Due to the situation, their conversation was actually quite brief. Princess Embroidered Jade explained the basics in just a few words, but The Fool's mind was racing—he considered a dozen things in an instant.
This world's martial arts scene is built on the foundation of refining spirit into qi. So much can be deduced from that single principle.
First off, no wonder there are so many badass women around—Princess Embroidered Jade, Princess Flower Shifter, and even Lady Simone. Even Golden Fan Young Master seems to play second fiddle to his female companions. Refining spirit into qi isn't about gender, so this world must be teeming with female experts.
Second, it finally makes sense why top-tier fighters like the Golden Blade King and Lady Simone always bring such drama when they throw down. When the Golden Blade King draws his sword, it feels like the whole world turns blood-red. Princess Embroidered Jade, at her full power, even seems to have a hazy moon shadow floating behind her. Turns out, that's the effect of projecting one's spirit outward—their level is more about spiritual mastery than brute strength.
Back in the other world, even a nobody could spar with the big shots. But here, if you can't handle a master's killing intent and presence, you don't even qualify as an opponent. If your level is way off, just watching from the sidelines can fry your brain. That's why pros can totally steamroll newbies—no wonder the Golden Blade King always comes in swinging like he's mowing the lawn.
So, with this kind of power gap, martial arts masters here must have way more clout than those in the other world. The martial world here is way scarier, not just some 'wild bunch' anymore. Princess Embroidered Jade is a royal princess still grinding away at kung fu—clearly, the martial crowd here is way above the usual riffraff.
Third, Princess Embroidered Jade just mentioned 'Bright Jade Technique.' That keyword set The Fool's brain off—he had too many thoughts to count. In this world, 'spirit' means a person's presence, mind, and willpower. Focusing on spirit means sticking to your guns and pushing your mental game to the max. This place must be packed with oddballs and weirdos doing their own thing.
"If the madmen of Steelbull City learned this technique, they'd probably level up overnight." Extreme worlds breed extraordinary people, and whether friend or foe, the maniacs here all have serious presence and quirks. The most over-the-top, logic-defying, absolutely bonkers folks are the ones best suited for this kind of training.
Suddenly, The Fool pictured a cat face with a 'Reliable' talisman stuck on it. For some reason, he just knew that if the people of Steelbull City mastered this technique, Mr. Reliable would definitely be among the top dogs.
"What did you say?" Princess Embroidered Jade looked puzzled. "Which city?"
"Steelbull City. I passed through there before coming here, just suddenly thought of some old friends."
Princess Embroidered Jade nodded calmly—she had no idea how hilariously crude that city's name sounded just from the pronunciation. If she ever found out there was a place called that in another world, who knows how she'd react. "No time to waste. Let's get started."
"No rush for me. You should focus on purging the poison first."
Princess Embroidered Jade raised an eyebrow at The Fool: "With a divine technique at hand, you're not in a hurry?"
"You're the priority here." No rogue internal energy, and no need to force a breakthrough right now. A day or two won't make any difference, so when he said "you're the priority," he meant it—no fake politeness at all.
Princess Embroidered Jade's cheeks flushed, her gaze flickered away, and a faint smile appeared—gone in a flash, but enough to make your heart skip. She took a deep breath and nodded, "Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony. Keep watch for me, I'll try purging the poison and healing up."
Princess Embroidered Jade sat down against the wall, glanced at The Fool standing guard at the cave entrance, and felt a little more at ease. She closed her eyes and began channeling her energy. As her power circulated, strange phenomena appeared again. But this time, it took her a moment to enter an icy-cold state—no moon shadow behind her, and the moon halo around her was faint and blurry. Clearly, her spirit was running low.
She kept at it for two whole hours. Hard to tell time underground, but The Fool was an exception. After spending time in a world ruled by 'Death,' and surviving solitary confinement, he never needed a clock again.
Princess Embroidered Jade wasn't doing great—the moon halo around her faded in and out. During this, The Fool gave her another cup of Purified Liquid to boost her energy. The second dose didn't hit her as hard, but after drinking it, she just kept blushing.
The Fool figured he'd probably overdone it. Yep, just a little too much supplementing, that's all.
Lady Simone came back several times, trying all sorts of tricks to flush them out. After getting roasted in their earlier verbal sparring, she switched tactics—remote attacks, smoke bombs, and whatever else she could scrounge up. But The Fool shot down every attempt, always finding a way to mock her and rack up grudges. After a few rounds of this, Lady Simone was actually getting a little scared of him, worried he'd mess up her mental game.
From the third hour of Princess Embroidered Jade's cultivation, Lady Simone disappeared for a whole hour—like she was actually spooked. But Princess Embroidered Jade knew better. Lady Simone's been around the block; she wouldn't run out of tricks. If she's gone quiet for half an hour, she's probably cooking up something new. Next time she shows up, you can bet she'll have a fresh scheme.
By the fourth hour—two full rounds—Princess Embroidered Jade's moon halo suddenly grew brighter. She opened her eyes, a hint of joy in her voice: "I'm starting to get the hang of it."
Before The Fool could reply, a voice echoed from outside the cave, repeating the exact same line: "I'm starting to get the hang of it!" Princess Embroidered Jade frowned—the voice was identical to hers, another one of Lady Simone's tricks. It was a perfect mimic, but there had to be a catch. Simple parroting wouldn't shake her, but Lady Simone's version came with a little... extra.
Same words, same voice, but with a subtle tremble in the tone. That tremor was the kind that made your skin crawl, like the speaker was barely holding back some tingling, electric emotion.
Honestly, that performance could make any voice actor break into a cold sweat.
Before they could figure out what Lady Simone was up to, another voice came from outside—this time, it was The Fool's, saying: "Long, white, straight, and slender. Princess, your legs look amazing." Pretty much word-for-word, and the voice was spot on, but just like before, it carried a weird undertone... and the content was even weirder: "Feels smooth and cool to the touch—great texture."
Just hearing it conjured up a scene: some guy with wandering hands all over a girl's calf, practically drooling as he groped and stroked.
Princess Embroidered Jade's eyes went wide.
The voices kept coming—
Princess Embroidered Jade's voice: "Ah, d-don't go any higher!"
The Fool's voice: "Princess, your thighs feel even better than your calves—round, firm, springy. I could touch them all day. This spot's extra sensitive, right?"
Princess Embroidered Jade's voice: "Uh... mm... y-yeah, it's definitely more sensitive..."
[Wha—Wha—WHAT?!] Princess Embroidered Jade was totally stunned. She never imagined Lady Simone would pull something this wild after half an hour of silence! No arguments, no back-and-forth, just pure audio chaos—and it worked like a charm!
Princess Embroidered Jade's voice: "Ah, don't touch my skirt..."
The Fool's voice: "Why so shy? You were just hugging me so close. When you wrapped your legs around my waist, your thighs were wide open! Stop being so coy—come on, let me touch."
Princess Embroidered Jade let out a soft whimper, all through her nose.
The Fool's voice: "Ah, Princess, the inside of your thigh is so smooth and soft..."
[Stop! Please, just stop talking...!]
*Slap!* The sound of skin meeting skin, Princess Embroidered Jade's breathy gasp, and finally The Fool's voice: "Wow, your butt's just the right shape—so nice to squeeze!"
[Stop! Please, just stop...!]
The sound of skin rubbing, heavy female breathing, then The Fool's voice: "Princess, do you miss the feeling of squeezing your legs together? Honestly, making love is even better—come on, Princess, let me show you what being a woman is really like."
Princess Embroidered Jade's breathy voice, mixed with words: "No, I... I am a royal princess, how can I let you treat me so—so shamelessly? You're just a nobody, how could you possibly touch my pure body... ah!"
"Haha, your words and your body's reactions don't match at all." The Fool's voice was excited, breathless: "Yeah, I'm covered in mud and stink, probably haven't bathed in a month. I'm not just a nobody, I'm a total outcast. But look at you—you're soaking wet and limp as a noodle! Tonight, I'll wipe myself clean with your delicate body, let my little brother have a proper bath!" Riiip—fabric tearing, then shouts, muffled cries, bodies tumbling, all kinds of chaotic sounds.
"Stop! Just stop talking!!" Princess Embroidered Jade screamed, clapping her hands over her ears. But the voices, sound effects, and dirty talk kept pouring in, unstoppable.
The Fool's voice: "What's wrong?"
"Shut up!" Princess Embroidered Jade snapped, but then realized that last line really was The Fool—he was looking at her, confused and genuinely concerned. Their eyes met for a split second, and her blush deepened, practically steaming.
Lady Simone's scheme was absolutely vicious—she'd cast The Fool and Princess Embroidered Jade as the stars in a full-blown risqué radio drama!