I changed the world.

Inside the main living room of the Zhang residence, Zhang Jing and the old man sat facing each other across a tea table, on which were placed items such as a tea stand, a purple clay teapot, and teacups.

After some initial communication, Zhang Jing realized that, just as he had wished in the wishing book, if the old man in front of him had not revealed his identity as an "artificial human," he would have assumed that he was a real human without any doubt.

Clearly, this old man possesses a genuine personality and normal thinking ability, making him no different from a real person in this respect.

Meanwhile, based on Zhang Jing's observations and conversations with the old man, the memories and structure of this personality likely stem from two sources. The primary source is the "soul" of Xiao Daoguang, which he merged with. The soul governs the spirit, hence the old man possesses Xiao Daoguang's complete memories, even the emotions and thought processes derived from those memories. Secondly, there are the numerous memories and skills implanted in the artificial human itself. This part is knowledge-based and doesn't primarily involve aspects like personality or character.

From this perspective, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this old man was an enhanced version of Xiao Daoguang.

Furthermore, this body has a heartbeat and pulse, and from a purely physiological point of view, it is difficult to see any difference from an ordinary person.

Zhang Jing even asked the old man some other questions directly, especially sensitive ones about lifespan. The old man answered without hesitation that the lifespan of this artificial human body was about 300 years. According to the old man, this lifespan was roughly half that of an ordinary fourth-level cultivator.

From this perspective, Zhang Jing also realized that the old man was truly defenseless against him, his "master." Although he didn't yet understand the underlying reasons, the old man was like a loyal servant to him at this moment. Although he had inherited Xiao Daoguang's memories and personality, he didn't feel any sense of incongruity or discomfort in being loyal to Zhang Jing, as if it were only natural.

Zhang Jing knew in his heart that for a considerable period of time to come, the old man in front of him would be one of his most important helpers.

So, he explained some things that the elderly needed to know.

Of course, Zhang Jing wouldn't reveal the existence of the wishing book; it was his biggest secret, one he couldn't disclose under any circumstances. However, aside from that, he was quite open and honest in explaining everything.

Chapter 204 I Will Treat My Teacher with the Respect due to a Teacher

Especially regarding the disappearance of the supernatural world and his own speculations.

Furthermore, Zhang Jing made no secret of his attempt to leverage existing religions and myths on Earth to advance his "Transcendental Manifestation" project, as well as his current progress.

Of course, he only briefly described the reason for his visit as a fortuitous encounter, and he didn't say anything more. The old man didn't ask, and the matter was left unresolved...

"Kunlun..." The old man thoughtfully picked up his teacup, took a sip, and suddenly his face lit up with delight. He smiled and said, "So, it seems that you, young master, have the intention to revive my Xuanmen..."

Previously, the old man had been addressing him as "Master" repeatedly, which made Zhang Jing somewhat uncomfortable. Therefore, after some polite refusals, he temporarily allowed the old man to address him as "Young Master."

Zhang Jing naturally understood the hidden meaning in the old man's words. This world also has the Kunlun Mountains, located in the northwest of the empire, a mountain range that runs through two provinces.

The Kunlun Mountains, with an altitude exceeding 5500 meters, are sparsely populated and have been barren and rarely visited since ancient times. Therefore, they have always been a mysterious and enigmatic place in people's minds.

In the legends of this world empire, "Kunlun" is a mythological concept. In the mythology of Xuanmen, Kunlun is one of the most important sacred mountains, also known as Tianzhu, and is the location of the Supreme Heavenly Venerable's Daoist temple.

However, in modern times, when the geographical barriers of the Kunlun Mountains could no longer stop the pace of human exploration teams, through the exploration of numerous teams, it was later proven that the Kunlun Mountains in the northwest were just a huge and wild ordinary mountain range, with nothing strange about them.

This discovery was disappointing, but some scholars have suggested that Kunlun may not be a simple geographical concept, thus offering more explanations, but all of them lack evidence.

Ultimately, the term "Kunlun" was gradually categorized by mainstream academia as "a romantic imagination created by the ancients due to their insufficient understanding of the world."

“What the old man said is not wrong…” Zhang Jing nodded with a smile. He keenly realized that although the old man said “Xiao Daoguang is no more in the world,” the memories, emotions and even personality inherited from him were not so easily separated from the Xuanmen.

Clearly, the old man before them, even though he was no longer human, still harbored some kind of affection for the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

“Since you have such ambition, young master, I will certainly do my utmost to assist you.” The old man stroked his beard. Then, he hesitated for a moment and said, “Young master, do you want me to pretend to be your teacher?”

“That’s right, but it’s not an act.” Zhang Jing smiled and stood up, cupping his hands in greeting: “Sir, you are very knowledgeable. Conversations with you are always enlightening. It is clear that you are talented enough to be my teacher. I am willing to treat you with the respect due to a teacher.”

Zhang Jing's statement was not merely a pretense; it was a conclusion he reached after speaking with the old man.

After all, in the history of the empire, apart from those from the Dan Ding Mountain lineage, every single person who was "bestowed" the title of "True Man" by the imperial family was an exceptionally talented individual. And Xiao Daoguang's great reputation was certainly not solely due to his long life.

His academic achievements in integrating the three religions were the foundation of his reputation. Xiao Daoguang had in-depth research on various religious sects in China and abroad, and was familiar with all kinds of stories. In addition, he had in-depth research on humanities, history, folklore and other fields. He even had two doctoral degrees in world history and folklore.

It can be said that if he were not a religious person, he could easily obtain a senior teaching position at any university based solely on his academic achievements.

Another thing that surprised Zhang Jing was that he discovered the old man seemed to possess a wealth of systematic cultivation knowledge. Just like a true fourth-level Celestial Venerable cultivator, the old man had a systematic understanding of cultivation.

The key here lies in the word "system". Perhaps Zhang Jing can obtain some powerful techniques and potions by making a wish and continue to cultivate forward by exploring on his own, but at this moment, to be precise, he can only be considered a self-taught practitioner.

The difference lies in the system. It's like a student who has received formal education versus a self-taught student. The latter will undoubtedly avoid many detours, and will have an advantage in terms of the solidity of their foundation and the breadth and depth of their knowledge.

In other words, with the elder's guidance, Zhang Jing had more complete instruction up to the fourth level, and was no longer figuring out his own unorthodox methods.

If there is any shortcoming, it is that the old man does not know much about the culture of ancient times. Most of his knowledge is practical, such as cultivation and combat.

This also shows that the "terracotta warriors" were originally created with a strong sense of pragmatism.

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Although he didn't actually kneel and kowtow, Zhang Jing still served the old man a cup of tea according to the traditions of this world. After this tea-serving ceremony, at Zhang Jing's insistence, the way they addressed each other changed again.

Although there was no one else around, Zhang Jing didn't actually need to go to such lengths. However, he believed that since they would be spending a long time together, they should both get used to this way of interacting. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if they accidentally let something slip. Furthermore, Zhang Jing felt that given the old man's knowledge, his importance to him, and his independent personality stemming from Xiao Daoguang, it was only right to give him the necessary respect. He couldn't simply treat him like a servant, ordering him around.

"In your opinion, teacher, is there anything about this plan that needs to be adjusted?" After laying out his plan in detail, Zhang Jing asked humbly. He was a very self-aware person, and he knew that the old man in front of him would definitely be able to see the aspects that he had previously taken for granted or had not considered when planning such events.

After all, the two were in completely different positions. Even disregarding the accumulation of knowledge, just considering the difference in status, Zhang Jing was previously just a commoner who had long been at the bottom of the empire, while Zhang Jing was a real person who had extensive contact with the upper class of the empire. The information they could access was completely incomparable.

The old man listened carefully to Zhang Jing's description, then pondered silently for a while before nodding and saying, "Hongjian, your plan is quite comprehensive overall, but there are still some areas that can be improved..."

Seeing that Zhang Jing was listening attentively, the old man didn't intend to keep him in suspense. He explained in detail, dissecting the matter and breaking it down into its components. He not only shared his own opinions but also analyzed all the relationships involved and the potential problems one by one, which immediately made Zhang Jing feel enlightened.

Chapter 205 The Great Uprising of the Xuanmen Sect 1800 Years Ago

Zhang Jing even had a vague feeling that the old man was more interested in Zhang Jing's plan than Zhang Jing himself.

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"Teacher, if we are to implement this strategy, where should we begin?"

"It is undoubtedly Yunxiao Mountain." The old man smiled slightly, and before Zhang Jing could ask any further questions, he continued:

"According to the records in the 'General Register of All True Sects', there are a total of 86 lineages in the Xuanmen of today. However, in my understanding, there are only less than 50 that can truly be called orderly lineages."

"If we were to delve into the origins, among the less than fifty lineages, there are also distinctions based on the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. The strongest of them are the so-called 'Three Mountains of the Mysterious Gate,' namely the Celestial Master's Mansion on Danding Mountain, the Yunxiao Temple on Yunxiao Mountain, and the Chunyang Palace on Yuhua Mountain."

"Among the many sects of the Xuanmen today, at least half are directly or indirectly derived from the Three Mountains. Among the Three Mountains, the Celestial Master's Mansion of Danding Mountain has the greatest reputation and is also the strongest branch in the Xuanmen in terms of strength. Its lineage originates from the lineage of the Ancestral Celestial Master."

"However, in terms of its long history, Yunxiao Mountain is not far behind..." The old man stroked his beard.

"I have researched the information before. It seems that Yunxiao Mountain originated from Master Lu back then?" Zhang Jing said. He was naturally familiar with Yunxiao Temple, as he had always been interested in understanding the religious forces in the Great Zhao Kingdom.

"Hongjian, do you know whose lineage Lu Shouyan, the Celestial Master Lu, inherited?"

"This disciple does not know." After pondering for a moment, Zhang Jing honestly shook his head: "This disciple has consulted many materials before, but they are all vague on this matter. It only says that when Master Lu was young, he admired Taoism and met a great sage of the Xuanmen sect, who taught him the twenty-four volumes of the 'Stone Box Book.' After that, Master Lu's Taoist skills improved, and he passed down the Yunxiao lineage... As for who this great sage was, there seems to be no information mentioning it." As he spoke, Zhang Jing looked at the old man. Since the old man had said so before, he must know the key to this matter.

"It's just a substitution trick..." the old man said, his eyes narrowing. "That's what Master Lu wanted to show the world back then..."

"I'd like to hear the details," Zhang Jing said, perfectly timed to play the straight man.

"The so-called twenty-four volumes of the Stone Box Book also have another name..." The old man paused for a moment, then said slowly, "It is... the Yellow Heaven Non-Action Scripture."

"It's this book?!" Zhang Jing's eyes widened. Even with his composure, he couldn't help but lean forward at the sight of this secret: "It's the 'Yellow Heaven Scripture' from late summer?"

It's no wonder Zhang Jing reacted this way. This "Huang Tian Jing" is extremely famous in the history of this world. If we were to talk about the most well-known classic of the Xuanmen sect in this world, apart from the "Xuan Yuan Jing" which is said to have been personally written by the Dao Ancestor, the Supreme Heavenly Venerable, it would be this "Huang Tian Jing".

However, this was not because of any good reputation, but because of the Xuanmen Uprising more than 1800 years ago, which swept across the entire country, ultimately destroyed the Great Xia Dynasty that had lasted for more than 400 years, and also had a profound impact on later generations.

If we had to make an analogy, this book would be equivalent to Zhang Jing's previous life's book, "The Book of the Peaceful Green Collar".

“Absolutely true.” The old man’s smile was somewhat complicated: “Even within the Yunxiao Temple lineage, only a handful of direct descendants of the abbots throughout the ages know this secret.”

No wonder… Zhang Jing suddenly realized. Since his transmigration, he had been reading various historical and religious materials and classics. Now, thinking back, it seemed that after Master Lu, the previously powerful “Huangtiandao” had never appeared in any historical records again. It was as if they had suddenly disappeared into the long river of history, and even the book “Huangtian Wuwei Jing” had been lost, leaving only its name recorded in history.

He hadn't paid much attention to this before, but now it seems there are subtle clues and underlying issues at play.

Just like in his previous life, the White Lotus Sect had repeatedly rebelled and been suppressed since the Tang and Song dynasties, yet it remained strong until it weakened after the liberation. This shows that in ancient times, when grassroots governance was crude, it was possible to suppress religious organizations that were good at hiding, but to eradicate them completely was extremely difficult.

So, where did Huang Tiandao go? It seems they've always been there, even carrying on their legacy into the modern era…

"Could it be that Yunxiao Temple is Huangtiandao?" Zhang Jing asked thoughtfully.

"To be precise, Yunxiao Temple is the ancestral temple of Huangtiandao. Huangtiandao, which originated in the late Xia Dynasty, has been passed down to the present day and has been divided into 9 lineages. Although most of them are no longer aware of the secrets of that time, within the Xuanmen (Taoist sect), they have always been closely connected with Yunxiao Temple and have kept pace with each other."

Zhang Jing was also taken aback upon hearing this. A sect that could be passed down for nearly 2000 years must have a truly formidable potential.

"Could it be that Yunxiao Temple has some other ideas?" Zhang Jing couldn't help but ask.

“Perhaps it did exist back then,” the old man said with a smile, “but it no longer exists today. If it does, it is merely a continuation of the religion.”

Zhang Jing nodded, knowing that the old man was telling the truth. After all, in the past 2000 years, there have been many chaotic times, but Yunxiao Temple has always remained an observer and has never personally intervened, which speaks volumes.

For the various sects of Taoism, their competitors are more accurately described as other religions rather than empires. In particular, the various religions of Shengqi, which have been spreading and infiltrating the East in recent decades, are seen by the Taoism as even more serious than the Buddhist religion of the past.

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As the conversation with the old man continued, Zhang Jing began to learn more secrets. For example, the assets controlled by Yunxiao Temple, whether openly or covertly, were no less than those of internationally renowned conglomerates. As for the resources that could be leveraged through its influence, there were even more.

Among these are its temples, branches, disciples, and believers scattered throughout the country; some are land and real estate; some are various registered and unregistered accounts, shares, trusts, and funds; and even some are secretive information networks and personal connections...

Some are in the open, some are in the shadows, and even more so, even the abbot Li Jingxin was unaware of their existence before he took over as the new leader of the Yunxiao Sect.

From this perspective, Xiao Daoguang's identity as the leader of the Yunxiao sect was far more important than his simple identity as the abbot of a temple.

What interests Zhang Jing even more is that, as an ancient sect that keeps a huge secret, Yunxiao Temple has its own unique system of emblems, symbols, sign language, and secret networks...

In his previous life, Zhang Jing was just an ordinary person and didn't have much experience with this. However, through books he had read, such as *The Da Vinci Code*, *Angels & Demons*, and various tomb-raiding novels, he roughly knew that regardless of East or West, religious sects, noble families, or royal families, given a long enough history, would often develop a plethora of mysterious emblems, symbols, and gestures. The West even developed a sophisticated system of heraldry for this purpose. In the East, such coded and cryptic systems were similarly developed to their extremes, to the point that many scriptures are filled with numerous cryptic phrases, making their original meaning difficult for outsiders to understand…

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