Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Lightning and thunder roared in the sky, accompanied by a torrential downpour. But none of it could deter Yan Shaozhe's unyielding resolve for vengeance. The grievous losses suffered by the inner court disciples demanded retribution. If he didn't flay this evil soul master alive, how could he rest easy? High above, Yan Shaozhe locked onto the evil soul master's position. His Bright Phoenix martial soul activated, enveloping him in radiant light as he charged directly at his target. As a Super Douluo, Yan Shaozhe's power was unparalleled. His all-out pursuit allowed him to catch up to the evil soul master in an instant. The oppressive brilliance of his golden light bore down on the evil soul master like a mountain.

"Stop, you beast!"

Yan Shaozhe roared, bringing a palm down upon his foe. Though he could have smashed the evil soul master into a pulp with one strike, Yan Shaozhe didn't intend to let him off so easily. The deaths of the inner court disciples were too tragic; even death by a thousand cuts would be too lenient. He wanted to capture this vile being alive and make him suffer to appease his wrath. Faced with the overwhelming pressure of a Super Douluo, the evil soul master had no chance to resist. No matter how impressive his prior achievements, he was still just a Soul King. The sheer aura of a Super Douluo was enough to render escape impossible.

Realizing the inevitable, the evil soul master's face twisted with malice. Corpses began pouring out of his soul tool, exploding in succession in an attempt to stall Yan Shaozhe. But this wasn't a narrow cave, nor was Yan Shaozhe burdened by any hindrances. How could a mere Soul King harm a Super Douluo? Despite the evil soul master's desperate efforts, he couldn't escape Yan Shaozhe's grasp. Victory seemed imminent, and a trace of satisfaction flickered across Yan Shaozhe's face. However, just as his palm was about to strike, the heavens rumbled violently. Dark clouds churned, and a bolt of lightning suddenly struck directly at Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe: ???

The sudden heavenly thunder took him completely off guard. Without a chance to react, the bolt hit him squarely. Yan Shaozhe barely managed to activate his soul power to shield himself before being blasted downward. A figure plummeted from the sky.

"Even the heavens are on my side! Kekeke!"

"A Shrek Academy Titled Douluo? Nothing special at all."

"Kekekekeke!!!"

Seizing the moment, the evil soul master mocked Yan Shaozhe before activating his fifth soul skill, transforming into a wisp of smoke and vanishing without a trace. The iconic attire of Shrek Academy left no doubt about Yan Shaozhe's identity.

"Boom!"

Moments later, a pillar of golden light erupted into the sky as Yan Shaozhe reappeared. His face was charred black, his clothing in tatters, and his hair standing on end. Although the lightning strike didn't critically injure him, it left him in a humiliatingly disheveled state. His expression darkened, a mix of anger and confusion in his eyes. Why, of all times, did the heavens choose now to strike him? Yan Shaozhe had always fought for Shrek's honor. He had never committed atrocities—so why was he struck by lightning?

Frustration, indignation, and helplessness churned within him. Not only had he been struck, but he had also been mocked by an evil soul master. Ascending once more, Yan Shaozhe scanned for his target. But this time, he found nothing. The rain grew heavier, masking the evil soul master's aura. It seemed the target had grown cautious, using soul skills to conceal himself while fleeing.

"Damn it!"

Yan Shaozhe cursed angrily. Was he truly cursed with misfortune these past two days? No matter what he attempted, accidents seemed to follow. What had he done to deserve this? Yan Shaozhe had devoted his life to Shrek Academy's glory, yet now he was treated this way. This was an utter disgrace. A Super Douluo, failing to capture a mere Soul King? To be mocked and to let his prey escape—what could be more humiliating? If word of this spread, not only would his reputation be in tatters, but even Shrek's honor would suffer. Seething, Yan Shaozhe's soul power erupted uncontrollably, devastating everything within a 500-meter radius. After venting his frustration, he composed himself and headed back to regroup. The remaining Shrek disciples were heavily injured; he couldn't leave them for long. As for the evil soul master, despite his unwillingness, he had no choice but to abandon the chase for now. But Yan Shaozhe vowed never to forget this humiliation. The evil soul master would be forever on Shrek's hit list. One day, they would have their vengeance.

"Humph!"

With a cold snort, Yan Shaozhe vanished from sight.

...

On a nearby hillside, not far from the bandit stronghold, the Shrek team waited. The torrential rain and lightning made entering the forest to seek shelter far too dangerous—one wrong move, and they might be struck by lightning. With Yan Shaozhe yet to return, Wang Yan had no choice but to organize a temporary camp on the hillside. At this moment, the only combat-ready members were Wang Yan, a Soul King, and the reserve team. In the perilous Mingdou Mountain Range, this offered little security. Wang Yan ordered the reserve team to stay alert while he kept his Coiling Dragon Staff martial soul active, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a gust of wind heralded Yan Shaozhe's return. Startled at first, Wang Yan quickly beamed with joy.

"Dean!"

"Did you kill the evil soul master?"

The question darkened Yan Shaozhe's face instantly. Noticing this, Wang Yan hesitated, disbelief flickering in his eyes. Could it be that the dean had failed to capture a Soul King? Realizing his misstep, Wang Yan wisely changed the subject.

"Dean, what should we do now?"

Yan Shaozhe's expression softened slightly at Wang Yan's tactfulness. But seeing the grievously injured inner court disciples, his face turned grim again. Of the seven inner court disciples, only Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen remained stable, their lives out of danger. The others—Yao Haoxuan, Chen Zifeng, and Gongyang Mo—were dead. Gongyang Mo's body was obliterated. Xi Xi, though still breathing, was beyond saving. Her injuries were fatal: shattered internal organs, a poisoned bloodstream, and no hope of recovery. Four of the inner court's elite were dead. The loss was so great that Yan Shaozhe felt as if his heart was bleeding. Xuan Zi led his team and lost eight people; now Yan Shaozhe leading, and another four have fallen. The inner court has only a few dozen enrolled students, and just these two missions have cost too many lives. Moreover, it wasn't just the official representatives—some of the reserve team members encountered issues too. Dai Huabin's lower body was covered in blood as he cried out in pain, while Zhu Lu stood by his side, shedding silent tears. Though his condition wasn't life-threatening, it was hardly any better. So many students were injured at once—all of this fell under Yan Shaozhe's responsibility. Some of these students had significant backing, and explaining this would not be easy. At this moment, Yan Shaozhe felt both heartache and frustration. Why was fate so cruel to Shrek Academy?

Suppressing his sorrow, Yan Shaozhe said, "There's no other way now. I will report what happened here to the academy."

"This entire disaster is my fault. I will plead guilty to the academy."

"Take good care of the bodies of the inner court students who passed, and as for Gongyang Mo…"

"Dean," Wang Yan said coldly, his eyes clouded with darkness, "Gongyang Mo's body was destroyed. With the collapse of the cave, we cannot recover his remains."

Yan Shaozhe fell silent, his expression growing even darker. It was tragic enough that they had died, but now even the remains couldn't be retrieved. It was a sorrowful situation indeed.

"How are Xiaotao and the others?"

Yan Shaozhe asked.

Wang Yan replied, "Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen's conditions are still manageable. Although their injuries were severe, they were fortunate not to be contaminated by the poisonous blood. With the academy's healing pills, they should recover in about half a month with rest."

"But there's also the matter of Dai Huabin. The boy charged too recklessly and coupled with bad luck, his lower body was... well…"

"While his life isn't in danger and his other injuries are manageable, you know… that part… it's unlikely he'll be able to have children in the future."

These words left Yan Shaozhe in silence. The other team members were also speechless, while Zhu Lu quietly wept. Even the heavily injured Dai Yueheng, still conscious, didn't know whether to feel relieved or to pity his younger brother. In ordinary families, brothers typically shared a good bond, but this wasn't the case in the Dai family. Generational rivalries were common, and when the Dai family had been a royal household, brothers often fought each other to the death. Although times had changed, the relationship between Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin was far from good. After all, there was only one duke's position, and who wouldn't want to advance? For Dai Yueheng, his younger brother was, in some ways, also a competitor, though he didn't take him too seriously.

"Treat Dai Huabin's injuries for now and give him a pill. Our mission isn't over yet."

Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath and said, "Wang Yan, I'm entrusting you with an important responsibility. Lead Xiaotao and the others back to the military camp, and once they've stabilized, head to Star luo to participate in the competition."

"This crisis is entirely my fault. There's no time to send new team members from the academy for the Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, so you must hold the line for now. At least until Xiaotao and the others recover. Children, the academy's honor rests on your shoulders."

"Victory and glory are yours. All shame belongs to me."

"I will return to the academy to plead for forgiveness from the Sea God's Pavilion and arrange for reinforcements."

"The championship belongs to Shrek Academy. For Shrek's glory!"

Yan Shaozhe's impassioned words inspired the others. Even the injured Ma Xiaotao and the others were filled with resolve upon hearing the call to uphold Shrek's honor.

"You're all remarkable. Let's go!"

Yan Shaozhe released a golden light, carefully collecting the bodies of the fallen students. Along with Wang Yan, he escorted the injured back to the military camp. Then, he disappeared into the distance as a beam of golden light.

...

In the military camp, upon seeing the severely injured Dai Huabin, Dai Hao's face turned grim. Of all the places to get injured, it had to be there. As a father, seeing his son in this condition was understandably terrible.

"Those damned evil soul masters—I'll never share the same sky with them," Dai Hao growled through gritted teeth, his rage barely contained. He had three sons in total, and now one was effectively ruined. Losing the ability to carry on the family line was as good as losing a son. Thankfully, Dai Yueheng did not suffer significant harm; otherwise, Dai Hao might have gone mad. Both Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin were his legitimate sons, heirs to the family legacy, and their roles were irreplaceable.

"How is Huabin's condition?"

Dai Hao asked urgently as the military physician exited the tent. Though he already had an inkling of the answer, he still held onto a sliver of hope.

"Marshal, the second young master is out of immediate danger. With healing from the support-type soul masters and medicinal pills, he should be able to move freely after a few days of rest."

"But… his injuries in that area are severe. The poisonous blood caused significant corrosion, leaving the area irreparable. It will have to be removed…"

Dai Hao's expression darkened further.

"Is there no way for it to regenerate?"

"None," the physician replied, shaking his head.

"It's nearly impossible. However…"

"However, what?"

Dai Hao pressed anxiously.

"I've read in ancient texts about a soul master with the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul. This lineage is exceptionally rare, with only one bearer per generation, and their sole soul skill is healing."

"Their healing capabilities are extraordinary. Under their care, injuries heal at an unimaginable speed, to the extent that death itself is difficult to achieve."

"It's said that a Nine Heart Begonia soul master who reaches the Title Douluo level could regrow severed limbs and even bring the dead back to life. If you could find such a soul master, perhaps the second young master's injuries could be restored."

Hearing this, Dai Hao's face turned dark. A Title Douluo with the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul? How was he supposed to find such a person? Nine Heart Begonia soul masters were exceedingly rare, and finding one at the Title Douluo level was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Shaking his head in resignation, Dai Hao waved the physician away.