Dao Equaling the Heavens

The stone bricks glowed red, and lights filled every home.

Li Yunshang's expression was complex, filled with both relief and a touch of loneliness.

She had worked hard for hundreds of years, never able to let the common people live in peace and prosperity, yet her disciple accomplished it in just ten short years.

A calm voice echoed in her ears.

"Ten years ago, only landlord families had brick houses, while ordinary people lived in thatched huts, and moderately well-off families lived in mud houses."

Gu Wen walked to her side, turning his head slightly as though to lecture, "To allow common people to live in brick houses, we should not make everyone a landlord, but make bricks affordable."

"Master, don't you agree?"

"..."

Li Yunshang was speechless.

Beside her, Li Miao marveled, "This is much better than Yunshang's decades-long pursuit of universal unity. Previously, I remember the best they could do was for everyone to wear one more piece of clothing."

Clothing was the most direct measure of poverty and wealth in ancient times, often the most valuable asset to common people.

Even before fighting, hooligans would take off their clothes first, for if they ripped them, they would feel the loss for a long time. If common people had extra clothes to wear, it signified an era of prosperity.

To solve the common people's clothing problem, Li Yunshang arranged for a grotto heaven to be used exclusively for growing cotton and then crafted textile magic artifacts.

In just a few years, people all over the land could wear thick cotton-padded jackets, but this significantly increased the financial burden on the Daoist Sect.

Because it all relied on spirit stones.

This was the reason for Li Yunshang's failure; it was the most crucial reason.

Reform might take one's life, but it cannot cut off all cultivators' wealth.

Li Yunshang asked, "Can these things persist, unlike my previous efforts, which vanished in just a few years?"

"Advanced productivity will remain forever."

Gu Wen confidently replied, "Do you think anyone would oppose burning coal? Moreover, the development to this point is not my achievement, but everyone's."

Compared to Li Yunshang's universal unity, Gu Wen's governance was unobtrusive, with very little opposition all along.

Cultivators didn't need coal, and mortal local forces were too insignificant.

Landlords naturally resisted, but to avoid provoking the Jade Palace, local sects would suppress them on their own initiative, with the rule of 'whoever shows dissent dies.'

This was the result of Gu Wen inviting sect leaders from various regions to Three Pure Mountain for tea.

Li Yunshang asked again, "All these machines were introduced by you, and factories were established based on your decrees. What guarantees continuity if you are gone?"

"Initially, it was me, but later it wasn't." Gu Wen gave an example, "Like the textile machines, they have been upgraded eight times, and I've heard Sword State already has ninth-generation machines."

Li Yunshang's eyes glimmered with a hint of hope, "If development goes on like this, is there hope for universal unity?"

Gu Wen smiled but said nothing, neither affirming nor denying.

"With your wings hardened, you dare to act superior to your master."

Li Yunshang, a bit dissatisfied, pinched Gu Wen's ear.

Gu Wen repeatedly pleaded, "I've told you, history spirals upwards, the future has possibilities, but this time we are bound to fail."

"In the past, one person could only weave three feet of cloth a day. With your machines operating, they can produce thousands of feet in a day, without rest, like magic artifacts. Isn't this hundreds-fold improvement sufficient to enrich the people?"

Li Yunshang's words had just fallen, needing no response, the answer was clear in her heart.

No.

After each failure in pursuing universal unity, she would appropriately lower her expectations, such as 'offering relief to the people while saving a fraction of grain consumption is righteous, saving three fractions makes a good official.'

Initially, it was common to save 'one fraction of grain consumption', but gradually, more and more, it developed to the point where even common people started to pilfer.

Her failure was an internal collapse, an erosion from all social classes, a universal unity that lasted a century was its limit. In a certain year before a century, a minor grain official secretly took some grains home to cook, marking the death of universal unity.

Gu Wen remarked, "There will be, but the people's aspiration for a better life is endless. Today they have cotton-padded jackets, tomorrow they will want silk; how can you blame them?"

Li Yunshang was stumped by the question, she released Gu Wen's ear and sank into deep contemplation.

The desire for more knows no bounds, yet she couldn't say the people's longing for a better life was wrong.

After wearing cotton clothing, one should wear silk. After eating meat, one should eat finer foods. After living in brick houses, one should seek warmth in winter and coolness in summer.

This is only natural; this is the universal unity she pursued.

But those in power are unlikely to permit.

In the sect, there are cultivators, beneath them are relatives and friends, mortals form families in three generations, tribes in six, and nepotism is endless.

These parasites will destroy the people's welfare!

Li Yunshang subtly clenched her fist, her eyes reflecting a chill that darkens the sky and earth.

The next moment, Gu Wen gently wrapped both his hands around hers, concealing the leaking aura, and slowly pried open her fingers.

He smiled, "Master, rather than worry about the matters behind, why not think of names for the grand-disciples in the future."

"You wish to have children with such cultivation? Better think about the possibility of universal unity."

Li Yunshang was instantly amused, tapping Gu Wen on the forehead, "Cultivators transform after achieving the Golden Core, making it difficult to bear offspring. After integration, they transcend into sainthood, completely losing the ability to reproduce."

The nameless anger within her dissipated, listening to the smoke scents of rural households from afar, she revealed a smile of relief and a touch of reluctance.

The road ahead, perhaps they must walk it themselves.