Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

A domineering and fierce sword aura erupted explosively from Su Yu's body, enveloping half of the stage in an invisible force field. The scene transformed into an ink painting, everything rendered in stark black and white. Black light flickered around Su Yu as he swung his longsword, unleashing a terrifying momentum. Following the arc of his strike, a black dragon soared into the air, roaring with wild ferocity.

Its unstoppable aura swept outward, silencing the audience. In the spectator stands, a previously listless young man suddenly sat up straight, exuding an intense, razor-sharp aura. The surrounding students backed away cautiously, glaring at him, but he ignored them. His eyes gleamed brightly, his entire demeanor charged with energy.

Onstage, Meng Hongchen's expression grew grave. Su Yu's sword targeted eight directions simultaneously, and the roaring black dragon's energy made her heart tremble. Forcing herself to suppress her fear, she lifted off the ground, spiraling violently in midair to transform into a vortex.

At the center of this ice-blue vortex, faint red light flickered, radiating an intense, fiery heat—as if a raging fire burned within a whirlpool of ice. This was Meng Hongchen's strongest attack: the Frostfire Poison Dragon Drill. A combination of her ten-thousand-year soul skill and a Level 6 Soul Tool, its power rivaled the sixth soul skill of a Soul Emperor-level expert.

The black dragon clashed violently with the ice-blue vortex, sparking a fierce contest of strength. On one side was Su Yu's strongest horizontal sword technique, a strike aimed in all directions; on the other was the overwhelming power of Meng Hongchen's ultimate combination attack.

With a deafening boom, the two forces collided. The resulting explosion of light and energy painted the surroundings in a dazzling display, leaving countless spectators holding their breath, afraid to look away. The battle had reached unprecedented intensity.

"Break!"

Su Yu's soft shout seemed to reverberate across the stage. The black dragon's dark light intensified. Meng Hongchen's expression shifted, and she swiftly summoned a golden barrier: the Resilient Wall, a defensive measure provided by her Level 6 Soul Tool. It was a wise choice.

The black dragon roared, tearing through the Frostfire Vortex before crashing into the Resilient Wall. Though most of its power had been weakened, the force of Su Yu's attack still sent Meng Hongchen stumbling back dozens of steps.

Su Yu followed up, his sword brimming with cold energy. A sharp blade of light descended from above.

"Rainbow Pierces the Sun!"

The sword streaked downward with unstoppable momentum. Though less domineering than his previous strike, it was lightning-fast and terrifyingly sharp.

Meng Hongchen dared not be complacent. She tried to dodge, but the sword's trajectory locked onto her. The immense pressure bore down, and with her strongest attack having failed, her fighting spirit wavered.

Just as the sword was about to strike, the ring on Meng Hongchen's finger flashed, and she was instantly teleported 100 meters away, narrowly escaping the blade.

The Shift Ring—a Level 7 Soul Tool—allowed her to teleport once a day, up to a maximum range of 100 meters. Its activation saved her life.

However, Su Yu remained unfazed. Instead of weakening, his sword aura grew even stronger, spreading across the arena. Even from a distance, Meng Hongchen felt her breath grow labored under its pressure.

Su Yu's entire being resembled a tightly drawn bow. At the peak of his focus, he unleashed his next technique: the ultimate secret of the Vertical Sword.

The familiar ink painting scene reappeared, and this time, a white dragon roared forth.

Su Yu's sword style, derived from the Way of the Heavens, had two aspects: Horizontal Sword and Vertical Sword. The Horizontal Sword relied on strategy to gain an advantage, while the Vertical Sword focused on raw power to achieve control. Together, they embodied the balance of the universe: Opening and Closing.

Now, Su Yu unleashed the pinnacle of the Vertical Sword: Hundred-Step Flying Sword.

A technique capable of severing a throat from a hundred steps away.

Momentum defined the Vertical Sword, and this strike was like a flood bursting through a dam—unstoppable and overwhelming.

In the stands, the previously composed young man trembled with excitement. The iron sword resting on his knees hummed as though resonating with Su Yu's strike. His eyes burned with newfound determination.

"I must fight him," he muttered.

"I have to fight him."

"Not good!"

Jing Hongchen's face turned serious in the audience. No one had anticipated Su Yu's sword to reach such a level of power.

Was this a self-created soul skill? How could it possibly be this strong?

Locked onto by the Hundred-Step Flying Sword, Meng Hongchen felt immense pressure. This time, escape was impossible. She activated her Resilient Wall once more, but even behind the golden barrier, she felt little sense of security.

The white dragon roared forward, and Su Yu's Iron Horse Glacier struck the Resilient Wall. Within seconds, the barrier shattered. As the sword closed in, dread washed over Meng Hongchen.

In the audience, Jing Hongchen stood abruptly, ready to intervene.

But just as the white dragon was about to engulf Meng Hongchen, a hand gripped Iron Horse Glacier, halting the surging sword aura.

The cold blade rested against Meng Hongchen's fair neck, its icy chill making her hair stand on end. She gasped for breath, fear still evident in her wide eyes. The danger had passed, but the young girl—barely fifteen—felt her legs give out beneath her.

Su Yu quickly stepped forward, supporting her with his left hand. Meng Hongchen, now resting weakly in his arms, looked up at him with a mix of lingering fear and playful reproach.

"You scoundrel," she said, her voice trembling.

"You scared me to death."

By now, Meng Hongchen understood that Su Yu had been deliberately scaring her. The precision with which he controlled such a powerful attack was terrifying in itself.

"You're just too timid, Sister Meng. How could I possibly hurt you?"

Su Yu said with a light chuckle.

Meng Hongchen rolled her eyes but was too exhausted to reply. Her legs felt like jelly, and she simply lay quietly in his arms, unable to summon the strength to move.

In the stands, Wang Dong'er pursed her lips, clearly upset at the sight.

The result of the battle was obvious. The host glanced at Su Yu and announced loudly, "The match is over. The winner is Su Yu!"

"Congratulations to Su Yu for advancing to the finals this afternoon!"

Having defeated Meng Hongchen, Su Yu secured his place in the finals. The championship match would be between him and Xiao Hongchen.

After a brief silence, the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Whether it was Meng Hongchen's Frostfire Poison Dragon Drill or Su Yu's awe-inspiring sword techniques, the spectators had been treated to a visual feast. It was the most thrilling match of the selection tournament so far.

"Still have any strength left?"

Su Yu asked, looking down at Meng Hongchen in his arms.

She gently shook her head, her exhaustion evident. Even if she had some strength, she might have claimed otherwise just to stay in his arms.

"Well then... pardon me," Su Yu said with a faint smile, sheathing Iron Horse Glacier. He shifted his hold, one arm under her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, lifting her into a bridal carry.

"Ah!"

Meng Hongchen gasped, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. But deep down, a small surge of delight bubbled up. She sneaked a glance at Su Yu, her lips curving slightly.

"Woahhh!!!"

Cheers erupted from the audience. A handsome young man carrying a beautiful girl? The crowd loved it.

Not everyone was pleased, though. Many students sighed in frustration, some practically beating their chests. Both Su Yu and Meng Hongchen had their share of admirers, and this public display left many hearts shattered.

In particular, Wang Dong'er stared at the stage with reddened eyes.

"Why is this happening?" she muttered, clenching her fists as tears threatened to spill.

Meanwhile, in the stands, Jing Hongchen remained composed, but a satisfied smile curled his lips. If it weren't for the crowd, he might have laughed outright. He was genuinely pleased with the outcome.

"How boring," muttered the young man with the iron sword resting on his knees.

"Women are meaningless. Only the sword is the true path."

For him, romance held no appeal—only a duel with Su Yu ignited his passion. Su Yu's swordsmanship had thoroughly captivated him.

As the crowd's cheers and jeers continued, Meng Hongchen's face turned an even deeper shade of red, her earlobes burning. She buried her face in Su Yu's chest out of sheer embarrassment. Su Yu, smiling faintly, carried her off the stage without hesitation.

With the morning matches concluded and the finals set for the afternoon, Su Yu saw no reason to linger. As he left the arena, Meng Hongchen stayed nestled in his arms, her face still hidden.

From the stands, Wang Dong'er quickly gave chase, her emotions surging. Xiao Hongchen followed shortly after, his eyes glinting with curiosity.

"It seems the relationship between Su Yu and Miss Meng isn't simple," Juzi observed from her seat. Watching Su Yu carry Meng Hongchen so openly, she murmured softly to herself, "So bold."

The sound of sobbing caught her attention. Juzi turned to see Keke crying dramatically, her face scrunched up in exaggerated grief.

"Keke, what's wrong?"

Juzi asked, puzzled.

"Su Yu and Meng Hongchen are in love! My romance ended before it even began!"

Keke wailed, though her tears looked suspiciously fake.

Juzi stared at her, speechless. Is that love? Or are you just drooling over his looks? she thought but didn't say aloud. Still, as Keke's best friend, she began consoling her.

Meanwhile, Su Yu carried Meng Hongchen out of the arena. She kept her face buried in his chest the entire time, too embarrassed to lift her head.

"Su Yu, stop!"

Wang Dong'er's voice rang out. Su Yu halted and turned to see Wang Dong'er rushing over. She reached out as if to grab his chest, prompting Su Yu to frown and step back.

"Wang Dong?" he called, his tone questioning.

Wang Dong'er stopped, her large blue-pink eyes brimming with emotion. "Su Yu, why did you lie to me?" she demanded, her voice a mix of anger and hurt.

"What did I lie about?"

Su Yu asked, puzzled.

"You said you wouldn't date anyone before you turned sixteen! What are you doing now?" she cried, gesturing toward Meng Hongchen in his arms.

Hearing this, Meng Hongchen tugged lightly at Su Yu's sleeve.

"What is it, Sister Meng?" he asked gently.

"Did you say you wouldn't date anyone before sixteen?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity and a hint of concern.

"I was just teasing him," Su Yu replied with a chuckle.

"If I meet the right person, I can start dating earlier."

"No! You can't date early!"

Wang Dong'er exclaimed, waving her hands in protest.

Meng Hongchen glanced at Su Yu, her expression conflicted. Before she could say anything, Wang Dong'er's voice rang out again, louder this time:

"Not allowed! No early dating!"

The declaration hung in the air, leaving Su Yu caught between amusement and exasperation as Meng Hongchen gave him a worried glance.