[{"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-2":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},596525,846,"Chapter 2: The Peerless Genius System: Punishment for the Defeated","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>The adjacent room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Li lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good news—his childhood sweetheart had the bearing of a supreme sovereign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bad news—his relationship with her was far from amicable, and he had been constantly provoking her like a clown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they joined the Clear Abyss Sect, she would undoubtedly shine brilliantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo couldn’t help but imagine the classic trope: the protagonist undergoing a talent assessment, only for the testing stone to explode with a resounding boom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, the minor antagonists who had bullied her would tremble in fear, lining up to be humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Investment successful. Investment: A bowl of old mountain ginseng chicken soup.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations, Host. Reward: One Heavenly Spirit Restoration Pill.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Heavenly Spirit Restoration Pill]: \"Forged with six spiritual veins, a pinnacle-grade elixir capable of mending innate deficiencies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jade box materialized out of thin air on the table, its lid already open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside lay a crystalline pill, wreathed in purplish mist, its divine glow restrained yet unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s jaw dropped. His expression froze, and for several seconds, he even forgot to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had heard of this thing before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a premature child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother had suffered a fright during pregnancy, leading to an early birth before the full term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, he had been frail and sickly since childhood, even learning to walk a year later than other children. The whispers followed him—people called him the \"weak cub of the mighty Li family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father never voiced it, but the concern was evident. He had scoured all avenues for a solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them was the search for this very pill—the so-called \"Innate Restoration Pill.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, such treasures were priceless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Li family spent half their fortune, they might only secure a two-veined pill—if they were lucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many powerful clans coveted these pills, willing to pay exorbitant prices to nurture their descendants. After all, before one could cultivate martial arts, who wouldn’t want a stronger foundation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Li Mo had never obtained one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined receiving it this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a six-veined one at that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his limited knowledge, Li Mo understood just how precious this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each additional vein multiplied the pill’s value several times over, with higher tiers becoming exponentially rarer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six veins? He had never even heard of such a thing. Its worth was beyond estimation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gulp—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh, doesn’t really taste like anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo smacked his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how precious something was, it only truly became his once swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pill melted the moment it touched his tongue, flowing down his throat and into his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warm current surged through his limbs and bones, like schools of fish swimming along his meridians, organs, and marrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if parched earth had been drenched in sweet rain, or a withered tree had sprung back to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo exhaled deeply, his eyes snapping open with newfound vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted. The world before him seemed clearer, as though a thin veil had been removed. Even the air carried a faint sweetness, and an inexhaustible energy coursed through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An imperfect analogy—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt like an old man on the brink of death, suddenly rejuvenated by decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were to train in martial arts now, even if he wasn’t a prodigy, he would at least be a solid, unbroken stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A six-veined pill… truly lives up to its reputation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And this was just for a bowl of chicken soup?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo inwardly marveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The return on investment was absurdly high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the main reason was likely the recipient of his \"investment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what he remembered, Ying Bing was as her name suggested—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A block of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mending their relationship would be a long and arduous task, but the rewards were worth chasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A red-destiny talent? If he missed this chance, he’d never get another in eight lifetimes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Steward Xu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master, how may I serve you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steward hurried in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo lowered his voice. \"Does Ying Bing have any favorite foods?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steward blinked, thinking for a moment. \"Not particularly. Lady Bing has never shown much interest in delicacies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Any other likes, then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well… I wouldn’t know, Young Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steward grimaced. What mischief is the Young Master plotting now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Li Mo had ordered the servants to make life difficult for Ying Bing. Since when did he care about her preferences?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never mind. Sorry to trouble you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo cringed inwardly at the memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the steward turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, Young Master, the Master instructed that once we reach the city beneath Clear Abyss Sect, we are to take Lady Bing for a medical examination. He provided two hundred taels for the consultation. What should we…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go. And if the money isn’t enough, take it from my personal funds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo waved dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If spending money could yield such rewards, it was a bargain he’d take any day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have an early start tomorrow. Get some rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steward scratched his head, nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s gotten into the Young Master?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, he had been oddly polite—not just to him but even toward Ying Bing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe traveling has broadened his horizons? Made him mature?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first rays of dawn spilled into the room, glinting off the frost clinging to the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A girl sat curled up on the bed, hugging her knees—a snow spirit in slumber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing was dreaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of her past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she first entered Clear Abyss Sect, she had been diagnosed with blocked meridians. Only after a fortuitous encounter half a year later did they unseal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From then on, her monstrous talent left her peers in the dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By eighteen, even the sect master was no match for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She ventured beyond the Eastern Wasteland Domain, witnessing a vaster world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were boundless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden sects, ancient prodigies, imperial dynasties’ chosen, even reincarnated elders—geniuses sprouted like bamboo after rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a dazzling era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, she remained the brightest star amidst the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the Human Ranking, the Mystic Ranking, the Earth Ranking, the Heaven Ranking…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, she stood among the Nine Heavens, equal to the Martial Emperor of the Central Yu Dynasty, crowned as the Phoenix Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Heavens—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nine supreme beings of the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, above even them, lay a fabled, transcendent state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s eyes fluttered open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything confirmed it—she had truly returned to the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And encountered something that had never existed in her previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s still here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before her eyes hovered lines of mysterious text.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Invisible to others, as though it would remain until she made a choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A… system?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither in her past nor present life had she encountered such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths are vast. I am far from omniscient.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps this is a power beyond even my knowledge.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of contemplation, she willed her decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ding. Binding complete.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Host: Ying Bing.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This system is the Peerless Prodigy System, dedicated to guiding the host on the path of invincibility.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s expression remained unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The path of invincibility?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already walked it once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her rise had been unstoppable, outshining every star in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her past life, even the Martial Emperor could only match her through esoteric means.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her peak, she’d have had to scour history books to find a worthy rival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This life, she would only grow stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Clear all milestones, and you shall attain the opportunity to ascend to immortality.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The system’s next message made her breath hitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immortality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a term that existed only in legends!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that in every era, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths would give birth to a singular, peerless \"Immortal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transcending all living beings, a true existence beyond mortality, an eternal being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet ever since the Yu Dynasty unified the land, attaining immortality had faded into myth, as if the path itself had been severed—only adding to its mystique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was also the greatest secret sought after by generations of powerhouses across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the path to immortality barred, she, brimming with confidence, ultimately chose the most arduous road—one that only a handful had ever succeeded in throughout history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, she still fell just one step short...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This so-called \"system\" actually held the key to immortality?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing steadied her emotions and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does 'challenge' mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This system will encompass all talented martial artists of the same generation within a designated region and rank them once every month.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[After the rankings are announced, rewards will be distributed based on the host’s position.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Current ranking scope: Eastern Wasteland Domain.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, countless memories flooded Ying Bing’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only the system’s rules but also its many restrictions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, no external interference was permitted in the challenges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No disclosure of the system’s existence to manipulate opponents into yielding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rules like these effectively blocked any shortcuts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ranking of prodigies?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her past life, she had already been the very embodiment of genius and monstrosity across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, armed with the memories of her previous life, retreading the martial path would only make her stronger than before!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If what the system claimed was true, this would drastically shorten the time needed for her to reclaim her peak—perhaps even propel her into that unfathomable realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was an exaggeration, she had nothing to lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defeat punishment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In both her past and present life, she had never once known the taste of being overshadowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Central Divine Continent was renowned as a land of heroes, but after her arrival, the younger generation fell under her shadow, to the point of trembling at the mere mention of \"Bing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were even ancient monsters who, to humble her pride, disguised themselves, suppressed their cultivation, and posed as rising talents to challenge her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only to be forced to reveal their true forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And still lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Prompt: Enable defeat punishment mechanism?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Upon activation, rewards will be richer, but the host must carry out the defeat punishment on the top-ranked challenger after rankings are announced.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing would please me more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s choice was unequivocal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would undoubtedly be the top-ranked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To her, this punishment was effectively nonexistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she had already proven herself capable, why not maximize the rewards?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Defeat punishment mechanism successfully activated!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing pushed the door open and stepped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Morning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away, a young man happened to open his door as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met, and Li Mo grinned, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to yesterday, the gloom on his face had vanished, replaced instead by a radiant handsomeness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overnight, he had transformed into a bright, sunny young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had changed slightly from the distant memory she held of him.\u003C\u002Fp>",1862,"2026-05-30T17:18:59.992Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","916ad89b73a1c9b07eae88fe111e82b22ada61a5b0d02d25898a85e9990ca916","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-3","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-1",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]