Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Jing Hongchen looked at Su Yu, his eyes full of gratification.

However, in the beginning, he indeed had the intention of drawing Su Yu closer by allowing Meng Hongchen to pursue him.

But at the end of the day, he was still Meng Hongchen's biological grandfather.

Naturally, he also hoped for Meng Hongchen's happiness.

Now, seeing how well Su Yu treated Meng Hongchen and how close the two of them were, as an elder, he truly felt joy from the bottom of his heart.

Meng had finally found a good partner.

"Su Yu, boy, this Hall Master is growing fonder of you," Jing Hongchen said with a hearty laugh. Su Yu only smiled faintly in response.

Jing Hongchen chuckled again and said, "In this Martial Soul Battle Competition, you have made significant contributions. This Hall Master promised that anyone who secured the championship would be rewarded."

"Tell me, what do you want?"

"Didn't I already get a reward? That soul bone?" Su Yu said with a smile.

Jing Hongchen waved his hand dismissively. "Anyone with a discerning eye can see that ice-attribute soul bone was something the Star Luo Emperor specifically offered to win you over.

This Hall Master disdains using someone else's belongings to reward his students.

This Hall Master keeps his word. Tell me, what do you want?"

As for Su Yu, his grandson-in-law, Jing Hongchen was certainly not stingy.

He would give him anything he could reasonably provide.

Su Yu shrugged. "I'm fine with anything. I'll leave it to you, Hall Master."

"You brat, throwing the ball back to me again?" Jing Hongchen laughed and scolded before pondering for a moment. He clapped his hands and brushed his chest.

In the next instant, a thin metallic sheet appeared in his palm.

The metal piece was circular, as thin as paper, and emitted a gentle golden glow.

The intricate carvings on its surface were peculiar and artistic, filled with a sense of creativity and imagination.

Though it emitted no soul power fluctuations, its presence alone exuded a unique sense of weight and substance.

Faint golden ripples shimmered across its surface, not bright but incredibly captivating.

"This is a soul tool I crafted, called the Hongchen's Aegis."

"In terms of grade, it's a level-nine soul tool."

"I thought about it. You don't lack soul bones, and extremely rare materials aren't useful to you.

This Hongchen's Aegis, however, should suit you well—it's at least something to ensure your safety.

Moreover, it requires no level restrictions, making it the most suitable level-nine soul tool for you."

As he spoke, Jing Hongchen lightly tossed it, and Su Yu quickly caught it.

Examining the thin metal piece in his hand, even Su Yu was a bit surprised. Jing Hongchen was giving him a level-nine soul tool!

It was well known that level-nine soul tools were the pinnacle of soul tool craftsmanship, worth a fortune.

Even Xiao Hongchen, standing nearby, couldn't hide his envy as he stared at the metal piece in Su Yu's hand.

A level-nine soul tool! Not even he, the biological grandson, had one. Who would have thought Jing Hongchen would go this far?

Jing Hongchen said calmly, "Hongchen's Aegis is a unique, triggered-type defensive soul tool.

Its most significant advantage is that it imposes no restrictions on the user's soul power—I've already mentioned this.

Second, its defensive effect is equivalent to the user's strongest attack using all their soul power, yet it consumes only one-fifth of that energy.

The higher the user's rank, the greater its defensive capability.

With your current soul power, it can provide defense equivalent to a defense-type Soul Emperor.

When you break through to Titled Douluo, its defense will rival that of a Super Douluo.

Moreover, Hongchen's Aegis has an additional feature: it can generate an invincible shield.

The shield's strength is three times the user's power and lasts for fifteen seconds.

However, activating this invincible shield requires charging. Passively, it takes three days to recharge, but if you actively charge it, it takes a day and a night.

With your current soul power and depth, the invincible shield should be sufficient to withstand attacks from a Soul Douluo."

As Jing Hongchen explained, Su Yu looked at the Hongchen's Aegis in his hand, his eyes sparkling.

This was now his second defensive artifact after the Silver Dragon's Reverse Scale.

Of course, Hongchen's Aegis was not as powerful as the Reverse Scale.

However, Hongchen's Aegis was a triggered defense, automatically activating upon attack, while the Reverse Scale only activated when Su Yu faced a life-threatening situation.

The two were quite different in functionality.

But overall, obtaining Hongchen's Aegis was undoubtedly a gain for Su Yu.

Casually pressing it to his chest, Hongchen's Aegis merged with his soul power and disappeared.

Yet Su Yu could still sense its presence.

"Thank you, Hall Master!" Su Yu cupped his hands in gratitude.

Jing Hongchen shook his head. "This is what you deserve. The academy never forgets its contributors."

Su Yu smiled faintly.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Su Yu and the others departed.

He and Meng Hongchen strolled around the academy before parting ways to return to their dormitories.

...

...

...

In a lavish palace, a beautiful young girl pushed a wheelchair-bound young man forward slowly.

The youth, dressed in white, had dark skin but exceptionally bright eyes.

His demeanor was elegant and scholarly, yet upon closer inspection, there seemed to be an undercurrent of darkness and madness beneath his refined exterior.

The young man's legs appeared to be crippled, leaving him reliant on the wheelchair for mobility.

Behind the white-clad youth, the girl pushing the wheelchair looked somewhat familiar.

Her skin was so fair it seemed to glow, with a smooth, ivory-like quality.

She had long, jet-black hair and large, expressive eyes, their contrast of black and white filled with youthful vitality.

If Su Yu were here, he would have recognized her immediately.

She was none other than that slightly naive girl—Juzi.

Juzi gently pushed the wheelchair, letting sunlight spill over the white-clad youth.

From her demeanor, it was evident she held the young man in great respect.

"The Soul Battle Competition has concluded," the white-clad youth said softly. "The Soul Engineering Academy finally won their first championship in this tournament. That's a cause for celebration for the empire."

Juzi smiled. "The academy's representatives are all prodigies. It's only natural they secured the championship."

The white-clad youth shook his head. "Shrek Academy has dominated the championship for thousands of years. They are not an opponent easily defeated.

Though the Soul Engineering Academy's team was strong, defeating Shrek Academy is no simple matter.

It seems this victory had much to do with a particular student."

"Juzi, you studied at the Soul Engineering Academy. Have you heard of Su Yu?"

Juzi froze momentarily, a figure of a white-haired youth surfacing in her mind.

Heard of him? She'd heard of him plenty.

Her beautiful eyes flickered slightly as she replied softly, "I've heard of him. Su Yu is quite popular in the academy and is considered a rising star.

He became a Level 4 Soul Engineer within just one year of enrollment, earning the academy's high regard.

Why does Your Highness suddenly ask about him?"

The white-clad youth said, "Because, according to reports, he played a decisive role this time.

Juzi, perhaps you don't know, but Su Yu set a record in the competition by defeating seven opponents in a row, including those from Shrek Academy.

What's more, he is an Ultimate Ice Soul Master with a full set of black, ten-thousand-year soul rings. He's even from the legendary hidden power, the Ice God Palace.

If not for this competition, I wouldn't have known such a powerful figure existed in the Soul Engineering Royal Academy."

There was a strange tone in his voice.

The Sun-Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineering Academy bore the imperial family's name, yet as the crown prince, he knew little of the academy's affairs.

That the heir of the Ice God Palace was studying at the academy without his knowledge was an unpleasant surprise to someone as control-oriented as him.

"What?" Juzi's expression changed slightly, visibly shocked.

She knew the academy had won the championship, but she hadn't known the details or Su Yu's incredible background.

No wonder Su Yu had gotten away unscathed after hitting a royal family member.

It wasn't just the academy protecting him—he had the power to remain untouchable.

That seemingly aloof youth was far more extraordinary than she'd imagined.

"The Ice God Palace behind Su Yu is an immensely powerful force.

If the empire could recruit him, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

Juzi, while at the academy, tries to learn more about Su Yu. I want to know his habits and preferences," the white-clad youth said.

"Understood, Your Highness," Juzi replied, agreeing readily.

The white-clad youth's eyes gleamed with ambition.

If he could bring Su Yu to his side, it would surely aid his ascent to the throne.

Moreover, he'd heard that Su Yu had a close relationship with Jing Hongchen's granddaughter.

To secure the throne, Jing Hongchen's support was indispensable.

If he could win over both Su Yu and Jing Hongchen, his grand ambitions might just be within reach.

No one knew that this seemingly frail, wheelchair-bound youth harbored a mind far more twisted and ambitious than most.

He aspired to become a peerless emperor of the Douluo Continent, unifying the entire land under his rule.

Stripped of certain abilities, his thirst for power had reached its peak.

If he couldn't die in silence, he would rise to power in madness.

This white-clad youth, damaged and broken in body, could no longer be considered entirely normal.

His mind was already warped, teetering on the edge of insanity.

He was undoubtedly a highly dangerous individual.

"Juzi, push me a little further."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Juzi replied, pushing the wheelchair forward into the sunlight.

...

The Soul Battle Competition had ended several days ago, and its results had spread across the three nations of the continent through the machinations of various forces.

Good news travels slowly, but bad news spreads like wildfire.

When Shrek Academy won championships, few paid attention.

But now that they had lost, plenty were eager to kick them while they were down.

With Shrek Academy's usual domineering demeanor, they faced little criticism in their strong days.

But once they showed weakness, the number of forces eager to step on them skyrocketed.

The title of the Continent's Number One Academy was both an honor and a heavy crown.

After Shrek Academy's defeat, they immediately became the target of scrutiny from countless factions.

If Shrek Academy's foundation remained intact, it would not be a concern. No matter how the world outside changed, Shrek Academy would always stand tall.

However, with Xuanzi injured and Mu En severely weakened, Shrek Academy no longer had the strength to command the world's respect.

Faced with mounting skepticism from various forces, Shrek Academy suffered considerable backlash.

Left with no alternative, the academy issued a public statement revealing the injuries sustained by Ma Xiaotao and others during their mission as part of the Inspection Team.

The message was clear: their loss in the tournament was due to an incomplete lineup and weakened combat strength.

It was not because Shrek Academy lacked ability but rather due to unfortunate circumstances—an unavoidable misfortune, not a failure in strength.

Additionally, the academy emphasized that the Inspection Team's mission was to eradicate evil soul masters.

Almost instantly, the narrative flipped.

The criticism against Shrek Academy shifted to widespread praise.

News began spreading about how Shrek Academy, even at the risk of losing the competition, chose to prioritize the eradication of evil.

Public opinion seemed to reverse overnight.

Messages from across the continent celebrated Shrek Academy's integrity and moral compass.

Many people declared that Shrek Academy truly lived up to its name, showing unparalleled character.

Though they lost the tournament, they retained their honor and won the admiration of the masses.

"Defeat in the tournament is insignificant," some said. "They may have lost the match, but they gained respect and won over hearts."

Seeing the reversal in public opinion, Yan Shaozhe and the others were naturally delighted.

However, their joy was short-lived.

Soon, an unverified rumor began to circulate—its origins unclear—and spread like wildfire across the three empires.

The rumor stated that while Shrek Academy did indeed carry out an Inspection Team mission and sustained injuries, the group of evil soul masters they confronted was merely a disorganized rabble.

The strongest among them was only a Soul King.

And yet, a single Soul King managed to seriously injure Shrek Academy's representatives. Even when Bright Phoenix Douluo intervened personally, he failed to capture the evil soul master, who escaped unharmed.

The rumor even provided the evil soul master's name—Death God's Envoy—in vivid detail.

Given how specific the information was, it was hard to dismiss it as false.

Once again, public opinion flipped.

Many couldn't hold back their laughter.

"A Super Douluo couldn't take down a mere Soul King? That's a joke we'll laugh about for a lifetime!"

This new wave of skepticism struck Shrek Academy even harder.

People could accept the academy losing the tournament.

After all, they lost to the Sun-Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineering Academy—a formidable opponent. Their defeat, while disappointing, wasn't entirely unexpected.

But for a Super Douluo to fail to capture a single evil Soul King? That was utterly absurd.

How questionable must this Super Douluo be?

And this wasn't just any Super Douluo—it was the dean of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department!

"If even the dean is so overrated," critics scoffed, "then how weak must the other teachers be?"

"This is the strength of Shrek Academy? A joke of an academy?"

For a time, malicious speculation about Shrek Academy spread like wildfire.