Heavens' Laughter

"SHIT!" a student yelled, as he lost his footing and tumbled off his sword.

The clatter of his weapon hitting the ground was quickly followed by a heavy thud as he landed flat on his back, groaning in pain.

Another student, wobbling precariously in the air as he tried to balance on his sword, suddenly lost all semblance of control.

His arms flailed wildly as the sword veered unpredictably, and before anyone could react, he came crashing down in a chaotic tumble.

"FUCK MY LIFE!!" the student yelled as he plummeted, hitting the ground with a loud thud and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

His sword embedded itself into the dirt a few feet away, vibrating slightly from the impact.

"Why can't I get this stupid piece of metal to move!?" a third student grumbled, her voice rising in frustration as she glared at the motionless sword in front of her.

She clenched her fists; her face red from exertion, as she poured Qi into the weapon, willing it to respond.

But the sword remained stubbornly inert, as though mocking the student's efforts.

With a growl of frustration, she stomped angrily on the ground, her rage bubbling over:

"I should've just gotten married instead of dealing with this nonsense!"

All around, the training grounds became a chaotic mess as students failed spectacularly in their attempts to fly using the swords.

One after another, they tumbled and crashed, their cries of frustration and embarrassment filling the air.

Others, who couldn't even manage to get off the ground, were left awkwardly hopping in place, their swords stubbornly refusing to respond to their Qi.

A few gave up entirely, sitting dejectedly on the dirt as they stared at their swords as though the weapons themselves were to blame for their incompetence.

Yuan Bo sighed deeply. Watching the mess before him, he couldn't help but feel perplexed:

'How did these fools clear all Three Trials?'

The question nagged at Yuan Bo.

If it weren't for the academy's strict rules, he would have outright refused to accept such a batch.

'Trash,' Yuan Bo thought bitterly. 'Every last one of them is painfully trash.'

The academy had touted this year's recruits as "promising," yet here they were, failing at the most basic level of sword mastery.

Yuan Bo shook his head, his irritation growing.

It was moments like this that made him question his choices in life.

"Ridiculous," Yuan Bo muttered under his breath, crossing his arms as he observed another student crash face-first into the dirt:

"These are supposed to be the future cultivators of the Upper Realm? I've seen mortal farmers wield tools with more finesse!"

However, when Yuan Bo's eyes landed on student Cai Xiu and student Yùn Yì, he was mildly surprised.

Unlike the majority of their peers who floundered around like headless chickens, the two women were managing to glide through the air, albeit slowly and without much height.

Their movements were far from graceful or speedy, but they demonstrated a surprising level of balance and control compared to the rest of the group.

Yuan Bo arched a brow behind his mask, his earlier disdain softening slightly:

'At least two of them show potential'.

Yuan Bo's attention shifted…

Feng Shen was sprawled on his back, comfortably lounging on his floating sword as though it were a hammock, his eyes half-closed in what appeared to be sleep.

'His control of Qi is simply beautiful,' Yuan Bo thought to himself.

The way the young man manipulated his energy was nothing short of artful—precise, fluid, and utterly effortless.

In all Yuan Bo's life, he had rarely seen such natural control, even among cultivators far older and more experienced:

'This level of mastery shouldn't be possible at his age.'

Yuan Bo sighed deeply, dragging the exhale as if it could somehow alleviate his growing headache.

"Why do I keep questioning this?" he muttered under his breath, his tone filled with resignation. "He's simply an anomaly."

It was the only explanation that made sense to Yuan Bo.

This young man was beyond the norm—so much so that trying to rationalize his behavior or abilities seemed like a futile endeavor.

And so, for his own sanity, Yuan Bo decided then and there to stop questioning anything student Feng Shen did:

'This would be for the best…'

"Um... Second Young Master..." Yùn Yì murmured, her voice soft and hesitant. She twirled a lock of her hair nervously, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she hovered closer.@@novelbin@@

Feng Shen lazily cracked one eye open, his golden iris shimmering in the sunlight as he regarded his personal servant with a faint smirk. "Hmm~? What is it?"

"I-I was just wondering…" Yùn Yì stammered, avoiding the Second Young Master's gaze as her eyes darted to the ground:

"If you could maybe help me with my balance… I've been struggling with it, and it would mean so much if you could lend a hand."

Yùn Yì lied…

She wasn't struggling with her balance, but there was something else tugging at her heart.

Yùn Yì found herself yearning for a moment of closeness, a fleeting touch from the Second Young Master.

The warmth of his presence was something she couldn't ignore, and though a wave of guilt washed over her for entertaining such thoughts, she couldn't help the desire to feel his touch, even if just for a second:

'I'm such a pervert…'

Feng Shen rolled his eyes, clearly seeing through the lies in his personal servant's expression.

He was no stranger to her hidden desires, and while he could easily call her out, he chose to remain silent for the moment.

Over the past few days, Feng Shen noticed how possessive his personal servant became, her subtle but persistent attempts to stay close to him. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

If he rejected her now, he knew it would only push her into doing something foolish, something that could come back to bite him later.

For now, Feng Shen decided it was better to reign her in gently, maintaining control of the situation rather than letting her emotions spiral out of hand.

With a casual grace, he smoothly dismounted his sword. "Sure~ I can give you a hand~."

Taking a few steps forward, Feng Shen extended his hands toward his personal servant, his expression of nonchalance.

Yùn Yì's heart raced as she stared at the Second Young Master's hands, a surge of nervousness flooding her.

For a moment, she couldn't find her voice, her thoughts spiraling in a frenzy:

'Are my hands sweaty? Do I smell bad?'

Self-doubt gnawed at Yùn Yì, and before she could calm herself, she noticed the slight tremor in her fingers.

With a soft sigh, she slowly reached out, her hands shaking just a little as they met the Second Young Master's.

The warmth of his touch, even just the promise of it, sent a wave of heat rushing to Yùn Yì's face, leaving her momentarily breathless.

"Alrighty~, now start moving a little," Feng Shen said. He gently guided his personal servant's hands, offering a subtle support.

Yùn Yì felt the sudden, almost effortless movement of her sword beneath her, as if her Qi was moving on its own.

The smooth flow of energy surprised her, but the sensation was surprisingly calming. She was no longer fully aware of the training, lost in the rhythm of it all.

'This is the best day ever…' Yùn Yì's mind wandered.

The subtle pressure of the Second Young Master's touch anchoring her, causing her to lose herself in the sensation.

Looking over, Cai Xiu clicked her tongue in annoyance.

'Damn it, I wanted some tips...' she thought to herself.

Unlike a certain woman, Cai Xiu's intentions were pure—she wasn't seeking any attention or affection, just a genuine opportunity to improve.

She wanted help, especially when it came to speed and control.

But seeing that her Master was already focused on his personal servant, Cai Xiu felt a slight twinge of irritation.

She gritted her teeth, not wanting to show weakness, and refocused on her training.

The frustration burned, but Cai Xi pushed it down, determined not to let it distract her.

As plenty of hours passed…

All the students were sitting or lying down, completely exhausted from the rigorous session.

Their faces were flushed from exertion, sweat dripping from their brows, and their bodies ached from the constant focus and strain.

The swords they had struggled to control now lay abandoned beside them.

Feng Shen, his personal servant, and his little maid, were the only three standing.

Unlike the others, they showed no signs of fatigue, their composure unwavering as if the training had not fazed them in the slightest.

Yuan Bo felt mentally drained, having spent the entire time aiding others in their struggles. The weight of exhaustion settled heavily on his shoulders, but he pushed forward.

As he finally arrived back in front of the students, the sun began to set behind him, casting a warm, golden hue across the horizon.

Coughing slightly, Yuan Bo opened his mouth:

"Students, excellent class today. We'll continue our lessons tomorrow, but before you're dismissed, there's something important I need to announce."

Yuan Bo paused. Making sure everyone was paying attention:

"The Grand Opening Tournament is fast approaching, and each instructor will select one student from their class to participate. So, make sure you're on your best behavior—this could be your chance to represent the academy."

Having said this, Yuan Bo opened his mouth once more:

"With that said… You're all dismissed."