Heavens' Laughter

Lying on the mat, sweating like a pig and breathing heavily, Feng Shen stared up at the ceiling.

"Holy shit… I'm out of breath…" he rasped, his voice rough.

Feng Shen's vision had blurred as a pounding headache set in, leaving him feeling nauseous and on the verge of throwing up.

Having finally completed all his sets of the Single Palm Strike, he had pushed his body past its limits, forcing himself to keep going even as exhaustion clawed at him from within.

And so, the moment Feng Shen finished, he collapsed, his body giving in to the strain.

Yet, amid the exhaustion, he felt a surge of satisfaction—a sense of actual progress. His body was finally starting to adapt to the basics, growing stronger bit by bit.

"I really should start body cultivation," Feng Shen muttered, acknowledging that, alongside his martial arts training, going down such a path would be essential.

The thought of fortifying his body, making it resilient and powerful, would not only sharpen his techniques but also strengthen his defenses and amplify his attacks.

'The Heaven Defying Juggernaut Physique should work… but it'll take time.'

Feng Shen slowly stood up from the mat, his entire body aching, each movement sending a jolt of soreness through him. "Anyway, I'm beat. I need to hit the bathhouse. My body is really sore."

Ignoring the puddle of sweat left on the mat, he decided to let the maidservants handle it for now.

Before leaving the cultivation chamber, Feng Shen made sure to grab some of the Master Grade Technique manuals—that looked some-what interesting.

He had to work with what he had at hand for now, knowing that later on, he would have opportunities to learn higher-grade techniques, even if it meant he had to join a sect, or temple, or whatever.

'Curse this pathetic body,' Feng Shen spat inwardly, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Although he knew he shouldn't complain—after all, he could have had it worse.

Feng Shen could have transmigrated as a slime, or found himself stuck in the Mortal Realm, or been born deaf and blind, or afflicted by some debilitating illness.@@novelbin@@

Overall, it was just for him, too annoying to ignore.

Especially since all the techniques Feng Shen had memorized were far too powerful for his current body and Sea of Consciousness to handle.

If he even tried to learn the techniques again from memory, that would be basically suicide.

As Feng Shen entered the bathhouse, which was the next room over, he placed the Master Grade Technique manuals on top of the cubby.

He then took off his clothes, leaving himself as he came into this world, and placed his garments neatly inside the cubby.

Feng Shen began to breathe calmly, allowing the soothing sound of water splashing from behind the sliding bamboo door to wash over him.

"Ah~ such a sound is truly resting for the soul," He mused, as he reached back for the Master Grade Technique manuals he had set aside.

With the manuals in hand, Feng Shen made his way toward the bamboo door, sliding it open. A wave of warm, fragrant steam greeted him.

The soft sound of water trickling from nearby fountains created a serene backdrop.

Stepping inside, Feng Shen took a moment to glance around.

The room was adorned with smooth stones and delicate bamboo accents.

As Feng Shen took some steps forward, he could see the water reflecting his image back at him.

The gentle ripples distorted his features, but he could still make it out.

"Such a shame. If only there was blood in this water, it would've been far more peaceful," Feng Shen said in a disappointed tone.

The thought of blood staining the clear water, mingling with the steam, was something he always loved when he bathed or rested in water.

It wasn't just the visual contrast that appealed to Feng Shen; it was symbolic.

Placing his foot onto the highest step, he then stepped down a couple more steps.

The water began to rise around Feng Shen, creeping up his body until it reached his waist as he settled into the large stone bath.

"Ah~ now, let's start with some reading." He then placed all the manuals beside him except for one, which he held in his hands.

Feng Shen glanced at the title: Dragon's Roar.

As he flipped through the pages, he began to read about it.

The text painted vivid images in Feng Shen's Sea of Consciousness.

Dragon's Roar is said to harness the power of the dragon, channeling immense energy (Qi) to produce a devastating shockwave, which released a wave of destruction.

It used up a lot of Qi, and was more powerful, as strong as your Qi, and how much you possess.

It required not just strength in the body, but also precision and control, a harmony between mind and body.

The Dragon's Roar is notoriously difficult to master; its sheer power meant that improper control could result in catastrophic injuries.

"It can break your entire throat and mouth if not executed properly?" Feng Shen let out a small laugh. "Sounds pleasant."

The text continued, detailing how the roar operated.

"With the right focus, you can dictate how far the shockwave travels and how powerful it becomes," Feng Shen noted.

The manual, of course, didn't shy away from warnings; improper execution could lead to severe repercussions:

Many cultivators have ended their training prematurely due to the self-inflicted injuries from a poorly controlled Dragon's Roar.

"Skill issue," Feng Shen let out a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend how any cultivator could fail at learning such a low-grade technique:

"It's not rocket science; it's just a roar!" He made a joke to himself, as he laughed even harder.

For Feng Shen, any technique below a Supreme Grade Technique or Immortal Grade Technique was pretty much ass—not worth learning or remembering.

Though he had to admit, some low-grade techniques, when used properly or in a clever manner, could be devastating.