[{"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-520":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},596493,846,"Chapter 520","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-520",520,"\u003Cp>\"Throughout my life, Li Mo has always acted with unwavering integrity... Here I come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young Li was already in a daze—not only did his hammer seem to have a mind of its own, but so did his brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the moment he stepped behind the folding screen, he saw the \"ice block\" already dressed in her nightgown, her dark hair adorned with delicate frost blossoms. With a gentle shake, they scattered like glimmering stardust. She sat cross-legged on a low stool, her snow-white legs folded, her eyes narrowed into crescents that sparkled with quiet amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo instinctively leaned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re done bathing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course. I called you after I finished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve turned devious, Ice Block,\" Li Mo muttered, clicking his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She narrowed her eyes further, trying to look stern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why didn’t you call me after you got out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing lowered her gaze, looking elsewhere. \"The water was getting cold, and you don’t like changing it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo found himself at a loss for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathwater infused with Ice Block’s essence could last others three years if diluted.New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novèlfire.net\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he just pour it all down the drain? He couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, he had no choice but to trust her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My massage skills have improved recently, Ice Block. Just wait a moment.\" Li Mo tossed his shirt aside in one swift motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing, who had already retreated to sit at the edge of the bed, quietly glanced down at her fair, delicate toes, unconsciously curling them slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait... something’s off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo noticed the clothes she had changed out of beside him—strangely reminiscent of Southern Border aesthetics...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then it hit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Ice Block had gone to bathe earlier, she hadn’t brought her oversized doll or a change of undergarments...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what was she wearing under that nightgown now?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo sucked in a sharp breath, nearly inhaling a lungful of Ice Block-scented bathwater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Martial insights—pour them in!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it turned out, his talent for finger techniques wasn’t bad either. With forty years of martial insights invested, his Flower-Picking Finger technique reached the pinnacle of mastery!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This became one of the few martial arts—aside from his hammer techniques—that Li Mo had perfected to such a level...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once dressed, Li Mo stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing sat primly on the soft couch in her pearl-white, lotus-silk nightgown, her legs pressed together as she gazed absently at the moonlight outside, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his footsteps, she turned her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo wore a solemn expression. \"Ice Block, my martial arts have advanced again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you improve?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A supreme finger technique—perfected to its peak!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare to encounter someone skilled in finger techniques, let alone one who had mastered them to such a degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finger techniques were notoriously difficult to train, less practical than fists or palms, and if one sought lethality, weapons were superior...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t seem convinced. Here, stretch out your foot—let’s spar a little, just a light exchange.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing clutched the hem of her gown, sensing that his idea of \"sparring\" might not be entirely martial in nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she placed her slightly curled foot onto his lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prepare yourself!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo seized her petite foot in one swift motion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing continued staring out the window, but gradually, the moonlight in her eyes shifted—from the clear brilliance of the sky to the rippling reflection in a well. Her grip on the oversized doll tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a deep breath. Just as Li Mo was about to intensify his efforts, she murmured softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did you learn this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Recently,\" Li Mo replied without looking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing pressed her lips together, thinking his talent in this area was unexpectedly impressive. Quietly, she remarked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But weren’t you focusing on sword practice lately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s fingers froze mid-motion. After a pause, he answered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hit a bottleneck. Progress has been slow...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His comprehension of sword intent had been stagnant recently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wasn’t it going well before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, the Sword of Chivalry came easily, but the Sword of Governance is proving much harder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo rubbed his temples in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword of Governance encompassed the scholar’s blade and the general’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, he’d never reach the Imperial Sword that lay beyond. Not that he was particularly interested in either, to be honest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why did you start learning the sword in the first place?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing wiggled her toes curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo pondered, his hands still occupied with her soft, fragrant skin. \"Hobby, I guess? Swordplay looks cool—graceful, free-spirited, the thrill of the jianghu, standing up for justice, showing off a little...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then just do what you love.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo paused, lifting his gaze to meet hers. Under the moonlight, her face was half-lit, her expression gentle yet inscrutable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it’s a hobby, it doesn’t matter how good you are. As long as it makes you happy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s eyes brightened with sudden realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s lips curved faintly—until he added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Actually, finger techniques are my hobby too. Even more fun than swordplay.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, Ying Bing’s tense body relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This might have been the first time she’d lost a \"sparring\" session with Li Mo, but she had to admit...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfected finger technique was truly formidable...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her body eased, so did her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want Li Mo to force himself into things he disliked—whether it was sword training or venturing to the Sky Phoenix Domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burden of the Sky Phoenix Domain was too heavy for someone who’d already lived through so much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let him stay a carefree fool forever...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reluctantly, Li Mo released her foot and yawned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only to find the Celestial Phoenix Empress already curled up on the couch, her breathing even, her sleeping face serene and peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ice Block really didn’t treat Li Mo as an outsider at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did she fall asleep?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muttering to himself, he scooped up her soft, fragrant form. The moment he lifted her, a sudden realization struck—the tactile feedback confirmed...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No Southern Border customs beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She really wasn’t wearing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo swiftly and silently deposited her onto the bed, clapping a hand over his nose. Just as he turned to leave, a slender hand unconsciously grasped the hem of his robe, tugging him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now afflicted with a \"bleeding debuff,\" spending the night here would be unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, he retreated into his World Seed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an episode of SpongeBob, Li Mo’s condition stabilized somewhat. He sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Doing what you love comes at a cost—sometimes even bloodshed...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Li Mo, with your unyielding spirit, how could you give up so easily?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d finally figured it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Imperial Sword and Sword of Governance were beyond him...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why not focus entirely on the Sword of Chivalry and master it to perfection?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo was certain this was what Ice Block had meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was nothing short of a genius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>",1181,"2026-05-30T17:19:06.745Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","375105b9eef4bee367ffad685220df0de5833e9a9a4aee8cd7c08ac605a0bdf5","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-521","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-519",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]