Dai Yueheng felt aggrieved—beyond aggrieved.
It wasn't just because he had been ordered to withdraw from the academy. More importantly, he couldn't wrap his head around how that little bastard Huo Yuhao had known about their plan.
Originally, they hadn't expected the crude plan of disguising someone as Huo Yun'er to fully deceive him. In reality, the moment Huo Yuhao stepped out of Shrek Academy, he was supposed to be within their control. The Duchess had even spent a fortune to acquire a rare teleportation-type soul tool capable of short-range blinking over a hundred meters.
Even if he was a Soul Elder, facing the combined ambush force of one Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings—with two Soul Saints as backup—it should have been a certain-death trap.
But the appearance of Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan had shattered their entire plan. He estimated those two Soul Saints, whom the Estate had spent massive resources to cultivate, were likely gone as well.
That little brat acted as if he knew everything in advance, even snatching Dai Huabin away beforehand... they were caught completely off guard.
Could it be... there's a traitor in the Duke's Estate? No, that didn't make sense. At the very least, in terms of loyalty, the personnel of the White Tiger Duke's Estate were meticulously vetted. Besides, Dai Yueheng didn't think the Huo mother and son could offer a high enough price to make those people defect.
The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. Combined with Dai Huabin's sluggishness in packing his things inside the dorm, Lan Xuanyu, passing by on the road, became his punching bag.
I might be leaving today, but I have to leave something behind for Shrek Academy.
For instance... ruining the reputation of the Inner Courtyard.
Did Dai Yueheng not know the true nature of Shrek Academy? Of the so-called "Guardian" missions meant to suppress the continent's evil soul masters, how many were actually productive?
Take himself as an example: of the 29 missions he had completed, at least 20 involved participating in the sanctioning of corrupt officials within the three original empires. Since the Guardians didn't pay the students a salary, he had to find "lucrative" jobs himself while risking his life.
Perhaps fueled by these thoughts, looking at Lan Xuanyu's hair—which looked like dog ears—made him feel restless. He started shouting immediately.
Lan Xuanyu hadn't reacted yet. He looked around and saw Dai Yueheng's burning gaze fixed on him. He instinctively pointed at himself. "Are you calling me?"
Dai Yueheng crossed his arms and took a step forward, speaking with an overbearing arrogance.
"My name is Dai Yueheng, an Inner Courtyard disciple. I am here to supervise you!"
"We, the Inner Courtyard seniors, are the best big brothers you freshmen can have! If there's something you don't understand, you can ask me, and I will kindly tell you..."
"BUT!" His voice suddenly jumped several decibels, as if he had seen an arch-enemy. "YOU! You did not greet your Inner Courtyard big brother! This is extremely disrespectful. It is wrong!"
"Huh?"
Lan Xuanyu was utterly dumbfounded.
Wait, what kind of rule is this?!
Lan Xuanyu hesitated. Out of respect for Shrek Academy, he still gave a slight bow. "Greetings, Senior."
Dai Yueheng put his hands on his hips and roared: "I can't hear you! Speak louder!"
???
As the most outstanding "Dragon God" of the younger generation of the Tang family, Lan Xuanyu had never been known for having a mild temper...
No one had ever picked a fight with him like this... Does he really think I'm made of clay?!
But to his surprise, Dai Yueheng actually released his martial soul. The majestic aura of the King of Beasts—the Evil Eye White Tiger—appeared alongside six perfectly configured soul rings: two yellow, two purple, and two black. The sense of majesty instantly enveloped Lan Xuanyu.
Three rings against six. If this were his past life, possessing the ultra-divine artifact Heavenly Sacred Splitting Abyss Halberd and the Dragon God bloodline, he could have fought even a Soul Saint, provided his mother Gu Yuena was willing to help him control his body.
But now, he no longer had the Dragon God bloodline. Facing a top-tier beast martial soul like the White Tiger, he could only tuck his tail and endure...
"In Shrek Academy, if an Inner Courtyard senior says he can't hear you, he can't hear you!"
Dai Yueheng increased the soul power fluctuations, pressing down on Lan Xuanyu with even more ferocity. "Do it again!"
Lan Xuanyu's clenched fists loosened. A great man knows when to yield, just as he had successfully infiltrated the Celestial Dragon Planet by cross-dressing in his past life. For the sake of ultimate success, this minor humiliation was nothing.
"GREETINGS, SENIOR!"
"I can't hear you! You expect to study at Shrek Academy with that tiny voice? AGAIN!"
Lan Xuanyu's voice rose several notches, almost screaming.
"GREETINGS, SENIOR!"
Dai Yueheng gave a satisfied smile. "Very good! Very spirited!"
"However..." Dai Yueheng's tone shifted. "Who told you to be so loud?!"
Then... Lan Xuanyu felt a sharp sensation explode on his left cheek.
Feeling the burn-like sting, Lan Xuanyu looked up in shock.
What he saw was Dai Yueheng's hypocritical yet utterly crazed smile.
!!!
All reason was incinerated by the fires of rage in his mind. Lan Xuanyu didn't care about the massive gap in strength or that he was no longer durable without the Dragon God bloodline. Even a mud man has some grit, let alone the reincarnation of the Dragon God and a reborn Supreme God King.
Getting blinded by rage, rushing forward, and beating a far stronger villain to a pulp—such things only happen to the protagonist.
Unfortunately, without the Dragon God bloodline, Lan Xuanyu was no longer the protagonist of this era.
By the time the Outer Courtyard teachers sensed the abnormal soul power fluctuations and rushed over, it was all over.
His limbs were practically twisted; he lay on the ground unable to move, every part of his body screaming in pain.
After the sneering Dai Yueheng was dragged away by the teachers, Lan Xuanyu finally received treatment from a healing-system soul master.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya, having heard the news, rushed to the infirmary, looking worriedly at the motionless Lan Xuanyu on the bed.
Once the Tree of Life Soul Saint finished healing his injuries, Lan Xuanyu instantly leaped from the bed, intending to charge outside.
That Dai Yueheng already has a "way to seek death"—no one can stop me! I said it!
Bei Bei was quick and grabbed him. "Xuanyu, where do you think you're going?"
Lan Xuanyu roared, "I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!"
Bei Bei held him back with all his might. "That's the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke. we can't afford to provoke him yet. Listen to me, he's already been expelled..."
Lan Xuanyu bellowed, "THEN WHAT THE F*CK IS THE TANG SECT GOOD FOR?! You, the 'Eldest Senior Brother,' and the 'Sect Master' just stood by and watched me get beaten?!"
In his past life, he could grab anti-matter missiles from the Tang Sect's arsenal to blow up planets! It could be said without hesitation that the Tang Sect was his strongest backer.
But what about this dilapidated Tang Sect now? Two or three stray cats, nothing at all—it didn't even have the power to vent his anger for him.
What was the point of staying here?