Gu Wen's last set of clothes had developed some holes, and the only difference between him and a beggar was that he was clean.
After all, he was not out here to enjoy life; he had been on the run, not exactly hiding but certainly without a long-term place to settle.
Wherever he went, he could face the threat of enemy pursuit.
Although it didn’t seem urgent at the moment—Gu Wen even had the energy to rob others—this was all due to Yu Hua's overwhelming strength and Gu Wen's own rapid growth.
Yu Hua was invincible in the world; even the Daoist Emperor did not dare to confront him directly.
Gu Wen had just entered Luo Shui and had already fought to a standstill with Xiao Yunyi.
Given this, neither high-level experts nor peers would foolishly provoke him.
As long as they were strong enough, they could go wherever they pleased.
Once either side became a soft target, various factions would find ways to take advantage.
“Let’s go.”
Yu Hua stood up, and the two walked out of the room, making their way to the first floor of the inn.
It was noon, and three worldly cultivators were engaged in lively discussion.
Upon seeing Gu Wen and Yu Hua descend, they immediately fell silent.
This inn was specifically for worldly cultivators, serving as both a lodging place and a platform for exchange.
Although there were only a few hundred worldly cultivators, and with the protectors and guardians combined, there were just over a thousand, they were mostly scattered around various treasure sites, making encounters common.
With exchanges came venues; they could not casually discuss matters in a mortal hotel, mingling with ordinary people.
However, at this moment, the attitude of everyone had subtly changed.
Gu Wen and his companions were not part of the worldly cultivators' circle; he was regarded as an outsider.
Heroes do not question origins, but one must be a hero first; how could a mere servant speak boldly?
Now, Gu Wen had intimidated the vast majority of people with his strength, at least the young talents of the same generation dared not offend him.
Gu Wen glanced at them, not with any particular intention, just instinctively observing the new faces in the inn.
At this moment, even the proudest had to lower their heads to avoid making eye contact with him.
“Are you several Dao friends just arriving in Luo Shui?”
Gu Wen casually asked, as he had a habit from his previous profession of striking up conversations with strangers.
Information tends to intertwine.
The three young geniuses were somewhat flattered by Gu Wen's initiative.
One cleverer than the others stood up and said, “I am Xiang Caiyuan, ranked eighty on the Human Ranking, from the Xuan Yi Sect.”
“Long time no see.”
Gu Wen cupped his hands in greeting, while Yu Hua beside him pursed her lips, a hint of a smile flickering across her face.
A top genius from the Human and Earth Rankings, speaking to an ‘ordinary person’ at the bottom of the rankings with such courtesy was indeed both arrogant and slippery.
He asked, “I just heard you discussing Tianquan Mountain?”
“We are actually here to participate in the Sword Inquiry.” Xiang Caiyuan, aware of his own limitations, continued, “Of course, we cannot compete with Brother Xiao, but we wish to confront the Sword Spirit, hoping to gain a glimpse of Sword Intent or even a Spirit Manifestation.”
It was reasonable for a genius to possess Sword Intent.
“Also, I heard you mention that a great demon inheritance has recently emerged. What’s the story behind that?”
“This is not a secret. Recently, a senior from the Demon Sect seeking a breakthrough in the Immortal Land fell. Before dying, he left behind a cave dwelling on the outskirts of Luo Shui, which will open in a few days.”
“Thank you for the explanation, Dao friend.”
Gu Wen turned to leave, with Yu Hua following silently beside him.
This made the three of them breathe a sigh of relief.
Once the two had completely left the inn, they immediately began to discuss fervently.
“Red Dust Dao friend must be an unparalleled genius!”
“Rumor has it he is a madman, but it seems the gossip is harmful. I believe it’s just jealousy from petty people; true talents never need to explain themselves but prove it with facts.”
“Exactly, the envious have long tongues.”
Their voices drifted along with the wind, reaching Yu Hua's ears.
She smiled and asked, “How do you feel?”
Gu Wen was not pleased by the praise of others; he replied flatly, “It’s just people talking. If I do good, they will only see me as weak. But if I act first with malice and then with kindness, and possess overwhelming strength, I will be sought after.”
“Dignity lies only on the edge of the sword, and the Dao exists between fists and feet.”
Yu Hua showed a look of surprise.
After pondering for a moment, she couldn’t help but admire the insight; this was quite suitable for educating disciples.
It emphasized the importance of strength without outright worship of it, starting from dignity and disgrace, leaning more towards self-protection.
The allure of the Demon Dao lies in its simplicity and brutality, catering to the most primitive desires, while the Xuan Sect’s longevity comes from their understanding of moderation.
However, she had intended to educate Gu Wen, only to find herself being educated instead.
“I thought you had been blinded by your suddenly elevated cultivation.”
Gu Wen countered, “Do you think I would let petty people gain the upper hand?”
“No, your character is not like that.” Yu Hua shook her head, “It’s just that after being suppressed for so long, you should vent a little, but I fear you might not be able to control it.”
Her concern was not that Gu Wen could not defeat other young talents, but that the years of suppression and the sudden rise to the peak might cause him to lose himself.
Yu Hua then asked, “Are you interested in that Demon Cultivation inheritance?”
Gu Wen answered without hesitation, “A trap. I won’t go. There’s no such thing as a free lunch; the only thing free is a meal that leads to death.”
“Good.”
The two walked along the streets of Luo Shui, where the crowds were bustling, yet there was not a single vibrant scene; instead, it was filled with lifelessness.
Merchants were troubled by heavy taxes, laborers wore bitter faces due to dwindling wages, and beggars in the corners weakly shook their bowls.
Even the oxen and horses carrying goods hung their heads, looking dispirited.
People and beasts alike were starving, with corpses strewn for miles.
Upon arriving at the silk shop, it was a bit more colorful, as many young ladies and wives were purchasing fabrics and clothes, making them look somewhat human.
Under the guise of a spell, the shopkeeper saw Gu Wen and Yu Hua as just two ordinary people.
Although they didn’t appear to be able to afford silk, he still greeted them warmly.
“Ah, two gentlemen, please come in!”
Gu Wen had no need to play the fool; he took out a silver ingot from his Qiankun Bag and said, “Find me a few durable outfits.”
“Please wait a moment, sir!” The shopkeeper immediately bent his back.
Beside him, Yu Hua picked up a piece of men’s clothing and measured it against Gu Wen, saying, “This one is nice.”
Gu Wen expressed his disdain, “Too flashy, and it’s easy to wear out; it’s not suitable for fighting.”
“It can be worn daily; you’re not fighting every day.”
Yu Hua had the clothes wrapped in silk and picked out a few more for Gu Wen to try.
Her choices were mostly comfortable and good-looking, while Gu Wen’s first concern was always about practicality in battle.
She grew impatient and lightly tapped Gu Wen’s forehead, saying, “If you like durable things so much, when you enter the cultivation world, I’ll take you to buy battle robes; those are both beautiful and practical.”
“Similar to what you’re wearing?” Gu Wen's eyes brightened; he had long coveted clothes that didn’t need washing.
“Previously, the Xuan Yi Sect specialized in selling battle robes, one of the miscellaneous families. They have a Dao artifact called the Nine Treasure Glazed Robe, said to be impervious to all methods.”
Yu Hua took the clothes that the shopkeeper had wrapped up.
Their conversation puzzled the shopkeeper, but upon seeing Gu Wen toss out another hundred taels of silver, he pretended not to hear.
Why would an ordinary person inquire about so much? The common folk of the Immortal Land were not deaf or mute, but in the end, everyone was focused on how much they could eat in a day.
If a person could not fill their stomach, they were not human but numb animals.
Only with enough food could there be other pursuits.
Before coming, Gu Wen casually rewarded the shopkeeper with some change, and once again he heard the term ‘master’ called from behind.
But times had changed; Gu Wen’s face revealed a hint of nostalgia, and he couldn’t help but smile.
Yu Hua looked at Gu Wen with some curiosity and asked, “Do you enjoy the praise of mortals?”
He had previously been unmoved by the praise of cultivators, yet now he smiled at the compliments from mortals after tossing them some money.
“I just enjoy being a good person in a straightforward manner.”
Gu Wen replied, noticing Yu Hua’s continued confusion.
He chuckled and took out a handful of silver coins from his Qiankun Bag, casually tossing them to a small beggar on the street.
Surrounding beggars revealed fierce glints in their eyes, and the next moment, a flurry of silver snow fell from the sky.
Gu Wen tossed ingots of silver into the air, and under the slicing light of the sword, thousands of taels of silver turned into snowflakes.
“Money! So much money!”
“The God of Wealth has descended to give money!”
“It’s the great lord, the great lord!”
Countless people knelt on the ground to pick up the money, and more people rushed from afar—beggars, refugees, craftsmen, shopkeepers, merchants, and common folk all knelt down, while only Gu Wen and Yu Hua stood like celestial beings.
He grabbed Yu Hua’s hand, using his movement technique to leap into the air, stepping on the western wind like silk, silver falling like treasures, ensuring peace and prosperity for years to come; if silver was insufficient, gold would suffice.
Ultimately, they landed lightly at the highest point, with the bustling crowd below.
Yu Hua stared at the scene before her, somewhat dazed.
She had not been unfamiliar with being worshipped, but it was the first time someone had knelt before her with a smile.
Each person who picked up silver wore a beaming smile, as if they had grasped a lifeline after a disaster.
Yet they would still face hunger tomorrow.
She asked, “Is it worth it? As long as the Daoist Emperor lives, the people of this world will still be in a hot pot.”
Gu Wen smiled calmly and said, “I have done good; why should I care if the world is good or not?”
Previously, he had hated fame and the reputation of being a good person; he despised being called the great lord after helping others because he could not bear the weight.
Now, he no longer needed to think too much or live in fear.
Yu Hua realized that she had been overthinking everything.
He who is to bear great responsibilities must also endure and motivate himself; perhaps there was more pride in it.
How could he let petty people gain the upper hand? How could he lose his true self? He had always been this way; what they saw as arrogance was merely one percent, and what they saw as pride was only one-thousandth.
In the evening, at the inn.
Gu Wen and Yu Hua returned to the inn after wandering around and watching a battle for the gatekeeper between the ninety-ninth and hundredth on the Human Ranking.
This also involved an unranked ‘Heavenly Pride Girl,’ who maneuvered between them; the former was her long-lost childhood friend, while the latter was her sect’s senior brother.
Clearly, it was a reunion in the Immortal Land and a double joy at the peak, yet it devolved into mutual conflict.
It ended with the ‘Heavenly Pride Girl’ shouting, “You are all my Dao soldiers!”
Gu Wen sighed in amazement, further realizing the importance of heirlooms.
After all, if something could be described in such a manner, how could it not be impressive?
Ao Tang saw the two return and hurriedly stood up to greet them, saying, “My two little ancestors, you’re finally back! I’ve been so worried!”
Yu Hua noticed something unusual in his expression and asked, “What happened?”
Ao Tang’s face looked grim as he replied, “The second ancestor has been captured in one of the Demon Sect’s Four Abysses and Eight Caves, the Hanging Cave. Someone has placed a bounty on him for a thousand-year longevity pill. Three Hanging Sword Orders have been sent out, which means three old monsters with at least tenth-level strength in the Immortal Land have accepted the bounty.”
(End of Chapter)