I have changed my destiny and become an unparalleled immortal.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

Gu Yun answered crisply and decisively, and a sharp glint suddenly appeared in his cloudy old eyes.

As long as one can cultivate immortality, going to unfamiliar places is nothing.

Even if it's a trip to the Netherworld, what does it matter?

Seeing Gu Yun's decisive agreement, a faint smile appeared on Mo Qianyan's cool and aloof face.

She stretched out her slender hand, her palm surging with magical power, intending to use her supernatural abilities to lift Gu Yun up and directly fly through the air on her sword.

"In that case, there's no time to lose. Come back to the sect with me, and I'll make arrangements for you..."

Halfway through her sentence, the spiritual light that was about to surge around Mo Qianyan suddenly froze, and she stood frozen in place as if she had been frozen in place.

Her usually noble and proud expression showed a rare hint of... embarrassment, even awkwardness.

Gu Yun keenly sensed something was amiss.

"Immortal Master, is there something amiss?"

Mo Qianyan withdrew her hand, coughed lightly with some awkwardness, and her gaze shifted slightly, revealing a hint of girlish unease.

"Um...that..."

"My sect is called Cold Moon Palace."

Gu Yun nodded: "The name does sound elegant and refined."

"However... the founder of Hanyue Palace once established an ironclad rule that only female cultivators are accepted into the palace, and... men are strictly forbidden from stepping into the mountain gate. Even a male bird that flies in will be shot down by the mountain-protecting formation."

The air suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

The servants of the Prince's mansion kneeling nearby wanted to laugh but dared not, so they could only bury their heads in the floor tiles and their shoulders heaved violently.

Gu Yun's old face couldn't help but twitch.

Huh? Why is Lao Yu back too? Is he here to laugh at me?

So you came all this way to pick me up, but you hadn't even decided if I could even get into your house?

Seeing Gu Yun remain silent, Mo Qianyan became extremely anxious.

If this cause and effect is severed, her Dao heart will be flawed, and she may develop inner demons in her future cultivation.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and after a moment of thought, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Got it!"

"Although I cannot bring you back, I have a close friend from the past named Han Rou, who is now an outer sect elder in the Zixu Sect."

"The Purple Void Sect?"

"The Zixu Sect is a major sect in the Eastern Divine Continent with a profound foundation. However, my friend is limited by his aptitude and is currently only responsible for miscellaneous tasks in the outer sect, managing the servant disciples."

At this point, Mo Qianyan looked at Gu Yun with a deep sense of apology:

"Your innate talent is already set. If you follow the proper channels, there's absolutely no way you can join the Purple Void Sect. The only way is... the only way is through my friend..."

"But... I'll have to trouble you to be a menial servant in the outer sect for now."

Odd jobs?

Gu Yun was taken aback.

He glanced back at the Gu Prince's residence, then at the high-ranking officials who usually bowed and kowtowed to him.

Yesterday he was a king above all others, enjoying the ultimate pleasures of life, but today he has to go to the immortal sect to serve tea and water, sweep floors and feed beasts, becoming a lowly servant?

Seeing his hesitation, Mo Qianyan assumed he couldn't let go of worldly pride and quickly explained:

"I know this is unfair to you. You were once a person of high status, and now you are a servant... If you are not willing, I will think of another way."

"But the spiritual energy of the Zixu Sect is abundant. Even the menial servants' quarters are a hundred times better than this mortal world. Moreover, if a menial servant disciple makes merits or achieves success in cultivation, he or she will have the opportunity to be promoted to the outer sect. Most importantly, menial servants are inconspicuous. Since you are new to the path of immortality, you can avoid the conflicts and focus on cultivating the 'Heaven and Earth Qi-Nourishing Mysterious Scripture' that I gave you."

"I'll go."

Gu Yun suddenly spoke, interrupting her explanation.

"Let alone menial tasks, I'd do anything, even shoveling latrines or carrying water, as long as it grants me immortality."

"Royal power and wealth are like fleeting clouds to me, and face and dignity are worthless in the face of immortality."

Mo Qianyan heard this.

She never expected him to have such a yearning for the Tao!

Such a temperament is rare even among the most outstanding talents in a sect.

He then looked at Yu Zhixian, "You and he have a past? You made this trip?"

Yu Zhixian nodded.

"Very well! Since you have such lofty ambitions, why should I hesitate to use my resources!"

Mo Qianyan took the storage bag from her waist.

He then took out a token engraved with the character "Han" and solemnly placed it into Gu Yun's hand.

"This bag contains one hundred spirit stones and several fasting pills. Take this token to the Purple Void Sect to find Han Rou, and she will make the arrangements."

"I hope you can endure the hardships of menial tasks!"

Having said that, Mo Qianyan didn't linger any longer. She had already been urgently summoned by the sect and couldn't stay any longer.

With a flash of silver light, she stepped onto her sword and rose into the air, transforming into a streak of light that disappeared into the horizon.

Gu Yun stood alone in the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, clutching the token and storage bag in his hand.

The surrounding guests looked at each other, unsure whether to congratulate or sympathize.

"Then I'll trouble my old friend to give me a ride."

Yu Zhixian nodded.

"Someone come here."

Gu Yun turned around.

"Discard all family wealth and dismiss all servants. From this day forward, the gates of the Prince's Palace are sealed shut."

……

Half a month later.

The outer sect servants' quarters of the Zixu Sect.

Gu Yun was hunched over, his hands trembling, cleaning the excrement from the animal pen.

"Cough...cough cough..."

A violent cough followed, and a pool of black blood appeared in his palm.

Since Mo Qianyan left, he has been taking the token to Elder Han Rou and casually placing her in this beast enclosure for half a month.

For the past two weeks, I have been accelerating my death.

My vision is getting blurrier and blurrier, and even my breathing is labored.

Gu Yun leaned against the wooden stake, panting heavily, his consciousness sinking into his mind.

Book of Changes and Destiny

[Subject: Gu Yun]

Current status: Running out of fuel.

[Cultivation of Life Force: Extremely Low]

[Warning: The previous alteration of cause and effect has exhausted ninety percent of the subject's vital energy. If this is restarted, the subject will die instantly.]

Gu Yun gave a bitter laugh.

Sure enough, there is no free lunch in the world.

He fabricated a former wife who was at the Divine Power Realm out of thin air.

How could there be no price to pay? That's defying fate.

Now, let alone cultivating immortality, it's difficult for him to even survive this winter.

He truly has one foot in the coffin.

"Hey, you old man!"

A middle-aged woman walked over.

She frowned and fanned herself with her hand.

It was Han Rou, a good friend of Mo Qianyan.

Han Rou landed, a hint of impatience flashing in her eyes.

"Mo Qianyan has really given me a lot of trouble..."

She muttered something under her breath.

"Judging from your health, I'm afraid you won't be able to hold on much longer."

Gu Yun, holding the shovel, managed to give a difficult bow.

She sneered inwardly. Was this really her friend? She'd probably believe it herself if you told her she was an enemy.

"Cough... Thank you for your concern, Elder. I can still move."

"It can still move?"

Han Rou snorted coldly.

With a flick of his finger, a stream of spiritual energy entered Gu Yun's body to investigate.

His brows furrowed even more.

"Your five internal organs are failing, your qi and blood are depleted, and you are filled with the aura of death. Don't even think about working; even if you lie down now, you won't live more than three months."

"Qianyan entrusted me to take care of you before she left. If you die in the servants' quarters, I won't be able to explain it to her."

Han Rou paced back and forth, somewhat agitated.

She took him in out of consideration for her friend, thinking she could support him even if he wasn't very good at it, but she never expected him to be an old man.

"Listen, you're no longer allowed to do the heavy work in the chores department. Go and guard the abandoned alchemy room in the back mountain."

"The abandoned alchemy room?"

Gu Yun's voice was hoarse.