Free Web NovelThe gentle crackling of the charcoal in the copper basin dispelled the chill outside the tent.
Ying Bing sat quietly by Li Mo’s bed, her legs crossed, her eyes lowered as she looked at the text that others could not see.
【Fiftieth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Zhu Ningze】
【Forty-ninth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Qiu Lianyue】
【Forty-eighth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Heiyu】
.....
The Southern Wasteland was much larger than the Eastern Wasteland Region, but the portion belonging to the Human Race was even smaller.
The Heiyu clan?
This also seemed to be a branch of the Great Shang royal family, and their totem was precisely the evil turtle that Li Mo had smashed. In that case, this tribal branch participated in the attack on Qingmu City.
Many names on the list were like this.
Those Great Shang Remnants were still active in the depths of the Southern Wasteland, and with their beliefs, they influenced this land.
Ying Bing, expressionless, recorded each name and the tribe behind each surname.
【Tenth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Zhong Ling.】
【Ninth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Huang Donglai.】
.....
【Fourth-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Zhong Zhenyue.】
【Third-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Shang Qi】
【Second-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland: Shang Yusu】
【First-ranked Prodigy of the Southern Wasteland......】
She looked at the last line of the System’s text.
Ying Bing.
She finally saw her name at the top of the ranking, the top spot she had longed for so long ago.
But she found that she did not feel the expected joy. Perhaps it was because she did not see that familiar name, these Forty names all seemed empty, missing something?
【Congratulations, Host, for achieving first place in the System’s ranking for the first time!】
The annoying System had deliberately enlarged the text this time and added special effects to it.
【After this System upgrade, a new celebration function for the top rank has been added. Do you want to set off celebratory fireworks for the birth of the top rank?】
“No need.”
Ying Bing tied up her hair again and inserted the jade hairpin.
【But this time, the Host does not need to complete the System’s punishment. Is this not something worth celebrating?】
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The punishment was gone.
“But I promised to give him a gift.”
“The top-ranked Prodigy on the Peerless Prodigy List should not break her word.”
Ying Bing stood up.
How could the Phoenix Heavenly Empress, the Master of the Gui Palace, go back on her word?
But he still hadn't woken up...
The System was announcing the first-place reward, but she was lost in thought and didn't even hear what the reward was.
She couldn’t help but recall the story Li Mo had casually told after dinner.
The sleeping princess was awakened by a single kiss from the prince.
At the time, she thought the story was a bit too childish, but now she wondered, if it °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° followed the progression of a children's story, would it be.....
Ying Bing glanced at Xiao Li, who was still asleep. She went to the copper charcoal stove to brew the second portion of medicinal soup.
A little while later.
Li Mo woke up.
He first smelled the bitter scent of medicine and couldn't help but frown.
Opening his eyes, he was startled.
In front of the charcoal fire not far away, a clear figure, as if from another world, was watching over the medicinal soup in the stove, fanning the flames gently with her delicate hand, allowing them to lick the bottom of the pot.
The firelight softened her beautiful face, making it impossible to look away from her captivating gaze.
“Ice Cube.....”
Li Mo looked at the Han Xianzi, feeling a warmth in his heart.
“You’re awake? Just in time.”
Ying Bing gently poured out the medicinal soup and approached:
“The medicine is ready. Drink it while it’s hot.”
“!”
Xiao Li’s expression was complex.
Waking up to see the Ice Cube brewing medicine for him was indeed heartwarming.
But this was the Ice Cube’s medicinal soup.
Made by her ‘own hands’.
Li Mo still couldn’t forget that stir-fried pork with chili.
Ying Bing lowered her face, her eyes still seeming to hold the smoky color from the warm stove just now:
“Li Mo, be good.”
“I’ll drink it!”
Li Mo felt that he was an immortal body, immune to all poisons. What was a mere Ice Cube soup?
He wanted to raise his hand, grab the medicinal soup, and drink it instantly.
But he found that his arms felt numb and he couldn't move them at all, which must have been a side effect of using the World Power for too long.
Fortunately, the Ice Cube's spoon was already at his lips.
“Is it very hot?” Ying Bing asked.
“Not hot, but.....”
Li Mo’s expression was like a pained Piggy Hero, wanting to speak but hesitating.
And it wasn't just bitter.
What did she put in this bowl of medicine? It made him taste a kind of acrid, harsh flavor.....
“Is that so? This medicine shouldn’t be....”
Ying Bing frowned and tasted a mouthful herself. It was visibly apparent that she shivered slightly.
After a moment of silence, she said:
“Good medicine tastes bitter, but you’ll recover faster if you drink it.”
“It’s fine if it takes a bit longer to recover, actually..... *cough cough*!”
Under the Ice Cube’s gaze, Li Mo still chose to pinch his nose and took two more sips.
But this medicine was too bitter.
He had only taken two sips before he couldn't help but cough.
“Ice Cube, do you have anything sweet there? I wouldn't say I’ve rendered meritorious service, but I’ve certainly suffered a lot. I should at least get a taste of sweetness.”
“Sweetness....”
Ying Bing pursed her lips.
After thinking for a moment, she put down the medicinal soup and took out the malt candy from the boy with a large head.
Li Mo was thinking that if this candy was put into the medicine, it should slightly improve the acrid taste of the soup.....
Then he saw the candy go to the Ice Cube’s lips.
“?”
Li Mo was startled.
Wasn't it for him to taste something sweet?
But the next second, a delicate fragrance wafted to his nose. She leaned in closer, close enough to see the soft light on her eyelashes.
The smoky color in her eyes became even more distinct as she looked at him.
Xiao Li suddenly understood the words in her eyes:
“Sweetness, eat.”
In the eyes of the world, what kind of person was Ying Bing? Cold, pure, mysterious. One could tell from the title Han Xianzi how unattainable she was.
But now, with candy on her lips, she was within arm’s reach.
She didn't say a word.
But when her eyes looked at you, it felt breathtaking, making it impossible to focus on anything else in the world.
That wasn't a gaze.
That was an arrow piercing the heart!
Xiao Li used to not understand how there could be such peerless beauties in the world who could overthrow cities and nations, bringing disaster to the country and its people. The so-called femme fatale was just a way to shift blame onto women.
Now he wanted to say, King Zhou, I understand you.
So this was the gift the Ice Cube mentioned.....
“I’ll eat it.”
“Mm....”
The upright gentleman Li Mo leaned in, only to find the candy moved a bit further away.
He leaned in again....
It moved a bit further away again.
“?”
His gaze moved upwards, only to see the color in her eyes trembling slightly.
The candy on her lips had melted a bit, a thin, glistening layer of syrup.
“Ice Cube, you....”
Li Mo opened his mouth solemnly.
But as soon as his mouth opened, his chin was pinched by a delicate hand.
The wind and snow outside the tent seemed to have intensified.
Will Grandpa Hu and his grandson still be out selling things recently?
No wonder there’s an idiom called ‘to relish a bitter pill’.
