Mortal: I can unlock the card pool by becoming an apprentice to him.

"Oh? Fellow Daoist, do you truly mean this?"

This time, it was Lin Mo who was surprised.

Upon hearing this, the man's smile widened, and his gaze sharpened slightly before landing on Lin Mo.

"Of course it is true. If you don't believe me, please look at this."

As he spoke, he took out a jade slip from his storage bag and handed it to Lin Mo. The jade slip was dark gray in color, with a faint wisp of yin-like spiritual energy flowing across its surface, which was completely different from the jade slips that usually recorded cultivation techniques.

Lin Mo took the jade slip and placed it on his forehead.

After a while.

"Yes, this is exactly what I wanted. How much does it cost?"

Lin Mo calmly handed the jade slip back.

In reality, he was already prepared for a huge financial loss, since the importance of a cultivation technique that could be combined with a dark spiritual root was undeniable to him at his current level.

It should be noted that the cultivation speed of a different spiritual root is no less than that of a heavenly spiritual root.

Therefore, no matter what price the other party ultimately offers, he is determined to get it.

"Price? This item is naturally insignificant to others. But for you, it's probably priceless."

The man's lips curled into a meaningful smile, clearly indicating that he had guessed Lin Mo's thoughts.

Unexpectedly, his next words made Lin Mo frown.

"I can give this cultivation technique to you for free, fellow Daoist, if only you would grant me a small request."

After speaking, the man quickly glanced at the numerous cultivators coming and going around him. Then, he lowered his voice and said, "If you are at ease, please come with me for a chat. There are too many people around here, so it's really inconvenient to discuss this in detail."

What is this guy keeping secret?

Lin Mo pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you to lead the way, fellow Daoist."

The man then packed up his stall and led Lin Mo to an inconspicuous two-story building in the cluster of buildings.

The barrier was lifted, and the room was empty.

"My name is Li Zhiya. May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?"

The man turned around and closed the barrier, his tone becoming more peaceful, no longer as secretive and mysterious as he had been in the square.

"Lin Mo".

"May I ask where you are from, friend? Have you come here to join one of the seven sects through the Ascension Ceremony?"

"You'd better speak frankly. I'm a rogue cultivator, and I know my own limitations very well. I've come here simply to broaden my horizons."

Lin Mo didn't want to beat around the bush and spoke directly.

"A rogue cultivator? Good, good!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhiya couldn't help but show a look of joy.

Seeing this, Lin Mo casually placed his left hand on the storage bag at his waist. He wasn't worried that the other person would have malicious intentions after hearing that he was a rogue cultivator, but rather he was curious about the other person's true intentions in probing his background.

"Fellow Daoist, you only need to answer a few questions for me, and I will present the 'Dark Yuan Technique' in this jade slip with both hands."

Li Zhiyai stood up with his hands behind his back, completely ignoring Lin Mo's subtle actions, and slowly said, "I wonder, in your opinion, which of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom truly deserves to be called the leader of the cultivation world in Yue Kingdom?"

"Naturally, it's the Hidden Moon Sect. Among the seven sects, this sect is recognized as the strongest, with the most exquisite techniques, and its foundation and prestige are known to all."

Upon hearing Lin Mo's reply, Li Zhiya smiled slightly and then slowly said, "What you say is true, fellow Daoist. Although the Hidden Moon Sect is the leader of the seven sects, it is a strong branch that is easily broken. I have heard that this sect was established by breaking away from the Joyful Union Sect of the Heavenly Luo Kingdom. Its foundation is biased towards unorthodox sects. When the time comes for it to be in turmoil, it may not be able to hold onto its position as the leader."

"What about Spirit Beast Mountain? This sect is skilled in controlling spirit beasts and is unfathomable."

Upon hearing Lin Mo's answer, Li Zhiya shook his head again and said, "Spirit Beast Mountain may seem powerful, but it is actually a branch of the Spirit Control Sect. Controlling insects and beasts is just a minor skill."

"What does this fellow Daoist think of Yellow Maple Valley?"

"Yellow Maple Valley? They have a wide range of miscellaneous studies, but lack depth in any one area. Their school has always only sought to protect themselves in a remote and isolated manner, and they have no courage whatsoever."

Seeing the other party shaking his head repeatedly, Lin Mo continued, "So, does that mean the Qingxu Sect, Huadaowu, Tianque Fortress, and Giant Sword Sect are also beneath your notice?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhiya laughed heartily and gave him an approving look.

"Indeed, Qingxu Sect claims to be quiet and inactive, but in reality, it is pedantic, conservative, and inflexible. Huadaowu and Jujian Sect are brave but lack wisdom and have no vision for the big picture. Tianque Fortress is good at defense, but it has no ambition to expand and advance. Its disciples are afraid of war and avoid disaster. With such a mindset, it is ultimately nothing more than a mediocre bunch who are content with a corner of the world."

Seeing the other person talking so eloquently, Lin Mo's tone became a little lower.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you are not a cultivator from Yue Kingdom, are you? Also, what is your intention in criticizing the seven sects so harshly?"

"Indeed, young friend Lin is indeed clever. I only said this to make you face reality and not miss this amazing opportunity." Li Zhiya clapped his hands and stood up, a confident smile on his lips, and then looked intently at Lin Mo.

At the same moment the words fell, Li Zhiya's aura suddenly changed, his cultivation level surged from the Qi Refining stage, and a powerful and sharp pressure suddenly spread out.

This is... a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator?

Lin Mo immediately felt as if the air around him was as heavy as lead, and his spiritual energy flowed sluggishly. This discomfort lasted only a moment before quietly ending, and Li Zhiya returned to his previous calm and composed demeanor.

"To be honest, the reason I invited you here for a detailed discussion is naturally because I have high hopes for your talent. Dark Spirit is unlike other unique spiritual roots; it has never had a complete lineage in the seven sects of Yue Kingdom. Even if you were to barely find a place among them, you would only be a pearl hidden in dust, with no hope of achieving the Great Dao. But if you join my sect, not only will you be provided with all the suitable cultivation techniques, but you will also have a dedicated elder personally guiding your cultivation, and even..."

"Oh? May I ask where you come from, senior? What school do you belong to? And what do you mean by that astonishing fortune...?"

Lin Mo gave a silent, bitter laugh to himself.

The opponent has already displayed the pressure of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, which clearly means they have him cornered.

reject?

I'm afraid that if he shows even the slightest reluctance, Li Zhiya will take action without hesitation.

After all, the appearance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from another country at this Ascension Conference without any apparent reason would definitely attract the attention of the Seven Sects if word got out.

Therefore, he could only feign excitement and trepidation, glancing at Li Zhiya with slightly flickering eyes.

"Our sect is an ancient and supreme holy land of the Tianluo Kingdom, with a profound foundation that cannot be compared to the seven sects of the Yue Kingdom. As for the opportunity I just mentioned, it is related to our sect's young master. To be honest, our young master, like Fellow Daoist Lin, is a cultivator with dark spiritual roots. With your aptitude, as long as you follow me to submit to the sect and assist the young master, you are very likely to become his personal bodyguard in the future."

Upon hearing the two key elements of "young master" and "dark spiritual root," Lin Mo instantly guessed his background.

Besides the Ghost Spirit Sect, which other sect would meet both of these conditions?

In the original work, not long after Han Li achieved Foundation Establishment, the expansion of the righteous and demonic forces shocked the entire South, which is what the book calls the "Demonic Invasion". Considering the timeline, it is not surprising at all that Li Zhiya appeared in Yue Kingdom.

After all, the demonic path of Tianluo Kingdom had reached a tacit agreement with the righteous path a long time ago, and annexed several surrounding countries.

It's perfectly normal to send out spies and informants to gather intelligence.