Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Li Mu returned to the Chaos Treasure Mansion, where Xue'er, Mingyue, and the Four Demon Saints had been waiting for a long time in the courtyard.

When everyone saw Li Mu return, they all relaxed, but then they noticed a thoughtful look in his eyes and an unpredictable aura, so they knew that something important must be on his mind.

"Brother Li." Xue'er stepped forward, her eyes clear and questioning.

Li Mu looked around at everyone, nodded slightly, and waved his hand lightly.

In an instant, the Chaos Treasure Palace trembled slightly, layers of restrictions lit up from the void, and gray Dao light descended, enveloping the courtyard.

The next instant, everyone felt the surrounding scenery ripple like water, with courtyards, pavilions, ancient trees, and spiritual springs... everything slowly spreading out like ink into clear water.

In less than three breaths, a new world with ever-flowing Daoist energy quietly took shape.

The sky is like a canopy, with chaotic stars flowing and the sun and moon shining together, illuminating the east and west; the earth is heavy, with spiritual springs flowing between the undulating mountains and rivers, and exotic flowers and rare herbs growing on the Dao patterns, breathing in and out pure chaotic spiritual energy.

In the center, the illusory image of the towering Chaos Dao Tree became increasingly solid, its branches piercing through heaven and earth, its leaves reflecting the miniature world's birth and death, and its Dao Fruit pulsating like thunder, causing the laws of the entire mansion to resonate softly.

"This is the true form of the Chaos Treasure Palace." Li Mu looked at everyone and gestured, "I intend to go into seclusion to break through to the Dao Integration Realm!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Mu flicked his sleeve, and six streams of light flew out from his palm, landing on Xue'er, Xiao Jin, Qing Yue, Chi Lian, Xiao Wa, and Ming Yue, who was standing quietly to the side.

“These resources are all in line with your foundations for the path of cultivation and can help you improve your cultivation over the course of a thousand years.” Li Mu’s gaze swept over everyone and continued, “The tribulation of the Dao Integration is unpredictable. During my seclusion, everything in the manor is left to you to cultivate and comprehend on your own. If there is any emergency, you can activate a wisp of divine thought that I left in the core of the Dao Tree.”

Xue'er reached out and grabbed Li Mu's hand, nodding vigorously: "Brother Li, please rest assured about your seclusion. Xue'er will definitely study diligently and never hold you back."

Xiao Jin hoisted the golden hammer onto his shoulder, his golden eyes gleaming: "Master, go ahead. When you emerge from seclusion, we will surely impress you!"

Qingyue, Chilian, and Xiaowa also solemnly agreed.

A flash of data appeared in Mingyue's eyes, and she bowed her head in response, saying, "Master, rest assured, Mingyue will guard the treasure house well!"

Li Mu nodded slightly, said no more, turned and walked to the Chaos Dao Tree, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes and concentrated, his mind completely immersed in the chaos.

"In the realm of merging with the Dao, the body is one with heaven and earth, and the spirit is one with the laws... My Dao is chaos, encompassing all things and evolving into countless forms. All thoughts and phenomena enter the Dao."

Whispers echoed, and layers of gray Dao patterns lit up on the branches of the Chaos Dao Tree, bursting forth with indescribable Dao radiance from the roots to the treetop.

At the top of the sky, the chaotic star vortex rotated in reverse, scattering countless strands of gray light like a waterfall, completely enveloping Li Mu's figure.

Within the mansion, the river of time seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, its flow suddenly increasing. The flourishing and withering of plants, the blooming and falling of flowers, the rolling and unrolling of clouds—all completed their cycle in the blink of an eye. Yet, all these changes were firmly bound within the mansion's boundaries by the chaotic Daoist principles, never affecting the outside world in the slightest.

Xue'er and the others stood in the courtyard. They saw Li Mu's figure gradually blur in the gray light. Before long, he transformed into a chaotic vortex and merged with the towering Dao tree behind him.

As the branches and leaves of the Taoist tree swayed, countless miniature worlds of birth and death suddenly accelerated their evolution, and within them, light and shadows formed from various emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, fear, hatred, and delusion faintly emerged.

Xue'er gripped the jade pendant tightly, turned, and walked towards the quiet room on the east side of the mansion. Mingyue and the four demon saints also chose their own directions to go into seclusion for cultivation.

Beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, Li Mu's mind and spirit had completely merged into the core of the Dao Fruit.

At this moment, it is as if I have transformed into chaos itself, my senses expand infinitely, and all the great principles I have comprehended in my past cultivation—evolution, order, inclusiveness, and even the recently realized "the strange is one aspect of chaos"—all converge like rivers flowing into the sea.

"Myriad thoughts arise in the mind."

With a slight thought, Li Mu caused countless tiny cracks to suddenly appear on the main trunk of the Dao Tree. A tiny spark of spiritual light leaped out, initially like a firefly, and then expanded, transforming into a phantom that was identical to Li Mu in appearance.

These phantoms possessed diverse auras and countless expressions: some laughed heartily, their bodies radiating warmth, transforming into a sweet rain of joy; others glared angrily, fists clenched with thunder, bursting forth with golden light of fury; some bowed their heads and wept, sorrow surging like a tide, rippling with a clear, mournful glow; others trembled and cowered, their eyes filled with terror, permeated by a gray mist of fear; some had ferocious faces, their hatred boundless, solidifying into a mysterious sword of loathing; others were filled with melodious music, a spring breeze caressing their faces, rippling with the light of joy; others were lost in a daze, entangled by obsession, bound by the green vines of delusion; still others swayed in the shadows, illusions unfolding, laying out the ladder of delusion…

Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, hatred, pleasure, infatuation, and delusion—numerous emotions manifest in countless forms, like the sands of the Ganges, densely packed and pervading the void surrounding the Dao Tree.

As Li Mu's mind and spirit deeply merged with the Chaotic Dao Fruit, subtle emotions arose and manifested from the depths of his Daoist thoughts: the fog of doubt, the vortex of confusion, the veins of thought, the light of enlightenment, the fragments of memory, the blankness of forgetting, the rainbow of longing, the filth of disgust... even the tenderness of love, the chill of hatred, the thirst of greed, the emptiness of relinquishment, the addiction of infatuation, and the clarity of awakening...

Infinite thoughts and endless transformations all emanate from Li Mu's Dao heart, transforming into tangible Dao rhymes and illusory images, carrying a true meaning of emotion, all connected to the origin of the Chaos Dao Tree.

Li Mu's primordial consciousness resides at the center of the Dao Fruit, observing everything calmly like an ancient god.

Amidst the torrent of thoughts, joy and anger clash, sorrow and pleasure clash, fear and hatred entwine, and delusion devour each other... All sorts of emotions surge and burst forth with dazzling sparks of Dao principles, causing the branches and leaves of the Daoist tree to rustle.

Three hundred years is but a fleeting moment for a cultivator in seclusion.

Three hundred years have passed. Within the Chaos Treasure Palace, the world has been completely renewed. Above the sky, the Chaos Stars revolve faster and faster, absorbing and exhaling boundless Daoist energy. Deep within the earth, spiritual veins surge like dragons, resonating endlessly with the roots of the Dao Tree.

The entire Chaos Treasure Palace was like a pulsating chaotic embryo, drawing in the source of all the heavens and continuously integrating it, transforming it into the foundation for its master, Li Mu, to advance.

Beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, the Chaos Dao Domain enveloping Li Mu was filled with flowing light and shadow—sometimes the purity and turbidity were first separated, and all phenomena were born; sometimes all thoughts intertwined and all emotions boiled over; sometimes all laws returned to stillness and chaos was reenacted… The strange phenomena of the Great Dao were born and died in rotation, bringing the word “chaos” to its extreme.

At this moment, Li Mu's figure became ethereal, with only a sliver of undying spiritual light remaining, tightly connected to the Primordial Dao Fruit at the top of the Dao Tree.

On the surface of the Dao Fruit, the Dao patterns of gray, gold, red, blue, black and white merge into one, transforming into a primordial color that encompasses all things. As the fruit pulsates, expanding and contracting, the chaotic Dao tree branches and leaves sway, and on the leaves, miniature worlds are born and die, bursting forth with Dao sounds.

Xue'er, Mingyue, and the four demon saints had already emerged from seclusion. They stood quietly in various parts of the mansion, gazing up at the celestial phenomena.

For three hundred years, they have been nourished by the primordial chaos, and their cultivation has improved. Their aura has become condensed, and they have refined their own Dao Seeds, all of whom have achieved a certain Dao Realm.

At this moment, everyone held their breath, their eyes filled with awe and tension.

The chaotic aura grew increasingly dense, indicating that Li Mu had reached a critical moment in his breakthrough and advancement.

Within the Dao Domain, Li Mu was undergoing an unprecedented "Dao Tribulation," his mind stretched to an infinitely vast expanse and then compressed into the smallest particle of dust.

The profound meaning of the Great Dao that he had comprehended in the past—the evolution of the Five Elements, the birth and death of Yin and Yang, the strictness of establishing order, the breadth of encompassing all phenomena, the complexity of thoughts and ideas, the chill of strangeness and filth… all of these transformed into a torrent, washing away Li Mu’s original Dao soul.

"Chaos and disorder, Dao thoughts return to nothingness..." The profound Daoist voice echoed in Li Mu's mind. As his understanding of the Great Dao of Chaos deepened, the vast concept of "all things share the same origin, all thoughts return to the same destination" gradually enveloped his mind. Self-will, emotional preferences, choices on the path of Dao... all the imprints of 'Li Mu' slowly dissolved under the wash of this conception.

Joyful rain, angry thunder, sorrowful radiance, fearful fog... all kinds of emotions and Dao manifestations left the Chaos Dao Tree and rushed into the Chaos Cyclone, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, merging into that point of spiritual light. With each merging, Li Mu's consciousness became a little more blurred, as if he was about to merge into the boundless Chaos Origin.

This is the calamity of "the loss of the soul in harmony with the Dao".

Throughout history, cultivators who wish to attain the Great Dao must pass through this stage.

The Great Dao is impartial, without emotion or self. If one's will is even slightly weak, one's soul will be swallowed up and assimilated by the torrent of the Great Dao, leaving behind only a "Dao puppet" that possesses Dao power but has no true self.

The Chaos Dao cultivated by Li Mu encompasses everything, and its source of Dao is far more vast than ordinary. The danger of this calamity is twice that of ordinary people.

Li Mu's spiritual light flickered unpredictably.

Fragments of memory flashed by like a revolving lantern: the caution of first stepping onto the path of immortality, the leisurely cultivation of farming in the Spirit Realm, the warmth of meeting Xue'er and subduing the four demons, the generosity of fighting against the Ghost Clan and traversing various realms, the enlightenment of taking the Ghosts as his subjects and understanding his own mind... All these scenes ultimately lead to one question—Why do I cultivate the Dao? What is the purpose of my Dao?
"Our Way is chaos, not seeking annihilation, but rather to evolve into countless forms, encompass all beings, establish principles and order, and protect what is precious..."

A sudden realization, a spark of insight, stubbornly rose from the depths of Li Mu's soul, like a flickering candle in the wind, never extinguished. This was his unwavering principle: even if he merged with chaos, he would never forget why he started.

"Chaos can contain all forms, so it should naturally contain the form of 'me'! My body unites with the Dao, not by eliminating the self, but by reflecting the Dao's heart with my own, and by controlling all laws with my own thoughts!"

With a resolute will, Li Mu's thoughts pierced through the fog like a sword. Just as he was about to merge with the chaotic Dao, he suddenly stopped, then reversed his flow and returned to the Dao Tree—joy hangs on the eastern branch, anger encircles the western trunk, sorrow shines on the southern tip, fear reflects on the northern crown... Each thought returned to its place, merging more and more closely with the chaotic Dao rhythm, transforming into an indispensable foundation for the evolution of the Dao Tree into myriad forms.

Li Mu's true self suddenly blazed brightly, breaking free from the assimilation force and actively plunging into the Chaos Dao Fruit!

"My body merges with the Dao Tree, my spirit refines the Dao Fruit, and my heart unites with Chaos—only today do I realize that I am Chaos, and Chaos is me!"

With a loud "boom!", the Chaos Treasure Palace trembled violently, and the Celestial Star Vortex suddenly contracted, turning into a point of extreme darkness, which then exploded!

The myriad chaotic vortexes slowly converged, and Li Mu's figure re-formed beneath the Dao Tree.

Li Mu's green robe remained the same, but his temperament had changed. His eyes were like the starry sky of eternity, and wherever his gaze fell, the void rippled with Daoist charm. He stood still, completely integrated with the Chaos Treasure Palace, the Chaos Dao Tree, and the origin of all the heavens and myriad worlds. Not a trace of his magical power leaked out. He had returned to simplicity and was unfathomable.

Achieving the Dao Integration Realm! Becoming the Chaos Dao Ancestor!

Li Mu raised his eyes, his gaze reflecting the people in the mansion, and smiled slightly. Xue'er and the others immediately felt their minds clear, realizing that the person before them was a powerful Daoist, and that the difference between their cultivation and his was like heaven and earth.

"Congratulations, Brother Li/Master, on achieving the Dao!" The crowd bowed and congratulated him excitedly.

"No need for formalities!" Li Mu nodded, his gaze piercing through the Chaos Treasure Palace and landing on the endless void.

Upon achieving the Dao, the perception of the Dao Soul is now vastly different from before—all the myriad realms, countless stars, endless living beings, even the long river of time, the network of cause and effect, and the tides of emotions... are all reflected in the heart as if viewed on the palm of one's hand.

Soon, Li Mu touched upon the core secret of all the heavens and myriad worlds—the "Ancestor Tree of Myriad Worlds," the source of life and order that sustains all worlds. He saw its 'true form'.

In the past, I only knew its form; now I realize its essence.

It is not an ancient behemoth rooted in endless darkness, bearing fruit from countless realms, and nourished by the endless void. It is like a slumbering creator, its roots spreading and its branches unfurling, weaving a web of laws. The workings of the heavens, the propagation of life, the birth and death of calamities... all are guided by its invisible network.

However, after advancing to the Dao Integration Realm, Li Mu clearly sensed a kind of "constraint".

The Ancestral Tree of All Realms nourishes all realms, firmly anchoring them within its network; the birth and death of realms, the flow of spiritual energy, the manifestation of the Great Dao... all must follow the "principles" established by the Ancestral Tree.

Such principles are a protection and a foundation for ordinary beings and even world lords; however, since Li Mu has already advanced to the Dao Integration stage, such protection is an invisible shackle.

Li Mu's Chaotic Dao, encompassing all things and evolving endlessly, should have been free and unrestrained. However, it now seems to be trapped in the giant net woven by the ancestral tree's veins. The flow of Dao rhythm needs to share its benefits with the ancestral tree of all worlds, and is subject to its invisible constraints.

"To glimpse the ultimate truth, one must break free from this net."

Li Mu made up his mind, raised his hand and grasped it, and the Chaos Axe materialized. The axe blade flowed with the light of primordial chaos, reflecting the image of the creation of heaven and earth and the re-establishment of purity and turbidity.

"Using the Chaos Tree as a guide, we will tear apart the barriers between the myriad realms and glimpse the true face beyond!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu swung his axe.

The axe flashed silently, then burst forth with a hazy, flowing light, like a chaotic river that stretched across the starry sea, fiercely slashing towards the thickest, invisible barrier of all the heavens and myriad realms!

With a "rip!" sound,
The entire universe trembled, countless stars flickered and shone, and even world lords felt the tremor and looked in horror toward the source of the disturbance.

Li Mu took a step forward, his figure disappearing into the passage opened up by the axe light.

In an instant, light and shadow reversed, and time and space distorted. When the scene stabilized, Li Mu stood in a vast void that was beyond words. Looking out, his mind was stirred and his face was filled with disbelief.

Chaotic energy surged silently around Li Mu as he stood at the edge of the rift, his eyes reflecting the vast and unfathomable scene before him.

The boundless void, vast and limitless.

In the myriad realms where Li Mu originally resided, the majestic ancestral tree that supported all paths and sustained life now stood silently before him, its trunk still radiating a clear glow, and the countless realms hanging among its branches shimmering like starlight and jewels. However, in this void where it resided, this ancestral tree was not a solitary one.

Looking out into the distance, in the far distance, there are second, third... and countless similar Ancestral Trees of the Myriad Realms, spreading their canopies to cover the sky, silently floating in the endless darkness, their 'vastness' beyond description.

Even after advancing to the Dao Integration Realm, Li Mu still could not fathom the boundaries of this 'boundless' world.

Li Mu's Dao heart was greatly shaken. After merging with the Dao, his divine sense perception had reached an incredible level, and he still felt his mind tremble at this moment.

Each of those ancestral trees of myriad realms is a "realm of trees" like his homeland, containing infinite worlds, endless living beings, and countless great paths.

Beyond this forest, and even further afield, an endless sea of ​​stars swirls, with the remains of shattered ancient continents floating in its starlight; there are spacetime turbulences like an inverted Milky Way, cutting out bizarre and wondrous fissures; and there are brilliant bands of light, purely manifested by the laws of nature, meandering and flowing without end.

It turns out that his origins, his battles, his defenses, and even his ultimate breakthrough to the Dao were all within the "Boundary of a Single Tree" in this boundless void and endless forest. (End of Chapter)