Fatty Lin smiled faintly to himself, tinged with a bit of jealousy. After all, that guy Yang Yi seemed to constantly attract romance, while he himself remained utterly alone.

However, he certainly didn't desire a girl like Dongfang Mei'er. That kind of alluring charm capable of causing mortal ruin—he certainly didn't think just anyone was worthy of enjoying it.

Indeed, just as Fatty Lin suspected, Dongfang Mei'er possessed an innate, bone-deep allure, compounded by her mastery of Mei Gong (seduction arts). This made her a creature of the deadly, enchanting sort.

It would be incredibly difficult for an ordinary person to avoid being harmed by her seductive prowess unless they possessed exceptional self-control. “Um, Classmate Dongfang, could you possibly…” Yang Yi quickly stood up, glancing around before asking, “Did you need something from me?” “What’s wrong?” Dongfang Mei'er pouted, sounding aggrieved.

“Can’t I look for you if there’s nothing specific? Brother Yi, I missed you.” “Damn, that move is ruthless…” Fatty Lin, overhearing this, had that as his immediate thought.

At the same time, Yang Yi was left utterly speechless, not remembering ever having any kind of relationship with her. If one had to define their connection, it was merely that of a superior and a subordinate, given that the Dongfang family was historically affiliated with the Xuanmen Sect.

“Alright, Classmate Dongfang, stop fooling around. Class is about to start,” Yang Yi waved his hand, genuinely wishing to avoid any ill-fated entanglement with this enchanting siren.

“Oh.” Dongfang Mei'er was clearly unhappy, sitting down with a sullen expression. Meanwhile, elsewhere, the news of Yang Yi and his group’s return to campus spread like wildfire at that very instant, reaching the ears of the three current leaders of Fudan University.

“Brother Nangong, he’s back. It seems the earlier reports were correct.

His Black God Gang has already taken control of the Southern Underworld, their power level now rivals the North,” Ximen Ling frowned, harboring a deep-seated hatred for Yang Yi. Whether it was the humiliation suffered by Nangong San previously or the shame at the hotel, everything made Ximen Ling feel that eliminating Yang Yi was an absolute necessity.

“Indeed, Brother Nangong, how do you view this development?” Tang Shen asked Nangong San. Nangong San, appearing unhurried, pondered for a moment.

“Currently, almost everyone at Fudan University is one of ours, and we’ve recently cultivated a batch of relatively capable members. Why don’t we test the waters first?” “Test the waters?” Hearing Nangong San’s suggestion, the other two looked at him with undisguised confusion.

“Hehe.” Nangong San smiled faintly, his right hand subconsciously brushing the area around his waist. “Outside the campus, Shanghai might already be his domain.

But within the university grounds, unless the people we send reveal themselves, they won’t know who they are dealing with—especially seniors or juniors from the same school.” “I understand what you mean, Brother Nangong. Yes, this way we can gauge the current strength of our people while perhaps getting lucky and eliminating him,” Ximen Ling remarked with a sinister expression.

“Yes, that’s a good suggestion,” Tang Shen agreed. “However, once we take this step, we are irrevocably set against him.

Have you both thought this through?” Nangong San was well aware that once his proposal was implemented, any intelligent person would understand the true identity of those involved, and could that possibly be concealed from the Dragon Lord of the Black God Gang? “Brother Nangong, things have reached this point.

Do we really have any other choice?” Tang Shen inquired. “Precisely.

From that scene at the Jingdong Grand Hotel onward, the three of us were destined to oppose him,” Ximen Ling stated. Nangong San paused, recalling the events of that night: the Head of the Shangguan family, the Head of the Xuanyuan family, and even Xuanyuan Bing, had all expressed the view that for the time being, Yang Yi should not be provoked, lest it implicate the other families.

Yet, that was no longer the issue. Now, the three men present were no longer mere heirs; they stood high above, capable of causing tremors across Huaxia with a single decree—they were the Family Patriarchs.

“Very well, since you have decided. Brother Ximen, you handle the arrangements.

We’ll see how things develop tonight,” Nangong San said, a chilling glint in his eyes, his smile turning strangely sinister. “Understood.

I’ll arrange it immediately,” Ximen Ling nodded. Around noon, Yang Yi and his group reappeared in the cafeteria.

They hadn’t enjoyed the cuisine of the Chinese restaurant for quite some time. “Young Master, congratulations on the complete success of your endeavor to unify the South,” Dongfang Shiling whispered apologetically.

“Heh, what’s there to congratulate?” Yang Yi smiled faintly before continuing, “The most crucial thing now is to clearly understand the latest situation at Fudan. I heard that since I left, Fudan University has turned into a bottomless pit?” Hearing Yang Yi, Dongfang Shiling glanced around anxiously, his face heavy with concern.

“Young Master, you must be careful this time, because Nangong San and the other two are clearly targeting you. Since those three families assumed the roles of Patriarchs, they’ve reformed everything—both internal and external matters.

Even the students at Fudan University are now entirely their pawns, and not just ordinary ones.” “Oh, how interesting?” Yang Yi had already gleaned some of this from Ye Xiaohou, but he felt there were still hidden layers to the whole affair. Indeed, what Ye Xiaohou knew was only the surface.

Deeper matters were known only to those within the Eight Great Families, such as Dongfang Shiling and Dongfang Mei’er here. “What reaction have the other families of the Eight Great Families shown?

Since those three are clearly looking for trouble with me, I hardly believe those old foxes can remain so composed,” Yang Yi asked. “Yes, just as Young Master suspects,” Dongfang Shiling paused.

“Currently, besides our Dongfang family, the Xuanyuan family also maintains a neutral stance. The Shangguan family remains silent, though whether hidden resentments are brewing beneath the surface, we cannot be sure.

And the Gongsun family, due to existing kinship with the Shangguan family, maintains close contact with them.” Yang Yi tilted his head, contemplating for a moment. The current situation was clear.

The Dongfang family certainly wouldn’t oppose him. But the Xuanyuan family was uncertain.

Despite the tangled emotional thread he shared with Xuanyuan Bing, this couldn't represent everything, especially since he couldn't fathom the true intentions of the old Xuanyuan man. As for the Shangguan family, although a cooperation agreement had been stipulated, given the overwhelming power dynamics and the current strained relationship, that agreement was now nothing more than a blank piece of paper, utterly useless.

“It seems this time might be troublesome. If several major families allied against me simultaneously, it would be a massive problem, especially if that Ye…” Thinking of this, Yang Yi’s expression suddenly turned cold, and he asked Dongfang Shiling, “Have there been any recent movements from the Ye family or the others?” “There hasn't been much movement, only from those three families,” Dongfang Shiling replied.

“Good. Let’s not worry about that for now.

If my stomach is hungry, I need to eat,” Yang Yi said, nodding and waving his hand dismissively. Yang Yi’s current demeanor was etched into the minds of everyone present.

It wasn't just that the situation was disadvantageous for him; the reality was that those three opponents truly didn't know when they might strike. In truth, Yang Yi's primary concern lay with the Xuanyuan and Shangguan families.

If they were suddenly brought into the fray, and if the major families—excluding the Dongfang family—united against him, it would be extremely difficult. Even with the backing of the Xuanmen Sect and the massive underworld force of the Black God Gang, an alliance of the Eight Great Families, especially if the Ye family joined in, would spell certain doom for Yang Yi.

Perhaps this assessment sounded exaggerated, but it was the truth. Even if Yang Yi possessed influence in Japan and Britain, wasn't there an old saying: 'Distant water cannot quench a nearby fire!' And so, the group slowly savored their lunch, each lost in their own thoughts.

Meanwhile, events unfolding elsewhere might have greatly surprised them; Yang Yi had been back at school for less than a day, and his adversaries were already making moves. “Boss Ximen, the men are ready.

Ten of them. Do you wish to inspect them?” In a secluded location at Fudan—a place generally secret, known only to the forces affiliated with the Nangong, Ximen, and Tang families.

Outside students, especially freshmen, had no idea where this was; even Dongfang Shiling was unaware. Hearing his subordinate, Ximen Ling nodded, glancing toward a distant, shadowed area.

He asked, “What is the strength of these men?” “A-class assassin strength. Little brother wouldn't dare boast, but even professional killers outside would find them troublesome,” the subordinate’s tone was not exaggerated but filled with a confidence that made belief inevitable.

“Are these the strongest among our people?” Ximen Ling continued, not wanting to rely on such elite forces for a mere vanguard strike; that wouldn’t be much of a game. “No.

These are only A-class. Above A-class, there are Special Grade and Dark Grade,” the subordinate responded.

“Very good. We will proceed with the action promptly this afternoon.” “Yes!”