Douluo Dalu 2: You are an Evil Soul Master, but also a good person ?

Di Tian was considered the most powerful existence in the Douluo Plane. He held a position of immense authority in the soul beast world, effectively controlling more than half of all soul beasts. Through the auspicious beast, Xu Cheng had managed to establish a connection with him as well. This would be highly beneficial for future research on spirit rings and deeper collaborations.

However...

Watching Di Tian's departing figure, Xu Cheng figured that the old man would have to discuss this matter with the Silver Dragon King after returning.

But he wasn't worried. The latter truly considered herself part of the soul beast clan and had been striving for its future—though her efforts were somewhat misdirected, leading to her repeatedly walking into deadly situations. Nevertheless, upon hearing Xu Cheng's information and verifying its authenticity, she might even take the initiative to cooperate.

The Silver Dragon King was one of the few female protagonists in the Douluo series who had her own ambitions. Unlike the others, who were essentially just accessories to the male protagonist...

"Let's go, Sunset Mountain Range!" Xu Cheng waved his hand.

With that, he no longer moved at a leisurely pace. He swiftly traversed the border of the Star Dou Forest, entering Douluo Empire territory, and continued northward toward the Sunset Forest.

Inside the Sunset Forest

"This place is really barren." Ma Xiaotao glanced around and pouted.

"Compared to the Star Dou Forest, it does seem quite lacking." Xu Cheng floated in mid-air, looking down below as he sighed.

The Star Dou Forest had the Lake of Life and abundant resources. Ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts were common there, making it the most dangerous soul beast forest on the continent—without question.

In contrast, the Sunset Forest had little to offer aside from Tang San's personal garden—the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. However, Xu Cheng remembered that before Tang San ascended, the area surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had been teeming with soul beasts, and the entire forest had not appeared so desolate.

The original story explained this as a result of human overhunting, placing all the blame on the Dou Ling Empire and Tianhun Empire…

But coincidentally, ten thousand years ago, the plants in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had no intelligence, with even the strongest having only decades or centuries of cultivation. Yet in just ten thousand years, these plants had somehow reached the ten-thousand-year level.

Could this have been Tang San's doing? Perhaps he secretly modified the array formation, turning the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well into a spirit-gathering array that absorbed the life energy of the entire Sunset Forest to cultivate powerful immortal herbs—for his family's exclusive use.

It would make sense.

That Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had been exploited multiple times: by Tang San himself, Huo Hang, and later even Tang Wulin ten thousand years later…

It might sound like a conspiracy theory, but sacrificing an entire forest's vitality to nourish his own private garden was not beyond a certain God King's capabilities.

Xu Cheng's mouth twitched as he observed the hundred-year-old soul beasts running about.

They were already close to the core region of the Sunset Forest, yet hundred-year-old soul beasts could still be found here? Absolutely absurd.

In the Star Dou Forest's core, not only were hundred-year-old and thousand-year-old soul beasts nonexistent, but even common ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts were rare. The area was dominated by creatures of at least fifty thousand years of cultivation, with no upper limit.

By comparison, the Sunset Forest was worse than the Star Dou Forest's outer perimeter.

"Is this because of humans?" Tang Ya bit her lip, looking troubled.

"If this continues, the Sunset Forest will eventually disappear. If no action is taken, even the Star Dou Forest may follow the same path."

Xu Cheng glanced at Tang Ya. As expected, anyone seeing this sight would instinctively blame humans. He did not deny this as a factor, but he believed there were deeper reasons yet to be discovered.

Ma Xiaotao also looked solemn.

As a top student of Shrek Academy, she had been taught to uphold justice and bring order to the continent. Though often reckless, she did have some concern for the future.

"If things really go that way, the future might see Titled Douluo with nine white soul rings," Xu Cheng remarked.

"Then… is there a solution? Like the mechanical spirit rings you mentioned earlier?" Ma Xiaotao asked urgently.

"Heh, of course, there is. But why is Saintess of the Holy Spirit Cult, the leader of evil soul masters, so concerned about this?" Xu Cheng chuckled.

"You!" Ma Xiaotao's beautiful eyes widened in anger, her teeth grinding. She glared at him for a long time before forcibly suppressing the urge to bite him. She had no choice—she wasn't strong enough to fight back, and her life was quite literally in his hands.

With a snort, she darted ahead like the wind.

Xu Cheng glanced at Tang Ya, who was staring at him.

"What are you looking at? You're no different," he said flatly.

Tang Ya: "…"

As they ventured deeper over the next few days, a pink miasma thickened around them, reducing visibility to less than a hundred meters.

Xu Cheng floated in the air, scanning the surroundings. This miasma had to be another obstacle left by God King Tang San. After all, such a precious treasure could only be obtained by the Tang family—ordinary people hoping for a lucky chance? Dream on.

"This mist is unusual." Ma Xiaotao tore off a piece of cloth from her sleeve, covering her nose and mouth as she lowered her voice.

"If we go any deeper, even Titled Douluo might not survive," she said hesitantly, glancing at Xu Cheng with growing unease.

She still didn't know exactly what he was searching for, but the deeper they ventured, the more foreboding she felt.

"I know…" Xu Cheng smirked. "Judging by this, we should be there."

Before Ma Xiaotao could respond, he lightly rubbed the ring on his finger. A complex, large-caliber cannon suddenly materialized on his shoulder.

Under the astonished gazes of the two women, a scorching projectile burst from the cannon.

A Level 7 soul tool high-explosive round—designed to generate extreme heat, incinerating everything in its radius.

Boom!

The dense mist instantly dispersed, clearing an area nearly a kilometer in diameter. Their vision suddenly became clear, and the looming crisis vanished.

Below them, the landscape unfolded like a sea of fire.

Buzz!

Xu Cheng didn't stop. His vast spiritual power surged out, and in the sky, a blood-red moon slowly took shape, its eerie crimson eye opening wide.

It observed everything below with an almost sentient gaze.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened in shock. "Is this… his Martial Soul's true form? It's the first time I've seen it."

In the next moment, she felt as if her soul had left her body. Her perception expanded dramatically—everything within a 1,500-meter radius was under her scrutiny. For a moment, she felt almost godlike, capable of predicting every movement within this range, down to a flame wolf's next step.

Ma Xiaotao swallowed, awed.

So this was the reason why Xu Cheng's teammates were so monstrously strong in battle—it was because of this enhancement!

A godly ability!

Xu Cheng had left a lasting impression on everyone during the tournament—mysterious, overwhelmingly powerful, seemingly effortless in every encounter, with many of his abilities yet to be revealed.

And now, he had completely exposed this power to her?

Ma Xiaotao fell silent.

Did this mean… he truly considered her one of his own?

"Alright, let's go."

Xu Cheng waved his hand.

The crimson moon in the sky slowly faded.

Without hesitation, he descended.

Ma Xiaotao bit her lip, sighed softly, and followed along with Tang Ya.

"This place is..."

After landing, both women were startled, their eyes widening in amazement at the breathtaking scene before them.

The contrast with the outside world was simply too great.

It was as if the very essence of the entire Sunset Forest had been gathered and concentrated here.

"That's right, we've arrived." Xu Cheng smiled as he plucked a seven-colored flower. His originally slender, bony fingers were instantly stained with the flower's hues, emitting a faint sizzling sound.

"This is... miasmic poison!" Tang Ya's delicate face flashed with horror.

According to the Tang Sect's Treasured Records, this kind of poison was extremely terrifying. Though it was not a living entity, it was even more dreadful than one. It fed on living beings, expanding its range with each victim it consumed.

Only now did they notice that the ground was littered with skeletal remains, all covered with the seven-colored miasma.

Tang Ya hurriedly moved closer to Xu Cheng, only to see the poison already spreading from his fingers to his palm. Although its speed was not rapid, it was visibly creeping forward.

"Master, can you save him?" Tang Ya asked anxiously in her heart.

After a long silence, the voice inside her finally responded, "Once the body is tainted by miasma, no medicine can cure it. This miasma has existed for at least ten thousand years. Over these millennia, it has devoured countless living beings, accumulating an incredibly terrifying level of toxicity. Saving him... is difficult."

"Is there no other way?" Tang Ya bit her lip lightly.

"...Perhaps immortal herbs could serve as an antidote. In the Tang Sect's Treasured Records, there are records of some immortal herbs, several of which have the ability to cure him. But this is, after all, another world. Whether these immortal herbs exist here is uncertain." Tang Wen replied helplessly.

Tang Ya fell silent.

"Then, Master, the Tang Sect specializes in hidden weapons and poisons. Is there no detoxification method we can use?"

"There is one. The original version of the Mysterious Heaven Skill I gave you a while ago can neutralize all poisons. It is the Tang Sect's highest internal technique. This is why Tang Sect disciples are generally unafraid of poisons when they travel. However, this miasma has been accumulating for ten thousand years—I don't know if it can be neutralized..." Tang Wen said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"I understand, Master." Tang Ya nodded, as if making a firm decision.

"Puchi!"

She suddenly grasped Xu Cheng's palm and activated the Mysterious Heaven Skill. In an instant, the seven-colored miasma surged into her body.

Xu Cheng: ???

"Don't speak yet! Just listen to me!" Tang Ya lifted her tear-filled eyes.

"You have great ambitions—to unify the continent, to educate the common people. These are the aspirations of a true hero. You also want to develop mechanical spirit rings, a creation that will benefit countless lives. No matter who else dies, you cannot die."

Xu Cheng stroked his chin. "And what about your grand plan to revive the Tang Sect?"

Tang Ya's beautiful eyes dimmed. "I know I'm foolish and useless. The so-called revival of the Tang Sect... is incredibly difficult in my hands. Even though I have inherited the true teachings, these goals still feel almost unattainable to me. But in your hands, you can accomplish them effortlessly. So, before I die, I beg you… please, help me revive the Tang Sect."

Xu Cheng remained silent.

He examined Tang Ya carefully.

Her stubborn nature was as strong as ever.

To be able to withstand the pressure of Yan Shaozhe, a Hyper Douluo, while mocking Shrek Academy, disregarding her own life—very few people could do such a thing.

(End of chapter)