[{"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-260":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},596970,846,"Chapter 260: Audition Site: The Bizarre Abilities of Aquatic Creatures","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-260",260,"\u003Cp>\"I wonder what criteria they're using to judge this selection process.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Mo's worldview underwent some shifts, he couldn't help but feel curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it a straightforward battle? That method sounded fitting for the combative nature of demonic beasts, but upon reflection, it seemed unlikely. After all, with so many aquatic creatures gathered here, a one-on-one competition would take weeks, if not months, to complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the woman continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This selection will test two main aspects.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, bloodline power. Second, combat prowess.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only those who pass the bloodline assessment will qualify for the combat trial.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those who wish to participate may now line up to receive their numbers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she walked over to the \"judges' panel\" near the center of the lake. Soon after, members of the Mingjiao clan arrived, distributing numbered shells to the participants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His identity for entering the Floating Temple didn’t matter much, but securing an entry ticket was crucial for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Xiao, eager to reunite with his parents and unable to wait a moment longer, also signed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Dameng, knowing his own limits, decided against participating. He’d rather find a quiet spot to enjoy some beef and mutton. Silently, he prayed that they wouldn’t end up short on participants and drag him in as a last-minute filler...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for our dear Huang Donglai...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mounts weren’t eligible to compete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them inscribed their information on the shells and handed them in, only to bump into a two-headed youth whose gaze was icy and brimming with hostility—especially when he saw Li Mo submitting his shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disdain in the youth’s eyes grew even more pronounced. If this weren’t the Mingjiao clan’s territory, a classic round of taunting might have ensued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo, stared down by two pairs of eyes, was utterly baffled. Where was this hostility coming from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Have we even met before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we’re strangers, why keep glaring at me like that? Do you have any manners? You’re practically asking to get beaten up...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, maybe you’ve already been beaten up before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Heavenly Eye revealed the truth—this was the Xiangliu clan’s young master, the one who’d lost a head to that ice block (the Qingluan Goddess).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Mo didn’t understand the source of the hostility, he paid it no mind and simply returned to his seat with Murong Xiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they left, a Mingjiao clan prodigy approached the Xiangliu young master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That serpent isn’t from our territory. Rumor has it he came from beyond the Southern Border. His background is unclear, but he’s likely stronger than Wu Dameng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks. You’ve got some sense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk tsk tsk, if he faces you, he won’t stand a chance.\" The Mingjiao prodigy, Wu Han, performed a Central Divine Land-style bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xiangliu young master was thoroughly pleased. \"Last time, I survived an encounter with the Qingluan Goddess. What’s one measly serpent to me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ll surely achieve a swift victory, Young Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a cold laugh, the Xiangliu returned to his seat, picking up chopsticks in both hands and devouring the feast voraciously. The Xiangliu clan was infamous for their gluttony—and their speed. Not a single aquatic creature at the table could out-eat him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blackwater Marsh selection began in full swing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before it even started, musically inclined aquatic creatures performed, as if advertising the event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings, esteemed elders. I am Zhen Bang, a river clam from the northern Blackwater Marsh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clam maiden stepped into the... well, lake center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hopeful gazes of her clansmen made it clear—she was undoubtedly a genius among clams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please introduce your bloodline power and demonstrate it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Xiao’s mother, Wu Qing, held a conch shell as she spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My bloodline power is incredibly potent. If I join the team heading to the Floating Temple, I can guarantee that our group will never have to worry about logistics—and may even increase our chances of obtaining the Celestial Jade.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo straightened up, focusing intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Begin your demonstration.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Bang took a deep breath, her expression deadly serious. Her entire body trembled slightly—clearly, she was giving it her all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phantom of her clam ancestor materialized behind her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, her navel began emitting a crystalline glow—and...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light grew brighter and brighter, dazzlingly radiant! Almost tangible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the watchful eyes of the crowd—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plink—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light condensed into a pearl the size of a baby’s fist, dropping to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m done.\" Zhen Bang weakly lifted the pearl, her face drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And this pearl... what’s so special about it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wu Qing’s question, the gathered demons burst into murmurs. Some speculated it could explode with immense force, others claimed it contained mirage-like illusions to bewitch the mind—opinions varied wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Bang declared proudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, this pearl glows. And it’s beautiful. No human woman could resist it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s valuable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo and the others fell into deep thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The luminous pearl was indeed more radiant than a night pearl—undoubtedly worth a fortune. Selling it could solve the team’s financial concerns...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could even use it to bribe other factions competing for the Celestial Jade...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt off, but they couldn’t quite pinpoint what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Judges, please score!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fish in the lake swiftly swam into formation, arranging themselves into a visible number for all to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three points. Failed. Next.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Qing—Murong Xiao’s mother—sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhen Bang ran off in tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, several more geniuses from different clans took the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sea cucumber prodigy showcased his incredible regenerative abilities—any flesh cut from his body regrew within ten minutes. He also boasted that his meat was delicious (self-proclaimed), ensuring the team would never go hungry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to take a bite of himself, he was escorted offstage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came a dreamweaver jellyfish genius, skilled in hypnosis... herself. Yes, she could fall asleep in the blink of an eye—and did so mid-introduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No wonder the aquatic clans have always been suppressed by the avian clans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo mused that perhaps it wasn’t just the Qingluan Goddess’s rise to power that tipped the scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that the aquatic clans’ abilities were just... inherently bizarre?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or had they degenerated over the long passage of time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahem. Well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The odd ones were in the minority. Most of the later participants were far more competent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a carp that spat water-prison bubbles, a water hog whose sonic waves could shatter metal and stone...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a Mingjiao clan genius took the stage and passed with flying colors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Mingjiao clan’s bloodline power is hydrokinesis—externally manifested as summoning wind and rain. The scale of the summoned storm reflects the strength of their bloodline?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo quietly calculated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After transforming into a Mingjiao, he’d not only retained his human physique but also gained the ability to manipulate water vapor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he’d only recently acquired this power and hadn’t practiced it much...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think I’ve got an artifact I’ve been saving for a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo checked his system inventory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wind and Rain Summoning Talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(To be continued.)\u003C\u002Fp>",1173,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.270Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.889Z",1,"novelbin.me","316e17fbf4f95b25cbfd052815665cdf0722ec99a0376fe12c3f872b196906f2","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-261","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-259",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]