I changed the world.

Chaoyang Mountain Ancient Pagoda is located in the mountainous area west of Yunhu Scenic Area in Linzhou, some distance from the main urban area east of Yunhu. The ancient pagoda is over ten meters high, but it is more accurate to describe it as a pagoda-shaped ancient relic. At about ten meters high, its original appearance is no longer discernible.

Experts have conducted research and found that the ancient pagoda has two stories and has likely been rebuilt. However, further identification without damaging the internal core of the pagoda is quite difficult. Therefore, there have always been various theories about the original construction date of the ancient pagoda, which has gradually become a mystery.

Because it is not part of the core scenic area of ​​Yunhu Scenic Area, there are not many tourists here on weekdays. Only some locals occasionally come to climb the mountain during the day on holidays.

However, at this very moment, a team of seventeen people is heading towards the ancient pagoda along the mountain path.

This was a team made up of young people, and their laughter echoed throughout the journey. Thanks to the city's lighting project for tourism, the lighting along the mountain path was quite good, allowing the team to move at a rather brisk pace.

An Huiling was at the very end of the line, her forehead covered in sweat. If Luo Yan hadn't been helping her up every now and then, she probably would have already sat down. Even so, with her physical strength, she was really too exhausted to walk any further.

Everyone in her team was her classmate, or more precisely, a member of the school's "Pendulum Club." The leader walking at the front was the club president, Tang Jingyuan.

This event was an internal club activity organized by the "Pendulum Society".

The educational atmosphere within Tianfu University Hall is quite open, so student clubs enjoy considerable autonomy. Club activities like this, which involve going to other places, can be reported and organized once per semester.

Since joining the Pendulum Club, although it hasn't been long, the club president, Tang Jingyuan's, inexplicable abilities have left a deep impression on all the members, including An Huiling. Gradually, almost everyone has come to believe that "Tang Jingyuan can use magic."

As a result, Tang Jingyuan's prestige within the club continued to rise, and some club members even showed a tendency to become fans, worshipping Tang Jingyuan as a life mentor and guiding light.

Of course, what everyone was most interested in was the so-called "magic," since that was the skill that people who joined the club really wanted to acquire, and An Huiling was no exception.

Ever since Tang Jingyuan hinted that joining the club might cure her illness, An Huiling, despite still having considerable doubts, was unwilling to give up on the attempt and joined the club. After she joined, Luo Yan also joined the club.

Today's club activity was attended by so-called "core members." In fact, An Huiling didn't know how she, who wasn't particularly active in participating in activities, had become a "core member." Perhaps it was because of the 1 yuan she had donated to the club before.

According to Tang Jingyuan, in addition to simply having fun, this club activity also included a rather special itinerary: a "spirit awakening ceremony" for the club members.

It is said that after completing the "spirit awakening ritual," they can truly begin to learn how to use magic. According to Tang Jingyuan herself, she saw this ritual in an ancient book, and she herself gained the power to cast spells through this ritual.

The time and place of the "spirit awakening ceremony" were carefully calculated by her.

The other club members who came with her were filled with anticipation at her statement. After all, magic, something that sounded really cool, was something that could only be seen in fantasy novels and movies before. Who wouldn't want to actually master it?

An Huiling swayed, and if Luo Yan hadn't caught her in time, she would have fallen to the ground.

Luo Yan quickly helped her to the side, and there happened to be a few roadside rocks nearby, so she sat down on them.

"I...I really can't go on, I can't walk anymore..." An Huiling's face was deathly pale, and anyone could see that she was in very bad condition.

"Then...then why don't we rest for a while? I'll stay with you," Luo Yan said, quickly supporting her.

Because of An Huiling, the entire group stopped.

"What's wrong? Is An Huiling alright?" Tang Jingyuan, who was walking at the front of the group, noticed the two of them and came over to ask.

"Huiling is weak and needs to rest," Luo Yan explained as she helped An Huiling.

"We're almost there, can't we just hang in there a little longer?" Tang Jingyuan looked at the hilltop not far away, tilting her head as if listening intently to something, appearing slightly anxious.

"It's really no good, look at Huiling, she's like this." At this critical moment, Luo Yan was very clear about which side she should stand on, and then said, "How about this, you guys go first, I'll stay with Huiling, and we'll catch up after she's rested."

Tang Jingyuan thought for a moment and finally nodded and said, "Okay, we'll stay in the ancient pagoda up there. Come over when you've rested."

"Okay," Luo Yan nodded.

Tang Jingyuan didn't say anything more and continued to lead the other members forward noisily.

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

In the dark of night, Zhang Jing leaped through the mountains and forests. He wore a bronze mask covering half his face, a purchase he'd bought online from a shop that made replicas of armor; after all, old masks were rather cheap. Clad in feathered robes and wielding a sword, he resembled a chivalrous knight-errant from a fantasy novel of this world.

At his current speed, even without using the "blinding" technique, it would be difficult for anyone to detect his presence, especially in such a dimly lit environment. Even if someone did see him clearly, they would most likely just think they were seeing things.

Zhang Jing moved through the tree branches at an extremely high speed, sometimes disappearing from the spot and "reappearing" at a distance ranging from tens to hundreds of meters away in the next instant.

This is Zhang Jing practicing the skills he obtained from "Earthly Fiend Forbidden Techniques: Floating" and "Heavenly Escape Secret Scroll," and combining these two skills in actual application, practicing repeatedly.

Especially in such a dimly lit environment, such high-speed movement requires extremely high levels of reaction and skill. At the beginning, Zhang Jing even bumped into trees and was scratched by branches.

This kind of practice is also to prevent any unexpected mishaps from occurring at a truly crucial moment.

Unbeknownst to him, Zhang Jing had arrived at a ridge near Chaoyang Mountain. Suddenly, he stopped and stood atop a towering tree. He turned his head and looked towards the ancient pagoda of Chaoyang Mountain in the distance.

In his perception, some strange energy was gathering in that direction. Flames ignited in his eyes. In the vision refined by the True Fire Eye, above the ancient pagoda of Chaoyang Mountain, space was churning like boiling water, and the boundary between the void and reality was blurring...

"What happened there?" Zhang Jing's eyes widened, and a bad feeling subconsciously arose in his heart.

Although he didn't understand what had happened, he decided to go and see. Just then, Zhang Jing suddenly thought of something, hesitated for a moment, and then took out the wishing book:

"I wish that I will have good luck in the events to come."

After saying that, he took back the wishing book. Since he didn't know what he would encounter, he decided to make a wish first, just in case.

Then, he disappeared from the spot...

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

It was 20:25 PM. On the open ground next to the ancient pagoda of Chaoyang Mountain, Tang Jingyuan had already drawn a circular magic circle with a diameter of about four meters using the blood from the blood bags she had brought. These blood bags were obtained by a member of a medical school under the guise of conducting an experiment.