Chapter 72: Preparation

While Li Qi was muttering to himself and couldn't help but sigh, Shen Shuibi's single sentence choked him back.

"Ah? There's a threshold for Ninth-Rank too?"

The呆兔子 tilted her head, asking with some surprise.

Li Qi was so choked he couldn't speak, speechless for a moment.

Forget it, there's no point in arguing. She's a Fifth-Rank expert, and while she has a good personality, that doesn't mean she lacks ability.

"Shen Guniang, thank you very much this time. However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you about." Li Qi cupped his hands and sincerely bowed to Shen Shuibi first.

He truly had to thank her. Otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult for him to reach Ninth-Rank.

Only by standing at the peak, with a commanding view, could one so easily come up with the method of using thirty strands of water Qi to achieve a Breakthrough to Ninth-Rank for Li Qi.

If it weren't for Shen Shuibi, other Fifth-Rank experts might also be able to do it, but why would they help him for free?

If he wanted to pay or offer compensation for their help, what did Li Qi possess that was valuable enough for them to rack their brains over a problem that offered them no benefit?

Certainly nothing.

Therefore, Li Qi was filled with gratitude for Shen Shuibi's help and strengthened his resolve to help her find Empress Luofu.

To acknowledge a kindness is to repay it.

And the best way to repay Shen Shuibi was to help her find Empress Luofu.

"Ah? What else is there?" Shen Shuibi showed no impatience at all. She immediately leaned closer, continuing to listen to any questions Li Qi might have.

After all, such things had happened many times. Whether Li Qi was reading the "Zhu" book, encountering problems in his cultivation, or just chatting in the wild, he often asked Shen Shuibi questions to improve his experience and knowledge. Shen Shuibi was also used to Li Qi's inquiries.

"It's about today's events, regarding that cursed gold—"

Li Qi began to recount everything that had happened today.

This included Wang Laofu's situation, their agreement, and the series of things he encountered after dealing with the gold.

After finishing his account, Li Qi asked, "Shen Guniang, this matter makes sense logically, but does it make sense in terms of Dao arts? I've heard that cultivators often have strange methods that cannot be judged by common sense."

After hearing these words, Shen Shuibi tilted her head.

"It sounds like there's no problem, but, so that's Old Ma's background, huh? Why didn't he tell me?" Shen Shuibi didn't care about the truth of the matter but instead became concerned about Old Ma.

"His country was destroyed, his family ruined, and his former master died. It's better not to bring up such things actively, lest Old Ma be saddened for no reason. He hasn't transformed yet, and even if he has gained sentience, his wisdom is limited, so it's better not to mention it," Li Qi said.

"Mm-hmm!" Shen Shuibi nodded, not thinking too much about it.

In reality, she never thought too much; she basically believed whatever Li Qi said.

And Li Qi indeed thought the same way.

Since things had come to this, there was no need to reopen old wounds and make Old Ma feel guilty.

He hasn't transformed. Even if he has spiritual awareness, his wisdom isn't very high, just like a child. Why force him to talk about sad things?

He would just solve it himself.

Since he had received Shen Shuibi's affirmation, Li Qi continued to ask how to deal with the enemy.

How should he deal with that ghost, or rather, communicate with him?

But when Shen Shuibi heard this question, she asked back with some confusion, "You have a peach talisman from the household god on you, and the Divine Qi of the two gods, Shen Tu Yu Lei. You also have that willow branch given by Grand Invoker at your waist, and you are a Invoker. When a ghost encounters you, he should be afraid of you, shouldn't he? What are you worried about?"

Well, that makes sense.

Since he received the affirmation, Li Qi felt relieved.

Then, he continued to practice his cultivation.

Practice cultivation first, then read books.

Unceasingly, day by day, there will eventually be a return.

----------

The next day, Old Ma and Shen Shuibi were still waiting in the forest, while Li Qi wrapped his long saber in cloth, disguised it as a walking stick, and went into the city.

He walked all the way to the vicinity of the Wang family mansion.

But he didn't go inside. Instead, he found a small vendor setting up a stall nearby and first bought a woman's hairpin. It was made of coiled copper wire, very beautiful, and not expensive, a craft of a rural artisan, costing only fifty coins.

After buying the hairpin, Li Qi put it away and used the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the vendor: "Little brother, I see this house with stone lions standing at the entrance. It looks so wealthy, yet why is the entrance so deserted, without even a sweeping servant?"

"Ah? You mean the Wang family? Hey, I don't know what's going on with that family. Their business used to be very prosperous, but it seems like since last year, they've been having bad luck every day," the vendor seemed to be a chatterbox, and when it came to gossip, he got excited.

"Just before the New Year, the Wang family had a batch of goods to be sent to the state capital. They found the most reliable escort agency, but the goods were robbed on the way! The escort agency was trustworthy, though; they compensated according to the contract, bought a batch of goods to replace them, and even paid an extra ten gold. But that batch of goods seemed to be very time-sensitive, and it didn't arrive as scheduled. The owner in the state capital demanded fifty gold just for breach of contract! Wang Yuanwai cursed outside the escort agency for an hour, causing a huge commotion."

"And there's the servant issue. Their servants, it's like they've been cursed with bad luck, falling down every day. The worst one even had his leg crushed by a carriage. The Wang family spent forty to fifty thousand coins just to treat these servants' injuries, and later they had no choice but to dismiss all of them."

"If you ask me... this family is just rich and unkind, and Heaven can't stand it!" the vendor said smugly, as if he were the one who did it.

"Rich and unkind? What bad things did they do to suffer such a heavenly punishment?" Li Qi asked with a curious expression again.

"Uh... well, it seems like nothing. Wang Laotai has always been kind, and Wang Yuanwai is also an upright person. Their family also gives out porridge every year. But how many rich people are good? If they were truly good people, how did they get rich?" the vendor said bluntly.

Li Qi nodded, didn't chat much more, muttered a few more words, and then left with the hairpin.

He walked around a street and asked several neighbors and vendors.

The stories he got were all similar.

Li Qi was pensive. He walked around once more, and this time, he arrived outside the main gate of the Wang family mansion and knocked on the door.

Wang Laofu and Wang Yuanwai were already waiting behind the door. As soon as he knocked, the door immediately opened.

"Senior Brother, have you had breakfast yet? I, this old woman, have prepared some snacks. After you've eaten, how about we go to that tomb?" Wang Laofu greeted him.

"Alright," Li Qi agreed and walked into the Wang family's main gate.

Indeed, food had already been prepared. Though called snacks, they were quite hearty, with meat porridge, egg soup, pickles, and a plate of fried fish, quite good for breakfast.

Li Qi was not polite and sat down to eat.

"Have you eaten?" Li Qi asked.

"We have, Senior Brother. You just eat," Wang Laotai said.

It was already nearing noon, and the food was slightly cool, but Li Qi didn't suspect anything and began to eat his breakfast.