Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Li Mu continued, “Unite your heart, and transform your will, soul, and Dao source into the primordial chaos. Wherever your thoughts lead, that is where the Great Dao leads. Returning to the origin means returning this vast origin to its undeveloped state, without distinction or separation.”

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Mu caused the scene in the scroll to change once more. The world suddenly returned to a hazy gray mist; within the gray mist, a glimmer of light remained, faintly pulsating, seemingly containing boundless vitality and possibility.

"When intention and law meet..." Li Mu gazed at the point of spiritual light and continued, "When intention arises, all laws follow; where laws move, intention is reflected. There is no law in chaos, but with a thought, all laws can be born, evolve, and be ordered from nothingness. This law is not given by the Heavenly Dao, nor has it existed since time immemorial; it is created by my thought, and it is born and dies as it is destroyed."

As soon as the words fell, the gray mist in the scroll churned, and that point of spiritual light suddenly burst forth, splitting into billions of light threads; the light threads intertwined and entwined, sometimes forming the laws of thunder, with violent lightning; sometimes transforming into the Dao of ice, freezing the void; sometimes evolving into the veins of life, with plants growing wildly... All kinds of laws coexisted without conflict, stimulating each other, yet they were also subtly unified under a chaotic meaning.

Xue'er was captivated by what she saw, which far exceeded the ordinary scope of Dao Integration; Mingyue lowered his eyes, and the puppet Dao energy around him flowed involuntarily, as if he had gained some enlightenment.

Li Mu's gaze deepened, and the majestic illusory image of the Chaos Dao Tree silently appeared behind him, its branches piercing through the scroll's interior and exterior. As the leaves swayed, countless miniature worlds flickered and shone: "Chaos has no beginning and no end, and so does my Dao. Even if my body turns to ashes and my spirit returns to nothingness, as long as chaos still exists for a breath, my Dao will forever reside within it. Just as a river flows into the sea, though the drops of water scatter, the nature of water remains; just as a fire is passed on, though the flame changes shape repeatedly, its heat never dies out."

Li Mu reached out and pressed down, and countless evolving scenes and all kinds of laws of birth and death were gathered into the branch of the Dao tree and disappeared into the chaotic Dao fruit that was intertwined with gray and gold and pulsating incessantly.

"My Great Dao of Chaos is one in ten thousand." Li Mu gathered his aura, the strange phenomenon gradually disappeared, and said in a deep voice: "There is no one before, which is why this path is so dangerous. One wrong step will lead to eternal damnation. Those who have tried it in the past either went mad or perished, and there is no precedent. There will be no one after me... simply because there is only one path. Once I have walked it, it will be difficult for those who come after me to replicate this path."

Li Mu looked at the indescribable glint in Xue'er's eyes and sighed, "I do not know what it will be like after merging with the Dao; perhaps one will transcend all the heavens and become an endless chaos; perhaps one will become the source of all worlds and live as long as eternity; perhaps... there are other unpredictable variables. The Great Dao is vast and boundless, and even though we have reached our current state, the path ahead is still a deep and mysterious place."

Xue'er was stunned for a long time before she murmured, "Brother Li, if you say so, then the path to enlightenment seems to be an endless road, with no true 'end'?"

Li Mu smiled slightly: "The end? Chaos is boundless, so how can it have an end? What we seek is not to reach the destination, but the journey itself. The heart unites with chaos, the will governs all laws, and the will of the Dao endures forever—these twelve words are what I have just realized."

Xue'er's eyes rippled slightly, and all her unspoken words were finally reduced to a soft sigh.

Xue'er gazed at the deep, boundless void outside the mansion and whispered, "Brother Li said that the opportunity lies in traveling through the heavens and verifying the Great Dao... I have been in seclusion for a long time and have not personally witnessed the great changes and wars that have raged throughout the heavens. Could you... take me with you on this journey?"

Xue'er's voice revealed a deep longing for the unknown world, a longing that stemmed from being trapped in a cage.

Li Mu smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Very well. The Chaos Dao Tree takes root in the Ancestral Tree of the Boundary Wall, drawing upon the mysterious sources of all realms. It also needs its branches to reach into the heavens and observe the subtle changes."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu turned his gaze to Mingyue, who was standing quietly to the side: "Mingyue, you will come along too."

"Yes, Master." Mingyue bowed her head in response, a barely perceptible spiritual aura flowing through her puppet body, seemingly concealing a hint of anticipation.

Li Mu lightly rolled up his sleeves, and the chaotic energy naturally lifted the three of them.

With a slight thought, Li Mu caused a crack to appear in the outer barrier of the Chaos Treasure Palace. In the next instant, a gray stream of light enveloped the three figures, silently disappearing into the chaotic void without a trace.

The heavens are vast and the stars are like dust. After the great calamity of the Ghost Clan, all realms were ravaged. However, some realms suffered less damage because they were able to remain in a corner or had effective methods of defense. The Flowing Firefly Immortal Realm was one of them.

This realm is called "Firefly". Li Mu and his two companions stepped out of the void and found themselves before the main star of Firefly.

Beyond the stars, specks of "fireflies" flowed quietly, and the spiritual energy within the realm was pure and vibrant; the outlines of mountains and rivers remained largely intact, and the aura of life had not yet faded.

"It is indeed a quiet place." Li Mu surveyed the area and nodded slightly.

Xue'er, Mingyue looked around and saw a scene that was very different from the magnificent fairyland described in ancient books—less frivolous and noisy, more calm and resilient.

The three descended from the clouds and landed on a magnificent city on the main star of the Firefly. This city perched atop a solitary peak, surrounded by a sea of ​​clouds and bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

The city walls, built of unknown blue-gold immortal stones, are towering and majestic, with flowing Dao patterns. This is the largest city on this star—Lingfeng Immortal City, and also the foundation of the Lingtian Immortal Sect.

Just in time for the grand celebration of the Immortal City, the Lingtian Immortal Sect is holding its once-in-a-century "Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony," which is to worship Heaven and Earth, inform the ancestors, demonstrate the sect's prestige, and comfort the hearts of those who have suffered calamity.

In the center of the city, a towering white jade altar stood, shrouded in auspicious energy, accompanied by ethereal music, where countless cultivators gathered.

Li Mu and his two companions concealed their auras, blended into the crowd, and entered the city like ordinary traveling cultivators.

The streets were wide and lined with buildings. Shops selling spiritual materials, elixirs, and magical artifacts were open as usual. Cultivators came and went in a hurry, either busy with their livelihoods or diligently cultivating, and the order was well maintained.

"To be able to recover so quickly after the disaster, the Lingtian Immortal Sect certainly has some skill," Xue'er said softly, her divine sense sweeping over the area.

Mingyue intently examined the puppet warriors maintaining order and the talisman array mechanisms repairing the buildings, her eyes flashing with data, as if she were deducing the wonders of the fusion between the puppetry and array principles.

Li Mu remained silent, simply strolling along, his gaze casually sweeping over the altar. On the altar, the current sect leader of the Lingtian Immortal Sect was leading the congregation in burning incense and praying, reciting sacrificial texts, and drawing upon the power of the stars to baptize the entire city. The ceremony was solemn and dignified, subtly echoing with the laws of nature, and permeated with the aura of the Dao.

However, just as the eulogy was being read to the middle and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was growing stronger, Li Mu's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

Almost simultaneously, from a secluded place deep within Lingfeng Immortal City, sealed off by numerous arrays, came a faint yet incongruous, chilling tremor—completely contrary to the surrounding pure and ethereal immortal energy. This aura was mixed with surging willpower and the spiritual energy of the ceremony; not only ordinary cultivators, but even the sect leader and elders presiding over the ceremony were completely unaware of it.

Li Mu sensed it clearly; the aura was familiar to him—the lingering will of the Ghost Clan, and not just any ordinary, scattered will, but one that carried a strange "activity," as if it had been quietly stirred by an external force while it was dormant.

The ceremony continued as before, the celestial music grew ever louder, and the sky was ablaze with rosy light.

Li Mu withdrew his gaze, his expression unchanged, and said only to Xue'er and Mingyue, "Find a quiet and elegant place to rest for a while."

The three turned into a quiet alley and entered an elegant teahouse. The top floor, with its windows, offered a distant view of the grand altar and a close-up view of the celestial city's streets. As soon as they sat down, the waiter served them spiritual tea, its fragrant aroma soothing and refreshing.

Before the tea was finished, a series of steady footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the stairs. An old man with a white beard, dressed in the robes of a core elder of the Lingtian Immortal Sect, whose aura had reached the peak of the Extreme Dao Realm, came directly to the table of Li Mu and his two companions under the respectful guidance of the shopkeeper.

The old man had a gaunt face and deep eyes. He bowed respectfully and introduced himself, saying, "I am Ling Tianxing, the Supreme Elder of the Lingtian Immortal Sect. Just now, I sensed a faint but powerful Daoist aura flowing outside the city in the sect's forbidden area. I followed it here and have taken the liberty of disturbing the peace of the three of you. I hope you will forgive me."

The old man's gaze fell on Li Mu, his eyes filled with undisguised surprise and doubt. With his cultivation level, he could not see through the depths of this man in green robes. The man sat upright as usual, yet seemed to be one with the void of heaven and earth, and transcended it, like a deep pool and a towering mountain, unfathomable. The two women beside him also had ethereal and unpredictable auras, definitely not ordinary people.

Li Mu put down his teacup, raised his eyes and said indifferently, "Fellow Daoist Ling Tian, ​​you are too kind. We are merely passing through this realm, traveling at our leisure, and occasionally witnessing the grand ceremony. We have no other intentions."

Hearing this, Ling Tianxing felt a little relieved, but he dared not be careless. How could someone who could cause such a disturbance in the forbidden area be an ordinary passerby?

Ling Tianxing pondered for a moment, then waved his hand to set up a soundproof barrier. He earnestly said, "Fellow Daoist's cultivation is profound, and this old man dares not presume to know its extent. To be honest, I have come here today to disturb you for another reason.

Ling Tianxing paused, and seeing Li Mu's calm expression, continued, "Our Lingtian Immortal Sect has been based in Liuying for hundreds of thousands of years. Deep within the sect's foundation, a strange and evil thought has been sealed since ancient times. According to the records in the ancestral master's notes, this thought originated from an extraterrestrial demon, which was extremely filthy and could corrode the soul and defile the spirit. Our ancestors suppressed it with multiple layers of immortal formations to ensure the sect's peace."

"However, since the outbreak of the calamity over a hundred years ago, which caused turmoil in all realms, this thought has been stirring up strangely. Recently, the agitation has become more frequent, affecting the foundation of the mountain-protecting array and even faintly attracting the residual strange energy from the outside world." Ling Tianxing said with deep concern, "Just now, during the ceremony, the strange movement of the evil thought suddenly intensified, which happened to coincide with your entry into the city... I dare to guess that it may be related to the Daoist aura you carry?"

Ling Tianxing's gaze was intense, containing both probing and anticipation. If this person was truly involved with this thought, whether it would bring misfortune or fortune was unpredictable; but if he could restrain, or even purify, this thought...

Upon hearing this, Li Mu's expression remained unchanged. The so-called "extraterrestrial demons" and "strange evil thoughts" were most likely the remnants of the Ghost Clan. The fact that they had survived to this day and remained active meant that they had either deeply eroded the Ghost Clan back then, leaving behind hidden threats, or that their origins were special and connected to the Ghost Clan's unfinished schemes.

Seeing his silence, Ling Tianxing grew even more uneasy. However, thinking of the survival of his sect, he gritted his teeth and bowed deeply: "Fellow Daoist! This matter concerns the survival of Lingtian Immortal Sect and the safety of countless lives in Liuying. Judging from your demeanor, you seem to have considerable restraint over such evil forces. If you are willing to lend a helping hand and help my sect completely eliminate this great scourge, the entire Lingtian sect will repay you with all our might and forever remember your great kindness!"

The teahouse fell silent for a moment, with only the celestial music of the sacrificial ceremony and the faint sounds of the bustling city outside the window.

Li Mu did not answer immediately, but turned his gaze to Xue'er beside him: "Xue'er, what do you think!"

Xue'er paused slightly, then chuckled, "The lingering resentment of the Ghost Clan has caused endless harm. In the previous Great Calamity of the Myriad Realms, countless lives were lost. Since this thought can trigger a response from the ghostly energy outside, it is probably not isolated, but rather a hidden spy left by the Ghost Clan. If it can be eradicated, it would be a great act of kindness for this Flowing Firefly Realm, and it would also be an opportunity for us to explore and understand the Ghost Clan's future plans. Xue'er thinks we should go and take a look."

A barely perceptible hint of approval flashed in Li Mu's eyes. He nodded slightly, looked up at Ling Tianxing, and said calmly, "In that case, please lead the way, Fellow Daoist Ling."

Upon hearing this, Ling Tianxing quickly thanked him, saying, "Thank you very much, fellow Daoist! I am deeply grateful and will not thank you enough. Please come with me!"

Having said that, Ling Tianxing stood up, waved his sleeve, removed the soundproofing barrier, and led the way.

Li Mu and the other two then got up and followed behind at a leisurely pace.

Soon, Ling Tianxing led Li Mu and the other two straight into the heart of the Immortal Sect. The restrictions along the way were strict, and the array patterns were faintly visible, but they were all quietly neutralized by the sect master token in his hand. The deeper they went, the purer and heavier the spiritual energy became, and a wisp of gloomy energy quietly seeped out.

About an incense stick's time later, the four of them stopped in front of a gray stone wall; the stone wall was covered with moss and looked out of place with the surrounding celestial atmosphere.

Ling Tianxing's expression was solemn. He bit his fingertip and used his blood essence to draw a complex ancient talisman in the air, which he then imprinted into the center of the stone wall.

The stone wall trembled slightly, its surface rippling like water, before silently sinking inward to reveal a deep, dark passageway. A chilling aura, carrying the earth's spiritual energy, surged upward from below, rushing towards us.

"Fellow Daoist, please." Ling Tianxing stepped aside to indicate, and took the lead in.

The passage wound downwards, the fluorescent stones on the walls gleaming with a cold white light, casting swaying shadows. All around was silent, except for the echo of footsteps.

The further down you go, the clearer the sense of gloom becomes, like a bone-deep affliction clinging to your spirit and disturbing your mind.

Xue'er frowned slightly, her body shimmering with a clear light that spontaneously resisted the invisible erosion. Mingyue's eyes sparkled as she silently deduced the energy patterns around her.

Li Mu remained calm and composed, his chaotic energy flowing naturally, completely isolating any unusual aura, as if he were carefully observing its mysteries.

Soon, the passage opened up into a huge underground vault.

The dome is over a hundred feet high and nearly a thousand steps in circumference. In the center of the ground is a huge array pattern. The array pattern is cast from dark gold metal and deeply embedded in the rock layer. It is ancient and vigorous. The nine rings are interlocked and extremely complicated. At each node, there is a thick bronze pillar. The pillar is engraved with countless suppressing and purifying symbols. At this moment, it is emitting a calm and light golden glow.

The nine pillars are arranged according to the nine palaces, with thick, dark gold chains extending from the top of the pillars, taut as strings, intertwined into a net, firmly binding the object in the center of the array.

It was a pitch-black altar, about three zhang square, neither stone nor jade, its surface smooth, constantly emanating a thick, pale mist. The mist swirled about a foot above the altar, rolling and refusing to dissipate, within which thousands of faces floated and wailed, as if silent incantations were interwoven.

The altar itself pulsated slightly as if it were alive, causing the spiritual energy of the dome to tremble, and the pale mist to intensify.

Outside the array, nine pillars of golden light intertwined to form a shield, firmly sealing the altar and the mist. Outside the shield, wisps of willpower and earth's spiritual energy could be seen being drawn in by the altar, penetrating the shield and disappearing into the mist.

Nourished by this, the fog churned more violently, its internal pores struggling and bulging, almost bursting out of the shroud.

"This is it!" Ling Tianxing pointed to the altar, exclaiming in alarm, "It has been over 70,000 years since the founding patriarch accidentally discovered and sealed it here. Generations of ancestors have exhausted rare and precious materials to continuously reinforce the formation, barely managing to suppress it. However, a hundred years ago, this thing began to act strangely, its speed of devouring willpower and spiritual energy increased dramatically, and the formation was worn down day by day. I'm afraid it won't last long. Today's ceremony, with the willpower of thousands of people gathering, is like adding fuel to the fire!"

Li Mu's gaze fell upon the altar seal, the chaotic starlight in his eyes subtly shifting. (End of Chapter)