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

"Level 7 soul tool, Star Luo Formation, produced by the Mingde Hall. It can create a barrier within a fifty-meter radius centered on the user. Unless the holder deactivates it, no one can leave this range. Of course, if one's strength reaches that of a Titled Douluo or possesses a level 8 fixed soul tool cannon, they can forcefully break through..."

On the white jade stage.

A delicate black wrist guard was displayed.

Xu Cheng's face showed a hint of peculiarity.

This is like a one-on-one arena for tough guys.

But this thing, if not handled carefully, could turn a one-on-one fight into a group brawl...

He was initially tempted, but upon hearing the price—two million gold soul coins—he gave up. He was poor.

Not exaggerating, he was genuinely poor.

One might think that with the dual identity of a prince and a holy son, he shouldn't be short of money.

But the problem was, as a prince, his position was awkward. His mother's family had no influence, and he had no power in the court. The only legacy his mother left was still serving the empire at the border.

As the holy son of the Holy Spirit Cult, although he firmly controlled several branch cults in the towns around Mingdu.

But how much money could the Holy Spirit Cult have?

A group of evil soul masters couldn't take advantage of the favorable timing, geographical advantages, and human resources like Shrek Academy. Just the tuition fees from enrolling students were a significant income. Additionally, Shrek City attracted countless merchants, and the Treasure Pavilion alone earned a substantial amount from commissions. Moreover, with the forest nearby, they had no shortage of soul beast resources, even building a "Soul Beast Hall" within the academy...

Currently, evil soul masters were still in the shadows.

As for the original story, where they openly colluded with the Sun Moon Empire, it was only after the current emperor's death that Crown Prince Xu Tianran proposed to enshrine them as the national religion, with both sides harboring ulterior motives and colluding.

Not to mention later, when the Holy Spirit Cult's economy improved after cooperating with the Sun Moon Empire.

At least for now, the Holy Spirit Cult was dirt poor.

They still needed to find ways to make money...

Xu Cheng sighed inwardly.

One auction item after another passed by.

But none of them met Xu Cheng's expectations, so he sat on the sofa, idly eating fruits.

"Evil Eye Tyrant, sixty-thousand-year head soul bone, from the Evil Demon Forest. It was obtained by a level 9 soul engineer who wishes to remain anonymous. It is said to be the offspring of one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, the Evil Eye Tyrant Monarch, with pure bloodline, producing this precious head soul bone..."

Listening to the old man's introduction.

Xu Cheng slowly looked up.

His crimson eyes were filled with intense desire.

This... was practically tailor-made for him!

Currently, he didn't have a single soul bone in his body, as he was saving space for important ones like the Ice Emperor's torso bone. This Evil Eye Tyrant's head soul bone was exactly what he needed.

It would greatly enhance his Blood Pupil and spiritual power.

The age wasn't low either—a sixty-thousand-year soul bone was definitely top-tier...

"Starting bid, four million gold soul coins!"

The old man's gavel fell.

Xu Cheng, however, calmed down.

No choice, his savings over the years only amounted to a little over seven hundred thousand. He had no choice but to stay calm...

Maybe... he could call for reinforcements. Although the Holy Spirit Cult was poor, it was rich in talent. There were over ten Super Douluos alone...

Wu Yun, Zhang Peng...

Xu Cheng's eyes gradually turned dangerous.

As an evil soul master, his moral bottom line was quite flexible. At worst...

"Four hundred and fifty-five thousand!"

Xiao Hongchen raised his bid.

Xu Cheng looked at him in surprise.

The latter smiled, "We're buddies..."

He felt somewhat moved...

But soon.

"Four hundred and sixty thousand!"

"Four hundred and seventy thousand!"

"Five hundred thousand!"

"Five hundred and fifty thousand!"

The price had already far surpassed their reach.

It felt like something they could only dream of.

"..."

Xiao Hongchen looked at the skyrocketing price, his scalp tingling. He swallowed hard and was about to raise his bid again.

But a hand stopped him.

Xu Cheng's expression was calm.

"No need, Xiao. It seems this soul bone and I are not meant to be. No need to force it."

"...Alright."

Xiao Hongchen hesitated but nodded.

Although he was Jing Hongchen's grandson, spending such a large sum of money would likely get him in trouble when he returned.

This soul bone's price was still rising. By the time it peaked, it would likely reach at least four to five million gold soul coins—an astronomical sum.

Meng Hongchen also felt regretful.

She wanted to help, but her strength was limited. Among her peers, she was decent, but in the grand scheme of Mingdu...

In the end, the soul bone was bought by a mysterious guest for nine hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins...

Xu Cheng struggled for a moment but ultimately gave up.

Calling for reinforcements might feel good in the moment, but the consequences were unpredictable.

At worst, he could just pretend he never encountered it...

...

After the auction, they returned to the experimental area.

Xu Cheng leaned on the table, deep in thought.

This experience made him realize the importance of financial resources.

But his identity as a prince, while prestigious, was also a constraint.

In other words, if he were just an ordinary student of the Sun Moon Empire, after showcasing his talent, even if he had no money, the entire academy would back him. Jing Hongchen might even personally bid for the soul bone and gift it to him, as long as he joined the Mingde Hall in the future, that would be the greatest repayment.

But he was a prince.

And during this sensitive period of succession, the situation was becoming increasingly delicate, making the academy hesitant to take sides.

He was certain that countless eyes were closely watching him tonight.

This was also why he ultimately didn't call for reinforcements. The more he acted, the more mistakes he could make. If he really caused trouble, he would be truly passive...

His identity as the holy son of the Holy Spirit Cult was already a concern for the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince.

The top priority was to have a major figure from the Sun Moon Empire publicly support him.

It could be Jing Hongchen, Elder Kong, or Elder Cheng...

"Phew..."

Xu Cheng let out a long breath.

He needed to speed things up.

"Why the long face?"

Nana's clear voice rang out.

A pair of delicate hands rested on his shoulders, gently massaging them.

"...Heh, it's nothing."

Xu Cheng didn't turn his head, rubbing his temples instead.

The road ahead was long and arduous...

"..."

As the massage continued, the sensation of the small hands on his shoulders disappeared.

Instead, he felt a soft, wave-like pressure on his back.

A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist from behind.

Xu Cheng: "..."

Warm breath brushed against his ear.

"Brother, you always try to bear everything alone. Can't you let me share some of the burden?"

"Share..."

Xu Cheng was stunned.

Then he smiled helplessly.

This little girl could assist him in managing the Holy Spirit Cult in the future, but making money...

Wait!

Xu Cheng's eyes narrowed.

If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Ju Zi lost her father in the war between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire when she was young. Her mother, overcome with grief, followed soon after, leaving her an orphan at around eleven years old.

Calculating the timeline, it should be around this time.

Ju Zi's leadership abilities were undoubtedly top-notch.

In terms of military strategy, she was exceptionally intelligent, earning the respect of level 8 and 9 soul engineers far stronger than her. Under her command, the Sun Moon Empire's army swept through three nations like a storm.

In terms of civil administration, she initially served as Xu Tianran's secretary and earned his deep trust. Gaining Xu Tianran's approval was no small feat, indicating her exceptional capabilities...

(End of Chapter)