[{"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-88":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},596461,846,"Chapter 88: Li Mo: \"Young Lady, Interested in Dual Cultivation\"","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>As the hour of Zi arrived, an extreme chill once again spread through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, however, it permeated Li Mo's room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever the moonlight touched within the chamber, everything was painted in a snowy hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Punishment for the defeated: Sharing a bed for one month.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Completion progress: 1\u002F30.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations, Host, for fulfilling the punishment conditions. Rewards will be distributed in stages.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Next reward: Three vials of Emperor’s Nectar.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three vials of Emperor’s Nectar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would last her a long time, and even after using it, she would still reap the benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this thought, Ying Bing’s mind momentarily stalled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the subject of the punishment hadn’t been him…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would she still feel the same way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steady, strong heartbeat and breathing beside her grew closer, clear and real, and the confusion in her heart seemed to dissipate bit by bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was certain—she was definitely not in the midst of a tribulation for immortality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He probably isn’t conscious right now…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the moonlight, Ying Bing studied the young man lying just inches away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His features were gentle, his face as fair as jade, tinged with a faint flush from the alcohol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his refined and handsome appearance, he would look quite the scholarly type if dressed in Confucian robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the silly grin on his lips contrasted sharply with his usual clever and quick-witted nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even lying beside her, his body radiated warmth, unaffected by the cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To speak without bias…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was quite handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was this very person who, through sheer coincidence and twists of fate, had usurped her place at the top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lived two lives, he might be the only one who had ever surpassed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even by Ying Bing’s standards, she had to admit—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo truly had what it took to stand among the prodigies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this would be the last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mmm…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, an arm draped over her, resting heavily on her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo had rather poor sleeping habits, often ending up in awkward positions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This night felt endlessly long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who am I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A certain young man surnamed Li blinked groggily as he stared at the ceiling, his mind blank rather than aching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of emptiness, his memories finally trickled back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled drinking with his master last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alcohol and indulgence are truly dangerous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Starting today, I quit drinking!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo swore to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting up, the familiar furnishings of the room struck him as odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was that faint, familiar fragrance drifting into his nose…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo: \"!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I slept here, where did the ice block sleep?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His ears twitched as he caught the sound of swordplay from downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peering out the window, he saw that aloof figure, her sword moving in harmony with the falling petals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiar ice block had returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations, Host, for successfully helping Ying Bing regain her confidence.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Investment reward: \"Phoenix Cries Over Heaven’s Marsh.\"]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo smiled in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seems like last night’s motivational talk worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young girls in their teens really do love stories—maybe he should tell more in the future…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This martial art, just from the name alone, was clearly no ordinary technique!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still grinning, Li Mo checked the skill description—then his smile froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[\"Phoenix Cries Over Heaven’s Marsh\": A dual-cultivation martial art with profound applications. Allows two individuals of similar cultivation levels to harmonize their spiritual intent. At higher levels, it can even manifest celestial phenomena.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo: \"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a dignified name, yet it’s a dual-cultivation technique?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who am I supposed to practice this with?! (Throws imaginary object.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After flipping through the first few pages, however, Li Mo admitted he’d misunderstood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While it was indeed dual-cultivation, it didn’t follow the path of Yin-Yang absorption. In fact, even individuals of the same gender could practice it, provided their compatibility was high enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But who should he practice with?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo headed downstairs and immediately saw Ying Bing finishing her sword practice, her gaze lifting to meet his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ice block?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of which, if he slept here last night, where did she sleep?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You drank too much last night,\" Ying Bing said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s throat tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must have just gotten up to relieve himself and forgotten he’d changed rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh… I didn’t do anything inappropriate while drunk, did I?\" Li Mo asked nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing shook her head. \"You slept like the dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s a relief.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank goodness it was the ice block in the room—if it had been any other woman, things would’ve been complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How far have you gotten with those two sword manuals?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True to form, Ying Bing didn’t dwell on last night’s events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those two sword manuals were originally one, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This conclusion was courtesy of Princess Little Jiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl had taken the manuals and, holding one in each hand, started practicing both the \"Solar Wheel Sword Manual\" and the \"Lunar Radiance Sword Manual\" simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon realizing they were parts of a single technique, she’d excitedly rushed to tell him, thinking it was their master’s test.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You figured it out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing’s tone was casual, but a flicker of emotion passed through her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case, let’s use this sword technique for today’s sparring.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo fell into deep thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t actually learned it yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peerless sword technique like this would undoubtedly require a significant amount of martial insight. Even with the roughly 230 years’ worth he’d accumulated from acting as a middleman between Ying Bing and Princess Little Jiang, the cost would sting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some things were worth spending on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his swordsmanship didn’t keep up, he wouldn’t be able to keep earning rewards between the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give me a moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Fifty years of martial insight successfully invested.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year 1: Faced with the peerless sword technique, you made no progress, utterly lost on where to begin.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year 8: You finally grasped the connection between the \"Solar Wheel Sword Manual\" and the \"Lunar Radiance Sword Manual.\"]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year 12: You successfully merged the two sword techniques into the \"Sun-Moon Crossed Swords.\"]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Year 50: Your \"Sun-Moon Crossed Swords\" reached the initial mastery stage.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As enlightenment filled his mind, Li Mo sighed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Initial mastery was barely enough to use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, the two sheathed their swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We didn’t achieve spiritual harmony.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At this rate, achieving perfect synchronization will be impossible in the short term.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Bing lowered her gaze, clearly dissatisfied with their joint practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo’s swordsmanship talent wasn’t lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had indeed mastered a peerless sword technique in an impressively short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why did their coordination feel so off?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she couldn’t tell whether the issue lay with her or with Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe we’re just not in sync enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mo scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suspected the problem was mostly his own inadequacy—he just couldn’t keep up with Ying Bing’s level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, mastering this sword technique alongside Ying Bing should count as an investment, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trouble was, even if he poured all his remaining martial insight into the \"Sun-Moon Crossed Swords,\" it still wouldn’t be enough to reach perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Synchronicity requires spiritual harmony between two individuals…\" Ying Bing mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, inspiration struck Li Mo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have a dual-cultivation technique that might help. Want to give it a try?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1247,"2026-05-30T17:19:00.269Z","2026-06-01T04:31:46.286Z",1,"novelbin.me","32cf983690075bcf5e7893614f4d5a8a460f916ce01bf0f78dc6478a488e9309","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-89","investing-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-chapter-87",737,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finvesting-in-the-reborn-empress-she-actually-cal-cover.jpg"]