[{"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-292":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},597002,846,"Chapter 292: Xiao Lis Dream: The Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Stir the Winds and Clouds","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-292",292,"\u003Cp>Li Mo slowly regained consciousness, only to realize he hadn’t truly woken up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his eyes—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sky choked with dark clouds, a simple bamboo hut that seemed to sprout from the blackened earth, and an ostentatiously lavish sacrificial altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Villagers gathered around the altar, their faces numb and bewildered. The drugged children—chosen as offerings—wailed as the effects wore off. A grotesque, bloated fish floated belly-up in the river, its corpse staining the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was rendered in monochrome—even the blood of the slain ‘River God,’ which had spread across the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Am I... dreaming?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo remembered this day vividly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had arrived at this riverside village just in time to witness the ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who live by the mountain eat from the mountain; those who live by the water eat from the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Storms would rise without warning, making fishing impossible. Worse, the waters often claimed lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When floods swallowed the village, the people knew: The River God is angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the priest would lead them in sacrifice. This year’s flood was especially severe—only a grand offering would suffice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, families chosen to give up a child—a boy or a girl—were considered blessed. Their child would \"live in bliss with the River God.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The parents would drug their children with ‘Soul-Severing Elixir,’ dress them in finery, and send them off on a lotus platform...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Mo saw the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called River God was just a hideous catfish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he plunged into the water, fought the beast in the depths, and forced it to spit out the children before it floated lifelessly to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had killed the River God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he climbed ashore, the villagers surrounded him, dropping to their knees in unison, trembling like frightened quails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our village has a new River God!\" they cried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t kneel!\" Li Mo’s voice rang out, firm and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is no River God! I’m just a man, like you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what followed wasn’t enlightenment—nor gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you won’t accept our offerings, why did you kill the River God?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the river floods, we know it’s his anger. Without him, how will we understand the cause?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who will we worship when people drown?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their fury, confusion, and fear threatened to drown him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, even Li Mo questioned himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did I... do something wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, hoping to find her—but there was no one. Only himself, alone in the surging crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you sweating so much?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing gazed at the young man resting on her lap, her delicate fingers brushing over his furrowed brow, unable to smooth the tension there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she heard him murmur in his sleep:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ice Block...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lashes fluttered, moonlight-pale features briefly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he dreaming of her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or searching for her in his dreams?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likely the latter. Rarely had she seen him—usually so bright and carefree—wear such a deeply troubled expression, his face shadowed with uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never been like this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze softened. She took his hand and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m right here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he heard her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow relaxed. The sweat stopped. His breathing steadied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If those two little figures—one black, one white—popped up again now, the black-clad one (the one who called him little brother) would probably win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing held his hand, quietly amused by the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun climbed high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo finally stirred, yawning as he woke, feeling oddly refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this pillow? Cool, soft, yet springy—he’d have to use it from now on...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar fragrance tickled his nose. He looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True beauty had no bad angles—even from below, her face was breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was serene, distant eyes fixed on the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Snore...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo quickly shut his eyes, feigning sleep—or at least trying to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slender fingers pinched his nose shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still asleep?\" Ying Bing didn’t let up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Snore...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seems he really hasn’t woken.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Snork—ACHOO!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Mo resolved to tough it out, his nose tingled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his eyes to find the fingers that had tormented him now twirling a lock of her silken hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ice Block had tickled him with her hair!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Awake?\" Her lips curled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, just woke up. What happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A bug crawled over your nose. I shooed it away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping drool, Li Mo sat up—then paused. His eyes caught the damp stain on Ying Bing’s skirt, trailing slightly down her thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mingjiao Clan excelled at gathering moisture. He never used to drool in his sleep—this was a serpent side-effect...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wiped her knee absently. \"Next stop’s Qingmu City, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Should be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go, then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One thing first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing gave him a long look, tying up her hair and securing it with a jade pin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Two more sixth-grade calamity beasts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This time, we fight together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yantian Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Atop a tower so high it seemed to scrape the stars—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old Woman cradled a jade plate, its glow faintly reminiscent of the strange stone from Hengyun Sword City. Her fingers traced its surface, her expression unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, this tool might become obsolete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light footsteps approached. A barefoot woman stopped behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, the latest Hidden Dragon Ranking updates are here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Miao placed the scrolls before her. The Old Woman hummed in acknowledgment, and the pages glowed, projecting their contents into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes skimmed the lists, halting at the Hidden Dragon Ranking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hidden Dragon Ranking, 10th Place: Ying Bing.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hidden Dragon Ranking, 11th Place: Li Mo.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their skills remained largely unchanged from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their achievements—now listed—were staggering, and nearly identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Notable Feats: Entered the Southern Border, assumed the form of the Qingluan Goddess (Heavenly Serpent of the Mingjiao Clan), stirred upheaval across the region. Jointly slew four sixth-grade calamity beasts at Sanghu Mountain—Xiangliu, Feiyi, Dafeng, and Fanjiang’e... among others.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[When Hidden Dragon and Phoenix unite, the world trembles.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Miao hesitated. \"Should we publish everything as is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Truthfully.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Seeking support—pass the charging bowl~ Mwah!)\u003C\u002Fp>",997,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.270Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.889Z",1,"novelbin.me","69a9fa6d8286371366868aeba32e1e80cf5eff9109da1e3ede0e9bfee0edced1","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-293","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-291",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]