Changing Fate, Turtle Simp's Challenge!

Jiang Nannan's smile was bright and captivating, the icy facade that usually kept others at arm's length gone from her face.

How could Yun Yi, who knew the plot, stand by and watch this resilient girl of common birth and troubled fate repeat the same mistakes?

Years ago, he had used his exceptional standing in the Sea God Pavilion to bring Mu En personally into intervening in Jiang Nannan's life.

Back then, Jiang Nannan's mother had been stricken with a terminal illness, hanging by a thread.

For the sake of their young master's Martial Soul Evolution, the Xuanming Sect had scoured the land for talented commoner girls. They had intended to use life-saving pills as leverage to force Jiang Nannan into signing a contract of sale, reducing her to a cultivation furnace.

That night, an elder of the Xuanming Sect had entered the Jiang Family's dilapidated house with the medicine, ready to force Jiang Nannan to submit.

At the critical moment, Yun Yi and Mu En burst through the door.

The pressure of a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo descended, instantly suppressing those arrogant Xuanming Sect elders until they fell to their knees and coughed blood.

Mu En then acted personally. His pure, Vastness-like Radiant Holy Dragon Soul Power made curing a terminal illness as easy as turning over one's hand. He pulled Jiang Nannan's mother back from the gates of death on the spot, completely shattering the Xuanming Sect's filthy scheme to exploit their misfortune.

Not only that, Yun Yi had arranged for Shrek Academy to pay for a secluded private courtyard in Shrek City for the mother and daughter, sparing them from the hardships of displacement for good.

With Yun Yi's backing, the upper ranks of Shrek Academy had specially established a scholarship fund for commoner students.

As long as they met the talent requirements and possessed good character, they could receive full funding from the academy.

This measure changed Jiang Nannan's fate and caused an enormous stir among commoner soul masters.

After that, whenever Yun Yi had time away from cultivation, he would drop by Jiang Nannan's new home for a visit.

Mother Jiang was deeply grateful to her savior and would always find ways to prepare a table full of her signature dishes for him.

Yun Yi enjoyed the peace and quiet as well. Over time, he became familiar with both mother and daughter.

It was only because Yun Yi had been far too busy these past three months to visit that they had not seen each other for so long.

The two began chatting on the street as if no one else existed.

"Has Auntie been feeling better lately? It's been about three months since I last saw her. I'm starting to forget what her cooking tastes like." Yun Yi smiled warmly, his tone familiar.

Jiang Nannan's eyes curved into crescents, her smile coming straight from the heart.

"Mother's as healthy as ever. A few days ago, she was even talking about how you, busy as you are, hadn't visited in ages. She has developed several new dishes, but she can't find anyone to taste-test them. Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

Their familiar interaction left the surrounding boys dumbfounded.

Those older students who normally could not even get a word out of Jiang Nannan were now so jealous their eyes turned red.

Wang Dong stood nearby, her gaze moving back and forth between them.

This guy who was so domineering and insufferable in the dormitory actually had such a gentle, easygoing side in front of Jiang Nannan. What the hell?

Just as the atmosphere was pleasant, an angry shout suddenly came from the edge of the crowd.

"Kid, who are you?"

The voice was rough and low, laced with barely restrained fury.

Immediately afterward, the packed crowd was roughly shoved aside. Several boys blocking the way staggered from the push, but they dared not voice their anger.

A tall boy strode forward.

He stood nearly one meter ninety tall, with broad shoulders and a thick chest.

His features were sharp and his looks rather handsome, but his face was currently clouded over. His eyes were fixed on Yun Yi, jealousy nearly bursting out of them.

He wore the uniform of a fifth-year student in Shrek Academy's outer court, with the emblem signifying a core disciple pinned to his chest.

A fifth-year outer court core disciple, Xu Sanshi.

At the sight of this menace, the students watching nearby hurriedly backed away, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

A wave of hushed whispers broke out among the crowd.

"That's Senior Xu Sanshi! He's Senior Jiang Nannan's most obsessive pursuer!"

"Now this will be interesting. Senior Xu throws his weight around all over the outer court because of his Dark Tortoise Shield Martial Soul. This new student has touched his reverse scale—he's probably in for a beating today!"

"I heard Senior Xu has a terrible temper. Anyone who gets close to Senior Jiang Nannan gets targeted by him. This new student looks so delicate. Won't he get beaten until he's crawling around looking for his teeth?"

Yun Yi's gaze swept over Xu Sanshi.

The possessor of the Dark Tortoise Martial Soul, the infamous turtle simp.

Yun Yi had no interest in him whatsoever.

Not only was this man reckless by nature, but when it came to relationships, he was also a bizarre, relentlessly clingy pest.

Now that Jiang Nannan's mother had been saved by Yun Yi, Jiang Nannan no longer even held the complicated resentment she once had toward this turtle. All that remained was pure annoyance.

Yun Yi withdrew his gaze, ignored Xu Sanshi's question entirely, and turned back to Jiang Nannan.

"Tonight probably won't work. There's a lot to handle at the start of the school term. I'll definitely visit another day to try Auntie's cooking."

To Xu Sanshi, this complete disregard was no different from being slapped hard across the face.

He had run rampant through the outer court for so long. Apart from Bei Bei, no one had ever dared to look down on him like this.

And this was happening right in front of the goddess he had pursued for years!

Xu Sanshi clenched his fists until they cracked, laughing in extreme anger.

He stepped forward, his massive body becoming a towering wall between Yun Yi and Jiang Nannan.

"Kid, you're pretty cocky." Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth and looked down at Yun Yi. "What kind of skill is hiding behind a woman? I see you're wearing a first-year uniform. Do you dare come to the Soul Duel Arena and fight me one-on-one? If you lose, stay away from Nannan from now on!"

At such a brainless provocation, Jiang Nannan's beautiful brows drew together, and the look she gave Xu Sanshi changed.

It was neither concern nor anger, but pure pity.

Others might not know Yun Yi's true background, but how could she possibly not?

Xu Sanshi sharply caught the change in Jiang Nannan's eyes.

That pity deeply stabbed at his pride.

To him, Jiang Nannan was pitying him! She thought he would lose to this seemingly frail new student!

Jealousy completely consumed Xu Sanshi's reason.

He suddenly raised a hand and pointed straight at Yun Yi's face.

"Pretty boy, are you mute?! If you're a man, go sign up for a duel in the Soul Duel Arena! Don't make me look down on you!"

Yun Yi had originally planned to leave directly, unwilling to waste time on such a low-level opponent.

But seeing Xu Sanshi's suicidal persistence, he suddenly changed his mind.

Jiang Nannan was well protected by the academy now, but having a fly buzzing around her ears every day was still irritating.

Today was a perfect chance to thoroughly beat this turtle simp into submission, so that he would take a detour whenever he saw Jiang Nannan in the future. Yun Yi could also establish some authority while he was at it, saving himself from having more blind fools come looking for trouble later.

"Sure." Yun Yi kept both hands in his pockets, a dangerous curve rising at the corner of his lips.

"Since you're so eager to get beaten up, I'll grant your wish."

Yun Yi turned to look at Wang Dong, whose eyes were already shining with excitement, and Xiao Xiao, who wore a worried expression.

"Come on. Today, I'll show you Shrek's Soul Duel Arena."

With that, he took the lead, his long legs carrying him through the crowd that had consciously made way for him, heading toward Shrek Academy's Soul Duel District.

Xu Sanshi snorted heavily and followed close behind.

Jiang Nannan sighed and quickly followed as well.

This explosive news spread through the commercial street at astonishing speed.

A new student had actually accepted a Soul Duel challenge from Xu Sanshi, a sixth-year core disciple, over the outer court's number one beauty!

The students loved a spectacle, and the entire street instantly erupted. Hundreds, then thousands, became a surging human tide that formed a long procession toward the Soul Duel Arena.

Shrek Academy's Soul Duel Arena was located in the northwest corner of the Martial Soul Department's teaching district.

It was an enormous gray structure shaped like an inverted octagon, constructed entirely from hard obsidian. Its outer walls were covered in the weathered scars of blades and axes, displaying the martial spirit of the continent's number one academy for ten thousand years.

The massive crowd poured into the Soul Duel Arena.

The news spread through the entire outer court as if it had grown wings.

It was not only first-year new students. Many upper-year students who heard the news also set aside what they were doing and came to join the excitement.

The stands were packed, every seat occupied.

The clamor shot into the sky.

The duel platform was paved with specially made adamantine rock, sturdy enough to withstand the impact of battles between Soul Kings.

The arena was incomparably spacious.

Xu Sanshi leaped into the air, his huge body crashing heavily onto the center of the duel platform with a dull boom.

His knees bent slightly as he stared viciously at Yun Yi, who was ascending the steps.

Xu Sanshi glanced toward Jiang Nannan in the front row of the stands and discovered that she could not even be bothered to look at him. Instead, her eyes were fixed tightly on that damned new student.

The stark contrast made the fire in Xu Sanshi's chest burn even hotter.

"Kid, I'll admit you're a little better-looking than me." Xu Sanshi rolled his neck, his bones cracking like popping beans. "But this is a world where strength speaks. Today, I'll teach you a lesson and let you know the difference between heaven and earth!"

Yun Yi walked onto the platform at an unhurried pace and stopped ten steps away from Xu Sanshi.

He did not even seem inclined to assume a fighting stance. His hands remained in his pockets, and he stood casually.

The referee was a veteran outer court teacher. Once both sides were in position, he loudly announced the rules.

"This is a sparring Soul Duel. Stop at the right point. Lethal attacks are strictly forbidden. The first to surrender or be knocked out of bounds loses. Are you ready?"

Xu Sanshi nodded heavily, Soul Power gathering and erupting beneath his feet.

Yun Yi's gaze was cold as he gestured to the referee. "Begin."