I changed the world.

The rainbow bridge is about 3 meters wide. As she gradually stepped onto the bridge, she became higher and higher above the ground. An Huiling's mood gradually became uneasy. Through the seemingly real rainbow bridge, she could even observe the ground below, which was getting farther and farther away.

Just then, an invisible chill swept in from high above. This chill, though intangible, gradually intensified, and An Huiling began to feel cold. She couldn't help but hug herself, but the chill seemed to be growing stronger, as if it were coming from the deepest hell. Her clothes did nothing to keep her warm...

An Huiling looked up and saw Mr. Zhang walking slowly not far ahead, seemingly with no intention of turning around to help her.

Knowing that this might be a test, he gritted his teeth and continued to follow up upwards without stopping.

After a while, An Huiling's face turned pale, and even her hair seemed to be covered with a thin layer of white frost. Just as her consciousness was about to freeze, the chill suddenly subsided. However, before she could catch her breath, the surrounding temperature rose rapidly. Before long, An Huiling felt like an ant on a hot pan, surrounded by waves of heat like molten lava...

Large drops of sweat streamed down her forehead, soaking her temples. Her blood seemed to boil, and An Huiling felt dizzy. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed on the Rainbow Bridge.

Mr. Zhang walked further and further away at a leisurely pace. An Huiling struggled to her feet and continued to stumble forward...

After the heatwave subsided, a vicious wind blew in, sharp as thorns that pierced to the bone, causing excruciating pain that was unbearable.

After the fierce wind subsided, the higher I climbed, the heavier my body became. With each step forward, it felt as if several pounds of weight had been added to my body, gradually making it feel like I was carrying a thousand pounds, and every step became extremely difficult...

Every step forward was a tremendous test of willpower. An Huiling had completely lost her initial ladylike demeanor. She knelt on the ground, using her hands to support her body, but even so, she continued to climb upwards with all her might.

Zhang Jing, who was in front, was not as indifferent as An Huiling thought. On the contrary, he had been paying attention to An Huiling's movements behind him.

Water, fire, wind, earth... the four tribulations came in turn. To his surprise, the seemingly weak woman gritted her teeth and withstood them.

It should be noted that Zhang Jing himself had personally experienced these four tribulations, and passing through them was by no means easy; only a person with a strong and resilient character could pass through them.

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

A wave of dizziness washed over An Huiling, her vision blurred, and she nearly fainted. Fragments of jumbled memories flashed through her mind:

Images of childhood memories of running and playing joyfully with friends in the streets and alleys...

The scene shows the family celebrating their success on a beach vacation after their father's company went public and they became famous...

The image of being struck by lightning upon learning of a leukemia diagnosis...

I don't know when it started, but my cousin began to appear more and more in my life. Despite his impeccable manners and etiquette, I just couldn't bring myself to like him...

Despite his deteriorating health, he refused to drop out of school and went to university against his family's wishes...

I won't give up...

I won't give up...

At this moment, she was completely oblivious to Mr. Zhang ahead. She was biting her lower lip tightly to keep from collapsing, a salty, metallic taste filling her mouth. She straightened up again and took another step forward…

With one step, all the strange phenomena surrounding her disappeared. An Huiling stood blankly on the Rainbow Bridge. At this moment, she was surrounded by a vast sea of ​​clouds. Unconsciously, she was already standing high in the sky.

Mr. Zhang had appeared beside her at some point, cupping his hands in congratulations and addressing her as his junior sister. At the same time, she saw Mr. Zhang's true face for the first time—a refined-looking young man.

In a huge Taoist temple, she met her teacher, who was indeed an old man with white hair and beard, just as she had imagined. From then on, Mr. Zhang became the senior disciple.

Her teacher and senior brother treated her very well, and her cultivation went quite smoothly. After successfully entering the path of cultivation, her leukemia was cured without any medicine.

To break through her cultivation level, the teacher often went into seclusion, and during these times, her eldest brother would tutor her. The eldest brother was a gentle and knowledgeable person, also skilled in music. Over time, she developed a strong liking for him.

After graduating with excellent grades, she inherited the family business. On the surface, she became a well-known business elite, but behind the scenes, she was a cultivator who occasionally had to carry out missions to slay demons and monsters.

Days passed by like this, and after her, she had several junior brothers and sisters. The youngest junior sister was very beautiful, lively and outgoing, and exceptionally talented. She was highly regarded by the teachers and was the class's source of joy.

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

The eldest brother and the youngest sister eventually got together. On their wedding day, she used the excuse of going into seclusion to avoid attending...

Perhaps due to her limited aptitude, her cultivation level stagnated ever since.

She was getting anxious as she was wasting her days. Although her fellow disciples had given her some advice, it was no use.

Because she failed to break through her cultivation level and her teacher passed away, she began to realize that even cultivators have their limits...

However, no matter how hard she tried, her cultivation level remained stagnant.

Once, during an operation to combat cultists, she was tempted by an evil god who told her that he could help her break through her bottleneck, but the price was that she would have to sacrifice fifty ordinary people. For a cultivator of her level who also controlled a great deal of worldly wealth, this was not a difficult task.

She refused and destroyed the evil god's altar.

By chance, she met the head of the foremost cultivation sect in the world—Mount Sumeru. The headmaster showed her appreciation for her talent and was willing to impart profound teachings to her to help her break through her barriers. However, he required her to leave her sect and join Mount Sumeru.

She ultimately declined the sect leader's offer.

Chapter 145 If There Is an Afterlife...

Finally, one day, she broke through the hurdle that had troubled her for so long, and her cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds.

Before I knew it, time had passed, and both my parents had passed away. The family business had indeed flourished, becoming a renowned conglomerate ranked among the top ten internationally.

At this time, the curtain had been raised on interstellar navigation, and the pace of space colonization was in full swing. In order to encourage the pace of colonization, all countries offered preferential conditions, and the controllers of the colony planets had power on their respective planets that rivaled that of the king.

Driven by power and wealth, nobles and conglomerates from various countries have poured vast resources into her schemes, and her businesses have even gained control of a planet through financial means.

However, at this very moment, she made a decision that baffled many: she delegated power to the family advisory committee and went into seclusion, leading a reclusive life.

The reason is quite simple: she understands that to gain something, you must give up something else. Wealth and power are not what she truly desires…

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

After going into seclusion, she devoted all her time to cultivation. Finally, one day, she broke through to a realm that even her teacher had not been able to reach.

She became an immortal!

Before her eyes, flowers rained down, beautiful fairies danced in the air, and a majestic heavenly palace stood before her. Countless immortals rode on clouds to congratulate her, all saying in unison, "Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on attaining the Dao! From now on, may you enjoy eternal immortal blessings and live as long as the heavens."

A colossal celestial gate stood there, radiating dazzling light. Passing through the gate, she followed the celestial official to a grand hall. The floor was paved with square bricks made of white jade, and everyone around her, whether standing or sitting, exuded a terrifying aura as deep as the sea.

A figure in imperial robes and crown, bathed in a clear light, sat high on a throne, looking down at her.

The Heavenly Emperor proposed that she be made to freeze her entire body. Human technological advancements had threatened the realm of immortals and gods, so the Heavenly Emperor decided to destroy the world. As an immortal who recently ascended to the Heavenly Realm, she possessed considerable knowledge of the current state of mortal technology, and therefore, she was chosen to oversee this matter.

Of course, the Heavenly Emperor was not ignorant of the ways of the world. He gave her 100,000 slots, allowing her the right to choose the person who would ultimately escape the calamity.

After a difficult decision, she ultimately refused the Heavenly Emperor's decree, which enraged the Heavenly Emperor, who then threw her into the fiery hell.

Golden flames erupted from her body, burning intensely. Even with her current physical strength, she couldn't stop them; her body was gradually turning black and carbonizing...

Amidst the soul-wrenching pain, An Huiling seemed to see many figures before her eyes.

If there is an afterlife... a thought silently flashed through her mind.

She didn't utter a word of regret even as she burned to ashes.

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

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

"Ugh... I feel a little dizzy," An Huiling said, covering her forehead with her hand. She looked around blankly, surrounded by wispy white clouds and damp mist that drifted by. Her breath felt moist and cold.

She remembered that just now, all the unbearable trials on the Rainbow Bridge seemed to have vanished in an instant, and then... she seemed to have drifted off for a moment?!

Seriously... how could I let my mind wander at a time like this?!

She didn't have time to blame herself. She quickly looked around and saw Mr. Zhang turning around and waiting for her not far ahead. She hurried over.

Before she could even utter the apology she had prepared, she saw the other person point in front of them, and amidst the swirling clouds, a dazzling gate appeared out of thin air in the void before her.

The doorway was deep and secluded, its destination unknown.

"Follow me," Mr. Zhang said, and then stepped through the door.

An Huiling pursed her lips and followed suit, stepping inside.

The next moment, she arrived in a huge hall.

The interior of the hall was in the style of classical Eastern architecture, and it was enormous, reminding An Huiling of the school's auditorium. On the wall to one side, at intervals, a flame floated silently in the air, burning like a lit torch.

Illuminated by the torches, An Huiling noticed that the walls of the hall were covered with murals. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the murals depicted scenes of battle, but the combatants were not all human; rather, they were humans and monsters. The various terrifying monsters, rendered with a slightly abstract and ancient painting technique, evoked a sense of mystery and profoundness rooted in history.

In front of these murals are statues of various shapes and sizes. Most of these statues are dressed in feathered robes and crowns, and their postures are different. Some carry long swords on their backs and have resolute faces. Some have broken arms and roar with unyielding faces. Others carry two swords on their backs and look up at the sky. And many more, like the murals, are fighting against various unknown monsters.

On one side of the main hall stood a tall statue of a Celestial Venerable. Although An Huiling was not a follower of the Xuanmen sect, she would still visit temples and monasteries to pay her respects during festivals, so she was quite familiar with statues of Celestial Venerables. The statue before her was clearly that of a Celestial Venerable, but she didn't know which Celestial Venerable it was.

"This is the Fengxian Hall." Zhang Jing's voice came from the side, his tone solemn and dignified: "The place where sect rituals are held."

Upon hearing this, An Huiling quickly lowered her head and stopped looking at the surrounding statues, composing herself and holding her breath to show respect.

Seeing her actions, Zhang Jing smiled slightly: "At this time and place, you still have one chance to back out. Ask yourself honestly, do you really want to join my sect?"

As he spoke, Zhang Jing reached out and gestured to An Huiling, who was eager to answer, stopping her from replying immediately: "Don't rush to answer, let me explain..."

As he spoke, his voice tinged with reminiscence and a sigh, his gaze lingering on the statues standing tall on either side of the main hall. After a pause, he continued:

Do you know what they are fighting for?

"Is it some kind of monster?" An Huiling first shook her head, then asked tentatively in a low voice.

Zhang Jing nodded slowly, the smile fading from his eyes and replaced by a solemn expression: "What they are fighting against are monsters, demons... and evil gods."

The moment the words "evil god" were uttered, An Huiling felt a chill run down her spine, her heart began to race, and she seemed to hear eerie whispers in her ear. In that instant, all the monsters in the statues and murals in the hall seemed to come alive, turning their gazes toward her.

A profound fear, seemingly originating from the depths of her soul and etched into her very genes, rose within her...

But then Zhang Jing coughed lightly, and all the abnormality vanished instantly. An Huiling gasped for breath and looked around again. Everything had returned to normal, as if it had just been her hallucination.

"Don't overthink it, calm your mind," Zhang Jing said calmly.

Upon hearing this, An Huiling dared not think any further, but she also felt a sense of awe, wondering what kind of being it was, as even imagining it was dangerous.

Are sects simply fighting against such beings?!