Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

"Of course, this doesn't mean you can completely relax. After all, you're members of the reserve team. If the main team struggles, you might still have to step in."

"But I believe it won't come to that."

With the combined strength of Su Yu and Ma Rulong, if things reached that point, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy team would likely be close to elimination anyway. However, Su Yu didn't think the remaining three teams could push them that far. Whether it was Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, or even Shrek Academy, Su Yu was fully confident of victory.

Hearing Su Yu's words, Wang Dong'er and the others looked serious. They felt the invisible pressure. At this stage, no one could afford to underestimate their opponents.

"By the way, Captain, who is our semifinal opponent?" Zhou Qin asked, looking at Su Yu.

Su Yu shook his head and replied, "We don't know yet. To ensure fairness, the semifinal matchups are decided by a random draw just before the match."

"This means we could face any team. It's even possible we'll meet Shrek Academy in the semifinals."

"That's why we must plan tactics for any possible opponent, especially Shrek Academy."

Ma Rulong added, "Su Yu is right. For the upcoming semifinals, we can't let our guard down."

"During the matches, we need to give it our all to secure victory."

"At the same time, we should also be careful about revealing our full abilities. If we can avoid exposing something, we absolutely shouldn't."

"Su Yu and Xiao Hongchen, especially you two—don't use your trump cards recklessly."

"Su Yu, in particular, unless we face Shrek Academy, don't use your third soul skill."

"That skill is a game-changer, one that can shift the tide in an instant. Save it for the strongest opponents."

Su Yu nodded. "Don't worry. Unless we face Shrek Academy, I won't even unleash my martial soul."

"The other two academy teams are decent, but they're not strong enough to force me to use it."

"Don't underestimate anyone!" Ma Rulong warned again.

"Got it! Steady as ever," Su Yu replied confidently.

After a lengthy discussion, the group finally adjourned. The seriousness on everyone's faces made it clear that no one dared to take the upcoming matches lightly.

"Meng'er, come with me."

After leaving the meeting room, Su Yu called out to Meng Hongchen. She quickly trotted after him, leaving Wang Dong'er looking curiously at the two. What were these two up to now?

...

Back in Su Yu's room, he closed the door behind them and took Meng Hongchen's hand, leading her inside.

"Yu, you…"

Meng Hongchen's cheeks flushed. Could Su Yu have brought her here to do something… naughty? Hmm… Not that she'd mind. She felt a little shy but also a tiny bit expectant.

Seeing Meng Hongchen's blushing face, Su Yu immediately guessed what she was thinking. This pure girl could sometimes have quite a vivid imagination. He couldn't help but laugh and gently pulled her to sit on the couch.

"Yu, you… be gentle," Meng Hongchen mumbled, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, her head almost lowered to her chest.

Su Yu: !!!!!!

Taking a deep breath, Su Yu forced himself to calm down. Although a little exasperated, he turned her face toward him and said, "Stop overthinking. We have serious business to discuss."

"Ah?" Meng Hongchen finally realized her misunderstanding, her face turning even redder. She felt utterly embarrassed. Would Su Yu think she was too… improper?

Seeing her remorseful expression, Su Yu found her both amusing and endearing. "Alright, Meng'er, listen to me." He cupped her face gently, looking directly into her eyes. Though her cheeks were still flushed, Meng Hongchen met his gaze.

Su Yu spoke softly, "The semifinals are coming, and the opponents will be much stronger than before. Matches like these can get intense, and it might be hard to hold back."

"Some academies don't always play fair, which makes things more unpredictable and dangerous."

"In situations like this, only by improving our strength can we better protect ourselves."

With that, Su Yu raised his right hand. A soft glow appeared, and a soul bone, white as jade, floated in his palm. Cold energy radiated from the soul bone, and the surrounding temperature plummeted. Its powerful energy waves spread through the room.

"This is… the Ice Bear's right arm bone?" Meng Hongchen immediately recognized it.

"That's right. It's the Ice Bear's right arm bone, estimated to be around 80,000 years old. Its quality is excellent."

"You're also an ice attribute user, so this soul bone is perfect for you. Its power will bring you immense benefits."

"Take this chance to absorb it here. I'll protect you during the process."

Meng Hongchen froze in shock. So this was why Su Yu had called her here—he wanted to give her the soul bone? Her eyes filled with emotion, and her gaze burned with affection. She had seen with her own eyes how Su Yu had spent 18 million gold soul coins to acquire this soul bone. Now, he was just giving it to her?

Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head firmly. "Yu, you need this soul bone more than I do. You're also an ice attribute user—you'll make better use of it."

To her, no treasure could compare to Su Yu. In her world, nothing was more important than him.

Su Yu smiled gently. "I already have three soul bones. I don't need another. This one is for you. Be good and absorb it, or I'll stop liking you."

"No!" Meng Hongchen clung to his hand and pressed it to her cheek. "I'll absorb it. I promise."

"That's more like it."

Su Yu pulled her close and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Focus on absorbing it. I'll stand guard."

"Okay!" Meng Hongchen nodded obediently. Then, shyly, she leaned in and gave Su Yu a light kiss on the lips. Then, like a thief, she quickly grabbed the soul bone and darted to the other side of the sofa.

Su Yu chuckled silently, shaking his head. His gaze, however, was filled with tenderness.

Meng Hongchen began absorbing the soul bone. Due to its exceptional quality, it took her a full three hours to completely integrate it. Her soul power rose again, reaching Level 54. Given her soul power and young age, even if someone assumed she had used external aids, her accomplishments were undeniably astonishing.

After absorbing the soul bone, Meng Hongchen clung to Su Yu like a kitten, unwilling to let go. "Yu~" Meng Hongchen nestled in Su Yu's embrace, her eyes brimming with affection.

Su Yu wasn't a saint. With soft, fragrant beauty in his arms, how could he resist? Even if he couldn't take the final step, that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy other forms of intimacy.

Su Yu held Meng Hongchen close, feeling her soft body pressed against his. Her scent filled his senses, and he couldn't help but lower his head to claim her lips. She met him halfway, their tongues tangling in an erotic dance. His hands wandered over her body, tracing the curves of her hips and sliding up her thighs. She moaned softly into his mouth, her legs wrapping around his waist.

"Yu~" Meng Hongchen whimpered as Su Yu's hot mouth trailed down her neck, leaving a path of tingling sensations in its wake. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as his teeth grazed her sensitive skin.

"So responsive," he growled against her throat, one hand sliding up to cup her breast through the thin fabric of her clothes. Her nipple hardened instantly under his touch, drawing a gasp from her lips.

"Ah~!"

Meng Hongchen writhed beneath him, her hips rolling instinctively against his. The friction made them both moan, even through their clothes. Su Yu's other hand gripped her hip, guiding her movements as he ground against her.

"Please," she begged, though she wasn't sure what exactly she was begging for. Her mind was clouded with desire, focused only on the incredible sensations he was creating.

Su Yu captured her lips again in a deep, passionate kiss that left her breathless. His tongue explored her mouth thoroughly while his fingers teased her nipples to stiff peaks. She could feel how hard he was against her thigh, but he made no move to undress either of them.

Instead, he shifted to straddle her thigh, creating delicious pressure exactly where she needed it. Meng Hongchen's back arched off the bed as he rocked against her, the friction sending sparks of pleasure through her core.

"Yu~!" she gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders. Her entire body was trembling, wound tight like a spring ready to snap.

"Let go for me, my beautiful Meng'er," he whispered in her ear, his voice rough with desire. "I want to watch you come undone."

His words combined with a particularly firm thrust had her crying out his name, her body shuddering with release. Su Yu continued moving against her, drawing out her pleasure until she collapsed boneless beneath him.

...

Morning.

After washing up, eating, and organizing themselves, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's team headed out for the semifinals. Star Luo Plaza was packed with people; everywhere, silhouettes moved and murmurs filled the air. Although nearly an hour remained before the match, the four semifinalist teams were already present.

The resting area had been rearranged, and now the four teams stood close together. Sparks seemed to fly invisibly between them, and the atmosphere grew tense, tinged with a faint sense of hostility.

About an hour later, the Star Luo Emperor finally arrived, prompting a chorus of cheers. The crowd shouted "Long live!" while many citizens of the Star Luo Empire knelt in respect.

Xu Jiawei first commanded the citizens to rise, then began his speech. After roughly ten minutes, he finally said, "Shortly, we will begin the semifinals. The four teams competing are Shrek Academy, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Heavenly Soul Academy, and our own Star Luo Academy."

"This will be the final draw of this competition, and I have decided to personally oversee it."

"I hope our four teams can deliver an even more spectacular performance."

"I know everyone can't wait for the matches, so let's begin."

As his words fell, one of the elders standing behind Xu Jiawei stepped forward. "Will the team captains please come up to draw lots?"

A powerful aura emanated from the elder, exuding the pressure of a true Title Douluo. From behind, Xu Jiawei smiled and said, "To ensure the safety of all participants in the semifinals, Elder Huang Jinxu will serve as the referee. By the way, Elder Huang's title is Skyfiend."

"Skyfiend Douluo?"

Countless Star Luo citizens erupted into cheers, while in the Sun Moon team, Xiao Hongchen squinted slightly. "Is this the same Skyfiend Douluo known as the 'Lone Star'?"

"It should be," Su Yu said with a faint smile. Skyfiend Douluo... wasn't he beaten up by Tai Tan? Has he recovered this quickly? Huh? Where's Guardian Douluo Cheng Gang? If Su Yu remembered correctly, Cheng Gang was supposed to be the referee. Where did our Guardian Douluo disappear to?

As Su Yu pondered, Ma Rulong went up to draw lots. Representing Shrek Academy was Ma Xiaotao, while the Star Luo Academy was represented by none other than the Star Luo Empire's princess, Xu Jiujiu.

"I didn't expect her to be the leader of the Star Luo team!" Beside him, Wang Dong'er expressed her surprise, evidently unaware of Xu Jiujiu's dual identity.

"This woman isn't simple. Her martial soul is something special," Su Yu said with a chuckle.

"What kind of martial soul does she have?" Wang Dong'er asked.

"Have you heard of the Star Crown martial soul?" Su Yu replied with a smile.

Wang Dong'er shook her head. She truly hadn't.

Seeing this, Su Yu explained, "The Star Crown martial soul is a unique auxiliary martial soul. It's incredibly powerful. Back in the era of Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago, the Star Crown was one of the Spirit Hall's six royal Martial Souls. It was considered on par with the Clear Sky Hammer."

"This is a top-tier martial soul, though extremely rare."

"It's that powerful, comparable to the Clear Sky Hammer?" Wang Dong'er was astonished. The Clear Sky Hammer was a legendary martial soul.

"There are many martial souls on par with the Clear Sky Hammer. It's nothing extraordinary," Su Yu replied casually.

Wang Dong'er pouted, feeling dissatisfied. "What do you mean, 'nothing extraordinary'? Are you looking down on the Clear Sky Hammer?"

"Want me to smash you with it? Don't think having an Ultimate Martial Soul makes you so great!"

Su Yu's lips curled up. "You're not wrong—having an Ultimate Martial Soul does make me great."

"Ultimate Martial Souls are so rare that only three people have appeared in the last ten thousand years. Do you understand their value?"

"Hmph!" Wang Dong'er huffed, left speechless. Indeed, Ultimate Martial Souls were universally acknowledged as extraordinary. This was why Su Yu was held in such high regard.

Of course, Su Yu wasn't just an Ultimate Martial Soul user; he was also a twin Martial Soul wielder. Not even other Ultimate Martial Soul possessors could compare to him. This was why Wang Dong'er considered Su Yu the only person whose talent she couldn't surpass. Everyone else, she believed she could eventually overtake.

On stage, the draw had begun. The results differed from the original novel. Shrek Academy drew Heavenly Soul Academy, while Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy drew Star Luo Academy. Comparatively, Heavenly Soul Academy was easier to deal with. While Heavenly Soul had a Soul Emperor, that individual wasn't particularly challenging.

On the other hand, the Star Luo team, bolstered by the Star Crown martial soul, was far trickier. The Star Crown martial soul wasn't just mysterious; its strength was undeniable. A martial soul capable of ranking among the Spirit Hall's six royals Martial Soul was far from ordinary. In Su Yu's view, the Star Crown martial soul was far superior to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon or the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda.

PS: I add a little spice.