Heavens' Laughter

"Um… Second Young Master, are we supposed to be here?" Yùn Yì asked, her voice hushed:

"I mean, everyone else… they're, well, gone." She gestured toward the swirling vortex, now almost completely silent after swallowing nearly everyone in sight.

Yùn Yì still felt a bit disoriented after being hoisted over his shoulder just moments ago.

However, curiosity got the better of her.

"I don't know," Feng Shen admitted with a shrug. He was unsure if this was truly part of the trial or some kind of elaborate trap:

"It could be anything," he murmured, his gaze narrowing slightly. "A trial, a test of patience, maybe even a diversion… or a trap."

"I see! You're so cautious, Second Young Master! You're so cool! And super smart!" Yùn Yì's eyes sparkled as she nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing with admiration.

She loved how he seemed to think everything through.

Feng Shen gave his personal servant a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow. He smirked slightly, finding her praise amusing. "Don't get too carried away," he said, brushing off her words with a flick of his wrist:

"Being cautious isn't always about being clever. Sometimes it's just common sense."

Before Yùn Yì could respond with more praise, a slurred, stumbling voice rang out over the grounds:

"Alright... hic!... enough chitchat, ya lazy brats!" the Trial Overseer slurred, wobbling slightly forward as he focused his bleary gaze on the two people who were the only ones left:

"Why're ya both still up here an' not down there?" he bellowed, waving a hand wildly in the direction of the vortex where the others had vanished. "Get a move on!"

The Trial Overseer stood there in mild disbelief, his brows raising as he took in the sight of the two who had somehow evaded his Drunk Vortex technique.

No one had ever managed to stay above ground before—it was practically unheard of.

Despite the Trial Overseer's drunken stupor, a flicker of curiosity sparked in his eyes as he observed them, wondering what made these two different from the rest.

Still, as much as this piqued his interest, he wasn't one to linger on formalities when there was more drinking to be done.

Huffing slightly, the Trial Overseer waved his hand, half-heartedly dismissing them as he turned around. "Hiccup... I got another bottle waiting."

"Alright…" Feng Shen stretched his arms leisurely, his eyes glinting with anticipation as he peered down into the swirling vortex below:

"Let's get a move on," he said, his voice calm.

Feng Shen glanced over at his personal servant, who looked a mix of nervous and excited, her eyes wide as she stared at the ominous whirlpool.

Despite her apprehension, Yùn Yì took a deep breath and nodded with resolve. "I won't hold you back, Second Young Master!" she vowed, her voice firm.

Determination lit her eyes—she was absolutely set on not becoming deadweight or just another liability. She clenched her fists, inwardly promising herself that she'd prove useful, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

Feng Shen gave her a sidelong glance, his voice barely a whisper. "I hope so…". The skepticism in his tone clear.

He didn't have much faith in his personal servant's abilities.

To Feng Shen, she was still just a simple mortal—powerless and fragile.

He saw little value in mortals other than their numbers, the way they could endlessly reproduce and provide a constant stream of bodies to throw into the fray.

'Disgusting...' Feng Shen thought.

The very idea of them, their weaknesses, and their reliance on numbers rather than strength, made his skin crawl.

Feng Shen hated being around them, and even more, he despised the way they blindly followed whatever powerful force was before them, too dependent on others to achieve anything of worth.

Standing up, Feng Shen glanced down at his personal servant with a smirk, his posture relaxed:

"So, what's it going to be? Do you need a little push, or will you jump in on your own?"

Feng Shen knew most people would hesitate, fearful of the unknown dangers, but then again, that's what separated the strong from the weak.

Only fools charged in recklessly—but those who hesitated too long were no better.

'Though, I guess I'm a fool myself,' Feng Shen couldn't help but think, 'But I'm not like the average fool. I'm an insane fool.'

Despite being a fool himself, he knew he had the power to back it up. It wasn't hypocrisy when you could afford to be reckless and still come out on top.

For Feng Shen, his strength was his justification, the shield that allowed him to act without fear of consequences.

"Um…" Yùn Yì hesitated, her gaze flickering nervously toward the swirling vortex below. She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breath:

"I-I'll jump… but…" She bit her lip, her voice quieter now. "I don't want to be separated from you, Second Young Master."

Yùn Yì's eyes were now filled with uncertainty, a hint of fear in them. Despite her determination, the thought of being alone in an unfamiliar place, away from him, made her uneasy.

She trusted him more than anyone else, and the idea of being cut off from his presence felt like the last thing she wanted to face.

Feng Shen let out a small sigh, his patience wearing thin as he watched Yùn Yì hesitate. Without further thought, he grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a light push, sending her tumbling toward the vortex.

"In you go!" He said aloud.

Before Yùn Yì could even fully process what had just happened, she saw the Second Young Master followed suit, leaping gracefully into the swirling depths after her.@@novelbin@@

Feng Shen couldn't afford to waste more time, especially with the uncertainty of the trial hanging over them.

The aim was still a mystery, but he knew one thing for sure: He needed to stay ahead and figure it out as quickly as possible.

As the last of the two disappeared into the swirling vortex, the Trial Overseer and the instructors exchanged glances, their gazes fixed on the spot where those two had just been.

"The Grandmaster will be very interested when he hears about this..." one of the instructors murmured, voicing what was on everyone's mind.

"Indeed he will…" The Trial Overseer's voice was low, almost as if speaking to himself. He took another swig from his bottle, eyes still glued to the spot where the vortex had swallowed them.

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Feng Shen blinked as he took in his surroundings. One moment, he was falling into the swirling vortex, and now, he found himself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth.

Towering trees stretched far above, their massive trunks twisted, their leaves thick and green, blocking out much of the sunlight.

"Hmm?" As Feng Shen's sharp gaze flicked over the underbrush, he saw small creatures darting between the foliage. "Ah~ such cute little things."

He recognized these creatures immediately.

They were Horned Rabbits, small, harmless creatures known for their distinctive spiraled horns that adorned their heads.

These creatures were typically peaceful and non-aggressive, as long as you didn't provoke them.

"Though it seems these Horned Rabbits have been disturbed by someone." Feng Shen's eyes narrowed as he took in a pleasant sight.

A young bald man was slumped against a tree, lifeless, with blood staining the ground beneath him. His face was contorted in pain, and numerous stab wounds littered his stomach, the blood still fresh.

Multiple Horned Rabbit's horns were embedded in the young bald man's body—two of them, one near his shoulder, the other dangerously close to his throat.

Suddenly, something hit Feng Shen, mentally speaking. "Wait a minute... Where's the girl?"

He took his eyes off the dead body and glanced around, realizing that his personal servant was nowhere in sight.

A flash of irritation crossed Feng Shen's face.

"I swear... if she's gotten herself killed already, this will be more trouble than it's worth." Feng Shen cursed under his breath.

He thought it was strange not to hear her usual commentary…

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

Somewhere else in the forest.

Yùn Yì clung desperately to a tree branch, her small hands trembling as she wrapped herself around it like a koala, her feet dangling.

"Second Young Master, please help me..." she cried out, her voice barely a whisper amidst the rustling leaves.

Yùn Yì could hardly believe how she had ended up in this situation. One moment, she was falling through the swirling vortex, and the next, she found herself hanging on for dear life.

Suddenly, she heard a low, menacing hiss from below.

'What was that?'

Yùn Yì's eyes went downward, and her breath caught in her throat as she saw a creature—a massive black snake, coiled on the forest floor below her.

Its two heads rose from the ground, each adorned with glowing, unblinking eyes—six in total. It appeared to be resting.

'This is bad… really bad…' Yùn Yì's head swam, her vision blurring as fear and exhaustion wrapped around her like a suffocating fog.

Every breath felt like it might be her last, and her body trembled with the weight of panic:

'Second Young Master… wherever you are… please, I need you...'