Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

Boundless, vast.

After Li Mu achieved Dao, his divine sense became as vast as the sea, and he could not even fathom the end of this boundless world.

Before my eyes, the Ancestral Trees of Myriad Realms form a forest, each 'Boundary Tree' forming its own 'realm,' containing endless worlds, billions of living beings, and countless great paths.

right now
Several ancestral trees nearby suddenly unleashed a torrent of immense power upon Li Mu, striking with overwhelming force.

A sense of foreboding arose in Li Mu's heart. The masters of these wills were no less powerful than him, and he didn't know what fate awaited him if they were discovered.

The Dao Ancestor's will, ancient and profound, fell like a curtain from the sky, silently enveloping Li Mu. The chaotic Daoist aura around Li Mu instinctively flowed, transforming into a gray vortex that enveloped him, attempting to conceal his aura.

However, it was ultimately too late.

Just then, the ancestral tree of all realms in this domain suddenly swayed gently.

With a "whoosh," a clear radiance cascaded down like a waterfall, condensing into a human figure in the void.

The newcomer was clad in a dark black robe, tall and ancient-looking, with a face as simple and unadorned as uncarved jade. He stepped forward, standing between Li Mu and the several wills. With a flick of his sleeve, a warm and clear light spread out, isolating the probing intents and preventing them from investigating Li Mu.

"Fellow Daoists!" The black-robed Daoist smiled slightly and conveyed his thoughts: "This is a newly promoted Daoist of our domain, who has just begun to explore the heavens. If he has offended anyone, please forgive him."

Those few strands of will paused slightly.

A wisp of thought came from the cold will: "The Dao of Chaos... is quite rare."

The Blazing Will scoffed, "You old codger, you're really protective of your own!"

The ethereal will remained silent for a moment, then quietly receded, like the tide returning to the sea.

The black-robed Taoist then turned to look at Li Mu, his eyes gleaming with a clear light, as if he were appraising him, yet also pleased. He smiled slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "This old Taoist is Gu Xi, the ancestral tree of this domain. Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Li for achieving the Dao through chaos and breaking free from the cage."

Li Mu was slightly taken aback, and quickly returned the greeting: "So it is Senior Gu. I was reckless. I broke the boundary wall as soon as I entered the Dao Integration stage, which attracted prying eyes. Thank you for helping me out."

"It's alright!" Gu Xi waved his hand, turned his gaze to the endless forest, and said leisurely, "Anyone who sees this scene for the first time will find it hard to remain unmoved. What you cleaved with your axe was not just a boundary wall, but also an invisible illusion that has blinded all the spirits in this region."

Li Mu fell silent for a moment. He had sensed the spirit of the Ancestral Tree of Myriad Realms at first, but since his cultivation level was not high enough, he did not investigate it further. Now that he had advanced to the Dao Integration Realm and become the Chaos Dao Ancestor, he finally felt the profound power of the Ancestral Tree of Myriad Realms.

Gu Xi smiled slightly, seemingly noticing Li Mu's restraint, and greeted him with a smile: "Fellow Daoist Li, now that you have reached this point, why not come with me and take a look at the true face of this 'Forest of Myriad Realms Dao Trees'?"

Li Mu hesitated for a moment, then quickly nodded and followed.

Soon, the two stepped out of the boundary rift and appeared in the boundless vast domain outside the World Ancestor.

Beneath their feet lay boundless darkness, while above them stretched a hazy sea of ​​light, infinitely vast. Countless ancestral trees of myriad worlds took root there, their branches piercing through the void, their canopies spreading out like a celestial canopy. They were separated by countless billions of miles, yet they resonated and connected with each other in some dimension.

The ancestral trees are shrouded in spiritual energy, and the boundaries embedded among their branches and leaves shimmer like bright pearls. Some are as fiery as the sun, some as cool as the moon, and some as murky as an abyss, displaying a myriad of phenomena.

Gu Xi led Li Mu to a ancestral tree that was entirely purple-gold and entwined with lightning patterns. The tree had a domineering aura, with lightning flowing between its branches and leaves. It was vaguely visible that many people in the realm practiced lightning magic, and the aura of the living beings within was fierce and violent.

"This is the tree that was created by the 'Thunder Dao Ancestor'." Gu Xi looked at Li Mu and introduced, "He was originally a thunder spirit from a small world who attained the Dao. After merging with the Dao, he was unwilling to be confined to his own domain, so he used the Great Dao of Thunder as the root and created a world tree. Now, three thousand thunder worlds have grown in the tree, and all the spirits cultivate thunder magic. It can be said that one Dao gives birth to ten thousand laws."

Li Mu gazed intently and indeed saw that the world within the tree was filled with surging thunder, and every move of the creatures drew heavenly lightning; the cultivation system was perfectly integrated.

Gu Xi pointed to a jade-green ancestral tree in the distance, full of vitality: "That is the tree of the 'Qinglin Dao Ancestor'. She mainly cultivates the way of the vitality of plants and trees. All the worlds within the tree are full of plants and trees, and living beings mostly coexist with plant spirits. Her cultivation method is gentle and long-lasting."

Li Mu's mind stirred slightly, and he suddenly realized, "So, after each Dao Integration cultivator becomes a Dao Ancestor, they can cultivate their own Boundary Tree?"

“But this choice is not inevitable!” Gu Xi smiled slightly and continued to introduce to Li Mu: “Like this old Daoist, he was originally a wisp of innate spiritual energy at the beginning of chaos. After countless eons, he evolved into this tree and nurtured all worlds. Those who come later and merge with the Dao, if they wish to stay, can open a lineage in my tree, enjoy the offerings of all worlds, and live as long as the tree.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Xi looked at Li Mu and said meaningfully, "If you are unwilling, you can follow the example of Dao Ancestors such as Lei Yan and Qing Lin, and take your own Great Dao as the root to grow a new tree."

Li Mu pondered: "What price would be required to cultivate new trees?"

Gu Xi sighed softly, waved her sleeve, and a patch of light and shadow appeared in the void.

In the interplay of light and shadow, a small, fiery red tree is rooted in the vast void. Many of its leaves are dull, with only three or five tiny points of light, all of which are the nascent forms of a new realm. Beneath the tree sits a figure in a red robe, his Daoist aura connected to the tree roots. His face is pale, and his breath fluctuates.

"This is the 'Yanhuang Dao Ancestor,' who attained Dao three thousand years ago." Gu Xi continued, "He cultivated the Dao of Blazing Flames, and was proud and aloof, unwilling to be subservient to others, determined to cultivate a new tree on his own. Look at him now—three thousand years of arduous work, and he has only cultivated five initial realms, with only a few hundred million living beings, and his Great Dao is not yet perfect. During this period, he needs to constantly nourish the tree roots with his own Dao source and draw the spiritual energy of the Great Dao from the vast earth. If he is not careful, the tree will be destroyed and his Dao will perish."

Li Mu observed intently and indeed saw that where the roots of the crimson sapling extended, the flow of Dao energy in the void was being forcibly drawn in and transformed into nutrients that flowed into the tree. The process was slow and arduous, and the Yanhuang Dao Ancestor's brows were full of fatigue.

"Haotu?" Li Mu's heart stirred, and he asked with concern.

Gu Xi nodded, pointing to the boundless darkness beneath her feet, and explained, "This boundless void beneath our feet is called 'Vast Land.' It is the primordial land where chaos was not yet divided and the Great Dao was not yet revealed. The Ancestral Tree of All Realms is rooted here, absorbing its spiritual energy and transforming it into the primordial energy of heaven and earth and the laws of the Great Dao that nourish this realm."

After a pause, Gu Xi said gravely, "However, the vast land is boundless, but spiritual energy is finite; the stronger the boundary tree, the more nutrients it needs. Newly grown boundary trees have shallow roots and find it difficult to absorb nutrients; old trees have intertwined roots and occupy places rich in spiritual energy. Therefore, the competition among the ancestral forests has never ceased." Li Mu's heart skipped a beat.

Gu Xi brushed away the light and shadow and continued to explain: "There are only three methods of competition among boundary trees. First, the Dao competition; different Daos compete with each other. If one can suppress the Dao charm of the other, one can seize the spiritual energy of its boundary tree. The Thunder Evolution Tree is domineering and often clashes with the surrounding boundary trees with the Yin and cold attributes; the Azure Rain Tree is gentle and often forms alliances with boundary trees that belong to the same life force."

"Secondly, the conflict between realms. Guiding the beings of the realms within the tree to wage war, and determining the flow of spiritual energy based on the outcome of the realm battles. This method is slow, but it is the most common. The wills you just saw, their masters all have enemies and allies in the forest, and their realm wars have been going on for several eras."

"Thirdly..." Gu Xi looked at Li Mu with a solemn expression: "That is, annexation. If an ancestral tree falls and withers, its boundary tree will become ownerless. The surrounding Dao Ancestors can use magic to devour it, refine its accumulated spiritual energy and boundary foundation, and strengthen themselves."

Li Mu remained silent for a long time before saying, "So, this Forest of Dao Trees is actually another world where the strong prey on the weak."

"The law of the jungle?" Gu Xi shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. "At this level, one has long transcended such shallow struggles. What we are fighting for here is the continuation of the Dao lineage, the perfection of evolution, and the resources on the path to eternity. The loser may not necessarily die, but when the Boundary Tree withers and countless beings in the Tree Boundary are annihilated, that is the end of the Dao path."

Gu Xi sensed the wills of several Dao Ancestors and left with Li Mu, saying softly, "The reason I protect this domain is that I hope the creatures of this tree can continue and the lineage can be passed down. Even if there are internal conflicts, they will evolve on their own within the tree and will not be disturbed by external enemies or become resources for others."

"Thanks to Fellow Daoist Li for your help in this matter of the strange power within the realm. You used the Great Dao of Chaos to encompass the strange and refine it for your own use, completely eradicating the strange threat in this realm. This is truly a great act of kindness. As I merged with the Dao to become the Realm Tree, it was inconvenient for me to directly intervene in the evolution within the tree. I could only guide it secretly. I am naturally grateful to you for your ability to accomplish this and save this realm from a great calamity."

Li Mu suddenly realized, cupped his hands and said, "This junior only did what he should do."

“What needs to be done is not something everyone can do.” Gu Xi sighed. “The Great Dao of Chaos encompasses everything and evolves endlessly. It is the supreme Dao that points directly to the origin. However, precisely because it is so broad, cultivators often get lost in the myriad phenomena and find it difficult to grasp the essence. Throughout history, there have been no fewer than a hundred people who have tried to merge with the Dao through this path, but the only one who has succeeded is you.”

Li Mu was deeply shaken. He hadn't expected so many people to walk this path and strive for the Dao Integration Realm.

Gu Xi looked at Li Mu and continued, "Those who failed either became obsessed with the evolution of myriad laws, greedy for more but not skilled, and ultimately their Dao source dissipated; or they forcibly established the order of laws, lost the true meaning of chaos, and became puppets of order; some even tried to refine evil and filth, but were corrupted instead, and their Dao heart fell. You can accept the strange as a form of chaos, and you can not lose your original heart and adhere to your own Dao. This kind of mindset and enlightenment is truly rare."

Gu Xi changed the subject and reminded him, "However, precisely because you attained enlightenment through chaos, the path you choose is more difficult than that of others."

Li Mu focused his mind: "Please enlighten me, senior."

Gu Xi extended a finger, and with a flick of his finger, three illusory figures appeared in the void.

The first illusory image was a branch connected to the ancient Xi Ben tree, upon which the realms of creation and destruction flowed, and the Daoist rhythms circulated, forming a seamless whole with the main tree.

"Stay within my tree and establish the lineage of chaos. You can evolve myriad worlds from this branch and spread the Great Dao of Chaos throughout this domain. With the support of my ancestral tree's origin, there is no need to worry about a lack of spiritual energy. You can concentrate on evolving the Great Dao and perfecting the true meaning of chaos. This is the safest path."

The second illusory figure was a solitary sapling, its roots deeply embedded in the vast earth, its branches and leaves spreading out to support a chaotic sky, its branches reaching across countless realms, its grandeur magnificent.

"A new tree will grow from chaos. This method is extremely difficult. You must painstakingly draw spiritual energy from the vast earth and proceed step by step. Once you succeed, you will be the true ancestral tree of chaos, independent of the Great Dao and not subject to anyone. The world tree you grow will have unlimited potential and may even surpass the old Daoist in the future."

The third phantom was a hazy light and shadow, without any tree shape, only a chaotic vortex that rotated eternally, seemingly containing infinite possibilities, yet also seemingly empty.

"This third path..." Gu Xi said solemnly, "I have only heard of it, but never seen it in person. It is said that after an ancient and powerful being merged with the Dao, he was unwilling to grow a tree or reside in a body. Instead, he completely transformed his Dao fruit into the vast earth, coexisting with the chaos before it was divided. At this point, there is neither tree nor self. This path is extremely mysterious, and those who succeed are few and far between. Most of them lose consciousness and return to chaos during the transformation process."

Li Mu gazed at the three illusory figures and fell into deep thought.

Gu Xi did not urge him, but stood quietly to the side, letting him make his choice.

After a long while, Li Mu looked up, his eyes filled with chaotic starlight, and said in a deep voice, "I have cultivated all the way and experienced many tribulations. All I seek is freedom. To live under your tree is to be bound by constraints; to merge into the vast earth is to be ethereal and unpredictable, which is not my wish."

Li Mu looked at the second illusory figure, the sapling of chaos that was growing independently.

"The Way of Chaos should encompass all things and evolve freely. If it cannot take root independently, even if it is nourished by all the worlds, it will be like a tree in a pot, unable to grasp the true meaning of heaven and earth." Li Mu's tone gradually hardened: "This junior wants to take the second path—to grow a new tree on its own, with chaos as its root."

Gu Xi's gaze fell on Li Mu. She was not surprised by his choice. Those who could step into the Chaos Dao had their own inner world and would not be willing to live under someone else's roof.

“You’ve chosen this path…” Gu Xi sighed and reminded him, “You must understand that there is never peace on this vast land.”

“The Great Dao of Chaos has boundless potential, and it will naturally attract jealousy!” Gu Xi warned, “Those who attempted this path and perished did not completely dissipate their Dao traces and lingering thoughts. If you establish yourself and attain the Dao, they will surge forth from the depths of the vast land like hyenas smelling blood—they will not allow newcomers to accomplish what they have not yet achieved.”

Li Mu stood silently, the illusory image of the Chaos Dao Tree behind him flowing naturally, the gray Dao Light flickering uncertainly among the branches and leaves.

Gu Xi continued, "The vast lands and places rich in spiritual energy have long been claimed. You, a new tree taking root, will draw away the surrounding spiritual energy. How could those ancient trees that have cultivated for countless eons sit idly by? Even if they outwardly refrain from intervening due to the tacit understanding among the Dao Ancestors, the covert infighting over Dao principles and interference from different realms will be enough to make your progress extremely difficult. The spiritual energy required for the growth of the Chaos Dao Tree far surpasses that of ordinary Daos. When your foundation is not yet solid, you will be most vulnerable. If, at that time, several Dao Ancestors have a single thought and use the pretext of realm warfare to suppress you... what will you do?"

Upon hearing this, Li Mu remained silent for a long time before suddenly chuckling softly.

“Senior.” Li Mu looked up at Gu Xi and said firmly, “Every step I have taken has been fraught with difficulties. The calamity of the Ghost Clan, the test of inner demons, the danger of merging with the Dao… If I were afraid of difficulties, I would have stopped at the edge of the fields in the Spirit Awakening Realm long ago.”

"The Way of Chaos is inherently all-encompassing and ever-changing," Li Mu said, enunciating each word clearly. "If one shrinks back because of the dangers ahead, then it is better not to cultivate this Great Way at all."

As soon as he finished speaking, the chaotic star vortex in Li Mu's eyes suddenly accelerated, and his aura completely merged with the Dao Tree behind him. The meaning of "I am chaos" rolled out, and ripples spread in the surrounding void. His Dao intent was extremely pure.

Gu Xi looked at Li Mu quietly, a smile gradually appearing on her face. She sighed with delight, "This old Daoist has guarded this tree for countless epochs and has seen countless Dao-merging beings. Some are cautious and seek stability, some are arrogant and domineering, some are as deep as the sea... It is truly rare to see someone with such a sincere Dao heart as you."

Gu Xi continued solemnly, "Since you've made up your mind, this old Daoist will assist you. Firstly, to thank you for your great kindness in eradicating the scourge of this realm; secondly... this old Daoist also wants to see what a true Chaos Dao Tree can grow into when it takes root in this vast land." (End of Chapter)