Douluo Dalu 2: Reincarnated as the Auspicious Beast

It was already past evening.

The late summer sky hadn't yet fully darkened, the moon hadn't risen, and the sky was a dim, dark blue. The clouds were a lifeless iron gray, but looking toward the west, there was still a faint streak of orange-pink sunset on the horizon.

The path Wang Rui chose was quite secluded, tucked away in a corner of the Martial Soul Department. There were hardly any people around, and not far off, there was a fountain with a trident, ducks swimming in it. It was perfect for secret meetings.

On both sides of the road, there were large expanses of lush vegetation, and the gaps between the soul-guided street lights were quite far apart, making the path dimly lit.

In the distance, the surface of the Sea God Lake could be seen, while in the opposite direction, through the dense plants, the shadowy outlines of tall buildings emerged. The buildings were painted purple, likely dormitories or classrooms for the fourth or fifth-year students.

Wang Rui looked toward the large stretch of green plants beside him. The leaves of the trees rustled gently in the wind, and the shadows of the bushes seemed bottomless, as though something might leap out at any moment.

Bai Chenxiang glanced at him with some confusion.

Maybe there were snakes, as a faint toxic, sweet odor lingered in the air, but what kind of snake could make a fierce beast like the Swift Tail Swallow so vigilant?

Wang Rui, however, wore an enigmatic smile, and with a slight push of his toes, he leapt lightly up to the top of a large tree like a cat.

He moved swiftly through the tree canopy, crossing the lush vegetation between the buildings of Shrek Academy, until he reached a small path that ran through the greenery.

A slim, slender figure, cloaked in black, was standing on the path, surrounded by three yellow soul rings that silently hovered around her. Thick, blue-black vines, as large as giant serpents, sprouted from her side, twisting and turning as if hunting for food.

The stench grew stronger, now mingled with the smell of decaying plants.

The vines slithered through the forest, greedily wrapping around the surrounding plants.

It was Tang Ya.

She seemed to be in some sort of strange trance, completely unaware of Wang Rui, who was perched above her.

A feverish flush rose on her cheekbones, her expression one of satisfaction, her eyes glowing with a strange purple-red hue, full of ecstasy.

The plants she touched with the blue vines seemed to have wilted slightly, no longer as fresh as before.

The vitality of the plants was drained by the Blue Silver Grass, then devoured by Tang Ya. But she didn't absorb all of it. It seemed she still had some restraint, remembering that she was in Shrek Academy and didn't dare to fully consume the life force, fearing she would be discovered.

In the dark, a yellow-furred weasel appeared, seemingly sensing danger. It rushed out in a hurry, attempting to escape.

However, the Blue Silver Grass on the ground detected it, and thick, blue-black vines, like venomous snakes, shot forward and impaled the little weasel.

Dark blood flowed down the vines, but it didn't drip onto the ground. Instead, it was completely absorbed by the vines. The vines tightened around the little creature, crushing its delicate bones. The sharp, fearsome thorns of the vines pierced the weasel's body, and a faint crimson glow rose from it, flowing up the vine and into Tang Ya's body.

The girl sighed in satisfaction, and her soul power fluctuations increased slightly.

"I should have done this long ago," she muttered softly.

In the dim light, her delicate face twisted in satisfaction, with a touch of sinister satisfaction. "If I had accepted this gift back then, maybe... my parents wouldn't have met their end, and Tang Sect wouldn't have fallen..." Tang Ya murmured, as if lost in a dream.

The little animal's body was drained of all blood and flesh. The vine that had wrapped around the yellow-furred weasel released it, and all that remained was a lifeless skeleton encased in its yellow fur. Tang Ya picked up the fur and stored it in her storage soul guide, showing no signs of hesitation.

Wang Rui frowned.

In the original storyline, Tang Ya was supposed to indulge in this gift of hers during the Soul Master Competition when Bei Bei went to participate, eventually falling into depravity and becoming an evil soul master. It seems that the fight with Huo Yuqing today had a greater impact on her than expected.

"Dark Blue Silver Grass?" Bai Chenxiang transmitted, sounding somewhat surprised. "Isn't this the heir of the Tang Sect? How did it end up here in Shrek Academy? It seems like she has a grudge against you. This is too dangerous. Should we just…"

"No need, leave her be. She still has some use. Xiao Bai, I have another task for you," Wang Rui transmitted back. "You're to monitor her. If she shows signs of killing or further falling into depravity, notify me immediately."

"...Understood." Bai Chenxiang responded, though the Swift Tail Swallow sounded somewhat disapproving.

Tang Ya was still immersed in the thrill of her soul power increase, oblivious to the conversation happening above her.

Her willpower was strong, considering how long she had been suppressing the devouring instinct of her Martial Soul, refusing to fall into depravity.

But today's events had been too much for her. The frustration triggered the hatred and obsession in her heart, and she chose to release her devouring talent under the pressure.

If she wanted revenge for her parents, to reclaim the Tang Sect's legacy... the only path was to gain more power.

Wang Rui didn't show any further reaction but merely raised an eyebrow before leaving.

If Tang Ya fell into depravity ahead of schedule, Wang Rui felt no sympathy. Though part of it was his fault, the choice was ultimately hers. Whatever her final outcome, it couldn't be blamed on anyone else.

If Tang Ya, as in the original story, walked down the path of murder, revenge, absorbing human powers, and becoming a completely fallen evil soul master... then the Beast Sect's white-glove company in the Evil Forest still needed a Blue Silver Saintess.

A cold, chilling look appeared in Wang Rui's golden eyes.

...There were still some dirty tasks related to Shrek and other forces that couldn't be handled by the Beast Sect or the savage beasts.

He silently left under the cover of night.

Bai Chenxiang flew off toward the Beast Sect's New City to relay Wang Rui's orders, while Wang Rui himself wandered over to Shrek Academy's shop, buying some snacks as an excuse before heading back.

At the entrance to the new dormitory building, the lounge chair was empty. Mu En should have returned to the Sea God Pavilion by now.

Of course, he wasn't a guard, so he couldn't stay under the dormitory building 24/7.

Wang Rui walked through the first floor and went straight to Room 108, where An Wen should have already finished eating and returned to her dorm. Before he left, his dear older sister had almost finished stealing the meat from his lunchbox.

As a caring younger brother, Wang Rui still had some concerns about the relationship between An Wen and Wang Dong.

He knocked on the door, and An Wen weakly responded from inside, so he pushed the door open.

What he saw inside made Wang Rui freeze.

(End of Chapter)