The audience below the stage collectively leaned back slightly in shock—what kind of speech was this?
Frost Fairy, have you lost your mind?
Emperor Jingtai: "......"
The Emperor had witnessed many grand scenes in his time.
But this? This was a first.
Ying Bing's expression remained indifferent. "We agreed to spar tonight."
Only then did Emperor Jingtai nod slightly, smiling.
"The Dragon's Ascent Tournament is merely the beginning. I have higher expectations for your performance in the Celestial City Realm. It gladdens me to see neither of you growing complacent."
He then stepped before Li Mo and asked,
"Young Li, the Little Overlord, any thoughts?"This was Li Mo's first time standing so close to the Great Yu Emperor. He noticed the streaks of silver at Emperor Jingtai's temples, his sharp features, and the faint resemblance in his brows and eyes to Chu Long.
Now, the Emperor of Great Yu was prompting him to speak, and his words would resonate through the entire capital via the Imperial Landscape Scroll.
They would leave an indelible mark in the annals of history, remembered for generations.
Li Mo couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. He straightened his posture, his expression solemn.
"My journey here has been paved by the support of my friends and Ying Bing, as well as my own sweat and effort."
"The future belongs to me, and soon, it will belong to all of you..."
"Since childhood, my father taught me that the children of the poor must mature early."
In his past life, the young scholar had only thirty minutes of TV time after school.
Because after that, the evening news would dominate the screen.
Thus, his eloquence left not only the common folk but even Emperor Jingtai and his ministers utterly spellbound.
Just look at that ideological awareness.
Just listen to that mastery of rhetoric.
It seemed as though he had said everything—and yet nothing at all.
Compared to Li Mo, they felt like clumsy novices. Some even began scribbling notes in secret, planning to reuse his lines in future meetings.
[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in Minister of War, 'Zhao Wu'—helping him discover the path to progress.]
[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in Minister of Rites...]
......
The Celestial City did not open that same day.
After delivering his brief remarks, Li Mo boarded a carriage and returned to Cloudstep Tower with the Ice Block.
For some reason, Li Mo had originally planned to visit the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor to practice weapon-forging with Divine Artisan Du.
But after dropping off the Ice Block, just as he was about to leave, Ying Bing didn’t let go of his hand.
Since when had the Ice Block become so clingy?
Young Li had no idea, but his plans for the Sword Manor instantly vanished from his mind.
Night fell.
After preparing dinner, Li Mo headed to her room, only to find her silhouette stretching long under the moonlight in the training yard.
"No need to rush. We could spar anytime, really."
Li Mo scratched his chin.
Truthfully, he wasn’t feeling too confident at the moment.
Ying Bing turned her head, her gaze serene as still water. "In a few days, I might not be able to defeat you anymore."
With the Celestial City approaching, the rewards for first place far surpassed those for second.
Li Mo sighed. "Our bet was just a joke..."
"......"
Ying Bing's lashes trembled slightly.
Their wager revolved around the terms of the penalty.
If she lost to Li Mo, it would mean her ranking fell below his—and the penalty would still apply.
"I’m not afraid of losing. You’re nearing the Ninth Insight Aperture. Cultivation alone won’t cut it."
After a moment of silence, Li Mo summoned his hammer treasure. He, too, was curious about the current gap between himself and the Ice Block.
Moonlit Yin reflected the lunar glow, its edge shimmering with cold radiance.
The auras of the two divine weapons clashed. Had the training yard of Cloudstep Tower not been specially reinforced to withstand external combat, it would have shattered long ago.
"Here I come."
A whisper brushed his ear.
Moonlit Yin thrust forward like a spear of moonlight, its gleam akin to a reflection in a well—yet also as if descending from the heavens.
As someone who also comprehended the mysteries of the Moon, Li Mo sensed that this strike transcended the present moment, carrying a faint distortion of time and space.
He closed his eyes lightly, relying not on sight but on the divine intent of the Moon to perceive.
He saw where Ying Bing’s blade would land.
His hammer moved before his thoughts fully formed.
A single strike met the moonlight, scattering stardust in its wake.
......