[{"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-128":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},596888,846,"Chapter 128: Surpassing Ying Bing: The Phoenix Blood Spirit Grass","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-128",128,"\u003Cp>Han Shi raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His deep, unfathomable gaze swept into the distance, where the rankings displayed across the sky had, at some point, shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘First: Li Mo, 577 beast tokens.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Second: Ying Bing, 240 beast tokens.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Third: Bai Jinghong, 77 beast tokens.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Shi: “?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his millennia-spanning experience, Ying Bing’s performance was nothing short of astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, reality couldn’t be measured by sheer numbers. The more powerful skeletal beasts carried more tokens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how you looked at it, Ying Bing’s dominance could only be described as peerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What in the world was up with the first place?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five hundred?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the skeletal beasts stood still and let themselves be slaughtered, it wouldn’t be possible to kill them that fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson-robed youth’s brows furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He distinctly remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Nine Peaks Tournament, Li Mo—though undeniably a genius within the Eastern Wasteland Domain—still paled in comparison to a prodigy like Ying Bing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had something gone wrong in the secret realm? Had this guy found some underhanded trick?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Han Shi, should I enter the realm and drag him out?” Yin Huaxuan asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let it be. There’s no need to interfere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson-robed youth’s expression relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as Ying Bing arrives here, that’s enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Mo... is still a rare talent. With our current need for capable hands, it would be ideal if he understands the wisdom of choosing the right master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exploiting loopholes was still a form of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, among the Eastern Wasteland’s younger generation, he was one of the few who had caught Han Shi’s eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this disciple is Shang Wu’s apprentice. He’s likely wild and unyielding—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Yin Huaxuan could finish, the crimson-robed man turned, his sidelong glance carrying an unspoken weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that even better if he’s Shang Wu’s disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Huaxuan’s heart skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would be his fortune to serve Han Shi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if he refuses...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson-robed youth said coolly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he won’t be of use to me, his only remaining value is to become nourishment for the Blood Phoenix Essence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First Layer of the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast lake had frozen over in many places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monstrous fish, its skeletal tail thrashing, sent ripples of dark energy through the water, desperately resisting the encroaching auroral light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the frigid power of the Lunar Yin continued to shrink its space for evasion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lake grew colder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So cold it felt as though time itself had frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crescent radiance flickered, carrying a snow-white sword that descended from the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skeletal fish struggled with all its might, only to find its immense strength vanishing into nothingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword pierced through the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark ripples shattered in its wake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade impaled the beast’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lunar Yin energy erupted, freezing everything it touched into solid ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In moments, the skeletal fish became an exquisitely lifelike ice sculpture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A string of beast tokens fell into the maiden’s delicate hand, swiftly tucked into the pouch at her waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After completing this, Ying Bing finally lifted her gaze, her eyes tinged with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She still hadn’t seen Han Zhen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had her memory failed her? Or had that man not obtained the Blood Phoenix Essence from here after all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How... was he so fast?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The top fifty will advance to the next layer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It makes no difference either way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause, Ying Bing’s thoughts stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resplendent Phoenix Qi behind her seemed to come alive, forming four radiant wings that rippled with auroral light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single beat, the phoenix wings carried her into the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern was draped in countless spiderwebs—delicate in appearance, yet strong enough to immobilize even an Internal Breath realm martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jade-white spider, several zhang in length, hissed atop its silken trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cloud-Cutting Sword Art!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hundred sword shadows coalesced before merging into one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssh! Ssssh! Ssssh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jade spider was riddled with wounds, swiftly obliterated by the sword energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Had I used this move from the start last time, I would never have lost!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Jinghong’s chest heaved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That duel had been a test. He hadn’t employed his true techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had merely been caught off guard—his full strength never unleashed...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After collecting the beast tokens, he stepped out of the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he looked up, Bai Jinghong’s expression froze completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before a cascading waterfall, droplets sprayed in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the falls lay a pitch-black stone wall, within which a small hollow had been carved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside rested a crimson-jade herb, its faint fragrance carrying the phantom image of a phoenix in flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a treasure was never unguarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over a dozen skeletal apes prowled the waterside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike ordinary skeletal beasts, they exhibited sharper intelligence—and their auras were far more menacing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weakest were at the peak of the eighth rank, equivalent to the Internal Breath Golden Core realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strongest had reached the mid-seventh rank—comparable to a Five-Aperture Insight cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two figures, one large and one small, peeked out from the nearby undergrowth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qin and Tang Xiaobao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodies were smeared with thick black mud mixed with beast bone powder, masking their presence from the skeletal apes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother Xiaobao, you’re amazing! It really is the Phoenix Blood Spirit Grass!” Xiao Qin whispered excitedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had left markings along the way—signs only Qingyuan Sect disciples could decipher, as Elder Qian had instructed before entering the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, he had run into Senior Brother Xiaobao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Xiaobao seemed to possess an uncanny talent for locating rare treasures...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, of course.” Tang Xiaobao snorted, already preparing to leap out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, what are you doing?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Going to grab the herb, obviously. Didn’t you want it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qin glanced at Tang Xiaobao’s small frame, then at the towering, ferocious skeletal apes nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother, I know you’re strong, but maybe we should... plan this carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just dealing with these apes would be beyond their capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with their master’s assistance, the cost would be steep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if they secured the herb, who was to say someone wouldn’t swoop in to claim it afterward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Xiao, Senior Brother Xiaobao, what’re you two muttering about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar voice suddenly called from behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>",1062,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.269Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.889Z",1,"novelbin.me","0e7918929f8611e48e7496e68675ae70bf6995e69ccc8486770b5b49b87f96d2","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-129","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-127",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]