The damp spring rain seemed to be signaling the arrival of a sweltering summer, casting a hazy layer over the glazed tiles.
The rain wasn’t too heavy, and the flickering lights of Biyun Tower added to the serene atmosphere.
Once upon a time, Little Li had heard someone mention that when you reached a speed of eighty yards, sticking your hand out of the window would give you a sensation of wind.
But hey, the Nimbus Cloud could carry six, seven, or even eight people, and surely it must be going faster than eighty yards, right?
At that moment, Little Li stretched out his arms to check, only to discover he was terribly ignorant.
At that size, one hand could never grasp it.
Moreover… what kind of wind even has a granular feel?
Little Li, gazing out the window at the shimmering lights sparkling like the Yellow River, felt the light drizzle cool his face while maintaining a serious and scholarly demeanor.
“Ice Chunk, that move you did just now was quite impressive.”
“That’s not martial arts.”
In all seriousness, Little Li began to debrief on Ice Chunk’s technique. Somehow, he had never approached martial arts with such a thirst for knowledge, resembling a student who, after class, rushes to the teacher’s office still clutching his workbook, eager to learn, academically talented, with no need for further words.
Everyone knew that Ice Chunk’s martial arts mastery was profound and unfathomable. No matter what question you asked her—if it concerned martial arts—she would have an answer.
Last time, Li Mo obtained Old Xiao’s Thousand Forms Secret Art. Upon opening it, he discovered that this martial art had a long history, traceable back two thousand years. It was absolutely amazing.
He shared it with Ice Chunk.
Half an hour later, a modified version of the Thousand Forms Secret Art appeared on the tea table, with elegant brush strokes:
‘Though the tides of change are eternal, the doctrines do not remain fixed. I have fixed the outdated dross for you in today’s context.’
Look at that spirit of imparting knowledge! Listen to that insightful explanation!
As someone with a system, he was destined to be extraordinary…
“Humans have hands, horses have hooves…”
Alright, in truth, Little Li felt a bit awkward being stared at by Ying Bing with those hauntingly beautiful eyes.
“Was it really just an accident?”
Ying Bing’s delicate hand cradled a doll’s oversized head, making it emit pitiful creaking sounds.
“Really! When people lean too far to balance, they subconsciously want to grab something!”
Anyone who saw Li Mo’s expression would undoubtedly think he was an upstanding gentleman.
“But when I’m ready to catch you, you could easily dodge.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?! If I did, wouldn’t you end up on the floor? How could I just stand by and watch?”
Li Mo was earnest.
And a bit guilty.
“Then how can you claim you’re all tingly all over, and yet your hands still have strength?” Ying Bing asked, narrowing her pretty eyes.
“That’s…”
Li Mo couldn’t help but take a breath, sip from Ice Chunk’s tea, and replied, “That’s just an unconscious reaction; sometimes, your hands have their own ideas.”
“You…”
“Just like when someone’s not conscious, they instinctively place their feet in warm spots.”
“…That makes sense.”
Ying Bing glanced down at her toes but unfortunately couldn’t see them, so she curled her delicate feet and dropped the line of questioning.
Only then did Li Mo breathe a sigh of relief. “By the way, Ice Chunk, what’s the reason I can never win in our friendly sparring?”
In fact, he had already asked this question before.
It’s just that Little Li had been too busy to even hear it, let alone remember.
It was well-known that the Cold Fairy never repeated what she said.
But seeing Li Mo pick up his little notebook, his eyes wide and naive like a dim-witted goose, made her let out a soft sigh.
“First, this is a spar.”
“Second, in the same realm, my Consciousness Soul is simply stronger than yours. Moreover, your Nine Orifices aren’t yet complete. Plus, you haven’t tapped into your greatest strengths, wanting to rely solely on martial prowess and Consciousness Soul to win.”
“In terms of ancient martial arts, the third realm of which you speak where there’s no precedent in history—your greatest asset is your physique.”
Ying Bing’s point was that it’s great for a martial artist to have no shortcomings.
What’s more important is how long their strengths are.
Same talent, both putting in massive amounts of hard work, but in the end, the one who masters a particular aspect will always come out on top.
—
So, was he truly taking this seriously now?
Ying Bing raised her eyes from her teacup to study him, noticing he was taking notes with remarkable intensity, even licking the ink dry from the pen and using her finger to wipe a bit of ink off the corner of his mouth.
After doing this, she felt a bit strange.
Why did that feel so natural?
Good times always seem to be fleeting; Li Mo filled several pages with notes, including questions that were his and others for Chu Long.
“Today, you should really get some sleep.”
Ying Bing took off her hairpin, her smooth black hair cascading down.
“Sure.”
Li Mo nodded without a moment’s hesitation, but as he stepped outside, he suddenly noticed something was amiss—the light seemed to be dimming.
Why was it getting darker?
Turning back, he saw that only a sliver of light was spilling from the door, and behind it was Ice Chunk, with a gaze that was both playful and scheming, reminiscent of her mischievous teacher.
“Uh?” Li Mo was completely stunned.
Smack—
The door slammed shut.
“…..”
Li Mo stood there frozen for a moment before realizing he had dropped his guard and had been outsmarted by the crafty Ice Chunk.
Emmm…
But reflecting on when he and Ying Bing first arrived at Ziyang Mansion, back then, she genuinely gave off an icy chill. If you kept your gaze on her for more than two seconds, or got within three meters, you would be subjected to her cold stare, feeling like you’d fallen into an ice cellar.
It was at that time that referring to her as “Ice Chunk” became an enduring catchphrase.
If this had happened back then, and he’d mistakenly made such an ‘accident’… how would he have explained that?
Well, he probably wouldn’t have had the chance to get into such an “accident.” Just before anything happened, the “big, fat, guilty hoofs” would have waved goodbye and sailed off.
Back then, Ice Chunk’s “don’t get close” wasn’t just a warning—it was a command, not some casual banter…
And only he could witness the mischievous side of Ice Chunk coming online.
Buzz buzz—
The ripples in his small world disrupted his thoughts. Li Mo hurried back to his room and lay on the bed.
—
Little Li had no idea what was happening.
Leaning against the door, Ying Bing listened to the fading sound of his footsteps, and the mischievous smile in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a hint of confusion.
She had come back heavy-hearted, so she often saw Li Mo as a childish ghost.
In short, this little Li character, the Phoenix Sky Empress isn’t someone you can just push around!
But just now, Little Li had flipped the script and even threatened her…
【Congratulations, host! You’ve successfully tied for first place in the system ranking.】
At that moment, it was past midnight.
Hearing the system’s notification, Ying Bing felt a weight lift off her heart.
If she had heard she was ranked first before, she would have thought it was only natural and nothing to be surprised about.
Now, however, she felt a bit of relief…
“No need for punishment then,” Ying Bing murmured softly.
【Not necessarily.】
Ying Bing: “?”
【Host, please do not doubt the system’s integrity; the system is trustworthy and never goes back on its word. The mandatory punishment does not need to be fulfilled.】
As if to validate its statement, the system’s punitive task of 【planting forty-nine strawberries, then calling yourself ‘my lord,’】 began to fade away.
【But don’t you think… you’ve taught him a little too well? And now that you’ve taught him… he knows everything, and his daring has only grown. Can you guarantee you won’t have to carry out a punishment?】
Sitting on the bed, Ice Chunk instinctively touched her delicately pale neck.
Images of a small grove floated in her mind, picturing herself instructing him on reinforcing seals…
“I can only promise for myself….”
