Fairy Eye

"Please give your instructions."

Ah Chou answered with his head down, "As long as I can survive, everything else is trivial."

The old man in the blood-red robe did not speak directly. He put one hand behind his back and slowly circled around Ah Chou, his eyes flickering slightly as he occasionally glanced at Ah Chou.

He only stopped and slowly spoke when Ah Chou became so uncomfortable and uneasy under his gaze.

"What's your name?"

They all call me Ugly.

Ah Chou answered in a low voice with his head down. Although the other party no longer seemed as cold as before, his fear had not diminished at all.

"Ah Chou? You don't have any other names?" The old man in the blood-red robe frowned slightly.

"I vaguely remember one, but no one has mentioned it for many years."

"What's your name?"

"Han Lin".

Ah Chou thought for a moment and found the name he had almost forgotten from the deepest part of his memory.

"Han Linyao..."

The old man in the blood-red robe murmured softly, nodded slightly, and continued, "Alright, Han Lin, I have a task for you to handle now..."

"I have a treasure called the Blood Spirit Bowl, but for certain reasons, it ended up in the hands of the Guiyuan Sect..."

The old man in the blood-red robe, who called himself the Old Man of Withered Blood, slowly explained the mission to Han Lin.

The gist of it is that the Guiyuan Sect took away the Blood Spirit Bowl from the old man, and since he couldn't retrieve it himself, he sent Han Lin to infiltrate the Guiyuan Sect, find out the whereabouts of the Blood Spirit Bowl, and bring it out. He then took the opportunity to explain some basic knowledge of cultivation to Han Lin.

Upon hearing this, Han Lin not only understood the other party's intention, but also felt a surge of energy.

Xiuxian!

Unexpectedly, I possess the qualities of an immortal.

This was something he never dared to even imagine before.

Although sneaking into the Guiyuan Sect to steal things is a very dangerous thing, it's still better than not having enough to eat in the mortal world and being looked down upon by everyone.

Moreover, the matter of stealing the Blood Spirit Bowl was only a verbal promise. If things didn't go as planned, they could simply sell the old man and let the immortals of the Guiyuan Sect deal with him!

Thinking of this, Han Lin immediately bowed and said, "This junior will certainly do my best!"

The withered old man said, "It's not about doing your best! It's about making sure you play your part. Come out and report your mission progress to me every three years. If I find you slacking off, hehe..."

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand and imprinted a red mark into Han Lin's brow.

Han Lin instantly felt as if countless silver needles were flying back and forth inside his head, causing him a splitting headache. He clutched his head and screamed in agony.

The withered old man sneered, "This is my unique spell, no one else can break it. If you behave well, I will help you break it; otherwise, I will surely annihilate your soul!"

"Yes, yes, yes..."

Han Lin broke out in a cold sweat, and the little thought in his mind vanished without a trace along with the excruciating pain.

That old devil is truly cunning and shrewd!

Seeing that Han Lin was sensible, the old man withered blood stopped tormenting him and continued to popularize the common knowledge of cultivation so that Han Lin could quickly integrate into the path of cultivation.

When it was almost time, he was allowed to go down the mountain to Guiyuan Sect on his own.

Han Lin naturally didn't know where Guiyuan Sect was.

However, the old man withered blood had already made arrangements, telling him to go to Shuanghe Town nearby, saying that on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, people from the Guiyuan Sect would come there to select immortal seedlings.

He just needs to attend on time and follow the Guiyuan Sect's procedures, and he will definitely be able to join smoothly.

In just half a day, Han Lin's worldview was reshaped. Like a frog jumping out of a well, he glimpsed a corner of the cultivation world and never wanted to go back.

Arriving at the foot of Jiming Mountain, Han Lin glanced up at the mountain, feeling both relieved and somewhat worried.

Fortunately, by sheer chance, he awakened his spiritual root and now has the potential to embark on the path to immortality.

What worries us is the curse left in our minds by the old man withered blood. If we fail to complete the mission, the consequences could be unimaginable.

"Forget it, why think so much? Let's solve the current problem first!" Han Lin withdrew his gaze and decided to find a way to enter the Guiyuan Sect.

As for what happens next, it's not too late to think about it after you become a true cultivator.

With that thought in mind, Han Lin put the cloak given to him by the old man withered blood on his head, took off the cloak curtain to cover his face, and walked unhurriedly toward Shuanghe Town.

……

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Shuanghe Town.

This trading place nestled among the mountains became exceptionally lively due to the arrival of the immortal from the Guiyuan Sect.

Children of school age from more than a dozen nearby villages, including Zhuxi Village, gathered here to prepare for the awakening ceremony of Guiyuan Sect.

Everyone hoped that their child would be chosen, not only to bring honor to their ancestors, but also because it was said that once the awakening was successful, there would be a reward of one hundred taels of silver.

Early in the morning, an open space outside the town was already crowded with people, with the sounds of children playing and adults chatting and laughing in waves.

Amid the commotion, a thin man dressed in coarse clothes, straw sandals, and wearing a black bamboo hat quietly arrived.

It was Han Lin.

He stood at the edge of the open space, and when he turned his gaze, he saw his parents and his younger brother Han Qing's family in the crowd.

"Why are they here? Didn't the Guiyuan Sect require that only those aged eight to eighteen and unmarried be eligible to participate in the Awakening?"

Han Lin was somewhat surprised, but he didn't go to say hello. His heart had already turned cold the moment that door closed on New Year's Eve.

It was still early, so Han Lin found an empty spot to sit down, leaned against a big tree, and closed his eyes to wait.

I was finally awakened by a sudden commotion just before noon.

He climbed up the tree and looked up. He saw an old man in a green robe slowly walking to the open space in the center of the crowd, greeted by the town mayor's smiling face.

After the old man stood still, he looked at the crowd and spoke loudly:

"Gentlemen, my surname is Zhang, and I am the manager of the Guiyuan Sect. I believe you all already know the purpose of my visit today. Without further ado, please, those who meet the requirements, step forward and stand in the open space in front of me! All other irrelevant personnel, please step back."

The immortal's voice wasn't loud, but it could be clearly heard by everyone.

As soon as Master Zhang finished speaking, the crowd surged forward. The adults began to retreat, while the children and teenagers all walked towards Master Zhang.

Seeing this, Han Lin also jumped down from the tree and followed them into the center of the crowd.

Because of his tall stature, he stood out from the other children and teenagers, and because he was wearing a straw hat, he immediately attracted a lot of attention.

"Um, are you here to participate in the Awakening as well?" Zhang Xianchang looked at Han Lin.

"Yes, senpai!"

"Come forward."

Zhang Xianchang beckoned to him, and when Han Lin stepped forward, he said with a stern face, "Since you're participating in the awakening, why are you wearing a bamboo hat?"

Han Lin bent slightly and whispered, "This junior has an ugly appearance and is frightening others."

Master Zhang said, "Selecting promising young immortals is based on their aptitude, not a talent show. Take off your bamboo hat!"

"Yes."

Helpless, Han Lin had no choice but to reach out and take off the cloak.