Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

“Chaos…is not only about destruction and rebirth, but also about bearing and nurturing.” Li Mu had an epiphany, and as his eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if countless worlds were rising and falling in his eyes: “To absorb the source of all worlds and to generate the opportunities of all living beings, this is the true meaning of the master of the world.”

Li Mu raised his hand and pressed down, the chaotic energy in his palm surging, instantly evolving into a complete illusory world about a foot in size. Within it were undulating mountains, flowing rivers, lush vegetation, and even glimmers of spiritual light, as if about to give birth to the primordial life. This illusory image was solid and heavy, radiating the law fluctuations only found in the real world. Although it only existed for a moment before collapsing, it had already revealed the rudiments of "creation".

As if sensing its master's enlightenment, the Chaos Dao Tree gently trembled at the nearly perfect Chaos Dao Fruit on its branch. The chaotic radiance flowing on its surface became even more profound and restrained, and the miniature star vortex deep within the fruit core accelerated its rotation, increasing the speed at which it absorbed and expelled the power of the Mother Source Realm by another three percent.

Li Mu's gaze swept over the Chaos Dao Fruit on the branch, then looked at the endless void connected by the roots of the Dao Tree. He felt the different characteristics of the Mother Source Realm Power from several main realm source networks continuously flowing into the Dao Tree, nourishing this nascent Chaos Dao Domain.

“The source is the root, the realms are the branches, chaos is the trunk, and all living beings are born…” Li Mu murmured, his voice booming like the sound of the Dao, echoing within the treasure mansion: “This is the right path.”

Li Mu's thoughts stirred again, and the billions of roots of the Chaos Dao Tree trembled simultaneously, actively connecting with the source network branches, some bright and some dark, deep in the void. A massive amount of weak primordial source power was drawn in, traversing endless time and space, and flowing into this Chaos Ancestral Root that was growing wildly.

Above the tree canopy, the number of newly formed miniature chaotic worlds has increased dramatically. Some of these phantom worlds have even begun to collide and merge with each other, evolving into more complex scenes—there are drifting continents, rotating nebulae, the changing of the seasons, and the alternation of day and night... beginning to resemble the grand scale of the universe.

Nourished by the vast power of the Mother Origin Realm and the myriad world scenes, Li Mu's cultivation level has taken a solid step towards the "Harmony with the Dao" realm. The aura emanating from his body has lost some of its conquering and violent energy and gained more of the wonder of creation. It is as if he can create a real world and nurture all kinds of living beings with every move he makes.

However, at this critical moment of transformation, the cold will that maintains the balance of the myriad worlds source network once again swept over along the several branches that had absorbed a large amount of the mother source world's power!
Li Mu's eyes narrowed, realizing that this commotion had been too great and had ultimately attracted a deeper level of rejection from the Source Network. He remained calm, forming hand seals to activate the newly generated "bearing" and "nurturing" true meanings within the Chaos Dao Tree, transforming them into a layer of chaotic light curtain that protected the core of the tree, slowing down the rate at which it absorbed the power of the Mother Source Realm and making its fluctuations more moderate.

The icy will touched the chaotic light screen and immediately withdrew, seemingly sensing this "anomaly." After a moment's hesitation, it finally receded like the tide.

Li Mu breathed a slight sigh of relief, knowing that this was only a temporary respite. For the Chaos Dao Tree to truly take root in the Origin Network of Myriad Realms, and even nourish the Origin Network in return, and achieve the position of the Lord of the World, the road ahead would surely be filled with more hardships.

However, Li Mu's Dao heart was firm, and deep in his eyes was only the burning pursuit of the supreme Dao.

"The Origin of All Realms... One day, I will seize its pivot and control its cycle of reincarnation." Li Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his green robe fluttering in the chaotic air currents. His figure merged with the towering Chaos Dao Tree behind him, radiating supreme majesty.

Deep within the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu's mind merged with the Dao Tree, and he fully activated the Chaos Great Dao.

The towering Dao Tree unfurled its countless roots, like the gaping maw of a gluttonous beast, frantically absorbing the primordial power from the "Myriad Realms Source Network" with unprecedented intensity and frequency. The vast and boundless power traversed the void, pouring into the Netherworld Blood Realm like a cascading Milky Way, surging into every inch of the Dao Tree's branches and veins.

On the trunk of the Dao Tree, ancient patterns lit up layer by layer, like dragons and snakes awakening, meandering and wandering. The branches and leaves grew wildly, blocking out the sky and the sun. The miniature chaotic world on each leaf evolved and expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye. Inside, earth, water, fire and wind surged endlessly, and faintly, indistinct Dao sounds rang out.

This overwhelming and unstoppable power of the Mother Realm, transformed by the Chaos Dao Tree, becomes the purest and most primordial Chaos Essence, which, along the invisible veins that connect all realms, nourishes the linked realms.

Deep within the earth's veins of the Myriad Machine Heavenly City in the Golden Puppet Realm, the ancient, accumulated sharp energy of Geng Metal was fully unleashed. Countless metal veins on the earth seemed to writhe and grow as if alive, spewing forth pillars of platinum light that soared into the sky. The cultivators within the city felt their sword energy surge spontaneously; previously obscure and difficult sword techniques now flowed effortlessly, and they broke through them one after another. Refining furnaces ignited with pure white flames without needing to be activated, the embryos within humming and trembling, their spirituality growing at an astonishing rate.

In the Profound Abyss Realm, the Emberfire Refining Tower shone brilliantly, its base connected to the Primal Ember Sea, where towering waves surged and roared, dark red lava flowing freely. Pure flames of annihilation and flames of creation intertwined and rose, transforming into a rain of fire that nourished the scorched earth. Countless cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques sat cross-legged, their acupoints wide open, greedily absorbing the dense, almost impenetrable, primordial essence of the emberfire in the air. Their auras rose steadily, and the sounds of their cultivation bottlenecks shattering echoed throughout the land.

In the Realm of Time Ruins, the light of the Time-Suppressing Tower remained stable, and the chronological order flowing within its body became increasingly clear. The chaotic currents of time were completely smoothed out by an invisible force, transforming into gentle streams that flowed obediently around the core of the realm. Some old monsters who specialized in the secret arts of time were pleasantly surprised to find that the passage of their lifespan had slowed down by a mere fraction, while their understanding of the laws of time was clearer and more profound than ever before.

In the Illusionary Realm, the power of thought surged like a tidal wave, and the sky displayed a magnificent seven-colored glow. Countless cultivators bathed in this pure mental power, their minds becoming clear and their past inner demons quietly dissipating, allowing them to enter a new realm of understanding illusionary techniques and soul attacks. In the City of Illusion, a low-level disciple experienced a sudden enlightenment in his sleep, and when he awoke, his eyes shone brightly, having broken through the illusions.

……

Within the realms, the concentration of spiritual energy surged wildly, transforming into wispy spiritual mist, which then condensed into spiritual rain. Vegetation grew exponentially, the maturation cycle of spiritual herbs shortened several times over, and the quality of spiritual veins leaped forward. Low-level cultivators broke through in droves, with tribulation clouds gathering and thunder rumbling from time to time, yet they all passed through unscathed thanks to the stable laws and abundant spiritual energy of the realms.

The dozen or so main realms under Li Mu's control seemed to have been infused with boundless vitality, presenting a thriving and prosperous scene.

However, fortune may be fraught with misfortune.

Li Mu's large-scale and frequent forced extraction of the Mother Source Realm's power was like throwing a mountain boulder into a calm, deep pool. The invisible mechanism that maintained the balance of the "Myriad Realms Source Network" was finally violently disturbed.

Deep within the source network, several robust main veins connecting to distant, unknown lands trembled slightly, awakening several ancient wills that depended on these main veins from their eternal slumber.

Their existence transcends ordinary concepts of boundaries, like colossal creatures parasitizing the main trunk of the source network, mutually restraining each other while maintaining a fragile balance. At this moment, an "abnormal," powerful, and continuous "drawing" force is emanating from a certain peripheral area of ​​the source network, breaking the long silence.

A very subtle and obscure sensation, like ripples on water, quietly spread along the veins of the source network towards the Netherworld Blood Realm.

Li Mu, who was sitting cross-legged under the Chaos Dao Tree, guiding a massive amount of Mother Source Realm power, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart! He seemed to sense something.

……

The Void Realm is devoid of light and darkness, without any distinction between up and down or the four directions. Only the most fundamental principles of the Dao hang down like silk ribbons, weaving together an eternal silence.

Seven indistinct figures, bathed in the radiance of their respective laws, hung in the center of this secret realm like ancient stars.

A figure, surrounded by stardust and dust, as if draped with the entire Milky Way, moved with every gesture, causing the stars to rise and fall and constellations to appear and disappear. This was none other than the Lord of the Ancient Heavenly Star Realm—Star Evolution Dao Venerable.

Beside him, celestial light swirled and auspicious energy flowed in thousands of strands. The Celestial Lord of the Great Universe sat on a nine-colored lotus platform, his face shrouded in a hazy, clear light, with only his deep eyes remaining, seemingly encompassing the rise and fall of the endless realms of the Celestial Realm.

Opposite them stood an old man in an ancient Taoist robe, a withered branch tucked into his hair. His aura was primordial and chaotic, none other than Hao Yi Dao Ancestor from the "Nine Profound Realms." His body emanated a flowing Taoist aura, subtly harmonizing with the origin of this void realm. There were also four other beings, each with a different form: some like undying gods condensed from raging flames, others like ancient beings as deep as an abyss, still possessing unparalleled sword immortals, and still others ethereal figures seemingly existing across countless dimensions of time and space. They represented the Ancient Origin God Realm, the Eternal Silent Netherworld, the Primordial Boundless Realm…

"I'm sure you've all noticed it by now," Xingyan Daozun said first, solemnly stating, "that Chaos Dao Tree that rose from the Netherworld Blood Realm."

"Its roots are no longer simply embedded in the void, but are touching the 'Origin Network of All Realms'." The Taiyu Immortal Lord interjected, his cold voice carrying a hint of solemnity: "The speed and domineering nature of its absorption of the power of the Mother Origin Realm are unprecedented. If this continues, the Origin Network will become unbalanced, and the foundations of all realms may be shaken."

"The Way of Chaos has always been violent, primarily devouring and evolving. However, this tree... seems to show signs of transformation." Hao Yi Dao Zu slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting image of the creation of chaos flashing in them: "Its leaves extend into a microcosm, its trunk bears all laws, faintly possessing the meaning of creation and bearing. Such a growth phenomenon is unprecedented, and its potential... is unfathomable."

"Hmph!" The Ancient Origin Realm Lord let out a deep rumble and said in a deep voice, "Just because it is 'unpredictable,' should we allow it to take root in the Origin Network and absorb the foundations of all worlds? Once it truly grows up, we will all become nourishment beneath its tree!"

“Fellow Daoist Gu, be careful with your words.” The Lord of the Taiwu Realm spoke indifferently, indicating, “This tree has grown to this size in such a short time, it must have an unfathomable background. Its power is extraordinary, and it also controls the changes of chaos and the mysteries of life and death. Acting hastily may lead to unforeseen disasters.”

The eternally silent Lord of the Netherworld, whose voice was as deep as an abyss, spoke in agreement: "Tai Wusuo is absolutely right. I observe that the spread of those roots is in harmony with some ancient rhythm, which cannot be controlled by brute force. Forcibly severing them would either trigger a backlash from the source network and shake the very foundation of our own realm."

The ethereal Lord of Illusionary Time swayed gently, his voice echoing with the overlapping of time and space: "I once divided my spirit into countless parts to peer into the tributaries of time. All the causal lines that directly conflicted with this tree were reduced to chaos and annihilation. Their destiny is shrouded in mist, with neither the past nor the future visible. Such variables, if forcibly suppressed, would come at an unpredictable cost."

A brief silence fell over the secret realm. The seven beings standing at the pinnacle of all realms silently intertwined their divine thoughts, deducing countless possibilities. The radiance of the Dao flickered between them, reflecting the solemnity and calculation in their eyes.

Finally, the Immortal Lord of Taiyu spoke again, his voice carrying a sense of absolute certainty: "Direct conflict is certainly not a good strategy, but to sit idly by and watch it succeed is tantamount to raising a tiger to cause trouble."

With a flick of his fingertip, Xingyan Daozun unleashed a burst of starlight, which evolved into the phantom of the myriad worlds' origin network. The part representing the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree emitted a hazy, chaotic halo, like an ink droplet in clear water, spreading continuously.

"The most urgent task is not to confront it head-on. You must know that the source network is far-reaching, and those who sense the threat of this tree are not just the seven of us," Xingyan Daozun indicated.

Hao Yi Dao Zu nodded slightly, his withered hair bun trembling slightly: "That's right. That old fellow from the 'Ancient Realm of Xuanhuang' has always considered himself the guardian of the source network. How could he allow outsiders to arbitrarily extract the mother source? And the 'Evergreen Realm of Ten Thousand Trees', the vitality of its realm is closely related to the source network. If the Chaos Dao Tree devours it like this, it will damage the foundation of that realm sooner or later."

"And there's also the 'Sumeru Buddha Kingdom' and the 'Nine Netherworld Demon Abyss'..." Lord Yongji added, his voice carrying a hint of coldness, "Whether they are openly or secretly connected to the Origin Network. The Chaos Dao Tree's actions have already offended the public, but the time is not yet ripe, and no one is willing to be the first to take the lead."

"In that case..." The Celestial Lord Taiyu's gaze swept over the other six beings: "We shall act as the go-between. We shall secretly coordinate and devise a plan. We shall lay out our plans first and observe the situation. When the time is right, we may be able to mobilize the power of all the heavens to jointly defeat this anomaly."

"good."

"can."

"Then let it be so."

……

A consensus formed among the various thoughts, imbued with the caution of ancient beings. They knew all too well that any rash action against this unprecedented Chaos Dao Tree could have devastating consequences. Only by uniting more potential forces and weaving an invisible net could they gain a sliver of advantage in this upheaval that could sweep across the heavens.

The seven figures slowly faded away, and the Void Secret Realm returned to eternal silence. Only the remaining ripples of the Dao principles foreshadowed a storm that would sweep across many ancient realms, which was silently brewing.

Xingyan Daozun glanced one last time at the chaotic halo that was spreading continuously within the illusory source network, and a trace of worry belonging to the star diviner quietly flashed across the depths of his eyes.

The growth of this Dao tree is too fast, faster than any ancient text has ever recorded, so fast that it is... unsettling.

……

Deep within the Chaos Treasure Palace, all was silent, save for the flowing Daoist energy like a murmuring stream.

Li Mu slowly awoke from his deep state of enlightenment. The moment his eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if countless chaotic stars were rising and falling in his eyes, reflecting the vast scene of the rotation of the heavens and the rise and fall of the myriad worlds.

Li Mu's aura was harmonious and restrained, perfectly integrated with the towering Chaos Dao Tree behind him. On his green robe, there were faint specks of chaotic divine light flickering, as if he were covered by an entire newly created universe.

Looking up, the Chaos Dao Tree, having undergone this transformation, possessed a completely different aura. Its trunk, as thick as a mountain, stretched across layers of void, and the ancient Dao patterns imprinted on it resembled coiled dragons and snakes, exuding a vast and profound primordial aura. Its branches and leaves covered the sky, and chaotic energy surged ceaselessly between the veins of the leaves, spontaneously evolving into earth, water, fire, and wind, creating countless miniature worlds.

In those worlds, mountains rise and fall, rivers flow, plants flourish and wither, and even faint echoes of Daoist sounds can be heard, as if true life and spiritual light could be born at any moment.

Countless roots have penetrated deep into the endless void, like greedy giant pythons, coiling around and probing into the mysterious "Origin Network of Myriad Realms," continuously drawing upon the power of the Mother Origin Realm from different main realms.

The profoundness of the Xuanhuang Ancient Realm, the vitality of the Evergreen Realm, the scorching heat of the Blazing Sun Divine Realm, the silence of the Netherworld Realm... all kinds of powerful forces with different characteristics transcended the barriers of time and space, converged into the Dao Tree, and were refined and purified by the Chaos Great Dao, transforming into the most primordial Chaos Essence, which nourished Li Mu himself and the interconnected realms under his command.

Feeling the immense power surging within him, almost bursting out of his body, and gaining a deeper understanding of the Great Dao of Chaos, Li Mu felt no joy after the breakthrough. Instead, his heart was like a still pond tossed with a boulder, suddenly rippling with sharp, cold waves.

An invisible, intangible, yet overwhelming sense of crisis descended without warning, lingering in Li Mu's mind and refusing to dissipate. (End of Chapter)