"I don't want to hear from those two old ladies, and I don't need to hear your sister's opinion either, so I'll listen to you first. Princess Flower Shifter, beautiful scenery and lovely people are three of life's best things, and now we've got them all together—so how about we chat and bare our hearts a bit?" Mr. Yang gazed at the water in his hands, the moon above reflected in its surface, making his eyes seem as clear as moonlight.
"Dream on! I'm not about to spill my heart to you. Let me just tell you what those two grannies said. The original words were super long, so I'll just summarize—" Princess Flower Shifter put her hands on her hips, pointed at Mr. Yang, and looked totally unimpressed: "Kid, you're not qualified to be the Protector of the Flower Kingdom. Get lost, as far as you can, and never meet our precious princess again! If you don't listen, they'll break your legs, cripple your meridians, snip your troublemaker, and send you to the palace to clean toilets every day!"
Mr. Yang was unfazed: "Hmm... actually, that's nicer than I expected. I thought they'd be even more vicious."
"Want me to recite the original words for you? Seriously, you don't even appreciate my editing!" Princess Flower Shifter picked up a pebble, sized up the lake like a kid, and said offhandedly, "Anyway, my sister had a huge fight with them. I won't go into details, but in the end, they relented a bit. Basically, if you want to be the Protector, you have to meet those three conditions—otherwise, forget it."
"Three conditions?" Mr. Yang thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean those legendary achievements, worldwide fame, and exceptional bravery, right?"
"Yep! In short, you need huge accomplishments, global fame, and martial skills that are a cut above the rest." Princess Embroidered Jade sized up the distance, then flicked the pebble, sending it skipping across the water. She shaded her eyes and stood on tiptoe to watch, adding, "Forget about glory or fame—the Steelbull Kingdom king title doesn't count here. As for exceptional bravery..."
She glanced back at Mr. Yang. The water in his cupped hands rippled in a perfectly regular pattern. His fingers weren't even gripping tightly, yet not a single drop spilled. This move—silent but thunderous—could only be appreciated by those with a keen eye for martial arts.
"I'll admit you're pretty amazing, but this kind of thing... doesn't count." Just like how the rich in this country can't buy a foreign burger with local currency. "The hard requirement—Innate Realm, at least Innate. Until you meet all three standards, you’re banned from seeing my sister."
"Hmph." Mr. Yang snorted with a laugh, not really bothered. Sure, his internal skills were shallow—not Innate level—but if it came to sneaking around, even Innate masters might not be as good as him. As for the ban, it was basically just a piece of paper—totally useless.
"I know those two grannies have awful personalities—super annoying. The whole reason my sister and I went out of the palace for fun this time was because I couldn't stand them anymore. But honestly, about you being the Protector, I'm still torn." Princess Flower Shifter tossed a few more pebbles, looking a bit troubled. "My sister's been trying to detox and heal, but it's not working well—progress is slow. I think one key reason is that her Dao Heart is unstable."
"Her Dao Heart isn't steady?" Yang was a bit surprised. Could Lady Simone's Sound Skill really have such a lasting effect?
"Yeah, and it's the kind of shake-up that hits you at your core. My sister was never like other kids—even when she seemed calm, she was super ambitious underneath. Ever since she started training, she's walked the No-Dust Mind State path. That's the hardest route, but if you pull it off, the rewards are top-tier. That's why she managed to break into the Bright Moon Six Realms at such a young age. But if her Dao Heart gets shaken at the root, she'll hit all kinds of walls trying to level up. Worse case, she might never make any progress again—or even lose a hundred years of cultivation overnight. And that..." Flower Shifter hesitated, then said it anyway: "I really don't want to see my sister go through that kind of pain."
"So that's how it is..." Yang nodded, then asked, "But what's that got to do with needing a Protector? Wouldn't she need one even more if she's unstable?"
"Are you really clueless or just pretending? It's not about the Protector, it's about..." Flower Shifter blushed, then swallowed her words, getting flustered again. "Anyway, if my sister were on any other path, it'd be fine. But the No-Dust Mind State is a no-go. She's the nation's Princess, loaded with responsibility. She has to think about the country, can't just do whatever she wants. Got it?"
"Nope. Doesn't make sense. Can't wrap my head around it." Yang was totally lost.
"You!" Flower Shifter was so frustrated—she'd spelled it out, but this guy was definitely playing dumb! But seeing Yang's genuinely confused face, she sighed. Fair enough, he really was a complete idiot not long ago. Maybe he honestly doesn't get it. Which is probably better, honestly. "Anyway, that's settled. My sister will be leaving the Moonlight Palace soon to head to Longevity Hall, where the two grandmas will help her heal. I've got important stuff to do too. You go do your thing in the martial world."
"That's what you wanted to say?" Yang felt like she'd rambled forever with no point. "So what did your sister want to say?"
"My sister didn't say anything. She doesn't want to say anything." Flower Shifter raised an eyebrow. "What, disappointed?"
"Disappointed about what?" Yang shot back, looking at her like, "You talk weird—totally incomprehensible," which made Flower Shifter want to smack him. "Since you've delivered the message, could you help me send one back? To those two old ladies, just tell them: 'Fak-yo'."
"You talk even weirder—what 'yo'?" Flower Shifter pressed.
Yang fixed his gaze on Princess Flower Shifter, enunciating each word with theatrical precision: "Fah~kuh~you~, remember, that's how you say it—uh, actually, given their situation, I think I'm getting the short end of the stick. Let’s switch it up, help me say ‘Ruledzi.’ These days, calling people dumb, silly, or goofy just doesn’t cut it. Gotta get creative!"
This chapter isn’t over yet ^.^, click ‘Next Page’ to keep reading!
Princess Flower Shifter wasn’t born yesterday. She narrowed her eyes, suspicious: “That doesn’t sound like anything good, does it?”
"Of course it’s not nice! Why would I say nice things to them? But given your complicated relationship, I picked something relatively polite. Just deliver it word-for-word—don’t give me that look! You get to insult them with words they can’t understand; don’t tell me you’re not tempted! You’re all secretly sassy. Who’s fooling who here?"
"Heh, fine, I don’t understand any of it anyway. I know nothing, okay!" Princess Flower Shifter instantly started distancing herself, but her eager expression betrayed her.
"As for you, I don’t care how the Flower Kingdom makes rules or what those old ladies think. Whether you have secret martial arts scrolls or not, it doesn’t matter to me. Like I said, I promised your sister. Plus, you helped me out with the Golden Blade King incident—saved my skin, really. So if you ever run into trouble, I’ll still watch your back. Titles and status don’t matter."
Hearing Yang’s words, Princess Flower Shifter gave a bittersweet smile, her feelings complicated. The more sincere Yang was, the more conflicted she felt, unsure what to do.
"Finally, even though I don’t care about those two old crones, since I’m your sister’s chosen Protector, I can’t let her lose face." Yang flicked his water into the air, scattering sparkling droplets—some even glinted with icy dust. He looked up at the distant moon, resolute: "Those three requirements, I’ll fulfill them. And when I do, she can proudly say—he’s our Protector."
The wind stirred Yang’s robes, his gaze unwavering.
"Um..." Princess Flower Shifter opened her mouth, her eyes showing inner struggle. In the end, she just sighed softly and said nothing. After nodding, she pulled out an envelope from her sleeve: "Here, for you. I wasn’t lying—my sister really didn’t say anything, but she did write a letter. For the record, I have no idea what’s in it, absolutely none!" Without another word, she shoved the letter into Yang’s hand, used her lightfoot skill to turn and dash off, vanishing into the woods in a blink.
A voice floated back on the wind—Princess Flower Shifter’s last message: "About that secret Ling Ji mentioned, just a word of advice—run as far as you can, don’t get involved…"
Yang didn’t answer, just shook his head noncommittally. He understood Princess Flower Shifter’s warning—clearly, there was danger involved. But whether to go or not, that was his decision. Legendary achievements, fame across the world, and unmatched courage—he had to accomplish all three. No matter what dangers awaited, nothing could stop him.
For now, better see what Embroidered Jade wrote in her letter.
Yang weighed the envelope—packed with content, heavier than a wedding cash gift. By moonlight, he glanced at the cover: seven characters—To Princess Flower Shifter, from Embroidered Jade.
"To Princess Flower Shifter..." Yang couldn’t help but chuckle. At least it wasn’t addressed to ‘Thirty Lady’ or ‘Underpants Lord’—that was respectful enough. The envelope wasn’t sealed, showing Embroidered Jade trusted the messenger. Yang pulled out the contents—not paper, but a neatly folded silk handkerchief, still carrying Embroidered Jade’s scent. On it, in elegant script, was written—
‘Your strange illness has been much considered. Your spirit is strong, your will complete; such a bizarre affliction should not trouble you, and I can’t find the reason. After consulting ancient texts, I may have found something.’ Turns out, it was about Yang’s trouble remembering his own name—thoughtful of her. Just a few lines, but Yang could picture Embroidered Jade poring over scrolls, deep in thought.
He smiled, then read on—he cared about this problem too.
‘According to ancient records, your illness stems from the Inner Demon.’
Yang frowned, a vague memory flickering in his mind. Maybe that’s true—he’d had similar thoughts before. Inner Demon? Sounds serious. Wonder if there’s a cure.
‘The Inner Demon is an affliction, like an imbalance of one’s Dao Heart—very hard to resolve. Your strong spirit isn’t much use against it. It’s like hurting yourself on purpose; no matter your willpower, it’s tough to fight.’
Yang’s frown deepened. From the sound of it, things were pretty serious. But he didn’t feel in danger—his mood was good, his body healthy, even his teeth sparkled. Didn’t feel like he had any major illness.
‘Ancient records say Inner Demon symptoms don’t always match what you’re experiencing. Everyone’s situation is different, so don’t generalize. The key is to ease your mind—if you can express yourself and let go of worries, you might overcome it.’
Hmm, sounds like a mental health thing. Someone named Zhuo Yihang mentioned this before—maybe it’s worth thinking back, could be useful.
‘As you travel, the world is full of strange and talented people—be careful. Also, Master Void Sword is unmatched in wisdom; seek him out, you might gain something. Take care—your friend, Embroidered Jade.’
Just a simple farewell letter—mentioned the Inner Demon, introduced someone called Master Void Sword, and added a few parting words. Besides the Inner Demon, she didn’t say much else. A heavy letter, but most of the weight was in the silk handkerchief.
"Why use a silk handkerchief instead of paper?" Yang couldn’t figure it out, so he tucked it away for now. Nothing else to ponder—the message was clear. Guess it’s time to hit the martial world.
But—wait a minute. Something felt off. Yang frowned, picked up the envelope again. It was empty, but the texture felt strange. Running his fingers over the surface, his super sense kicked in, and he finally found it—a subtle bump, definitely more to it!
The bump was so faint—if a sheet of paper were a bed, it was like missing a bit of fluff under all the blankets. Anyone else would’ve missed it completely!
This chapter isn’t finished yet~.~ Click ‘Next Page’ to keep reading the exciting story!
There were words—on the back. Yang slipped his finger inside the envelope and felt tiny marks, like a sewing needle had scratched the surface—fine and dense, easy to mistake for normal paper texture. But with super sense, Yang could read every word.
This—this was Embroidered Jade’s real letter!
‘I ask, you answer, and that settles it.’ That was the first line, followed by a note: ‘With your skill at reading people through clothing, you’d never miss this!’ Yang shook his head, amused—clearly, Embroidered Jade still held a grudge about that incident. Reading further, his expression grew serious: ‘After memorizing the techniques, burn this letter—don’t breathe a word to anyone.’
Yang paused, scanned the area with super sense, made sure it was safe, then read on. Tiny words appeared in his mind, and though his face stayed calm, his heart raced. The envelope was packed with thousands of words—not just cultivation tips, but two entire techniques: Bright Moon Divine Skill and Supreme Spiritual Emotion Dao!
This girl actually passed him the Flower Kingdom’s top martial arts secrets!
‘Supreme Spiritual Emotion Dao can soothe your mind—it might help with your Inner Demon. Practice it yourself. As you go, don’t look back.’ After reading the final word and double-checking for more secrets, Yang took a deep breath and stored the envelope away.
He looked toward Immortal Moon Palace, muttering: “Legendary deeds, worldwide fame, unmatched courage… I won’t come looking for you just yet. When my name is known everywhere, that’s when we’ll meet again. That day isn’t far off.”