Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’ Chapter 718: With even a modest family fortune, could the Clear Abyss Sect have ended up like this

"Waaaaah... my aspirations of becoming a grand blade master are ruined..."

"Dry those tears. In the heat of combat, winning and losing are both regular occurrences. Even I lose to that block of ice... I mean, success has many avenues. If the blade fails you, why not learn the way of the hammer from me?"

"Waaaaaaaah!!!"

"Fine, fine, what if I make it up to you with a superior blade?"

"What do you understand? This blade was my heart and soul, representing the great hopes my Elder placed upon me. It has been by my side since my youth. To me, it was..."

"Here, this blade is called 'Cloud Thunder'. It was acquired at the Donghai Mirage Auction and is classified as a Treasure Weapon, valued at sixty..."

"*Gasp*..."

Tang Liu, the youth whose dreams had just been shattered, instantly abandoned his 'precious' broken weapon. He pulled the new favorite to his chest, his expression beaming with delight as if he were cradling a peerless treasure.

Li Mo: "..."

Had he produced this blade from the start, would he have needed to waste so many words and take such a convoluted path?

The numerous martial artists observing from the sidelines fell into a stunned silence. Having spent years in the Jianghu, they had witnessed many strange sights.

However, this particular scene was something they had truly never encountered before.

"This feels oddly familiar; it reminds me of the events back in Yunzhou City..."

"To be fair, the shattering of the blade isn't entirely the fault of Young Master Li. But using a Treasure Weapon as compensation for that fellow... isn't that a bit excessive? Does he not grasp its true worth?"

"No, no, it is you who fails to grasp the nature of Young Master Li."

Elder Qian’s expression had been grim moments ago, frustrated that the disciples of the Qingyuan Sect were still trailing behind the major Sects with such lackluster performances.

Now, his face was flushed red, but for a different reason: a Qingyuan Sect disciple had initiated a cross-level challenge, thrashed his opponent until he wept, and then soothed him like a crying infant. The old man’s face burned with sheer embarrassment.

He regretted agreeing to preside over this exchange!

What words could he possibly use to save face now?

Elder Qian cast a glance toward his companion. Sharing the commentary duties with him was Shang Wu. Since Shang Wu was known as the fight queen, this was one of the rare occasions where her martial expertise was actually applicable.

Shang Wu took a long draught of wine: "Is this how it's done? This isn't right at all."

Elder Qian was momentarily stunned. Was Shang Wu actually going to be the voice of reason today?

Before he could find relief, she continued:

"Why hand over a blade? The very essence of the art is bullying the weak. You are supposed to provoke them before the duel, and after claiming victory, don't you know you're meant to humiliate your opponent without mercy?"

"Later on, I'll step in and give Little Mo another proper lesson!"

In addition to the duels between the younger generation, the event naturally included an exchange segment where the Elders of various Sects could compare their Dao through martial arts.

"..." Old Qian wiped the perspiration from his brow, realizing the heavy burden of commentary had to rest on his shoulders after all.

If Shang Wu were left in charge, he feared the guests who arrived to offer congratulations would leave only after arranging a blood feud.

"Ahem, what a breathtaking struggle between dragon and tiger. Both participants exhibited true sportsmanship and style, showcasing their unique talents and even providing us with a rare cross-level challenge."

"Ultimately, they did more than just test their martial arts; they forged a deeper bond of friendship. A joyful conclusion for everyone involved, truly joyful."

Qian Bufan announced at the top of his lungs, forcing himself to sound convinced.

A few scattered claps rose from the crowd below.

Tucked away in the boisterous crowd, Tian Xun—who couldn't see the stage even on her tiptoes—was busy using her small notebook to record Qian Bufan's commentary as reference material for "The Legend of Liqun's Sword Hero."

Old Qian’s voice carried quite far.

His words also reached the ears of a spy from the Huanmo Sect.

The spy mused to himself: "What a waste. That Tang Liu didn't manage to probe Li Mo's true strength in the slightest..."

He surreptitiously retreated from the rear of the throng and made his way back to the Happy Sheep Hotpot Restaurant.

Within a private chamber on the second floor, Yuwen Cuojin expressed surprise at his swift return. "You have finished your investigation so quickly?"

"Reporting to Vice-Sect Master, the situation has deviated from our expectations. His peers... likely lack the capability to test Li Mo's limits at this point."

The spy detailed everything he had witnessed.

This included how Li Mo had reduced Tang Liu to tears and only managed to quiet him by gifting him a blade.

The two Vice-Sect Masters lapsed into a temporary silence, their eyes glinting with thought.

Mo Chaozong, the Lingxi Sect Master, let out a cold snort. "At most, he is merely a Fourth Realm Cultivator. No matter his genius, can he truly defy the heavens? We would be better served by focusing our efforts on the others."

Situ Ding looked at him and gave a heavy sigh. "This exact mindset is why your Lingxi Sect has suffered such devastating losses, while our Divine Sect has endured for millennia."

"Are my words incorrect?" Mo Chaozong felt the stinging contempt in the other man's gaze.

"Let me pose a question to you," Situ Ding remarked. "If a prodigy who has yet to reach his peak forms a mortal grudge with your Lingxi Sect, how would you, Sect Master Mo, deal with him?"

Mo Chaozong snorted. "Quite simple. I would dispatch several disciples with realms slightly higher than his to wipe him out entirely, along with his kin, leaving not even a dog or chicken alive."

"How much higher?"

"One or two realms higher would be more than sufficient."

Crossing one realm was like facing a canyon; two realms was the gap between the heavens and the mud, akin to stepping on an ant. It seemed like a perfectly logical strategy.

"And what if he manages to flee?"

"Then I would send an Elder a full realm higher than him."

"My congratulations..."

Mo Chaozong assumed Situ Ding was complimenting his thoroughness, but the other man continued slowly:

"You have allowed the tiger to return to the mountains, fueled by a sea of blood. Decades from now, the Lingxi Sect is wiped from existence."

"?" Mo Chaozong’s confident expression turned to stone.

Situ Ding sneered. "Even a lion employs its full power when hunting a rabbit. Geniuses are rarely ordinary; for them, fighting above their level is trivial. Sending people only one realm higher at a time—isn't that merely providing him with whetstones to sharpen his own blade?"

"But I specified one and two realms higher."

"When dealing with a genius, is it not common for them to achieve a breakthrough in the middle of a fight? If that happens, your advantage is gone."

"You are making this sound far too legendary. How could such occurrences actually happen..."

Mo Chaozong remained skeptical.

Situ Ding’s eyes grew distant and profound. "Who claims it cannot? Back when the Great Yu Martial Emperor was nothing more than a wandering refugee..."

Mo Chaozong: "..."

So this was based on personal experience. No wonder he appeared so pained.

"In any case, we must never underestimate a talent of Li Mo’s caliber."

Yuwen Cuojin brought the discussion back to the primary objective:

"Furthermore, he possesses a significant secret. We must ensure our plan is entirely foolproof."

"A secret..." Mo Chaozong looked intrigued but bit his tongue. He understood that sometimes, knowing too much was a death sentence.

Situ Ding, however, dismissed the tension with a wave of his hand and a smile. "Since we are allies in this, we should be transparent. There is no harm in telling you."

"We suspect that Li Mo is the bearer of the Great Shang Dynasty's legacy!"

Yuwen Cuojin nodded in agreement. "If it weren't for that, there is no way to explain his absurd wealth, or why a talent so brilliant would choose to study under Shang Wu. It is a shame the Yin Hua father and son were killed; otherwise, we might have more specific details..."

The fall of a massive empire had buried a multitude of mysteries.

The Huanmo Sect had long harbored suspicions that the Qingyuan Sect sat atop foundations left by the Great Shang for their eventual restoration. However, the Qingyuan Sect was too formidable in its peak years to be searched. Later, despite numerous secret probes, they had turned up nothing.

The theory had eventually been discarded.

It was only with the sudden rise of Li Mo and Ying Bing that they had begun to take the possibility seriously once more.