After my rebirth, my Martial Sect will surely sweep the martial world in blood.

As night deepened, in a simple room at the Qinghe Town Caobang Wharf, the oil lamp flickered dimly.

Lin Mo sat cross-legged on the hard bed, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly regulating his breathing, but in reality, he was focusing his mind and carefully sensing every movement in the outside world.

The fight at Yuelai Teahouse during the day, though it didn't exhaust him too much, was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples spreading rapidly.

He could sense that the atmosphere in the town had become noticeably more tense.

Inside and outside the dock, there were many unfamiliar faces, with sharp eyes scanning the area. Some were government officials, while others were spies from the four great families.

Even within the canal gang, some of the older members who used to be quite polite to him, this newly promoted leader, now looked at him with a hint of scrutiny and distance.

After escaping through the window, he did not return directly to the dock. Instead, he circled the town several times, using his past life's expertise in stealth and concealment to easily shake off any potential followers. He then washed off any bloodstains that might have been on his body by a secluded river, changed into a set of spare clothes that he had prepared beforehand, and quietly returned to his residence under the cover of night.

"The Thousand Threads Sect... they're quick on their feet." Lin Mo thought coldly.

Although those disciples were easily defeated, their appearance itself was a clear signal.

His "good master," the Thousand Silk Sect Master "Liu Qiansi," renowned for her hidden weapons and poison skills, cunning methods, and ruthless mind, has begun to extend her reach into this area.

Was it due to some kind of fluctuation caused by his own rebirth, or was he searching for his whereabouts all along?

Lin Mo leaned towards the latter. Liu Qiansi was a vengeful and extremely controlling person. He would never easily believe that he had "fallen" in his previous life and would definitely use every means to investigate.

What's even more troublesome are the local forces.

The four great families and the government offices reacted even faster than he had expected.

He is now like a firefly in the dark; although he tries his best to hide, once he has shown his face, it is difficult for him to completely conceal his presence.

Staying in the canal gang is too risky; they'll be found out sooner or later.

"We need to leave as soon as possible, or... find a more secluded hiding place, and a channel to obtain resources and information." Lin Mo opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.

Passively hiding is not a good strategy; he needs to take the initiative, gather information, and accumulate strength.

Just then, a deliberately light footstep came from outside the door and stopped at his door.

"Hey, Lin, are you resting?"

A low voice rang out; it was Zhao Xiaosi, one of his more astute members of the canal gang, and also a trusted confidant who had previously joined him in exposing the mole within the third leader's ranks.

Lin Mo's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "Come in."

The door was gently pushed open, Zhao Xiaosi slipped inside, and then quickly closed the door behind him.

With a mixture of nervousness and excitement on his face, he leaned close to Lin Mo's bedside and whispered, "Boss, were you... at the Yuelai Teahouse during the day?"

Lin Mo glanced at him, neither admitting nor denying, but simply looking at him calmly.

Zhao Xiaosi felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze and quickly said, "Boss, please don't misunderstand. I'm not here to pry. It's like this, things are very tense outside right now. The government and the four major families are all looking for a young expert. The description... the description is somewhat similar to you. There are also some rumors circulating in the gang."

"Get to the point," Lin Mo interrupted him.

"Yes, yes, yes," Zhao Xiaosi swallowed, lowering his voice even further, "Boss, I think you might need to lay low for a while. I have a connection that might be able to help."

"Oh?" Lin Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.

"In the south of the city... there is a 'ghost market,' also called a black market."

Zhao Xiaosi said mysteriously, "That place is a mixed bag, with all sorts of people from all walks of life, but the rules are very strict. Everyone who goes in has to keep their mouth shut. It's said that some shady things often circulate there, like martial arts manuals, divine weapons, rare medicinal herbs, and even some items banned by the imperial court. You can find them there."

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. The black market? That's a good place to acquire resources and information.

"Go on."

Seeing Lin Mo's interest, Zhao Xiaosi perked up: "I only heard about it by chance from an old gambler who used to work there. This black market isn't open every day. Every five days, at midnight on the 5th and 10th of each month, someone will guide you near the abandoned Dragon King Temple in the south of the city. To get in, you need an acquaintance to introduce you, or... or enough 'toll money,' and you'll also have to go through a check to make sure you're not a spy sent by the government or any major family."

"When was the last time the market opened?" Lin Mo asked.

"At midnight the day after tomorrow!"

Zhao Xiaosi affirmed, "I heard this is a big event; there's a batch of 'hard-hitting' items brought from the north to be auctioned, including several decent martial arts manuals. Boss, with your skills, if you could get your hands on a suitable manual, it would be a huge boost!"

Cultivation techniques and secret manuals? Lin Mo's mind raced.

He now possesses the combined memories of two lifetimes, and is not lacking in profound martial arts concepts and killing techniques. However, the foundation of this body itself is still shallow, and the mysterious power originating from the mass grave in his meridians remains shrouded in mist, requiring specific methods to guide and explore it.

He looked down on ordinary martial arts techniques, but the black market might have some rare, unknown fragments or secret manuals that were perfect for his current situation.

"What qualifications are needed for an introducer?" Lin Mo asked directly, getting to the heart of the matter. He didn't have time to slowly build connections and find an introducer.

Zhao Xiaosi scratched his head: "Well... I'm not too clear on the specific rules either. But that old gambler mentioned it once, saying that if you really can't find an introducer, you can try 'breaking through the gate,' which means showing enough strength or value to make the gatekeeper think you're qualified to enter. But this method is very risky; you might be treated as a provocation and dealt with directly."

Strength and value?

A subtle smile played at the corners of Lin Mo's lips. To him, this was more direct than finding some vague, unseen introducer.

"I see."

Lin Mo nodded, took out a small silver ingot from his pocket, weighing about five taels, and tossed it to Zhao Xiaosi, "This information is useful. Keep your mouth shut."

Zhao Xiaosi took the silver ingot, his face beaming with joy. He repeatedly assured his boss, "Don't worry, boss. I, Zhao Xiaosi, may not have many other skills, but I'm good at keeping my mouth shut! I wasn't here today, I don't know anything!"

"Go ahead." Lin Mo waved his hand.

Zhao Xiaosi bowed respectfully, carefully withdrew, and gently closed the door behind him.

Silence returned to the room. The flickering flame of the oil lamp cast dim light and shadows on Lin Mo's calm face.

The day after tomorrow at midnight, the abandoned Dragon King Temple in the south of the city.

……

The search networks of the four major families and the government are tightening, and the Grand Canal Gang is no longer safe.

This suddenly appearing black market was like a crack in the darkness, giving him a chance to temporarily escape surveillance and obtain what he needed.

"Cultivation techniques..." Lin Mo murmured to himself, recalling the many secret manuals he had read in his previous life, as well as the strange power stirring within the meridians of this body in this life.

He had a feeling that this trip to the black market might yield some results.

He needed a new identity, a disguise that could temporarily keep him out of the sights of the four great families.

Fortunately, when he woke up from the mass grave, he still had some money left over from the money he had looted from the soldiers. With the reward from the leader of the Grand Canal Gang, it was enough for him to buy some clothes.

More importantly, he needs to adjust his state and keep his energy and spirit at their peak.

The black market is a place where opportunities and dangers coexist. Without sufficient strength, you'll just be a fat sheep to be slaughtered.

Lin Mo closed his eyes again, and the faint yet resilient internal energy within his body began to circulate slowly along some mysterious path.

As the breath flowed, the pores on the body seemed to open and close slightly, exchanging with the outside world in an extremely subtle way. The thin, cold energy in the air, which was difficult for ordinary people to perceive, was quietly absorbed and integrated into the mysterious power dormant deep in the meridians.