Dao Equaling the Heavens

Borrowing the path to become Immortal, this meant Yu Hua's Immortal Path was completely severed; from now on she would be like the Immortal Sword Master.

Possessing everything of an Immortal, yet not purely Immortal.

The Ancestor Tree Spirit, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, said: "Saint Gu need not worry about any side effects; as an un-transcended Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root, I am not strong enough to show off in front of a Saint."

"Since ancient times, those who became Immortals are extremely rare; that Heavenly Girl has a one in ten thousand chance, but borrowing my path, it is one hundred percent. Although it is not the very best, it is no different from ordinary Immortals."

After a little thought, Gu Wen cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "Thank you very much, senior."

"It is I who should thank you, Saint Gu."

The old voice gradually faded away, a golden light lit up on the Spirit Fruit in Gu Wen's hand, gradually engulfing its surface, transforming it into a green fruit.

Within the green fruit lies divine charm, resembling a lush and verdant abyss, brimming with the vitality of the world.

Entry into the underworld was not yet determined, everything awaited the right moment.

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That night, Gu Wen returned home with the green fruit. Chi Yu Zi had already prepared dinner, and through years of accumulated experience, her cooking skills were no worse than those of the Three Pure Restaurant.

Gu Wen shared the news of his recent matters with Chi Yu Zi, who showed no signs of jealousy and instead broke into smiles, further stating:

"When Sister Yu Hua returns, I can finally be relieved."

"Why?"

"I spend the day doing your laundry and cooking, and at night I have to serve you. Dual Cultivating with you is exhausting. My cultivation is not as advanced as yours, and every time my Cycle runs, I'm carried away by you."

Listening to Chi Yu Zi's complaints, Gu Wen looked at her still captivating beauty; Cultivators may retain their appearance, but they inevitably show traces of worldly smoke.

The once lively and active girl somehow became more gentle and virtuous.

Recalling the first time he met Chi Yu Zi, she carried a Sword Box larger than herself, exuding pride from within, and had a fiery personality, hitting people when displeased.

Now, she could already be described as gentle like water.

"It was my fault initially, if I had exercised some restraint, it wouldn't be like today."

Gu Wen reached out to bring Chi Yu Zi into his arms; she symbolically struggled for a moment, then found a comfortable position and let out a long breath.

Her expression was comfortable, not at all like the exhaustion she claimed.

She didn't dislike cooking for Gu Wen, nor did she mind resembling an ordinary housewife. In her youth, she resisted, but if it was Gu Wen, she ironically found this life comforting.

But she was ultimately a later comer, and if Yu Hua returned, chaos might ensue.

Chi Yu Zi thought it best to maintain an appropriate distance.

Just no more natural physical intimacy, but not completely cutting ties either.

Suddenly, a gentle voice reached her ears.

"We will continue as before, and I will explain everything clearly to Yu Hua."

"No need, although it was just drunken lust, we both know the truth. Sister Yu Hua isn't a fool, would she believe your nonsense?"

Chi Yu Zi's dainty nose wrinkled slightly, not very pleased.

"We just take a step back each, not never contact again."

"So I enjoy the benefits without taking responsibility?"

"I just want you to enjoy yourself, I'm only interested in you."

"Such cringy old stuff."

"You're an old guy too!"

A bit of playful teasing inevitably led to body contact, and the couple, already long familiar with each other, naturally ended up in bed together for another bout.

Engaged in battle for a day, the sun already high in the sky.

Chi Yu Zi was the first to run out of stamina, conceding shortly after and falling into a deep sleep, clearly exhausted.

It was almost always like this.

Dual Cultivation is like two people pushing a millstone, the higher the cultivation, the faster it spins. The gap between Chi Yu Zi and Gu Wen was too large; every time she had to exert all her strength to barely keep up with Gu Wen's Cycle operation speed.

Gu Wen didn't rest, got up, dressed, and quietly closed the room door.

With just three steps, he teleported into the Jade Palace.

At this moment, outside, a group of dusty, differently-dressed people awaited, estimated to be about a hundred of them.

These were the local heads from all over the land.

In the first year of the New Calendar, Gu Wen had summoned them, and by the third year, they gradually arrived.

The Cultivation World is vast; one state covers tens of millions of square kilometers, and even the smaller ones are five million square kilometers.

Not to mention the special terrain barriers that hinder close ties between states.

It is also this transcendent society of Cultivators that can expand limitlessly without considering governance costs. Because once a place disobeys orders, the True Martial Palace would dispatch a great power to suppress the rebellion across the expanse.

Mortals and ordinary Cultivators often find it difficult to leave their state in a lifetime, but Magic Artifacts like the Wanli Boat can travel across tens of thousands of miles in a day.

An agrarian society is for Mortals, while Cultivators are an interstellar civilization.

What my teacher pursues is for even farmers to fly and teleport, but what Gu Wen pursues is merely for them to live a bit more dignified.

"Greetings to the Yuqing Heavenly Venerate!"

Descending the jade stone steps, local heads from all cities and factions gathered, none exceeding the Golden Core stage, collectively considered mortals.

City heads are a general term, with different titles and systems in each location.

The territory is too vast, Daoist Sect can only adapt to local conditions.

These mortals, visiting the Spiritual Mountain and walking into the Jade Palace for the first time, were unequivocally nervous.

"Everyone, rise."

Gu Wen raised his right hand, and the officials involuntarily stood up.

He then noticed half the numbers were missing and had a bad premonition, frowning, he asked: "Where are the remaining hundred and fifty?"

The Daoist Sect doesn't manage city officials but requires a roster to be sent.

Gu Wen had summoned three hundred seventy people, all city-level officials, some managing millions of people, akin to a king.

The officials exchanged awkward glances below, none could answer this question.

A Mahayana Realm Cultivator in True Martial Palace attire bowed quickly and reported: "Returning to the Venerate, these people had passed away before coming."

Gu Wen naturally didn't believe this nonsense, sighed, and said: "Go and count, then bring the sect leaders of these officials' territories to the prison."

"Should there be resistance or delay, destroy the mountains and annihilate the sects."

The voice was calm, yet it sent shivers through the bodies of many officials below.

"As you command."

The great power of True Martial Palace still hung his head low, swiftly turning to leave.

He need not worry about how such actions might incite upheaval in the world?

They should be glad Immortals have not intervened.

Historically, the failure of Universal Unity wasn't at the initiation phase, but after sustaining for decades, starting to crumble.

The interior and surroundings of the palace returned to silence.

Gu Wen observed the people below, discerning a hint of servility between their brows, lacking the might from years of privileged ease.

They governed a region, yet were merely the servants of some great power.

If individual strength converged in a few, then why not in me?

The so-called Universal Unity, why couldn't a single hand accomplish what is meant for everyone to become dragons?

For a long time, he spoke leisurely:

"I have a wish to speak to you all, a power to entrust you with, a law for the world to follow."

The Jade Palace was spacious, lofty, and grand.

Gu Wen's voice extended, reaching the summit of Jade Emperor Peak at the Three Pure Mountain, to the sand-laden borders. From the Sword Cultivators' hundreds of thousands at Broken Sword Mountain to the affluent Danqing State.

From spring to summer, from autumn to winter.

Hundreds of millions listened, shouted, cheered... until it transformed into a stroke of history, summarized by a brief sentence when people in future turned back to look.

In the fourth year of the New Calendar, the city official system reformed, the imperial examination first appeared, and high salaries promoted honesty.

In the fifth year of the New Calendar, three official inspections initiated, opened trade globally.

In the sixth year of the New Calendar, commenced steam shipping, lowered the cost of cotton.

In the seventh year of the New Calendar, factories sprouted like a forest, with an eighty-twenty ratio of industry to agriculture.

In the eighth year of the New Calendar, a railway eighty thousand miles long from Xuanhuang State to Broken Sword Mountain opened.

In the ninth year of the New Calendar, the first case of a Cultivator being killed with firearms appeared.

At the end of the tenth year of the New Calendar, Gu Wen, Chi Yu Zi, Li Yunshang, and Li Miao traveled the countryside, observing the people's conditions.

In ten years, the countryside had greatly transformed, no longer desolate. Every household lived in brick houses, reminiscent of the countryside from the past life.