Heavens' Laughter

"Alright, alright… I'll get in…" Yùn Yì muttered nervously, her voice shaking slightly as she gulped.

Her gaze shifted back to the hole in the ice, the dark water beneath it seeming to ripple with an almost ominous chill.

Even just looking at it made Yùn Yì shiver, the mere thought of submerging herself, sending a wave of apprehension through her body.

The cold seemed to radiate from the hole, as though the water itself was alive with icy intent.

Yùn Yì's eyes lingered too long, becoming lost in the dark depths, and for a moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

It wasn't just the cold that unnerved her—it was the stillness of the water, the way it seemed to draw her in, as though daring her to take the plunge.

With a sharp inhale, Yùn Yì shook her head, forcing herself to look away. She couldn't let herself get caught up in her fears.

The Second Young Master was watching, and she couldn't afford to falter now.

And so, with a heavy sigh that all but screamed, "Well, fuck my life," Yùn Yì hesitantly dipped both her feet into the icy water.

The initial shock was like needles stabbing into her skin, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward.

Each step felt like a battle, Yùn Yì's body screaming at her to retreat as the numbing cold crept higher and higher.

She tried to ignore it, focusing instead on the fact that the Second Young Master was watching her every move.

The water enveloped Yùn Yì's legs, then her waist, and finally her chest, the freezing sensation making it harder and harder to breathe.

Her hands instinctively hovered just above the surface, trembling as she willed herself to go deeper.

Finally, Yùn Yì found herself submerged up to her neck, her body stiff as a board as she fought to acclimate to the frigid temperature.

Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, and her breath came in sharp, uneven gasps, but she forced herself to stay calm.

'This is nothing… I can do this…' Yùn Yì thought, though every nerve in her body begged her to jump out and never look back.

Feng Shen nodded his head in quiet approval, a subtle gesture that betrayed none of the thoughts running through his mind.

He took a few measured steps closer, positioning himself just within earshot, knowing full well that his personal servant's senses were likely overwhelmed by the biting cold.

Her trembling body and shallow breaths told Feng Shen she was too preoccupied with the numbing sensation to pick up on anything too softly spoken.

"Good," he said, his voice low but clear, cutting through the still air like a knife:

"You've managed to get in. That's a start. Now, stay still and let your body adjust. It won't kill you—though it'll probably feel like it."

Feng Shen crossed his arms, observing his personal servant with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Part of him found her struggle amusing; another part loved the sheer determination it took for her to even get this far.

After all, Feng Shen's little piggy was growing. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire

"N-no—n-now w-what…?" Yùn Yì stammered, her voice trembling as much as her frozen body. She could feel her own cold breath against her lips, the chill making her words come out in uneven gasps.

Her mind was a haze, caught in the numbing cold.

Yùn Yì didn't even know why she was in the freezing water anymore.

Had the Second Young Master already told her? Was there some grand purpose to this, or had she simply forgotten?

The question gnawed at Yùn Yì, and her confusion only deepened as she looked at him, her wide, pleading eyes silently begging for clarity.

She hugged herself, as though it might stave off the cold, though the freezing water didn't relent for even a moment.

Sighing deeply, Feng Shen rolled his eyes:

"It's quite simple. Your outer body needs to acclimate to the cold. And before you start panicking about dying of hypothermia, let me remind you—your Absolute Zero Physique won't allow that. The cold isn't your enemy; it's supposed to be natural to you, both inside and out. The problem is, you haven't awakened that potential yet."

Feng Shen gestured toward the icy water surrounding her, as if to emphasize his point:

"That's why you're in the water. This isn't just some cruel punishment; it's part of your training. You need to embrace it, adapt to it, and awaken the strength lying dormant within you."

Feng Shen's gaze fixed on his personal servant's trembling form:

"So, stay put until I tell you to get out. And stop overthinking it. This is your first step toward the Ice Phoenix Technique

"A-alright…" Yùn Yì bit her lip, willing herself to stop trembling.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she tried her hardest to focus, to imagine herself anywhere else—anywhere warm and comforting.

'It's just a spa, she told herself, a nice, warm spa… not this freezing nightmare.'

Yùn Yì inhaled deeply, letting the icy air burn her lungs as she fought to steady her breath.

Her muscles ached, her skin felt as though it were turning to ice, but she refused to give in.

Each passing second felt like an eternity, but Yùn Yì's determination kept her rooted in place, even as the freezing water tested the limits of her willpower.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

"Uh~ how much farther? I wanna hurry up and beat up some more people! I want to fight! Not just walk and walk and walk! This is boring me!"

Hè Jun whined loudly, her voice dripping with irritation as she stomped ahead of the group.

Her massive hammer, far too large for any ordinary person to wield, dangled effortlessly in her hand as she swung it around for amusement.

The sound of splintering trees and shattering rocks echoed in Hè Jun's wake, each swing of her weapon leaving a trail of destruction that made the others wince.

"Seriously, this is ridiculous," she grumbled, smacking a particularly stubborn boulder and grinning as it crumbled into rubble. "I didn't apply for a scenic tour—I want action!"

Cai Xiu sighed softly, her expression a mix of exasperation and calm resignation as she trailed close behind her childhood friend.

Unlike the rest of the group, who were keeping their distance and exchanging nervous glances, clearly terrified.

"Well, as you know, there was that loud ascension earlier. It caused quite the commotion," Cai Xiu began, her hands clasped behind her back as she walked:

"Once we find whoever made such a racket, how about you take care of them for us? Beat them up, hammer them into the ground—whatever satisfies that itch of yours."

Cai Xiu tilted her head, giving her childhood friend a small, knowing smile:

"Doesn't that sound better than destroying innocent trees and rocks? At least they can fight back, unlike your current victims."

Hè Jun stopped swinging her massive hammer and spun around with a sudden burst of energy, her face lighting up with a wide, almost predatory grin:

"You're right! That sounds perfect!" she declared, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Hopefully, it'll be a better fight than what these pathetic bastards gave me!"

Hè Jun's eyes gleamed with disgust as she glanced over her childhood friend's shoulder, her gaze narrowing at the group trailing behind.

They were her past victims, all of them visibly battered and bruised, barely able to keep up.

The sight of them only fueled Hè Jun's frustration.

She flicked her eyes back to her childhood friend, a childlike gleam of anticipation flickering in her expression.

With a huff, Hè Jun turned away again, practically vibrating with impatience:

"Let's hurry up! I can't stand this waiting!"

The rest of the group, who had been avoiding the Ninth Princess's gaze, winced slightly as they heard her words, knowing that the moment she found someone to fight, their suffering would just continue.

But Cai Xiu, unfazed by her childhood friend's sudden outburst, simply continued walking:

"Sounds like a plan," she muttered, as her thoughts began to drift, and a more thoughtful expression crossed her face.

Cai Xiu couldn't help but think about a certain someone.

'How is Master doing in this trial? How many people has he killed? Hopefully, he hasn't caused too much trouble…'

The thoughts lingered in Cai Xiu's mind as she trudged forward.

She knew her Master—was a force of nature in his own right, and she couldn't help but wonder how he was doing right now.

Ever since Cai Xiu arrived at the Soaring Academy, she had been trying to find him.

However, she had been unlucky.

Cai Xiu, who promised to stay with her childhood friend, arrived late because her childhood friend had forgotten her hammer in her room, causing the delay.

Despite this, due to their high statuses, they were still allowed to participate in the trial, for which she was grateful.

'We're really lucky we weren't turned away. I guess being high status is truly unfair.'