Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

"Fellow Daoist Li, come with me."

Gu Xi looked at Li Mu, smiled slightly, and gestured.

Before he finished speaking, Gu Xi took a step forward, his figure merging into the ripples of the vast earth.

Seeing this, Li Mu followed closely behind, only to feel the surrounding scenery rushing backward. The ancestral forest gradually blurred in his perception, replaced by a primitive and profound "soil" atmosphere.

The two traversed the vast earth's veins, like fish swimming in deep waters or birds crossing the void.

At this moment, Li Mu felt as if he were a mustard seed plunged into a vast ocean. The breadth and depth of this land far exceeded his imagination. A kind of "source energy" flowed within it, which was undifferentiated and unmanifested, thick and dense.

After about half a cup of tea's time, Gu Xi stopped in her tracks.

The scene before my eyes suddenly became clear.

This place appears to be a "shallow beach," with a hazy sea of ​​light hanging down above and an endless darkness beneath one's feet. Not far ahead is the side root system of the ancient and majestic Ancestral Tree of Myriad Realms. A single root system with gnarled and twisted roots is firmly planted in the vast earth, and its surface is filled with warm and moist Dao patterns, absorbing and releasing the source Qi of the vast earth.

With this root as the boundary, the vast land to the left is empty and silent, with the source energy flowing smoothly; to the right, several mixed Daoist rhythms come, some blazing, some cold, some ethereal, intertwining and colliding with each other, causing the source energy to flow in a chaotic vortex.

"How is this place?"

Gu Xi pointed to the empty area on the left and introduced it to Li Mu: "This place is backed by the roots of the old Daoist ancestral tree, so you can get some shelter here; the vast land in front is rich in source energy, pure and stable, and unclaimed. You are a newly sprouted tree, and your foundation is not yet solid. It is not advisable to get involved in the vortex of Daoist struggle too early. If you take root here, you will be free from external disturbances for a thousand years."

Li Mu focused his senses.

Just as Gu Xi said, the primordial energy in this area flows gently, pure and abundant. What's even more remarkable is that it subtly resonates with the root system of Gu Xi's ancestral tree, as if there is an invisible barrier that isolates it from the intrusion of the mixed Daoist energy on the right. For a new tree that is eager to grow, this is truly a rare "fertile ground".

"I appreciate your kindness, senior." Li Mu bowed to Gu Xi, then asked hesitantly, "However, I have a question—is this vast land truly unclaimed?"

Gu Xi stroked his beard and chuckled: "The vast land is boundless, where is there a master and where is not? It all depends on who occupies it first and who is the strongest. The flow of the source energy here naturally avoids the drawing paths of several old tree roots, so it has always been vacant. When the old Taoist's roots extended here, they were just following the veins and did not deliberately occupy it."

Gu Xi paused, then turned her gaze to the chaotic vortex of Origin Qi on the right, reminding Li Mu, "Those battles are still hundreds of millions of miles away and will not affect this place. You can settle down here in peace."

Li Mu understood the meaning of "Gu Xi," pondered for a moment, and hesitated.

However, this favor concerns establishing the Way and ensuring the Way tree takes root; it's too great to owe.
Li Mu remained silent for a moment, then politely declined, saying, "Senior has chosen this excellent land for me and promised to protect me for a thousand years... This kindness is too great. I am a junior who has just entered the Dao Integration stage and has nothing of value to repay it."

Gu Xi waved his hand and smiled, indicating, "In the years I've lived, I've acted solely according to my own will; there's no need for your immediate report."

Gu Xi's expression turned serious, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Li Mu and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Li, you cultivate the Chaos Dao, so you should know that the two words 'cause and effect' are the most profound. Today, I have given you fertile land and granted you shelter, which is the 'cause'; if you grow up in the future, and the Chaos Dao Tree stands tall and upright, this good fortune will naturally bear the 'effect'. This is not a transaction, but... an investment."

"Investment?" Li Mu's eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Indeed.” Gu Xi nodded and said frankly with a smile, “The Great Dao of Chaos encompasses everything and evolves endlessly. Many have tried to attain it throughout history, but you are the only one who has succeeded. I observe that your Dao heart is firm and steadfast. You can both accept the strange and the bizarre as forms and guard your original heart without being confused. Such a mind and understanding are rare throughout the ages. If you can attain the Dao, your future achievements will be limitless.”

Gu Xi cast his gaze into the depths of the boundless land, as if recalling something, and sighed softly: "This ancestral forest seems calm, but in reality, there are turbulent undercurrents. Old trees have deep roots, and new buds are vying to sprout. The battles between the Dao realms have never stopped. Even an old Daoist has enemies he must guard against and resources he must fight for."

Gu Xi withdrew his gaze and focused it back on Li Mu, solemnly saying, "I am helping you today in the hope that you will grow up soon. When your Chaos Dao Tree has a solid foundation and its branches can cover a vast area... we may be able to help each other and jointly resist external disturbances. This is the 'fruit' that I seek."

Li Mu listened quietly, his mind racing.

This vast land is by no means a paradise on earth; even with the abilities of a Dao Ancestor, it still needs to be managed and fought for.

Having just entered this realm, without a place to settle down, let alone grow the Yan Tree, it would be difficult to even gain a foothold. Gu Xi's protection was extremely timely, giving him a precious "breathing space".

And what Gu Xi sought was also within reason.

The Chaos Dao has boundless potential. If I can achieve the Dao, it will be a great help in the future. For Gu Xi, such an investment is beneficial without cost; for me, it is a timely help.

Having considered this, Li Mu bowed deeply and said gratefully, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. I understand now. I will remember this kindness and gratitude. If I achieve anything in the future, I will never forget your help today."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xi's face lit up with a smile, and he quickly raised his hand to help her up, saying, "Good! Good! Fellow Daoist Li is so generous. In that case, please release the Chaos Dao Tree and let it take root here."

Li Mu nodded slightly, closed his eyes, and concentrated.

The next moment, the chaotic Dao aura around Li Mu surged up, and the void behind him rippled, with the phantom of a towering tree slowly emerging—it was the Chaotic Dao Tree Dharma Image!
This tree appeared to be tens of thousands of feet tall, its appearance and aura completely different from when it was in the realm. Its trunk was gray and jade-like, with primordial Dao patterns flowing on its surface; as its branches and leaves stretched out, it evolved the scene of the differentiation of purity and turbidity, the rotation of the five elements, and the birth and death of all things; the primordial Dao fruit on the branch pulsated like thunder, scattering billions of gray Dao light.

"What a magnificent Chaos Dao Tree!" Gu Xi exclaimed with envy, "Fellow Daoist Li's foundation and the purity of his Daoist essence are truly unparalleled in my life."

"Senior, thank you!"

Li Mu responded modestly, and then merged his mind with the Dao Tree, sensing the vastness of the earth. He then activated the root system of the Dao Tree, and billions of gray roots emerged from the bottom, extending out like a group of dragons, and rooting themselves into the dark earth beneath his feet.

The moment the roots touched the vast earth, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred!
The primordial energy that had been flowing peacefully within the vast land suddenly boiled over, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, converging towards the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree. The roots of the Dao Tree greedily absorbed the energy, and grayish-black light patterns of the same origin as the vast land appeared on its surface. The Chaos Dao Tree expanded and extended at a speed visible to the naked eye, deeply embedding itself into the soil.

The illusory image of the Dao Tree then surged, from 11,000 zhang, 13,000 zhang, then 20,000 zhang, 30,000 zhang... In less than a hundred breaths, a towering Chaos Dao Tree stood majestically, its canopy disappearing into the hazy sea of ​​light above, its roots deeply embedded in the vast earth.

On the tree trunk, the primordial Dao patterns grew brighter, and the evolving scenes among the branches and leaves became increasingly grand. The cycle of birth and death in the miniature world accelerated, and the mountains, rivers, and all living things within were imbued with the profound meaning of the primordial Qi of the vast earth.

Li Mu stood beneath the tree, his body becoming one with the Dao Tree. He clearly sensed that the vast earth primordial energy was continuously flowing into the tree through the root system, transforming into the purest chaotic Dao power to nourish every chaotic Dao leaf.

This feeling of "growth" is completely different from cultivating within the realm. It directly absorbs the power of the Great Dao's origin and uses one's own Dao as a guide to evolve an independent tree realm!
Gu Xi watched quietly as the Chaos Dao Tree took firm root and grew well. He nodded slightly, raised his finger, and suddenly the roots of his own majestic ancestral tree shone with a brilliant light. A wisp of condensed, tangible ancestral tree Dao source separated out, turned into a stream of light, and disappeared into the main trunk of the Chaos Dao Tree.

"I'll give you another boost," Gu Xi said with a smile. "This wisp of Dao source is the essence of life accumulated by the old tree over hundreds of millions of years. It can help your Dao tree stabilize its foundation and accelerate the evolution of your realm."

When that wisp of the ancestral tree's Dao source merged in, the Chaos Dao Tree trembled violently.

The primordial Dao patterns on the tree trunk suddenly blazed brightly, and the evolving scenes among the branches and leaves solidified in an instant. The primordial Dao fruits on the branches pulsated more powerfully, emitting gray Dao light, and the Dao charm became more lingering and profound.

Li Mu felt a warm and vast power surging from the heart of the tree to his limbs and bones. His Dao foundation, which was originally slightly unstable due to its initial rooting, instantly became as solid as a rock. He could even sense that the Chaos Dao Tree's efficiency in absorbing the source Qi of the vast earth had increased by nearly 70%!
This kindness and assistance is truly immense. Li Mu opened his eyes, looked at Gu Xi, and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Gu Xi seemed to have known Li Mu's intentions all along, and waved his hand with a smile, saying, "Fellow Daoist Li, please don't refuse. The sooner you grow up, the sooner my investment will pay off!"

"In that case, I thank you very much, senior!" Li Mu nodded, accepting the favor with equanimity, and focused on refining the Dao Source. He would repay this favor in the future.

Time passed by little by little, and three years have gone by in the blink of an eye.

Li Mu completed the establishment of the Chaos Dao Tree and awoke. However, this matter seemed to have little significance to Gu Xi, who patiently waited for Li Mu to complete the 'establishment'!
Looking at Li Mu who had just woken up, Gu Xi smiled slightly and reminded him, "Now that Fellow Daoist Li has taken root in this vast land, this old Daoist has some things to tell you."

"Senior, please speak!" Li Mu quickly bowed and responded.

"After merging with the Dao, the growth of the Dao Tree is not always smooth sailing. On the vast land, the Dao Tree must undergo 'five tribulations' to grow; the Dao Ancestor himself must also face 'seven injuries'," Gu Xi frankly stated.

Upon hearing this, Li Mu's expression turned solemn: "Please explain in detail, senior."

Gu Xi flicked his sleeve, creating a patch of light and shadow in front of the two of them, within which appeared the image of a small tree taking root and growing.

“The Five Tribulations are the inevitable tribulations that the Dao Tree must go through to grow.” Gu Xi pointed to the light and shadow and explained: “The first tribulation is the ‘Tribulation of Source Exhaustion.’ When a new tree takes root, it draws on the source energy. If the source energy around it is insufficient, or if the method of drawing it is incorrect, it will cause the roots to wither and the Dao Tree to die. This tribulation usually occurs in the early stage of rooting.”

In the interplay of light and shadow, the roots of the small tree spread out, while the primordial energy in the vast soil thinned, causing the roots to gradually wither.

"The second tribulation is the 'Tribulation of the Dao Contention.' The source of Qi in the vast land is limited. For every bit you draw upon, others will have less. If a neighboring Dao Ancestor notices that you are growing too fast and seizes their resources, it will cause the Dao rhythm to clash and the realms to be disturbed. At best, your growth will be slowed down; at worst, your source of Dao will be damaged."

In the interplay of light and shadow, the silhouette of another old tree appears beside the sapling, its roots tangling around it, vying with the sapling for soil nutrients.

"The third tribulation is the 'Tribulation of Realm Evolution.' Once your Dao Tree has grown to a certain size, realms will naturally emerge from its branches. The creation, destruction, and evolution of these realms require a massive amount of Dao Source. If the evolution becomes unbalanced, the realms will collapse and backfire on the tree, resulting in a great calamity. This tribulation accompanies the Dao Tree throughout its growth, becoming increasingly dangerous as it progresses."

Within the light and shadow, several points of light condensed on the branches of the small tree. These points of light expanded into a miniature world, in which mountains and rivers collapsed, and living beings perished. The small tree trembled as a result.

"The fourth tribulation is the 'Tribulation of External Demons.' Deep within the vast land lies the lingering resentment of countless fallen Dao Ancestors and the traces of the defeated Great Dao. You cultivate Chaos, encompassing all things, making you an excellent vessel for those lingering resentments. Once you are freed from the protection of the old Daoist, they will swarm like moths to a flame, eager to seize your tree body and be reborn through it. The dangers involved are no less than facing a Dao Ancestor of the same level directly."

As the light and shadow shifted, countless twisted black shadows appeared around the sapling, baring their fangs and claws as they lunged at the trunk.

"The Fifth Tribulation..." Gu Xi's tone suddenly turned solemn as she warned, "'The Tribulation of Return to Stillness.' This tribulation is the most profound and also the most deadly. When the Dao Tree reaches its peak, with its branches and domains perfected and its Dao Fruits ripe, it seems to be infinitely glorious, but in reality, it has already touched the limits of the Great Dao. At that time, the vast earth itself carries a kind of 'Return to Stillness' power, which washes over the Dao Tree like a tide, trying to assimilate it and return it to the state of undifferentiated chaos. Throughout history, countless peak Dao Ancestors have perished in this tribulation."

In the interplay of light and shadow, the sapling has grown into a towering giant, its branches sparkling like stars. An invisible gray tide surges from the depths of the void, leaving withered branches and leaves, dimming the boundaries, and the giant tree gradually transforms into a stone sculpture, eventually crumbling into dust.

Li Mu watched quietly, a chill running through him.

The dangers of the Five Tribulations are ever greater than the last. In particular, the "Tribulation of Return to Nirvana" is so perilous that even a peak Dao Ancestor cannot escape its demise.

Gu Xi dispersed the light and shadow and continued, "The Five Tribulations are the tree's tribulations, while the Seven Wounds are the Dao Ancestor's own calamities."

"The seven wounds are all related to 'cause and effect'." Gu Xi looked at Li Mu and explained in detail, word by word: "The first wound is the 'wound of old causes'. You have accumulated countless causes and effects in your cultivation so far. These causal lines will not disappear after you merge with the Dao. On the contrary, they will become more and more resilient as your cultivation deepens."

"The second wound is the 'wound of new fruit.' You have created a world of trees, and the actions of the beings in that world will all have karmic consequences with you. When beings create karma, the karma will backfire; when beings do good, the good karma will nourish them. Good and evil are intertwined, and karma is entangled. If you are not careful, you will be dragged into the quagmire by endless karmic threads, and your Dao heart will be clouded."

……

The introduction to Gu Xi's Five Tribulations and Seven Wounds struck Li Mu's Dao heart like a hammer blow.

Li Mu's expression turned solemn. He suddenly remembered that when he used the Chaos Dao to absorb the strange phenomena, the cold and filthy strangeness that he had refined had not completely disappeared, but had instead become part of the Dao Tree's texture.

Seeing Li Mu's solemn expression, Gu Xi smiled and comforted him, "You don't need to be too worried. The Five Tribulations and Seven Injuries are inevitable tribulations for Dao Ancestors, but they don't erupt immediately. You have a thousand years of peace, enough to solidify your foundation. Make preparations early."

After speaking, Gu Xi paused, then added, "In addition, you need to pay extra attention to the matter of the Ghost Clan."

Li Mu looked up at Gu Xi, puzzled, and asked, "What does 'senior' mean?"

"The origin of the Ghost Clan is more ancient than you imagine. There are many Ghost Clan mother trees in the Ancestral Tree Forest. They use the Ghost Shepherd Tree to herd the myriad worlds. The vast land has endless ancestral trees." Gu Xi's gaze was distant, and he said in a deep voice, "I have guarded the trees here for countless years and have seen several large-scale 'Ghost Tides' surging from the depths of the vast land. Those ghostly creatures seem to be of the same origin as the power of the vast land's return to stillness. They specialize in invading the Dao Trees, eroding the realms, and devouring living beings. The current lingering calamity of the Ghost Clan is probably caused by the aftershocks of the last Ghost Tide seeping in."

Li Mu suddenly realized that, judging from Gu Xi's words, the Ghost Clan Mother Tree that he had painstakingly eliminated was nothing more than a small fish.

Gu Xi looked at Li Mu, who was deep in thought, and continued, "You have refined the origin of the Ghost Clan and taken the strange as your form, thus forming a great karmic bond with the Ghost Clan. When the Ghost Tide rises again in the future, you... will likely be the first to bear the brunt."

Li Mu remained silent for a long time, then suddenly chuckled softly.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Li Mu looked at Gu Xi and said calmly, "However, I have faced many tribulations on my journey. Whether it is the Ghost Clan or the Five Tribulations and Seven Injuries, they are just a few more whetstones on my path. Since I have chosen this path, I will not turn back, nor will I shrink back!"

"Rooted here, the tree grows, protecting the realm, facing all difficulties... this is the essence of the 'Dao'." Li Mu solemnly said, "Thank you for your frank words, senior. I have remembered these calamities. If I face them in the future, I will surely slay them with my sword."

Gu Xi stared at Li Mu for a long time, then stroked his beard and sighed, "What a fine 'one sword to slay'! The old Taoist was right about you."

He raised his hand and pointed at Li Mu's brow.

A wisp of warm, clear light seeped in and imprinted itself on Li Mu's Dao Soul.

"These are some of my insights into the Five Tribulations and Seven Injuries, as well as methods for dealing with them. You may use them as a reference." Gu Xi withdrew his finger and smiled, indicating, "Within the next thousand years, you can focus on growing stronger. After a thousand years... I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with you."

Feeling the vast information contained in the runes within his Dao Soul, Li Mu bowed solemnly: "Senior's kindness will be forever remembered by this junior."

Gu Xi waved his hand, his figure gradually fading away, leaving behind his last words: "Go, take good care of your Chaos Dao Tree, this old Daoist... will be watching."

As the words fell, Gu Xi's figure vanished completely, leaving only the roots of the majestic ancestral tree beside her, its spiritual light flowing, silently guarding this area. (End of Chapter)