Gou Dao and Cultivation of Immortals, Start from Farming

After watching Gu Xi leave, Li Mu stood alone in the void, gazing at the vast land before him, lost in thought.

Li Mu did not believe Gu Xi's words completely, but only about 60-70% of them, mainly concerning the "Forest of Ancestral Trees," the trend of the struggle between the Dao, and the intention to unite.

However, Li Mu had just advanced to the Dao Integration Realm and was facing the unfamiliar 'Beyond the Realm' and the 'Battle of the Great Dao'. At this moment, he had no better choice.

"Very well!" After much hesitation, Li Mu made his decision. With the foundation of the Chaos Dao, he was not afraid of any schemes behind Gu Xi's back. He would deal with whatever came his way.

With a thought, Li Mu conjured the Chaos Dao Tree, which stood ten thousand feet tall. Its branches shone with a gray-jade light, and chaos surged among its leaves, revealing primordial Dao patterns.

“This millennium will be the time when the Chaos Dao Tree takes root.” Li Mu sat cross-legged, his hands forming a seal, and Chaos Dao Yuan surged forth.

The moment the sound faded, the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree suddenly sprang up and plunged fiercely into the vast, dark earth.

The next moment, the innate primordial energy hidden in the boundless land was drawn by the roots of the Chaos Dao Tree, surging forth and continuously flowing into the root veins.

As the roots touched the Qi, profound and chaotic Dao patterns emerged from the surface of the Chaos Dao Tree's trunk, seemingly both natural and evolved. Each root of the Dao Tree was like a living creature, greedily absorbing the innate source Qi, tracing back to the main trunk, and infusing the entire tree.

Soon, the Chaos Tree trunk expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Fifteen thousand zhang... twenty thousand zhang... thirty-three thousand... thirty-eight thousand... In less than a hundred breaths, the fifty thousand zhang barrier was broken!

The Chaos Dao Tree's primordial chaotic Dao patterns grew rapidly, containing the true meaning of creation and evolution. Its branches and leaves grew wildly, its canopy gradually became full, and the new leaves were gray like mist. Many of the Chaos Dao leaves began to nurture something, which was extremely mysterious.

Li Mu's mind merged with the Chaos Tree, and he clearly perceived the profound and pure source energy of the vast earth.

As the Chaos Dao Tree grew wildly, the cultivation and aura of its Chaos Dao Ancestor also skyrocketed, advancing by tens of thousands of miles a day. Every time the Chaos Dao Tree absorbed a wisp of the vast earth's primordial energy, it was as if it had swallowed a mouthful of primordial chaos energy, making its Daoist essence more condensed and its evolutionary power more vigorous.

"At this rate, there should be no worry about scarcity in the early stages of its establishment." Li Mu was overjoyed by the growth of the Chaos Dao Tree. He probed down the roots with his Chaos Divine Sense, trying to fathom the depths of the vast land.

However, after traveling a thousand miles, it felt like sinking into a bottomless abyss, dark and viscous, with resistance increasing dramatically. Further down, they vaguely sensed the presence of ancient and desolate auras, and their divine senses probed outwards.

"The depths of this vast land are truly unfathomable!" Li Mu was startled and quickly withdrew his divine sense, concealing his aura and daring not to probe recklessly.

Li Mu calmed down and focused on controlling the Chaos Dao Tree to take root in the vast earth and absorb innate source energy, no longer distracted.

Time flies, and decades have passed in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, the Chaos Dao Tree grew to a height of three million feet. Suddenly, a branch in the southeast, a Chaos Dao leaf, suddenly emitted a brilliant light, its Dao essence astonishing.

Li Mu opened his eyes and smiled slightly: "Finally, it's done!"

The leaf, gray with its veins faintly visible, is nourished by the primordial energy of the vast earth and the source of chaos. In the blink of an eye, it stretches to a size of three hundred feet square, hanging from the branch, moving without wind.

The veins of the leaf transform into five-colored "Daoist veins"—red like fire, green like wood, black like water, white like gold, and yellow like earth. The spiritual light of the five elements circulates and interacts, mutually generating and restraining each other, forming a subtle balance. A hazy halo rises from the heart of the leaf.

The halo was in a state of chaos and undifferentiated chaos, with the pure and turbid energies intertwined and surging. As the source of chaos continued to pour in, the halo rotated, the pure energy rose and the turbid energy fell, and the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth collided and flowed—clearly a miniature image of a "world embryo"!
"The first leaf of the Dao has evolved into a realm!" Li Mu's eyes shone brightly as he immersed his mind in it.

Li Mu then immersed his divine sense in the moment, as if he were in the primordial chaos at the beginning of creation.

Before anything took shape, it was dark and without light, with only the clear and turbid clashing like dragons and snakes, and the violent collision of the five elements causing the embryonic world to flicker uncertainly.

"Orderly Dao Patterns, settle!"

With a thought, Li Mu caused a wisp of gray-gold Dao patterns on the Primordial Dao Fruit to peel off from its peel and pierce through the void, disappearing into the boundary embryo.

The Dao patterns entered the boundary, like a stabilizing needle in the sea.

The violent separation of the pure and the impure gradually occurs—the pure form the nascent sky, the impure condenses the ethereal shadow of the earth's veins, and the five elements return to their proper places: the earth bears the weight, fire hangs in the sky, water flows into streams, and so on.

The embryo gradually stabilizes.

The sky is shrouded in mist, revealing the shadows of the sun, moon, and stars. Once the main star is established, the shapes of mountains and rivers emerge. The spiritual light of the five elements flows in from the veins of the leaves, evolving into true meaning: fire transforms lava, wood fosters budding, water gathers in rivers, metal solidifies mineral veins, and earth compacts the land.

……

Li Mu's mind materialized into a phantom, standing above the "sky dome," overlooking the evolution of all things. With a flick of his finger, the chaotic Daoist essence transformed into sweet rain, nourishing the dry soil, breaking through cracks with greenery, and washing the mountain rocks, revealing golden and iron-like patterns. The rain entered the void, the wind subsided gently, carrying moisture from afar.

"The cycle of the Five Elements has been established, and the foundation of the Four Symbols has been initially set." Li Mu nodded slightly and announced with satisfaction, "This realm can be named the 'Great Realm of the Five Elements'."

Under Li Mu's divine sense, this Leaf Realm constantly draws upon two forces: one is the source energy transformed from the roots of the Dao Tree, and the other is the origin drawn from the resonance between the leaf veins and the vast earth veins, continuously establishing and nurturing this realm.

"Once the embryonic world matures, the five elements stabilize, and the mountains and rivers take shape, we can draw upon the innate spiritual energy to nurture the first batch of living beings." Li Mu withdrew his mind and returned to his physical body.

Li Mu calmed his mind, merged with the Chaos Dao Tree, took root in the vast land, absorbed the source energy, refined the Chaos Dao Source, strengthened himself, and enhanced the foundation of the Dao Tree.

A century has passed in the blink of an eye.

Beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, Li Mu sat cross-legged, his blue robe covered in dust, his eyebrows and eyes lowered, his Dao aura blending seamlessly with the majestic Dao Tree.

The Chaos Dao Tree has absorbed and absorbed Dao essence for hundreds of years, and now it has grown to a height of tens of millions of feet!

The tree trunk's gray-jade color turned into a deep, dark ink. Layers of primordial Dao patterns overlapped on the main trunk, like dragons and snakes coiling around it. The branches and leaves spread out like a canopy supporting the sky, disappearing into the depths of the hazy sea of ​​light above. Each chaotic Dao leaf was three to five thousand feet in diameter, with chaotic spiritual light flowing through its veins, evolving the scene of the differentiation of purity and turbidity, and the birth and death of all things.

Upon closer inspection, the thirty-six leaves on the branch were the most radiant.

Within the veins of these Dao leaves, tangible "boundary embryos" have formed; some leaves contain raging crimson flames, surging with fire spirits, evolving into a pure fire-based world; some leaves contain vast expanses of mysterious water, waves crashing against the sky, giving birth to an endless water-elemental realm; some leaves bear the sounds of metal clashing, mineral veins spontaneously forming, condensing into a realm of Geng metal's killing intent; some leaves contain towering green trees, brimming with vitality, transforming into a realm of Yi wood's longevity; some leaves contain thick, continuous soil, with mountains rising spontaneously, forming the foundation for Wu earth's support...

Several Dao leaves were particularly magnificent: the clear and turbid within were already distinct, and they were close to being mature composite world embryos. They were just waiting for living beings to evolve and be born before they could truly transform into a "great world" with complete laws!
Li Mu's mind was faintly connected with the embryonic realms of the thirty-six realms, sensing the flow of Daoist principles and the arising and ceasing of spiritual energy within them. A slight smile appeared on his lips. "The foundation has been established, and the realms will soon open."

Li Mu opened his eyes, and within them, chaotic stars swirled, reflecting the vast and desolate land.

"it's time."

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Mu created a portal in the void before him.

The Chaos Treasure Palace appeared, revealing the scene inside—a tranquil courtyard with ancient trees casting their shade, a babbling brook, and several figures meditating in various parts of the palace, some sitting cross-legged breathing exercises, some practicing magic and comprehending the Dao, and some exchanging and verifying their understanding.

"Everyone come out!"

Li Mu smiled slightly and greeted him.

The next moment, beneath the Chaos Dao Tree, ripples spread through the void, and several figures appeared simultaneously.

Xue'er, dressed in a white dress, stared blankly at Li Mu, her bright eyes filled with longing and affection.

"This...this is..." Little Gold's pair of emerald green vertical pupils widened as he looked at the magnificent scene, his golden hair standing on end, his face full of disbelief.

"Master, where is this?" Little Tile, the Jade Rock Lizard, asked blankly.

The others were the same: the Crimson Fire Phoenix, the Azure Moon True Dragon, including the Azure Jade Ginseng King who had not appeared for a long time, the Puppet Spirit - Bright Moon, and the Gu Insect Spirit - Little White; they were all stunned by the magnificent and vast scene before them. The boundless dark land around them and the shadowy "Forest of Ten Thousand Ancestors" in the far distance made them feel as if they were in a dream.

Looking at their shocked and speechless expressions, Li Mu's eyes flashed with a gentle smile.

"This place is called 'Vast Land'."

"It is the primordial soil from which all paths originate and before chaos is divided. The place we came from is merely a collection of realms derived from a 'tree of all realms'."

"However, such ancestral trees are not unique in this place. Looking around, all the trees are of the same origin and nature as our homeland. This forest is called the 'Forest of Ten Thousand Ancestors'."

“Each ancestral tree is formed from the foundation of a Dao-merging cultivator, containing immeasurable worlds and giving rise to countless living beings. The ancestral trees are separated by hundreds of millions of miles, yet they resonate with each other and also compete with each other for survival.”

Li Mu simplified Gu Xi's words and explained the fundamental law of this place to everyone: take root in the vast land, draw on the source of Qi, evolve the realm, and the struggle for the Dao never ends.

Xue'er and the others were deeply shaken, their past understanding completely overturned. They had thought that reaching the pinnacle of the Dao, or even glimpsing the secrets of the seed Dao, was the ultimate attainment of the Dao. Today, they realized that there are heavens beyond heavens, and Daos beyond Daos. The "Myriad Realms" they once inhabited were nothing more than an ancestral tree in this boundless forest!
"The realm of merging with the Dao," Li Mu looked at everyone and said solemnly, "is to break free from the shackles, merge with the Dao, and use the Dao to propagate the tree. From then on, one's own Dao is the foundation, the derived boundary tree is the territory, and the creatures in the tree are the people. One prospers, all prosper; one suffers, all suffer."

Li Mu changed the subject and continued, "I cultivated the Great Dao of Chaos, which encompasses all things and evolves infinitely. After experiencing many tribulations, I was fortunate enough to succeed. On this vast land, I planted the roots of the Great Dao of Chaos and erected this Tree of Chaos. Now, a hundred years have passed, the foundation is slightly solid, and the crown of the tree is beginning to take shape."

Li Mu waved his sleeve and looked at the thirty-six most radiant leaves of the Chaos Dao Tree, indicating that: "Look at those thirty-six Dao leaves between the branches and leaves. They contain purity and turbidity, and naturally evolve the Five Elements. They have already condensed into 'world embryos'. Given time, with the nourishment of the Dao source, the laws will naturally develop, and they can transform into a true great world, containing mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, nurturing all kinds of living beings."

Upon hearing this, everyone followed Li Mu's gaze and saw a vast Chaos Dao Tree. Some of the Chaos Dao Leaves were thousands of feet long, while the smaller ones were still thousands of feet long. The veins of the leaves were like dragons, flowing with spiritual light of various colors such as red, blue, black, white, and yellow. One could vaguely see the image of a sea of ​​fire churning, giant trees reaching the sky, a vast ocean surging, metal and iron chilling, and thick earth stretching out within it...

"Master..." Little Gold asked with burning eyes and heavy breathing, "These... these world embryos, can they all become great worlds like the Spirit Awakening Realm and the Firefly Immortal Realm?"

“Not bad.” Li Mu smiled slightly and nodded, “Moreover, because it was born from the Chaos Dao Tree and was nourished by the origin of my Great Dao, its foundation and potential far surpass those of ordinary naturally evolved realms. The laws within the realm are close to the true meaning of chaos, and the cultivation of living beings can also directly point to the origin of the Great Dao.”

Azure Moon True Dragon took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, and bowed to ask, "Master summoned us here, is there any instruction you have?"

Li Mu's gaze swept over Xue'er, Xiao Jin, Qing Yue, Chi Lian, Xiao Wa, Qing Yu Shen Wang, Ming Yue, and Xiao Bai, and a deep smile appeared on his face.

"With the Chaos Tree established and the realm about to open, the realm embryos are newly formed, like blank sheets of paper. They need the guidance of the Dao, the laws, and the spirits to evolve smoothly and grow strong." Li Mu looked at everyone and gestured, "You have followed me for a long time, each with your own foundation and steadfast character. The Great Dao is within your grasp. Today, I ask you a question: are you willing to choose a realm embryo, enter into it, govern a realm for me, establish the laws, guide living beings, and jointly develop the Great Dao?"

These words struck like a thunderbolt into the hearts of everyone present!

Choose the right boundaries to govern!

To rule a region! To jointly cultivate the Great Dao!

What an incredible stroke of luck!

Li Mu's entrustment was not merely to have them manage a world, but to bind their own path to a "primordial realm" that was being nurtured, making them its "realm lords." The future growth of the realm would be closely related to their cultivation. The better the realm developed, the higher their cultivation would rise, truly sharing weal and woe with Li Mu's Chaotic Great Dao!
Xue'er's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Li Mu and nodded vigorously: "Brother Li, Xue'er is willing! No matter where we go or what we do, Xue'er will follow you!"

Xiao Jin knelt down on one knee with a thud, clasped his hands and said, "Master! You gave me my life. Let alone ruling a realm, even if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, as long as you give the order, I will not hesitate! I will definitely manage that realm as well as an impregnable fortress, with brave and powerful beings that surpass all other realms!"

The Azure Moon True Dragon bowed deeply and said, "Azure Moon is willing to be the vanguard, guarding this area of ​​water for my master, developing the Great Dao of Water Element, and benefiting all living beings."

"Chi Lian wishes to enter the Fire Realm embryo, to grasp the true meaning of burning and Nirvana, to guide the Fire Spirit to cultivate, and to strengthen the Dao Tree Fire Source."

"Master, I don't have any great skills, just brute strength. Wherever you see a boundary embryo that needs someone to guard it, I'll go there and ensure the earth's veins are stable and the mountains don't shake!"

"I am honored that my master has not abandoned me. I am willing to enter the Wood Realm Embryo or a realm teeming with life, to regulate the earth's veins and spiritual energy, to catalyze the growth of all plants and trees, and to do my utmost," said the Azure Jade Ginseng King, bowing tremblingly with excitement.

Data flowed through Mingyue's eyes as she said firmly, "Mingyue is willing to enter the embryonic realm where the laws are just beginning to emerge and order is yet to be established, to use the Puppet Mind's calculation power to deduce the operation of the realm's laws, assist in establishing the heavenly order, and fill in any gaps."

Little White peeked out from behind Xue'er, blinked its eyes, and whispered, "Master, Little White... Little White will do its best!"

"Very well!" Li Mu laughed heartily and nodded, "In that case, each of you should choose a realm embryo to develop according to your own origins and strengths! I will do my best to assist you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu raised his hand and gestured towards the Chaos Dao Tree.

In an instant, the thirty-six most radiant Dao leaves trembled simultaneously, each radiating brilliant Daoist spiritual light, revealing the inner world embryos of their respective realms even more clearly, as if calling out to a compatible master. (End of Chapter)