Tentu saja sudah terkenal.
Sup yang dibuat oleh Bongkah Es bukan sekadar 'sup beracun'—ia lebih seperti mencari jejak sup di dalam mangkuk racun murni.
Li Mo benar-benar ragu apakah mas masih ada sup di dalamnya.
"Bolehkah aku... tidak minum?"
"Kamu sudah minum selama dua hari."
Ying Bing mengerutkan kening sambil memandangnya.
"...Dua hari?"
Mulut Li Mo terpeleset.
"Resep Tetua Xue: tiga mangkuk sehari, selama tiga hari berturut-turut."
"Hari ini adalah hari terakhir."
Ying Bing dengan lembut mengangkat sendok dan mendekatkan ke bibir Li Mo.
Mengerikan. Si legenda Bongkah Es justru mampu merawat seseorang.
Untungnya tidak ada siapa pun dari masa lalu yang pernah mendengar tentang reputasinya di sini—selainnya mereka akan menggigit jari mata sendiri karena kebingungan.
Li Mo:"......"
Dengan gigih mengumpulkan semangat, ia membuka mulut dan minum. Rasa agak pahit, tapi tidak tidak enak.
Sekarang ia akhirnya memahami bagaimana jejak-jejak energi batin di meridiannya bisa pulih.
Ternyata karena Bongkah Es yang memberinya makan.
Jadi, selama ini... dia benar-benam datang setiap hari untuk merawatnya?
Ruangan tiba-tiba sunyi.
Di luar jendela, terdengar nyaring cicak musim panas bergantian, kemudian ada suara ibunya yang sedang gemuk-gemuk menggulingkan selimut dan air menyembuh—mungkin ayahnya sedang menyirami tanaman.
Setiap suara terdengar jelas-jelas. Dulu, Li Mo selalu menganggap suara-suara ini mengganggu, membuatnya tidak bisa kembali tidur setelah pergi ke kongkongan pada tengah malam.
Tapi setelah begitu lama terpisah dari rumah, dipadu lagi dengan suara nyaring sendok melawan mangkuk keramik, semua tiba-tiba terasa nyaman sekali.
Cahaya matahari juga senyaman itu.
Di tengah partikel debu yang berkelapangan, setiap jarum panjangnya tampak bersinar, matanya cerah dan penuh kehidupan, memancukan cahaya yang hampir tidak wujud.
Li Mo bukan orang yang belum pernah melihat keindahan.
Tapi ia tidak bisa menahan diri untuk tidak memandangnya dengan kagum.
"Tangan."
Ying Bing tiba-tiba berkata.
"Oh iya."
Li Mo memegang tangannya.
Ying Bing memegang tangannya, dan saat energi batin mereka bersilang dan mengalir ke antara mereka, ia dengan stabil mengalirkan energinya ke dalam tubuhnya, menenangkan meridiannya yang kusam seperti yang biasa dialaminya.
Saat mengalirkan energi, ia bertanya:
"Bagaimana terasa?"
"Empuk."
Li Mo menggosok jarinya sedikit dan menjawab dengan sungguh-sungguh.
"?"
Ying Bing mengangkat kepalanya, matanya tajam menatapnya.
Setelah bangun dari kagum, Li Mo batuk ringan dan memperbaiki jawabannya:
"Aku hampir bisa mengucapkan 'Phoenix Menangis di Rawa Surgawi'."
"Bagus."
Dan demikianlah.
Setelah berhari-hari, keduanya pun kembali menjalani kultivasi yang saling menguntungkan.
Di luar jendela, Li Dalong tiba-tiba lewat dan melihat adegan di dalam, langsung berhenti di tempat.
"Anakku sudah bangun?"
Hampir saja untuk memanggil anaknya, mulutnya pun dihalangi oleh istrinya yang buru-buru datang. Gu Xueqin bahkan telah menggunakan teknik ringan keluarginya yang rahasia.
"Alang-alangng, apakah kamu buta? Anak-anak pemalu dengan hal-hal seperti ini!"
"Benar, benar, kamu benar sekali, sayang."
Li Dalong dengan canggung menutup mulutnya, condong sedikit untuk melihat ke dalam dengan setengah kepala saja.
Keduanya menyaksikan adegan itu dan tersenyum lebar dengan rasa bangga dan kasih sayang.
Entah secara tidak sadar atau tidak tertahankan, mereka pun mulai berseliput.
"Ini begitu indah, hehe~"
"Lihatlah, bukan aku bilang? Sejak dulu, aku tahu Bing'er pasti menjadi menantu keluarga kita."
"Ah, iya juga, aku juga diajarkan untuk tumbuh bersama."
"Mo'er sudah remaja sekarang. Dulu kala, ia selalu mencabut rambutnya—tak ada hukuman pun yang bisa menghentikannya."
"Keluar untuk latihan dan mendapatkan pengalaman sungguh membantu ia tumbuh."
"Bing'er juga sudah kuat—sudah mencapai Ranah Inti Mendalam. Untunglah ia tidak memandang rendah anakku."
"Untungnya anakku mewarisi kecantikan dari saya. Dulu dulu, aku adalah pria paling tampan di sepuluh desa..."
......
Li Mo:"......"
Benar-benar?
Ibu dan ayahku benar-benar tidak memandangku sebagai seorang ahli bela diri sama sekali?
Baginya, bahkan suara nyamuk yang terbang terdengar jelas—bisikan orang tuanya pasti terdengar seperti gong berseru.
Dan hey, meski ia punya takdir, tapi aku punya keuntungan juga! Aku tidak kalah dengan Bongkah Es!
Tiga puluh tahun ke timur sungai, tiga puluh tahun ke barat! Apa-apaan Ranah Inti Mendalam? Tunggu sampai aku mengkondensasikan 365 di antaranya!
Oh iya.
Jika ia bisa mendengar mereka, lalu bagaimana dengan Bongkah Es...?
Li Mo menoleh dan melihat bahwa meskipun wajah putih guratnya tetap tenang, jarum panjangnya yang bersinar sedikit gemetar di bawah cahaya matahari...
Ach, mengerti.
Aku akan ikut meminta untuk tidak mendengar apa-apa~
Setelah merasa sudah waktunya, Li Mo batuk keras.
"Di mana ibu dan ayah? Aku belum mempayunggung sejak kembali."
"Mereka..."
Pandangan Ying Bing melintas ke arah jendela sejenak sebelum ia menarik tangannya kembali.
Tak lama kemudian, ada langkah kaki mendekat.
"Anakku, apakah kami mengganggu sesuatu?"
Li Dalong dan istrinya masuk ke dalam.
Li Mo berpura kejutan:
"Acara bertemu yang tak terduga! Tuan Li dan Putri yang indah Ms. Gu—bisa dikatakan bertemu untuk kebetulan!"
"Ibu dan ayahku hanya sedang berjalan-jalan di dekat sini. Ya, hanya sekadar berjalan-jalan."
Li Dalong mengumbar kepastian penuh.
"Benar-benar kebetulan sekali!"
"Setajh giliran kita bisa berbohong bersamaan!"
Tongkosu Lawang dan Tongkosu Muda kini sama-sama ahli berbohong. Mereka bisa mengadakan pertunjukan komedi dua jam penuh dari kepalanya masing-masing.
"Apakah kamu sudah merasa lebih baik? Tetua Xue datang tadi pagi untuk memeriksamu."
Gu Xueqin duduk di sampingnya, dengan cermat memeriksa putrinya.
"Beberapa hari istirahat pasti cukup."
Yang berikutnya adalah pertukaran kecakapan keluarga yang biasa.
Li Mo mengeluarkan Susu Roh Urat Bumi dan pil-pil penyembuhannya yang ia sediakan sebelumnya, memberi instruksi berulang-ulang kepada orang tuanya.
Ayahnya selalu menderita luka lama yang tak pernah benar-benar sembuh, hingga terjebak di Ranah Napas Dalam.
Ibu juga melemah setelah melahirinya dan tidak pernah berkuda lagi.
Terkenal dengan kasihan, pasangan ini berulang kali mengingatkan putranya agar jangan melakukan hal-hal ilegal—seperti mencuri keharta nurul Qingyuan Sect.
Anak muda Li langsung berkeringat dingin.
Kecemarannya tidaklah tidak beralasan—dulu kala, ia pernah mencuri uang dari rumah untuk membeli es krim dan mendapatkan hukuman keras.
Ying Bing telah diam sepanjang waktu, dengan rasa tenang yang tidak bisa dijelaskan telah menenangkan hatinya.
Seperti yang sering dikatakan Li Mo—
Mencurahkan sehari yang santai dari kehidupan yang sibuk?
[Ding—]
Tepat pada waktunya, notifikasi harian sistem berdering.
[Hitung mundur perbandingan peringkat berikutnya: Tujuh hari.]
Kali ini, setidaknya tidak perlu khawatir tentang sanksi karena kalah.
Segalanya akhirnya berjalan lancar.
Dia kini memiliki Esensi Phoenix Darah, Jiwa Phoenix Bersinar, dan Bulu Phoenix Sejati.
Bahkan tidak ada warisan dari Sekte Yantian atau Putera dari Dinasti Yu Agung yang bisa bermewah-mewahkan harta karun seperti itu di Ranah Napas Dalam.
Meski ia mengkondensasikan Ranah Inti Mendalam, hal itu tidak akan memengaruhi peringkatnya.
Hadiah untuk peringkat pertama pasti lebih baik dari peringkat kedua.
Tapi ketika berpikir demikian...
Ying Bing kesulitan merasa bahwa ia benar-benar layak.
Karena sebagian dari pencapaian ini... berkat dia...
......"
It is well known.
The soup made by the Ice Block wasn’t just "soup with poison"—it was more like trying to find traces of soup in a bowl of pure poison.
Li Mo seriously doubted whether there was even any soup left in it.
"Can I... not drink it?"
"You’ve already been drinking it for two days."
Ying Bing frowned at him.
"...Two days?"
Li Mo’s mouth fell open.
"Elder Xue’s prescription: three bowls a day, for three days straight."
"Today is the last day."
Ying Bing gently lifted the spoon and brought it to Li Mo’s lips.
Shocking. The infamous Ice Block was actually capable of taking care of someone.
Thankfully, no one from his past life who had heard of her reputation was around—otherwise, they’d be clawing their own eyeballs out in disbelief.
Li Mo: "......"
Summoning his courage, he opened his mouth and drank. The taste was slightly bitter, but not unpleasant.
Now he finally understood how the faint traces of inner energy in his meridians had been recovering.
Turns out, it was the Ice Block feeding him.
So, she had been coming to take care of him every day recently?
The room suddenly fell into silence.
Outside the window, the intermittent chirping of summer cicadas could be heard, along with the sound of his mother vigorously shaking out the blankets and the splashing of water—likely his father watering the plants.
Every sound was crystal clear. In the past, Li Mo had always found these noises annoying, making it impossible for him to fall back asleep after midnight trips to the outhouse.
But after being away from home for so long, paired with the gentle clinking of the spoon against the porcelain bowl, it all felt strangely comforting.
The sunlight was nice too.
Amidst the hazy dust motes, every single one of Ying Bing’s eyelashes seemed to glisten, her eyes bright and lively, radiating an almost ethereal glow.
Li Mo wasn’t someone who had never seen beautiful sights before.
Yet, he couldn’t help but stare in a daze.
"Hand."
Ying Bing suddenly spoke.
"Oh, right."
Li Mo extended his hand.
Ying Bing took it, and as their inner energies intertwined and flowed between them, she steadily channeled hers into him, soothing his tangled meridians as usual.
While circulating her energy, she asked:
"How does it feel?"
"Soft."
Li Mo rubbed his fingers slightly and answered earnestly.
"?"
Ying Bing lifted her head, her gaze silently locking onto him.
Snapping out of it, Li Mo coughed lightly and corrected himself:
"I can barely manage to use 'Phoenix Cry Over Heavenly Marsh.'"
"Good."
And so.
After many days, the two happily resumed their mutually beneficial cultivation.
Outside the window, Li Dalong happened to pass by and, catching sight of the scene inside, immediately halted in his tracks.
"My son’s awake?"
Just as he was about to call out to his son, his mouth was swiftly covered by his wife, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Gu Xueqin had even used her family’s secret lightness technique.
"You blockhead, are you stupid? Kids are shy about this sort of thing!"
"Right, right, my dear, you’re absolutely correct."
Li Dalong awkwardly shut his mouth, bending his knees slightly to peek inside with only half his head visible.
The two of them watched the scene unfold, their faces breaking into knowing, doting smiles.
Whether unconsciously or unable to hold back, they soon began whispering among themselves.
"This is so nice, hehe~"
"See, didn’t I tell you? Ever since they were little, I knew Bing’er would end up as our Li family’s daughter-in-law."
"Ah, yes, yes. I watched her grow up too."
"Mo’er has matured. When he was little, he kept pulling her hair—no amount of beatings could stop him."
"Going out to train and gain experience really helped him grow up."
"Bing’er is so strong now—she’s already at the Profound Core Realm. It’s a blessing she doesn’t look down on our son."
"Luckily, our son inherited my good looks. Ah, back in the day, I was the most handsome young man in ten villages..."
......
Li Mo: "......"
Seriously?
Mom, Dad, do you two really not consider me a martial artist at all?
To him, even the buzz of a mosquito flying past was as clear as day—his parents’ "whispers" might as well have been thunderous shouts.
And hey, she might have destiny on her side, but I’ve got cheats too! I’m not worse than the Ice Block!
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west! What’s the big deal about Profound Core? Just wait till I condense 365 of them!
Oh right.
If he could hear them, then what about the Ice Block...?
Li Mo glanced over and noticed that while the girl’s jade-like face remained calm, her glistening eyelashes trembled ever so slightly under the sunlight...
Ah, got it.
I’ll play along and pretend I didn’t hear anything~
Figuring it was about time, Li Mo coughed loudly.
"Where are Mom and Dad? I haven’t paid my respects since coming back."
"They..."
Ying Bing’s gaze drifted wordlessly toward the window for a moment before she withdrew her hand.
Soon after, footsteps approached.
"Son, we didn’t interrupt anything, did we?"
Li Dalong and his wife stepped inside.
Li Mo feigned surprise:
"What a coincidence! Mr. Li and the beautiful Ms. Gu—speak of the devil!"
"Your mother and I were just taking a stroll nearby. Yeah, just strolling."
Li Dalong declared with absolute conviction.
"Quite the coincidence, huh?"
"Couldn’t be more coincidental if we tried!"
The elder Li and the younger Li were now equally matched in their ability to spin tall tales. The two could probably perform a full two-hour comedy routine off the top of their heads.
"Are you feeling better? Elder Xue came by earlier to check on you."
Gu Xueqin sat beside him, carefully examining her son.
"A couple days of rest should do it."
What followed was the usual family exchange of pleasantries and concerns.
Li Mo took out the Earth Vein Spirit Milk and healing pills he had prepared in advance, giving his parents repeated instructions.
His father had always suffered from old injuries that had never fully healed, leaving him stuck at the Inner Breath Realm.
His mother had also weakened after giving birth to him and had never practiced martial arts since.
Touched as they were, the couple repeatedly reminded their son not to do anything illegal—like sneaking into the Qingyuan Sect’s treasury to steal.
The younger Li broke out in a cold sweat.
Their worries weren’t unfounded—as a kid, he’d once stolen money from home to buy popsicles and got a thorough beating for it.
Ying Bing had been quietly watching the whole time, an inexplicable sense of peace and ease settling in her heart.
As Li Mo would say—
Stealing a moment of leisure in a busy life?
[Ding—]
Right on cue, the system’s daily notification chimed.
[Next ranking comparison countdown: Seven days.]
This time, at least, there was no need to worry about suffering any penalties for losing.
Everything was finally falling into place.
She now possessed the Blood Phoenix Essence, the Radiant Phoenix Soul, and the True Phoenix Feather.
Not even the heirs of the Yantian Sect or the princes of the Great Yu Dynasty could boast such treasures at the Inner Breath Realm.
Even if he condensed a Profound Core, it wouldn’t affect her ranking.
The rewards for first place would undoubtedly be better than second.
But thinking this...
Ying Bing found it hard to feel as though she truly deserved it.
Because part of this achievement was thanks to him...
......
Another two days passed.
After waking up, Li Mo consumed the miraculous pills stored in his system space, recovering at an astonishing speed.
Just as he had expected.
Breaking through his limits had indeed provided him with the opportunity to advance.
He began preparing to condense his Profound Core.
Meanwhile, Ying Bing remained at home as usual, though every night was spent stabilizing her cultivation.
By now, her twin Profound Cores had reached perfect harmony, and the Blood Phoenix Essence had been fully integrated into her foundation.
On this day, just as she finished her training and the vast power of the Blood Phoenix Essence slowly receded, she opened her eyes to find Shangguan Wencang and several other Qingyuan Sect elders smiling at her.
"Twin Profound Cores, blessed with heaven-defying fortune."
"Upon returning to the sect, we shall select an auspicious day for you to enter the ancestral hall of the main peak."
Shangguan Wencang spoke with pride.
Ying Bing gave a slight nod, aware that their visit wasn’t just for this.
Qian Bufan stepped forward:
"Regarding the secret realm incident, we need to hear your account first."
Ying Bing and Li Mo were not together from start to finish.
Since Li Mo had yet to recover, Ying Bing's experiences naturally needed to be inquired about as well.
...
Typos will be corrected after updating, dear readers—if you spot any, please give me a nudge.
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