I have changed my destiny and become an unparalleled immortal.

Time flies, white horses pass by.

In the blink of an eye, another six months have passed.

There is an abandoned alchemy room in the back mountain of the Zixu Sect, which still presents a gloomy and desolate state.

However, Gu Yun has undergone a very significant change in the past six months.

Late at night, inside the grotto.

Gu Yun sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint purplish-black aura.

These air currents are not pure spiritual energy; they are mixed with poisonous substances.

call……

Gu Yun slowly exhaled.

The breath shot out like a sharp arrow, striking the stone wall and leaving a black mark about an inch deep. The nearby rocks were immediately corroded, making a sizzling sound.

Fifth level of Qi Refining!

Within just six months, he rapidly broke through from the first level of Qi Refining to the fifth level.

If this matter gets out, it will probably cause a huge stir throughout the entire outer sect.

After all, even for many young disciples with average spiritual roots, it would take at least two or three years of diligent study to reach this level.

Gu Yun, an eighty-year-old man, whose spiritual root had lost its vitality, still managed to accomplish this.

Gu Yun opened her eyes.

After cultivating the Thirteen Pearls of the Purple Mansion, one can actually cultivate it simultaneously with the Mysterious Scripture of Heaven and Earth's Qi Absorption.

Gu Yun looked at his hands, which were still dry and barren, but possessed explosive power.

Over the past six months, Luo Ling'er would occasionally come over to play with him.

This is the key to his lifespan gradually increasing.

He has now accumulated enough lifespan to live to be eighty-eight years old.

However, as his cultivation level continued to improve, the medicinal power contained in the residue in the waste pill room gradually became insufficient for his use.

Moreover, while that kind of joy was relatively simple, it lacked any explosive power.

If you want the "Thirteen Pearls of the Purple Mansion" to reach a very mature level.

You need to experience the world.

Simply playing and making a ruckus with the little girl is far too slow a process.

While Gu Yun was still pondering things, the sound of the wind outside the cave suddenly disappeared.

A chill instantly enveloped the entire abandoned alchemy room.

Gu Yun's eyes narrowed slightly.

His muscles immediately tensed up, and he unconsciously grasped a poisoned, discarded pill in his hand.

"Who?"

There were no footsteps in the darkness.

A shadow appeared, slowly spreading out at the entrance of the grotto.

Eventually, the shadows coalesced into the shape of a human.

A person was completely covered by a black cloak, with a white mask on their face. The mask had no facial features, only two thin slits around the eyes.

"At the fifth level of Qi Refining, it possesses extremely poisonous spiritual power and is also highly perceptive..."

The masked person began to speak.

His voice had been specially processed, making it impossible to tell whether the speaker was male or female, old or young.

"Han Rou wasn't lying; you really do have some tricks up your sleeve."

Gu Yun slowly stood up.

His body was slightly hunched, adopting an extremely respectful posture.

Out of the corner of his eye, however, he was searching for a way to retreat at any time.

"What brings you to this dirty place so late at night? I'm just a lowly janitor..."

"A menial job?"

The masked man let out a cold laugh, and with a swift movement, he instantly covered a distance of ten zhang and appeared in front of Gu Yun.

A hand wearing a black glove gripped Gu Yun's shoulder tightly, like an iron clamp.

Gu Yun was thinking of resisting and was just about to start circulating the poisonous spiritual power in his body when he felt a huge pressure, as big as a mountain, suddenly and violently pressing down on him.

Foundation Establishment cultivator!

This guy really thinks highly of me.

Gu Yun's heart suddenly tightened, and he immediately withdrew his spiritual power, allowing the other party to manipulate it at will.

The masked man seemed quite satisfied with Gu Yun, and he tapped Gu Yun's shoulder blade lightly twice with his fingers.

"You only began cultivating at the age of eighty. In just half a year, you broke through four realms in succession. Moreover, you consumed a useless pill; such speed is rather peculiar. If it weren't for the sect leader's special care for you, you would already be sent to the Hall of Enforcement for a soul search by now."

"metropolitan?"

Gu Yun's mind raced.

My performance over the past six months has caught the attention of higher-ups.

She already knew that Luo Ling'er was the sect leader's beloved daughter.

She comes here every day.

Then the sect leader will definitely investigate thoroughly.

Gu Yun said in a hoarse voice.

"I just want to survive."

"To survive, you have to demonstrate your value."

The masked man released his grip, took out a jet-black token from his sleeve, and then threw the token into Gu Yun's arms.

The token in my hand felt icy cold. It had a scary-looking ghost head engraved on the front and the character "暗" (dark) on the back.

The masked man stood with his hands behind his back and said coldly:

"The Dark Hall is a place specifically responsible for things that the sect can't do personally. It's responsible for cleaning up traitors, gathering intelligence, and handling some dirty work that can't be seen in public."

Gu Yun looked at the token in his hand and fell silent.

He once wielded immense power within the dynasty.

Behind every seemingly glamorous force lies a dark side.

Gu Yun asked, "Why did you choose me? I'm just an old man who's about to die."

"Because you're ruthless enough."

The masked man's eyes were fixed on Gu Yun, whose face was covered with poison spots.

"A person who can be ruthless to himself and ingest waste pills is very suitable to be used as a weapon."

"Secondly, you are of lowly status, a lowly servant who crawled out of piles of corpses. Who would suspect an old man in the abandoned alchemy room of being an assassin?"

"at last……"

The masked man's tone held a hint of amusement.

"Your time is running out. You have nowhere else to go but our sect. And most importantly, you've had no presence within the sect until now; if you disappear, no one will notice."

Gu Yun stroked the ghost head pattern on the token.

He sneered inwardly.

In his life, Gu Yun had the experience of acting as a rebel during a chaotic period.

He had experience as a founding father of a dynasty and as a prince with immense power in the court.

But the current situation leaves him no choice.

Moreover...

Throughout the missions in the Dark Hall, one can see emotions such as killing, fear, and despair everywhere.

These kinds of emotions are the most suitable nourishment for the "Thirteen Pearls of the Purple Mansion".

If it were only in the abandoned pill room.

He might be able to live peacefully for a few years, but he certainly wouldn't be able to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, let alone achieve immortality.

If we want him to carve out a path on the road to immortality where he can survive.

This was also an opportunity for him.

Gu Yun raised his head and asked himself, "Do I even have a choice?"

The masked man shook his head.

"In that case, this old man...accepts the order."

Gu Yun put the token into his pocket, then bowed respectfully.

The masked man nodded, as if he had already anticipated this outcome.

"Alright. Your new name is 'Old Ghost'."

"Tomorrow at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), take this token to the mass grave at the back of the mountain. This is your first test. The Dark Hall will not keep useless people. If you die, just throw you in the mass grave for the wild dogs to eat."

Before the words had even finished, the masked man's figure transformed into black mist and then vanished into thin air.

The room where the discarded pills were stored fell silent once more.

Gu Yun stood still for a long time.

"interesting……"

Gu Yun chuckled softly, then turned and walked deeper into the darkness, before beginning to organize the poison pills and hidden weapons needed for tomorrow's assessment.