Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

This can't be blamed on Zhang Ze, even though Zhang Ze had already spotted Li Yueqi, Li Yueqi made two gestures towards him.

First, Li Yueqi placed a finger on her lips to signal Zhang Ze to be quiet.

Then, she ran her hand across her neck in a throat-slitting gesture.

Zhang Ze interpreted this as: if you dare speak, I'll take you down too.

So Zhang Ze chose to keep quiet, until he couldn't hold it anymore, he finally spoke up to warn. He feared if Li Jue continued, he might not survive tonight.

Though currently, Li Jue might not survive tonight either...

As for the matter of being Li Jue's brother-in-law, and the sibling interaction modes of the Li family siblings.

Zhang Ze was in no position to give personal opinions, afraid of splashing himself with blood.

Therefore, based on humanitarian principles, before leaving the courtyard, Zhang Ze activated the soundproof array in the yard, then considerately closed the gate tightly.

It was getting late, trying to minimize the screams coming from the yard, in order not to disturb others' rest.

"I wonder how long this time Li Jue will stay at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion."

"But it's no big deal, at any rate, the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion can afford it now."

"Hopefully, nothing happens to him."

By the time Zhang Ze reached his own quarters, night had fallen.

The statues of Zhang Ze and Lily at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion's entrance were already illuminated, and the Underground City had finished today's business.

Aside from Li Jue getting quite seriously injured again, today was a wonderful day indeed.

Upon entering his house, Zhang Ze was taken aback.

He saw Li wearing a bizarre outfit, standing on the table and examining herself in the mirror.

It was a Taoist robe that had been shortened, but the alterations were rough, with the hem and cuffs full of loose threads, making it look ragged.

The Tai Chi on the back of the robe had been torn to only half left, no longer discernible.

It seemed this clothing was torn and modified by Li herself.

"What are you up to?" Zhang Ze asked.

"I'm going to make money! What do you think of my outfit?" Li spun around on the table.

"Begging might be okay, but the night market is cracking down on petty theft and selling knockoffs, you probably won't get much before being chased away."

Zhang Ze offered a pragmatic suggestion.

"Begging? I'm a dragon, I won't engage in such degrading actions." Li huffed.

"Then what's the purpose of wearing this tattered clothing?" Zhang Ze couldn't comprehend Li's approach.

"Fortune-telling, aren't those Dragon Tiger Mountain people dressed like this?"

Li spun again and, losing her footing, tumbled off the table, making her clothes dirtier, now even more like a beggar.

Zhang Ze picked Li up from the ground, "What exactly is going on?".

"I want to better myself." Li replied.

After inquiring again from the beginning, Zhang Ze grasped the issue — Li had consumed too much inspirational material.

This was my fault.

To flaunt sophistication, Zhang Ze had stocked his bookshelf with many old books, most of which were scavenged from second-hand stalls at the night market.

A significant portion of these second-hand books came from the Sword Hall.

Such as "Be Kind to Others", "Heart of the Righteous", "Self-respecting and Self-loving Cultivator", etc.

Zhang Ze was quite busy these days, so Li, having the room to herself, read through all these books.

Like Young Master Qiu, after gorging on the inspirational content, Li felt she shouldn't keep living decadently.

She couldn't be a freeloader that just eats and sleeps; it tarnished the proud dignity of the Dragon Race.

So she planned to go out and make money to support the family, and her method of making money was through fortune-telling.

Having previously swallowed a Dragon Tiger Mountain Magic Mirror and nibbled on Zhang Ze's salted fish, Li's ability in divination rivals top-grade magical artifacts.

Understanding the whole situation, Zhang Ze initially wanted to say we have money now, I run the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion to support you.

But then rethought it; finding something for Li to do might be good.

Though fortune-telling is fine, her outfit had issues.

He took off Li's tattered robe and then placed Li on his shoulder.

"This won't do, this look can't swindle money.

"Come, I'll teach you."

Carrying Li, Zhang Ze headed to the storage room of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

"Fortune-telling, the first impression is crucial.

"Either you appear otherworldly, like an immortal — if not, you need a contrasting appeal to attract people.

"That outfit before was too shabby, like a beggar.

"You seemed like you could barely make ends meet, who's going to believe you in divining fortunes?

"Furthermore, at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, there are few mortals, all cultivators; they themselves are capable of small divination tricks."

Zhang Ze spoke as he walked, and Li listened attentively.

Upon entering the warehouse, Zhang Ze headed straight to the toy section.

After some searching, Zhang Ze picked up a toy and handed it to Li, "Eat this, then transform into this for fortune-telling."

Li looked at the toy yellow-skinned rat with a lightning tail about her size, somewhat reluctant.

"Will this work?" Li was a bit skeptical.

"Relax, it'll definitely work." Zhang Ze retrieved a small doll outfit from a nearby box and tossed it to Li.

"Transform first then switch to this outfit."

In no time, a yellow-skinned rat donned in a light gray Taoist robe appeared before Zhang Ze.

Zhang Ze circled around the now somewhat infringing Li and felt something was missing.

He dug through the bottom of the box to find a small banner and handed it to Li, "Carry it on your shoulder."

Seeing Li with the banner, Zhang Ze felt the appearance was about right, but it still lacked something internal.

"Let me teach you a catchphrase." Zhang Ze said.

"When you see female cultivators notice you, say this."

Zhang Ze cleared his throat and squeaked nasally, "Pikachu, would the pretty lady like a reading on love compatibility?"

Li mimicked, "Is it like this?"

"Squeeze the voice a bit more." Zhang Ze guided.

After several attempts, Zhang Ze finally nodded in satisfaction.

"Rest assured, if you still can't make money like this, come back to me."

Having resolved Li's issue, Zhang Ze returned to his quarters, hung a 'Seclusion' sign on the door, and closed it.

He lit a stick of Spiritual Incense and activated an atmosphere-enhancing array, before sitting cross-legged on a cushion.

"System, trial mode."

...

At the night market of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, Li's little stall was already surrounded densely.

However, the situation seemed a bit different from what Li had in mind.

She was being tightly embraced by a senior sister from the Sword Sect.

"Little cutie, whose spirit pet are you, would you like to go home with sister?"

"I..."

Before Li could speak, she was snatched away by another young lady.

Li was passed from one embrace to another, and though she didn't mind, Li felt this wasn't self-improvement.

It seemed she had become a plaything for the senior sisters.

Li twisted her body to free herself from a sister's hold, jumped back onto the table, unfolded the little banner Zhang Ze gave her, and shouted loudly.

"Fortune-telling! Don't touch if you're not getting a reading!"

With hands on hips and carrying the 'Heaven's Insight' banner, Li stood majestically.

The seniors around the stall paused, then each took out their purses.

"How many strokes per reading?"

"One!", Li replied after a moment of hesitation.

A generous senior sister directly placed ten Spirit Stones, "For ten readings."

Li stretched out her little hand, collected the Spirit Stones into her small Hundred Treasures Bag hanging around her neck, "What would you like to know?"

"Anything, ...how about the weather tomorrow."

One senior answered instantly.

Li returned to her seat seriously, her hands forming a spell, and spiritual qi gathered into an array beneath her, a sound of cascading water echoing the call of Guixu could be faintly heard.

"It will be clear at Sword Pavilion." she said.

"And the day after that?", the senior sister asked immediately.

"It will be clear.", Li replied with a serious face, "Actually, it will be clear for the next three days."

While Lu Yueqi intermingled together with those young disciples, the high-pitched cries of the sword hall sisters became louder.

Sure enough, Zhang Ze's words worked wonders, and business boomed.

Even a long line began to form in front of Li's stall, full of eager sisters.

They laughed and made conversation with the little yellow-skinned rat in good spirits.

...

Meanwhile, back with Zhang Ze, he closed his eyes, exiting the system, and mumbled to himself, "Good, as long as it works."

"""