Heavens' Laughter

"Huh? Who are you?" Feng Shen's brows arched as he looked up at the towering demi-human bear, genuine confusion in his expression.

He tilted his head, and for a moment, he seemed completely oblivious, as if question marks floated above his head.

"Don't play dumb with me, human!" The bear's voice boomed, each word hitting like thunder. The ground beneath him fractured, lines of cracks branching out like a cobweb.

The crowd's murmur died down, and heads turned toward the scene, all eyes on the towering demi-human and the human.

Onlookers watched with bated breath as the confrontation unfolded before them, their eyes wide with disbelief. Whispers of astonishment rippled through the crowd; no one had anticipated a fight breaking out before the trials began.

After all, the ever-watchful eyes of "her" loomed over them.

However, it seemed this didn't faze the bear; instead, he was blinded by anger. The human either had no memory of taking his friend's life or, even worse, was feigning ignorance.

Such disregard for the life of a demi-human, especially one of his own, was beyond disrespectful. It was intolerable.

"Uh~ so annoying.... Can't you quiet down?" Feng Shen spat out, his once neutral expression now ice-cold, a deadly glare locking onto the bear.

He then waved his hand dismissively, wanting the demi-human to back off.

Being treated like this, the bear felt an explosive rage building within him. He swung the cannon off his back and aimed it directly at the human. "Do you want to die!?" he roared.

He had never felt such profound disrespect in his life. Renowned as a genius among both demi-humans and humans, he had fought his way through countless life-and-death battles, earning respect and admiration.

Yet, in this moment, all that prestige seemed meaningless.

Sighing, Feng Shen muttered, "It would be best to lower your voice in front of me. I don't take kindly to your words, especially from oversized furballs."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sight of the cannon aimed at him, stifling a yawn as if the threat were nothing more than an empty boast.

Feng Shen knew the bear lacked the guts to shoot him, fully aware that "she" was watching everything on the grounds of the Soaring Academy.

However, the bear's anger served as a convenient excuse for violence—a reason to have some fun.

Before the bear could utter a word in response, Feng Shen suddenly broke into a small smile and whispered, "It seems I'm fearing for my life," he said playfully, his tone laced with mockery.

He bared his teeth, licking his lips as a rush of pleasure coursed through him. He knew he could do whatever he wanted to the demi-human in front of him, and the thrill of that power was intoxicating.

"Huh?" The bear found those words strange. He was going to respond with his own disrespect, leading to a verbal shouting match before they would part ways.

Instead, hearing those playful words sent a cold shiver down his spine, leaving him unsettled and uncertain.@@novelbin@@

The bear had intended to leave a warning and confront this human during the trials, hoping to showcase his might.

After all, numerous high-profile cultivators were present, each a formidable force in their own right. He wanted to win their favor, and to him, that meant displaying his strength.

Hoping to gain alliances through such a display.

The bear didn't genuinely care about his little friend who had been killed by the human; he was merely putting on a front.

To him, the cultivation world was ruled by strength, and it appeared that the human was in the right—instead of his little friend.

'Did I mess up? No... this is the right move. I'm simply using this human. He wouldn't dare make a move…' Although thinking this, the bear felt as if he were playing with fire and had only ended up burning himself.

It kind of seemed to him the situation was spiraling out of control, and he was beginning to grasp just how precarious his position had become.

It was then that Feng Shen vanished from his spot, appearing in midair with a quiet chuckle. He pulled out a black fan from his robe, the fabric shimmering as he brandished it with ease.

This happened in mere seconds.

The bear, caught off guard, noticed a flicker of movement approaching him. Instinctively, he tried to step back, but before he could react, he fired his cannon in a panic.

"SHIT!" he exclaimed, realizing he hadn't wanted to resort to such measures. He knew that the punishment for killing on the grounds of the academy without permission was severe.

The bear knew that the moment the cannonball left his cannon and struck the ground or anything else, it would explode; his master had enchanted it for maximum destruction.

Everything seemed to slow down as Yùn Yì stood in the path of the cannon, unaware of what was happening. The chaos unfolded so quickly that she couldn't follow anything.

However, she instinctively flinched.

Feng Shen came down like a bolt of lighting, as he intervened, kicking the cannon just before the cannonball fully discharged.

It shot upward into the sky, harmlessly veering away from its intended target.

With a swift motion and his tongue extended, he sliced across the bear's throat, blood spilling forth in a crimson arc.

The bear fell to his knees, dropping his cannon, which shook the ground beneath him from its sheer weight.

"URGH!!!" He let out a distorted roar, clutching his throat with both hands, his eyes never leaving the human in front of him.

The bear didn't want to die here; he needed to protect his vital areas. Focusing intently, he began channeling his Qi to shield the vulnerable parts of his large body.

He felt fortunate that his body cultivation was at a high enough level to prevent his head from being completely severed.

Landing gracefully on the ground, Feng Shen let out a soft laugh, raising his black fan high above his head. His expression showed pure insanity. "Now, let's have some more fun!"

For a moment, the bear was taken aback, never having expected the human to actually try to kill him or to reveal such a ruthless side.

He felt a trickle of fear as he realized he had even wet himself a little, having never experienced anything like this before. Most humans and even demi-humans were typically more "sane" in confrontations like this.

The sheer expression on this human's face was terrifying.

Falling backward onto her butt, Yùn Yì felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Although she hadn't been physically hit, it felt like a mental punch to her stomach as the reality of the situation sank in.

'Oh my… I could have been a goner… But… he protected me…'

Yùn Yì couldn't help but glance at the Second Young Master with heart eyes, realizing he had protected her. At that moment, she overlooked his insane expression and saw only a handsome prince charming.

On the other hand, the onlookers regarded the man with complicated emotions, and most decided it would be best to keep their distance from him during the trials.

'This man is crazy…' Most thought.

Feng Shen leaned forward, his golden eyes darkening:

"Now, you only have 30 seconds before your own cannonball falls on you! What will you do? Will you beg for mercy, your voice trembling as you plead for your life? Will you cry, tears streaming down your face as desperation washes over you?"

The bear remained frozen, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. Every instinct screamed for him to flee, yet his limbs felt heavy, weighed down by the fear of making a wrong move.

"Come on! You can't keep me waiting like this!" Feng Shen said, his voice a mixture of excitement and impatience.

He paced back and forth, barely able to contain himself.

Feng Shen's lips curled into a smirk as he watched the demi-human bear grapple with his own turmoil.

The bear's hesitation and the flicker of fear in his eyes only stoked the flames of his sadistic side, a thrill coursing through him as he sensed the power he held over this creature.

'Ah~ should I just let this little furball die~?' Feng Shen mused inside his head, biting his lip as he savored the delicious thought.

The sight of such an inferior creature meeting its end on sacred grounds would be utterly perfect.

Feng Shen could hardly resist envisioning it.

He imagined the blood splattering everywhere, painting the ground crimson. The screams that come with it and the unfolding chaos, with the explosion.

'No… I must calm down…' Feng Shen forced his racing heart to steady as he wrestled with the intoxicating thrill of violence that surged within him.

Unfortunately, he knew he couldn't kill before the trials as "she" was watching—the guardian of the Soaring Academy.

Feng Shen would rather not make an enemy of one of the most powerful beings in the Upper Realm... For right now...

"Tsk… Oh~ well~ it's a shame… but I can't be such a troublemaker right now, huh?" he muttered to himself.

Feng Shen glanced up at the sky, his eyes fixated on the cannonball hurtling downwards.

Channeling his qi, he felt the energy surge within him, a powerful force waiting to be unleashed. He drew it into his throat, feeling the pure power.

With a deep breath, Feng Shen unleashed a thunderclap, a deep, rumbling growl that reverberated through the air, invoking the technique Dragon's Roar.

The sound erupted, a forceful blast that shot upward.

BOOOOOMMMMM!!!