Heavens' Laughter

Arriving back at the main hall, Feng Shen strode in with his hands clasped behind his back, his little maid following closely behind, looking visibly uncomfortable.

The chattering in the room immediately died down as all eyes turned toward the two.

"Welcome back! I hope you both had a pleasant talk!" Feng Yuanyun was the first to greet them, rising from his throne with a wide smile on his face.

He hoped his second son had succeeded, for the more powerful he became, the happier he felt.

Though eager for confirmation, Feng Yuanyun eyed his second son closely, seeking some form of response, even if it wasn't verbal.

Feng Shen remained silent as he walked back to his seat. As he did so, he briefly locked eyes with his old man, giving him a slight nod before sitting down.

Seeing this, Feng Yuanyun sat back down and nodded in return, now certain that his son had succeeded.

Despite maintaining a regal appearance on the surface, inside, he was celebrating: 'My second son truly is fated to rise in this cultivation world!'

Feng Yuanyun was beyond excited at the prospect of the Feng family rising beyond their current standings, envisioning a day when they might be able to challenge the Crane Royal family for power.

Politics was just war without bloodshed, as each one of the Three Families coveted that position. No one was truly loyal; their allegiances were fueled solely by self-interest.

That was simply human nature.

It was an endless domestic war that would never truly end.

"My little girl, did everything go alright?" Cai Bo asked, inspecting his daughter from head to toe, ensuring there was nothing wrong with her.

He was very protective.

"Daddy, I'm fine…" Cai Xiu replied, avoiding eye contact with anyone as she found a seat and sat down.

Lacking her usual confidence, she felt extremely uncomfortable under the gaze of so many people, especially now that her skin was dirtied.

Cai Bo couldn't help but feel puzzled by the sight of his daughter wearing her bodyguard's clothes:

"My little girl, why are you wearing… those clothes?" Concern etched into his expression. "Also, where is your bodyguard? Is she in her personal space?"

Cai Bo had many questions swirling in his mind as worry began to spill from his lips. "Are you sure nothing happened between you and that bastard!?"

It didn't help that his daughter's personality was quieter than usual, further heightening his concern.

"Daddy, I swear, I'm fine," Cai Xiu insisted. "I just ripped my clothes during our walk. Shadow lent me hers, so she went back to the estate to grab a new pair for herself."

She let out a weary sigh: "Honestly, I'm just tired."

Cai Xiu was being somewhat honest; she was utterly exhausted from today and desperately needed some rest.

However, she was less than truthful about how she had ended up in those clothes.@@novelbin@@

Cai Xiu's mental state was already shattered, and she needed time to repair it, even if just a little.

She needed space to heal.

"I understand." Cai Bo patted his daughter's legs reassuringly before turning his gaze toward the Patriarch of the Feng family:

"Your second son had his talk with my little girl! Will your Feng family now sign the scroll?" He took out the scroll from his robe.

Feng Yuanyun glanced to his side, silently asking his second son if he truly wanted to cancel the engagement.

With a small smile, Feng Shen nodded his head slightly in response.

For now, it was best not to anger the powerful individuals who had their eyes on his little maid, as dealing with them would only create unnecessary annoyance.

Despite his love for fighting and the thrill of life-and-death battles, Feng Shen wanted a semblance of "peace" for the time being.

He wanted to focus on cultivating and growing stronger before he could act more freely.

However, Feng Shen wasn't particularly sane. Deep down, he understood that his notion of "peace" merely meant that no one should dare to cross him at the moment—not that he intended to avoid conflict himself.

'Alas, to be weak is the greatest misfortune that can befall any being.' Feng Shen would always loathe this feeling of powerlessness according to his own standards.

Until he reached the pinnacle of power, he would never be satisfied. He always craved more, regardless of how little he had; it was never enough—his greed for power was insatiable.

"Our Feng family agrees to cancel the engagement." Feng Yuanyun slowly got up from his throne. He then approached the Patriarch of the Cai family.

Cai Bo was beyond happy, a broad smile lighting up his face. "Good, good!" he exclaimed, taking a step forward and extending the scroll forward, eager to formalize the cancellation.

With this, not only would his little girl be happy, but he could now present her to all the Nine Princes and see who would make the best offer for her.

Cai Bo's Cai family stood to gain numerous benefits while also solidifying their ties with the Crane Royal Family, ultimately elevating their status.

'Perfect, this is just perfect! Finally, we're free of these warmongering, battle-hungry fools!' Cai Bo thought, a wave of relief washing over him.

Their families were like water and oil; they simply did not mix well.

Grabbing the scroll, Feng Yuanyun extended his free hand to the side without glancing at the servants of his Feng family. "Bring me a brush and ink."

Immediately, one of the Feng family servants approached, bowing slightly as she presented both the brush and ink.

Grabbing the brush and dipping it into the ink, Feng Yuanyun signed the scroll with a confident stroke.

Once done, he handed back the brush and ink, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

With the servant backing away with respect, Feng Yuanyun then handed the signed scroll back to the Patriarch of the Cai family.

He couldn't help but let a look of satisfaction spread across his face. His second son had truly screwed over the Cai family.

Not noticing the satisfied expression on the patriarch of the Feng family, Cai Bo, holding the scroll tightly to his chest, was glad about this outcome.

He turned around and began to walk toward the exit. "Good. Now we will leave. Let us go, my little girl!" He motioned for his daughter to follow, waving his hand.

Sitting comfortably, his posture relaxed as Feng Shen propped his head up with one hand, a self-assured smirk playing on his lips.

With a casual flick of his wrist, he waved dismissively.

Feng Shen parted his lips as if to speak, but no words came out.

Instead, his mouth formed the words:

"Behave, my little maid."