[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal":3,"chapter-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-10":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},596533,846,"Chapter 10: \"Lotus Blooms in the Heart of Fire\", The Harmony of Heaven and Humanity","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-10",10,"\u003Cp>At the summit of Jade Cluster Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems Elder Qian never intended for my cheap master to repay her debts—just to remind her not to borrow anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo gazed at the sparse furnishings atop the peak, his lips twitching slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crude wooden hut, with a few broken walls and scattered ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t know this was within the Qingyuan Sect, he would’ve thought the place had just been ravaged by disaster beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master? Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo called out twice, but there was no response. He pushed open the wooden door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room reeked of alcohol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mmm...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman grunted lazily like a sloth, rolled over, and continued sleeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo had no choice but to lean in close to her ear and whisper:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder Qian is here to collect debts...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu shot upright, but upon seeing Li Mo standing before her, her drunken, wary eyes flickered with confusion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m your disciple,\" Li Mo replied helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Disciple... Oh, right, I remember now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu scratched her head, seemingly recalling, though her almond-shaped eyes remained dazed. \"What do you need?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awake, but not quite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo paused for a moment before speaking. \"Since I’ve joined your tutelage... shouldn’t you teach me something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That... does sound reasonable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu’s delicate shoulders were exposed, completely oblivious to how indecent her current posture was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood up, her robes hanging loosely off one shoulder, revealing half of her collarbone. Surprisingly, she was even slightly taller than Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yesterday, I did plan to teach you something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Without alcohol, my memory’s just terrible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She frowned slightly, looking genuinely troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had she spoken than a soft pop echoed—the sound of a cork being pulled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu’s nose twitched, and she immediately rattled off like an expert:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Green Ant Brew? Specially made by the Ten-Mile Slope Winery, aged five years for the best amber hue. A ten-year vintage is even rarer—where’d you get this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She snatched the jar from her unfortunate disciple and took a deep swig, the liquor trickling down her chest, tracing a breathtaking curve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your memory isn’t that bad after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo could barely stand to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu wiped her mouth and declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now I remember. Yesterday, I made a bet with that old ghost Han He.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He dared say I couldn’t teach a disciple. Can I tolerate that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wasn’t exactly wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No other master would hand their disciple an account book as a welcome gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just because he took in Murong Xiao, he thinks he can strut around like a peacock. Pah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, I made a wager with him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If a disciple from Jade Cluster Peak ranks higher in the next Nine Peaks Tournament, he’ll clear my debts with the Internal Affairs Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And if we lose?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lose? As my disciple, can’t you have a little confidence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Shang Wu turned and rummaged through a chest, pulling out a manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She declared with full confidence:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is my unique cultivation method. I’ll have you mastering it by the end of the day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo took the manual and read its title:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Flame Heart Lotus Method\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the system had evaluated Shang Wu as exceptionally powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, all these debts must’ve been racked up through sheer skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that she owed the Internal Affairs Hall so much, yet Elder Qian could only tactfully remind her not to borrow more, spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo felt slightly reassured and flipped open the manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading through it, he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, there’s a part I didn’t quite understand...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Snore... Snore...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His carefree, beautiful master had somehow fallen asleep again, the wine jar now completely empty beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was thoroughly drunk—no amount of shaking would wake her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sister, could you be a little more reliable?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Mo was drowning in exasperation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Investment successful. Investment: One jar of ten-year Green Ant Brew.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Reward calculation in progress...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations, Host. Reward: Ten Years of Martial Insight!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ten Years of Martial Insight]: \"Can be applied to any martial technique, granting the host ten years of mastery in it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years of martial insight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The progression of a martial technique was divided into six stages: Novice, Familiar, Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfection, and Transcendence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most common martial arts in the world had few who could reach Perfection, let alone Transcendence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take his father, Li Dalong, for example. His \"Grasping Wind Palm\" technique had been practiced for nearly twenty years, yet he’d only reached Major Mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, much of this depended on one’s innate talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wouldn’t call myself a genius, but I’m at least sharp-witted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo stepped outside and sat cross-legged on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, he poured all ten years of martial insight into the Flame Heart Lotus Method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ten Years of Martial Insight successfully applied.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year One: You meticulously studied every word of the Flame Heart Lotus Method, conducted experiments, and successfully reached the Novice stage.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year Three: You gained deeper insights, uncovering the method’s secrets, advancing to the Familiar stage.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year Nine: Your mastery of the Flame Heart Lotus Method grew, reaching Minor Mastery.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year Ten: You brushed against a bottleneck but lacked the foundation to break through.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, countless images flooded Li Mo’s mind—as if he’d genuinely spent a decade refining the Flame Heart Lotus Method, now standing at Minor Mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whew...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten years... Minor Mastery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden enlightenment felt like soaring above the clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eagerly, he began his first true cultivation session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warmth kindled in his dantian...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the surrounding grass and trees swayed without wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the first attempt, just opening a meridian would count as success.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo steadied his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the hut, the drunken Shang Wu suddenly furrowed her brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She mumbled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heaven-Man Unity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who’s got such damn good luck...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qingyuan Main Peak, Training Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several elders stood by, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of their astonishment was a young girl seated not far away, her posture perfectly aligned in meditation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, these elders—collectively over five hundred years old—were questioning their entire lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Questioning whether their past decades had been wasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A day to reach Novice?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing murmured in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be precise, a quarter of an hour,\" Qian Bufan corrected, sighing deeply. He then turned and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Han He, you also practice this Frost-Seeking Origin Method. How long did it take you back then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han He’s lips twitched. After a long pause, he replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Han He had been young, a fresh disciple of the Qingyuan Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still remembered how his master had praised him as a genius when he mastered the technique in a month and successfully opened his meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But compared to this girl before them...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the elders spoke, their exhaled breath instantly crystallized into frost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Each generation surpasses the last. The Qingyuan Sect is destined for greatness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing solemnly declared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His perception was razor-sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Ying Bing practiced her cultivation, it seemed as though an endless surge of Lunar Yin energy flowed within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the master of this power, she could not avoid being harmed by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consuming Yang-aligned herbs or elixirs could offset a fraction of the damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It appeared that the vial of Pure Yang Pills he had sold to Li Mo a few days prior had helped this young girl unblock her meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold wind seemed to swirl around Ying Bing, forming a vortex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’s opened a meridian!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han He’s eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could clearly sense that the first major meridian in Ying Bing’s body had been completely unblocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If this continues, won’t she have all twelve meridians unblocked in just a few days?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This statement was only half correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing could indeed unblock all twelve meridians within days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what she sought to open was far more than just twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elders of the Qingyuan Sect were ultimately limited by their narrow perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human body was a treasure trove, and the number of major meridians far exceeded twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, ordinary martial artists in the Qi-Blood Realm, even if aware of their existence, could never hope to unblock them—it required an exceptionally refined and precise control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for her, this was no challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Ying Bing aimed for was to unblock twenty-four meridians, forming a grand internal cycle within her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once she stepped into the Inner Breath Realm, her strength would increase by more than tenfold!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such a monstrous talent makes our guidance utterly redundant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing wore a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Leader, burdened with duties, had specifically assigned the three of them to instruct Ying Bing, answering her questions and preventing errors that might arise from a single teacher’s ingrained habits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, their efforts were unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Ying Bing cultivate made them feel as though they themselves were riddled with mistakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll leave this to you two. I’m heading to Jade Cluster Peak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why go there? It’s an ill-omened place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mere mention of it, Elder Han He snorted coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you truly trust Shang Wu to teach disciples properly?\" Xue Jing tugged at his patched robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Bufan took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry, Junior Brother Xue. If you’re late, I fear it’ll be too late.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1576,"2026-05-30T17:18:59.992Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","dc20d2e315554e9acbe792b1a919bf0242425fa7cf673a1457d541acf5762052","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-11","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-9",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]