Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Wang Dong'er grinned mischievously as she gently massaged Niu Tian's shoulders, all the while observing his expression. Her sneaky demeanor made Niu Tian chuckle.

"Alright, alright, stop it. This old man doesn't have the fortune to enjoy this."

Niu Tian rolled his eyes and pulled Wang Dong'er in front of him.

"I'm not a stubborn old man. I won't deliberately make things hard for your little lover. As long as he's sincere and treats you well, I have no objections."

"Really?"

Wang Dong'er's eyes lit up, and she beamed with joy.

"Of course."

Niu Tian replied grumpily.

"Hehe."

Wang Dong'er giggled sweetly.

"Go quickly. If you're too late, your little lover might leave again."

"Then you'll be crying your eyes out."

Niu Tian teased with a smirk.

"Hmph, no way!"

Wang Dong'er snorted softly and lifted her chin, looking proud.

Niu Tian shook his head with a smile, then turned to the burly Tai Tan standing nearby, looking like a wall with his rugged appearance.

"Second Brother, accompany Dong'er on this trip. And no causing trouble, you hear?"

Niu Tian warned.

Tai Tan patted his chest confidently. "Big Brother, don't worry about me. I'll get that brat Su Yu tied up and brought back for you!"

Niu Tian's face darkened, and he sighed helplessly.

"You blockhead! Did I tell you to tie him up? Are you trying to pick a fight with the Ice God Palace?"

"I already said, let Dong'er bring him back herself. Did I say you needed to do anything?"

"Just protect Dong'er—that's enough!"

Niu Tian massaged his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

This blockhead thought the Ice God Palace was as easy to push around as the Star Luo Empire.

Su Yu's background was not something to be underestimated. Even the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong alone was enough to intimidate the entire continent.

Even Niu Tian himself wasn't confident in taking him on.

If Tai Tan charged in, it would be nothing short of asking for a beating!

This idiot, no matter how many times he was reminded, still had this stubborn personality that was hard to deal with.

"Oh, got it. I'll protect Dong'er."

Ta Tan scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

Niu Tian sighed and waved his hand. "Alright, off you go, off you go."

Wang Dong'er skipped away cheerfully, clearly in high spirits. Tai Tan smiled foolishly and followed behind her.

Watching the two leave, Niu Tian sighed softly. These two... neither of them was particularly worry-free.

...

Heavenly Sou Empire, Heaven Dou City.

After some traveling, Su Yu and his companions once again arrived at this ancient city.

Heaven Dou City had been the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire ten thousand years ago, enjoying a prestigious status.

Even today, it remains one of the most prosperous cities on the continent.

With a long history, Heaven Dou City was filled with unique architecture and bustling crowds.

For Su Yu and his group, entering Heaven Dou City didn't bring much excitement. After all, Su Yu had already seen many of the world's most prosperous capitals.

However, for Lan Lan, it was her first time witnessing such a vibrant city.

"Wow, so many people!"

Lan Lan clung to Su Yu's hand, her eyes darting curiously in every direction.

It was her first time in such a large city, and Lan Lan was far more excited than anyone expected.

Like a child from the countryside entering the city for the first time, everything seemed novel and interesting to her.

In truth, when it came to luxury, the Ice God Palace's Ice Snow City was second to none.

Even Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire and Shrek's Yan Shaozhe were stunned when they first saw Ice Snow City.

The more knowledgeable someone was, the more they could appreciate the deep heritage of the Ice God Palace.

However, the Ice God Palace had its shortcomings—its population was relatively small.

The Ice God Palace was home only to ice soul masters, totaling just a few tens of thousands of people.

Ice Snow City was medium-sized at best, and the streets were sparsely populated.

In contrast, Heaven Dou City, with its population of millions, was one of the most bustling metropolises on the continent.

In terms of scale, it was far beyond what Ice Snow City could compare to.

To someone as inexperienced as Lan Lan, the larger the city, the more impressive it was.

"Big brother, what's that?"

Lan Lan suddenly pointed at a shop and asked.

Su Yu glanced over and saw a building that was quite luxurious.

It had pink exterior walls and a heart-shaped sign hanging on the front. The welcoming girls at the entrance wore revealing outfits and had attractive figures.

Most notably, every person entering the establishment was either a man and a woman or a man with two women—without exception.

Su Yu took one look and quickly averted his gaze.

"That's not a good place, Lan Lan. Stay away from places like that in the future."

Su Yu said in a soft voice.

"Why?"

Lan Lan blinked her innocent eyes, looking confused.

With her childlike innocence, she had no idea what Su Yu was concerned about.

"Good people don't go to places like that. Our Lan Lan is a good child, and good children don't learn bad habits. Understand?"

Su Yu explained.

Lan Lan tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Got it! They're bad people, so they like going to bad places."

Su Yu chuckled, rubbing her head.

"Lan Lan is so clever. That's right, they're not good people."

Coaxing Lan Lan, Su Yu quickly led her away from the area.

Who would've thought that shortly after entering Heaven Dou City, they'd stumble upon a love hotel?

Lan Lan was so pure that Su Yu didn't want her to be influenced by such things.

As they walked further, tall buildings began to line the streets. Heaven Dou City, with its long history, showcased architecture that was both luxurious and rich in character.

Su Yu found a hotel to serve as their temporary base.

When traveling, Su Yu never compromised on comfort. Naturally, he chose the best hotel in the area.

He booked a large suite on the top floor and brought the two women to stay with him.

Perhaps due to his long years of being in a position of power, Su Yu had developed a fondness for the feeling of overlooking everything from above.

Through the massive glass windows, he could clearly see the bustling crowds below and admire the panoramic view of half of Heaven Dou City.

"Young Master, this hotel probably has royal connections."

Shui Lingguang said softly as she stood beside Su Yu.

The luxury of the hotel had caught her attention from the moment they entered.

It even had an auction house inside, which indicated a powerful backing.

"I figured as much. A hotel without royal connections wouldn't be allowed to build this tall—it's almost as tall as the royal palace."

Su Yu said with a subtle tone as he gazed at the crowds below.

Hotels like this weren't uncommon.

Whether in Star Luo City or the Radiant City, they were all similar.

Su Yu had long since gotten used to it.

"Young Master, what's our next move?"

Shui Lingguang asked.

Su Yu withdrew his gaze and looked at Lan Lan, who was rolling around on the sofa. A trace of softness flickered in his eyes. "Let's rest here for a few days and let this child have some fun."

"By the way, if I remember correctly, the exchange program between Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and Shrek Academy should be ending soon, right?"

Shui Lingguang nodded gently and replied softly, "Young Master remembers correctly. The exchange program between Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and Shrek Academy ends today."

"Then it seems that Meng'er and the others should be returning to Radiant City."

Thinking of Meng Hongchen, Su Yu's gaze became even softer.

"Miss Meng, huh."

Shui Lingguang's beautiful eyes flickered. She was aware of Su Yu's romantic entanglements.

Though she had never met her, she knew that besides Snow Empress and Zhang Lexuan, Su Yu also had a confidante named Meng Hongchen. Judging by Su Yu's demeanor, his feelings for Meng Hongchen seemed deep.

The gentleness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Shui Lingguang's expression remained unchanged, but a trace of envy flashed deep in her eyes.

"Mm, Meng'er is a very obedient girl. I'll introduce you two when there's a chance," Su Yu said casually.

Shui Lingguang responded with a soft "yes" and quietly stood by Su Yu's side.

...

Maple Leaf City.

In the vast Maple Leaf Plaza, a large crowd had gathered.

The people were divided into two groups.

The leader of the group on the left was a short and plump middle-aged man, with a group of students dressed in dark green uniforms behind him.

The leader of the group on the right was a woman dressed in black. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, and she exuded an air of elegance and beauty.

Standing beside her was a middle-aged man in white, with a refined demeanor and a gentle smile. His appearance gave off an air of a gentleman.

Behind these two were students dressed in light-colored battle uniforms.

These two groups were none other than the people from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and Shrek Academy.

The short and plump middle-aged man was Illustrious Virtue Hall's headmaster, Jing Hongchen.

"Dean Yan, we meet again. I trust you've been well," Jing Hongchen said with a faint smile, greeting Yan Shaozhe.

Dressed in white, Yan Shaozhe smiled back, though his expression seemed somewhat forced. "Hall Master Hongchen, you're as spirited as ever—aging like fine wine, I see."

Jing Hongchen chuckled. "Not as impressive as you, Dean Yan. It's been over two years since we last met, and now you've already reached the rank of Peak Super Douluo. Truly remarkable."

The smile on Yan Shaozhe's face faded. This was a sore subject for him.

His strength hadn't come naturally but was the result of Mu En passing on his power to him on his deathbed. Jing Hongchen's comment dredged up unpleasant memories.

If he hadn't known Jing Hongchen well enough, Yan Shaozhe might have thought it was intentional. After all, the relationship between Illustrious Virtue Hall and Shrek was far from amicable.

Seeing that Yan Shaozhe wasn't responding, Jing Hongchen's eyes glinted as he turned to the black-clad woman. With a smile, he said, "This must be the new Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion. Indeed, a woman of exceptional talent! To achieve the rank of Super Douluo at such a young age is truly admirable."

Zhang Lexuan's lips parted slightly as she responded calmly, "Hall Master Hongchen flatters me. It was merely a stroke of luck."

"Haha, such humility! Achieving Super Douluo at your age is not something that can be attributed to luck alone, Pavilion Master Zhang."

"By the way, I've heard that Pavilion Master Zhang has some connection with our academy's Su Yu. Is that true?"

Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she replied in a calm tone, "To be frank, Hall Master, Su Yu of the Ice God Palace is my fiancé."

"Su Yu is currently a student at Illustrious Virtue Hall, and I must thank the Hall Master for taking care of him on his behalf."

Jing Hongchen's smile froze, and he stared at Zhang Lexuan in disbelief.

Su Yu is your fiancé?

Then what does my Meng mean to him?

He had intended to make a lighthearted comment about Zhang Lexuan and assert his dominance, but instead, Zhang Lexuan had completely turned the tables on him.

Jing Hongchen's face darkened. The words he had planned to say were effectively blocked.

Yan Shaozhe, watching from the sidelines, was internally delighted.

"What's the matter, shorty? Didn't you enjoy smiling just now?" Yan Shaozhe thought to himself, his mood lifted as if he'd just had a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.

"Zhang Lexuan is amazing!" Yan Shaozhe discreetly gave her a mental thumbs-up.

Jing Hongchen's face darkened even further. He felt utterly defeated by this young woman.

What made it worse was that he couldn't doubt Zhang Lexuan's claim.

Su Yu's affection for Zhang Lexuan was apparent to anyone who paid attention.

Otherwise, how could Zhang Lexuan have reached the rank of Super Douluo?

If anyone claimed that Su Yu didn't see Zhang Lexuan as his woman, it would be impossible to believe.

And because Zhang Lexuan was telling the truth, Jing Hongchen felt even more aggrieved.

After all, Meng had been there first.

"That little brat Su Yu is truly heartless. If he dares to betray Meng, I'll make sure he pays," Jing Hongchen muttered internally, his face grim.

Clearing his throat, he said stiffly, "Pavilion Master Zhang, Dean Yan, let's not waste time with idle talk. Let's proceed with the exchange of students—I need to get back soon."

Yan Shaozhe responded cheerfully, "Of course, of course. Hall Master Hongchen, please."

Seeing Jing Hongchen's dark expression filled Yan Shaozhe with joy. He quickly organized the exchange.

Once the exchange was complete, each academy's students returned to their respective groups.

Yan Shaozhe, still smiling, suddenly noticed something amiss.

"Hall Master Hongchen, where is our instructor, Fan Yu? I don't see him."

Due to Jing Hongchen's deliberate secrecy, Shrek Academy had yet to discover what had happened to Fan Yu.

In recent times, Shrek Academy has been preoccupied with numerous challenges, leaving little attention to the exchange program.

Moreover, with the loss of several high-ranking individuals, arranging covert support as in the original timeline was no longer feasible.

Just as Yan Shaozhe asked the question, He Caitou began to cry. "Dean Yan, Teacher... Teacher has passed away."

"What?!"

Yan Shaozhe was shocked, and even Zhang Lexuan's eyes twitched.

Fan Yu is dead?

Who was Fan Yu?

He was a genius instructor in Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department and one of their best hopes for producing a ninth-level Soul Engineer.

And now he was dead?!

"What happened? How did Fan Yu die?"

"Hall Master Hongchen, don't you owe us an explanation?"

Yan Shaozhe's face had turned grim. Fan Yu's death was a heavy blow to Shrek Academy, which was already struggling.

Fan Yu wasn't just any instructor—he was the most valuable member of the exchange team.

And now he was gone?!

Yan Shaozhe, who had been laughing at Jing Hongchen moments ago, now felt like crying.

Why does Shrek Academy keep running into trouble?

Jing Hongchen sighed deeply, putting on an expression of sorrow.

"Alas, Teacher Fan Yu's death is a great loss to us all."

"In my lifetime, I have rarely seen a Soul Engineer as talented as Teacher Fan Yu. His passing is an immense loss to the field of soul engineering."