I changed the world.

Page 278

As he spoke, the local earth god looked around. To his embarrassment, there wasn't even a single intact chair in the small temple. Finally, the earth god pointed and a wooden bench flew out from the corner of the wall. It was probably used by worshippers to rest in the past. The workmanship was rough, but the materials were solid, and it was still intact at this moment.

The local earth god simply stroked the bench, and all the dust on it fell away. He then invited Zhang Sicheng to sit down.

"Alas... It's fallen, it's fallen..." the Earth God muttered, seemingly somewhat dejected.

Seeing this, Zhang Sicheng was somewhat embarrassed. He declined briefly, but when the local earth god insisted, he sat down as well. The earth god then found an even smaller stool under the offering table and sat down himself. According to Zhang Sicheng's observation, these two stools were probably the only two wooden stools in this dilapidated temple that could be considered to have all four legs.

Seeing that the local earth god seemed a little downcast, Zhang Sicheng had an idea and suddenly said, "Don't be sad, earth god. It is fate that we met. After I return to the mountain, I will instruct my disciples to rebuild this temple for the earth god."

The Earth God, whose eyes had been almost closed, suddenly opened them wide upon hearing this. He abruptly stood up from the bench and exclaimed urgently, "Is what the Celestial Master said true?!"

Seeing his demeanor, Zhang Sicheng immediately understood. Although he was already in his eighties, he had been born into a prominent family, experienced the struggle for the throne, and then served as the Celestial Master for decades, handling all kinds of relationships. His understanding of human nature was beyond compare.

He had just intended to forge a good relationship with this local earth god. Don't let the dilapidated state of the temple fool you; as the saying goes, "It's not the mountain's height that matters, but the immortals who dwell there." This was, in all his years, the first truly extraordinary being he had ever witnessed!

Not to mention, even if this small earth temple were to be rebuilt, it probably wouldn't cost much. For the Celestial Master's Mansion's assets, this level of expenditure would not normally even be delivered to him.

Making friends with a deity in this way seems like a sure win!

"Does the Earth God see me... as someone who speaks falsehoods and lies?" Zhang Sicheng stroked his beard.

"Hahaha, with your status as a Celestial Master, you would never deceive this old man." The local earth god seemed quite pleased with himself. Then, as if a little embarrassed, he thought for a moment and then waved his sleeve: "Celestial Master, you must be thirsty after sitting for so long. Please have a taste of the tea I made myself."

As he spoke, a clay teacup suddenly appeared on the bench beside Zhang Sicheng, steaming inside with a few green leaves floating about.

"This is a rural place, with nothing of value. I hope the Heavenly Master will not find it offensive." The local earth god spoke politely, but his face betrayed a hint of self-satisfaction.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Sicheng's heart stirred. He exchanged a few polite words, then picked up his teacup. However, he did not rush to drink it. Instead, he took a light sniff and felt a light and refreshing aroma rushing into his lungs. In an instant, it seemed as if every cell in his body had come alive. An instinctive desire rose in his heart, hoping that he would drink what was in front of him.

P.S.: Tomorrow's chapter will be a little later, just letting you know in advance. It's mainly to coincide with the ranking update? (????)

Chapter 536 The Celestial Master Goes Up the Mountain (Part 3)

The teacup in his hand wasn't too hot. He brought it to his eyes, and the tea was a very pale amber color. Zhang Sicheng subconsciously wanted to drink it all in one gulp, but his remaining rationality controlled his actions. He hesitated slightly, but thinking about the local earth god's behavior, Zhang Sicheng felt that the other party really had no reason to harm him. In particular, with his current abilities, although he was called a celestial master, he was actually quite self-aware and could be described as weak as a chicken. If the earth god really wanted to harm him, he wouldn't need to act like this.

Thoughts raced through his mind, but Zhang Sicheng praised, "The tea has a mellow and elegant aroma; it must be a fine tea!"

Upon hearing this, the local earth god's face immediately lit up with a smile. Seeing this, Zhang Sicheng stopped thinking about it, brought the drink to his lips and took a small sip. He immediately felt a cool sensation descend from his throat into his stomach, forming a warm feeling that spread throughout his body.

A feeling of relief, like rain after a long drought, welled up inside Zhang Sicheng. He subconsciously took a few more sips, and before he knew it, he had finished the tea in the cup! He even drank the tea leaves. When he saw the empty cup, he even felt a sense of lingering satisfaction.

A slightly tipsy feeling arose spontaneously, and Zhang Sicheng felt cool and refreshed all over, followed by a warm sensation that spread throughout his body. A light sweat broke out on his back, and within a few breaths, the hidden ailments on his lower back that had become apparent due to his advanced age felt as if they were being soaked in warm water, and then they gradually subsided...

In just a few breaths, Zhang Sicheng had the illusion that he had become ten years younger.

"When I was studying, I heard the ancients say: 'The color of amber is so deep that it does not make one drunk, but rather gives one a sense of clarity. Even the finest nectar cannot compare to its beauty...'" Even though he was trying to control his emotions, Zhang Sicheng couldn't help but show his moved expression despite his shock.

"Only after drinking this cup do I realize that the ancients were right..."

Upon hearing Zhang Sicheng's praise, the local earth god's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile, and he repeatedly said modestly, "Master, you flatter me, you flatter me..."

Seeing that the local deity was in a good mood and that they had established a pleasant atmosphere, Zhang Sicheng, who still had many questions, took the opportunity to subtly inquire.

Zhang Sicheng didn't directly ask about any secrets, but instead used the question of the dilapidated state of the local earth god temple as a starting point. On one hand, Zhang Sicheng was also quite curious about this, after all, this earth god seemed to be a deity with considerable supernatural powers, so why was the temple in such a state of disrepair?

Sure enough, after hearing Zhang Sicheng speak, the local earth god hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, "I want the Heavenly Master to know that, to my shame, those years of calamity were endless... This old man is weak and powerless, and was only able to escape the calamity thanks to the protection of the Great Master, but I was still greatly injured..."

When the Earth God mentioned the word "catastrophe," he paused noticeably, his face revealing an undisguised fear. After hesitating for a moment, he glanced at Zhang Sicheng before lowering his voice and saying, "Although the connection between heaven and earth is severed, and humans and gods are different, this old man occasionally appears in dreams to repair temples. As long as it doesn't cross the line, it's still fine..."

The local earth god sighed as he spoke, "But after the great change, under the Zhou Tian Yuan Lock, my supernatural powers are no longer visible, and all laws are forbidden. It is not easy for this old man to survive, let alone repair the temple."

"The Celestial Master is also aware of this matter, so I won't say more... Fortunately, the restriction is gradually fading, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief..." As he said this, the Earth God's face clearly showed a sense of relief, and he let out a long breath.

Zhang Sicheng still wore a peaceful smile on his face, but he was trying his best to remember every word the local earth god had said. Words such as "catastrophe," "great change," "Zhou Tian Yuan Lock," and "suppression of all laws" were a huge amount of information for him. Although he did not know the exact meaning, he could guess that some kind of great change must have happened back then, which directly caused things like "supernatural powers" and "magic" to lose their effectiveness.

In fact, this coincided with Zhang Sicheng's earlier suspicions. Over the past few days, after reviewing the various data he had collected, he clearly noticed that the closer the timeline got to the present, the fewer records of supernatural events such as "extraordinary people," "ghosts," and "strange occurrences" became. While in the past this could be attributed to the advancement of science and technology, which caused some superstitious accounts to disappear automatically under the impact of visual evidence, when the undeniable facts told him that these so-called "superstitions" did not actually exist, Zhang Sicheng was more inclined to believe that some force had caused all of this!

Now it seems that his guess was absolutely correct!

However, the local earth god kept saying, "The Celestial Master also knows about this matter, so there's no need for this old man to say more..." This left Zhang Sicheng feeling utterly speechless. He really wanted to say, "I don't know anything! Please say more! The more the better!" But he was worried about being looked down upon, so he didn't say it. Instead, he pretended to understand and listened intently, afraid of missing a single word.

After sighing and lamenting the hardships of the past years for a while, the local earth god seemed to realize he had said too much, and then tried to make amends: "To be honest, I shouldn't be complaining about this. Now that the imperial edict is broken, and the local deities are almost extinct, I am lucky to have escaped this calamity. How dare I complain about anything else..."

"I am overjoyed by the presence of the Celestial Master today, and thus I have said a few more words than I should have. I hope the Celestial Master will not take offense..."

"What are you saying, Earth God? We're just chatting casually. How can you say that I'm guilty for my words..." Zhang Sicheng wanted to continue listening, so he naturally wouldn't say anything to ruin the atmosphere. Besides, even if he wanted to blame someone, he wouldn't have the power to do so. Would he order the Earth God Temple to be demolished?

Unfortunately, the local earth god seemed to have some reservations, or perhaps he realized he had said too much, because he stopped talking about the previous topic and instead talked about trivial matters and the surrounding scenery. Zhang Sicheng tried several times to steer the conversation back, but without success.

After a while, the local earth god seemed to remember something and laughed, "Master, you've come to visit the great master of the mountain, haven't you?"

Seeing Zhang Sicheng stroke his beard and nod in agreement, he immediately stood up and said, "In that case, this old man will not delay the Celestial Master any longer. Let's not delay the Celestial Master's affairs..."

Seeing this, Zhang Sicheng could no longer linger, so he got up to take his leave. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he turned and walked out of the temple gate.

PS: I have some news to share. Black Moon has decided to maintain the current update pace. If you have any monthly tickets or recommendation tickets, please feel free to vote for them here.

Chapter 537 The Celestial Master Goes Up the Mountain (Part 4)

However, after walking only a few steps, Zhang Sicheng already sensed something was wrong. At this moment, he felt extremely relaxed all over, as if he had returned to his youth. The feeling of powerlessness that had often appeared in recent years had completely disappeared.

Zhang Sicheng immediately thought of the cup of tea from earlier. It seemed he had underestimated its effects! As he pondered this, he arrived at the temple gate. Several disciples guarding the gate were whispering among themselves. Upon seeing the Celestial Master emerge, they quickly stopped talking and showed respect. However, their curiosity was impossible to conceal, and their eyes were all focused on the Earth God beside the Celestial Master.

Although Zhang Sicheng felt slightly embarrassed, he couldn't scold his disciple at this moment, so he simply bowed to the local earth god and said goodbye.

The land deity bowed again, then slammed his wooden staff on the ground, and his entire body transformed into a wisp of green smoke, disappearing underground without a trace.

"Master..." Fan Zeqing and Guan Zeping, who were standing to the side, quickly stepped forward one after the other to offer their support, though they couldn't quite hide the curiosity in their eyes.

Seeing this, Zhang Sicheng simply waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need help and walked forward on his own. He knew that although the land had disappeared, it was probably still watching his group. If his disciples asked any ignorant questions, it would make them look bad, so he was in a hurry to leave.

In this respect, Zhang Sicheng felt extremely good. The feeling that his legs had become increasingly clumsy since ten years ago had completely disappeared, and he even felt a bit light on his feet! Therefore, although the road surface was not very smooth, he felt as if he were walking with great speed.

The disciples were startled and quickly followed. Fan Zeqing even took a few quick steps to catch up with the old Celestial Master, ready to help him at any time. Having served the old Celestial Master for many years, he was naturally aware of the old Celestial Master's physical condition. Although he did not have any serious illness, his legs were not agile, and he still had some of the chronic diseases of the elderly. Therefore, as he walked quickly beside the old Celestial Master, he became more and more surprised and suspicious, and he also made some guesses in his heart.

Zhang Sicheng, on the other hand, felt increasingly relaxed as he walked. He felt his legs becoming more and more flexible and powerful, and his whole body gradually became more active with the movement. A warm feeling gradually spread throughout his body, a sensation he had not felt in a long time. Since his body had aged, he had never felt this youthful vitality again. It was precisely because he had lost it that he knew how precious it was. At this moment, Zhang Sicheng had no more hesitation about his decision to come and visit in person, and even felt a little fortunate!

Without having to carry the old Celestial Master, the entire procession suddenly sped up. Guan Zeping jogged ahead to lead the way. The surrounding fog had not yet dissipated, but interestingly, the fog in front of the procession would always clear up in time, only to thicken again after the group had passed, as if it were making way for the old Celestial Master and his entourage.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, the road became increasingly steep and difficult, and they began to truly enter the mountain climbing stage. At this time, Zhang Sicheng also gradually became out of breath. Although his body had improved, he had not yet recovered to his true youth. Fortunately, he still had the strength to walk on his own, but the pace of the whole group began to slow down.

Fan Zeqing, however, was still somewhat worried about the old Celestial Master's health. He kept instructing his disciples to stop after walking for a while, since the old man should not rely on his physique. He suggested that the disciples carry him up the mountain to conserve his strength.

However, his arrangements ultimately proved useless. The group climbed several dozen meters further up to a flat, open area, a platform at the top of the mountain path. There, they saw a small figure slowly walking towards them through the mist.

The moment Guan Zeping saw the figure, his eyes widened. He quickly took two steps forward, his face beaming with smiles, and called out loudly, "Is that Master Fasheng in front of me?"

The boy walked slowly but quickly, and had already reached the front of the group. Now everyone could see his appearance clearly. He was a boy with two topknots, looking about seven or eight years old, wearing a tattered Taoist robe. His face was clear and bright, without any of the playful air of an ordinary child.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Guan." The boy stopped and bowed respectfully when Guan Zeping greeted him.

Guan Zeping repeatedly said he dared not, as he dared not address him as his junior brother as he had done before. He then solemnly returned the greeting and introduced Zhang Sicheng: "Master, this is the young Master Fasheng I mentioned."

Then, he introduced the boy to the boy: "This is the current master of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, the True Man Who Protects the Nation, Receives the Holy, Bestodial, Reveres the Dao, and Promotes Virtue." After saying this, fearing that the boy was too young to understand the meaning of the title, he added in a low voice: "He is the contemporary Heavenly Master Zhang."

"This humble one greets the Celestial Master." The boy then cupped his hands and bowed deeply, saying, "My master heard that the Celestial Master was coming here and specially instructed his disciple to come and guide the way."

Zhang Sicheng was also observing the boy in front of him, quite curious, but he didn't show it on his face. He smiled and returned the greeting, saying kindly, "Then I'll have to trouble this young master."

Zhang Sicheng originally thought that the boy's "leading the way" meant literally leading the way, but unexpectedly, after the boy stopped and nodded, he waved his sleeve, and the surrounding fog suddenly became thick, enveloping Zhang Sicheng and his group.

Zhang Sicheng was curious, but his expression remained completely unchanged. He had witnessed many strange things today and had become immune to them. He was slightly worried that his disciples might show weakness, but fortunately, the disciples accompanying him had been carefully selected and given instructions before this trip, and none of them showed any signs of distress.

In just a few breaths, the mist dissipated and quickly vanished. Only then did everyone realize that they were no longer on the mountain path, but on a much wider platform.

Not far from the group of people stood an extremely thick ancient pine tree, which was estimated to be as thick as several people could hug. It stood out like a crane among chickens in the forest.

“Master, this is the mountaintop, we’ve arrived…” Guan Zeping recognized the familiar scenery around him at a glance, suppressed his surprise, and whispered in Zhang Sicheng’s ear.

Zhang Sicheng nodded without responding; his gaze was now drawn to an elderly man in feathered robes not far away.

Chapter 538 Gu Shunzhi

The old man's Taoist robe was worn and tattered, his gray beard was stubble, and his hair was tied in a rather unkempt bun. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, one would find that his eyes were clear and bright, unlike many elderly people whose eyes often had bloodshot or yellowish tinges. His eyes looked extremely clear and pure, and Zhang Sicheng couldn't help but think of the phrase "white hair and youthful face."

"But Mr. Gu in person?" Zhang Sicheng smiled, clasped his hands together, and raised his voice.

Gu Shunzhi looked at Zhang Sicheng, who was smiling broadly at him. He naturally recognized this contemporary Celestial Master. Even though he had rehearsed his response countless times in his mind, Gu Shunzhi still felt somewhat complicated when he actually faced this contemporary Celestial Master again.

Before his rebirth, his original name was Luo Yangchuan. He had been a monk in the Celestial Master's Mansion for more than 60 years and had personally witnessed three generations of Celestial Masters. However, perhaps due to his indifferent personality or lack of opportunity, he remained just an ordinary steward until old age, responsible for writing documents and correspondence.

If there was anything I wanted to think about before I died, it would probably be regret.

In his youth, he read several biographies of immortals from the Xuanmen school and, disregarding his parents' advice, resolutely left home to become a monk, hoping to attain immortality through cultivation. After becoming a monk, he did have thoughts of returning home, but he had spoken too definitively back then and feared being ridiculed by his family upon returning, losing face. It wasn't until his parents passed away that he truly gave up the idea of ​​returning home, and he devoted himself to quiet cultivation at the Celestial Master's Mansion day after day.

Before he knew it, the years had passed. As he grew old, what he liked to see most were young families bringing their children to worship, and he probably felt a sense of envy in them.

In the stillness of the night, he had pondered his life's lessons: what had he learned? What achievements had he attained? Would he truly be among the immortals after death? Yet, the older and weaker he grew, the more apprehensive he became. He couldn't deceive himself; his decaying body unmistakably told him that even with his thorough study of scriptures and attempts at various meditation methods, if he were to claim any real gain, he couldn't truly convince himself…

The path to immortality is ultimately a mirage, a flower in a mirror, a moon's reflection in water. He still remembered his master, a highly accomplished Taoist master who had thoroughly studied the classics, who in his later years was paralyzed in bed, silent and immobile, needing his disciple's clothes to clean him, suffering unspeakably. Where was there even a trace of the refined elegance of an immortal?

He had also wondered if he harbored any resentment towards the Xuanmen sect. If he said no, that would be a lie, after all, would his life have been different if he hadn't read those books? However, he didn't think he had any deep-seated hatred, since he had lived there all his life and had developed feelings for it.

However, the most ironic thing is that when death is imminent, one is reborn and has a truly miraculous encounter in this life!

To be honest, he didn't resist the young master's plan at all. This wasn't just because he naturally and subconsciously felt a sense of obedience, as if it were a matter of course. Even without that, he felt a thrilling anticipation deep down about the plan, which at first glance sounded audacious, even earth-shattering.

Perhaps it was the overly mundane life of his past life that gave rise to a vague sense of rebellion in him? In this life, he really wanted to see just how far he could go by following that young master.

Perhaps only now did he realize that even after a wasted life, deep down he still harbored a dream of "traveling to the North Sea in the morning and visiting Cangwu in the evening"...

"Gu Shunzhi greets the current Celestial Master." Gu Shunzhi was only slightly dazed before he put all his emotions aside and began to immerse himself in his current identity.