"Auspicious Beast? Why are you here?"
On the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.
Gu Yuena looked at the nervous Auspicious Beast, who was glancing around anxiously, her tone puzzled.
"Master, the core area was too stuffy, so I came out here for a walk," Auspicious Beast answered guiltily.
"Oh. Be careful. Those humans dared to reach into the Star Dou Forest with such strange means. Even Di Tian didn't sense them last time. If something like that happens again, you might not have anyone to save you." Gu Yuena reminded her solemnly.
"Yes." Auspicious Beast nodded quickly.
"But, Master, where are you going? You've already taken human form." Having successfully brushed off suspicion, Auspicious Beast couldn't help asking curiously.
"I…" Gu Yuena was at a loss for words.
Seeing Auspicious Beast's doubtful gaze, she grew slightly embarrassed. Looking up at the sky, her calm eyes turned distant. "It is the guidance of fate. I cannot speak of it."
"Oh, oh…" Auspicious Beast nodded blankly, still confused.
"Remember this well: the human world is extremely dangerous. As soul beasts, we must never take the wrong path. Once your identity is exposed, it will be very dangerous." Gu Yuena gave her one last warning before leaving.
…
"How dare you!"
Slap!
By Sea God Lake.
Dai Huabin covered his face, head hanging low. He glanced up at his elder brother, whose stern expression brimmed with disappointment. Inside, anger and resentment seethed.
His fists clenched, but he said nothing.
What right do you have to scold me? What right to act superior in front of me?!
Just because you were born a few years earlier?
If we were the same age, I'd crush you underfoot!
He roared inwardly, but outwardly remained silent.
"Mother worked painstakingly to place you in Class Two, not so you could offend him, but so you could cling to him. That person is someone you cannot afford to provoke. His terror far exceeds your imagination—both in background and in strength! Even Zhou Yi, he crippled. Do you think you'd fare any better?"
"Do you know how much the academy mobilized when he went missing? Put away that ridiculous pride of yours. I don't expect you to be friends with him, but if you can just avoid offending him, I'll thank the heavens!"
Dai Yueheng's voice was low and stern.
"As for spreading rumors of his death—I didn't call you out. I made sure to clean up your mess. But in the future…"
He sighed.
Looking at his silent younger brother, head still bowed, Dai Yueheng's expression softened. Blood ties bound them, and he couldn't stand by and watch Huabin destroy himself. His brother's personality was far too extreme. If he really stirred up trouble, he might drag the entire Duke's Mansion down with him.
And that was no exaggeration.
What made Su Wen truly terrifying was his talent.
That was why Shrek Academy treated him like a treasure. Talent was the pass to becoming a true powerhouse. Give him time and resources, and within decades he'd stand at the peak of the continent.
Their father, after all these years, was only at the peak of Soul Douluo, not even having stepped into Title Douluo.
When that day came, Su Wen could crush the Duke's Mansion with the flick of a finger.
His potential was enough to threaten even Super Douluo. And Su Wen was already holding the pass toward becoming an Ultimate Douluo.
That was the gap.
A chasm as vast as the heavens.
After a few softer words of advice, Dai Yueheng left in haste.
Only Dai Huabin remained, watching him go with cold, icy eyes.
The Dai family had once been royalty. Between brothers, their blood had always run cold.
…
Cafeteria.
Crowds bustled back and forth.
Su Wen ate his meal quietly, lost in thought.
"Level forty-four."
After absorbing a ten-thousand-year Emerald Swan, he had broken through the bottleneck that had trapped him for so long. The accumulated foundation exploded, pushing his soul power up by a full four levels.
This world also had a saying about "hollowed-out soul power."
For example, Shrek Academy mocked the Sun and Moon Empire, claiming their strength was built purely on pills. But with soul tools, as long as their soul power was sufficient, they could rival natural-born geniuses.
Speaking of soul tools…
In Su Wen's view, the true trump card combination of the future was not just soul masters, but talented martial souls paired with soul tools.
That was the path Huo Yuhao took in the original.
But with the technology of Douluo Dalu II, unless someone had cheats, soul tools would not truly flourish until ten thousand years later.
The real reason Huo Yuhao overturned the world was because he was the child of destiny. Extreme resources that could let ordinary people defy fate—he received them in abundance, one after another, until he was overflowing. That was how he was forged.
No other genius could replicate his road.
Take Xiao Hongchen—he was basically a downgraded, resource-starved version of Huo Yuhao.
Even Yuhao himself, throughout early, mid, and late stages, relied heavily on the soul master system. Early on, he hid in the team as a support with Skydream. Later, his strength came from Ice Empress, Snow Empress, soul spirits, martial fusion skills with various women, and Electrolux's gifts. Even his guerrilla war in the Sun and Moon Empire relied mainly on the undead domain left by Electrolux.
Soul tools mostly served to give him "presence," to show he was also a soul engineer.
The truly useful ones were all products of the Sun and Moon Empire.
For something that consumed so much time yet yielded so little, Su Wen had no intention of wasting energy.
Not long ago, Xian Lin'er had sought him out, hoping he would delve into soul tool research. He declined.
No need.
From the academy's perspective, the development of soul tools was inevitable—a future trend.
But when that "future" was ten thousand years away…
That urgency felt a bit premature.
"What are you thinking? You're spacing out." Wang Dong poked Su Wen's arm, bored.
"I was thinking why cultivation is so slow. When will I ever reach Title Douluo?" Su Wen sighed.
The entire area fell silent.
Everyone lowered their heads to eat.
Today's class soul power test had shocked them—Su Wen at forty-fourth rank, dazzling and demoralizing. They'd only just managed to forget it, and Wang Dong had to bring it up again.
"My soul power has been rising so slowly lately…" Su Wen muttered gloomily.
Everyone: "…"
They buried their heads deeper in their bowls, eating even faster.
"I'm done!" Xue Ling set down his chopsticks, coughing twice.
"Me too!" Xie Huanyue, unusually, stopped after just five bowls, patting his stomach.
"…"
"You're so fake…"
Only Wang Dong remained, nibbling slowly like a little bird. Seeing everyone flee as if escaping, he could only mutter helplessly.
"Am I?" Su Wen looked confused. "It really is slow."
Wang Dong covered his face.
"Wang Dong, want to go watch a match together?"
Xiao Xiao appeared nearby, smiling brightly.
"There's a match tonight?" Su Wen asked in surprise.
"The duel arena! The Twin Stars of the outer court are competing again." Xiao Xiao chattered excitedly.
Those two are that short on money?
Su Wen muttered inwardly.
Out again to make a quick fortune.