Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Credits: Jose Carrillo

Yan Shaozhe was exasperated, his disappointment evident. How could Ma Xiaotao act so stubborn when someone like Su Yu, with his status and ability, was right in front of her? Did she think he wasn't good enough for her?

Yan Shaozhe was deeply impressed by Ma Xiaotao's talent, but her fiery temperament left him at a loss.

"Teacher, I'll suppress the demonic fire," Ma Xiaotao muttered.

"Suppress it? Nonsense! If not for the Ice God Palace's Grand Guardian sealing your demonic fire, do you think you'd have even been able to compete?" Yan Shaozhe said, clearly annoyed.

Recalling the immense price he had paid to bring her to the Ice God Palace for a temporary seal that would only last two years, Yan Shaozhe's irritation grew. The chance for a permanent solution was now in front of her, yet she remained indifferent.

His tone turned harsher. "Ma Xiaotao, you're going whether you want to or not. If you refuse, don't blame me for breaking your legs."

Ma Xiaotao stared at him in shock. Seeing his anger, she instinctively caved.

"Fine, fine! I'll go, Teacher. Don't be mad," she said, shaking his arm and pretending to be playful.

"Don't give me that nonsense." Yan Shaozhe shot her a glare. "Fix yourself up properly. At least leave a good impression.

"Stop acting like a lunatic or some crazy woman. What man would like someone with your personality?

"And control that explosive temper of yours. Su Yu has been raised in luxury his whole life. Do you think he'll tolerate your tantrums?"

Ma Xiaotao fell silent, speechless.

Listening to Yan Shaozhe's endless lecturing, she felt defeated. Not only did she have to approach Su Yu, but now there were all these demands.

Ma Xiaotao, who despised being restricted, found the instructions torturous. She wanted to protest but swallowed her words upon seeing Yan Shaozhe's dark expression. She was genuinely afraid he might explode.

Seeing her silence, Yan Shaozhe's expression softened. He spoke earnestly, "Xiaotao, I know this is hard for you, but everything I'm doing is for your good."

"If you don't secure Su Yu's help, what's your plan?

"You don't want to see your teacher sending off his only disciple to an early grave, do you?"

Yan Shaozhe's heartfelt words moved Ma Xiaotao. Lowering her head, she replied, "I understand, Teacher. I'll try to control my temper."

"That's better." Yan Shaozhe smiled in relief. "You're beautiful, with a great figure. You're the type that young men find irresistible."

"If you can just manage your temper, I don't believe Su Yu won't be interested.

"And once you win him over, you can do whatever you want later."

His implication was clear—pretend for now, and after tying Su Yu down, her true nature wouldn't matter.

This kind of advice was exactly the kind of thing Yan Shaozhe would say.

Ma Xiaotao pondered his words, her expression contemplative.

Yan Shaozhe continued, "Later, I'll have Jiang Nannan lead the way to find Su Yu."

"The Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team probably won't leave today, but they might head back tomorrow."

"It's best we act quickly."

Ma Xiaotao hesitated before asking, "But Teacher, we don't have a soul bone to offer."

"Didn't we lose the bet? We're supposed to compensate with a top-tier soul bone from a 50,000-year soul beast."

Not only had Shrek Academy lost the match, but they now had to hand over such a treasure. This time, they truly looked like fools.

"I still have the left arm bone of a Bright Flame Bird, a light-element soul beast. Let's use that as payment," Yan Shaozhe said.

Ma Xiaotao was surprised. "A Bright Flame Bird with Phoenix Bloodline?"

Yan Shaozhe nodded. "I acquired it by chance long ago, but I already had a left arm bone at the time."

"So, I kept it as a prized possession until now."

"That's way too valuable. Using it as payment is giving Su Yu a huge advantage," Ma Xiaotao remarked.

The Bright Flame Bird wasn't just any top-tier soul beast—it was among the best. Its phoenix bloodline alone made it extraordinary. The left arm bone was a priceless treasure.

Yan Shaozhe sighed bitterly. "We don't have much choice. The academy's soul bone reserves won't arrive in time.

"And Su Yu isn't someone with endless patience. If we don't deliver on the bet, he'll demand it before leaving."

Ma Xiaotao stayed quiet, realizing the truth in his words. If they didn't offer the soul bone today, Elder Hai Bodong would surely come for it tomorrow.

It was better to approach Su Yu proactively to save face.

"Alright, Xiaotao, stop overthinking. Just prepare yourself".

"Dress up nicely—young people are visual creatures."

"You, with your mature beauty, will have that kid Su Yu completely captivated."

"Even if you can't beat him in a fight, you can conquer him in other ways," Yan Shaozhe joked with a laugh.

"I can beat him if I go all out!" Ma Xiaotao blurted, unwilling to admit defeat.

But seeing Yan Shaozhe's expression, her defiance quickly faded.

"Well, uh, Teacher, I'll go back to my room to get ready," she said hastily before disappearing in a flash.

Yan Shaozhe shook his head, smiling. "That girl is still so fiery.

"If only she had a temperament like Le Xuan's, with that figure of hers, would she even need to pursue someone?"

"The young master of Ice God Palace just showed up himself, alas..."

Life wasn't easy, and Yan Shaozhe sighed.

...

Knock, knock, knock!

Not long after Su Yu returned to his room, there was a sudden knocking at the door.

In Snow Empress's confused gaze, he quickly stashed her back into his Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse before swiftly opening the door.

The first thing that caught his eye was Jiang Nannan's enchanting face.

Behind her, he caught sight of Yan Shaozhe and Ma Xiaotao as well.

"Young master Su, sorry for the sudden intrusion," Yan Shaozhe said with a polite smile, stepping forward.

Su Yu raised an eyebrow and said, "Dean Yan, alright, let's find a quiet place to chat."

"Ah, very well!" Yan Shaozhe agreed quickly, still smiling.

He led them to the same private lounge Princess Jiujiu had taken him and Wang Dong'er to before. The place was quiet and perfect for conversations.

"I didn't know the Star Emperor Hotel had such a fine spot. Young master Su truly has an excellent eye," Yan Shaozhe complimented.

"It was Princess Jiujiu of the Star Luo royal family who brought me here. I didn't discover it myself," Su Yu replied casually. "Dean Yan, please have a seat."

Yan Shaozhe eagerly nodded and pulled Ma Xiaotao to sit down.

Su Yu stepped forward and pulled a chair out for Jiang Nannan, inviting her to sit beside him.

Yan Shaozhe's eyes narrowed as he gave Jiang Nannan another look.

Rumors had always suggested Jiang Nannan and Su Yu were close, but now it seemed they were more than just close.

Yan Shaozhe decided to adjust Jiang Nannan's treatment back at the academy. Though she came from humble origins, her connection to Su Yu meant she could no longer be regarded as an ordinary student.

Su Yu then sat down and cast a glance across the table. Yan Shaozhe's appearance was as simple as ever: a plain white robe, nothing particularly noteworthy.

Ma Xiaotao, however, looked completely different from her usual self. She wore a fiery red dress that accentuated her already stunning figure, making her beauty even more striking.

Her bold figure, highlighted by the dress, made her curves all the more eye-catching. Though her face wasn't as delicate as Jiang Nannan's, her body was an absolute masterpiece: a full chest, a slim waist, and long legs—a real bombshell.

However, Su Yu wasn't someone ruled by lust. He glanced at her briefly before looking away.

He had seen his fair share of beauties, and Ma Xiaotao wasn't enough to make him lose his composure.

"Dean Yan, you must have something to discuss if you've come here at this hour?" Su Yu asked, getting straight to the point.

Yan Shaozhe nodded and said, "Young master Su, I came here today for two matters. The first is to fulfill our wager."

As he spoke, Ma Xiaotao presented a wooden box and slid it across the table toward Su Yu.

The box was made of rare golden wood.

When Su Yu opened it, a burst of golden-red light filled the room.

Inside was a golden-red soul bone, radiating intense heat.

Upon closer inspection, feather-like patterns adorned the surface of the bone, exuding a sense of regal dignity. The entire bone emanated pure light energy, making it a top-tier soul bone.

"A Bright Flame Bird soul bone. Dean Yan, you are indeed generous and trustworthy," Su Yu said with a smile.

He immediately recognized its origins. This soul bone was on par with the 50,000-year Golden Earth Dragon King soul bone he had gifted Wang Dong'er. It was a truly extraordinary treasure.

This was one of Yan Shaozhe's most prized possessions.

"As long as Young Master Su is satisfied," Yan Shaozhe said with a smile, though his heart ached terribly.

He had always been frugal, and giving away such a precious soul bone was like slicing off a piece of his soul.

But he had no choice. This was the only 50,000-year soul bone he possessed. If he didn't hand it over, Hai Bodong wouldn't let him off.

As for reneging on the wager, that would require courage he didn't have.

Moreover, Shrek Academy still needed help from the Ice God Palace. Even if it pained him, he had to grit his teeth and give it up.

"I'm very satisfied. What's the second matter?" Su Yu asked as he closed the box.

Yan Shaozhe quickly explained, "The second matter is to apologize on behalf of Xu Sanshi."

"I originally intended to bring Xu Sanshi himself, but he's still unconscious, so I came to apologize to you in his stead."

"This is Shrek Academy's token of apology."

Ma Xiaotao handed over another box.

This time, Su Yu didn't bother opening it.

He already knew it wouldn't contain anything valuable. The best item had already been given, and with Yan Shaozhe's stingy nature, the apology gift was unlikely to hold anything remarkable.

It was probably just some common natural treasures or medicinal pills. Su Yu wasn't particularly interested.

"Since Dean Yan has taken the initiative to apologize, I won't pursue the matter further. However, Xu Sanshi's actions were indeed problematic."

"Your academy should educate him properly. Killing someone in a competition is not something to be encouraged."

"Young master Su is right. Thank you for your magnanimity in forgiving Xu Sanshi's momentary lapse in judgment," Yan Shaozhe promptly echoed, his tone full of respect.

Su Yu smiled faintly but remained silent. Yan Shaozhe's current deference was unmistakable—despite Su Yu being only a twelve-year-old boy.

Of course, Su Yu understood that this respect stemmed entirely from his status.

Shrek Academy had always been adept at treating people differently based on their power and influence. Toward the strong, Shrek Academy never lacked in courtesy.

As for verbally forgiving Xu Sanshi, it was only because Su Yu didn't consider Xu Sanshi worth his attention—especially now that Xu Sanshi's talent had been crippled. He was even less significant.

However, the Xu Family's Mystic Underworld Sect was a bit of a nuisance. While not particularly powerful, they still had Titled Douluo-level experts, and their sphere of influence happened to be near Jiang Nannan's family.

Su Yu contemplated whether he should deal with them preemptively. After all, the continent wasn't exactly peaceful, and the Holy Spirit Cult had also been spotted in the Heavenly Soul Empire.

Now that both tasks had been completed and Su Yu appeared to be easy to talk to, Yan Shaozhe grew a bit bolder.

Noticing that Su Yu wasn't speaking, Yan Shaozhe's mind began to work. He asked tentatively, "Young master Su, have you ever heard of Evil Fire?"

Su Yu's thoughts returned, and his gaze shifted to Ma Xiaotao. "Dean Yan, are you referring to the Evil Fire in Miss Ma Xiatao's body?"

"You can tell that Xiaotao has Evil Fire in her?" Yan Shaozhe exclaimed in surprise, quickly asking for confirmation.

Su Yu waved dismissively. "Not exactly. It's just that your visit to the Ice God Palace to seek treatment was mentioned to me by Senior Mu Wu."

A glimmer flashed in Yan Shaozhe's eyes as he replied, "The Grand Guardian is indeed extraordinary. During our visit to the Ice God Palace, we had an excellent conversation."

"Oh?" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "Is that so, Senior Mu Wu?"

Suddenly, Mu Wu appeared, his imposing aura immediately startling Yan Shaozhe.

What the—?! Yan Shaozhe's thoughts were in chaos. Why is Mu Wu here too?

Wasn't Ice Emperor Hai Bodong already by Su Yu's side?

Yan Shaozhe's heart raced. Two powerful figures of such stature were following Su Yu. He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he hadn't acted recklessly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have even left a trace behind.

With both Mu Wu and Hai Bodong by Su Yu's side, anyone harboring ill intentions toward him would undoubtedly face certain doom.

"Senior Mu Wu, Dean Yan here said you had an excellent conversation?" Su Yu asked with a slight smile.

"A brief encounter. I wouldn't say we're acquainted," Mu Wu replied without the slightest hesitation.

Yan Shaozhe's face darkened immediately. Damn it, not even a shred of courtesy.

The atmosphere became awkward.

Yan Shaozhe had intended to use this as an opportunity to build some rapport, but with Mu Wu himself present, his attempt had completely backfired. This was beyond humiliating.

"What do you think, Dean Yan?" Su Yu asked, still smiling as he looked at Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe was embarrassed, but his thick skin was unmatched. It only took a moment for him to recover his composure.

"Though it was just a brief encounter, the Grand Guardian's heroic presence and unmatched aura left an unforgettable impression on me. It felt as though we were old friends at first sight," Yan Shaozhe said shamelessly, practically groveling.

If one didn't care about saving face, nothing else mattered.

Ma Xiaotao, sitting next to him, wanted to cover her face in shame.

Her teacher was utterly humiliating. Truly, he had no dignity!