Chapter 64: Attention

“Girl?”

Li Qi didn’t react for a moment.

However, he pondered for half a second and realized she was talking about the Blind Old Woman.

Uh… it seemed there was no problem with that. Although Shen Shuibi looked young, her age was probably in the triple digits, perhaps even a thousand years old. Calling her a little girl was indeed perfectly justified.

“She is a Diviner. Is there a problem?” Li Qi was a bit confused.

Shen Shuibi usually didn’t comment too much on things. Her sudden remark this time must have an ulterior meaning. Although Li Qi was smart, he was uncultured and had read too few books to understand.

“Diviner are skilled in divination. Ancient texts say: ‘A Diviner controls the four omens of the opened tortoise shell: first, the square omen; second, the功 omen; third, the义 omen; fourth, the bow light. For all divination matters, one observes the height, raises fire to prepare the tortoise shell, and obtains its ink. For all divination, one distinguishes the top, bottom, left, right, Yin and Yang of the tortoise shell, to hand it to the oracle and inform them. Sacrifices are divined first; if there is a sacrificial event, one presents the tortoise shell, first divining with yarrow stalks and then with tortoise shell, to discern good and ill fortune.’ ” Shen Shuibi immediately began reciting.

“It means that Diviner possess the ability to divine using tortoise shells, discerning good and ill fortune by distinguishing different omens. But Li Qi, look, her house is filled with Yin Qi, which immediately tells you it’s extremely inauspicious. How could a Diviner create such a setup for herself?”

“Furthermore, look at the beast bones she bought; among them was your tortoise shell. Perhaps the others were just a facade, and she only wanted to buy the tortoise shell. But, if I were to guess, she encountered a misfortune and is preparing to shift the blame onto you,” Shen Shuibi said.

“Shift the blame onto me?” Li Qi frowned.

The art of shifting blame was also mentioned when he read the Book of Invoker.

Through certain mediums and rituals, one could transfer original bad luck, disasters, and similar things to others.

“But she doesn’t seem to have any rituals, and I didn’t participate. If there had to be some medium or method for shifting blame, it could only be this.” Li Qi took out the broken gold from his pocket.

“That should be it, but… I just have a feeling, no guarantees…” Shen Shuibi said, fiddling with her hanging hair, head bowed.

Li Qi himself didn’t feel anything, and although it was a bit strange, he didn’t think it would go to that extent.

But Shen Shuibi said it was possible…

Li Qi believed that her speculation might not be credible.

However, her feelings were definitely credible!

So he immediately began to ponder, his thoughts turning.

“No matter. She has money, and in the city, the poor can’t contend with the rich. But I can’t just pretend nothing happened either.” Li Qi stroked his chin, thinking of a solution.

The simplest way, of course, was to spend it, but how to spend it was the key.

Li Qi was not going to spend it on innocent passersby. If it really was a medium for shifting blame, then he would appear too despicable and shameless.

In Li Qi’s heart, he wasn’t a good person, but he was definitely not a bad person.

He wouldn’t harm his own life or property to insist on doing good deeds, but he also wouldn’t do things that benefited himself at others’ expense, unless that person was his enemy.

Under normal circumstances, he was a good person with Dao and integrity. He didn’t mind abiding by the law, nor did he mind doing good deeds.

He wouldn’t do bad things unless absolutely necessary.

However, all of this was premised on the fact that adhering to Dao and integrity would not affect his life safety.

If it was the lives of ten thousand people versus his own life, Li Qi would unhesitatingly choose his own.

Therefore, in dealing with this potentially risky gold, Li Qi would not throw it to others just because of that slight possibility. If he could solve it himself, he would solve it himself.

If he really couldn’t solve it, then he would deal with it then.

“Let’s go buy clothes first, and then we’ll talk.” Li Qi didn’t say much else, first taking Shen Shuibi to buy clothes.

This time, Li Qi planned to get two sets of clothes.

One for travel, one for meeting people.

He couldn’t always wear these coarse linen clothes. They were cheap, but they couldn’t accomplish great things and made him look more like a rustic.

Although he was indeed a pauper, that was true.

In the future, he would certainly be doing other things, perhaps even participating in large-scale sacrifices like other Invoker, holding religious activities, and interacting with various figures. He absolutely needed a good set of clothes.

After much persuasion and spending a full three thousand coins, he bought a very smart set of cotton clothes for himself and Shen Shuibi. They were mainly cotton, but with a layer of silk patterns on the outside. Such clothes were generally only affordable by middle-class families, and probably their best set of clothes.

These clothes could no longer be considered shabby; even if worn to a banquet, they would at most be considered “not so wealthy.”

Li Qi also spent another two hundred coins to buy a common set of coarse cloth clothes worn by ordinary city folk. They weren’t as presentable, but not as crude as linen. As for the linen clothes, after living in the mountains and several battles and hunts, they were already somewhat damaged. They were fine for wearing in the wilderness, as he wouldn’t feel bad about them.

Two hundred coins, which used to make him feel incredibly pained to spend, now felt so cheap?

Indeed, having skills made it easy to earn money.

Carefully putting away the silk clothes and changing out of the linen clothes into the coarse cloth commoner attire, Li Qi’s plan to change his outfit was complete.

The silk clothes would only be worn when needed, as one piece cost one thousand five hundred coins, which was too expensive.

As for Shen Shuibi, she directly changed into the silk clothes.

There was no other way; she had an immaculate body, and dust did not cling to her. The linen clothes she was wearing now, unwashed and unchanged, were still like new!

As long as they weren’t forcibly torn, her clothes would never get dirty, old, or even show wear, no matter how long she wore them.

This made Li Qi sigh with emotion, thinking that the Daoist saying “no years in the mountains” must require this kind of ability to achieve, right?

Otherwise, with daily eating, drinking, defecating, and the myriad mundane concerns of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, how could one achieve “no years in the mountains”?

Only by reaching the level of a two-dimensional beautiful girl like Shen Shuibi could one truly stay in the mountains for a hundred years and still be filled with Immortal Qi, elegant and transcendent.

While Li Qi was thinking, Shen Shuibi also finished changing and came out.

Then, the tailor who sold the clothes widened his eyes.

“Goodness, this girl… she’s truly beautiful,” the tailor stared blankly for a moment, unable to help but murmur.

Her silken robes fluttered, her light skirt swayed with the wind, her glances cast a radiant glow, and her breath was like orchids.

In an instant, beauty blossomed, shining like the morning sun first illuminating the roof beams, bright as the clear moon unfurling its light. Her eyes sparkled with brilliant essence, so beautiful and captivating to behold.

Without makeup, yet between her brows and eyes, a ripple of charm held spring captive.

From coarse linen clothes and disheveled hair, she transformed into this silk dress, her hair neatly combed. The Shen Shuibi who walked out seemed to brighten the entire tailor shop by several degrees.

Li Qi slapped his forehead.

He sighed deeply.

This was bad.