Provocation

On the other side.

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

Ye Lingling reached out to touch her forehead, then placed her hand on her own to compare.

No fever.

"Yan Yan, what is wrong with you today?"

Dugu Yan rolled her eyes.

"I'm perfectly fine. You're the one acting strange, insisting on dragging me out here."

"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 completely changed today. Who exactly is this Wu Xing, and why is he worth all this?"

Dugu Yan looked at her and smiled.

That smile carried a sense of superiority that Ye Lingling couldn't grasp.

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

Let alone her, the Martial Soul Hall Pope, the Sea God Island High Priest, everyone in The Group—which one of them isn't the same?

They would jump at the chance to curry favor with him if they only had the opportunity.

Ye Lingling was stunned.

She could tell that Dugu Yan wasn't just speaking out of anger; that excitement and pride were seeping out from her very bones.

It was as if pleasing Wu Xing were some incredible honor.

But how could that be possible?

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

Dugu Yan leaned in a little closer.

"It was Brother Wu Xing who told me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known that those pretty flowers and grasses in my grandfather's Herb Garden were all priceless immortal treasures."

"What?"

Ye Lingling's eyes widened.

No wonder.

No wonder Yan Yan was like this.

She was also aware of Poison Douluo's Herb Garden; Dugu Yan often took her there to play when they had free time. She had always felt those plants were unusual, but she couldn't put her finger on why.

Now she knew.

It wasn't the plants that were unusual.

It was the person who told her about them.

"He... is that where you met him?" Ye Lingling asked.

"Mm."

Dugu Yan nodded, looking at her with a grin.

"Lingling, you aren't too slow after all."

Ye Lingling's mouth twitched, and she remained silent.

She felt such regret in her heart.

She had received that invitation back then, too, but she had assumed it was a scam, a telecommunications trap, or some marketing scheme, so she had rejected it without a second thought.

But now, watching Dugu Yan change day by day, her soul power soaring, wearing ten-thousand-year soul rings as if they were nothing, and consuming Immortal Herbs at will...

She was green with regret.

"Lingling, I'll tell you one more thing."

Dugu Yan leaned in closer again, lowering her voice.

"If you want to get back into that place and build a good relationship with Brother Wu Xing, there's still a chance."

Ye Lingling's heart skipped a beat.

"So that's why you introduced me like that earlier?"

She wasn't stupid; her mind was far more delicate than Dugu Yan's. She had felt something was off about that embarrassing introduction the moment it happened.

"Well? Wasn't I a good friend?"

Dugu Yan laughed triumphantly.

"If it weren't for the sake of our years of sisterhood, I wouldn't have done it."

That statement was half-truth and half-lie.

The truth was, she wanted to help Ye Lingling.

The lie was, 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 more flirtatious than the last; she stood no chance on her own.

If she added Lingling to the mix...

She refused to believe they wouldn't stand a chance.

Besides, she had an advantage over all of them.

Brother Wu Xing was currently at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

"That's... that's really kind of you."

Ye Lingling blushed.

It wasn't out of shyness, but genuine gratitude.

After learning the value of the Immortal Herb, Dugu Yan had given her one without a second thought; few people could show such sincerity.

It was just that...

She really had no experience in taking the initiative to build a relationship with a man.

As the two were talking.

A commotion suddenly came from outside, not just ordinary noise, but the sound of people about to brawl.

Dugu Yan's expression shifted, and she rushed out immediately.

Ye Lingling hurried to follow.

Over at the dormitory.

When Yu Tianheng barged in with his men, Wu Xing was busy tidying up his things.

He didn't even look up.

"You're Wu Xing?"

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

Wu Xing ignored him and continued organizing.

Yu Tianheng's face darkened.

"I'm talking to you."

Only then did Wu Xing raise his head and glance at him.

"Something up?"

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

Yu Tianheng was stunned for a moment.

He had anticipated many reactions: fear, nervousness, sycophancy, or even posturing.

But he never expected this.

This kind of calm that completely disregarded his existence.

His expression grew even uglier.

"What is your relationship with Dugu Yan?"

Wu Xing didn't answer.

He glanced at the few people behind Yu Tianheng, each of them wearing an "I'm invincible" look, their faces full of disdain.

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

Yu Tianheng's face turned completely black.

The Core Disciples behind him also took a step forward.

"Kid, I suggest you figure out your place," Yu Tianheng said through gritted teeth. "Dugu Yan isn't someone you can touch. If you're smart, stay away from her."

Soul power overflowed from his body, and the aura of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul pressed down upon the room.

Anyone else might have been terrified.

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

"And if I don't?"

Yu Tianheng's fists tightened.

"You're courting death, kid!"

A Core Disciple to the side had already rolled up his sleeves, ready to strike.

The atmosphere was stretched to the breaking point.

Just then.

"Yu Tianheng!"

A voice exploded from the doorway.

Dugu Yan rushed in, placing herself directly in front of Wu Xing, her Serpent Eyes locked onto Yu Tianheng.

"You brought so many people here to cause trouble?"

Yu Tianheng's expression shifted slightly.

Seeing Dugu Yan shielding Wu Xing, the fire in his heart flared up instantly.

"Yanzi, we just came to see the new student. Word is a new Core Disciple arrived, so we thought we'd take a look."

Yu Tianheng emphasized the words "Core Disciple," though his face wore a mocking sneer.

He had inquired clearly: the other party was originally supposed to be assigned to the common student dorms, and it was only because Dugu Yan had interfered that he ended up in the Core Disciple dorms.

"Take a look?"

Dugu Yan sneered.

"Does 'taking a look' require bringing so many people? Does it require releasing your soul power? Do you take me for a fool?"

Yu Tianheng's teeth ground together with a creak.

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

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

"He is my Brother Wu Xing; if I don't protect him, who would I protect?"

Brother Wu Xing.

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

In the past, Dugu Yan had never called him so intimately, not even when she was constantly circling around him.

"Fine."

Yu Tianheng took a deep breath, stopped looking at Dugu Yan, and turned his gaze toward Wu Xing.

"Kid, if you've got guts, let's spar at the Soul Fighting Arena. If you don't, tuck your tail between your legs and behave—don't hide 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 right now."

He paused.

"I hate trouble anyway. Let's settle this all at once so I don't have people showing up at my door every other day."