[{"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-6":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},596529,846,"Chapter 6: Third Class","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-6",6,"\u003Cp>Atop the high platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Truly extraordinary—perhaps the most remarkable I’ve seen in my lifetime.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing, still clad in his patched robe, stroked his long beard with a flickering gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s \"Heaven-grade\" bone structure came as no surprise to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is the promising seedling you mentioned encountering during your descent from the mountain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A languid voice sounded from nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman in palace robes, her cheeks flushed, reclined lazily in her chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s her. The question is how far she’ll go on the Stairway to Heaven.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing glanced at the woman, his eyes betraying helplessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palace-robed woman took a bold swig of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other Elders: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are you sure it’s not just because she’s devastatingly beautiful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She’s unsuited for your martial lineage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jing sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How is she unsuited?!\" The woman’s brows shot up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t force it. You’ve tempered yourself into a human furnace—this girl clearly shouldn’t be apprenticed under you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold, rigid voice interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Han He, looking for a fight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palace-robed woman cracked her knuckles, brimming with eagerness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Han He instinctively retreated half a step, letting out a wary snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice carried undeniable authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Sect Master’s command, the woman reluctantly picked up her gourd and took two more gulps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elders exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be... the Sect Master has taken an interest in the girl?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unnoticed, another incense stick’s worth of time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five hundred aspirants had undergone bone assessment by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it was Li Mo’s turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman seized his shoulder, sensing a surge of energy rush in, poised to circulate through his meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in an instant, that energy vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman frowned for the second time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Internal energy could stimulate one’s organs, meridians, and bone structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stronger the bones, the more intense the reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This boy’s body showed no response whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone would be one thing, but her energy had dissipated like clay oxen plunging into the sea—gone without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were it not for the boy standing plainly before her, she’d have mistaken him for a slab of stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s hesitation, she noted his name:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Li Mo, Third-grade. Move along.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo had expected this. He clasped his hands respectfully and strode past the mountain gate without a flicker of unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, Third-grade. Father won’t be pleased.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ll have to put in a good word for me—he listens to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo grinned, nudging the girl beside him with his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing was mildly surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third-grade aptitude matched her memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he seemed unbothered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo wore his indifference openly, still cheerful:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three parts fate, seven parts effort.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Plenty don’t even pass the gate. I’m already fortunate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he didn’t say aloud:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No worries. I’ve got cheats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his genuine ease, Ying Bing relented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His vial of Pure Yang Pills had helped her unlock her meridians half a year early, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such temperament deserved a slight lift—how far he’d go was up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A steward’s announcement drew the crowd’s attention:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wang Hu—tiger’s arms, leopard’s waist! High Second-grade!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The square erupted in murmurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from the two Heaven-grade freaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu now held the highest innate talent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One in ten thousand wouldn’t be an exaggeration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Basking in the flattery, Wang Hu smirked arrogantly, sweeping his gaze across the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The hell you lookin’ at?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure landed before the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tiger-leopard physique?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tower of a man clamped onto Wang Hu’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu startled—until his cousin Wang Hao stepped from the disciple ranks, signaling him with a look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine form indeed. True tiger-leopard traits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iron-pillar man nodded approvingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, this is my younger cousin.\" Wang Hao bowed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, good. He suits my Tiger-Leopard Thunderclap Fists better than you did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His laughter boomed like thunder, rattling eardrums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fu Tu, wait until he enters the inner sect before taking disciples.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stocky elder reminded tersely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Tu?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu’s eyes widened, then gleamed with triumph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a formidable inner sect steward—were it not for the fixed number of elder seats, he’d already command his own peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, rules are rules.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Tu gave a perfunctory salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his cousin’s cue, Wang Hu hastily bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings, Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clear the Stairway first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Tu didn’t correct the title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he’d left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu’s chin lifted higher, practically spelling \"cocky\" on his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Striding past the gate, he marched straight over, clasping his fists with swagger:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Ying, we’ll be fellow disciples henceforth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And earned pure indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such talent barely passed muster in a backwater like Purple Sun Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Ying Bing, Wang Hu’s Second-grade and Li Mo’s Third-grade held no real difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were mere stones—why bother distinguishing which was slightly smoother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu stood frozen, face flushing crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rounded on Li Mo instead:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh. We’re from the same county. If I rise, how could I forget you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait—inner and outer sects are worlds apart. Coming down to visit won’t be easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knows? Soon enough, I might even be a core disciple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seeing you’d be harder than seeing Miss Ying, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His grin oozed malice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an inner sect steward as his backer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young, brash Wang Hu’s ego ballooned skyward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other youths from Ning'an County clenched their fists in silent fury. Wang Hu had been insufferable back home—now he’d truly leapt beyond reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those who’d disliked Li Mo now found him almost endearing by comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yeah, yeah, whatever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo hadn’t turned off his Heavenly Destiny Eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Wang Hu’s bone assessment, the originally cyan destiny threads had begun darkening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with his posturing, the black deepened further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His updated evaluation read: \"Obstinate and conceited. Unwitting lab rat for Inner Sect Steward Fu Tu. Future: bleak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo couldn’t be bothered with fools—let alone half-dead ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Hu choked on his own rage, fury boiling in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the stocky elder’s gaze had drifted their way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Withdrawing his scrutiny of Li Mo and Ying Bing, the elder smirked inwardly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Plenty of time ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Outer sect and core disciples exist in separate worlds—they’ll never cross paths.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1039,"2026-05-30T17:18:59.992Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","49d97c2e3d4df7dfb94531dafb1366f54041c412ea9439bca7150d1e057dd397","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-7","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-5",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]