[{"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-232":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},596355,846,"Chapter 232: As expected, the punishment rating doesnt come with normal rewards","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-232",232,"\u003Cp>\"Li Shaoxia... Li Shaoxia?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of Wei Zhaoliu reached his ears, pulling Li Mo from his dazed state. When he opened his eyes, it felt as though an eternity had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slanted Moon Three Stars Cave from moments ago had vanished—he was still atop the Sword Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peculiar stone remained unchanged, and the scroll lay quietly beside it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhaoliu looked at him with concern and confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master really should have warned you not to touch that stone recklessly. Are you feeling better now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wasn’t the stone that made me faint...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo picked up the scroll, which depicted the very scene he had just witnessed—the Slanted Moon Three Stars Cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single glance at its divine essence sent tremors through his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Summer insects cannot speak of ice; mortals cannot speak of the Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lacked the foundation to fully absorb the divine techniques contained within the Divine Insight Painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one day, when his Intent Soul grew stronger, $2he abilities within the painting would surely become his!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s heart swelled with excitement as he gazed at the Divine Insight Painting, his eyes burning with fervor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he noticed Wei Zhaoliu giving him a strange look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you staring at that odd monkey and grinning like a fool?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...This is the Divine Insight Painting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo was momentarily bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhaoliu seemed to understand something and nodded knowingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right, right. If you say so, Li Shaoxia, then it must be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But failing to replicate the stone’s essence is perfectly normal. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She assumed Li Mo had failed in his attempt to recreate the Divine Insight Painting and was merely saving face by insisting otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, how could a perfectly good stone turn into a monkey?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Li Shaoxia was just prideful—not brain-damaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The divine essence within the painting did not belong to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To others, it was merely an exquisitely drawn painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only he could perceive its true nature because of his immortal physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, without his physique acting as a conduit, this \"Monkey King Seeks the Dao\" painting would never have manifested in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun dipped westward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the vast Sword Pool, all disciples of the Sword City—even several elders—rose to their feet and bowed in reverence toward a young girl who appeared no older than sixteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had this scene occurred in the past, it would have left countless onlookers stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing stood silently for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, she would have ignored such displays entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she had already repaid her debt to the Sword City by lecturing on the Dao after studying their peculiar stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, faced with the sea of gazes—some reverent as if beholding a deity, others brimming with gratitude—she felt an unfamiliar hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this why he always enjoyed helping others?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were him, what would he say right now...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing spoke softly, her voice carrying across the Sword Pool:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No thanks are necessary. May your hearts remain sincere, and may you all touch the profound mysteries of the sword.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sun set and the moon rose, $2he swords nurtured within the Sword Pool stirred with awakened spirituality, their harmonious hum resonating endlessly, as if answering her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of these blades had once been wielded by generations of Sword City’s masters, their lingering wills embedded within the steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, those remnants emerged as pure divine essence, converging toward the platform where she stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young girl stood alone, $2 sword in her right hand, a large-headed doll clutched in her left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a pale yellow gown, though its delicate fabric could not overshadow the radiance of her jade-like skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brows arched like distant mountains, her eyes holding the moon’s glow—her bones carved from luminous jade, her spirit as clear as autumn waters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathed in the gathered divine essence, she seemed ever more like a being not of this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the watchful eyes of the crowd:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did Fairy Ying break through again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I almost forgot—she’s only sixteen this year...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our Sword City has stood for generations, inviting martial artists to study the stone. Isn’t this the very truth she spoke of?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No wonder the lingering wills of our predecessors responded to her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Hidden Dragon Ranking was released too soon. Had they waited, Fairy Ying might have ranked higher than eighteenth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I still find it hard to believe. A few words, and the Sword Pool trembles? It’s unfathomable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s not forget—Li Shaoxia possesses the Prosperous Wife Battle Soul. I have a theory...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Ying Bing hadn’t expected her breakthrough to arrive so abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor had she anticipated causing such a spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To aid Fairy Ying in her breakthrough is a blessing for these long-neglected swords as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Zeng’s expression held more curiosity than surprise for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such joyous news calls for celebration. Why not stay for a banquet tonight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need. I prefer simpler meals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s gaze shifted toward the distance, her eyes flickering slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without another word, she descended the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Zeng raised an eyebrow, following the direction of her departure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entrance of the Sword Pool, beneath a tree, a young man crouched on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held a twig, sketching something in the dirt for Jiang Chulong to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing approached the boy and crouched beside him, watching silently for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the three of them left together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their figures gradually blurred against the backdrop of the setting sun and rising moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elders fell into contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had they come here again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, they felt like stray dogs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night was cool as water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the private courtyard of a tavern, $2i Mo sat cross-legged in his room, the Divine Insight Painting resting on his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The miniature figure within his dantian glowed faintly—but unlike before, the light did not come from the mysterious and noble lunar patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, it was the divine essence flowing steadily from the painting before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Li Mo exhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when presented through the lens of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, comprehending the techniques within the Divine Insight Painting placed immense strain on his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, mastering them would bring unimaginable rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And this is only the rudimentary form.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if it were the Divine Form of the Great Dao?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer possessed the Gilded Creation Seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, that item only appeared as feedback when he invested in the \"ice block.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She just broke through today—she’s probably consolidating her realm now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo shook his head and resumed his meditation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Atop the tavern, $2ing Bing sat on a massage chair, studying the avian forms imprinted in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always been diligent in her cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet today, for some reason, her focus wavered slightly...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had she grown accustomed to dual cultivation with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she and Li Mo had barely exchanged words today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, illusory text flickered before her eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have an unclaimed Class C reward.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A reward from the punishment rating...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was debatable whether this counted as a reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she didn’t want it, the system would force it upon her...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the system didn’t even pretend. Or perhaps it had sensed her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This Class C reward is: Kiss Li Mo.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was beginning to suspect that the punishment rating never included normal rewards to begin with.\u003C\u002Fp>",1272,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.270Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","f6b13b5c734ea7fa843d46246e202ecf5700b563dfa7376374571e8686759bed","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-233","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-231",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]