Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 104 - 90 Righteous Heart and Integrity

Chapter 104: Chapter 90 Righteous Heart and Integrity

Gu Wen’s last set of clothes had also developed some holes, so that the only difference between him and a beggar was cleanliness.

After all, he wasn’t out to enjoy himself, constantly on the run, never staying in one place for long, always potentially facing the pursuit of enemies.

Although it didn’t seem urgent at the moment, and Gu Wen even had the surplus energy to rob others, it was all because Yu Hua was too powerful, and Gu Wen himself had grown too quickly.

Yu Hua was unmatched under the heavens, and even the Lord Emperor didn’t dare to confront him directly. Gu Wen had just entered Luo River and had fought Xiao Yunyi to a draw, ensuring that neither high-level powerhouses nor peers would foolishly provoke him.

As long as they were strong enough, they would encounter smooth sailing wherever they went.

Once any of them became vulnerable, various forces would try to pinch them.

"Let’s go."

Yu Hua stood up, and the two of them left their room, making their way to the inn’s first floor.

It was a peak lunch hour, and three cultivators at the inn were engaged in a lively discussion, but they fell silent the moment Gu Wen and Yu Hua descended.

This particular inn was dedicated to serving cultivators, serving both as a lodging place and as a platform for exchange.

Although there were only a few hundred cultivators, coupled with protectors, there were about a thousand in total; they tended to converge around various treasures, making encounters quite likely.

With exchanges, there had to be places for them; they couldn’t just discuss matters in any mortal inn, mingling with a crowd of mortals.

But now, everyone’s attitude subtly changed. Gu Wen’s party was actually not part of the cultivators’ circles, and he himself was regarded as an anomaly. A hero isn’t judged by background, but he had to be a hero first—could a mere servant be so bold?

Now, with his strength, Gu Wen had intimidated most people, at least those of his own generation dared not offend him.

Gu Wen glanced at them without any particular intention, just checking out the new faces in the inn instinctively.

Even the proud had to lower their heads to avoid eye contact with him.

"Have you just arrived at Luo River?"

Gu Wen asked casually, out of habit from his previous occupation, always liking to strike up conversations with strangers.

Because information intertwined.

When Gu Wen initiated the conversation, the three young talents were somewhat overwhelmed. One clever one stood up and said, "I am Xiang Caiyuan, ranked eightieth on the people’s list, from the Xuanyi Sect."

"Long admired,"

Gu Wen clasped his hands while Yu Hua pursed her lips, a hint of a smile playing at her lips.

A top ten talent in person and place saying ’long admired’ to an average ’commoner’ was both bold and slick.

He asked, "Did I just hear you discussing Heavenly Spring Mountain?"

"We are actually here to participate in the sword inquiry," Xiang Caiyuan admitted his own limitations, adding, "Of course, we naturally can’t compete with Brother Xiao, just hoping to confront the Sword Spirit and seize the opportunity to grasp a Sword Intent, or even a Spirit Form."

It made sense for a talent to possess Sword Intent.

"There’s another thing— I heard you mention something about a Great Demon legacy being revealed recently?"

"That’s no secret. It’s just that recently, a senior from the Demon Sect who entered the Immortal Land in search of a breakthrough perished. As he died, he left behind a cave dwelling on the outskirts of Luo River, which will be opened in a few days."

"Thank you for your explanation, Fellow Daoist."

Gu Wen turned and left, Yu Hua following silently; their departure noticeably relieved the three, who resumed their eager discussion as soon as they had completely left the inn.

"Fellow Daoist from the Red Dust must be a peerless talent in the world!"

"Rumors say he’s a madman, but now it seems that gossip is harmful. I think it’s just the envy of petty people; a true prodigy never needs to explain but proves himself with facts."

"Indeed, the envious are great talkers."

Their words, carried by the wind and the crowd, reached Yu Hua’s ears. She laughed, "How does it feel?"

Gu Wen was unmoved by others’ praise, saying lightly, "It’s just echoing others; if I showed kindness, they’d think me weak. But if I started with malice and then showed kindness, strong as I am, I’d be admired."

"True dignity lies only at the blade’s edge, the great path only lies in punches and kicks."

Yu Hua showed a surprised expression.

After pondering for a moment, she inwardly praised the remark as exceptionally apt for educating disciples. It underscored the importance of strength but was not a blatant glorification of power, starting from dignity and honor, focusing more on self-protection.

The appeal of the Demon Path is its simplicity and brutality, aligning with primitive desires, while the Mystical Sect endures because they learn moderation.

Yet, she had intended to teach Gu Wen a lesson, only to find herself being educated by him instead.

"I thought you were dazed by your suddenly elevated cultivation."

Gu Wen retorted, "Do you think I’d be complacent with small achievements?"

"No, your character isn’t so," Yu Hua shook her head: "It’s just that after being repressed for so long, you might need to vent, but I’m worried you can’t rein it in."

This was her concern, not that Gu Wen couldn’t defeat other prodigies, but that the years of repression combined with suddenly reaching the peak might lead him to lose his way.

Yu Hua then asked, "Are you interested in that Demon cultivation legacy?"

Gu Wen answered without hesitation, "It’s a trap, not for me. There’s no such thing as a free lunch; the only thing free is a meal that costs your head."

"Good."

As the two walked the streets of Luo River, everywhere they looked was bustling yet devoid of any lively vigor, instead filled with a somber atmosphere.

Merchants worried over heavy taxes, laborers due to their increasingly scarce wages, beggars in the corners weakly shaking their bowls, and even the oxen and horses carrying goods hung their heads listlessly.

People and animals starved, corpses scattered for miles.

Arriving at the silk shop brought a bit more splendor; many ladies and madams were purchasing fabric and clothes, and they looked quite human.

Under the disguise spell, to the shop assistant, Gu Wen and Yu Hua were just two ordinary people, although they didn’t look like they could afford silk, but he still welcomed them warmly.

"Ah, gentlemen, please come inside!"

Gu Wen didn’t need to play the pig to eat the tiger, he took out a silver ingot from his Qiankun Bag and said, "Find me a few sets of durable clothes."

"Please wait a moment, sir!" The shop assistant immediately bent over.

Beside him, Yu Hua picked up a piece of men’s clothing, measured it against Gu Wen, and said, "This one is nice."

Gu Wen, somewhat disdainfully, said, "It’s too flashy and can easily be damaged, not suitable for fighting."

"It’s for everyday wear, you’re not fighting every day."

Yu Hua had the clothes packed in silk and picked a few more for Gu Wen to try. The styles she chose were mostly comfortable and good-looking, but Gu Wen only commented on how they were inconvenient for fighting.

She tapped Gu Wen’s forehead with a light chop of her hand and said impatiently, "You like durable so much, when you enter the Cultivation World next time, I’ll take you to buy a vestment robe. That thing is both good-looking and practical."

"Like the one you’re wearing?" Gu Wen’s eyes lit up; he had long coveted clothes that didn’t need washing.

"That Xuanyi Sect previously is specifically for selling vestment robes, one of the big families, the Yi family. There they have a Dao Artifact called the Nine Treasures Glaze Robe, said to be impervious to all spells."

Yu Hua took the clothes the shop assistant had packed, their conversation making the assistant a bit puzzled, but seeing Gu Wen flick another hundred taels of silver, he decided to ignore it.

He was just an ordinary person; why dig so much? The people of Immortal Land weren’t deaf or mute, but eventually, everyone just focused on how many meals they ate a day; a person who doesn’t eat enough isn’t human but a numb beast.

Only with food and warmth can one pursue other desires.

Before leaving, Gu Wen casually rewarded the shop assistant with some broken silver, then once again heard the term ’lord’ from behind.

But unlike before, Gu Wen showed a reflective smile.

Yu Hua looked at Gu Wen curiously and asked, "Do you like the praise of mortals?"

Previously unaffected by cultivators’ praise, now a bit of money thrown to a mortal brought you a smile.

"I just enjoy being a righteous good person."

Gu Wen responded, seeing that Yu Hua was still puzzled.

He smiled, took out a handful of broken silver from his Qiankun Bag, and casually threw it to a street beggar, immediately drawing aggressive looks from around, then, the next moment, shreds of silver fell like snow.

Gu Wen flung ingots of silver into the air, and as the sword light sliced, thousands of taels of silver on him turned into snowflakes.

"Money! Lots of money!"

"The God of Wealth has descended to give money!"

"It’s Lord Qingtian, Lord Qingtian!"

Countless people knelt to pick up the money; more people from afar swarmed there, beggars, refugees, craftsmen, shop assistants, merchants... countless ordinary folks kneeled, but only Gu Wen and Yu Hua stood like immortals.

He grabbed Yu Hua’s hand and leapt up with a movement technique, stepping on the west wind like silk, as silver and peace fell in abundance, and if silver wasn’t enough, then gold.

Eventually, they gently landed at the highest point, their feet above the bustling thousands below.

Yu Hua looked at the scene before her, somewhat stunned. It wasn’t her first time being worshipped, but the first time seeing people smile while worshipping her. Every person who picked up silver had joy on their face, like grabbing a lifeline after a catastrophe.

But they will still suffer from hunger tomorrow.

She asked, "Is it worth it? As long as the Lord Emperor lives, these people will continue to suffer in this hot cauldron."

Gu Wen openly smiled and said, "I have done good, why should I worry if the rest of the world is good?"

In the past, he hated fame, despised good reputation, hated being called Lord Qingtian after helping others because he couldn’t bear it.

But now he didn’t need to think so much, no need to live cautiously.

Yu Hua perhaps worried too much.

Heaven bestows great responsibilities on someone through suffering and self-cultivation, perhaps more out of pride.

He would not revel in small gains, nor would he lose his true nature. He had always been like this; what they see of his madness is just one percent, his pride just one-thousandth.

-----------------

Evening, inn.

Gu Wen and Yu Hua returned to the inn; during their time out they visited other places and watched a battle between the number ninety-nine and one hundred Gatekeepers of the ranking.

It involved an unmatched ’Heaven’s Proud Daughter’. She maneuvered between them, one was her long-lost childhood sweetheart, the other her Sect’s senior brother. What should have been a double joy of reunion and peak encounters in the Immortal Land turned into a fierce fight.

It ended when ’Heaven’s Proud Daughter’ yelled, "You are all my Taoist Soldiers."

Gu Wen was astounded and realized further the importance of the family heirloom.

After all, how could it not be powerful if it could be described like that?

Ao Tang saw the two returning and hurriedly stood up to greet them, "My two great ancestors, you’re finally back, I was so worried."

Yu Hua noticing his unusual tone asked, "What happened?"

Ao Tang’s face looked grim and he said, "Second Ancestor was hung in one of the Demon Sect’s Four Abysses and Eight Pits, the Hanging Pit. Someone has put a bounty on him, offering a thousand-year longevity pill. Three Sword Suspension Orders have been issued, meaning three old monsters with at least tenth-level combat power in Immortal Land have taken the job."