Heavens' Laughter-Chapter 124: Fate

Yuan Bo lowered his sword with a deliberate motion, its blade gleaming. With a subtle twist of his wrist, all the countless swords surged forward in unison.

"Hmm?" Feng Shen stood still, his hands calmly clasped behind his back. He exhaled softly, almost in disappointment, as he glanced down at his side.

The wound from earlier was now fully healed, the skin beneath his torn robes unblemished. With a faint smirk, he turned his attention back to the incoming assault, his eyes narrowing.

"A rude invitation to a dance…" Feng Shen murmured, stepping forward:

"Very well, then. Let us dance!"

In a blur, Feng Shen launched himself toward the swords.

The first blade came within inches of his face, but with a deft movement, he twisted his body, letting the weapon whistle past him harmlessly.

Feng Shen planted his foot on the flat of another sword, using it as a springboard to vault higher.

One by one, the swords became his stage. He leapt, twisted, and spun through the deadly onslaught.

At times, Feng Shen grabbed a blade mid-flight, swinging off it like an acrobat before hurling it back into the fray with a flick of his wrist.

"You’ll have to do better than this," he taunted. His movements really were as fluid as water.

As he closed the distance between himself and teacher Yuan Bo, he landed lightly on the ground, his feet skidding slightly.

Without breaking stride, Feng Shen surged forward again, his smirk widening into a grin. "Your turn, teacher. Shall we see if you can keep up?"

’He truly is an anomaly,’ Yuan Bo thought, gritting his teeth as he hastily raised his sword to block an incoming punch.

The impact reverberated through his body, sending shockwaves of pain along his arms. His feet dug furrows into the ground as he skidded backward, struggling to stay upright.

Yuan Bo could feel the sharp taste of blood rising in his throat, but he swallowed it down, refusing to show weakness.

’He’s not even using his dark Qi,’ he realized, his eyes narrowing in disbelief as he adjusted his stance. ’This... this is just his basic strength.’

Before Yuan Bo could dwell on the thought…

Feng Shen was upon him again, his attacks relentless. His fists and legs became a whirlwind of strikes, each blow carrying enough force to shatter mountains.

Yuan Bo grunted with effort as he parried and deflected with his sword, each clang of metal against flesh.

The two moved like lightning.

"Are you lost in thought, teacher?" Feng Shen spoke. "That’s bad…"

Yuan Bo barely had time to process the words…

Not before Feng Shen leapt upward, raising both hands high above his head. His fingers locked together, forming a single massive fist.

"You should focus on our fight!" Feng Shen bellowed, swinging his cupped fists downward with terrifying force.

"!?" Yuan Bo’s eyes widened, but there was no time to dodge. The devastating blow struck him squarely on the head, driving him into the ground.

Dust and debris filled the air.

As the dust began to settle, Feng Shen stood over the crater.

"What’s wrong, teacher? Getting tired already?" he asked mockingly, brushing his hair away from his face.

Yuan Bo groaned, his body bruised and battered, yet his grip on his sword remained firm. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to his feet, his legs trembling as he rose.

"I’m far from finished," he yelled. He took a deep breath and called out, "Rose Dance!"

In an instant, rose petals began to materialize out of thin air, drifting lazily from above. They fell in an endless cascade, blanketing the ground.

"Really?" Feng Shen tilted his head, glancing skyward. "Well," he said, "about time you pulled out some high-level techniques!"

A single rose petal floated down and landed gently on his shoulder.

At that very moment, Yuan Bo disappeared from his position with a burst of speed, leaving only a faint afterimage behind.

He reappeared high in the air, his sword raised above his head as a massive, ethereal rose took form behind him.

The giant flower loomed like an eclipse, its dark red petals blocking out the sun and casting a shadow.

Yuan Bo’s sword began to glow with an intense crimson light.

"Die!" he roared, his voice reverberating like thunder as he descended, his sword slashing downward with the force of a meteor.

Feng Shen rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "Is that all?" he muttered, before leaping upward to meet the attack.

As he ascended, his Dark Qi erupted like a tidal wave, enveloping his entire body in a swirling, impenetrable shroud.

The dark energy pulsed and writhed, obscuring Feng Shen’s features entirely — no skin and no clothing.

The two clashed in midair, Yuan Bo’s crimson blade colliding with Feng Shen’s Dark Qi.

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, a deafening roar echoing as the sheer force of their collision disrupted the petals in the air.

Wind howled wildly, scattering debris and shattering the ground below.

Yuan Bo’s expression, hidden behind his mask, contorted into one of disbelief.

After all, his sword had met the Dark Qi, and yet it hadn’t pierced through — it hadn’t even left a mark.

Yuan Bo’s arms trembled from the recoil of the blow, and in that split second, he felt powerless.

The force of the clash culminated in a burst of energy, hurling both combatants apart.

They landed on the ground with a resounding crash.

Feng Shen landed lightly, brushing his hands off as though he’d merely swatted a fly. He sighed, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "That’s all you had in you? Pathetic."

Yuan Bo, by contrast, was hunched over, leaning heavily on his sword like a cane. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, pooling inside his mask.

He coughed violently, the sound wet and ragged, as his shoulders shook under the strain.

"You’re not human…" Yuan Bo rasped, his voice hoarse as he lifted his mask slightly, just enough to reveal his chin and mouth.

The skin there was grotesquely scarred and burned. Blood dripped from his lips as he exhaled, savoring the sting of fresh air.

Despite the pain wracking his body, Yuan Bo forced himself to stand straighter.

Feng Shen tilted his head, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he crossed his arms. "That’s quite rude, you know?" he replied:

"To call me ’not human’... So disrespectful!"

Feng Shen took a slow step forward. "How am I like those other inferior races? Huh? Demons, beasts — every one of them beneath me! Humans, though weak and foolish, are still better than ’them’."

He continued:

"You know, despite me not particularly liking humans, I am one! But you... you dare to lump me in with those things? Where is your pride, insect?"

Yuan Bo’s breathing grew heavier, but he met student Feng Shen’s glare with his own, his grip tightening around his sword. Your next chapter awaits on novelbuddy

In an instant, Feng Shen’s demeanor darkened further, his body flickering as he used Shadow Step. He vanished, reappearing in a blur directly in front of the teacher, mere inches away.

Yuan Bo staggered back slightly, instinctively raising his blade. "You—!?"

"Be careful with your words," Feng Shen said softly:

"One more insult, and I won’t just destroy your pride — I’ll erase every trace of you from the Upper Realm."

"I may be an insect to you," Yuan Bo muttered, spitting blood onto the ground at student Feng Shen’s feet:

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"But even insects have their pride. You’ll see... I’m not done yet."

Feng Shen licked his lips. "Good. Show me, then. Show me what makes you worth crushing."

It was then…

Yuan Bo suddenly turned on his heel and bolted, his movements unsteady but fueled by sheer desperation.

He stumbled over the uneven terrain, his breaths ragged and panicked.

"Huh?" Feng Shen froze, momentarily stunned by the sight. He stood in place, blinking in mild disbelief as he watched the teacher sprint away.

"Are you kidding me?" He muttered under his breath. He raised an eyebrow.

"And here I thought we’d end this with a final, glorious exchange of blows…" Feng Shen sighed deeply, placing his hands on his waist:

"This is what I get for playing around with my food."

Feng Shen used Shadow Step. In an instant, he vanished from where he stood, reappearing directly in front of the teacher.

Yuan Bo skidded to a halt with a gasp, his boots dragging against the ground.

"What!? How did you catch up so quickly!?" he stammered.

Without hesitation, Yuan Bo hurled his sword forward in a desperate bid to create some distance.

Feng Shen, who didn’t flinch. Instead, he tilted his head ever so slightly, letting the weapon pass harmlessly by.

The moment the sword left his hand, Yuan Bo turned again and bolted, his movements even more frantic now.

"Are you really running?" Feng Shen called after him:

"You’ve got to be kidding me."

Feng Shen stretched his arms lazily above his head:

"You know… This would be so much easier if you’d just accept your fate."