Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Deep within the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu's aura was perfectly harmonious.

A newly formed Dao Fruit of Order hangs on the branch of the Chaos Dao Fruit. It is only the size of a fingernail, with gray and gold intertwined, as stable as a rock. It shines brightly with the other Dao Fruits, scattering clear light. Wherever it shines, the chaotic airflow within the Dao Tree, which was slightly disordered due to the erosion of the Myriad Transformations Curse, is as if it is being straightened by an invisible hand and returned to order.

The trunk of the Chaos Dao Tree let out a low hum, seemingly with a sense of joy. Its billions of roots, now harmonized by the power of the Order Dao Fruit, suddenly expanded and gradually recovered, gaining a touch of subtle permeation and resonance.

The Order Dao Fruit quietly erected a hidden bridge between Chaos and the Source Network, stable and difficult to detect. The power of the Mother Source Realm flowed in continuously, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, silently nourishing the Dao Tree and Li Mu's Dao Foundation, without any sign of backlash from the laws.

Li Mu's complexion changed from pale to rosy, his aura became restrained, like water in a deep pool, making him appear even more unfathomable. As his eyes opened and closed, deep within the chaotic starry sky in his eyes, a wisp of golden light representing order had already stabilized, blending seamlessly with the chaotic energy, becoming one with it.

At that moment, Li Mu's mind stirred slightly.

Sensing an extremely subtle probing intent, like a venomous snake slithering, it quietly penetrated the outer defenses of the Netherworld Blood Realm, bypassed the puppet domain sensing set up by Mingyue and the patrolling of Xiao Jingtian's fleet, and headed straight for the core of the Chaos Treasure Palace.

The newcomer possessed profound skills and had reached a state of perfection in his mastery of the laws of shadow. His existence was almost one with the shadows in the void, making him extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators to detect.

It was the leader of the Killing Dao Alliance who personally arrived!

The leader of the Killing Dao Alliance hid in the gap between reality and illusion. Shadows gathered, and his eyes flashed with a scarlet light as he locked onto the treasure mansion shrouded in chaotic energy. Outside the mansion, the Yin-Yang Rotation Puppet stood solemnly, and the Rift Universe Ship emitted spiritual light, maintaining a strict guard.

"The Chaos Dao Lord... indeed, his Dao foundation is damaged, and his aura is not visible?" The Alliance Leader's doubts had not been dispelled, and he dared not make any rash moves.

The shadowy body rippled slightly, and a wisp of extremely condensed, almost "nothing" divine thought quietly emerged, like a thorn in the void, directly entering the treasure palace. This thought contained a lifetime of cultivation, specializing in breaking through all magical defenses and probing the origin. Even a strong person of the same level would find it difficult to detect instantly unless they were deliberately on guard.

When the divine sense touched the chaotic airflow surrounding the treasure palace, it was like a fish entering water, without causing the slightest ripple, and it successfully penetrated inward.

The Shadow Alliance leader paused, then continued deeper, eager to uncover Li Mu's true identity.

However, just as his divine sense touched the Chaos Dao Tree and glimpsed the figure in green under the tree, Li Mu, who had been sitting still, suddenly raised his eyes!

His eyes saw only the chilling cold of an ancient glacier, and the scene of the beginning of chaos and the rotation of stars. A clear golden Dao pattern flashed from the bottom of his eyes, like a decree descending upon the world.

Those who dare to peek into my domain shall be subject to the judgment of order!

Li Mu activated his divine sense, and the terrifying Dao intent rushed straight towards the soul of the Shadow Alliance Leader, like a decree of the Great Dao, his words becoming law!
"Not good!" The Shadow Alliance Leader was shocked and hurriedly withdrew his divine sense.

However, the Shadow Alliance Leader was ultimately a step too slow. His overwhelming will struck, and his divine sense shattered like a celestial monument crashing into the sky!

The Shadow Lord let out a muffled groan, his body, hidden between reality and illusion, trembled violently, and the shadows gathered around him crumbled inch by inch, revealing a blurry, black-glowing true face, his scarlet eyes filled with horror and disbelief.

That Stream of Order, following the connection of divine thought, ignored the void barrier and directly bombarded the core of the Shadow Alliance Leader's soul. This attack was extremely fierce.

With a "poof," a mouthful of dark, ink-black soul blood spurted from the Shadow Alliance Leader's mouth, scattering into the void and causing the surrounding shadows to sizzle and corrode.

The Shadow Alliance Leader felt his Dao Foundation shake violently in that instant, judged by a higher level of Dao principles. His previous act of spying had violated some inviolable order, thus incurring a backlash from the Great Dao.

"His Dao... not only did not decline, but became more profound! How could such pure order be born in the chaos!" The Shadow Alliance Leader's heart was filled with shock. He made a decisive move, and his shadow body suddenly exploded, turning into billions of phantoms that scattered and fled. Each one contained the aura of the origin, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake. This was his life-saving technique - "Myriad Shadows Transform into Illusions Escape"!
"Since we're here, why rush to leave?"

Li Mu's voice was as usual, resounding deep within the souls of every fleeing shadow. He pointed his fingers like a sword and gently slashed at the void in front of him.

This stroke triggered the power of the newly formed Order Dao Fruit, merging with the wonders of the Chaos Origin.

A blade of light, shrouded in a hazy gray and flowing with golden threads, appeared out of thin air. It did not crack the void as it passed, but was forcibly "restored"—all the chaotic, hidden, and illusory laws were smoothed out, revealed, and frozen!
"Crack... Pfft!"

Countless shadows, like bubbles exposed to the sun, shattered and vanished one after another. The core of the blade precisely locked onto the most obscure primordial aura that was trying to merge into the boundary, ignoring all its variations, and slashed straight down!

"No!"

The Shadow Alliance Leader roared in despair, fully activating the Shadow Dao Principles to condense "Ten Thousand Shadows Guardian," while simultaneously unleashing several life-saving treasures.

However, before the chaotic blade light that merged with the true meaning of order, all defenses were as thin as paper, the protective shadow was instantly pierced, and the treasure shattered with a mournful cry.

"boom!"

The blade struck its very core.

A piercing scream shattered the silence of the Netherworld Blood Realm. The Shadow Alliance Leader's aura vanished like a river that had stopped flowing, instantly weakening and his body nearly disintegrating. Only a wisp of dim primordial shadow remained, carrying endless fear. He burned his foundation and used a secret technique to transform into an almost invisible thin line, fleeing the Netherworld Blood Realm in a sorry state and disappearing into the endless void.

In the void, only a wisp of pure shadow essence remained, along with the lingering screams filled with terror, witnessing the brief clash of divine consciousness that had just taken place.

Inside the Chaos Treasure Palace, Li Mu remained expressionless, the golden threads at his fingertips disappearing silently, as if merely brushing away dust; behind him, the Chaos Dao Tree swayed gently, its branches and leaves becoming even more verdant, and the nascent form of the Order Dao Fruit solidified a little more.

"Insignificant ants!"

Li Mu hummed softly, then closed his eyes again, immersing himself in the comprehension of the Great Dao, and no longer paid attention to it.

Outside the mansion, under the bright moon, Xiao Jingtian only breathed a sigh of relief when the pressure from the Realm Lord level completely dissipated. Although he had not personally witnessed the battle, the sudden display of Li Mu's divine might and the enemy's rout were enough to prove everything.

"Master's power... seems even greater than before." Mingyue's golden eyes flickered slightly as she spoke in a low voice.

Xiao Jingtian slammed his fist into his palm, his face beaming with excitement: "I knew it! Master is not someone to be easily defeated! Now, let's see if those demons and monsters dare to come again!"

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with excitement. They quickly composed themselves and became even more vigilant in their patrol, guarding this revitalized borderland.

……

In the endless distance, the nearly collapsed shadow fled back to the Myriad Shadows Cave in a sorry state, landing on the bone altar, its aura dropping drastically.

"What a Chaos Dao Lord! What a vengeful old ghost of the Three Realms!"

The Shadow Alliance Leader cursed inwardly, then instantly realized that the Chaos Dao Lord was not a sign of a declining Dao foundation. His power was restrained and profound, his Dao principles were perfectly harmonious and flawless, and he even subtly restrained the Shadow Laws of his own.

The message from the Lord of the Three Realms was completely wrong. He was clearly being used as a stepping stone to test the waters, or even to kill someone with a borrowed knife!
This deal was a complete disaster!
The Shadow Alliance Leader was furious. After returning to his true form, he disregarded his injuries and immediately activated the three Realm Tokens to contact the Lords of the Three Realms.

"Three!"

The Shadow Alliance Leader's voice, barely containing his rage, was resolute as he declared, "The Netherworld Blood Realm is not to be visited! The Chaos Dao Lord's foundation remains intact; in fact, it has improved! My 'Silent Shadow Devouring Blade' was easily blocked by him, and I even suffered a backlash, losing in a single move. How could such cultivation be indicative of a Dao injury? Your intelligence was flawed, nearly plunging me into eternal damnation!"

His words were swift as lightning, not allowing the Lord of the Three Realms to interrupt. The Shadow Alliance Leader uttered his final words: "The remaining reward will not be taken by our alliance. The transaction is hereby terminated!" After saying this, the Shadow Alliance Leader cut off the communication. The depths of the Myriad Shadow Cave returned to deathly silence, with only the chilling aura of the lingering chaos remaining.

……

The Blazing Divine Realm originates from the Molten Sea.

"puff--!"

Upon hearing the message from the Shadow Alliance Leader, the Flame God himself was greatly alarmed.

"His foundation remains intact... and he has even made progress?!"

The Flame God's voice trembled, his crimson-gold eyes flashing with a mixture of rage and fear: "How is this possible! What on earth is going on...?"

……

The Realm of the Frozen Gods, an Eternal Frozen Land.

"Crack...knock..."

The Ice Bone Sovereign's millennia-old icy ice shattered inch by inch, and the nine illusory skulls shrieked and howled. The extreme cold laws swept out of control, freezing the entire temple into an absolute death zone. Her face, frozen for millennia, was twisted in agony, and her deep blue eyes were filled with shock.

"The Shadow Alliance Leader... injured in one move, as expected!" The Ice Skeleton Overlord muttered to himself, his voice as cold as needles: "The Chaos Dao Lord... just how far has he gone?"

An unprecedented chill spread from the depths of her soul, making her tremble even more than the extreme cold of the Eternal Frozen Star Ring. Even the Shadow Alliance Leader, who was skilled in assassination and had unparalleled escape techniques, had returned empty-handed and dared not even mention the follow-up reward. What means could they possibly use to deal with the Lord of Chaos?

Thunder Punishment God Realm, Thousand Thunder Sea Eyes.

"Boom!!!"

The tattered form of the Eternal Thunder God churned wildly in the Thunder Pool, drawing countless bolts of lightning that struck erratically, causing chaos and upheaval. Its single eye was wide open, purple lightning flashed wildly, and it roared in resentment: "Useless! All of you are useless! You can't even distinguish between reality and illusion!"

Amidst the roar, a deep-seated fear could not be concealed.

The Shadow Alliance Leader's warning still echoed in their ears. The three of them were still seriously injured and had not yet recovered. How could they possibly fight the enemy? The image of the Chaos Giant Axe falling again appeared before their eyes like a nightmare.

……

The three realm lords remained silent from afar.

The flames of revenge that had been ignited by Li Mu's "declining" aura were extinguished by the news brought by the Shadow Alliance Leader. The chilling coldness remained, and the anger still burned in his chest, but he was powerless to replace it with fear.

They joined forces and went to great lengths to persuade the Dao-Slaying Alliance to intervene, even going so far as to force its leader to take action personally. Yet, this was the result they got—the Chaos Dao Lord not only did not fall, but may have become even more powerful!
"What should we do now?"

The Flame God's voice was hoarse as he broke the silence. He looked around at his shattered realm, feeling the sharp pain from the wound on his chest. A sense of desolation at the end of his rope welled up in his heart.

Continue the war? With what can we use to fight? Sue for peace? Given the domineering nature of the Chaos Dao Lord and their repeated provocations, how could he possibly let them off easily?

The Ice Skeleton Overlord and the Eternal Thunder God remained silent, an immense panic gripping their very souls like an invisible hand. Their former majesty, once that of revered ancestors, now seemed pale and laughable in the face of absolute power disparity and an uncertain future.

……

Deep within the Chaos Treasure Palace.

Li Mu remained seated as before, unmoved by the external disturbances, the coming and going of shadows. At this moment, his mind had already sunk into the vast boundary of the Three Thousand Main Realms along with the Chaos Dao Tree.

The divine sense, like invisible tentacles, spread along the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree that were rooted in the void, towards the depths of the "Origin Network of Myriad Realms" in the darkness. Under the harmonization of the nascent Order Dao Fruit, the perception and guidance of the power of the Mother Origin Realm became increasingly exquisite.

"Om-"

At the thought, the long-dormant main trunk of the Dao Tree trembled slightly, and the chaotic patterns rippled. The source branches connecting the main realms such as the "Ancient Realm of Xuanhuang" and the "Evergreen Realm of Ten Thousand Trees" were gently and profoundly stirred by the root system of the Dao Tree.

Strands of pure primordial energy flowed like streams into the sea, carrying the fundamental characteristics of each realm, traversing endless void, and silently merging into the Chaos Dao Tree.

This absorption did not provoke a violent rejection from the cold will of the "Myriad Realms Source Network." The newly born Order Dao Fruit emitted a faint Dao rhythm, like a natural disguise, making the absorption behavior more in line with the laws of the Source Network's operation, nourishing things silently.

As the vast and pure power of the Mother Source surged in, the balance of the ongoing Dao struggle within the Dao Tree began to tilt.

The golden net formed by the "Myriad Transformations Curse" remained stubborn. However, in the face of the chaotic laws nourished by the continuous source of the Mother Source Realm's power, its erosive and reversal momentum was further curbed. The gray and gold intertwined rudimentary form of the Order Dao Fruit became more and more solid, and its combination with the Chaos Origin became tighter, constantly analyzing and assimilating the law structure of the external curse power.

The fine cracks on the trunk of the Dao Tree healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, the withered branches and leaves regained their vitality, new green shoots emerged, the broken miniature world on the leaves, the earth, water, fire and wind were restored, the mountains rose again, the rivers flowed again, the collapsed scene quickly stabilized, and even evolved into more complex laws and weather phenomena.

The entire Chaos Dao Tree, like a parched land receiving sweet rain, exuded a vibrant and rejuvenating energy. It was still far from its peak, but the signs of decline and decay had been swept away, replaced by an inner strength and unfathomable depth.

Li Mu's low aura rose accordingly. Although he had not returned to the peak of the Dao, he had become stable, with a rock-solid calmness. His face was rosy, and there was a chaotic radiance flowing beneath his skin.

Li Mu suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with the chaotic starlight and golden patterns, reflecting the astonishing transformation inside the Dao Tree.

“The source is the root, and all realms are the branches... This is the right path.”

Li Mu's whisper echoed within the mansion, carrying a hint of understanding.

Having survived this ordeal, he turned misfortune into blessing. Li Mu's understanding of the Great Dao of Chaos deepened, and his application of the Origin Network of Myriad Realms reached a new level. The schemes of the Lord of the Three Realms and the tests of the Shadow Alliance Leader were nothing more than dust on the path of the Great Dao in his eyes.

Li Mu's gaze pierced through the treasure palace, as if he could see the three realm lords living in constant fear in their respective domains. His eyes remained calm and undisturbed.

"When my path to enlightenment is complete, I will personally come to settle the karmic debts."

Immediately, Li Mu closed his eyes again, his mind completely immersed in merging with the Dao Tree, guiding a massive amount of Mother Source Realm Power to accelerate the repair of the Dao Tree's foundation, nourish the newly born Order Dao Fruit, and steadily move towards a higher realm.

Absolute silence returned to both inside and outside the Chaos Treasure Palace, except for the towering Dao Tree, which silently absorbed the power of the origin of all heavens and myriad worlds, accumulating enough power to overturn everything.

Stardust drifted down as usual, settling on the silver armor of Mingyue atop the walls of Zhenyouming City, gleaming with a cool, clear light. (End of Chapter)