“She was a beauty like no other, an exquisite presence, universally recognized in the martial world as a fairy.”
“Her status was exalted, and with a mere thought, she could make countless forces across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths turn pale in fear.”
“Her strength was formidable, a single sword strike as chilling as the breeze sweeping through nineteen provinces.”
“Her name was Leng Qing Qiu, an empress renowned across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths as the Cold Witch, for her might made her a taboo existence throughout the realm.”
With just a few words, Ke Mo painted a picture of an incredibly powerful and aloof empress.
Shang Wu pondered for a moment and questioned, “Is there really such a person? Why haven’t I heard of her before?”
Ying Bing squinted at Ke Mo, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.
Ke Mo lightly coughed and said, “They say she’s a taboo, and given the years that have passed, it’s not surprising you haven’t heard of her.”
“The Da Shang Dynasty was once prosperous, and many extraordinary figures have faded into obscurity, haven’t they?”
Shang Wu pouted, took a sip from her drink, and conceded, “Alright, fair enough.”
Ke Mo continued, “Just like a tree standing out in the forest, the wind must blow it down. How much more so for this empress, who refuses to be affiliated with any power and is uncontrollable? She is seen as a thorn in the side by countless people.”
“To deal with her, both the righteous and demonic factions united, forcing her into a corner.”
“That day, the sun and moon lost their light, heaven and earth turned upside down, gods wept, and night ghosts wailed.”
“Her palace ran red with bl**d, and corpses piled up like mountains. Countless powerful masters fell, sending shockwaves throughout the realm.”
“Though Leng Qing Qiu was strong, she was also driven to the brink of exhaustion, forced to face an abyss of despair.”
Shang Wu’s eyes sparkled with excitement, clearly immersed in the tale.
Ying Bing’s thoughtful expression deepened; there was something familiar about this story.
Though the empress in Ke Mo’s tale had a different name and experiences, there were certain encounters that resonated deeply with her.
She herself had once been unwanted by the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, even though she hadn’t done anything wrong—just focused on her martial arts without any desire to stir up trouble.
But while she kept to herself, the world still managed to find her.
A powerful existence untethered by control was itself enough to be viewed as a thorn in someone’s side.
Yet.
The ending of her story was different from that of the empress Ke Mo described.
“With no way out, she left behind a single line, ‘I shall never regret my dedication to the martial way,’ and leaped into the abyss.”
“Ah? What happened after that? What happened!”
Shang Wu prodded eagerly.
Did the protagonist d*e right at the start?
Was that the end?
Ke Mo chuckled softly, “There’s no need to rush, think about it. If this secret could be passed around, how could the protagonist truly be dead? To be honest, this rumor was left behind by Leng Qing Qiu herself.”
“As she neared d*ath, she activated a mystical object known as the ‘Spring and Autumn Cicada.'”
“So!”
“Not only did she not d*e, but she also reverted to her youthful days!”
Little Ke brought the story to life, making it feel immersive and engaging.
Her words struck like thunder.
Shang Wu exclaimed, “Wait, what!?”
Bang—
And just like that, it was the seventh time today.
Ying Bing, lost in thought, dropped her chopsticks.
Shang Wu smirked and said, “Little Ice Girl, you think that’s too outrageous too, right? Surely there’s no such thing as a life-reviving item in the world.”
“And… this isn’t just about reviving someone; it reversed time too!”
This was the most insurmountable thing in the world—life and d*ath.
This was the most ruthless thing in the world—time.
Countless extraordinary figures, even the strongest masters, ultimately fell to time, unable to escape the bondage of life and d*ath.
“Escaping life and d*ath, reversing time… how could that be possible?”
As she spoke, Shang Wu’s tone grew oddly sentimental.
“Perhaps… it is.”
Hmm?
Shang Wu couldn’t help but tilt her head.
Where did Little Ice Girl get that level of immersion?
Seeing Ying Bing intrigued by the tale, Ke Mo felt a sense of relief.
Then he shot a look at Shang Wu, “Master, if you interrupt again, I might just stop.”
“Alright, you’re the storyteller, your word is law.”
Shang Wu poured another drink for him, signaling that she’d listen quietly and wouldn’t quarrel anymore.
After all, legendary tales, who knows how many grains of truth they hold.
As long as they’re entertaining, that’s what matters.
Li Mo took another sip, then continued to speak.
As he narrated, a proud and exceptional girl, fiercely pursuing martial arts, emerged vividly.
In this tale, she rapidly rose to power, fueled by previous accomplishments.
But this cold Leng Qing Qiu, after facing a disaster at one point, unexpectedly met a man who had never practiced martial arts.
After that, she began pretending to be an ordinary person, getting to know him… and eventually fell for him.
Thus, the once-great empress ended up with a perfectly ordinary husband.
There were many delightful events in between.
Strange yet sensible, filled with pure, unfiltered sweetness.
Moreover, after gaining love, her martial arts improved significantly.
As Li Mo stylishly sipped his divine drink while speaking, the story became even more intoxicating.
Under his narration, the plot turned this way and that, full of twists and turns.
Shang Wu was completely captivated.
This tale, with its twists and turns, was on a whole different level compared to others’ stories.
Though she knew many parts were nonsensical.
Yet… it was just so mesmerizing, wasn’t it?
“And then, and then, Leng Qing Qiu returned to seclusion with her family…”
“No rain, no rainbow.”
“Though she faced many hurdles and setbacks, and even experienced d*ath…”
“She was never defeated, ultimately achieving a double harvest in love and martial arts.”
Li Mo even threw in his own commentary.
Little Li’s perspective was clear.
Look, if overcoming d*ath is possible, then even the tumultuous twists of life will eventually clear away to reveal the sun.
Young lady, your journey is just beginning—why fuss over temporary losses and gains?
How uplifting.
When telling stories, one must radiate positive energy.
“So, that’s it, huh?”
Shang Wu wasn’t satisfied yet.
She contemplated urging Li Mo to share another tale but realized the storyteller, Li Mo, had already slumped onto the table, softly snoring.
He had drunkenly polished off one-third of that divine drink.
With the story told, he peacefully passed out.
“Tsk tsk, your drinking skills still need some work compared to mine.”
Defeated, Shang Wu had no choice but to take him back to his room, then finished the last bit of her drink before heading back to sleep herself.
“Martial arts and love… a double harvest?”
Ying Bing lay on the bed, the scent of someone lingering at her nose, echoes of the previous tale still bouncing around in her head.
For some reason.
As the night deepened and she could not practice, her mind started getting tangled.
Were Li Mo’s words… fabricated or real?
Wait.
Ying Bing suddenly remembered she still had a punishment from the system left to complete.
But… he was sleeping right beside her.
Ying Bing frowned deeply.
Did that mean she… had to sneak over to Li Mo’s bed in the middle of the night?
This… this this.
It seemed like no big deal before.
But after hearing that tale, the mere thought of the scene made her heart race wildly…
Bang—
Suddenly.
The door swung open.
A swaying figure collapsed onto the bed.
Ying Bing hurriedly dodged, her elegant hand already gripping the Tian Shuang sword.
But the overwhelming smell of alcohol hit her, followed by the sound of deep snores.
“Mmm… heehee….”
The young man on the bed stirred a little, seemingly lost in a sweet dream, grinning foolishly even in his sleep.
It was Li Mo.
Ying Bing stood quietly by the window; in the darkness, her expression was unclear.
【Ding dong, the first day is about to pass.】
【Please complete the punishment soon, or the system will unbind.】
【Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7……】
In the end.
The room filled with a soft sigh.
