88 - Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’

Chapter 88: Li Mo: "Young Lady, Interested in Dual Cultivation?" As the hour struck midnight, an intense chill spread through the air once more. This time, it was within Li Mo's room. Wherever the moonlight touched, it cast a silvery glow like snow across the room. [Loser's Penalty: Share a Bed for One Month.] [Progress: 1/30.] [Congratulations to the host for fulfilling the penalty condition. Rewards will be distributed in phases.] [The next reward is: Three Bottles of Emperor's Elixir.] Three bottles of Emperor's Elixir. They would last her quite a long time, and once finished, she'd already begin to reap the benefits. This penalty seemed harsh at first glance, but compared to the reward, it appeared trivial. At this thought, Ying Bing's mind paused for a moment. If the penalty partner wasn’t him, would she still feel this way? The steady, powerful heartbeat and breathing beside her became increasingly pronounced, clear, and real. The confusion in her heart seemed to gradually dissipate. She could be sure of one thing: she was definitely not in the state of transcendence. "He probably isn't aware now..." Using the moonlight, Ying Bing examined the boy just a few inches away from her. His features were gentle and elegant, his face like white jade, tinged with a faint blush from being drunk. His handsome, refined features could easily fit the image of a scholar if he donned scholarly robes. At this moment, there was a silly smile on his face, a sharp contrast to his usual intelligent and clever demeanor. Even lying beside her, his body was hot like a furnace, unaffected by the cold he normally exuded. Without any personal bias, she had to admit he was quite handsome. And it was he, through a stroke of luck and fate, who had managed to claim the top spot, surpassing her in two lifetimes. Perhaps he was the only one who ever overshadowed her. Even in Ying Bing's eyes, Li Mo certainly had the qualifications to be among the elite. But, this would be the last time. Next time... At this moment, a sudden arm draped over her, landing across her body. Li Mo had a habit of sleeping in odd, often inelegant positions. "….." ... The night seemed to stretch on endlessly. The next day. "Who am I?" A Li Mo with a drowsy expression opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. His head wasn't hurting, but it felt a bit empty. After zoning out for a while, memories gradually found their way back into his mind. He remembered drinking with his master last night. "I should stay away from indulgences like wine." "From today onward, I quit drinking!" Li Mo vowed to himself. Sitting up, the familiar surroundings of the room unsettled him. The faint scent of something familiar wafted into his nose... Li Mo: "!" I'm sleeping here, where did Ying Bing sleep? His ears perked, catching the sound of swords slicing the air from downstairs. Peering through the window, he saw the familiar elegant silhouette moving with her sword among the falling petals. The familiar 'ice block', as he often called her, was back. [Congratulations to the host for successfully helping Ying Bing regain her confidence.] [Feedback on Investment: "Phoenix Calls in the Celestial Realm"] Li Mo smiled with satisfaction. It seemed last night's encouragement had worked. Young girls indeed loved stories, he thought. Perhaps he could tell her more in the future… This martial art, just hearing the name, one could tell it was extraordinary! Li Mo laughed and looked at the martial arts description, but the laughter immediately froze on his face. ["Phoenix Calls in the Celestial Realm"]: "A dual cultivation martial art with infinite potential, allowing two individuals of equal level to achieve a union of minds, potentially causing phenomena when mastered deeply." Li Mo: "....." A name that serious, yet it's a dual cultivation technique? With whom am I supposed to practice it? (throws a tantrum) After skimming through the earlier pages, Li Mo realized he had misunderstood. This was a genuine dual cultivation technique, but it didn't follow the traditional path of yin-yang absorption. Even individuals of the same gender could practice it as long as their compatibility was high enough. Who to choose? Li Mo descended the stairs just in time to see Ying Bing finishing her sword practice. She glanced over at him with those striking eyes. Ying Bing? Wait a moment. Speaking of which, he slept here last night; where did Ying Bing end up sleeping? "You drank too much yesterday," Ying Bing said softly. "....." Li Mo's throat tightened. He probably just intended to get up for a bathroom break last night and forgot to change rooms afterward. "Uh… I didn’t do anything inappropriate in my drunken state, did I?" Li Mo asked, embarrassed. Ying Bing shook her head. "You were out cold." "That's a relief." Li Mo sighed with relief. Good thing it was just Ying Bing in the room. Any other woman, and it would have been a problem. "How did those two sword manuals work out for you?" Ying Bing, as anticipated, didn’t dwell on the previous night. Li Mo nodded and replied, "Those two manuals originally seem to be one." This conclusion was generously provided by the little Princess Jiang, who, after obtaining the manuals, began practicing them simultaneously, discovering their connection. At first, she thought it was her teacher testing her, and excitedly ran to tell him. "You did notice," Ying Bing remarked casually, though her eyes flickered with a hint of emotion. "In that case, let’s explore the path of the sword today using this technique." "......" Li Mo pondered deeply. He wasn't competent enough yet. Mastery of such a high-level sword technique required significant martial insight, something he lacked despite frequently acting as a go-between for Ying Bing and the little Princess Jiang, accumulating about two hundred and thirty years' worth of insight. But it was necessary. Without advancing his sword technique, he wouldn’t be able to earn rewards from the two of them. "Give me a moment." [50 Years of Martial Insight Infused Successfully.] [Year One: Confronted with an extraordinary sword technique, you gain nothing, unable to grasp its complexities.] [Year Eight: You finally grasp the relationship between the "Sun Sword Manual" and the "Moonlight Sword Manual."] [Year Twelve: You manage to link the two techniques, creating the "Day and Night Intersecting Sword Technique."] ... [Year Fifty: Your "Day and Night Intersecting Sword Technique" reaches initial proficiency.] Enlightenment surged through him, and Li Mo sighed softly. Initial proficiency — it’s barely usable. "Let’s begin." ... Half an hour later. The two of them sheathed their swords. "We didn't achieve mental synchrony. At this rate, it's impossible for us to perfect it in the short term." Ying Bing lowered her gaze, clearly dissatisfied with the results of their practice together. It was peculiar. Li Mo's talent in sword mastery wasn't lacking. He had indeed managed to master an extraordinary sword technique in a short span of time. Yet, why did practicing with him feel so off? She couldn’t immediately tell if the problem lay with herself or with Li Mo. "Perhaps we lack harmony." Li Mo scratched his head. He felt that it was likely because he was too inexperienced and couldn't keep up with Ying Bing. What should he do about it? Practicing this sword technique together with Ying Bing, does it count as an investment too? But the problem was, even if he poured all his martial insight into "Day and Night Intersecting Sword," it likely wouldn't be enough to perfect it. "Harmony requires a union of minds..." Ying Bing mused. Suddenly, an idea sparked in Li Mo’s mind. "I know of a dual cultivation martial art — perhaps it has unexpected effects. Would you like to try it?" ———— P.S.: A major plot development is about to unfold. I've been working extensively on detailed outlines, so apologies for the late update.