As the clock struck midnight, an arctic chill spread once more.
But this time, it was in Li Mo’s room.
Wherever the moonlight shone, it revealed a landscape of snow-white bliss.
【Defeat punishment content: Share a bed for a month.】
【Completion progress: 1/30.】
【Congratulations, Host, for fulfilling the punishment requirements, rewards will be issued in phases.】
【The next reward will be: Three bottles of Imperial Liquid.】
Three bottles of Imperial Liquid.
Enough to keep her fueled for a considerable stretch, and once the supply ran out, she’d already enjoy quite a few benefits.
This punishment looked severe, but compared to the rewards, it didn’t seem all that daunting, did it?
Thinking this, Ying Bing’s mind stumbled for just a moment.
If the punishment weren’t for Li Mo, would she still feel this way?
The steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat and breathing crept closer, clear and real, causing her confusion to dissipate little by little.
One thing was certain: she was definitely not transcending to immortality right now.
“He shouldn’t have any consciousness now…”
Using the moonlight, Ying Bing scrutinized the young man just inches away from her.
His brows were gentle, his face like a piece of exquisite jade, slightly flushed because he was drunk.
A dashing, handsome lad—if he changed into a scholar’s robe, he’d exude the vibe of an earnest student.
Now, he wore a goofy grin that starkly contrasted with his usual clever and crafty demeanor.
Even lying beside her, he was radiating heat and wasn’t affected by the cold at all.
Not to be biased, but…
Pretty handsome.
It was indeed him who, by coincidence and a twist of fate, snatched her top position away.
In two lifetimes, he might just be the only one who could overshadow her.
Even she had to admit, from her perspective, Li Mo was more than qualified to be ranked among the elites.
But this was the last time.
Next time…
At that moment.
“Hmm…”
Suddenly, an arm draped over her, pressing down on her.
Little Li had quite the habit of sleeping in awkward positions.
“…..”
….
That night dragged on, seemingly endless.
The next day.
“Who am I?”
A certain Li Mo blinked awake in a daze, staring at the ceiling, his mind empty but his head free of pain.
After a while, memories finally flowed back into his mind.
He remembered drinking with his master the night before.
“Wine is indeed a no-go.”
“Starting today, I’m swearing off alcohol!”
Little Li vowed to himself.
Sitting up, his eyes landed on familiar furnishings that also felt amiss.
And the faint, familiar fragrance seemed to waft into his nose…
Li Mo: “!”
Wait, where did Ice Chunk sleep?
His ears perked up as he caught the sound of swordplay from downstairs.
Peeking out the window, he could see that striking silhouette moving gracefully, the sword swaying with the falling petals.
Ice Chunk was back again.
【Congratulations, Host, for successfully helping Ying Bing regain her confidence.】
【Investment feedback: “The Phoenix Sings at Tianze.”】
Li Mo smiled in relief.
Looks like that pep talk from last night was useful.
That 28-year-old girl really loves her stories; he could share more in the future…
This martial art, just by its name, was anything but ordinary!
Li Mo chuckled while checking the manual, only for his smile to freeze in place.
【The Phoenix Sings at Tianze】: “A dual cultivation supreme technique with limitless applications, allowing two practitioners of equal cultivation to progress together, synchronizing their divine intents, and reaching such depths could even trigger unusual phenomena.”
Li Mo: “……”
The name sounds so serious, but it’s a dual cultivation technique?
Who am I supposed to practice with? (Facepalm).
Alright, after reading through the content again, Li Mo had to admit he might have misinterpreted things.
Though it was dual cultivation, it didn’t strictly involve yin-yang interactions or solely rely on gender compatibility; it required only a sufficient level of harmony.
But who to find?
Descending the stairs, he looked up to see Ice Chunk just finishing her sword practice and gazing back at him.
Little Ice Chunk?
Wait a minute.
If he slept in his room last night, where did Ice Chunk end up?
“You drank too much last night.”
Ying Bing said softly.
“…..”
Li Mo felt a tightening in his throat.
Last night, he probably just intended to get up for a quick bathroom trip, only to forget he switched rooms to sleep.
“Uh… I drank, but I didn’t do anything scandalous, right?” Li Mo sweatdropped.
Ying Bing shook her head: “You slept like a log.”
“Well, that’s good.”
Li Mo sighed in relief.
Thank goodness it was Ice Chunk he shared a room with; if it were another girl, that would have been a headache.
“So, what did you think of those two sword manuals?”
Ying Bing clearly didn’t dwell much on last night’s ‘events’.
Li Mo nodded thoughtfully: “Those two sword manuals were probably one originally.”
That conclusion was generously provided by Little Jiang, the Sword Lady.
That girl wielded both the Sun Wheel Sword Manual and the Moonflower Sword Manual, practicing them together.
When she discovered the two manuals were complementary, she assumed it was a test from her esteemed teacher and happily rushed over to tell him.
“You really figured it out.”
Ying Bing had a casual tone, but her eyes flickered slightly.
“Since that’s the case, let’s delve into this sword technique today.”
“……”
Little Li fell into deep thought.
He still hadn’t learned it yet.
This supreme sword technique required significant martial comprehension; even after spending about two hundred thirty years helping Ice Chunk and Little Jiang move things around, it didn’t make him any less sore in the wallet.
But the show had to go on.
If he couldn’t keep up with them, he wouldn’t be able to earn any rewards.
“Just give me a minute.”
【Fifty years of martial comprehension successfully infused.】
【In the first year, facing the supreme sword technique, you gained nothing and had no starting point.】
【In the eighth year, you finally comprehended the connection between the “Sun Wheel Sword Manual” and the “Moonflower Sword Manual.”】
【In the twelfth year, you began to link the two techniques together, transforming them into the “Sun and Moon Confluence Sword Technique.”】
…….
【In the fiftieth year, you have a basic grasp of the “Sun and Moon Confluence Sword Technique.”】
Realization washed over him, and Li Mo let out a small sigh.
Basic grasp, well, he could manage it with some effort.
“Let’s do this.”
…..
Half an hour later.
The two put their swords away.
“We didn’t integrate our divine intents.”
“At this rate, it’s impossible to achieve harmony anytime soon.”
Ying Bing lowered her gaze, clearly dissatisfied with the results of their practice.
Strange.
Li Mo had decent talent for swordsmanship.
He managed to get the hang of a supreme sword technique in no time.
So why did it feel so weird during their paired practice?
She couldn’t pinpoint whether the issue lay with herself or Li Mo.
“Maybe it’s because we lack synergy.”
Li Mo scratched his head.
He thought it was probably because he was too inexperienced and couldn’t keep up with Ice Chunk’s rhythm.
What to do now?
Speaking of which, mastering this sword technique together with Ice Chunk could count as an investment, right?
The troubling part was, even if he poured all his martial comprehension into the “Sun and Moon Confluence Sword Technique,” it probably wouldn’t be enough to push it to its peak.
“Synchronized understanding requires both parties to be in harmony…” Ying Bing mused.
Suddenly, Li Mo’s mind sparked.
“I have a dual cultivation martial art. It might have some magical effect. Want to give it a shot?”
