[{"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-461":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},596584,846,"Chapter 461: She Even Went Easy on Them","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-461",461,"\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the cheers of the onlookers, Li Mo froze. He had only uttered a single sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the atmosphere already hyped up, backing down after just two moves would seem rather pathetic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whether to use a sword or a hammer—that was the question. Though, in the end, it might not make much difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a sword would make his ranking as the fourth on the Hidden Dragon List seem unearned, inviting ridicule from the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a hammer... well, the moment he pulled it out, the audience would burst into laughter before the fight even began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Make your move, sir. Why hesitate like a timid maiden?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan held his sword, spitting out the blade of grass he'd been chewing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had observed Li Mo and didn’t take him for a braggart, so why the hesitation now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clear, melodious voice sounded by his ear. Li Mo looked up and met Ying Bing's cool, composed gaze, tinged with faint exasperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Watch my sword closely later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh... huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo blinked, only half-understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d like to see how you plan to make me fail to block even a single move.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Xie Xuan, growing impatient with Li Mo’s inaction, let curiosity drive him to unsheathe his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without invoking divine intent or true essence, pure sword light erupted from his body, as if he and the weapon in his hand had merged into one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The radiance surged—bright, untainted, so sharp it stung the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single stroke split into seven, enveloping Li Mo from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo narrowed his eyes, his fingers tightening around the hilt hidden in his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan’s swordsmanship was flawless, majestic—like a complete world belonging solely to the sword. His Nine Swords of Dugu couldn’t break it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, a crisp sword chime rang in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianshuang had been drawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pristine blade gleamed like moonlight breaking through the night, abruptly cleaving through that sword-forged world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unique. Peerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transcendent. Ethereal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a spotless white emerging in an all-consuming darkness—impossible to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan stared, entranced, as if beholding the most exquisite existence in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Firmament Heavenly Heart—replacing the will of heaven with one’s own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Ying Bing’s refinements, it had become Sword Heart Unclouded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, sword light surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan abruptly shifted his stance, his movements now enigmatic, untraceable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fairy Han can actually match Xie Xuan in pure swordsmanship?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then doesn’t that mean her talent with the sword surpasses even his?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly! She’s younger and two minor realms below him. If they fought with all their abilities, she might still be slightly inferior, but in raw sword talent, she’s likely superior!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Third on the Hidden Dragon List—well-deserved. I hereby declare myself a member of Fairy Han’s fan club.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the crowd’s attention shifted entirely to Ying Bing, drawing even more spectators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But while laymen watched for spectacle, experts sought the underlying artistry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something’s off...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the swordsmen of Hengyun Sword City drawn by the commotion, Elder Zeng narrowed his eyes, brow furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s wrong?\" Bai Jinghong snapped out of his daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Zeng muttered, strangely unsettled, \"She isn’t just holding her own against Xie Xuan—she’s suppressing him. He should’ve lost long ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Three Heroes of Hengyun felt as if struck by lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had endured brutal training for the Hidden Dragon Assembly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the gap had only widened—so much so that they couldn’t even tell Ying Bing was going easy on the second-ranked contender. How could they bear this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She truly was despair-inducing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, actually, that was an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disparity between them and the \"ice block\" had always been this vast. Ying Bing had simply never gone all-out in front of them before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her past life, even at seventeen, she couldn’t have suppressed Xie Xuan in swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But... why would she hold back after clearly defeating him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Jinghong was baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Zeng ignored him, instead casting a knowing smile toward Li Mo nearby, like an old matchmaker spotting a budding romance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pure Jun Sword Domain... Swordplay Art...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young Li watched intently, just as he had back at Autumn Water Pavilion when his \"ice block\" teacher demonstrated for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That straw-hat guy’s Swordplay Art is impressive—he can predict ten moves ahead with each strike. But Ice Sis... seems to have calculated all his predicted moves at once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Chulong gaped, her eyes blinking behind her sunglasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Ice Sis could’ve beaten him so many times already.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So many times...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bolt of realization flashed through Li Mo’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meaning, Ying Bing had discerned his desire to use the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She deliberately let Xie Xuan display his entire repertoire so Li Mo could observe it from start to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pro gamer clearing the boss fight just to show you how it’s done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still, even after seeing Xie Xuan’s patterns, my rudimentary Nine Swords of Dugu might not be enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo stowed away his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial Insight—activate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan was drenched in sweat, repeatedly resisting the urge to unleash his divine intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Swordplay Art had long since reached mastery, yet he felt like a fly trapped in an invisible web—every move laid bare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t help but recall his master’s warning when teaching him the art: \"Don’t grow complacent with your current achievements.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Shi Sujun created the Swordplay Art, he’d been no older than Xie Xuan was now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, Xie Xuan understood why elders spoke of that legendary figure—whose sword had once dazzled the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—with such defeated tones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In swordsmanship, I am no match for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I refuse to concede.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Xuan suddenly sheathed his sword, eyes blazing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing gave a slight nod but said nothing more, walking over to Li Mo and asking softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Childish one, did you see clearly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo met her faintly amused, breathtakingly beautiful face and silently denied being childish—before happily drawing his Chixiao Sword and adopting Ying Bing’s signature aloof expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to recent training and a century’s worth of Martial Insight poured into it, $2is Nine Swords of Dugu had reached minor mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely, if he casually asked now, \"What even is a sword hero?\" no one would dare refute him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Mo’s smug grin and nonchalant demeanor, Wu Chushu’s scalp prickled with déjà vu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s about to show off in public again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You may strike first, sir!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Xie Xuan remember he’d originally come to spar with Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then got inexplicably thrashed by Fairy Han instead...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where was the justice in this?!\u003C\u002Fp>",1108,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.270Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","391b1b226cf7c1ea5f16496a3d9699115abee57426442e7f261470e93d849bdd","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-462","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-460",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]