[{"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-43":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},596566,846,"Chapter 43: The Bond of Chixiao and Tianshuang, Target: The Starfall Hammer of Panjie","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>The Crimson Sky Sword was a hypocritical blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It fawned over the \"ice block,\" yet for our young Li Mo, it presented a trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could withstand them, he would become its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo's vision blurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hum—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar swordsman materialized before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere instantly turned deadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swordsman slowly clasped his fists in salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo gripped his steel-green sword and returned the gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, their figures clashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The metallic clang of blades reverberated through the entire fourth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third floor, $2ll renowned swords trembled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was that Brother Li’s doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Xiao couldn’t help but glance back at the dark entrance to the fourth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That single sword hum had sent shivers down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qin looked up, clutching a broken greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the guidance of Thousand Forms Martial Venerable, he had found this weapon—unremarkable among the famed arms, missing half its length, yet forged from superior material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also one of the few willing to acknowledge him as its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its spirit was weak, requiring future nurturing, but Xiao Qin was satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, the greatsword trembled faintly in response to that distant hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your junior brother Li is crossing blades with a profound artifact,\" Thousand Forms Martial Venerable remarked casually, though he hadn’t witnessed it firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crossing blades with a weapon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qin didn’t quite understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The mightier the warrior, the stronger their spirit,\" the venerable explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Their weapons, tempered through years of use, become imbued with their will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know which blade is the most renowned in the legendary Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eager to broaden his disciple’s horizons, Thousand Forms Martial Venerable indulged in the tale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enlighten me, Master.\" Xiao Qin listened with keen interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A wooden sword once wielded by the Sword Ancestor,\" the venerable said, as if recalling it firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It bore an entire lineage of unyielding sword intent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Centuries ago, it flew thousands of miles from its tomb, severed a river with one stroke, and slew a vile flood dragon. To this day, the waters of that great river remain split.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A single sword strike, halting a river for centuries?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qin gasped in awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a feat was beyond his current comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand Forms Martial Venerable, pleased by his disciple’s reaction, added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Sword Ancestor’s personal weapon is beyond any mere profound artifact.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still, that Crimson Sky is among the finest of its kind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether your junior brother Li can master it depends on whether he learned anything from that girl.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson Sky... a perfect match for Frost Sky, Xiao Qin mused, lips pressed tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt no envy, only growing fondness for his own battered greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fourth floor, $2i Mo had already withstood the sixth strike in the mental realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword’s hum sent an electric jolt through his soul, leaving his consciousness tingling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this the aura of a profound artifact?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or... the lingering will of its past wielder?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo recalled the words the \"ice block\" had shared beneath Clear Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If lingering obsessions could manifest as spectral beings, then a swordsman forged from sheer will didn’t seem far-fetched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The sword’s hum seems to temper the spirit,\" he realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, the effect was faint, but with each strike, the refining sensation grew clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo steadied his breath and focused entirely on the duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventh strike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighth strike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ninth strike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three were flawless, perfected swordplay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nine exchanges, his spirit felt invigorated, his mind sharper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the \"ice block’s\" guidance, relying solely on his own martial insights, he might have faltered here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like solving advanced equations—without innate talent, one might never grasp the answer without a genius’s formula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tenth strike!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swordsman’s aura condensed, turning lethally restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo exhaled slowly, pouring every ounce of focus into this final clash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tenth hum of the sword echoed through Divine Edge Cave, lingering like a reluctant sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the cave, $2lder Hanhe stroked his beard, his expression odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None understood the meaning of that hum better than him, the elder overseeing the Divine Edge Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Sky Sword had acknowledged its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet... it seemed almost begrudging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if dissatisfied with Li Mo’s talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disdainful, yet compelled to serve?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man was thoroughly puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah! Old man, both profound artifacts are mine now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu nearly danced in triumph, barely restraining herself from planting her hands on her hips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Hanhe remained impassive. \"Frost Sky belongs to Ying Bing. What does that have to do with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu gazed at him with something akin to pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vein throbbed in the elder’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That look was downright insulting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, old man, even without Little Ice, that’s still two,\" Shang Wu said, smirking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We had a bet, remember?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell you what—I’ll be generous. You don’t have to cover my debts. Just let me borrow any weapon from Divine Edge Cave whenever I need.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Humph! One at a time!\" Elder Hanhe grumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t bring himself to argue further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that he lacked faith in Murong Xiao—but anyone who earned a profound artifact’s recognition was no ordinary swordsman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with such a weapon in hand, who could rival them in the same realm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting Shang Wu take weapons was still better than settling her astronomical debts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve got one virtue, old man—you never renege on bets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shang Wu tossed him a few compliments now that he’d conceded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing remained serene, unsurprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time she’d truly taught someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If her student couldn’t even claim a profound artifact, she’d have failed utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Crimson Sky...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t Senior Sister Ying wield Frost Sky? If I recall, those two swords have a joint technique?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve read records of it too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior disciples of Divine Edge Peak exchanged glances, recalling the legends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sect’s founder had forged the twin blades, gifting one to each of his two disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pair, deeply devoted to each other, had created a dual sword art—capable of transcending realms, renowned across the Eastern Wasteland Domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After their passing, Frost Sky and Crimson Sky had never again acknowledged masters simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique was lost to time, its glory unseen for generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the twin artifacts had found new wielders...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned to Ying Bing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the jade-like maiden’s expression revealed nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still playing hard to get, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo grinned, gripping the flame-like blade with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword talent was lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet here he was, at his age, having mastered consummate swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Crimson Sky Sword reluctantly acknowledged him as its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But... whether it was reluctant or not didn’t matter—as long as it worked, that was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young Li Mo didn’t care if the melon was sweet or not; as long as it quenched his thirst, it served its purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve got sword techniques, and now I’ve got a divine sword.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I’m not a swordsman, then who is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo grinned in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, $2is gaze turned toward the end of the fourth layer of the Divine Edge Cave, where the entrance flickered with intertwined flames and icy light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The call from that direction grew ever stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter of looking cool was already settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it was time to focus on what could truly make him stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Pangu’s Fallen Star Hammer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glow from the cave entrance reflected in Li Mo’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though wielding a hammer wasn’t exactly his preference, $2his... was a divine weapon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A treasure far beyond his current comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, it faintly resonated with his Extreme Arms Slaughter Body, complementing it perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wants to go with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But first, I need to get close enough to take it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo stepped into the cave entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, an overwhelming pressure bore down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bone-chilling cold of the ice springs, the scorching heat of the fire springs, and the fierce, weaponized killing intent made it nearly impossible to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he not made progress in body refinement and taken a Six-Rune Clarity Pill, he wouldn’t even have the right to stand here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a single step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, a thunderous roar echoed through the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every organ, meridian, and drop of blood in his body trembled under the force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The itching sensation in his bones made one thing clear to Li Mo:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His physique had grown stronger again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And I only took one step...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His understanding of the divine weapon’s power deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s more, $2his was likely the result of the weapon’s spirit holding back most of its pressure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Keep going!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo activated his Extreme Arms Slaughter Body and took another step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the sound of a massive hammer striking the earth reverberated in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>",1472,"2026-05-30T17:18:59.992Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","f15602d9785aec053af05f24094aede092bad689499a042a665f6ad0ad7c37cf","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-44","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-42",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]