Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 321 - 207: The Longevity Pill, Obtaining the Immortality Pill

Chapter 321: Chapter 207: The Longevity Pill, Obtaining the Immortality Pill

On the chaotic and battered imperial palace stone slabs, the head as hard as fine iron created some small cracks.

Dead?

Gu Wen’s Immortal Sword was not sheathed; instead, it continued to flash with dazzling sword light.

The mana inside him, turbulent like the sea, did not pause for a moment. Chi Yu Zi wanted to slightly restrain some of his mana, but he was stopped by Gu Wen.

His gaze did not leave the headless corpse for a second.

From where the head had been severed, no blood flowed out; instead, specks of spirit light emerged, and in the void, the spirit light condensed into a young Daoist.

Dressed in a cyan and white Daoist robe, with handsome features and a red string tied around his hand, Gu Wen mistook him for Zhao Feng at first glance.

The divine soul of the Lord Emperor.

Is he still not dead?

The intent to kill in Gu Wen’s eyes did not diminish; his vital energy locked onto the divine soul of the Lord Emperor. Had not his prime body already been defeated—could the divine soul alone possibly turn the tide?

"Fellow Daoist Zhao Sanming."

The young Daoist bowed slightly, facing Gu Wen’s undisguised intent to kill, he still wore a kind smile and said, "Young friend, we have deep grievances, but please allow me to explain a couple of things. I have three offerings that can resolve our enmity."

"Firstly, I have deeply investigated the Dao of human hearts and incense, not daring to claim the best of all time, but I can be among the top three. You should already be aware of the conflict between Jianmu and the human race; I can impart to you all my life’s learning, push you to become the Human Emperor, and confirm your position in heaven and earth."

"Secondly, outside of the heavens, there are countless human beings, and numerous Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands. To include all humans in the Dragon Vein would take an extremely long time. I can take over the tedious task of constructing the Dragon Vein on your behalf; you only need to wait."

"Thirdly, the Lord Emperor is not me; he is but the embodiment of my heart demon. For all the sins committed, I am willing to take responsibility."

Having said this, Zhao Sanming made no further moves.

One position of a saint, one assistance to become a saint.

At this moment, even the Immortal Sword slightly retracted its sword light.

No one could remain unmoved, even if it was not a position suitable for the Immortal Sword, but as the swordsman, Gu Wen could also rise to high station.

A Saint wielding the sword would naturally be above the Immortals.

Gu Wen approached Zhao Sanming, covering three steps in two, pressing down on his shoulder with one hand, using the Human Immortal Dharma Form to control all things and imprison divine souls, while the other hand pushed the sword forward.

The Immortal Sword pierced through the chest, and Zhao Sanming let out a muffled groan, tried to step back but was forcefully held in place by Gu Wen.

He looked at the face less than three inches away, the killing intent undiminished.

"Young friend, petty squabbles cannot accomplish great things."

"What are ’great things’?"

Gu Wen softly asked, then answered himself, "A year ago, I was just a mortal, and now I am still a commoner. I know how many cents a pound of rice costs, I care about what I’m eating for lunch, I get angry over some restaurants owing on their water bills."

"Of course, I also curse because of your dog Emperor’s excessive levies, and harbor resentment due to your son’s bullying and abuses—all these matters are ’great things’ to me."

"Now tell me, what are ’great things’?"

Zhao Sanming, startled, a bitter smile appeared on his face; he knew he probably couldn’t explain himself even if offered tremendous benefits.

"To prosper the human race, to fight for the position in heaven and earth, these are great things. You have not lived through three thousand years of demon calamity; you cannot understand..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Wen grasped him, rising a hundred yards into the air, and looked down upon the ravaged Bianjing city.

On the streets below, there were corpses gradually expiring due to the loss of their divine soul essence, surrounded by crying relatives.

Gu Wen then asked, "Man-made disasters, how do they compare to demon calamities?"

"...."

Zhao Sanming was silent once again.

These were the consequences of his heart demon, but also his doing, similar to those who kill for profit or by accident. Now that his obsessions had vanished, he was even less able to refute, for doing so would not represent obsession, but his true nature.

"The people outside of this place outnumber those here by a thousandfold. I could save far more and atone for my sins."

"Do you think good deeds can cancel out the bad? Kill one person and save another, and you think you have no more faults?"

Gu Wen couldn’t help but laugh, saying, "Let me tell you what it means to do good. Back in Bianjing, at Dragon Bridge, whenever there was a famine, a large number of refugees would gather in the alleys. Every day, I would spend a few dozen taels to buy rough bread, having them help me move bricks and stones from the right side of my residence to the left, then back again the next day."

"I saved hundreds, maybe thousands, allowing them to get by for months until the court’s relief arrived."

Zhao Sanming retorted, "You saved a thousand people, but the court saved tens of millions. As I mentioned, the action concerning the Dragon Vein could save hundreds of millions of the Human Race."

"Who caused this disaster for the thousand?"

"....."

Zhao Sanming fell silent for the third time, his Divine Soul being slowly destroyed by the Immortal Sword’s Sword Intent, disappearing quickly as he didn’t resist.

But resistance was futile. Gu Wen had made up his mind to kill him and would not allow any opportunity for escape.

Thus, negotiation was the best—and only—option.

However, after an exchange of words, Zhao Sanming felt his hopes dwindling. He had many retorts left, but Gu Wen was not buying any of it.

As he said, he was a layman.

If Huayang and Yun Miao were here, they would understand his difficulties and recognize his usefulness.

Zhao Sanming spoke in a low and strained voice, "I could serve as a slave for a thousand years, and you can kill me after a thousand years, just so that my abilities do not go to waste."

Becoming an Immortal was his obsession, and resolving the existential crisis of the Human Race was his long-standing wish.

The Heart Demon did not want to end up as the ultimate loser. He chose to exhaust his foundation to seal the Longevity Pill. He also did not wish to die so easily.

"No need."

The Immortal Sword in Gu Wen’s hand radiated brilliant light, dissolving Zhao Sanming bit by bit like the blazing sun.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the last trace of spirit light vanished.

"Immortal Sword Senior, is he dead?"

"He is dead."

The Immortal Sword gave a definitive answer.

He had actually wanted to spare Zhao Sanming. Gu Wen needed his help to build the Dragon Vein, and the Human Race needed another Immortal-level combatant.

But since Gu Wen was determined to kill, the Immortal Sword would not force interference. That was the freedom of the strong.

"He’s dead?"

Gu Wen took a deep breath, his eyes lighting up slightly as the pressure that had been building in his chest slowly dissipated.

His lips curled up in a smile, one he didn’t even notice himself. He was a layman; naturally, he would smile at the death of an enemy, rather than put on a pretense of sorrow and lamentation.

And with this matter concluded, he could finally enter the long-desired Cultivation World and see the truly vast universe.

Gu Wen looked up at the sky, where the fight continued unabated, the heavens shattered and fragmented.

"I’ll go assist Qingcang Fellow Daoist. You go get the Longevity Pill first."

The Immortal Sword in his hand transformed into a streak of light that flew into the sky, cutting through the residual waves of Daoist Skill covering the firmament. Qingcang’s figure appeared, locked in combat with another being whose gender was indiscernible.

The sky was quickly filled again with the aftermath of Divine Skills, making it impossible for Gu Wen to tell who was prevailing.

However, the ephemeral hand protecting Bianjing had not vanished, so it probably wasn’t a concern.

With this thought, Gu Wen turned to the headless corpse, extending his Divine Thought carefully towards the chest, then a blood-covered bead flew out.

It was an inch in size; he wiped off the blood to reveal a color like gold, with phantom-like patterns appearing faintly.

The Longevity Pill!

At last! Finally, it was in his hands!