood Ancestor Dharma Image spanning millions of miles condensed in the sky, its nine blood-red eyes opening at the same time. An indescribable, terrifying pressure descended, and the mirage ship, which had not yet escaped, let out a mournful cry of unbearable pressure.

"Chaos returns to nothingness, all laws flow backward!"

The burning moon fueled the Dao Seed, causing the Chaos Puppet Domain to expand to its limit. It forcefully carved out a temporary passage in the Blood Sea Domain, attracting countless Blood Soul Clan experts from all directions to besiege it. Various forbidden blood curses and soul techniques poured down like a torrential rain.

Three thousand Chaos Ember Puppets simultaneously self-destructed, and the Ember Flame temporarily blocked the pursuers; five hundred Illusionary True Puppet Guards formed an array to protect the core of the Mirage Ship, using the Dao of Illusion and Reality to withstand the gaze of the Blood Ancestor's Dharma Image.

A trickle of golden soul blood spilled from Mingyue's lips as she unhesitatingly detonated the annihilation crystal she had laid out beforehand—

"Boom!" There was a loud noise.

The power of ultimate nothingness clashed violently with the life force of the blood sea, temporarily disrupting the stability of the laws of this realm. Taking advantage of this gap, the Void Mirage finally tore through the boundary wall, escaped into it, and disappeared.

The sea of ​​blood gradually subsided, but the Blood Ancestor's Dharma Image remained standing, coldly gazing in the direction where the bright moon had disappeared.

The Void Mirage Ship passed through layers of boundary walls, carrying with it a thick, indelible aura of bloodlust, and returned home.

The boat door opened, and Mingyue stepped out. Dark red bloodstains still flowed on her silver armor, traces left by the invasion of the Netherworld Blood Realm, which had not yet been completely purified by the Chaos Dao Rhyme.

Mingyue walked with slightly hurried steps, passing directly through the misty chaotic air currents of the Spirit Garden, and arrived at the foot of the towering Chaos Dao Tree.

Li Mu, still dressed in his green robe, stood quietly under the tree, seemingly unmoved since time immemorial. His gaze fell upon Mingyue, and without a word, Mingyue knelt on one knee, bowing her head to report.

"Master, the Netherworld Blood Realm has been explored."

Mingyue's voice was clear and cold, carrying a hint of weariness after a fierce battle, but also containing an undeniable firmness: "The foundation of this world is indeed the 'Law of Blood' and the 'Law of Reincarnation'. The sea of ​​blood is boundless, containing the ultimate intent of death, yet at the extreme of death, there is still a trace of reincarnation that never dies, maintaining the remnant soul's cycle of rebirth."

Mingyue raised her hand, holding the sealed dark red crystal in her palm. Blood light flowed within it, as if it were pulsating with life: "This is the 'Blood Soul Crystal' obtained from the depths of the Blood Sea. It is closely connected to the origin of this world, with boundless energy, and contains the essence of blood evil and soul power."

Immediately afterward, countless fragments of light and shadow were projected from Mingyue's golden eyes—memories seized from the Blood Soul Clan elder through soul-searching. "In the center of the Blood Sea, nine Blood Bone Thrones guard the 'Reincarnation Blood Pool,' where the essence of countless beings from all realms is concentrated. Remnant souls entering can be forcibly reshaped, becoming blood warriors who know only slaughter and loyalty. The ruler of this realm is a being who calls himself the 'Blood Ancestor,' seated high on his throne, his aura… unfathomable, likely having reached the peak of the Dao Realm, or even higher. His will can easily mobilize the power of the entire Netherworld Blood Realm."

In the interplay of light and shadow, the boiling blood pool, the wailing remnant souls, and the indifferent, overlooking image of the Blood Ancestor all reveal the unpredictable nature of the Netherworld Blood Realm.

Li Mu listened silently, his gaze sweeping over the Blood Soul Crystal and then over the fragments of memory. His deep eyes remained calm and undisturbed. He extended two fingers and gently picked up the Blood Soul Crystal.

Upon handling the crystal, a strange sensation, both scorching and chilling, emanated from it. The bloodthirsty resentment and the trace of reincarnation within it immediately stirred, threatening to backfire.

Li Mu's fingertips swirled with chaotic energy, like a millstone turning gently, calming all the restlessness until only the most fundamental laws and rhythms were extracted and flowed into his sea of ​​consciousness.

At the same time, the chaotic energy in his eyes swirled, reflecting the memories brought back by the bright moon, especially lingering on the Blood Pool of Reincarnation and the Dharma Image of the Blood Ancestor.

“Blood sea as body, reincarnation as guide, using death to nourish ‘life’, forcibly continuing reincarnation…” Li Mu murmured, as if deducing, yet also stating, “The laws of life and death in this world have been distorted. That Blood Ancestor is not in charge of reincarnation, but in fact… stealing the power of reincarnation, blocking the true spirit’s rebirth, and forcibly forming an army of blood puppets.”

Li Mu closed his eyes slightly, and the illusory image of the Chaos Dao Tree appeared behind him. On the branches, the Dao Fruits representing annihilation, spirit, and time flickered slightly, corroborating and deducing the law fragments analyzed from the Blood Soul Crystal and memory fragments.

In an instant, a surging blood-red river seemed to appear in Li Mu's sea of ​​consciousness, with endless remnant souls floating and sinking. They should have entered the vast cycle of reincarnation, but they were forcibly intercepted by an unparalleled power, thrown into a blood pool, stripped of their past lives, infused with blood evil, and forged into flesh and blood weapons that only knew how to fight and devour.

The Blood Ancestor sat enthroned at the node of reincarnation, using the sea of ​​blood as a furnace and the remnants of countless spirits as materials to continuously "produce" blood warriors, maintaining his rule, and further stealing and refining the very essence of life and death that should have belonged to heaven and earth. (End of Chapter)