Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King-Chapter 231: [DD2]:

Su Yu’s gaze swept over, landing on Ma Xiaotao.

In the two years that had passed, Ma Xiaotao, now 21 years old, had developed into an even more mature woman. She was dressed in the crimson uniform of an inner court disciple, her long, fiery red hair cascading down her back. Her entire presence was like a blazing flame, exuding a vibrant and fiery charm.

Her figure was equally striking—voluptuous, bold, and seductive, with curves that were hard to ignore. Her long, shapely legs rivaled even those of Zi Ji. In terms of facial features, Ma Xiaotao didn’t quite reach the refined beauty of Jiang Nannan, let alone the ethereal allure of Snow Empress or Gu Yuena. But when it came to her physique and raw allure, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Even Su Yu had to admit that, setting aside her personality and background, Ma Xiaotao was undoubtedly an eye-catching beauty. She radiated the same fiery passion and intensity as her martial soul.

While Su Yu was observing Ma Xiaotao, she was also sizing him up.

Two years had passed, and Su Yu had grown taller and exuded a more mature aura. His demeanor remained icy, and his snow-white hair added a touch of ethereal chill to his presence. With his refined features, tall build, and natural authority that seemed to emanate from him, Su Yu gave Ma Xiaotao a stifling sense of pressure just by standing there.

In these two years, Su Yu seemed to have become even more formidable.

The two locked eyes for a moment before Su Yu broke the silence. "Miss Xiaotao, it’s been a while. Your aura seems much stronger now."

"You’re no different. You must have reached the level of Soul King by now, right?" Ma Xiaotao’s gaze burned with intensity, her eyes seemingly aflame.

To Ma Xiaotao, who had been bested by Su Yu in the past, he was someone she couldn’t forget. Over the past two years, she had etched his name into her memory. It wasn’t just because Yan Shaozhe had repeatedly hinted at pairing her with Su Yu, but because she harbored a deep desire to settle the score. She wanted to defeat Su Yu and redeem herself for the humiliation of her loss during the Soul Battle Tournament.

While she acknowledged that Su Yu’s talent might one day make him far surpass her, she didn’t care. At least for now, she wanted to take her chance to reclaim her honor and prove herself. She wanted to show Su Yu—and everyone else—that she, Ma Xiaotao, was no ordinary soul master. She wanted to restore the reputation of Shrek Academy, which Su Yu had cast doubt on.

As Ma Xiaotao’s battle intent grew stronger, Su Yu chuckled lightly. "Miss Xiaotao, judging by that look in your eyes, it seems you’re eager to fulfill our promise for a rematch?"

"If you’re willing, then absolutely," Ma Xiaotao said resolutely.

"Xiaotao!" Yan Shaozhe’s expression changed, and he quickly scolded her.

Goodness, I brought you here to develop a good relationship with him, not to fight him! What boy would appreciate a girl who always wants to spar? Is everything I say to you going in one ear and out the other?

If there hadn’t been so many people present, Yan Shaozhe might have poked Ma Xiaotao in the forehead and lectured her on the spot. This girl gave him no peace of mind.

After being reprimanded, Ma Xiaotao pursed her lips unhappily. Her first instinct upon seeing Su Yu had been to challenge him, with everything else taking a backseat. But it was clear that Yan Shaozhe had other priorities in mind.

"Su Yu, please don’t mind her. Xiaotao was spoiled by me growing up and doesn’t always think before she acts," Yan Shaozhe said with an apologetic smile.

Su Yu smiled faintly. "Miss Xiaotao’s fighting spirit only highlights Shrek Academy’s strong martial culture. For soul masters, sparring is a natural and common practice. It’s nothing worth being overly concerned about."

"Thank you, Su Yu, for your understanding," Yan Shaozhe said, relieved. He quickly changed the subject, "Shall we proceed inside?"

"Of course, I’ll follow your lead," Su Yu replied with a light smile.

"Please, Su Yu."

Surrounded by a group of people, Su Yu stepped into Shrek Academy for the first time.

Shrek Academy wasn’t as grand or solemn as he had imagined. Instead, it had a serene and beautiful environment with lush vegetation in abundance.

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About 200 meters past the entrance stood a group of massive statues. There were ten in total, each around ten meters tall, carved from granite. The front row featured three statues, with the central one being an elderly man wearing glasses. He had a slightly chubby build and a cheerful smile, giving off the impression of a kind and easygoing individual.

Su Yu only glanced at the statues briefly before withdrawing his gaze.

At that moment, Yan Shaozhe began explaining enthusiastically, "Su Yu, these ten statues represent our Shrek Academy’s ancestors and the original Shrek Seven Monsters. The one in the center is Flender, the founder of Shrek Academy and its first Dean. To his left is…"

Yan Shaozhe launched into an impassioned explanation, his pride is evident. After all, this was the era of the second Douluo series, and over ten thousand years had passed since the events of the first series. The names of certain legendary figures, like Tang San and the original Shrek Seven Monsters, had long since become etched into the annals of history.

History is written by the victors. Once insignificant nobodies could ascend to become the continent’s myths and legends.

Yan Shaozhe spoke with increasing enthusiasm, while Su Yu maintained a calm expression, his gaze sweeping over the statues. An icy intent flickered deep in his heart.

As they passed through the statue area and onto the lakeside path, Yan Shaozhe finally paused his historical tour.

Naturally, Yan Shaozhe’s explanations weren’t just idle chatter. They were a deliberate attempt to showcase Shrek Academy’s deep-rooted history and legacy. He knew that Su Yu hailed from the Ice God Palace, a faction directly descended from the ancient Ice God with unparalleled prestige. By highlighting Shrek’s illustrious past, Yan Shaozhe was signaling that the academy had its proud history and wasn’t inferior to the Ice God Palace.

Su Yu saw through Yan Shaozhe’s intentions but chose not to call him out.

The lakeside path wound around Sea God Lake, offering glimpses of the expansive water through the trees on the right. The shimmering surface extended into the distance, reflecting the sunlight.

"This is Sea God Lake, named in honor of the Sea God himself," Yan Shaozhe explained as they walked. "The lake’s vast size is maintained by underground water sources. At the center of the lake is a small island, known as Sea God Island, where our inner court is located."

Yan Shaozhe’s voice was filled with pride as he described the inner court’s exclusive location.

The lakeside path was bustling with students, many of whom were drawn to the group surrounding Su Yu. Curious gazes followed him, and whispers speculated about his identity.

The tour continued as Yan Shaozhe and the others escorted Su Yu through the outer court, showing him various landmarks.

"This is our Battle Martial Soul Arena…"

"This is our teaching building…"

"This area belongs to the outer court’s Soul Tool Department…"

With each introduction, the group attracted more attention from the academy’s students.

"And here is our academy’s dining hall. Su Yu, would you like to try the food prepared by our chefs?" Yan Shaozhe asked with a smile.

Between walking and stopping to admire different facilities, the pace of the tour was slow. Although Shrek Academy wasn’t as sprawling as the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, which resembled a mid-sized city, it still covered an impressive area. By the time they finished the tour, it was already nearing eleven in the morning.

"Then I’ll graciously accept your offer. I’m curious to see how the food at your school compares."

At this moment, the cafeteria was mostly empty, with the vast hall appearing desolate.

The cafeteria featured many service counters, each offering food at different prices and of varying quality.

However, unlike the neatly arranged tables and chairs at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Shrek Academy had none. There were no tables or chairs at all. This meant students had to eat standing up.

Noticing Su Yu’s puzzled expression, Yan Shaozhe explained, "To instill a sense of perseverance in our students, Shrek intentionally omitted tables and chairs in the cafeteria."

"Having students eat standing up also prevents laziness."

"Additionally, there’s another reason: eating while standing encourages students to eat faster. Sitting down to eat often takes up too much time, which isn’t conducive to training."

Su Yu: "..."

Are you serious?

Classes are already exhausting enough, and now you make them eat standing up too?

Don’t you know eating too fast is bad for your health? All this just to save a bit of money on tables?

Does Shrek Academy lack the funds for a few tables and chairs?

Coming up with such bizarre rules for trivial matters while neglecting the quality of education—wouldn’t improving your teaching methods be a thousand times better?

Speechless. Truly speechless.

Su Yu once again felt fortunate that he hadn’t chosen to enroll at Shrek Academy.

Sharing one restroom per floor was bad enough, but making people eat standing up? What kind of absurd traditions are these?

Take a look at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and learn a thing or two. Truly, there’s no comparison without contrast.

Though he was complaining inwardly, Su Yu didn’t let his thoughts show.

Yan Shaozhe led Su Yu to the best food counter and got him a meal.

The ingredients were of high quality but also quite pricey.

Compared to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, food of the same grade was much more expensive here.

That said, the taste was decent.

In this rather peculiar atmosphere, Su Yu had his first-ever meal standing up.

Shortly after finishing, Yan Shaozhe politely mentioned that he had other matters to attend to and suggested that Ma Xiaotao show Su Yu around.

The implications were clear to everyone: Cai Mei’er understood, Du Weilun understood, Ma Xiaotao understood, and Su Yu was especially aware.

After all, Yan Shaozhe’s intentions were written all over his face.

Among those who came to greet him, Ma Xiaotao was the only student present. Wasn’t that obvious enough?

Su Yu wasn’t a fool; he could see through the arrangement.

Still, Su Yu agreed without hesitation. Why? A group of old-timers following him around and chattering nonstop wasn’t exactly pleasant.

Although Ma Xiaotao had a temper, at least she was an apple in the eyes.

As Yan Shaozhe and the others left, Ma Xiaotao casually asked, "Where do you want to go next?"

Su Yu looked at her, amused. "Isn’t that your responsibility to decide?"

Ma Xiaotao crossed her arms, her mischievous side becoming more apparent.

Her pink eyes glimmered as she said indifferently, "I’ll take you to the Battle Martial Soul Arena. Interested?"

Su Yu chuckled and replied, "You’re that eager to get beaten up?"

"Who’s beating who hasn’t been decided yet," Ma Xiaotao retorted, staring at Su Yu with fiery determination.

Unfazed, Su Yu stretched lazily and said, "Don’t provoke me. If we fight today, you’ll regret it."

"Let’s set a time for it instead. I’ll grant you a defeat then."

"Arrogant!"

Ma Xiaotao’s eyes sharpened as she angrily said, "I’m not the same person I was before."

Su Yu replied playfully, "Funny coincidence—I’m not the same person I was before, either."

A blazing battle spirit ignited in Ma Xiaotao’s gaze. She stared at Su Yu and said firmly, "Three days from now, one battle at the Soul Arena. Do you dare?"

Su Yu shrugged casually. "As you wish."

Ma Xiaotao’s eyes flashed with determination. Then, as if recalling something, she added,

"If you lose, no holding grudges or blaming others."

Aside from her strong desire to win, Ma Xiaotao had a favorable impression of Su Yu.

She admired strong individuals, and while her fiery, brash personality could be off-putting, her innate talent was undeniable. Su Yu, who had once decisively defeated her, had earned her respect.

This was also why she didn’t object too strongly when Yan Shaozhe tried to pair her with Su Yu. If it had been someone weak, no matter how special their talent, Ma Xiaotao would never have agreed.

Deep down, she was a proud person. Despite her temper, she had some admirable qualities—she had managed to control her Evil Fire for years without succumbing to it as Ma Hongjun had.

But her Shrek loyalty was deeply ingrained, making her prone to Shrek-centric biases. Otherwise, Su Yu might have been curious to experience her fiery passion.

Su Yu gave Ma Xiaotao a long look, a faint, enigmatic smile forming on his face.

"When you can beat me, we’ll talk. A defeated opponent dares to speak of bravery?"

"How dare you!"

Ma Xiaotao clenched her fists, furious. Su Yu, that jerk, was underestimating her again.

Three days later, she was determined to show him her true strength.

With her pretty face tightened into a frosty expression, Ma Xiaotao asked coldly, "So, where do you want to go next?"

Su Yu teased, "What’s this? Can’t you smile? I’m a guest here. Is this how you treat guests?"

"Is this the legendary hospitality of Shrek Academy?"

Launching into a moral lecture, Su Yu took the high ground, pointing fingers.

Ma Xiaotao was momentarily stunned by his words.

Breathing heavily, her chest heaving, she suppressed the urge to punch Su Yu and forced a smile.

"Young Master Su Yu, where would you like to go next?"

"Your smile is terrible," Su Yu said as he walked out of the cafeteria, turning his back on her.

Ma Xiaotao trembled with anger, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She’d even forced herself to smile, and yet that jerk dared to mock her.

Furious. Absolutely furious.

Ma Xiaotao’s temper was naturally fiery, and now it was even harder for her to contain herself.

But when she thought of Su Yu’s background and importance, she reluctantly suppressed her rage.

"Hold it in. I have to hold it in."

"Not today. I can’t lose my temper today."

"Three days later, I’ll teach him a lesson fair and square. Yes, three days later, I’ll get my revenge."

Ma Xiaotao repeatedly convinced herself, trying to calm down.