Deliberate Provocation

The next morning, a young man pushed open the school gate.

Hearing the noise, Xu Yanli slowly drew aside the screen beside his bed and saw the young man who had entered.

He had to admit, the young man was quite good-looking—if he hadn't been Tang San's daughter.

A flicker of disgust passed through Xu Yanli's eyes. It wasn't directed at Wang Dong in front of him, but at the future Tang Wutong.

"Hey, you're the one who lives in this dorm, right? Since you've cleaned the place so well, I'll let you stay here with me for now. I've got a few rules. You'd better remember them..." As soon as Wang Dong saw someone behind the screen, he said this.

A trace of disdain flashed in Xu Yanli's eyes. Hm, he really did dislike the Tang Clan as a whole. Wang Dong wasn't much better.

"Heh. If anyone has to follow the rules, it should be you. I got here first," Xu Yanli said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Believe it or not, I'll beat you right out of here!" Wang Dong said with a furious sneer.

Xu Yanli laughed coldly. "Go ahead and try."

A chill crept into Xu Yanli's gaze. If he hadn't known that the God of Life and Destruction was so fond of Tang Wutong, then...

A flash of killing intent passed through Xu Yanli's eyes.

Wang Dong seemed to sense something was off, but still carried himself with an air of superiority. "What's your name? I don't kill nobodies."

Xu Yanli quickly calmed himself. With a faintly disdainful look, he smiled and said, "When asking someone their name, shouldn't you give yours first? And 'I don't kill nobodies'? Same here."

Although Xu Yanli knew Tang Wutong's name, he still threw the insult right back at him.

"Wang Dong," the young man said, his voice clear and bright.

"Xu Yanli," Xu Yanli replied calmly. By now, even that faint immortal air about him had vanished. "But Wang Dong's name might not be around much longer."

An indescribable irritation flickered in Xu Yanli's eyes. He should've known better and switched rooms. This was way too much trouble.

After this fight, he'd go ask Mu En to switch his room. Hopefully he'd agree as a favor for that one truth.

Xu Yanli sighed to himself. Though, it'd be even better if he could live off campus. He didn't want to fight more than two hundred people for the bathroom.

Wang Dong left the dorm first, and Xu Yanli followed him at his leisure.

Shrek Academy really was enormous, and there was plenty of space between each building.

When Xu Yanli saw Tang Wutong stop, he casually planted himself off to the side, gave Wang Dong a smile, then beckoned with a finger.

At that moment, Wang Dong felt his pride take a severe blow.

The next moment, two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, rose beneath Wang Dong's feet.

Xu Yanli watched without a change in expression and smiled faintly. Then a holy Angel slowly appeared behind him.

It looked a little different from before. That was the result of his control: the Angel's wings had disappeared completely, leaving only the Sun, Moon, and Star attributes visible on either side of his shoulders and above his forehead.

It was a phantom, resembling an ordinary Sun Moon Star God.

He quietly concealed his Soul Rings in the figure's clothes.

Mu En leaned forward slightly. His expression grave, he examined the Martial Soul before calmly nodding and murmuring, "Looks like it isn't an Angel Martial Soul."

Wang Dong's pride had already been thoroughly ignited by Xu Yanli's casual beckoning. The two yellow and purple Soul Rings beneath his feet suddenly blazed with dazzling light as he unleashed his first Soul Skill, Butterfly Wing Guillotine!

Pale golden butterfly wings unfurled behind him, their edges sharp as blades. With a piercing whistle, they slashed straight at Xu Yanli's face, swift and merciless.

Wang Dong immediately drove his Soul Power further, unleashing his second Soul Skill, Butterfly God Fury. Golden light surged across his wings as waves of fierce Soul Power pressed down on his opponent, clearly intending to crush Xu Yanli in one move.

Xu Yanli remained calm. The phantom of the Sun Moon Star God behind him solidified, and before the Wing Guillotine could reach him, he unleashed his second Soul Skill: Apocalypse: Holy Wing Guard.

Six layers of the Sun Moon Holy Wing Barrier instantly enveloped him, its sacred radiance flowing as the Sun, Moon, and Star marks on his shoulders and forehead shone brilliantly.

Wang Dong's Wing Guillotine and Butterfly God light slammed into the barrier with a deafening crash, but every attack was deflected.

The physical and Soul Power impacts rebounded along their original paths. Xu Yanli stood motionless within the barrier, layers of Holy Shield around him. Not only did they continuously restore his health and Soul Power, but they also kept him entirely free of any control effects.

Wang Dong's expression shifted. He was about to channel his Soul Power again when Xu Yanli raised a hand and unleashed his third Soul Skill: Solar Flame: Holy Judgment!

Scorching Sun Origin True Fire surged from his palm, condensing into a dazzling Holy Light Blade. With a sweep of his hand, he sent a Sun Wheel Slash cutting across the entire battlefield. Golden-red flames, imbued with the power of judgment, hurtled straight toward Wang Dong.

The strike carried an overwhelming pressure of holiness, instantly breaking through the Soul Power defense in front of Wang Dong. The scorching heat seemed to sear his very soul.

A raging Holy Fire Domain erupted where the attack landed. The scorching waves of fire instantly disrupted Wang Dong's Soul Power, halting him in his tracks and leaving him unable to move.

Sitting to the side, Mu En watched the steadfast Sun Moon Holy Wing Barrier and the overbearing Sun Wheel Slash. The gravity in his eyes deepened.

Mu En immediately released a pure white barrier and wrapped Wang Dong in it, preventing him from suffering serious harm.

A flicker of disbelief passed through Mu En's eyes. This flame had nearly reached the level of Ultimate Fire.

What Mu En clearly didn't know was that this was the result of Xu Yanli holding back. He hadn't used his third Soul Skill at full power—not even a tenth of it.

After all, he wouldn't dare kill someone in front of everyone at Shrek Academy, would he?

He could cause trouble, but he couldn't afford to drag himself down with it. Though people on the Douluo Continent did tend to be rather foolish...

Xu Yanli put on an apologetic expression. "Grandpa, I—I don't think I controlled my strength very well just now. Wang Dong, I'm sorry. You were the one who spoke rudely first, but I still hurt you. I'm really sorry."

He said it in such a cheeky way that Mu En had been about to scold him. But seeing his sincere, apologetic expression, he let go of his suspicions.

"It's fine, it's fine. As long as you didn't do it on purpose," Mu En said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Grandpa, could I request a room change? I could switch with the student in the room next to mine. I'll go talk to them." Xu Yanli didn't look at Wang Dong, instead asking Mu En calmly.

Though Wang Dong had just been rescued, the threat of death had clearly left him somewhat stunned.

"This..." Mu En hesitated.