I changed the world.

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"Then... what about Senior Brother Fan and the others?" Zhang Lianchuan was still in shock. As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at his side again, as if those people would appear out of thin air at any moment.

"Zeqing and the others will be back by car later."

"Father, did you really meet that master this time?!" Zhang Lianchuan couldn't care less about his worries at this moment. He already had a guess in his mind and hurriedly asked.

Mentioning this matter, Zhang Sicheng couldn't help but recall a previous experience that he would never forget, the land at the foot of the mountain, the thrill of soaring through the clouds, and the magnificent Eternal Suppression Stele and Demon-Suppressing Pagoda...

He subconsciously stroked his beard before sighing, "Truly a divine being!"

As he spoke, he glanced at his eldest son with a hint of pride: "From now on, don't call him any 'master.' According to seniority, I, your father, should call him Uncle, and you should call him Great-Grandfather. After this matter is settled, I will take you to pay him a visit. Don't become distant..."

Seeing his son's curious expression and desire to ask more questions, Zhang Sicheng waved his hand and did not continue the conversation. He simply said, "This matter is not urgent. Let's talk about the major you mentioned on the phone. Have you verified that he is indeed a member of the Zhang family?"

“Father, I have checked the family genealogy. We are indeed from the Zhang family lineage, but we are now beyond the fifth degree of kinship and have moved to Chizhou. We belong to the branch of Shou'an Gong. We even came back to update the family genealogy when we worshipped our ancestors a few years ago…”

..........................................

"Greetings, Celestial Master. We apologize for disturbing your rest."

"Not at all, Yiwen, come, sit down."

Because Qian Bushi was carrying an imperial edict from His Majesty on his way out of the capital, the Celestial Master's Mansion received him in a rather formal manner at the Huxian Hall. Zhang Sicheng, dressed in a formal purple robe, was already sitting there waiting. After Zhang Lianchuan brought him in, he stood up to exchange pleasantries, and then the two sat down again.

Knowing beforehand that the event was extremely important and confidential, after the two sat down, everyone except Zhang Lianchuan and one of Qian Bushi's assistants left so that the two could discuss the matter.

Qian Bushi and Zhang Sicheng knew each other, and especially recently, Qian Bushi had visited Danding Mountain in person more than once, so their way of addressing each other had become more intimate.

"I have come here under the cover of darkness because of an extremely urgent matter that I have no choice but to seek help from the Celestial Master." After sitting down and exchanging a few pleasantries, Qian Bushi got straight to the point.

As he spoke, he took some documents from his assistant and handed them to Zhang Sicheng, while explaining the details.

Zhang Sicheng also put on his glasses at this time. As he flipped through the documents and listened to Qian Bushi's introduction, his face remained calm, but his heart gradually became uneasy.

Looking at the bizarre and outlandish descriptions in the documents, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. However, recalling his uncle's instructions before he left, he felt more confident.

“Master, Fengsui Fortress is the gateway to the solar system. If it falls, the impact will be enormous, and it may shake the entire world.” Qian Bushi’s voice was low and his face was anxious. “Moreover, everyone in Fengsui Fortress has parents, wives and children. If the demons further enter the core area of ​​the solar system, there may be even more devastation.”

"At this moment, there are still officers and soldiers holding their ground at Fengsui Fort, waiting for reinforcements. It is thanks to Major Zhang Chengxi that the country was not caught off guard by sending back a warning message in the midst of the crisis."

"Speaking of which, this Major Zhang is actually a descendant of the Celestial Masters. He truly lives up to his reputation as a descendant of the Celestial Masters and is a remarkable hero!" Qian Bushi exclaimed with admiration.

Then, he bowed again towards the north, his face solemn.

"Before coming here, His Majesty specifically instructed that an oral message be sent to the Celestial Master..."

As he spoke, Qian Bushi stood up. Upon hearing this, Zhang Sicheng also rose from his chair, straightened his clothes, and bowed, saying, "I wonder what Your Majesty's instructions are?"

"His Majesty's decree: I hope the Celestial Master will prioritize righteousness; I place high hopes on him."

After conveying the emperor's decree, the two sat down again. Qian Bushi had said what he needed to say, and finally cupped his hands and said, "I have heard that the Xuanmen (Taoist sect) has always valued ethics and morality. The Celestial Master is the leader of the Xuanmen, and his compassionate heart is known throughout the world. At this time, everyone looks up to him, so please do not refuse!"

Zhang Sicheng secretly sighed inwardly at Director Qian's profound mastery of the art of language. His words had just cornered the Celestial Master's Mansion in the name of righteousness.

Chapter 568 The glorious lands of China, how could they not be blessed by Heaven?

Although Director Qian didn't say it directly, the implication was clear:

To stand idly by and watch lives be lost is inhumane.

The beacon tower, the gateway to the solar system, is a place where demons invade; to turn a blind eye would be unjust.

The nation is in peril; His Majesty has issued a decree. To refuse such an order would be disloyal.

To fail to rescue one's nephews or nieces in times of danger is to show no filial piety or brotherly love.

Undoubtedly, if the Celestial Master's Mansion continues to evade responsibility, and if these words were to spread in the future, the Zhang Celestial Master lineage would likely be seen by the world as "unrighteous, disloyal, and unfilial." This would be a huge blow to the reputation of the Zhang family's leaders in the Xuanmen sect.

Of course, without the trip to Zhebifeng, the Celestial Master's Mansion would undoubtedly have to admit that its "Taoist arts are not proficient enough to shoulder great responsibilities" right now. However, this would lead to a series of consequences that the Celestial Master's Mansion would not want to see...

Neither outcome is what the Celestial Master's Mansion wants to see.

At this moment, Zhang Sicheng was filled with relief, and also somewhat proud of his family's correct decision. If he hadn't gone against the majority opinion and gone in person, any other disciple would probably have been too late to deal with this situation!

Zhang Sicheng thought to himself, but his face remained expressionless. After a moment of contemplation, he quickly made some calculations on his middle, ring, and little fingers with his right thumb, then smiled and said, "Don't worry about this, it should be fine..."

Qian Bushi, of course, wouldn't be dismissed by such an ambiguous statement. Looking at Zhang Sicheng's seemingly unfathomable face, he leaned forward slightly and said urgently, "Master, could you please explain? This matter concerns billions of lives on Earth; it cannot be taken lightly..."

Zhang Sicheng stroked his long beard and said slowly, "When demons wreak havoc, our Xuanmen will not stand idly by and watch the people suffer. When His Majesty's decree arrived, I had already offered incense and prayers for this matter, and a high-ranking expert from the upper realm will surely come to settle it..."

Upon hearing this, Qian Bushi felt slightly relieved and hurriedly asked, "The esteemed person in the upper realm that the Celestial Master spoke of, could it be... a legendary immortal?"

"This matter..." Upon hearing this, Zhang Sicheng shook his head slightly, seemingly unwilling to say more.

This time, Qian Bushi was really going all out. He asked repeatedly, wiping his face with his sleeve, looking anxious and on the verge of tears.

Thus, Zhang Sicheng could only sigh: "Yiwen, this matter should not be discussed further. It is a precept of the Xuanmen sect. You must know that since ancient times, immortals and mortals have been separated..."

He raised his hand to stop Qian Bushi, who was about to speak: "I'll just give you a heads-up."

Zhang Sicheng paused, subconsciously recalling the enormous Eternal Guardian Stele he had once seen. His earlier unease subsided, and his tone became increasingly calm: "This glorious China, spanning thousands of years and enduring countless tribulations, has it not been blessed by Heaven?"

After these words, the room fell silent. Qian Bushi, who was still pretending to wipe away tears, subconsciously stopped what he was doing. Even his assistant beside him straightened his back, and their eyes now held a hint of inexplicable awe as they looked at Master Zhang. For a moment, they felt that the figure of this elderly man, well past seventy, seemed incredibly mysterious and imposing, possessing a powerful force accumulated from history…

***

承和三十七年西历2016年3月31日03:43江陵玄武区将军巷靖北侯府西跨院听雨轩

Zhu Yingwei was sitting cross-legged on her bed, adjusting her breathing, her hands forming a mudra at her dantian, practicing the sect's secret techniques.

The bed she slept in was a canopy bed with four posts. The rosewood bed frame was carved with exquisite patterns, and the top canopy was decorated with lintels and hanging brackets. There was a round opening in front of it, and when the curtains were lowered, it was almost like a separate little room, and you couldn't see the inside at all from the outside.

Both her master and her senior brother had instructed her to practice diligently, and the tremendous changes that occurred in her body made her believe in these instructions without a doubt. She would set aside at least two hours every morning and evening to practice, never slacking off for a single day.

To avoid being discovered by her family or even her maids, Zhu Yingwei deliberately chose the time after nightfall and before getting up in the morning as her cultivation time. Since she had stepped into the extraordinary realm, her daily sleep time had been greatly shortened, so she did not attract anyone's attention.

According to the maids at home, the second young lady had become much more well-behaved since she was scolded and forced to kneel by the madam last time. She went to bed early and got up early every day, and finally started to resemble a proper young lady from a respectable family...

Hurried footsteps approached from afar, heading towards her room. Zhu Yingwei's ears twitched slightly, she frowned, her hands moving in a series of hand seals as she finished her practice. Then, she threw off the quilt, shrank back into bed, and closed her eyes as if to sleep, but her ears were still listening intently to the sounds outside.

"Second Young Master." A maid's greeting came from outside the door.

"Second sister, are you up yet?" A young male voice rang out immediately. The two were speaking softly, clearly lowering their voices, but Zhu Yingwei's hearing was sharp enough to hear them clearly. She knew that it was her second brother, Zhu Xuting, who had come.

Zhu Xuting was the second son of Marquis Jingbei, Zhu Chunchen. Marquis Jingbei had three sons and two daughters. Among them, Zhu Yingwei was closest to her second brother, Zhu Xuting. When Zhu Yingwei was young, she always liked to follow her second brother around like a little shadow. As they grew up, they remained close in age and had a good relationship. In contrast, her eldest brother and sister were much older than her. By the time Zhu Yingwei was old enough to understand, they had already gone to boarding school, and their relationship had become much more distant.

"Miss is still resting. Is there anything I can help you with, Second Young Master?"

"Hmm..." The male voice outside the door hesitated.

"Second Young Master? Should I wake Miss up?" the maid asked again.

"Never mind, I have a letter here. Put it on your second sister's desk. Tell her when she gets up."

"This……"

"I have urgent business to attend to, I'll leave here and come out."

"Alright, Second Young Master, hurry up and come out..."

Immediately afterwards, the sound of a door opening was heard, followed by someone entering her room. Zhu Yingwei's boudoir was a suite of two rooms: an outer room was a study, and an inner room was a bedroom.

The footsteps paused briefly at the desk in the outer room before quickly disappearing.

Zhu Yingwei listened to the sound of the door closing, her doubts growing. Although she and her second brother were very close, he was, after all, an adult, and entering a woman's boudoir was considered quite inappropriate in the traditional sense of the Great Zhao Dynasty. Her second brother must have something important to say for him to do this.

Zhu Yingwei waited until the footsteps outside the door quickly faded away, then she couldn't wait to throw off the covers and get out of bed. Wearing her pajamas, she walked to the desk in the outer room and saw an envelope under the inkstone on her desk.

Chapter 569 Fighting for a Future

My second brother has never done anything like this before...

Zhu Yingwei was curious, yet also vaguely uneasy. She immediately picked up the envelope, which read, "To my dear sister Yingwei." Zhu Yingwei tore open the envelope and eagerly took out the letter inside to read it.

The letter was not long. The beginning told Zhu Yingwei that he was going to carry out an important mission, which might require him to go to a far place.

After that, he gave her a long list of instructions, and even offered some advice on some of her usual shortcomings, telling her to pay attention to her demeanor and appearance.

Especially in social situations, although the Jingbei Marquis's mansion is prestigious, as a woman she still needs to be mindful of her reputation. Building a good reputation among nobles will increase her chances of finding a good husband...

Among the noble families, which young people appear impressive on the surface but are actually incompetent... which ones are disrespectful and unfilial behind the scenes... In short, you should stay away from such people in the future. Be more filial to your parents; although your mother is strict with you, it's actually for your own good...

Zhu Yingwei was initially confused, wondering why her second brother would suddenly write so much nonsense. But the more she read, the more uneasy she felt, until finally, her brows were furrowed in a deep frown...

What exactly is my second brother planning to do? Why didn't he just tell me directly instead of leaving this letter?

The problem is... this letter looks... somewhat like a suicide note!

Zhu Yingwei felt a little frightened, but without hesitation, she quickly changed her clothes and pushed open the door...

The maid outside the door saw her mistress come out and was about to speak, "Miss, what's wrong..."

Then she saw that the young lady was ignoring her and ran off in a flash...

However, when Zhu Yingwei hurried to Zhu Xuting's residence, she found the house empty.

The more she thought about it, the more worried she became. Zhu Yingwei found a secluded spot and silently leaped onto the roof.

The Jingbei Marquis's Mansion covers a large area and is a typical Jiangling garden-style building. There are no tall independent buildings, but the building area is quite large, and the houses are connected by corridors.

It was still early morning. Zhu Yingwei, like a shadow, leaped across the rooftops and soon arrived at a house in the middle of the complex. Instead of going down, she lay on the glazed tiles of the roof and listened intently to the sounds inside.

After a moment's concentration, a familiar middle-aged woman's voice, slightly nasal, came from inside the room: "Can't you not go? My family has been noble for generations. Even if we were to live a life of leisure, we wouldn't lack his lifelong wealth..."

Zhu Yingwei immediately recognized her mother's voice; however, her mother's usually confident and assertive voice now carried a hint of fear. She listened intently…