Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’
Chapter 291: One Against Two: The Older Brother or the Younger One

Xiangliu originally had a chance to escape. After all, it possessed a bloodline ability that allowed it to merge its entire body into the murky black waters—though using this technique would leave it in a weakened state.

Unfortunately, it feared that Feiyi would take advantage of its weakness to settle scores.

Unfortunately, it didn’t exhaust every means to flee the moment Li Mo pulled out his hammer. By the time it realized, it was already too late.

Just as Xiangliu’s body began to dissolve, the surrounding air solidified like iron, leaving it no time to react or break free from the crushing hammer’s momentum with its bloodline power.

The hammerhead rapidly expanded in its vision.

Xiangliu’s eyes widened as it caught the scent of death. Its scales stood on end, only to be violently swept aside like waves under the hammer’s overwhelming force.

It was as if an entire world had come crashing down, mercilessly crushing everything in its path.

An Observation Divine Realm cultivator, transcending his level, killing a sixth-grade calamity beast in a single strike?

Had anyone told Xiangliu this before, it would have scoffed in disbelief.

It believed.

BOOM—

The hammer’s earth-shattering force slammed down, the impact spreading through every inch of Xiangliu’s body before it exploded into a rain of black blood.

“Hah…”

Li Mo exhaled a white breath as he retracted his hammer.

Channeling the power of the world and executing the Heaven-Overturning Hammer Strike with the Panjie Meteor Hammer gave him greater confidence—but it also left him completely drained afterward.

Luckily, Xiangliu had hesitated due to its distrust of Feiyi and its underestimation of him.

One could say it had barely used even thirty percent of its abilities before meeting such an ignoble end.

Now, Li Mo still had enough strength left to deal with another opponent.

The question was…

Would the other two sixth-grade calamity beasts share the same mindset as Xiangliu and Feiyi? If they also came after him, he’d have to consider a strategic retreat with the ice block.

Nanguan City was still a fair distance away, and this certainly wouldn’t be the last wave of calamity beasts hunting them.

This wasn’t the time for a life-or-death struggle.

A fierce gale howled as black rain poured down.

The doors of the Mountain Lord Temple rattled violently.

The sword-wielding girl’s dark hair fluttered wildly, but seeing the unwavering figure in the distance, she relaxed her grip on the hilt, her gaze steadying.

In the past, there had been warriors who deliberately tried to impress her.

Back then, she hadn’t even spared them a second thought—dismissing them entirely.

So why now…

Did she find his stubborn silhouette both a little childish and a little… dashing?

Meanwhile, the two tiny figures perched on the ice block’s shoulders had shifted their argument.

The white-clad figure giggled, “He’s definitely going to fish for compliments later. How about we call him ‘big brother’? No man can resist being told, ‘Big brother, you’re amazing~’”

The black-clad figure remained stern, arms crossed. “We’re actually two months older than him. If we call him ‘big brother,’ he’ll get so full of himself he’ll float into the sky! What if he gets even more reckless next time? We should call him ‘little brother’ and tell him not to act so impulsively.”

“…”

Ying Bing patted the big-headed doll’s head, feeling that neither option was easy to say aloud.

While the two tiny figures bickered…

Outside, Feiyi shook off the foul black blood clinging to its body.

Huh?

Xiangliu… was gone?

Judging by the withered vegetation on this mountain—likely unable to regrow for decades—this wasn’t an illusion.

Even if Li Mo, for whatever reason, possessed a true dragon’s bloodline and had gained the recognition of the celestial jade, he was still only at the Observation Divine Realm.

Yet he had obliterated Xiangliu in the blink of an eye.

This was even more absurd than its own son having two heads!

“Just you wait!”

Feiyi’s four wings buzzed, stirring up a scorching gale as it prepared to flee.

“Cough… cough…”

“Hm?”

Not only had the kid put away his hammer, but he also seemed severely injured. Understandable, given he’d just killed Xiangliu while crossing realms.

But if it went to fetch the other two calamity beasts, the celestial jade would have to be split three ways…

Feiyi turned back, deciding to test the waters first.

Unbeknownst to it, it had fallen victim to the ultimate fighting tactic—

The strongest way to trap an enemy isn’t with snares or grappling techniques, but with the illusion of “I can still win.”

BUZZ—

Feiyi snorted.

Instantly, a sandstorm engulfed the mountaintop, and the air within a ten-mile radius rapidly dried up. The freshly rained-on terrain now resembled a decades-long drought.

Even a martial artist at the Internal Breath Realm would likely be desiccated in moments.

WHOOSH—

“This resembles a blade technique I once saw—one inspired by Feiyi’s divine essence.”

Li Mo’s skin gleamed with a dark sheen as the seven mystic pills in his dantian locked his qi and blood essence in place, making him as immovable as a boulder in the wasteland.

Without tapping into the world’s power…

How far could he push himself against a sixth-grade calamity beast, equivalent to an Internal Scenery martial artist?

Suddenly, a hissing sound pierced the air as scorching heat surged forth, dragging Li Mo into a vision of a barren wasteland—where he stood as nothing but a withered blade of grass.

Feiyi loomed above, its vertical pupils filled with greed and caution. It noticed the flickering dark light around the boy, like a candle in the wind—on the verge of extinguishing.

He’s on his last legs!

“ROAR!”

No longer hesitating, it let out a deafening cry and descended with the sandstorm in tow.

Thus…

The parched gale became a curtain, upon which the colossal serpent’s shadow clashed with the minuscule figure of the young man.

Li Mo’s aura fluctuated wildly, teetering on the brink of collapse before flaring back up each time.

As the battle wore on, the tides turned.

Feiyi, no longer the ferocious beast from before, grew increasingly sluggish in its movements. Every time the boy “miraculously” recovered, that damned hammer would land another blow, sending shockwaves through its organs.

Soon, the mountaintop was drenched in serpent blood.

Only the Mountain Lord Temple remained untouched.

And so…

After what felt like an eternity…

Feiyi collapsed, its eyes glazed over.

“Weren’t you… supposed to be done for?”

BANG—

The hammer smashed into its shattered skull, the force rippling through the earth and leaving a spiderweb of cracks. Feiyi died with its question unanswered.

“This time, I really am.”

Putting away the hammer, Li Mo—aching and numb all over—finally let out a relieved sigh.

He plopped down onto the ravaged ground, panting heavily as his eyelids grew heavy.

Just now…

He had slain a sixth-grade calamity beast in direct combat! A feat worthy of the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s top ten.

Add the Xiangliu he’d killed using the world’s power and his divine weapon, and the achievement became even more terrifying. He just hoped the Yantian Sect’s influence didn’t extend to the Southern Border…

But Li Mo had no energy left to dwell on that. Every cell in his body screamed for rest.

Hammer in hand, he trudged back to the only intact structure—the Mountain Lord Temple.

“Ice block, you ready?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Huh?”

Li Mo blinked. He’d asked if she was prepared to take over—he genuinely needed a break.

What did she mean by “haven’t decided”?

Ying Bing’s gaze seemed unusually conflicted.

“Haven’t decided what?”

“…”

She lowered her eyes, pretending to admire the “scenery” outside.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

“Li Mo, do you want to hear…”

“Zzz… Zzz…”

Little Li's snoring at this moment could rival that of his beautiful master.

He slept deeply, his handsome face etched with exhaustion, the dim twilight casting alternating shadows that faintly stripped away some of his youthful softness, revealing a sturdier edge.

Ying Bing paused for a moment, her lips curving into a gentle smile she didn’t even realize she wore.

She moved the meditation cushion closer and knelt upon it.

Then, with delicate care, she cradled his head and rested it on her slender, folded thighs.

Letting him rest properly was surely more important than praising him, wasn’t it?

This time, the two little figures—one black, one white—didn’t emerge to bicker.