Heavens' Laughter

Hearing his father's words, Feng Wuhao froze just as his panic was about to peak. He took a shaky breath, catching himself, and slowly lowered his gaze to avoid all the eyes on him.

Awkwardly, he raised a hand to his brow, wiping away the nervous sweat that had gathered, feeling his heart rate finally begin to settle:

"I... I apologize... It's just that any defamation to my name is unbearable. I would never, ever do such a thi—" Just as Feng Wuhao was about to finish, his words caught in his throat.

Suddenly, Feng Shen began to chuckle, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You're quite the entertainer," he said, his tone laced with mockery:

"At first, I was only toying with you. But seeing your reaction now... it almost feels like you'd actually want me dead."

Feng Shen leaned forward, his laughter fading into a cold smile, daring his older brother to try to deny it.

He wasn't oblivious. He could easily sense the fear and resentment radiating from those around him—signs that were impossible to miss, especially within a family locked in a constant power struggle.

"You're wrong!" Feng Wuhao denied, "I would never do such a thing!"

Watching both his sons' glare at each other, Feng Yuanyun sighed, his expression heavy with understanding.

He knew his second son's words hit close to the mark; in a family like theirs, such schemes were almost inevitable.

Feng Yuanyun had anticipated this sort of tension long ago, knowing it was only a matter of time before it surfaced.

'I never thought such cowardice would take root in our Feng family…' he thought, his heart heavy with disappointment.

They were a family of warriors, known for charging headfirst into battle and asking questions later. This underhanded scheming felt like a betrayal of their very existence.

Feng Yuanyun glanced at his first son. 'I should've known. He's always been a little rat…'

Despite being aware of his son's cunning nature, he had always believed he would never stoop to such deceit within their own family.

Feng Yuanyun had hoped for at least a shred of honor and loyalty, but it seemed he had misjudged his first son's character completely.

'I'm such a fool for not noticing sooner.'

Rubbing his forehead, Feng Yuanyun could feel the weight of the tension thickening in the Dining Hall. The air was growing heavier with each passing second.

"Little Wuhao, it would be best if you came clean now so we can handle this mess," he spoke, his voice deep.

Feng Yuanyun wanted the truth immediately, unwilling to wait another second.

He needed his second son to confront the situation head-on and reveal what was really happening before it spiraled further out of control.

"Father, you must be joking! Do you really think I could do such a thing?" Feng Wuhao exclaimed, disbelief etched across his face.

Shock filled his eyes, mingling with a sense of betrayal as memories flooded back of when he was the favorite—when his father had always believed him without question.

The weight of that trust felt like a distant memory now, and he struggled to reconcile it with the accusation before him.

'Shit… Shit… Shit… Shit… This is bad… really bad…' Feng Wuhao thought, though he maintained a calm facade on the outside.

Inside, however, panic was rising like a tidal wave.

Feng Wuhao realized he had completely messed up by overreacting; this entire situation had caught him off guard in a way he hadn't anticipated.

'I'm such an idiot!' He berated himself, feeling the weight of his mistake pressing down. He didn't know how to extricate himself from this mess except to deny, deny, deny.

Admitting the truth was not an option. Feng Wuhao knew he had to do everything in his power to shift the blame onto someone else for the impending death of his little brother in the future, no matter the cost.

Yet, deep down, he understood he would be a prime suspect if such a death were to occur, especially given everything that was happening right now.

'Should I push his death back? No matter what, he must die!' Feng Wuhao wrestled with the thought, torn between the urgency of the situation and the consequences of his actions.

He wasn't sure if it would be better for his little brother to die before they entered the Soaring Academy or later.

Feng Wuhao was trying his hardest to protect himself, calculating every move to ensure he could orchestrate the outcome without getting caught.

The pressure weighed heavily on him, and the stakes felt higher than ever.

As this turmoil played out inside Feng Wuhao's head, seconds felt like an eternity.

On the outside, Mei Lian watched helplessly, unable to bear the sight of her little boy being attacked.

'Impossible… My Little Wuhao would never do such a thing!'

Clenching her fists, Mei Lian steeled herself, but just as she was about to open her mouth to defend her first son…

"Mother, as I've told you before, women should not speak unless permitted," Feng Shen spoke up, as if knowing she was about to speak.

He cast a dismissive glance at her, his eyes cold and unwavering, silently warning her that if she dared to utter a word, she would be manhandled without hesitation.

Immediately, Mei Lian shut her mouth, her heart sinking as she clenched her hands even tighter. She cast her gaze downward, fully aware that she had no power over her second son.

'Damn it… Why must I be so weak?'

Helplessness settled heavily upon Mei Lian, leaving her to grapple with the painful reality of her family dynamics.@@novelbin@@

For her, being a mortal in a warrior family brought a mix of benefits and drawbacks. While she enjoyed a life of luxury and relaxation, she was also acutely aware of her status among the men.

To them, Mei Lian knew she was often seen as little more than a simple pleasure, a breeding toy whose worth was measured by her ability to produce heirs.

Although she longed to break free from this status, she knew deep down that she was too weak to challenge the established norms.

The thought of risking her comfortable lifestyle filled Mei Lian with apprehension.

Despite her desires for empowerment and change, a nagging insecurity held her back, and she feared that any attempt to assert herself might threaten the very life of luxury and ease she had come to cherish.

Feng Yuanyun, who had been ready to respond to his first son's question about whether or not he was joking, before his second son interrupted, took a moment to let the room fall silent.

'This is going to be a pain in the ass…'

Feng Yuanyun understood that no matter what he said, it would inevitably anger one side or the other.

But In all honesty, he found himself increasingly indifferent to his first son, having grown tired of such cowardice behavior.

"I believe my words were not of joking but of seriousness, Little Wuhao," Feng Yuanyun stated firmly.

His hand, resting on the table, suddenly cracked the wood beneath it, leaving a noticeable mark without even moving:

"I will say this once more: it would be best if you came clean now so we can handle this mess."

…. Silence….

Feng Wuhao fell silent, reluctant to speak as he stole a glance at his little brother. He was hiding his expression behind his hand, as if trying to conceal something.

Behind that hand, Feng Shen smiled crazily, finding the entire situation amusing, treating it like a performance, a very funny show.

'Ah~ this is so fun~. My "older brother" is on the verge of breaking~.'

For Feng Wuhao, who wasn't sure of this, felt as though his little brother was simply toying with him, and didn't actually know, adding another layer of frustration to his mounting anxiety.

'I really, really hate this bastard!'

As a minute passed in more silence, Feng Yuanyun's eyes glowed ominously, a clear sign of his rising irritation as the silence stretched on.

"Enough is enough!" he bellowed, standing up from his seat, his anger palpable in the air.

All eyes turned to Feng Yuanyun as he directed his full attention to his first son, who hadn't expected such an explosive reaction:

"If you will not be honest, then you are no longer a part of our Feng family! Get out, NOW!" His voice thundered through the room, causing everything to slightly shake.

"Bu—But, Father! I swear, I would never do such a thing! There's no need to resort to kicking me out!" Feng Wuhao shot up from his seat, panic flickering in his eyes as he patted his chest in a gesture of sincerity.

"I beg you, don't do this! I truly am not lying!" He pleaded, desperation lacing his tone.

The fear of being cast out ignited a frantic urgency within Feng Wuhao, and he struggled to find the right words to salvage the situation.

"I won't survive out in the cultivation world! You know this! You're throwing me out to the sharks!"