Dao Equaling the Heavens

"Martial Ancestor, don't make trouble—a matter that can be resolved by force is not a family affair."

"Tsk! Boring, little Yu Hua, you're even more old-fashioned than Martial Ancestor. It looks like this disciple narrowly escaped disaster."

Li Yunshang looked extremely disappointed on the surface, but inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

As Yu Hua said, when it really comes down to it, it's not about who has higher cultivation, nor is it about the strong ruling over the weak. If Yu Hua was determined to part ways forever, even if Li Yunshang wanted to mediate, it would be futile.

"I'll settle accounts with you later, but for now, don't speak. When you speak, it irritates me."

Yu Hua sternly scolded Gu Wen, her attitude unprecedentedly harsh, yet still exceedingly gentle.

Not making a big scene over this is already the epitome of prudence, let alone the fact that she wants to resolve it proactively.

She pulled Chi Yu Zi to sit down again, her eyes holding no malice, and said sincerely:

"I'm not blaming you; you're not at fault. If anyone's to blame, it's Gu Wen. From what I know of him, even if drugged, he could control his desires. It was all voluntary on his part."

Chi Yu Zi smiled bitterly and said, "It was also voluntary on my part."

Yu Hua shook her head and said, "It's not your fault. I was already dead at that time, and you two were life-and-death companions. Such deep ties, between a man and a woman, would naturally draw you together without severing worldly ties."

"Now, having died and come back to life, it seems I've intruded on you. If you don't mind, the three of us can share our lives together."

Upon hearing this, Chi Yu Zi's eyes widened slightly, filled with disbelief, wondering if she heard wrong.

She initially thought that Yu Hua not beating or scolding her was already dignified enough, expecting to talk it out afterward, each taking a step back with Gu Wen to resolve the matter.

That would have been the best outcome.

But Yu Hua actually agreed to her being with Gu Wen?

Seeing Chi Yu Zi not respond for a long time, Yu Hua sighed softly and said, "If you are unwilling, I can accept living separately. Gu Wen will live with you and visit me when he can."

"No... it's not like that. I am, of course, willing."

Chi Yu Zi was a bit incoherent, taking a deep breath to organize her thoughts and said, "I just didn't expect you to agree. I thought Yu Hua's sister would want to chase me away."

"I'm always reasonable. It's not you who should leave if anyone does."

Yu Hua's words instantly brought tears to Chi Yu Zi's eyes, and she said, "In the family hereafter, Yun Li will take you as her elder sister."

"What's with being the head? We're all one family; why talk about ranks?"

The two seemed to have reached a reconciliation.

Instead of the imagined stormy confrontation, there was unexpected peace.

Yu Hua had anticipated and mentally prepared for this, only surprised that Jade Sword Buddha did not succeed, allowing Chi Yu Zi to take the lead first.

Chi Yu Zi was extraordinary by birth but never bound by rules, acting solely based on her preferences. She simply liked Gu Wen and cared little for anything else.

Moreover, Yu Hua was once Chi Yu Zi's admiration during her youth.

Gu Wen scratched his head, feeling the matter was not as simple as it appeared.

"Is it resolved just like that?"

Li Yunshang's somewhat disappointed voice spread, causing Yu Hua to be quite helpless.

"Martial Ancestor, what do you want?"

"I thought we'd see a great battle, perhaps forcing the disciple to choose between the two of you. You've accepted little Yun Li, and Yun Li has her own plans to take a step back; all the disciple's blessings have been spent on you two."

Li Yunshang tapped Gu Wen's head and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Of course, there's also me, your master."

Gu Wen did not refute, acknowledging that his life's luck wasn't great, except for never encountering insincere people.

Thirty minutes later, Li Yunshang, finding no interesting drama to watch, left the Immortal Mansion with little enthusiasm.

Chi Yu Zi also left soon after.

Although the issue was resolved, she couldn't move in on the first day; some days for adjustment were necessary.

Besides, Yu Hua's sister and Gu Wen, having not seen each other for many years, would prefer not to have others around during their affectionate moments.

Soon, the Immortal Mansion was left with only Gu Wen and Yu Hua.

"Having your wish fulfilled, Wen should be very happy, right?"

Yu Hua said softly, "I remember that among many heavenly daughters, Chi Yu Zi was the one who pleased you the most; you two were life-and-death companions, supporting each other through hardships."

Gu Wen diverted his gaze and said, "Cough, cough... Didn't you bring this up yourself? Why are you blaming me again?"

"Yes, naturally, I could only fulfill your wishes; otherwise, you'd drive me out of the house."

Yu Hua slightly raised her head to look at the ceiling, her tone mockingly cynical: "Now you're elevated as Master of Heaven and Earth, more noble than an Immortal; how can someone like me, a mediocre person who became Immortal by borrowing the path, dare argue with you."

Gu Wen approached and embraced Yu Hua, repeatedly pleading, "I was wrong; it's all my fault. My dear lady, let's talk this over; I'll listen to everything you say from now on. What do you want me to do now?"

For the following two hours, Gu Wen uttered all kinds of flattering and humorous remarks, entirely abandoning his previous righteous stance.

With only the two of them present, he didn't need to take many things into account, instead acting shamelessly, reminiscent of his attitude during the Dragon Bridge incident those years ago.

Yu Hua was not genuinely trying to make things difficult for Gu Wen; after some coaxing, her eyes softened somewhat.

"Let me ask you something, and you have to answer honestly."

"Ask away."

"Can your arm be restored?"

Seeing that Yu Hua's first concern was his arm, Gu Wen felt warmth in his heart and answered, "In form, yes."

With that, his severed arm instantaneously grew back, the newly formed arm gently lifting Yu Hua's abdomen slightly upward.

"So improper."

Yu Hua chided lightly, and Gu Wen, somewhat innocent, said, "That's not my fault; with your slenderness, I can't help touching when embracing."

"Rogue, is Yun Li bullied by you like this?"

"It's more like she bullies me."

Gu Wen carried Yu Hua directly into the bedroom, where a breeze of spring swept by, closing the Immortal Mansion's door, with layers of draperies concealing, and the jade and vermilion swayed with sounds akin to wind chimes.

Three months later.

Chi Yu Zi moved in to live and eat with Gu Wen and Yu Hua, and Gu Wen began leading a life of alternating visits—odd days with Yu Hua, even days with Chi Yu Zi.

Three years later, the three harmonized well, and the relationship between Chi Yu Zi and Yu Hua improved steadily, lacking the anticipated chaos.

For both of them, there are no significant matters beyond life and death, and as long as one is alive, everything else is trivial compared to death.

Yu Hua had truly experienced death once, and Chi Yu Zi had teetered on the edge of life and death for eight hundred years.

Their everyday life wasn't free of conflicts, nor was it without conflicts with Gu Wen. It's impossible for daily life to always be peaceful.

Everyday dissatisfaction, friction, and estrangement could all be resolved—they had plenty of time. If they couldn't resolve something today, they could discuss it another day, or maybe it would take a hundred years or even a thousand.

It wasn't until ten years later that Gu Wen was freed from the labor of running between two houses.

-----------------

In Little Heaven and Earth, fifty years saw the population maintaining a fluctuation around one million, ebbing and flowing like tides—sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing.

But the total count remained constant at one million.

On one hand, the good education and material foundation naturally led to a decrease in birth rate; on the other hand, Gu Wen also influenced through the Law, implementing fewer but healthier births.

Generally, each couple had only one child, with a maximum of three.

Eighty years into Little Heaven and Earth, external great power cultivators began to seek refuge.

For stability's sake, Gu Wen temporarily declined acceptance.

A hundred years into Little Heaven and Earth, war erupted in the Cultivation World, with internal strife among the Human Race and rebellion from the Devil Clan.

The Sanqing Taoist Sect suppressed all sides to quell the chaos, but the decline was evident, and peace would not return thereafter.

A hundred and fifty years into Little Heaven and Earth, war resumed in the Cultivation World, but Little Heaven and Earth remained peaceful for a long while.

Martial Saints occasionally descended to pacify all sides, bearing the title Chi Ling.

Before news reached Little Heaven and Earth, Jun Yan had already delivered the intelligence to Gu Wen's ears.

The two avoided Chi Yu Zi, seeking a desolate mountain peak, accompanied by a spiritual sword.

Buzz!

The spiritual sword projected a stern swordsman who saluted and said, "Brother Gu, Brother Jun, it's been a hundred years."

The newcomer was none other than Xiao Yunyi, accompanying Jun Yan's first Divine Thought projection into this Little Heaven and Earth.

After brief exchanges, the three went directly to the main topic.

Xiao Yunyi said, "Must Brother Gu kill Chi Ling?"

"She deserves to die."

Gu Wen replied calmly yet firmly.

Initially, it wasn't life or death between them; implicitly, the other side was even helping Chi Yu Zi, but the later arrival of the Life Span Tribulation changed everything.

He bore no grudge against the Earth Saint who triggered the Life Span Tribulation because that was the latter's duty, even if preventing Yu Hua's revival wasn't done out of malice.

But Chi Ling's deceit caused Chi Yu Zi to gain nothing and toyed with the life of her Daoist Couple.

All of this was intentional.

"She currently maintains world peace and can't die yet." Xiao Yunyi shook his head and said, "Give me three years, and when I emerge from my retreat, I'll bring her head to you."

Gu Wen refused, "Once the location is confirmed, I'll go myself. After killing her, the world will remain orderly."