Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Su Yu's soul power grew as well, breaking through to Level 48. The energy contained within the Ice Jade Scorpion's left arm bone was exceptionally abundant and highly compatible with Su Yu, which was the key reason he was able to advance his soul power by one level. The soul power of an ultimate martial soul is extremely dense and of exceptionally high quality. For instance, Wang Dong'er, by absorbing the 50,000-year-old Golden Earth Dragon King's soul bone under perfect compatibility, could raise her soul power by three levels as a Soul Elder. The Ice Jade Scorpion's left arm bone is in no way inferior to the 50,000-year-old Golden Earth Dragon King's right arm bone.

The fact that Su Yu only gained one level is due to the nature of the Ultimate Ice attribute. Additionally, advancing one level as a Soul Ancestor requires more soul power compared to advancing one level as a Soul Elder. The higher the rank, the more soul power is required to advance. For someone like Zhang Lexuan, at her level, even a standard 100,000-year-old soul bone might not raise her level by one unless it was perfectly compatible and provided a breakthrough opportunity. For Super Douluos, 100,000-year-old soul bones are almost incapable of directly pushing them to a breakthrough. At that level, it's not just about energy; insight becomes equally important, if not more so.

Those who achieve breakthroughs through personal insight are notably stronger than those relying on external energy. The most obvious examples are Ye Xishui, Long Xiaoyao, and Mu En. Among them, Ye Xishui achieved her breakthrough with help from others transferring power, while Mu En relied on a Dragon Pill to sustain his life and push through. Only Long Xiaoyao consistently relied on his efforts for breakthroughs. Before reaching the rank of Ultimate Douluo, Ye Xishui, and Mu En were slightly stronger than Long Xiaoyao. But after surpassing the Ultimate Douluo stage, the situation reversed. Long Xiaoyao, who relied solely on himself to break through, ultimately went the furthest among the three.

In contrast, the protagonist of the original story, Huo Yuhao, relied heavily on external aids like his unprecedented Yin-Yang Complementary Triple Soul Cores. Yet, in his fight against Di Tian, he was nearly defeated in the opening exchange. Put bluntly, much of Huo Yuhao's strength came from external assistance rather than his cultivation. As for insights into realms, they were even more lacking, having been forcibly elevated through external means. Unsurprisingly, his combat prowess was mediocre. Without his overwhelming arsenal of cheats, including a multitude of divine artifacts, it would have been impossible for him to defeat Di Tian in the end.

This emphasizes the importance of insight. Those who reach the Ultimate Douluo rank step by step through their cultivation become top-tier among Ultimate Douluos. This is why Su Yu always places great importance on his foundation and personal insights. Su Yu's level of understanding is at least on par with that of an average Titled Douluo. His mastery of intent has already helped him find his path, leaving him just one step away from developing a unique personal style. This was also the elusive feeling he sought but couldn't fully grasp during his duel with Ji Juechen. Su Yu feels that if he can completely seize this sensation, he will undergo an unprecedented transformation, solidifying the foundation for advancing to the rank of Ultimate Douluo.

Exhaling a breath of icy air, Su Yu got off the sofa and climbed into bed. At this moment, the Snow Empress was sound asleep, her soft and tender little face serene and peaceful. Su Yu smiled gently, lifted the blanket, and lay down beside her.

...

The next morning, Su Yu awoke from his dreams, feeling completely refreshed after a long-overdue restful sleep. Stretching lazily, he instinctively began his daily check-in ritual. "System, check in!"

[Ding! Check-in successful!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the monthly check-in. Rewards are being issued.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining two Spirit-Nurturing Headbands (Couple's Edition).]

[The Spirit-Nurturing Headband is a special item made from unique materials that can nurture spiritual power. Long-term use enhances mental strength.]

"Oh?" Su Yu raised his eyebrows in curiosity. A headband that nurtures spiritual power? Headbands, typically tied around the forehead, are sometimes used during sports to prevent sweat from dripping into the eyes. But this headband that enhances spiritual power was a first for Su Yu. Driven by curiosity, Su Yu retrieved the headbands. The two were identical in design, with one slightly larger than the other. They were milky white with a semi-transparent texture, cool to the touch, and very soft. Su Yu couldn't determine their material, but they seemed genuine.

After getting out of bed and washing up, Su Yu put on the larger headband and felt a noticeable improvement in mental clarity. It seemed the Spirit-Nurturing Headband truly worked. Its design, with platinum patterns faintly embedded in the milky white fabric, was also quite exquisite. He decided to give the smaller headband to Meng Hongchen. After all, she was his only official partner at the moment. Being a couple's edition, there was no one more appropriate to give it to.

After finishing his morning routine, Su Yu gently woke the Snow Empress, wiped her face under her pouty glare, and fed her some ice essence. "Go back to sleep," he said with a chuckle, pinching her small face gently. The Snow Empress rolled her eyes and shot Su Yu a glare before curling back into her blanket. Su Yu laughed, stored her in his Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, and left the room.

Today's match was crucial—it was the first elimination round after the group stage. Out of the 16 teams that advanced, half would be eliminated, leaving only 8 teams for the next round. Every team that made it through the group stage was formidable. Even the weakest among them had two Soul Kings, making it a significant challenge. Starting from the group stage, even the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy team couldn't afford to be careless. Every match required the full participation of all team members. With Elder Ma having returned to the Sun Moon Empire, the team was now led by another Level 8 Soul Engineer.

Su Yu and Ma Rulong naturally took on the responsibility of leading the team. Around 8 a.m., the entire team arrived at the competition area. The area, originally designed to accommodate more than seventy teams, now felt rather empty. However, the spectator zone was a different story. Perhaps the Star Luo Empire had allowed more spectators today, as the Star Luo Square was teeming with people. Shoulder to shoulder, the crowd seemed endless—a vast sea of heads in every direction.

If the previous audience was around 200,000, Su Yu estimated that today's crowd was at least 250,000. The expansive square was completely packed. Despite the crowd, the spectators' enthusiasm was undiminished. They were spirited and eager for the day's matches. The Top 16 to Top 8 matches consisted of both team and individual battles, totaling 16 matches over four days, with four matches per day. The first two days featured team matches among the 16 teams. The last two days had individual matches between the same opponents.

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's team match was scheduled for the afternoon of the first day. The first match featured Shrek Academy versus the Dou Ling Empire's Royal Advanced Soul Master Academy. Typically, the first-place team from one group would face the second-place team from another group in the Top 16 to Top 8 matches. This was to prevent the strongest teams from meeting too early and getting eliminated. With their strength, the Dou Ling Royal Advanced Soul Master Academy shouldn't have placed second in their group. However, they had forfeited a match, ending up second in their group.

The Dou Ling Academy team was formidable, boasting five Soul Kings and two Soul Ancestors. Such a lineup was impressive. Shrek Academy, seemingly wary of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, didn't field their full strength. Of their two Soul Emperors, only Dai Yueheng participated. The remaining members included Ling Luochen and three Soul Kings, alongside Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei, making six participants: one Soul Emperor, four Soul Kings, and two Soul Ancestors. The match began quickly and proved exciting.

The Dou Ling Academy team had prepared a plan specifically targeting Shrek Academy, but the latter also had countermeasures. When Xu Sanshi and the main tank switched positions, the entire match's tempo shifted. Xu Sanshi's fourth soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Substitution, had a significant impact in team battles, potentially deciding victory or defeat. After a prolonged struggle, Shrek Academy ultimately emerged victorious.

In the contestants' area, Ma Rulong frowned after watching the match. "Xu Sanshi's soul skill is a major threat. If we don't guard against it, it could disrupt our plans." "If he swaps either me or Su Yu into the middle of Shrek Academy's formation, it'll be troublesome." Su Yu smiled nonchalantly and said, "Don't worry. He won't get the chance to use that skill. Besides, his soul skill isn't without counters. There's no need to be overly concerned."

Su Yu seemed relaxed. Whether or not Ma Rulong and the others were present didn't matter much to him. He was confident he could single-handedly crush the Shrek Academy team. To Su Yu, the Sun Moon team members were like handicaps. Their presence forced him to restrain his powerful abilities, lest he accidentally harm his teammates. If Xu Sanshi did manage to swap him into Shrek Academy's formation, Su Yu would be delighted. In that case, he wouldn't need to hold back and could fully unleash his power.

How terrifying was Su Yu at full strength? Even he didn't know, as he'd never had the chance to go all out. At this moment, Xiao Hongchen remarked, "Senior Ma, Su Yu, the Dou Ling Royal Advanced Soul Master Academy team seems pretty strong." "They were just caught off guard," Ma Rulong nodded. "They were likely attempting to combine their powers into a large-scale Thunder Cannon. No wonder they forfeited a match."

"What puzzles me is how they obtained the blueprints for the Thunder Cannon." Xiao Hongchen speculated, "I think they probably reverse-engineered it from the Illustrious Virtue Hall's designs. However, since they couldn't match our craftsmanship, they scaled it up to make it easier to construct. That's why it requires seven operators. They also equipped themselves with Level 5 shields and illusion defenses. Their loss this time was purely bad luck—not a lack of strength."

Ma Rulong nodded slightly. "It seems that the Dou Ling Empire has made significant progress in soul tools in recent years." Su Yu didn't comment. In his opinion, the gap between Dou Ling Academy and Shrek Academy was still significant. Their loss couldn't simply be attributed to bad luck. Luck, after all, was a part of strength. A win was a win, and a loss was a loss—there were no excuses. Ultimately, the Dou Ling Academy team wasn't strong enough. If they were truly powerful, they wouldn't have lost.

After Shrek Academy's victory, other teams took the stage. In the afternoon, it was finally time for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to compete. For this match, neither Su Yu nor Ma Rulong participated. With Mi Jia leading the team and Wang Dong'er included, they easily defeated their opponents. During the subsequent individual matches, the Sun Moon team also secured effortless victories. As the Top 8 to Top 4 matches approached, the Sun Moon team's opponents were similarly unremarkable. Once again, Su Yu remained on the sidelines.

Under Mi Jia's leadership, with Xiao Hongchen joining the lineup, the team of Soul Kings swept through their opponents and advanced to the semifinals. This display of strength made the other academies realize just how formidable the Sun Moon team was. Both Shrek Academy and the Star Luo Advanced Soul Master Academy viewed the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy as their strongest rivals. In the meeting room, the Sun Moon team gathered. This meeting, hosted by the Level 8 Soul Engineer, was co-led by Su Yu and Ma Rulong.

"The Top 8 to Top 4 matches are over. Next is the semifinals," the Soul Engineer began. "The four teams advancing to the semifinals are: our Sun Moon team, Shrek Academy, the Star Luo Advanced Soul Master Academy, and the Heavenly Soul Empire's Academy team." "From this point on, every opponent will be extremely strong." Ma Rulong spoke seriously. "For the upcoming matches, most of you on the reserve team likely won't have a chance to participate."

Su Yu added, "Senior Ma is right. From here on, we need absolute combat power to ensure victory in every match. So, the four of you will probably remain on the bench. But I don't think that's an issue. You've already participated in plenty of matches on this journey. You've gained the experience you needed, so missing the last two matches won't make much difference. These final matches aren't your stage. Just watch and learn."