Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 53 - 53 45 Horse Treads on Dragon Bridge

53: Chapter 45 Horse Treads on Dragon Bridge 53: Chapter 45 Horse Treads on Dragon Bridge Dragon Bridge Night Market.

Hee Huan leaned against the wall of a small alley, accompanied by a gaunt woman, the two flirting with each other, deeply enamored.

Suddenly, a dark shadow descended and Gu Wen stood in front of them, his towering figure casting them into shade, his eyes under the bamboo hat glowing red with a faint ghostly light.

It wasn’t just any mortal woman who would have been frightened; even Hee Huan himself was taken aback, not understanding why the sense of oppression emanating from this man had intensified so much more than before.

He covered the woman’s mouth and comforted her as before, “Don’t be scared, my dear.

This man is a friend of mine.”

My dear?

Gu Wen looked at the somewhat familiar face in front of him.

Wasn’t this the woman he had encountered in the tooth market before Yu Hua descended to the mortal realm?

He remembered that she had been so unattractive that she struggled to even sell herself, and now she had become this fellow’s wife?

Seeming to understand his confusion, Hee Huan explained, “Fellow Red Dust, this is my third wife named Cui Lan from Daqian.

I came across her selling herself when I first entered the mortal world.

Seeing her without parents and disliked for her looks, I took her into my household.”

“Cui Lan, you go home first and prepare dinner with the others; I’ll be back.”

“Yes, husband.”

The scar-faced woman left.

Gu Wen’s expression was odd as he oddly praised, “You’re quite a philanthropist, Fellow Daoist.”

Previously, he had disregarded the beauties from prestigious families, instead choosing a homeless woman off the street.

Moral values change with the times, and good and evil are seen relative to the situation.

Hee Huan, appearing to be a womanizer, was in some sense also a rescuer, albeit with somewhat bizarre methods.

Hearing the praise, Hee Huan paused momentarily, then he stepped forward, gripping Gu Wen’s shoulder as if he had found a bosom friend.

“Fellow Red Dust understands me!

The outside world spreads rumors of my licentious nature, with over a hundred wives and concubines, yet they don’t know that I never disturb honorable families.

Most of my wives are unfortunate souls; I simply want to give them a home!”

“So you mean to say you’re doing all this to save people?”

“I’m just lascivious.”

Hee Huan spoke seriously and honestly.

He, in a way, explained to Gu Wen as if he were promoting a product: “Our sect practices Dual Cultivation, and although it’s not the Cauldron method, it does require the union of Yin and Yang.

Therefore, it’s common to see multiple husbands or wives, as well as mutual cultivator relationships.

However, my taste is much higher than that of the sect and even the entire world.

Don’t you think it’s beautiful that a lonely damsel sees you as her only one?”

“Such deep love, such intense affection, that is what those lofty female cultivators lack.

What I seek is the utmost in sentiment!”

Gu Wen brushed off his hand, failing to grasp his way of thinking, “With so many people, aren’t you afraid they’ll cheat?”

“If that happens, then it simply means my own strength is inadequate, though it has never happened to me thus far.

As for matters of the chamber, it is fundamentally my cultivation.”

“….”

Gu Wen could only inwardly sigh, true to the style of the Joyful Union Sect.

But this was someone else’s family affair; as long as it didn’t harm others, or forcefully take civilian girls, and was mutually consensual, it was no one else’s business in this life or the one before, aside from legal marriage.

Dong!

A distant bell tolled, and suddenly a fragrance of medicine wafted through the air.

Gu Wen looked up towards the Qianfeng Tower outside the alley, a hint of killing intent causing Hee Huan’s expression to change slightly; for a fleeting moment, it seemed as if he saw the majestic head of a crimson dragon.

“The Pills are ready.”

His voice was even, with a subtle killing aura permeating.

Seeing Gu Wen’s stance, Hee Huan knew that a fierce battle was likely ahead and reminded, “Fellow Red Dust, be careful.

The individuals from the Major Sects who walk in the world always have two protectors accompanying them.

They’re not someone I, alone and unaided, can compare with.”

“Who is her Guardian?” Gu Wen asked.

“You do not know, Fellow Red Dust?” Hee Huan was somewhat surprised.

Gu Wen shook his head in response, “Many years of secluded cultivation have left me oblivious to the world, unaware of who is a hero.”

“In that case, Fellow Daoist’s expenses for coming here must not be small.”

Hee Huan was not suspicious, as there was nothing about it that called for doubt.

He replied, “Not everyone is qualified or has sufficient resources to activate a Breaking Realm Array.

Therefore, some geniuses choose to become the guardian for the successors of Major Sects.

The Fox Fairy’s guardian is also a well-known powerful figure, the twenty-first-ranked Ghost Lady, Yang Shanyu.”

“The Way of Ghosts and Spirits, mastering the spectral world, is not to be underestimated.”

Seeing Gu Wen not overly concerned, and in order to secure the Condensing Dao Pill for himself, Hee Huan added, “Fellow Daoist, the current ranking of the people’s list is not set.

Those with lower ranks are not necessarily weak, and those with higher ranks are not necessarily the strongest.”

Gu Wen nodded, staying alert.

But with the arrow nocked, he had no choice but to shoot; he had to seize every opportunity to gather resources.

The Spiritual Medicine he could obtain with silver and influence had reached its limit.

Daqian’s fate was unknown for how long it could last, akin to the saying: “better committing robbery than leading a mundane life.” If the chance arose, why not raid the Taisi Mansion?

Today was just a modest show of swordsmanship, a test of his abilities.

If he was still weak, he would continue to lie low; if he was unrivaled, he would sweep across Bianjing.

One last question, “Are all protectors great powers?”

“At the very least, they are all strong practitioners of the Refining God Returning Void Realm.”

The Mystical Sect’s cultivation had four major realms: Refining Essence and Transforming Qi, Qi Refinement, Refining God Returning to Void, and Harmonization.

The protectors were at least powerful practitioners of the Seventh Level.

“How powerful are they?”

“Due to the limits of fate, very few survive beyond it.

Those exceeding it will have their lives shortened.

But Refining God Returning Void Realm practitioners are much stronger than me.”

“That’s enough.”

Gu Wen smiled lightly, “In the Immortal Land, one does not assess by realm but by talent.

If my talents surpass even the heavens, why should I fear True Monarchs and Godly Immortals?”

Madness!

Sheer madness!

Among the world’s many proud geniuses, everyone is high-spirited and arrogant, but very few fail to take True Monarchs into consideration.

However, Hee Huan liked it, and he too smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist, go ahead, if something really happens, I have a backup to get you out.

Even if you can’t snatch the Pill, today I still owe you a favor.”

Gu Wen took a step forward, emerging from the shadows.

His appearance instantly attracted countless gazes; the imperial guards ran toward him.

He did not hide, nor did he need to.

From ten paces away, he merely glanced, and the surrounding horses panicked and crashed chaotically, turning Dragon Bridge Street, once resplendent like brocade, into turmoil.

Several imperial guards, as if facing a formidable enemy, then began to step back, their blades trembling nonstop.

This is what it means to have great power within oneself!

The grandeur in his eyes was being shredded bit by bit; courtiers were trampled and wailed in the chaos of runaway carriages—things he had to grovel in front of in the past were now like sandcastles, crumbling as he passed.

And the violent machinery that sustained all this feared him.

Breathing heavily, Gu Wen could no longer suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth; he admitted he quite liked this scene.

Once he had the strength, he couldn’t help but trample this glorious Dragon Bridge, stomping on all these courtiers and officials.

“This Fellow Daoist, may I know your business at Qianfeng Tower?”

Yang Shanyu stood at the entrance with her beautiful posture, confronting the unwelcome Gu Wen.

As soon as she stepped out, she regretted it; a strong murderous intent locked on her, and her instincts transmitted a frantic warning.

Danger, the mysterious person in front of her was extremely dangerous!

“Bring me a furnace of Condensing Dao Pills.”

Gu Wen clenched his spear, its murderous aura exploding through the black cloth like fire and abyss; the dark red spear’s energy crawled over the spear’s body.

“Also, I’d like to ask for the guidance of rank twenty-one on the Man Ranking, and rank five of the Land Ranking, Fox Fairy.”

Boom!

The flagstones of Dragon Bridge Road shattered, and a glint of cold light wrapped in a soaring murderous glow came whistling toward them.

Yang Shanyu was prepared; her beautiful eyes shone with a faint light, her face turned pale in an instant, and her palm radiated a ghostly light far stronger than any fine steel.

Thump!

Spear clashed against palm, sending sparks flying.

Yang Shanyu attempted to grasp the spear’s head, clenching her palm, but in less than half a breath, her tiger’s mouth split, and blood seemed to be instantly sucked away by the spear’s head.

Untouchable!

Just as the thought arose, she retreated; a sky full of spear energies enveloped her, while a crimson dragon swooped down in an instant, shattering her spirits.

Unstoppable and inescapable!

Conquer the square inch, take no life within six feet.

It was just one spear thrust, as if to penetrate Yang Shanyu.

Sigh~

A gust of wind lifted her hair as her fingertip lightly tapped her forehead.

Yang Shanyu collapsed to the ground with a thud, looking up at the man in front of her—like an abyss, like a demon—with a pair of eyes exuding a calm murderous intent.

“You lost.”

“May I ask for your esteemed name, Brother?”

“A mere Loose Cultivator from the Red Dust.”

Gu Wen, spear in hand, stepped into Qianfeng Tower.

He saw an official hiding under a table and, not minding the trouble, approached him with a spear that punctured the man’s considerably plump body.

He then saw someone nearby, a fourth grade imperial official, and casually killed him too.

Noble scions, high-ranking ministers, distinguished elites—this place was indeed teeming with the elite.

Just by stretching out his hand, the spear broke skin and flesh like piercing through paper mache.

Blood-stained spear, like an abyss, like a demon.

Cultivation is indeed a beautiful thing!

“What a fine spear of the Way of Killing, I wonder whose disciple he is.”

An elderly voice came through, and before him, an aged woman appeared, stooped and walking with a cane, like a candle flickering in the wind.

“Young man, leave Qianfeng Tower now, and I’ll spare you…”

Before her words ended, Gu Wen’s figure flashed; the Moonset Step’s Second Level allowed him to instantly leap three meters, drawing within six feet.

The Qianfeng protector’s pupils dilated, and with all the Daoist Skill impossible to employ and the world losing its color, she saw only a red light.

Gu Wen, with all his might, thrust his spear out; the spear’s energy trailed like a tail for three meters, and the wind howled.

Boom!

The Qianfeng protector was thrown like a cannonball, countless chairs entangled with her, embedding into the wall, ultimately bringing the wall down with her.

She collapsed to the ground, bloody froth at her mouth, eyes full of disbelief.

“The Way of the Spear reaching the Divine…”