Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King - [DD2]: 48

Around the dormitory area, there was a designated testing zone, complete with training rooms. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy was well-equipped in this regard.

However, Su Yu didn’t test himself here because the strength-testing machine had a maximum capacity of only level five, which was far from enough to measure his strength.

Instead, Su Yu took Wang Dong and headed to the sixth-year dormitory area. The strength-testing machine there might be more suitable.

“Su Yu, what exactly are we doing?”

Wang Dong asked curiously as he walked alongside him.

It was their weekly day off. Could it be that Su Yu was taking him somewhere fun?

“I’m going to test my physical stats and see where I stand,” Su Yu said with a slight smile.

“Test your physical stats?”

Wang Dong’s eyes lit up with curiosity. His physical condition was quite good—during the entrance exam, his physical strength and endurance were both above level thirty, putting him ahead of many others.

He wondered just how strong Su Yu’s physical stats were. They should be much stronger than his, right?

With curiosity swirling in his mind, the two quickly arrived at the sixth-year dormitory area.

The testing zone was empty, not a soul in sight.

Su Yu nodded in satisfaction. This was better. It would be troublesome if they caused a commotion.

After a brief conversation with the teacher on duty, Su Yu and Wang Dong were allowed into the testing zone.

Inside, there were several machines for measuring physical fitness, strength, and reaction speed. Wang Dong curiously examined each soul tool, though he didn’t recognize most of them. He knew they were used for testing stats, but he couldn’t figure out each tool’s specific function.

In the past, he hadn’t been very interested in soul tools. However, recently, his aversion has lessened. He didn’t know why, but deep down, he didn’t reject soul tools as much anymore. While he still didn’t particularly like them, his opposition had diminished.

“How do you use this thing?”

Wang Dong asked Su Yu, curiosity clear in his voice.

“It’s quite simple.”

Su Yu walked over to a strength-testing instrument, the main reason he had come here.

The teacher on duty approached the machine, injected some soul power, and the machine lit up.

Su Yu stepped forward, clenched his right hand into a fist, and punched the designated area for testing punching power.

“Boom!”

With a fierce gust of wind, Su Yu’s punch struck the machine with a heavy thud. The entire machine shook, and the screen above flashed rapidly. The numbers jumped wildly, rising faster and faster, until suddenly, the screen froze, and the entire machine went dark.

A thin wisp of black smoke rose from the machine.

“What just happened?”

Wang Dong asked in confusion.

The teacher on duty’s mouth twitched as he gave Su Yu a strange look. “The strength was too overwhelming—it exceeded the machine’s limit and broke it.”

“Student, what grade are you in?”

“This machine can measure up to 50,000 jin (about 25,000 kg or 55,000 lbs) of force. Are you sure you’re not from Illustrious Virtue Hall?”

The teacher was stunned. A machine capable of measuring 50,000 jin had been broken by a single punch—could you believe it?

“How much?”

“Fifty thousand jin?”

Wang Dong looked at Su Yu as if he were a monster. A machine that could withstand 50,000 jin of force couldn’t even measure Su Yu’s strength. And the machine had broken because Su Yu’s strength far exceeded the limit. Just how strong was this guy?

“Are you even human?”

Wang Dong asked, seriously doubting whether Su Yu was human or a humanoid beast.

“Ahem, of course, I’m human. I’m just naturally strong, that’s all,” Su Yu coughed awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He knew his strength had increased significantly, but he hadn’t expected it to exceed 50,000 jin. What kind of concept was that? Even an ordinary Soul Douluo might not have 50,000 jin of strength. Only a power-attack-type Soul Douluo might possess that kind of force.

While soul masters primarily relied on skills and explosive power in battle, having this much physical strength was a considerable advantage. Who would dare to engage him in close combat? One punch and it would be over.

“Really? I don’t believe it, you freak.”

Wang Dong was speechless with shock.

No wonder Su Yu could grab him like a little chick. Could a human possess such strength? This was ridiculous!

“If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do,” Su Yu shrugged.

“Student, I think you should be more concerned about how much you owe for the damages,” the teacher on duty said calmly.

Breaking a strength-testing machine with a single punch—this was the first time the teacher had ever seen such a thing.

Su Yu’s mouth twitched. Not only had he failed to measure his strength, but now he had to pay for the broken machine. What a situation.

In the end, Su Yu paid for the damages and returned to the dormitory with Wang Dong.

This incident thoroughly motivated Wang Dong, who began training like crazy every day. Even Su Yu couldn’t match Wang Dong’s level of dedication. Wang Dong’s effort was so intense that it didn’t seem like him anymore.

Of course, hard work paid off. Wang Dong had great talent, and with such effort, his progress was impressive.

Meanwhile, Su Yu kept his usual pace, studying soul tools during the day and meditating at night. He also found time to absorb the Dragon Horn Bone from the Ancient Azure Dragon, which helped him smoothly break through to level forty, becoming a Soul Ancestor.

He only needed a soul ring to officially enter the ranks of Soul Ancestors, but Su Yu wasn’t in a hurry. His soul power would continue to grow, and he could obtain a soul ring later.

Thus, the days passed by, one after another.

…

At the same time, a group of unexpected visitors arrived at the Star Dou Forest.

There were about a dozen people in the group. At the front was a slender young girl. She was stunningly beautiful, with a gentle temperament. Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, giving her an air of elegance and grace. It seemed she was the leader.

Flanking her were a man and a woman. The woman exuded a fiery aura, while the man gave off a wild and violent energy. In the center of the group was another young girl, who seemed to share a connection with the leader, and together they watched over the team.

It was worth noting that the entire group wore red clothing, with badges featuring a chubby creature on their chests. Clearly, they all came from the same place.

“Everyone, stay alert. We’re about to enter the mixed zone,” the leading girl reminded the group as they moved forward.

At the very back of the group was a scruffy man, holding a gourd in one hand and a chicken leg in the other, eating as he walked.

He chomped down on the chicken leg and occasionally took a swig from the gourd. His leisurely demeanor made it seem as though he wasn’t in the perilous Star Dou Forest, but rather at an amusement park.

He took a sip of wine, wiped his mouth haphazardly with his sleeve, and then yawned. As he continued to sip his wine, he slowly trailed behind the rest of the group.

Meanwhile, the team, led by the gentle young woman, had already entered the mixed zone.

The mixed zone had the most diverse and abundant types of soul beasts in the entire Star Dou Forest, with even more soul beasts here than in the core area. While the core area housed older and stronger soul beasts, in terms of variety and sheer numbers, it couldn’t compare to the mixed zone.

Upon entering, the group became noticeably more cautious, advancing slowly and with serious expressions. This was no ordinary team—they were top students from the inner court of Shrek Academy.

Being admitted to Shrek Academy’s inner court was an achievement that marked them as some of the most exceptional talents on the continent. No matter what people said about Shrek Academy, its students were undeniably the best in the entire continent. Even the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy couldn’t compete with them in this regard.

At the head of the group was none other than Zhang Lexuan, hailed as the number one genius in the inner court. Though only 23 years old, she had already reached the 80th level. Her cultivation talent was considered the best in the inner court in the last 3,000 years.

Besides Zhang Lexuan, the group included other outstanding students like Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming. Han Ruoruo was a 76th-level Soul Sage, second only to Zhang Lexuan. Wu Ming, meanwhile, was also a prodigy, on the verge of breaking into the ranks of Soul Sage.

This group had also participated in the previous Continental Soul Master Tournament. In addition to them, there were Cheng Moxuan, Luo Yuan, Zhang Lie, Chu He, and others. They were all inner court geniuses and even the weakest among them had already reached the 50th level.

With such a strong team, they could dominate the mixed zone. Few soul beast groups could rival them here. Most of the real threats lurked in the core area.

Because of their strength, they needed soul rings from high-age soul beasts. As they ventured deeper into the mixed zone, 10,000-year-old soul beasts began to appear.

Zhang Lexuan remained vigilant, scanning her surroundings. In a place as dangerous as the Star Dou Forest, carelessness was not an option.

The group continued forward until Zhang Lexuan suddenly stopped and raised her hand, signaling the others to halt. Through a gap in the dense forest, Zhang Lexuan spotted a crimson tiger about four meters long and two meters tall, its body covered in black stripes and exuding a violent, fierce aura.

“Senior sister, did you spot something?”

Wu Ming asked quietly from behind.

Zhang Lexuan turned and whispered, “It’s a Crimson Demon Tiger, about 20,000 years old. Luo Yuan, it’s a perfect fit for you.”

Luo Yuan, a 22-year-old 60th-level Soul Emperor, was one of the top students in the inner court. His martial soul was a Flame Tiger, a fire-attribute, tiger-type martial soul. While it wasn’t as superior as the White Tiger, it was still high-grade.

Hearing this, Luo Yuan’s eyes lit up. The Crimson Demon Tiger was a high-grade soul beast. Although it wasn’t top-tier like the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear or the Titan Giant Ape, it was still second-tier. Its quality was impressive. If Luo Yuan could obtain its soul ring, he would probably be smiling in his sleep.

“Senior sister, I’ll rely on you all then. I want this Crimson Demon Tiger,” Luo Yuan quickly said.

“Alright, listen to my instructions.”

Zhang Lexuan began assigning roles for the battle. She would lead the main attack, with Wu Ming and Cheng Moxuan providing support from the sides, and Han Ruoruo handling control. The rest of the students were tasked with protecting the auxiliary soul masters, like Hua Yao.

The team slowly approached the Crimson Demon Tiger, which hadn’t yet noticed the impending danger. By the time the tiger sensed something was wrong, Zhang Lexuan and her group were already close.

A crescent moon appeared in the sky as Zhang Lexuan launched her attack. Simultaneously, a golden rope shot out from the side—Han Ruoruo’s move. Her martial soul was the Dazzling Golden Rope.

Han Ruoruo’s control skills were incredibly powerful, earning her the title of the best controller in the inner court. She quickly bound the Crimson Demon Tiger tightly.

Wu Ming and Cheng Moxuan’s attacks followed soon after. Despite being a high-level soul beast, the Crimson Demon Tiger couldn’t withstand the combined assault. In no time, it was left on the verge of death after the powerful barrage.

“Luo Yuan!”

Zhang Lexuan called, and Luo Yuan eagerly rushed forward. Seeing the subdued Crimson Demon Tiger, he grinned from ear to ear.

“Everyone, stay on guard. Luo Yuan, absorb the soul ring quickly,” Zhang Lexuan instructed, and the group resumed their respective duties.

Luo Yuan finished off the Crimson Demon Tiger with a single strike, and a black soul ring rose from its body. He sat cross-legged, released his martial soul, and began absorbing the soul ring.

Absorbing a 10,000-year soul ring wasn’t quick. With Luo Yuan’s strength, it would take at least half a day.

Two hours passed, and the team was still on alert. The scruffy man who had been trailing behind was now lounging in a tree, completely relaxed. He wasn’t too concerned; since they hadn’t entered the core area, it was unlikely they would face any real danger in the mixed zone with such a strong team.

Feeling a bit hungry, he rubbed his stomach. He pulled out another chicken leg and began gnawing on it. Another half-hour passed as he alternated between taking sips of wine and bites of chicken, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Suddenly, faint but chaotic noises caught his attention. At first, he didn’t pay much mind, but the noise grew louder and more intense, accompanied by furious roars and cries of pain.

The scruffy man jerked upright, finally realizing something was wrong. “Not good!”

He rushed toward the inner court team. When he arrived, he saw a massive, five- to six-meter-tall Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear wreaking havoc.

With a single swipe of its claw, the bear unleashed an energy claw nearly ten meters long, tearing through everything in its path. Cheng Moxuan didn’t even have time to react before he was shredded to pieces, his body erupting into a cloud of blood mist.

“Cheng Moxuan!”

Zhang Lexuan cried in anguish, her fifth soul ring flaring to life. The crescent moon in the sky suddenly turned golden, splitting into two identical crescents.

Her fifth soul skill—Moonfall!

The golden crescents, carrying terrifying cutting power, slashed toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. Yet, despite the immense power of her attack, it didn’t manage to dislodge even a single hair from the bear’s body.

PS: This event occurred in the original story before the main story. However, it was only mentioned as a tragic incident resulting in the deaths of some Shrek students and Zhang Lexuan obtaining a red soul ring.

PS2: Btw, Zhang Lexuan is the person Su Yu refers to as his Sister Xuan, and she is also one of the heroines in this story.