LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 107: [DD2]: 106
"The three of us—Meng, Xiao, and I—were called over by the Hall Master to discuss matters regarding the reserve team. We weren't intentionally leaving you out."
"See? You're overthinking again."
Su Yu spread his hands as he explained. Ever since he told Wang Dong'er that he planned to find a few more girlfriends, Wang Dong'er had seemed a bit on edge—mainly because she was too sensitive. Even the smallest things could spark her imagination and lead her to wild conclusions.
Situations like today had happened before, but back then, Wang Dong'er wouldn't have felt left out. But now? Following Su Yu sneakily like this was a first.
"I wasn't overthinking! Hmph," Wang Dong'er retorted.
She breathed a sigh of relief inwardly but outwardly refused to admit defeat, letting out a small huff and still showing Su Yu a sour face. Su Yu didn't mind, though. He stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Wang Dong'er's shoulders, and said warmly, "Alright, next time, I'll give you a heads-up beforehand, okay?"
"As if I care," Wang Dong'er pouted, though the small grievances she had were visibly dissipating.
"Wang Dong, you really should thank Su Yu this time. If not for him, you might not have made it into the reserve team," Meng Hongchen chimed in from the side, supporting Su Yu. She wasn't about to let Su Yu's good deeds go unnoticed by Wang Dong'er.
"What do you mean?"
Wang Dong'er asked, her confusion evident.
Meng Hongchen explained, "Here's what happened…"
She then recounted the events in the office, including how Su Yu had spoken up on Wang Dong'er's behalf, leaving nothing out.
"If Su Yu hadn't insisted on picking you, the last spot on the reserve team might not have been yours," Meng Hongchen added softly.
"So that's how it is?"
Wang Dong'er was stunned. Her gaze at Su Yu grew more complicated, carrying a mix of gratitude and some indescribable emotion.
"Why didn't you just tell me yourself?"
Wang Dong'er asked.
"It's not a big deal. Meng'er exaggerated my role anyway. Even without me, you would've been selected—after all, you're a Twin Martial Soul user."
"Alright, enough about this. I'm heading to check my physical stats; you should come too," Su Yu said.
Before Wang Dong'er could reply, Su Yu had already slung an arm around her shoulders and was walking off with her in tow. Wang Dong'er's light blue eyes blinked subtly, a hint of indescribable emotion flickering within. She glanced up at Su Yu—his face was still as dazzlingly handsome as ever.
"Why is your heart so big? Can't it just be a little smaller?"
Wang Dong'er thought to herself.
"You're amazing, but if you could just be more focused, you'd be even better. I won't give up. You're destined to be mine."
Wang Dong'er clenched her fists and silently made up her mind.
...
"Holy crap, is this guy even human?"
Xiao Hongchen exclaimed, staring at the physical assessment data in his hands, utterly dumbfounded.
"Physical strength: Level 82.
Physical resilience: Level 82.
Soul power fluctuation: Level 46 Soul Ancestor.
Height: 1.81 meters.
Weight: 72 kilograms.
Left arm length… Bone age: 12 years.
Strength: 32,000 kilograms.
Soul bone: ???
Overall evaluation: …"
Looking at the stats, Xiao Hongchen began questioning reality. The other stats were impressive but not overly shocking. But physical strength, resilience, and raw power? Those three metrics were off the charts. Both physical strength and resilience had reached the Soul Douluo level.
Are you sure this guy's human? Xiao Hongchen recalled his physical stats, which barely reached the Soul King level. No wonder he couldn't beat Su Yu. Who could beat such a monster?
"Let me see," Meng Hongchen said, snatching the data sheet from Xiao Hongchen's hands. With just one glance, her beautiful eyes widened, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "What incredible stats!"
Meng Hongchen looked at Su Yu with admiration and awe in her eyes. Wang Dong'er, curious, leaned over to take a look as well. Similarly, with just one glance, she, too, began to doubt reality.
"Soul Douluo-level physical stats? Seriously?"
Wang Dong'er was stunned. She stared at Su Yu and said, "You're just a Soul Ancestor, yet your body already has the stats of a Soul Douluo?"
Su Yu shrugged nonchalantly. This was all thanks to the Golden Dragon King's blood tempering his body back then. Without it, his physique might have only been at Soul Saint level now, and he wouldn't have been able to absorb the 60,000-year Ice Feather Phoenix soul ring for his fourth ring.
"Su Yu, how did you manage this?"
Xiao Hongchen couldn't help but ask. He was curious—desperate to improve himself. If he could build a physique like Su Yu's, wouldn't he soar to greatness?
"Hard work and perseverance. All my achievements are thanks to my relentless efforts," Su Yu said, spreading his hands as he spoke.
Xiao Hongchen: "…"
Wang Dong'er: "…"
Meng Hongchen: "…"
Come on, is this something you can achieve with effort? We're not three-year-olds.
"And your strength? 32,000 kilograms—64,000 jin. That's insane! How did you do it?"
Xiao Hongchen's earlier sense of pride had completely vanished. No wonder Su Yu didn't go all out. If he did, one slap might have sent Xiao to the afterlife.
"Strength?"
Su Yu grinned.
"I'm naturally gifted—born with great power. Crazy, right?"
Hearing this, the trio fell silent again. Do you think we'll believe that?
But since Su Yu wasn't sharing more, they couldn't push further. This might be a secret of the Ice God Palace.
"Fine, just take this data to your grandfather. I bet he'll be shocked."
"Designing your armor is going to be a real challenge. Meng's specifications probably can't handle your freakish strength," Xiao Hongchen said, his expression turning peculiar. He could already imagine Jing Hongchen's shock when he saw this data.
Designing Su Yu's full-body soul armor was going to cost Jing Hongchen a lot of brainpower.
Initially, I thought it was a simple task, something anyone could do. But now, it seems to be another brain-draining ordeal. Not that it matters to him—he doesn't need to think about it. Xiao Hongchen showed no signs of pressure at all.
Su Yu smiled faintly and said, "I trust the hall master's strength. A full set of soul tools and armor won't be a problem for him."
"Maybe~"
Xiao Hongchen shrugged.
"I need to deliver some data. Meng, are you coming with me, or…?"
"I'd like to wander outside for a bit longer," Meng Hongchen replied softly.
Xiao Hongchen rolled his eyes. Wander a bit longer? You're reluctant to leave Su Yu and just want to stay with him a while longer. Still, knowing but saying nothing, he didn't object. If Jing Hongchen didn't mind, neither would he.
After leaving a few instructions, Xiao Hongchen departed. Su Yu and the others strolled around the campus briefly before going their separate ways.
...
Two days later.
In an open space in front of the dormitory building—
Boom!
A figure was sent flying by a punch, rolling several times on the ground before coming to a stop.
Ji Juechen panted heavily, his hair disheveled, strands waving in the air. His face was pale as paper, and he held a broken soul-tool longsword. Yet, his eyes were filled with determination and intensity—a kind of fanaticism.
Su Yu slowly retracted his fist and glanced at the faint white mark on his hand, his expression shifting slightly. This duel with Ji Juechen once again brought him that peculiar sensation. However, it was still like looking at flowers through the mist—close yet elusive. It felt within reach but slipped away every time he tried to grasp it.
Su Yu had a premonition: if he could capture that feeling, his strength would undergo a monumental transformation. But taking that final step was frustratingly difficult. Even though he hadn't fully seized that sensation, he still gained something.
"You've improved a lot compared to last time, but it's still not enough," Su Yu said as he approached Ji Juechen, a hint of appreciation in his gaze.
Ji Juechen was undoubtedly talented. After their last duel, his progress had been significant. But Su Yu had also improved, which meant Ji Juechen still lost. Yet, this didn't diminish Su Yu's admiration. Few people could keep up with his rate of growth, and Ji Juechen was exceptional.
Besides, Ji Juechen made for an excellent sparring partner. If once wasn't enough, there would be a second time. If twice wasn't enough, there would be a third. Su Yu firmly believed he could extract that elusive insight through Ji Juechen. And he suspected Ji Juechen felt the same—perhaps finding something in Su Yu as well.
"I lost. I'll be back in three days," Ji Juechen said, standing up. He bowed slightly to Su Yu, grabbed his broken sword, and prepared to leave. This duel had taught him a lot, and he was eager to reflect on it.
"Wait," Su Yu called out.
"What is it?"
Ji Juechen's voice was cold.
"You've lost two swords in our duels. To make it up to you, I'll give you this sword."
Su Yu raised his hand, and a dark, slightly iron-red longsword appeared, hovering in mid-air. The sword gleamed with a black metallic luster, its blade blunt yet heavy and solid—distinctly different from ordinary swords.
Su Yu held it casually like a fire poker. It looked unremarkable and far from eye-catching. But Ji Juechen froze, his gaze locking onto the sword. To him, it was a remarkable weapon.
"This sword is forged entirely from black iron. It's called the Black Iron Heavy Sword. Its previous owner was a legendary swordsman who roamed the world undefeated," Su Yu explained.
"I already have my sword. This one is yours now."
With a flick, Su Yu tossed the sword to Ji Juechen. Indeed, this Black Iron Heavy Sword had once belonged to the unrivaled swordsman Dugu Qiubai. Its sheer hardness and crushing power made it unique. Compared to Ji Juechen's meteoric iron sword—which had shattered with a single punch—the Black Iron Heavy Sword was vastly superior. Su Yu couldn't break this one with a punch if he tried.
The sword's greatest merit was its durability, though its weight was trivial to Su Yu, whose primary weapon—the Ancient Azure Spear—was over 1,200 pounds.
"Thank you," Ji Juechen said, holding the sword reverently. It exuded an aura of dominance, convincing him of its storied past.
"I'll return in three days. Farewell."
Ji Juechen bowed again and left, eager to test his new sword and insights. Su Yu smiled faintly and turned to leave as well, needing time to sort through his reflections from the duel.
...
Shrek Academy, Battle Soul Arena.
In the combat zone, groups of students from the second to fifth years gathered—all core disciples of the outer court.
Outside the arena, Xuan Zi, one-armed and visibly irked, held a drumstick in his hand. Glaring at the students, he said, "Listen up, kids. Your core disciple exam is simple. I call it the Free-for-All."
"Within the boundaries of the arena, you're free to fight however you like—no rules. Anyone who surrenders or is rescued is eliminated. The last seven standing are the winners. Now, start!"
With that, the chaos began. Students quickly formed alliances to target the higher-year students first. However, the senior students, led by Bei Bei, weren't easy targets. Teaming up with Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and He Caitou, they counterattacked and eliminated lower-year groups.
The lower-year students weren't weak either, forming small alliances to hold their ground. After intense battles, only seven remained: Bei Bei, He Caitou, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Ning Tian.
The seniors had the advantage of strength and teamwork, while the younger trio relied on their unique combination of Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's Hell White Tiger martial fusion and Ning Tian's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda support. Although they lost Wu Feng, who sacrificed herself to protect Ning Tian, the trio still secured their victory.
These seven became the winners of the chaotic core disciple trial.