I changed the world.

While the old man was away using the restroom, Zhang Jing used his secret technique to examine the jade artifacts again. Unfortunately, they were just ordinary antiques.

However, Zhang Jing was not short of money at the time, especially after he found a way to make money. He was confident that he could make even more money, so his interest in these simple antiques faded considerably.

“Uncle Baoping, I really can’t take this,” Zhang Jing said, waving his hand. “It’s rare for Qiuqiu to call me uncle, and I like this child too. It would be so awkward if I took something so valuable.”

Seeing that the old man was about to say something more, Zhang Jing said, "Well then, Uncle Baoping, I'm particularly interested in the Jian ware era and have been collecting jade plaques, jade tablets, and crystal pillars of this shape. Since you have connections, could you please keep an eye out for me? If anyone has such collectibles and is planning to sell them, please introduce me to them if it's convenient."

Seeing Zhang Jing's resolute attitude, the old man stopped insisting and sighed, "Hongjian, you have the demeanor of an ancient gentleman!"

It was almost evening by then, so the old man closed his shop and took Zhang Jing to a familiar restaurant nearby for a meal. Zhang Jing did not refuse. Because there were children present and because of the previous incident, neither of them drank alcohol, but they still ate quite harmoniously. After the meal, they felt like old friends despite their age difference.

Before leaving, the old man repeatedly reminded Zhang Jing to visit often, and that if he had any questions about antiques or was unsure of anything, he could ask him or ask him for his expertise. Zhang Jing knew that in the antique trade, it was customary to keep some secrets to oneself, and for Mr. Zheng to say this meant that their relationship had gone beyond ordinary relations, so he readily agreed.

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After hailing a ride-hailing car to go home, Zhang Jing sat in the back seat and opened the news app on his phone to check today's news.

Immediately afterwards, his attention was drawn to the pinned news on the app:

At 14:30 on November 21, 2015 (the thirty-sixth year of Chenghe), the Human Union Scientific Exploration Agency held an important press conference at the Seljuk Empire's High Gate Fortress, the headquarters of the Human Union.

At the meeting, Dr. Sun Jingzong, chief scientist of the Human Joint Scientific Exploration Agency, announced that during the test flight held on November 13, the experimental ship "Marveen River," commanded by Colonel Thomas von Guderian of the Earth Defense Force, successfully completed the first subspace journey in human history. After nearly 16 hours of travel, the "Marveen River" appeared in space about 2 light-years away from Earth and established a semi-permanent beacon there. Currently, the "Marveen River" has successfully returned to Earth, and after systematic medical testing, all crew members are in good health.

Dr. Sun Jingzong stated that the great success of this experiment marks the successful development of the space-use warp drive, a marathon research and development project that took 56 years to complete. This project was spearheaded by the Human Alliance and involved 15 major countries around the world, including the Zhao Empire, the Rune United Kingdom, the Holstein Empire, the Grand Republic, the Norman Empire, the Parthian Confederation, the Seljuk Empire, and the Gasol Kingdom. It involved the dedicated efforts of hundreds of thousands of scientists.

In previous experiments, scientists have confirmed the existence of subspace and predicted that the turbulence effects of subspace could greatly shorten the time required for interstellar travel. This time, the experimental ship "Marveen River," equipped with an experimental warp drive, successfully traveled through subspace and reached a world previously untouched by human civilization—a historic leap forward.

This also marks a breakthrough for humanity. Since the Pandya star-falling event in 1914 (the tenth year of the Chengfeng era), the last technological bottleneck preventing humanity from entering deep space has been broken. It also signifies that, up to this point, human civilization has fully digested the cosmic legacy gained from that event in just one hundred years.

In the subsequent press conference, Dr. Sun stated that this would be the most important technological breakthrough in human civilization over the past century, and would greatly accelerate humanity's exploration of deep space. He also noted that the current spacecraft warp drive technology is only an initial experimental model, and there is still significant room for improvement in the future…

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As of press time, major stock exchanges worldwide have seen varying degrees of gains, with aerospace technology and related sectors experiencing widespread increases, and starship manufacturing and related industries seeing a large number of stocks hitting their daily limit...

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Chapter Sixty-Six: Humanity Will Live On!

Zhang Jing carefully read the news article and then checked other news articles. He found that many self-media and mainstream media accounts were repeatedly analyzing this news article, and almost all of the analyses were relatively optimistic.

A prominent media figure even likened it to the clarion call of the Age of Interstellar Exploration. Some financial analysts confidently asserted that this would lay the foundation for a century of economic prosperity and urged everyone to buy into space-related stocks at rock-bottom prices…

A slight smile crept onto Zhang Jing's lips; he was genuinely happy for the achievements of humanity in this world. In terms of technological prowess, especially in space exploration and energy technology, the humans of this world were far ahead of his predecessor. However, through his original memories and reading historical books after his transmigration, Zhang Jing understood that none of this had come about without reason.

The world once had a long history of conflict, confrontation, and even teetering on the brink of war, with a world war seemingly imminent. However, in 1914, everything changed with the "Pandia Ocean Star Incident," which has been frequently mentioned in later generations.

The Pandya Sea is one of the world's most famous maritime trade routes, located at the nexus of East-West trade. Situated south of the Kingdom of Maratha and the Dominion of Ludwigshafen, it has always been considered a sensitive waterway where Eastern and Western powers meet. Although it is international waters, for many years, the navies of various major world powers, such as the Zhao Empire, the United Kingdom of Rune, the Holstein Empire, the Republic of Grande, and the Kingdom of Fusang, have passed through here under the guise of training or escort missions. On June 23, 1914, as the world was on the verge of war, several escort fleets from various countries patrolled the Pandya Sea under the pretext of anti-piracy operations.

At noon that day, a strangely shaped spaceship suddenly appeared in space outside the lunar orbit. Afterwards, various countries checked the observation records of major observatories at the time, but there was no observation data to explain how it appeared there.

After its appearance, the spaceship flew towards Earth, showing no signs of stopping after breaking through the atmosphere, and finally crashed directly into the Pandaria Ocean. The intense visual impact of the spaceship's descent and the towering waves it created attracted the attention of almost every ship in the Pandaria Ocean at the time. Subsequently, warships from various countries that arrived at the scene engaged in a standoff around the crash site.

In the following week, the situation escalated to the point of almost going to war. After it was determined that the crashed object was an alien spaceship, almost all countries began to take seriously the technology and opportunities it represented.

Fortunately, after a series of diplomatic efforts, the standoff did not escalate into a hot war, and the foreign ministers of the various countries temporarily signed an agreement for joint salvage. Subsequently, the successfully salvaged alien spaceship, and the advanced technology it revealed after dismantling, far surpassing that of Earth's civilization, shocked the world and even caused panic throughout humanity at the time.

This event has been adapted for the screen countless times over the decades, and has even won more than ten television and film awards.

For the first time, humanity truly felt that it was not alone in the universe, but also incredibly vulnerable. What terrified countless people was the possibility that their planet had already been discovered by a more advanced civilization.

Countless science fiction novels, comics, and movies that followed featured alien invasions as their main plot, which gives an idea of ​​the panic that people were in that era.

The shadow of world war originally dissipated under this mentality, and at this critical juncture for the survival of civilization and race, countries demonstrated unprecedented efficiency.

Countries quickly established the basic principles for joint research on extraterrestrial spacecraft, and on this basis, they established an inter-national coordination organization, which was the precursor to the later Human Alliance, and established the principle of sharing outer space technology.

To balance the interests of the East and the West, the headquarters of the People's Union was located in the Seljuk Empire's Gomenburg, and in the following decade it developed into the world's largest and most important interstate coordination body.

The complex technologies and massive resources required for space exploration have made it somewhat beyond the capabilities of any single nation. Therefore, after intense negotiations, a compromise was reached, confirming the principle that no single country would independently develop military space capabilities. In 1915, the "Initiative for the Joint Exploration of Space" was signed.

For the first time in human history, a unified ideology emerged from the upper echelons of nations to the general public: to leverage the power of the entire civilization to develop space, energy, and military technologies.

In the same year, the Coordinating Committee for Resources and Technology Controls was established in Redfield, the capital of the United Kingdom of Rune. All major world powers joined the organization, historically known as the UNCO (Unified Committee on Resources and Technology Controls). This marked the beginning of a unified stance among major powers to regulate the licensing prices of resources, energy, and cutting-edge technologies. Simultaneously, the resulting price scissors effect was used to subsidize key technologies, related industries, and major projects.

Two years after the Pandia Ocean impact in 1916, the Earth Defense Force was established under the impetus of major powers, subordinate to the Human Joint Defense Command (HUDC). Even then, and for the next 20 years, humanity did not possess a single vehicle capable of truly carrying humans into space…

"All countries agreed that it is necessary to maintain a rapid reaction force to safeguard human survival and security, and at the same time, to lay the foundation for a larger-scale defense project for the Earth and even the solar system in the future..." The spokesperson for the UN said at a press conference at the time.

This is an army formed with a tragic undertone. From its inception, its hypothetical enemy has been an almost invincible foe. Its strategic objective is singular: to wage a resolute and uncompromising resistance for the continuation of the human race should humanity be attacked from deep space.

"Humanity shall live on!" This famous battle cry has remained unchanged for the past century.

In 2000, when World Magazine voted for the most famous piece of advice of the 20th century, this quote was chosen with a high vote rate of 89.6%, carrying the memories of that era.

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Chapter Sixty-Seven: A Letter Across a Thousand Years

Back home, Zhang Jing sat down in the chair in his study, took out the jade pendant he had acquired at the market that day, and began to interpret it using his divine sense.

In Zhang Jing's perception, a blurry yet elegant figure silently appeared before him, sitting opposite him like a friend. Through thousands of years, Zhang Jing could still feel that gaze, clear and serene, like still water. After a brief silence, the figure spoke:

"Junior brother, this should be the last time your senior brother sends you a message. I have received the three letters you and Master sent before, but I have been weighing the pros and cons and have not been able to make a final decision..."

"Heh... I never thought I'd experience this kind of anxiety and uncertainty." The figure smiled faintly, seemingly mocking himself. Zhang Jing had already realized that the figure was just a still image, so he remained silent and simply watched.

"When I received the message from the sect, it was like a thunderbolt. Although I had some guesses before, I still couldn't accept it. A thousand years of struggle, countless elites have fallen... and this is the end."

“I remember on the day I entered the sect, my master warned us: For a cultivator, never deceive your own heart. His words still ring in my ears. Forty-two years have passed in the blink of an eye, but I have never forgotten them for a moment.”

"However, this choice is far too difficult. Homeland, sect, righteousness, honor, and future—how can these be easily abandoned with a simple decision..."

"Since receiving the letter, I have been tossing and turning in agony, unable to sleep a single night..."

"The sect has set a date for withdrawal, and the sect leader is personally overseeing it, so there should be no failure. My master has also written to persuade me many times before. I know that my master has a compassionate heart, and I only feel grateful and have no resentment whatsoever."

"Moreover, this is the general trend, and it cannot be changed by Master alone."

"However, my homeland, my ancestors' tombs... at this time when the land of China is in ruins, I really cannot bear to abandon them."

"In the end, all I can say is sorry..." The figure stood up and bowed deeply to the ground, saying, "I have failed my master and all the elders of the sect in their painstaking cultivation and kindness, and I have failed the friendship of my fellow disciples..."

"I, Qingzhuzi, have made up my mind. Even if the lineage of this world is severed, even if the world is on the verge of collapse, even if there is no way forward... I am determined to stay and perish with the Divine Land..."

"Junior brother, this parting is our last... The bloody battles have decimated the sect, leaving only the two of us under our master's tutelage. The journey to this foreign land is fraught with peril, so please take good care of yourself, honor your elders, and do not bring shame upon the sect..."

"Thinking back to when I first entered the sect, it all seems like yesterday. My master did not consider me dull and taught me everything he knew. My fellow disciples helped each other..." The image became a little blurry here. The figure seemed to recall a few more words, but Zhang Jing could not hear them clearly. He did not know whether it was because the author was excited when he entered this passage or because it was too long ago.

"Longevity and long life... Alas... Longevity and long life... In the end, it was just a dream... Junior brother... Farewell forever!" In the end, all the images returned to nothingness after the figure bowed deeply and could not rise again.

Zhang Jing remained silent for a long time. Clearly, this was a letter sent by a cultivator named Qingzhuzi to his junior brother. It was unknown whether the letter was eventually delivered or not, but it had now fallen into Zhang Jing's hands and was being opened again after thousands of years.

Although time has passed, due to the unique nature of the Dharma Treasury, Zhang Jing could still sense Qingzhuzi's difficult choice and pain through the mind-to-mind transmission.

A thousand-year war... sects retreating... bloody battles raging... the lineage of magic severed... the fall of the divine land... Zhang Jing repeatedly chewed over these words, and combined with the scattered information he had previously obtained, he seemed to be able to touch upon some of the past history.

“But the information is still insufficient…” Zhang Jing shook his head and finally put the jade pendant away.

After reading the jade tablet, Zhang Jing took out the wishing book again to check his latest gains. So far, there were two events that could bring him a relatively large number of wish points:

Special Event: A video posted by the content creator "Blowing Bubbles Candy" on "FreeLiving" has already been circulating within a certain area...

Your actions have led to a change in the perception of traditional martial arts among a small number of people...

A total of 2789 wish points have been added. (23 wish points were added yesterday)

Note: Wish points gained from special events will be settled at 00:00 every day. Wish points for unfinished events will be settled again at 00:00 the following day.

Special Event: You released the original songs "Sky City", "Flowers Bloom and Old Friends Come" and "Thoughts Across Time" on "Beike Music" under the stage name "Rain Falls at Tianmen".

You and your songs are currently receiving some attention on a small scale, causing a slight disturbance in the consciousness of the world's underclass.

A total of 45 wish points have been added.

Of the two events, the short video generated the most wish points, but its growth has already reached its end. Obviously, the short video's popularity has passed, and Zhang Jing estimates that after a while, the daily increase in wish points will probably drop to single digits.

The most rapid growth so far has been in his release of original music. He has already released three tracks on "Beike Music," including "Longing Across Time," which he recorded and uploaded just yesterday. Due to the high quality of his work, the platform has been very supportive in recommending it, having already given it two rounds of recommendations. The response has been quite positive, and he has already amassed over 45000 followers. Zhang Jing believes that with the current momentum, this growth will accelerate further in the future.

The other events have all stalled or only gained single-digit wish points per day, clearly indicating that these events, in terms of impact, don't bring Zhang Jing many wish points. However, Zhang Jing also noticed that the cat-like murder incident, while its subsequent wish point growth was slow, was still steadily increasing by a few points per day. Recalling his fabricated "demon hunter" story in that incident, Zhang Jing guessed that perhaps the police and certain departments would take it into consideration.

In total, Zhang Jing has 12962 wishing points remaining on his wishing book so far.

In addition, a new event has emerged on the latest page of the wish book:

Special Event: You acted bravely near Tongbao City in Linzhou, stopping a child trafficking case and arresting two human traffickers. This event has been reported by Linzhou Channel, a subsidiary of the city's television station, as well as by several independent media outlets, and has already spread to a certain extent.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Speculations about Wishing Points

Because it's not yet midnight for the settlement, the points for this incident haven't been tallied yet. Zhang Jing was somewhat surprised to see the description of the incident. Although he had anticipated that this act of bravery would generate some unusual news, he hadn't expected it to be on television.

The "City Television" mentioned in the wishing document refers to a well-known private television media group in the country of Da Zhao, whose main business is the city television stations in various regions. It operates on a free-to-air model, relying on advertising revenue for its operation.

Its subsidiary, Linzhou Channel, broadcasts Linzhou Evening News, which mainly features the main local news of Linzhou City that day, and sometimes also broadcasts some important news from Jiangdong Province.

Zhang Jing then went online and started checking the Linzhou Channel of the city television station—Linzhou Evening News. In this era of advanced internet, all major television stations upload their programs to their own websites. Sure enough, Zhang Jing quickly found tonight's evening news, and when he scrolled down to 03:23, he saw a report about himself.

According to reports, the television station took notice of the story because onlookers called their news hotline. However, by the time the reporter arrived, the incident had already been resolved. Therefore, during the program, the reporter went directly to the district police station, where the two patrol officers who had responded to the call were present and granted an interview.

The interrogation of the human trafficker was still ongoing, so some details couldn't be revealed. However, the two police officers highly praised the brave man who had intervened. Of course, to protect user privacy, they didn't disclose Zhang Jing's full name to the reporter, referring to him only as "a young man." One of the officers did, however, highly commend Zhang Jing's martial arts skills. The reporter, astutely seizing this news angle, dug deeper into the story, resulting in a headline that was more appealing to the general public: "Martial Arts Master Disarms Human Trafficker Barehanded."

I just don't know how many wish points I'll get this time.