I changed the world.

Li Jingxin bowed respectfully as he withdrew from the quiet room, wiping the fine sweat from his forehead, but his face was filled with undisguised joy.

The matter of becoming an apprentice was finally settled. As for what his grandmaster uncle said at the end, Li Jingxin understood that his grandmaster uncle was actually teaching his disciple how to view wealth.

Furthermore, Master Ling Shu also clearly stated that of the three offerings made last time, the portion concerning the master and disciples, apart from what each person needed for their own cultivation, would be kept in a special account instead of being given to them all at once.

With Li Jingxin's experience and insight, he naturally understood immediately. His grandmaster's concerns were correct. For a great cultivator like his eldest grandmaster, whose cultivation was unfathomable, a little money would not affect his state of mind.

However, it's hard to say whether the sudden acquisition of a large sum of money will affect the mindset and cultivation of the other senior disciples.

After all, this is a large sum of money that can be freely disposed of. It's hard to say how young people will use it after receiving it, or whether they will get lost in the glitz and glamour of the world.

In particular, having embarked on the path of cultivation, he has begun to realize that the path of cultivation is fraught with danger, and if he cannot rectify his mind and indulge his desires, he will easily be doomed.

This is no exaggeration, especially since when he actually came into contact with that being called the Void, the various strange murmurs and calls he often heard constantly reminded him of this.

Therefore, Grand Master Uncle did not approve of handing the money to disciples who had not yet achieved any cultivation. Instead, he suggested keeping it in a special account for them and giving it to them when they reached a certain level of cultivation. This approach would be more appropriate.

He knew in his heart that with his grandmaster's cultivation level, he didn't really care about this money. Clearly, his focus was still on his disciple's future development.

In fact, Zhang Taihe and Zhang Jing had also considered this point. To be honest, although the other disciples may not have thought about it yet, in this world where the extraordinary have not yet appeared on a large scale, it is actually very easy for a true great cultivator to make money.

Even without resorting to underhanded methods, the situation remains the same; after all, scarcity increases value. Therefore, forcibly requiring disciples to live a life of poverty is meaningless. It might work in the short term, but in the long run, as the sect develops generation after generation, if you forcefully withhold it, others will find their own ways to obtain it.

This is similar to Zhang Jing's previous incarnation as the Ming Taizu, who suppressed officials' salaries to force them to be honest and incorruptible. However, these officials themselves wielded enormous power, so how could they possibly be content with a simple life? In the end, it could only lead to disguised corruption...

Similarly, it's naive to expect a superhuman with immense power to be content with poverty, even if it's possible for some. But to expect all disciples to be the same is simply wishful thinking.

Therefore, it is better to guide than to block. Under certain rules and regulations, we can ensure that there are no problems in the general direction. In addition, we can impose constraints on the early stages of character development and self-cultivation. As for the later stages, we can only provide appropriate guidance and education.

Furthermore, it is also extremely important to further strengthen various rules and constraints so that cultivators cannot act recklessly. Zhang Jing's current project of bestowing titles upon the gods is also an important part of this.

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

承和三十七年 2016年4月7日21:37 长春观洞天

"Greetings, Senior Brother." In the square in front of the Transmission Hall, Zhu Yingwei was respectfully greeting Zhang Jing. Not far from her, Wei Chengguang had arrived a few minutes earlier and was currently being tested by Zhang Jing.

Today, the teacher is giving a lesson in person, so everyone deliberately arrived early to avoid any unexpected delays on the way and leaving a bad impression on the teacher. After all, it's quite a distance from the entrance of the grotto to Changchun Temple.

After Zhang Jing returned the greeting with a smile, Zhu Yingwei took out an exquisite insulated food box she was carrying, opened it, took out a box of pastries, and handed it to Zhang Jing: "Senior Brother, these are pastries from Zuoyunzhai, fresh out of the oven. Senior Brother, please have a taste."

Zhang Jing nodded and accepted it. Inside was a rather exquisite pastry. He took a bite and found it to be quite delicious. It was indeed a well-established brand from Jiangling, and he couldn't help but praise it.

"Bengbeng, this is for you." Then Zhu Yingwei smiled and took out another box and handed it to Wei Chengguang.

"Has Second Senior Sister not arrived yet?" Zhu Yingwei asked casually after handing out two boxes. In her memory, her senior sister was usually the first to arrive, often with her eldest senior brother.

"They'll be here in a little while," Zhang Jing said with a smile.

"I see. Then I'll give her my senior's share later."

Just then, Li Jingxin walked over from a distance. He was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, his clothes fluttering in the wind. His steps seemed slow but were actually fast. His gray hair was meticulously styled, giving him a somewhat otherworldly and refined air.

In just a few breaths, Li Jingxin had already arrived in front of them.

"Jingxin greets his Grand Master Uncle and his two Martial Uncles." Li Jingxin bowed respectfully to the three of them.

The three returned the greetings, especially Wei Chengguang and Zhu Yingwei. Knowing Li Jingxin's identity, they dared not be presumptuous in the slightest. After all, they were also newcomers and only had the advantage of seniority, so they returned the greetings very politely.

"It seems everything went smoothly with the teacher?" Zhang Jing naturally knew what Li Jingxin's main purpose was this time, and also knew that he had just been summoned by Zhang Taihe, so he asked with a smile.

"This matter is all thanks to my grandmaster uncle's kind words. My grandmaster uncle has already agreed to take me as his disciple." Li Jingxin couldn't contain his joy upon hearing this.

"In that case, congratulations. You must cultivate diligently in the future and not waste this opportunity."

"I will follow your instructions, Master Uncle, and will never forget them!" Upon hearing this, Li Jingxin quickly bowed again.

Zhang Jing nodded upon hearing this, and then smiled as he told his two junior brothers and sisters that they would soon have a new junior brother. The two of them congratulated Li Jingxin on this opportunity.

After all, although Li Jingxin had also been learning the craft, he was essentially still an "outsider." Now that the teacher had given his approval, they were about to become true fellow disciples. Anyone could see how big the difference was.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History: Chapter 813 Did Junior Sister Go to the Underworld?

They had heard about Li Jingxin's previous desire to resign as abbot of Yunxiao Mountain and join the sect. Both Wei Chengguang and Zhu Yingwei admired his dedication to the Dao, and were genuinely happy to see him achieve his wish.

Zhu Yingwei then took out a pastry and handed it over. Li Jingxin thanked her and accepted it. The group ate the pastry while chatting casually.

Just then, a figure in white hurried over from afar; it was An Huiling who had finally arrived.

"Greetings, Senior Brother." An Huiling bowed gracefully. Having not seen Zhang Jing for a while, her eyes, like autumn water, seemed to linger on him.

"I hope my junior sister is well."

"Greetings, Second Senior Sister."

"Greetings, Second Senior Sister."

"Greetings, Second Martial Uncle."

At this moment, the others also greeted An Huiling, and An Huiling solemnly returned their greetings.

"Senior sister, the pastries from Zuoyunzhai are still warm, try them quickly." Zhu Yingwei presented the pastries as if they were treasures.

An Huiling took a bite and praised it a few times. The pastry was quickly finished by the group. An Huiling casually asked what they were talking about and learned that Li Jingxin had been promised to be taken in by Teacher Meng. She then congratulated him.

Li Jingxin then politely returned the greeting. Afterward, the topic shifted to everyone's recent studies. Suddenly, Zhang Jing raised his hand and casually patted An Huiling's shoulder.

An Huiling felt a warm sensation spreading from her shoulder to her whole body, like mercury spilling onto the ground. She hadn't noticed it before, but only now did she realize that a chilling aura had been expelled from every corner of her body and vanished without a trace.

Only then did she realize that there were still some unresolved issues regarding her previous trip to the underworld.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." An Huiling quickly bowed to Zhang Jing again.

"It was nothing." Zhang Jing simply shook his head slightly, then asked, "Junior Sister, have you been to the underworld?"

“Nothing can be hidden from Senior Brother…” An Huiling’s eyes widened upon hearing this, and she said with admiration, “Huiling just returned from the Jin’an Underworld not long ago…”

"By the way, Senior Brother really has a wide circle of friends. The gods of the underworld treat Huiling with great respect and often mention Senior Brother in their conversations." As she spoke, she remembered, "Oh, and Judge Wang asked Huiling to give his regards to Teacher and Senior Brother when he returned."

"I understand. However, Yin and Yang are different. Junior Sister's cultivation is still shallow. If she stays there for too long, she will inevitably be affected. It is best to avoid contact unless necessary." Zhang Jing nodded and then instructed her.

“Huiling understands.” An Huiling suddenly realized, then nodded obediently. She then explained, “However, this trip was an accident, not Huiling’s original intention…”

After that, An Huiling recounted how she was attacked by a ghost, how she tracked the ghost to its location, how she encountered the Black Impermanence, and how she was invited into the underworld.

At this moment, not only Zhang Jing, but also Wei Chengguang, Zhu Yingwei and Li Jingxin listened to their senior sister recount her legendary experiences as if they were listening to a myth.

After hearing that An Huiling followed the Black Impermanence across the Two Realms Mountain, the Gate of Hell, and through the Road to the Underworld, seeing the legendary Other Shore Flower and the River of Three Crossings, and finally entering the Underworld...

Even Li Jingxin, the eldest among them, couldn't help but hold his breath, straining his ears to listen to An Huiling describe her experiences. He felt a mix of relief and apprehension, thinking to himself, "Is this something I can hear? It must be very confidential knowledge. Should I leave to avoid suspicion?"

But subconsciously, I was also reluctant to leave. After all, this was a secret matter concerning the life and death of ordinary people. As the saying goes, "nothing matters except death," especially in peaceful times. The fear of death is probably the sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's head in this era.

As he grew older, Li Jingxin naturally developed a fear of death. To some extent, his decision to resign from his position as abbot and dedicate himself to spiritual practice was also influenced by this fear.

Now, he suddenly heard news about this...

So, the legendary underworld really does exist!

He glanced cautiously at the expressions of his senior uncle and the others, and seeing that they didn't seem to want him to leave, he felt somewhat relieved.

Then he thought about how he was about to be accepted into the sect, and perhaps his senior uncle hadn't let him leave because of this. That meant he was tacitly agreeing that he could listen here, and so he subconsciously felt even more fortunate. He was sure he had made the right choice!

Life is about choices, and in some ways, choices are more important than effort!

In fact, not only did Li Jingxin think so, but Wei Chengguang and Zhu Yingwei, who were standing to the side, were also speechless with astonishment. After all, this was the legendary underworld!

Second Senior Sister's trip was so cool... Zhu Yingwei felt a little envious, especially after hearing about the beautiful sea of ​​red spider lilies on the Road to the Underworld. She had an urge to go and see it, but she quickly suppressed her curiosity. After all... that was the Road to the Underworld...

"I never imagined that the underworld really exists!" Wei Chengguang's eyes were burning with interest. When he heard An Huiling see Jin'an City suspended above the underworld, he quickly asked, "So, the underworlds in these places are actually located below the cities?"

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to the senior brother who had been smiling silently to the side.

"Yes and no."

Zhang Jing nodded and said calmly, "If you dig three feet into the ground, all you'll see is still dirt."

“However, for the mortal world, the underworld is indeed located below.” Zhang Jing thought for a moment and used an analogy: “It’s like the relationship between a person and the shadow.”

Wei Chengguang seemed to understand but not quite, while An Huiling, who was standing to the side, subconsciously recalled the same answer she received when she asked Hei Wuchang in the underworld, after hearing Zhang Jing's reply. So she hurriedly asked, "Senior brother, I noticed that the layout of the underworld is somewhat similar to that of the City God Temple. Is there any connection between the two?"

"Junior sister is indeed meticulous," Zhang Jing praised. "You could say that, to some extent, the City God Temple is a projection of the underworld onto the mortal world."

“I see…” An Huiling said thoughtfully.

"Concepts, rules, beliefs... the gods are connected to something more fundamental; they themselves are also a part of the rules governing the operation of this world," Zhang Jing said meaningfully.

Upon hearing Zhang Jing's words, the others bowed and expressed their gratitude. After that, Zhang Jing said no more, and it was An Huiling's turn to continue describing her experiences.

An Huiling then recounted her experiences in the underworld, including the various deities she encountered in the judge's hall and the legendary judge presiding over cases. Apart from Zhang Jing, everyone else listened with wide eyes.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 814 Your Home Is Being Watched

An Huiling only mentioned Xu Hanzhang without directly naming him, glossing over the matter. After all, Xu Hanzhang was her cousin, which was a family scandal and not something to be proud of.

"So, Wei Feng, the chairman of the Maritime Bank, has already been thrown into the deepest hell?" Zhang Jing nodded and asked casually after listening to An Huiling's explanation until the end.

“Yes, that concludes the matter.” An Huiling nodded.

“Wei Feng? I know this person. Isn’t he the brother of the current Grand Secretary Wei?” Zhu Yingwei asked thoughtfully. As someone from a noble family, she had a keen sense of politics.

“It is indeed him. Cabinet Minister Wei Guang is his elder brother, and he is the second son in their branch. This matter is quite unexpected…” An Huiling shook her head, but did not continue.

Zhu Yingwei pursed her lips. Having been a disciple for some time, she and her fellow disciples had gotten to know each other to some extent, including their family matters. The surname An was not a common one, and An Huiling had not made any intention to hide her identity.