Provocation

On the other side.

Dugu Yan was pulled back to the dormitory by Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling reached out and felt her forehead, then held a hand to her own to compare.

She didn't have a fever.

"Yan Yan, what's gotten into you today?"

Dugu Yan rolled her eyes.

"I'm perfectly fine. What's gotten into you? You just had to drag me out."

"If there's nothing else, I'm going back to find Brother Wu Xing."

With that, she turned to leave.

Ye Lingling grabbed her.

"Wait. I should be the one asking you that. You've been like a different person today. Who exactly is this Wu Xing, that he's worth all this?"

Dugu Yan looked at her and smiled.

There was a knowing superiority in that smile, as if to say, You wouldn't understand.

"Lingling, you don't get it. Of course Brother Wu Xing is worth it."

Not just her. The Martial Soul Hall Pope, the Sea God Island High Priest, everyone in the Group—weren't they all the same?

They wanted to curry favor with him and couldn't even get the chance.

Ye Lingling froze.

She could tell Dugu Yan wasn't just saying it in a fit of anger. The excitement and smugness were coming right from the depths of her heart.

As if currying favor with Wu Xing were some great honor.

But how could that be?

"Lingling, didn't you ask me about the Immortal Herbs before?"

Dugu Yan leaned a little closer.

"Brother Wu Xing told me about them. Otherwise, I'd never have known that all those pretty flowers and plants in my grandpa's Herb Garden were priceless treasures."

"What?"

Ye Lingling's eyes widened.

No wonder.

No wonder Yan Yan was acting like this.

She knew about Poison Douluo's Herb Garden, too. Dugu Yan often took her there to hang out, and she'd always thought those flowers and plants were unusual, but she could never say what made them so special.

Now she knew.

It wasn't the flowers and plants that were extraordinary.

It was the person who'd told her about them.

"Did you meet him in that place?" Ye Lingling asked.

"Mm."

Dugu Yan nodded, watching her with a grin.

"Lingling, you're not completely stupid."

Ye Lingling's mouth twitched, but she said nothing.

She was kicking herself.

She'd received that invitation, too. She'd thought it was some kind of phone scam, a mobile carrier trap, or a telecom company's con, so she'd turned it down without hesitation.

But now she watched Dugu Yan change by the day, her Soul Power soaring, wearing Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings as if they were nothing, eating Immortal Herbs as if they were nothing...

She regretted it so much she could've kicked herself.

"Lingling, let me tell you one more thing."

Dugu Yan leaned closer again and lowered her voice.

"If you want to get back into that place, you still have a chance—as long as you build a good relationship with Brother Wu Xing."

Ye Lingling's heart skipped a beat.

"So that's why you introduced me like that at the beginning?"

She wasn't stupid. She was much more perceptive than Dugu Yan, and she'd sensed something was off about that embarrassing introduction right away.

"So? Wasn't I being a good friend?"

Dugu Yan grinned smugly.

"If we weren't sisters of so many years, I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble."

That was half true and half false.

The true part was that she wanted to help Ye Lingling.

The false part was that she couldn't handle it alone.

There were too many vixens in the Group. The Martial Soul Hall Three Beauties, the Shrek Three Beauties—each one flirtier than the last. She couldn't compete with them on her own.

But if Lingling joined in...

She refused to believe they'd still have the upper hand.

Besides, she had an advantage over all of them.

Brother Wu Xing was at Heaven Dou Royal Academy right now!

"Y-You really are a good friend."

Ye Lingling blushed.

Not because she was embarrassed, but because she was genuinely grateful.

After learning how valuable the Immortal Herbs were, Dugu Yan had given her one without a second thought. Not many people could do that.

It was just...

She had no experience at all when it came to taking the initiative and building a relationship with a man.

The two of them were still talking when—

A commotion suddenly came from outside. It wasn't an ordinary noise. It sounded like someone was about to start a fight.

Dugu Yan's expression changed, and she rushed out.

Ye Lingling hurried after her.

Over by the dormitory—

When Yu Tianheng brought a group of people barging in, Wu Xing was organizing his things.

He didn't even look up.

"You're Wu Xing?"

Yu Tianheng's voice held a hint of arrogance and contempt.

Wu Xing ignored him and continued organizing.

Yu Tianheng's expression darkened.

"I'm talking to you."

Only then did Wu Xing look up at him.

"What is it?"

His tone was flat, as if he were asking about the weather.

Yu Tianheng paused.

He'd imagined all kinds of reactions: fear, nervousness, an attempt to curry favor, or even putting on an act.

This was the one thing he hadn't expected.

That calm indifference, as if Yu Tianheng didn't even exist.

His expression grew even uglier.

"What's your relationship with Dugu Yan?"

Wu Xing didn't answer.

He glanced at the men behind Yu Tianheng. Every one of them looked as if he were invincible, their faces full of contempt.

"My relationship with her is none of your business."

Yu Tianheng's face turned completely black.

The Core Disciples behind him also stepped forward.

"Kid, I suggest you figure out where you stand," Yu Tianheng said through gritted teeth. "Dugu Yan isn't someone you can touch. If you know what's good for you, stay away from her."

Soul Power spilled from his body, and the aura of his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul pressed down on Wu Xing.

Anyone else might have been intimidated already.

Wu Xing looked at him, the corner of his mouth curling slightly.

"What if I don't?"

Yu Tianheng clenched his fists.

"You're asking for death, punk!"

One of the Core Disciples beside him had already rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.

The tension reached its breaking point.

Just then—

"Yu Tianheng!"

A voice exploded from the doorway.

Dugu Yan rushed in and stepped directly in front of Wu Xing, her snake-like pupils fixed on Yu Tianheng.

"You bring this many people here to start trouble?"

Yu Tianheng's expression shifted.

Seeing Dugu Yan protect Wu Xing, he felt a surge of anger rise within him.

"Yanzi, we're just here to meet the new student. Didn't we hear a new Core Disciple had joined? We thought we'd come take a look."

When Yu Tianheng said "Core Disciple," he put extra emphasis on the words, his face full of mockery.

He'd looked into it. Wu Xing should have been assigned to the regular students' dormitory. He'd only ended up in the Core Disciples' dormitory because Dugu Yan had stepped in.

"Take a look?"

Dugu Yan sneered.

"Do you need this many people just to take a look? Do you need to release your Soul Power just to take a look? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth so hard they clicked.

He glanced at Dugu Yan, then at Wu Xing behind her.

"Yanzi, you're really going to protect him like this?"

"He's my Brother Wu Xing. If I don't protect him, who will?"

Brother Wu Xing.

Those four words stabbed into Yu Tianheng's heart like a knife.

Dugu Yan had never called him anything so intimate—not even back when she used to hover around him.

"Fine."

Yu Tianheng took a deep breath. He stopped looking at Dugu Yan and turned his gaze to Wu Xing instead.

"Kid, if you've got the guts, come to the Soul Fighting Arena and face me. If you don't, tuck your tail between your legs and behave. Stop hiding behind a woman."

Dugu Yan's expression changed, and she was about to lash out.

A hand pressed down on her shoulder.

Wu Xing stepped forward.

He looked at Yu Tianheng and smiled.

"Fine. Let's go now."

He paused.

"Besides, I hate trouble. We might as well settle everything in one go, so people stop showing up at my door every few days."