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

"Are you the disciple who entered the sect a few days ago with the Ascension Token?"

The person in charge of assigning menial tasks was a middle-aged monk with a stern face.

This person was dressed in a plain white robe, and his aura was restrained; he was actually a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

"Yes, Master Uncle, it is indeed your disciple."

Lin Mo quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Are you here today to collect menial tasks? Tsk tsk, but there aren't many good jobs left for you these days. I wonder if you know anything about mining?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo's heart sank.

It turned out that the young man surnamed He had told him yesterday that jobs like mining were usually only taken on by "trash" with four spiritual roots.

These menial tasks are constantly corroded by the mineral energy, which inevitably affects one's cultivation over time. They are the lowest-ranking jobs in the sect.

"In reply to Senior Uncle, my cultivation is shallow. Mining and breaking the restrictions, as well as extracting spirit stones, require skill and experience, which I know nothing about. I am afraid I will not be able to do it and will only delay the sect's mission."

Lin Mo answered after careful consideration.

"Oh? Since you're not involved in mining, then go to the alchemy room and remove the waste. This is simple and easy; it doesn't require any experience or skill, any cultivator can do it."

Cleansing the alchemy room is only slightly better than mining.

After all, those who can go to the alchemy room to refine pills must at least be at the Foundation Establishment stage. If you encounter an easy-going person, that's fine, but if you're unlucky and encounter someone with a capricious temperament, you might easily incur their wrath.

Even worse, those who scold and punish others for the slightest dissatisfaction are considered to be doing the lowest of jobs.

Perhaps seeing Lin Mo remain silent, the middle-aged cultivator raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What? This isn't to your liking either?"

He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly lowered his voice.

"Very well, according to the sect's regulations, cultivators with different spiritual roots should indeed be given special treatment in terms of chores. There are still two jobs that are short of one person. One is that the Hundred Herbs Garden is short of a choresman to take care of the herbs. He only needs to water the herbs regularly and remove the weeds. His monthly salary is ten spirit stones."

A monthly stipend of ten spirit stones is considered an extremely generous job for a low-level disciple.

But Lin Mo did not speak, and simply waited quietly for the other party to finish speaking.

After all, the middle-aged cultivator's words were so inconsistent that it was impossible for there not to be some kind of trickery involved.

"The second task is to clear the mountain paths on the main peak. The monthly salary is twenty spirit stones."

After the middle-aged cultivator finished speaking, he looked at Lin Mo, as if waiting for him to make a choice.

As the main peak is a place where the elders of the Hidden Moon Sect frequently appear, it is naturally the place with the most abundant spiritual energy.

Moreover, there is a high probability of encountering elders while working here. If you're lucky, a few small favors from them could be enough for a low-level disciple to live on for a long time.

"There's no rush. Take your time to consider it. By the way, I've heard that those who enter a sect with an Ascension Token are given a Foundation Establishment Pill, but I wonder if that's true?"

The middle-aged man hesitated for a few moments, but finally couldn't resist his inner thoughts and asked, feigning curiosity.

So this is where they were waiting for me. It seems all seven factions are pretty much the same.

Lin Mo was speechless for a moment, then shook his head.

The young man surnamed He did explain this matter yesterday.

It turns out that the Foundation Establishment Pills were not distributed immediately, but would only be given to them after the latest batch was refined.

He hasn't even received the pill yet, and even if he did, he wouldn't just give it to the other party like that.

"Master Uncle, you must have misheard me. I don't have any Foundation Establishment Pills on hand."

"No?"

The middle-aged cultivator glanced at Lin Mo with a half-smile.

"Since there isn't one, then I remember now. The last two tasks I mentioned earlier are already fully booked. By the way, you should go mining tomorrow. If you're late, I'll have to inform the Enforcement Hall."

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged cultivator's face turned as if covered with a thick layer of frost.

A mere Qi Refining Level 7 guy is so clueless.

He gave a hateful snort.

Regardless of whether it's an Ascension Token or a Different Spiritual Root, he only knows that his son is about to reach Foundation Establishment and urgently needs a Foundation Establishment Pill to change his fate.

Just then, another person pushed the door open and came in.

The newcomer was a thin, elderly man. Although he was simply dressed, his eyes were exceptionally bright.

The old man's cultivation level was similar to that of a middle-aged cultivator; both were at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The middle-aged cultivator inside the room had been staring at Lin Mo with a gloomy expression and an imposing aura.

Upon seeing who it was, his face turned deathly pale, and his whole body tensed up.

At this moment, he bowed deeply and said hurriedly, "Senior Ye, why did you come in person? Wouldn't it have been easier to just send a Dao transmission talisman to this junior?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo couldn't help but glance at the old man.

This person seems unremarkable, yet for some reason, he inspires such fear in the middle-aged cultivator.

"Ahem, this matter was personally instructed by the elder, so I had no choice but to make the trip myself."

The old man stood in the middle, took a few slow breaths, and then continued, "A few days ago, for some unknown reason, Si Que's disciple Ma Long disappeared without a trace. We urgently need to find a replacement. I'm entrusting this matter to you."

"Disciple Si Que?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator who was standing to the side with his head down trembled violently, his face filled with wild joy and disbelief, and he even trembled slightly with excitement.

"Yes, Senior Ye, I will handle this matter as soon as possible."

The middle-aged monk answered, his lips trembling.

It should be noted that although the title of "Disciple of the Imperial Seal" is a miscellaneous job, the power they wield is far greater than that of a mere steward.

The job of the disciples in charge of the tax collection is to bring back the profits from all the markets within the sect and the spirit stones mined from various spirit mines.

They hold the lifeline of the entire Hidden Moon Sect's spirit stones!

Generally speaking, such menial tasks are approved by the sect leader and elders who hold the highest positions in the sect, but for some reason, he was given a spot today.

"Senior, I will personally escort you back. Rest assured, I will definitely appoint you based on merit, without regard to personal relationships!" The middle-aged cultivator was practically bowing to the ground.

Unfortunately, the old man surnamed Ye merely glanced at him indifferently before continuing, "In addition, there are two more conditions for this matter that you should remember."

"Two conditions?"

The middle-aged cultivator was taken aback, not understanding what the other party meant.

"First, the new disciples of the Imperial Seal Bureau must have a unique spiritual root; of course, those with a hidden spiritual root are preferred."

"Secondly, the newly appointed disciple of the Imperial Seal Bureau..." the old man said, glancing at Lin Mo who was waiting beside him.

"Ideally, the candidate should be at the seventh level of Qi Refining. Go and handle this now, and make sure the selection is finalized before noon. Otherwise..."

"Dark spiritual root? Seventh level of Qi Refining?"

Lin Mo, who was standing to the side, was surprised to find that he had something to do with it, and couldn't help but look over curiously.

Unexpectedly, he made eye contact with the middle-aged cultivator who looked completely bewildered and hadn't even reacted yet.

"Senior Ye? May I ask why these two conditions are necessary? I recall that disciples of Si Que don't have any other special requirements..."

The middle-aged cultivator's face was ashen, as if he had swallowed a fly whole.

"Well," the old man stroked his chin, "why don't I ask the elder later?"

"Of course not, I was just saying. I will submit the candidate before noon. Please rest assured."

The middle-aged cultivator forced a smile and said ingratiatingly.

After watching the other person leave, he felt as if his soul had been ripped out, his eyes glazed over, and he stood there listlessly, utterly exhausted.

"The sky over the Hidden Moon Sect has finally fallen dark."