Douluo: Law of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 976 Lu Qibin's Past - Extra Chapter 37: To Make Money
After leaving Lankecun Village and boarding a carriage, Li Zhao glanced back at the dilapidated village receding into the distance and lowered the curtain of the back window.

"Judging from your appearance, you don't seem to have any attachment to your hometown at all." Li Ming took off his mask, revealing his true face.

This surprised Li Zhao, but he immediately said, "My acquaintances from my hometown are all dead, so I have no attachment to them. Besides, I have a feeling that I can make a lot of money by following you."

"Why do you like money so much?" Li Ming's companion took off his mask, revealing a gentle, round face, and asked, puzzled.

Li Zhao took out a handkerchief from his pocket, inside which were fifty gold soul coins stained with black filth. He said, "This is the inheritance my parents left me. They died because of money, and the message they wanted to pass on to me must be about making money! In this world, only money will never betray you!"

Li Ming: "..."

This girl went astray!
“Money certainly won’t betray you, but don’t you think it’s a bit too sad to live only for money?” Li Ming asked. “People should have other goals in life.”

"I'm not a Soul Master, I haven't even awakened my Martial Soul yet. I'm just a scavenger whose only goal in life is money, nothing more."

Talk to yourself about goals other than money?

Li Zhao felt that Li Ming had something wrong with his head.

As expected, Li Ming fell silent.

Li Zhao continued, "You want to use the contents of that book I wrote down to achieve some kind of goal, right?"

"Not really."

Li Ming shook his head, "I just want to use this to reminisce about the past. But to be honest, the higher-ups of the Star Crown Sect have always wanted to find traces of the Star Meditation Method through this. If this book is widely printed and spread, it might cause some trouble for the Star Crown Sect."

and--

I need money to deal a blow to the Star Crown Sect.

"We can cooperate."

Li Ming, whose hands were already stained with the blood of the Star Crown Sect disciples, was not pedantic. Since this younger sister liked money, he did not intend to truly involve her in the disaster between her and the Star Crown Sect. As long as she provided the contents of the book and paid her a considerable reward regularly afterward, that would be enough.

"That's what I think too." Li Zhao was surprised to find that the woman in front of him, who looked similar to him but had fairer skin, was surprisingly easy to talk to.

"I want to confirm this—"

Li Ming's companion's gaze turned stern. "Aren't you thinking about revenge?"

"It depends."

Li Zhao grinned, ignoring Li Ming's companions, and stared at Li Ming, "As long as I can gain enough benefits, calling you 'sister' is not out of the question."

Li Ming: "..."

This girl is completely beyond saving! She might sell out everything for profit!
However, considering that she had just been betrayed by her closest relatives, Li Ming could understand. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and asked, "What percentage do you want?"

“A 50/50 split is impossible. How about 60/40? You get 60%.” After Li Zhao finished speaking, seeing that the other party did not answer, he changed his words and said, “How about 70/30? I get 30%.”

However, Li Ming said, "Nine times nine equals one."

Li Zhao: "???"

"It means that of all the benefits we receive, we get 99% and you get 1%."

"Isn't this a bit too much?"

Li Zhao was prepared to accept a 90/10 split, but he didn't expect Li Ming to be even more ruthless, demanding a 99/10 split!

"That's reality. Who told you you didn't have the power?" Li Ming taught his younger sister a lesson. "Moreover, the nobles of Xingluo City are even more corrupt than me. All the taxes paid by the common people within their territory are calculated in gold soul coins, while the disaster relief funds they provide during famine years are calculated in copper soul coins."

If commoners pay 100 gold soul coins in taxes every year, then in years of famine, the grain they can obtain from the empire and its officials will be worth 100 copper soul coins. In that case, the current emperor can truly be called a wise ruler.

Li Zhao: "...He is clearly a tyrant! No wonder there were so many refugees during the great drought back then, and even ten years later, there are still villages like Rotten Axe Village that don't look like villages."

"Those without power can only accept this." Li Ming shrugged, crossed his legs, and simply stated a fact, but his intention to change the situation was unclear.

I don't have that idea.

But Li Zhao was pondering how to unite the powerless common people—

only if!

Only she is qualified to stand on equal footing with those nobles and Soul Masters who wield power.

Admittedly, Soul Masters control power, but Li Zhao is also certain that those who possess power are a minority, while the number of ordinary people is far greater.

More importantly, in terms of intelligence, ordinary people are not much weaker than soul masters; they just lack the channels to learn.

If all ordinary people—no, if 70%... more than 60% of ordinary people—can recognize and read, and unite together, the power they form will be enough to make even Soul Masters wary!
【wrong!
I can't keep thinking about this!
I had no intention of opening an early childhood education academy; I just wanted to make money...
Wait a minute, maybe opening an early childhood education academy could also be a business?

I've heard that junior soul master academies provide introductory education for talented children, but it seems there aren't any academies on the continent for commoner children who haven't awakened their martial souls.

If I were to open such an academy, I could not only gain a good reputation but also make money from the parents of those children. After all, every parent hopes their child will possess innate soul power after awakening their martial soul... Although I can't guarantee that, if children with cultivation potential learn to read before entering a primary academy, they will undoubtedly spend far less time learning to read and study than other children...
There's something going on!
The slogan at the time will be "Give your child a head start!" A large number of parents will definitely be willing to pay for it!

Let's jot down this idea for now. Li Zhao returned to the main topic and said to Li Ming, "Alright, one it is. I believe that with the impact that book can have, many literate commoners will be willing to pay for it, and even illiterate commoners will consider it for the sake of their children."

"You can see through people's hearts?" Li Ming asked, slightly surprised.

"No, I'm just good at thinking," Li Zhao chuckled, pointing to his head. "Although I'm just an ordinary person, that doesn't mean I'm dumber than you Soul Masters..."

On the contrary, she felt that she was several times smarter than these Soul Masters!
It's a pity—

To rule this world requires power, which she lacks. However, she believes that with enough money, many Soul Masters would be willing to work for her as her henchmen to make a living.

After all, Soul Masters are still human beings, and they can't go without eating, drinking, or sleeping. Especially for commoner Soul Masters, who don't have access to noble members or sect disciples, it should be easier to persuade them.

“As an ordinary citizen, being too smart is not a good thing,” Li Ming said quietly. “Knowing too much, yet being unable to change the status quo, will only lead to more suffering.”

"Then you'll have to talk to the beings who created humanity about this."

Li Zhao didn't care at all. "Why would that being create humans and martial spirits, yet still differentiate between martial spirit cultivation talents?"
Why can't a martial soul awaken on its own? Does it require an awakening stone? And why are these awakening stones controlled by nobles, sects, and powerful families?
"Since these distinctions have been made, why grant everyone roughly the same level of wisdom? I understand, and you know, that the wisdom of ordinary people is no less than that of Soul Masters; they simply lack power, and most importantly... the opportunity to learn."

Li Ming's expression turned completely serious as he looked intently at Li Zhao and asked, "Your idea is dangerous—"

But I like it.

But what is your purpose?

Li Zhao grinned and said, "For the sake of making money! In the future, money will be the dominant theme!"

This guy is hopeless!

Li Ming sighed inwardly, but she wouldn't abandon what she needed to do because of her younger sister...

(End of this chapter)