Heavens' Laughter

As total chaos was happening all around…

Feng Shen, his wild expression alight, clashed against the phoenix.

Each exchange of blows sent shockwaves rippling through the sky.

Feng Shen could feel the constraints of his current realm holding him back.

And so he forcefully broke through to the next realm.

A surge of raw energy coursed through Feng Shen's veins, threatening to tear his body apart.

He knew the reckless advance could cripple him—might even destroy him—but he didn't care.

Feng Shen's laughter rang out:

"Ah~ more power!"

Every strike, every dodge, every fiery clash brought Feng Shen closer to the edge of madness, and yet, for him, it was perfect.

This was what he lived for.

The phoenix screeched, its flames intensifying, as it met the human head-on.

However, the battle was suddenly interrupted by the resonating blare of a horn, its sound cutting through the stillness like a blade.

Both froze in place, Feng Shen and the phoenix's gazes snapping toward the source of the disturbance.

In the distance, the sky was alive with motion, filled with flying ships and mounts soaring through the air, their dark silhouettes casting shifting shadows over the land below.

Tens of thousands of soldiers were ready, in disciplined formations, their armor gleaming faintly in the dim light.

Towering banners rose above the ranks, fluttering ominously in the wind, each emblazoned with the Crane Empire's sigil.

At the head of the vast formation rode the Crane Emperor himself.

"What the hell is this?" Feng Shen muttered, a mixture of confusion and irritation flickering across his face.

He couldn't fathom why the Crane Empire had mobilized its soldiers—or why the Emperor himself had come—but he wasn't about to complain.

If they were foolish enough to march here, then Feng Shen had no qualms about cutting them down where they stood.

With a resigned sigh, he cracked his knuckles, his expression hardening as a faint, predatory smile tugged at his lips.

Feng Shen glanced up at the Phoenix:

"Well, my fiery friend, how about we put our little skirmish on hold? As much as I'm enjoying our battle, I'd rather take a quick break to bathe in the blood of our uninvited guests before we continue!"

Without waiting for a reply, Feng Shen launched himself forward, a blur of deadly intent streaking toward the advancing army, his laughter echoing.

Seeing this, the Phoenix let out a deafening screech, its cry reverberating through the heavens like a thunderclap.

With a powerful flap of its massive wings, it propelled its enormous, blazing body forward, streaking toward the human in a fiery rush.

The uninvited guests were of no concern to the beast; its singular focus was on killing the one who dared to lay its hand on it.

However, just as the Phoenix gained momentum, a sudden impact slammed into its side with immense force, sending it hurtling through the air.

It crashed into a nearby forest, uprooting trees and scattering debris before coming to a jarring stop on its back.

Dazed, the Phoenix blinked up at the sky, only for its fiery eyes to widen.

Descending with the grace and ferocity of a storm, the legendary Crane appeared, its massive wings slicing through the air as it landed directly on the Phoenix's chest.

Its razor-sharp claws dug into the Phoenix's stomach, pinning it to the ground and rendering it unable to rise.

The Crane leaned in, its beak inches from the Phoenix's face, and unleashed an ear-piercing screech.

High above, Feng Shen rode his cloud, drawing steadily closer to the approaching army.

His sharp gaze swept over the formation, calculating his next move:

"I'll simply do 'that'…"

As the distance closed, Feng Shen leaped forward with explosive force.

In mid-flight, he used Shadow Step, his form dissolving into an ethereal blur before reappearing on the deck of the nearest flying ship.

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The wooden planks creaked under his landing, and for a brief moment, all was still.

Around Feng Shen, soldiers turned in shock, their faces betraying disbelief.

He stood in their midst.

"Well," Feng Shen remarked, "I'd say your time is up."

In that instant, he unleashed Dragon's Roar, his Qi flaring around him like a storm, a devastating force of energy that tore through everything.

He spun in wild circles as the wave of Qi crashed into the soldiers surrounding him.

They tried desperately to raise their shields, but it was futile—Feng Shen's Qi shattered them with ease.

The soldiers were torn apart in an instant, their bodies exploding into a bloody paste, their screams drowned out by the chaos around.

The deck of the flying ship groaned under the strain as its very structure began to crack and splinter.

Planks shattered, and metal buckled, as the force of Feng Shen's attack sent the ship itself into a slow spiral of destruction.

The soldiers who remained were either too stunned or too injured to react, helpless.

Feng Shen, his expression cold and unbothered, ceased his Dragon's Roar, letting the remnants of his destructive energy fade into the air like smoke.

He moved toward the survivors. His movements were swift and brutal, each strike crushing skulls, snapping necks, and tearing through bodies without hesitation.

Feng Shen then began to hunt those who thought they could hide—those cowering in the corners or scrambling below deck.

His voice rang out, mocking and gleeful, as he closed in on his prey:

"Come out, come out! Wherever you are! I'm just here to have a little fun!"

A little away from the flying ship…

The Crane Emperor, riding atop an adult crane, turned his gaze toward the flying ship that was damaged.

His sharp eyes narrowed.

"What in the hell happened?" the Crane Emperor muttered:

"We've just arrived... How could we already be down a flying ship?"

The men beneath the Crane Emperor's command exchanged uneasy glances.

"I—I have no idea…" one of them stammered, looking around as if expecting an answer to materialize out of thin air.

The Crane Emperor's gaze darkened, his frustration clear. With a sharp, commanding voice, he pointed toward one of his officers.@@novelbin@@

"Anita Mui!" he called out:

"Go check! Whoever dares to attack my army shall be destroyed!"

Anita Mui straightened up immediately. With a single nod, he turned swiftly, whipping his mount and flying off toward the source.

The Crane Emperor's attention snapped back:

"I want a group to make sure my daughter is safe and brought back. Do not worry about the civilians. They're already as good as dead. They would only be baggage."

"At once, Your Majesty!" an officer yelled. Without hesitation, he spurred his mount downward toward the city.

A couple hundred of the Crane Empire's most elite soldiers followed as they descended in perfect unison, swords drawn.

All they had in mind:

Bring back the Emperor's daughter, and leave no room for failure.

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"Shit… Shit… Shit… I'm so tired…"

Amidst the civilians surging forward, jostling one another in a desperate frenzy….

Hè Jun, bloodied and bruised, pushed her way through her every step. Pain coursed through her battered body.

She had barely escaped the arena, her once-pristine robes now torn and stained.

Hè Jun's breath came in ragged gasps.

With what little Qi she had left, she focused on keeping herself moving.

Hè Jun clutched her chest, forcing her Qi to flow through her.

'Wh… where are they!? Where are those damn morons!?' She screamed inside her mind, her fear boiling over.

Hè Jun had been the one to call for her father's help, to have him bring her out of this nightmare:

'I can't go on for much longer!'

Every second felt like an eternity, Hè Jun's heart raced as she glanced over her shoulder, eyes desperately looking upward for any sign of her father's soldiers.

Her vision began to blur, her body growing weaker with every passing second.

Hè Jun's throat felt like sandpaper, dry, as if no saliva could muster enough strength to wet her parched mouth.

Helplessness overwhelmed her, and she thought, for a moment, that she might collapse right there, lost to the madness.

Then, suddenly, a deafening boom shattered the air, its sound like thunder rolling across.

When Hè Jun's vision finally steadied and her mind cleared, she found herself surrounded.

Her father's soldiers—hundreds of them—had appeared in an instant, their swords stained with fresh blood.

The civilians around Hè Jun, who had once been in a panic, were now nowhere to be seen.

"Your Highness, you're safe now," the officer spoke.

"Thank the heavens..." Hè Jun whispered weakly, the last breath of relief escaping her lips before everything faded into darkness.

Her body, drained beyond measure, finally gave in to exhaustion, and she collapsed, her consciousness slipping away like a flickering flame.

But before Hè Jun's fragile body could hit the ground, arms reached out and caught her, preventing the fall.

The officer held her:

"Alright, we've got her! Move out, let's go! We need to return to the Emperor! Clear the path!"