Li Jiaqi

Li Xian looked at his new ability description by clicking on the expand button.

[Ability: Spectral Scan (Activate) [Shrink]

Description: This is a passive ability that user can use to scan any living organism to determine their cultivation level & stats. User just needs to think in their mind to use the ability and the same to turn it off.

Restriction: If the scanned living organism is two major levels higher than user, user will not be able to read their data.]

'It looks to be such a... useless one, sigh!'

Li Xian sighed because his expectations for this ability were a bit too much.

'But it's better than having nothing. It will help me to not make silly mistakes, that cost my life due to ignorance.'

Li Xian thought before deciding to activate it. The next moment he felt some unknown power pouring into his eyes, while his pupils turned into a golden color. In the next second, everything is finished, and his eyes turned back to normal again.

Li Xian stood in front of a mirror and thought of activating the ability in his mind, which instantly turned his eyes golden, filled with some kind of power. He then thought of deactivating them, and his eyes returned to normal.

'Ah! I definitely can't use this in front of anyone directly.'

Li Xian thought after checking it out for some time. He proceeded to test it in different scenarios, hoping for some special effects. However, seeing that nothing out of the ordinary happened both disappointed and relieved him.

After completing all his research, Li Xian sat down with a sense of relief, having found no anomalies.

As he sighed, his mobile suddenly rang. Lazily picking it up, he saw the caller's name, causing his face to twitch. There was a contradictory mix of emotions in his eyes as he recognized the caller.

"Li Jiaqi."

In another part of the city, at the Guiyang Technological Cafeteria, three young women in their early twenties sat together, indulging in snacks and beverages.

One girl exuded a bubbly energy, another had a more robust appearance, while the third possessed cute features that defined her look.

"Jia! Are you going to call, or should I call Big Brother Li?"

The robust-looking girl, Gong Li, asked, eyeing Li Jiaqi, who was struggling with her mobile.

"If you want to call, go ahead. I know you have some interest in my brother. But he already has a girlfriend, and I don't think he's that handsome for you to act like this."

Li Jiaqi retorted, shooting a glare at Gong Li.

"Humph! You know nothing! I prefer someone mature, and I don't go for pretty boys. Big Brother Li is someone I know, and even though he's not handsome, he's not that bad compared to many others."

Gong Li replied defiantly, refusing to back down from her friend's gaze.

Li Jiaqi couldn't help but feel a sense of pride upon hearing this, despite her playful and often contentious relationship with her brother. 

"I agree with Gong on this!"

Chimed in the bubbly Zhou Xun, prompting glares from her friends. She quickly raised her hands in surrender and diverted her attention back to her snacks, choosing not to bother them any further.

"I don't think he will give me..."

Despite Li Jiaqi's initial reluctance, her fingers continued to dial her stingy brother's number.

"Hello?"

As the call connected, Li Jiaqi immediately heard her brother Li Xian's voice on the other end.

"Hello, brother... I'm in urgent need of 2000 yuan. Can you please send it now? I asked Dad, but he told me to ask you."

Skipping pleasantries, Li Jiaqi got straight to the point, causing Li Xian's face to twitch with annoyance.

Li Xian was on the verge of the usual flare-up. He already covered her monthly expenses, and now she was requesting an additional 2000 yuan. Currently, his account had less than 15,000 yuan, which was a bit painful.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Xian decided to fulfill her request. Despite their frequent squabbles over trivial matters, Li Jiaqi rarely asked him for extra money beyond the pitiful 1000 yuan he sent her.

Reflecting on his sister's modest lifestyle—living in a college-provided dorm and seldom dining outside—he felt a pang of guilt for not providing her with a better life. Resolving to change that, he sighed and decided to offer her a more comfortable existence without nagging her for such small amounts.

"Hello, hello? It's okay, even if it's just 1000 yuan..."

Li Jiaqi, Gong Li, and Zhou Xun anxiously awaited his response. Seeing no immediate reply, Li Jiaqi decided to reduce the requested amount by half.

"It's alright! I've already sent you the money. Check your account."

Before she could finish her sentence, her phone received a notification, and Li Xian's voice echoed from the other end.

"Oh! You've received it already? What! You're not going to ask me why I need this money? Don't startle me like this, Xian."

Li Jiaqi and her friends were stunned by his words. Recovering from her surprise, she scolded him in a frightened tone, as this was not the brother she knew.

"Stop talking nonsense! Now tell me why you need that much."

Li Xian scolded her in an annoyed tone, emphasizing that 2000 yuan was not a trivial amount for them. However, he was asking out of curiosity, not anger.

"Oh! As it's my final year, Gong, Xun, and I went on a trip before starting our careers. So..."

Li Jiaqi explained tentatively, expecting her brother to scold or demand the money back. But she didn't want to lie to her loved ones.

"Aha! That's good then. Just be careful wherever you've been. Also, if you run into any trouble, call me immediately, alright?"

Li Xian said, his thoughts drifting to his recently concluded trip. He couldn't help but smile, realising that his sister has similar plans.

"Alright then... Bye."

Li Jiaqi said with a hint of confusion on her face as she ended the call. Immediately after, she received another notification indicating that she had received an additional 1000 yuan.

"Weird! He's acting very strange... Is that really my brother? Look, he sent me a total of 3000 yuan."

Li Jiaqi shared the notifications with her friends. Despite her doubts, she recognised her brother's voice better than anyone else.

"Maybe Brother Li hit the jackpot, like a big lottery?"

Zhou Xun suggested between bites.

"No! My brother hates lotteries."

Li Jiaqi replied, asserting her knowledge of his personality.

"Does it matter? It's good that we have more than we need. We can be a bit more luxurious in our spending, hehe!"

Gong Li said excitedly. While Gong Li and Zhou Xun had no shortage of money, they wanted to cover Li Jiaqi's expenses with their own funds. However, Li Jiaqi insisted that friendships should not be based on money, fearing it might strain their bonds in the long run.

Li Xian, on the other hand, thought about ways to make money with his newfound strength. However, finding a quick and practical way to utilise his abilities proved to be a challenge.

He explored the idea of the "dark net" that people often talked about online but discovered that the information available was mostly scams requiring payment for access.

"Damn! This is harder than I thought."

Frustrated, he tossed his mobile aside onto the bed, and the rumbling in his stomach signaled that it was time for lunch.

Deciding to temporarily set aside the money-making dilemma, Li Xian prepared his own meal. Yet, even as he ate, his mind continued to circle back to the elusive idea of leveraging his newfound strength for financial gain.

"Well! Maybe he has some connections... How did I forget about him?"

After finishing his meal, Li Xian suddenly remembered a person who might be able to help him.

In his workplace, there's a guy who works as a sales employee, just like him. However, this guy lives even better than their team leader because his outside earnings surpass what he makes in the office.

When Li Xian had previously asked why he still worked there despite earning more elsewhere, the guy explained that his other job was illegal, and he needed a legitimate cover—which his current job provided.

"Well, well... Looks like I have to go to the office tomorrow."

Li Xian mused to himself with a spark of anticipation in his eyes.