I changed the world.

Page 456

Immediately afterward, the monster on the ruins roared again, then its body suddenly shrank downwards, its pincers slamming heavily onto the ruins. After a deafening roar, it vanished from the ruins. A whooshing sound flashed through the air, like a meteorite scraping against the air. A muffled thud followed, and a twisted tree more than ten meters away from Chadwick and the others was snapped in half like a dry branch. A small monster, unable to dodge in time, was directly hit and smashed into mincemeat. Then, the monster swung its pincers fiercely, casually swatting away a small monster that happened to be in front of it.

The monster let out a low growl as if making a vow to the surrounding monsters. Instantly, the surrounding monsters took a few steps back in fear, but most of them only retreated slightly, still reluctant to leave...

Chadwick and Joanna grew increasingly desperate. In their eyes, they had clearly become the prey on the table, and these monsters were like diners fighting over the food...

Suppression, despair, and distortion filled the air, as if a voice was calling out from the depths of their hearts, urging them to die a quick and painless death, perhaps better than being torn apart and devoured by these monsters...

Ever since entering this eerie region, the two have been under constant psychological pressure, which has now become unbearable...

Joanna's eyes were filled with confusion. Suddenly, she let out a scream as if she had collapsed and rushed towards the monster in the distance.

Chadwick just stared at her blankly, his eyes confused, hazy, and hesitant...

However, in the next moment, both Joanna and Chadwick suddenly felt a sudden release in their minds, and their hazy consciousness cleared up, just like people who were stuck in the mud were suddenly pulled out.

At that moment, the seemingly powerful monster's entire upper body exploded, blood mixing with rainwater and splattering in all directions. The two smaller monsters vying for position nearby also exploded one after the other.

The monster's remaining half-body remained stiff for a long time before slowly collapsing to the ground...

The few monsters that were still alive nearby bared their teeth and looked around, emitting sharp cries like the wails of children.

"Pfft... Pfft... Pfft..." As if struck by some invisible blade, the few remaining monsters were all decapitated.

The next moment, in the dark rain, a Taoist priest dressed in a feathered robe and wearing a crown slowly emerged from the void. Even in the rain, he remained completely dry. The raindrops around him faintly formed illusory, dragon-like shapes that swirled around him before dissipating...

Only then did Chadwick seem to wake up from a nightmare, panting heavily. He looked at the extraordinary-looking man in front of him, still gasping for breath, and didn't immediately realize what had happened.

However, Chadwick's long-standing study of religions and mysticism around the world was not in vain. When he finally came to his senses, he recognized the man's attire and realized that he was very likely a Taoist priest from the distant East.

For runes like Chadwick, the Xuanmen (mystical sect) is an extremely mysterious entity.

But at this moment, all notions of mystery were set aside. The sheer relief of escaping death filled his heart, and coupled with the dizziness from excessive blood loss, Chadwick's knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees: "Help!!! Master, please save us!!!"

The "master" before us is none other than Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing looked Chadwick up and down and quickly noticed that the man's arm was injured. The wound was bandaged with a rather dirty-looking cloth strip, probably torn from clothing. He could tell that even with such a bandage, the wound was still bleeding.

He could even see that Chadwick had lost too much blood and was only holding on by a thread. Once the excitement wore off, he would probably collapse and faint in the current environment.

Zhang Jing reached out and touched Chadwick's hand, sealing the blood vessels in his arm and stopping the bleeding immediately.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 965 Resurrection

Zhang Jing grabbed Chadwick's shoulder, lifting the tall adult as if he were a chick. In just a few leaps, they arrived at the side of a building that had collapsed halfway. The monster had smashed half of the building, but the remaining area could still be used as shelter from the rain.

Zhang Jingsong released Chadwick and gently pressed his back. Instantly, Chadwick felt a surge of heat penetrate his body, dispelling the cold and weak sensations within him. He even had the illusion of "coming back to life."

Seeing that Chadwick's complexion had improved, Zhang Jing released his grip, and with a flicker, disappeared into the rain again. A short while later, when he returned, he was holding a woman in his arms, none other than Joanna.

Joanna's body was limp, soaked to the bone, trembling uncontrollably, her face ashen. Zhang Jing reached out and pressed his hand on her back. After a moment, she coughed violently, spitting out a foul liquid. The liquid seemed to writhe and struggle like a monster on the ground before gradually dissipating. Chadwick, who was standing to the side, turned pale at the sight.

Joanna gasped for breath, and when she came to her senses, she realized that the person who had saved her was dressed in Taoist robes. As a girl who had lived in the small town of Lombard since childhood, Joanna did not know that the person in front of her was a Taoist, nor did she know what the Xuanmen (mystical sect) was.

However, the heat that had just penetrated her body allowed her to make the most basic judgment: the person in front of her dressed in strange clothes must be extraordinary!

After all, this is an era of developed entertainment industry. Even girls from small towns have read all kinds of novels and watched all kinds of movies and TV series. They are not lacking in imagination!

“This… this sir, my brother… my mother…” Joanna immediately thought of her two relatives, and tears welled up in her eyes. Of course, with her face covered in rain and her hair disheveled, it was impossible to tell where the rain was and where the tears were.

She didn't even have time to express her gratitude to Zhang Jing, and stumbled as she ran out of the cave.

Zhang Jing followed behind her and saw her rush towards Pete, who was lying on the ground. So he went over to check on him. Compared to Chadwick, Zhang Jing only needed to touch him to basically understand Pete's physical condition. He had two broken ribs, some small bleeding points in his internal organs, and some signs of concussion. He was currently unconscious.

Zhang Jing gently massaged him, and Pete began to cough violently, his whole body convulsing. He coughed so hard it was as if he was about to cough up his lungs, which made Joanna, who was watching from the side, clutch her clothes tightly, looking very nervous.

After a series of excruciating coughs, he began to vomit, just like Joanna had done earlier. He forcefully spat out a mouthful of foul liquid, which writhed as if it were alive, merging into the puddles on the ground. Joanna and Chadwick, who had followed him, watched in horror. Chadwick couldn't help but ask, "Master... what... what exactly is this?!"

Zhang Jing simply shook his head and said calmly, "This place is not suitable for you to linger."

His words seemed to act directly into their minds; although they weren't in Rune or Lombard, they could both understand what he was saying.

This unusual situation made the two of them realize that they had encountered a "master," and their faces showed more hope.

After Pete vomited out the strange object, he seemed to finally come back to life, breathing heavily, though he still looked dazed. Joanna quickly hugged him and patted his back.

At this moment, Joanna asked with hopeful eyes and a sob in her voice, "Sir, can you see my mother? Is there...is there any hope for her?!"

Zhang Jing glanced at her and nodded. The group then went to the spot where the monster had fallen. Lady Eleanor was still lying motionless in a pool of blood, her body pierced through by one of the monster's limbs. Zhang Jing looked down and let out a soft "Huh." He bent down to check and found that the middle-aged woman who seemed to have died was actually not quite dead yet.

She was quite lucky; her heart was positioned slightly off-center, so when the monster's limbs pierced her, they didn't hit her heart, but rather deflected it slightly.

However, the result was still very serious, because although it did not pierce the chest, it pierced one side of the lung, causing hemopneumothorax. In fact, if it were anyone else, even a doctor, who was not Zhang Jing here, they would have to pronounce him dead in this situation.

However, Zhang Jing could be saved.

Zhang Jing simply made a sword-like gesture with two fingers and slashed through the air, severing the seemingly thick and hard monstrous limb in two. He then slapped the limb, and the severed half, embedded in Lady Eleanor's body, flew away as if struck by immense kinetic energy, embedding itself in the ground a short distance away. As the limb flew out, blood gushed from Lady Eleanor's wound instantly.

Zhang Jing reached out and repeatedly tapped around her wound, blocking the blood vessels near the wound and rapidly reducing the amount of bleeding. The blood that had been gushing out was now significantly less, with only a few strands of blood still seeping out.

“Hold her up,” he said, and Chadwick immediately stepped forward to support Mrs. Eleanor.

Zhang Jing then began tapping and pressing on multiple acupoints on her body, finally gently pressing on her back. Suddenly, Mrs. Eleanor vomited, vomiting large amounts of black, foul-smelling blood along with gasps and coughs. Joanna, supporting her brother, covered her mouth, her body trembling, but dared not cry out, afraid of disturbing the treatment being given by this incredible gentleman.

After vomiting a large amount of black blood mixed with clots, Lady Eleanor's complexion improved. She was still not awake, but at least she was breathing.

“Her injuries are too severe. I only managed to keep her alive. She needs surgery, and you must take her to the hospital for treatment, otherwise…” Zhang Jing slowly shook his head.

He had just helped the woman expel the blood and air from her chest and lungs, and temporarily closed the blood vessels that were bleeding heavily. However, this was only an emergency measure. Zhang Jing himself did not have enough time to treat her. For such serious symptoms, she still needed to go to the hospital for surgery as soon as possible.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 966 Don't Look Back

At the same time, what Zhang Jing didn't say directly was that, in his opinion, even if such an injury were healed, it would likely have serious long-term effects.

"Thank you, sir, thank you... thank you, sir..." Joanna, upon hearing that her mother was still alive, wept uncontrollably as she repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

If she hadn't been supporting her brother, Joanna would have likely knelt down and kowtowed to express her gratitude.

However, after hearing Zhang Jing say that his mother needed to have surgery immediately, she showed signs of anxiety.

"Please...please have mercy, we really have no other way, we don't know how to get out..." Joanna said frantically to Zhang Jing, glancing at Chadwick beside her.

"Please, have mercy and save my mother..." Joanna's eyes were filled with tears.

Chadwick, standing nearby, also said, "Master, we don't know how we got here. If it weren't for you... we would definitely be dead by now..."

"Let's go get out of the rain first. I have some questions for you." Zhang Jing gestured for the group to return to the ruins where they had been waiting for shelter. Chadwick and Joanna, one helping Pete and the other helping Eleanor, returned to the semi-open ruins.

A fierce storm raged around them, the howling wind whipping up the rain that swept across the ground. In the pitch-black night sky, some cracks and crevices could be vaguely seen on the ground, glowing red from below. In the rain, the surrounding area was filled with large, twisted, leafless, and eerie trees, their claws outstretched as if they were ghosts.

Zhang Jing could tell that this was no normal environment. With his current understanding of the occult, he could see that a completely different "kingdom" was overlapping with the normal world of Earth, creating a bizarre scene.

"Where are you from? Are you tourists? And how did you get here?" Zhang Jing asked, pretending not to recognize Chadwick while observing his surroundings.

The two then shared their travel experiences, one after the other. Of course, Joanna didn't mention why her family had come to Misula Island, only saying they were tourists. Chadwick, too, didn't mention that his initial plan was to explore the island's ruins.

The two started by recounting their journey with the tour group, their travels to the indigenous village, their visit to Latour Estate, how they left early, how they subdued the armed man on the bus, and how they encountered the monster...

Since Joanna wasn't entirely clear on many things, Chadwick did most of the talking. Zhang Jing listened to what he had heard and, combined with the information he already possessed, basically understood what had happened.

He was now basically certain that his previous judgment was largely correct, and that the incident stemmed from the sea god who was attempting to break free of the seal.

Zhang Jing nodded slightly, understanding the situation. He looked at the two people, soaked to the bone and shivering despite their attempts to cover themselves. Chadwick, in particular, was pale from blood loss, while Mrs. Eleanor, whom he was supporting, was unconscious and on the verge of death.

Zhang Jing waved to the two of them: "Come with me..."

As he spoke, he walked towards the rain outside the ruins. Chadwick and Joanna exchanged a glance. Even though they were extremely reluctant to enter the torrential rain and wind, they had no choice but to quickly follow him.

After leaving the shelter of the ruins, the wind and rain quickly soaked the two men to the bone. For the already injured, the combination of rain and strong wind caused them to lose body temperature rapidly. Even though the temperature on Misula Island was still relatively warm, the hypothermia gave them an extremely uncomfortable, chilling feeling, a chill that seeped into their very bones.

The two followed closely behind Zhang Jing, supporting Mrs. Eleanor and Peter. The rain made it almost impossible for them to open their eyes, so they could only follow behind Zhang Jing. Unbeknownst to them, the wind and rain around them gradually subsided, while the fog gradually increased. As they walked, they entered a vast fog, with only Zhang Jing's figure still faintly visible ahead.

Chadwick and Joanna noticed the change. They exchanged a glance, and a glimmer of hope appeared in their eyes. Even the wind and rain falling on them seemed less cold. They quickened their pace and followed behind Zhang Jing.

However, at that moment, the two suddenly heard faint shouts coming from behind them, as if someone was calling their names, but the calls were not very clear, making them want to turn around and look.

A moment later, the cries grew louder and louder, as if someone close to them was calling out to them. Although the voices were still indistinct, they inexplicably had the illusion that the person on the other end was someone they knew.

"Keep your mind focused, don't look back." Just as Chadwick and Joanna were about to turn around, a deep voice suddenly came from ahead, like a bucket of cold water, startling them. Their minds instinctively flashed back to ancient legends and myths they had heard in their childhood…

In a myth widely circulated in the Western Continent, the ancient hero Pheidome traveled to the underworld to resurrect his wife, who had been bitten to death by a venomous snake. After enduring countless hardships, he arrived before Hades, the king of the underworld. After passing Hades' test, he successfully moved Hades, and the ruler of the underworld agreed to his request to bring his wife back, but on one condition: he must not look back at her before leading her out of the underworld, otherwise his wife would never be able to return to the world of the living.

Pheidole, overjoyed, thanked Hades and led his beloved wife on the path back to the land of the living. His wife's snakebite hadn't healed, and she groaned in pain with every step, yet Pheidole didn't even glance at her. They walked silently, one after the other, through the many gates of the underworld. Along the way, no matter how much his wife complained, Pheidole didn't look back. Finally, when they saw the glimmer of light in the land of the living, just as they were about to leave the underworld, his wife could no longer bear her husband's coldness and began to grumble unhappily. Hearing his wife's complaints, Pheidole could no longer contain his joy and turned to embrace her. Suddenly, everything vanished like a dream; the long arms of death once again pulled his wife back to the land of the dead…

This legend is so widespread throughout the Western world that when Zhang Jing reminded them, without even needing an explanation, the two of them instinctively resolved never to look back, no matter how much the voices behind them shouted.

At this very moment, Zhang Jing ahead sensed that a dark and unfathomable gaze was fixed upon him, carrying an ancient aura as deep as the ocean.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 967 The Seed of a Wizard

At the same time, the surrounding fog began to surge violently, writhing like tentacles and transforming into all sorts of unsettling, crawling things that swirled towards Zhang Jing, Chadwick, Joanna, and the others, seemingly trying to capture them and bring them back...

But then Zhang Jing formed a sword incantation in his hand, and Chadwick and Joanna simultaneously heard a clear ringing sound. They seemed to see a flash of light before their eyes, but they didn't know what it was. Instead, they instinctively felt a sensation that made their hair stand on end, as if a sharp weapon was pressed against their foreheads...

Seeing the bewildered expressions on their faces, Zhang Jing stopped, waved to them, and said calmly, "I'll leave you here. Don't worry about them, just keep walking..."

Seeing that Zhang Jing didn't seem to intend to see them out any further, the two felt uneasy. However, since Zhang Jing had said so, they had no other choice but to grit their teeth and continue forward.

“Master, will we... meet again?” Chadwick was somewhat unwilling. He had originally wanted to have a chance to ask Zhang Jing some questions about mysticism. After all, it was not easy to meet such a “master.” Although he was not out of danger yet, after experiencing the previous crisis, his desire to pursue the extraordinary had not diminished but had become even more fervent.

"I wonder if I could follow you and learn from you..." Chadwick boldly asked. Although he was a follower of the Church of the Holy Revelation, strictly speaking, he belonged to the original orthodox followers of the Church of the Holy Revelation. However, he was not particularly attached to his faith. Otherwise, he would not have thought of becoming a wizard before. Such an idea would have been a blasphemy in the Middle Ages.

For Chadwick, if he could gain supernatural powers, then following the Taoist masters of the East to cultivate wouldn't be out of the question; he was willing to convert... He just didn't know if Eastern religions had any special dietary requirements. He had heard that many Eastern religions forbade eating meat, just like the vegetarians in the West today, and his favorite food was steak...