Heavens' Laughter

"Such a shame," Feng Shen whispered as he moved closer, gently placing his hand on his personal servant's cheek:

"If only you hadn't angered me, I could've used you as a furnace." 

It was something Feng Shen had done so much in his past life—using women as furnaces.

Their bodies, he believed, were the most ideal vessels to absorb and drain all the Qi and power they had painstakingly gathered over time.

They were the perfect tools for Feng Shen's cultivation, a resource to be exploited.

The reason he didn't choose men?

For Feng Shen, it was easier to control women, as they were, in his eyes, easily swayed by emotion, making them simple to manipulate.

It wasn't difficult for him, after all. All he had to do was flaunt his wealth and power, and with his status as the Heavenly Demon, no woman ever rejected his advances.

… They had no choice…

"Mhm...?" Xiǎo Bāo mumbled, squirming as she felt a warm sensation on her cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Wakey, wakey. Time to get up." Feng Shen took a step back as he tilted his head to the side.

"Wha—." The moment Xiǎo Bāo processed his words and recognized the chilling tone of his voice, she bolted upright, lifting herself from the bed to sit up straight, her heart pounding.

She was met with a sight she dreaded—the Second Young Master of the Feng family, standing before her with a smile she was so traumatized by.

'Where is the First Young Master?' Xiǎo Bāo thought. She had hoped her crush would come to save her, not him.

She knew she had offended the Second Young Master, and the memories of her fellow maidservants weighed heavily on her mind.

Deep down, Xiǎo Bāo understood that her death was imminent. This cell felt like her execution chamber, and her heart sank at the horrifying thought of her fate.

'I don't want to die.' Tears streamed down her face, falling onto her hands that were tightly clenched together, resting on her thighs.

"Hmm? Why are you crying?" Feng Shen asked in a mockingly sad tone, a small frown playing on his lips as he tilted his head, feigning concern.

"I… Well… I…" Xiǎo Bāo stammered, biting her tongue as a chill ran down her spine. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body remained paralyzed, frozen in fear before him.

The Second Young Master's gaze bore into her like that of a predator, unyielding and intense, leaving her frozen in place.

"Aw, you poor little thing," Feng Shen spoke, taking a step closer. He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "You look so cute when you're so terrified."

Xiǎo Bāo instinctively recoiled, but the edge of the bed trapped her in place. 'Please, First Young Master… Save me.'

Chuckling, Feng Shen gently began to caress his personal servant's face. "Don't worry, you're in good hands."

Shaking her head, Xiǎo Bāo couldn't help but beg, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! I'm so sorry, please spare me!" Her voice trembled even more, filled with desperation.

"Ahhh~." The expression on Feng Shen's face widened into a maniacal grin as he licked the bamboo needle, drawing blood from its sharp tip. He savored the taste, his eyes glinting with disturbing excitement:

"It's a shame. It truly is. Unfortunately, you've committed such a grave sin—the sin of offending me."

"Please, I can make this right—!" Xiǎo Bāo tried to plead even more, but she was cut short by a sudden gasp.

Feng Shen plunged the bamboo needle through one of her clenched hands.

Feeling the sharp pain, Xiǎo Bāo looked down. As a mortal, she couldn't process what was happening; it all occurred too fast.

But the moment she saw the bamboo needle pierce her skin, the pain kicked in, feeling excruciating and overwhelming, sending her into a spiral of anguish:

"AAAAAEEEEEEEEEIIIIEEEIEIEIEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"Heh… Heh-heh… Hahaha!" Feng Shen began to laugh maniacally as he pulled out the bamboo needle. "You sound so beautiful!"

"Sto—" Xiǎo Bāo tried to look up, but the moment she did, she was met with the bamboo needle aimed at her eye, piercing through her vision.

The world blurred in a haze of pain and horror as the sharpness consumed her senses.

"AAAAAEEEEEEEEEIIIIEEEIEIEIEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"ISN'T THIS FUN!" Feng Shen screamed, his tone in delight as he repeatedly pulled out the bamboo needle, stabbing it into various areas of her body.

"AAAAAEEEEEEEEEIIIIEEEIEIEIEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Feng Shen avoided any vital points, reveling in her agony, savoring each moment of her suffering.

Before Xiǎo Bāo knew, her clothing had been torn away, leaving her the way she was born into this world. However, she didn't notice this, as the pain never stopped.

Each part of her body felt like it was in sharp pain, over and over. The suffering seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"AAAAAEEEEEEEEEIIIIEEEIEIEIEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"Your voice is perfect! It sounds so beautiful!" Feng Shen taunted, continuing his torment.

His personal maidservant's screams got quieter and quieter as an unknown amount of time passed.

Soon enough, Xiǎo Bāo's breathing came to an abrupt halt, her lifeless body sprawled on the bed, surrounded by a pool of her own blood.

The last thing she had seen before her vision faded was the face of the First Young Master, the man she had loved with all her heart.

Feng Shen continued, oblivious to her lifelessness, consumed by an obsession to pierce every inch of her pale skin.

He didn't want to leave a single spot untouched.

Finally, Feng Shen paused, took a step back, blood all over his black robe. He felt the heat of his breath escaping in rapid gasps.

"Kill. I want to kill more…" He said to himself.

An insatiable hunger clawed at Feng Shen's mind, consuming his thoughts.

The thrill of destruction surged through his veins, an intoxicating rush that urged him to continue.

Feng Shen ground his teeth, struggling to remain some-what sane.

With each step, he moved toward a stone wall, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

In a sudden burst, Feng Shen began smashing his head against the surface:

"I can't breathe! I can't think! I just want to—KILL!"