As if a dam had burst, the battlefield filled with booming guffaws.
The two men's knees buckled and they collapsed almost simultaneously, not in weakness, but in relief, rolling onto the broken ground side by side.
"Hah! By the heavens," the Grand Elder wheezed, his chest heaving, "I've not had this much fun in thousands of years! Not since I left the Immortal Court!"
Lin Mu spat out a mouthful of blood, then grinned like a wolf. "And this… this was the best fight I've had in my entire life. You've sharpened me more than any trial, Elder."
The sound of their laughter echoed across the valley like thunder, wild and reckless, shocking every witness to their core.
Cattaleya blinked once, then twice, her lips curling upward in disbelief.
Meng Bai nearly collapsed, unsure if he should cry, laugh, or scream.
Elyon, Daoist Chu, and the beasts exchanged helpless glances, hearts pounding in their chests.
