[DD2]: 60

Su Yu suddenly felt his heart contract violently, as if he had been targeted by a primordial beast.

His heart pounded, and thunder had exploded in his mind, leaving his brain buzzing.

Su Yu gasped for breath, his pupils constricting.

Strong! So strong!

Just a single glance filled Su Yu with a deep sense of helplessness, rising from within his heart.

This elderly man, whom Su Yu had glimpsed before but paid no attention to, was terrifying beyond imagination.

He had completely misjudged him.

If it weren't for the fact that the old man had taken the initiative to look at him, and if Su Yu hadn't just acquired the ability of Super Sensory from his last reward, he might not have noticed anything special about the old man at all.

Super Sensory allowed him to sense when a powerful figure was observing him from the shadows.

And now, this was exactly the case.

The Super Sensory ability had heightened Su Yu's perception several times over, allowing him to feel the terrifying, immense power hidden within the old man.

It was like a bottomless abyss, ready to swallow him whole.

A depth of pure darkness, devoid of any impurities.

Even Mu Wu couldn't give him such a dreadful feeling.

Su Yu mentally searched through the powerful figures he had encountered, and only Di Tian might be able to surpass this old man.

Could it be that such a terrifying powerhouse was hidden within Radiant City?

Su Yu's heart pounded furiously, but he forced himself to remain calm, showing no outward signs of unease.

He casually shifted his gaze, managing to force a slight smile.

"Su Yu!"

Meng Hongchen, completely oblivious, smiled sweetly at him.

While responding, Su Yu retrieved his ancient spear, the Azure Spear.

They chatted, paid the bill, and Su Yu acted as though nothing had happened, completing everything calmly.

Only then did he hurriedly leave with Meng Hongchen and the others.

Inside the barbecue shop, the black-clad old man held a wine cup in one hand, a faintly amused expression flickering in his eyes.

"What an interesting little fellow, with such strong mental strength."

That little fellow had concealed his emotions well, but how could he fool someone like him?

After all, the old man had lived for over two hundred years; he had more than enough experience to see through such things.

He was certain that the boy had recognized him.

Whether the boy had figured out his identity or simply sensed his strength, it didn't matter.

In any case, that boy was no ordinary person.

This piqued a bit of interest in the old man, who was usually indifferent to everything.

"The Ultimate Ice Martial Soul, mental strength not inferior to a Soul Douluo, and an unusual soul ring configuration. Interesting. Whose disciple could this be?"

The black-clad old man murmured, "Hanging around with those two little ones from Jing Hongchen's family… he must be a student of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy."

"It seems Jing Hongchen has picked up quite a treasure."

"Oh, and there's even a powerful figure secretly protecting him."

The old man muttered to himself, taking another sip of his wine and shaking his head slightly, looking completely at ease.

...

After leaving the food street, Su Yu said nothing, quickly leading the group back to the academy.

Along the way, Su Yu's expression was tense and exceptionally serious.

Even Xiao Hongchen, who was usually the most talkative, didn't ask any questions. The four of them hurried along until they re-entered the academy.

Only after returning to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy did Su Yu finally breathe a sigh of relief.

At this moment, his forehead was covered in sweat, and even his back was soaked in cold sweat.

Only by facing that pressure directly could one understand how terrifying it was.

If Su Yu hadn't been exposed to so many powerful figures since childhood, just that one glance would have caused him to lose control of his mind.

Su Yu panted heavily, as though trying to expel the lingering fear from his system.

This Super Sensory talent, while extremely sensitive, had caused him quite a bit of trouble this time.

"Hey, Su Yu, you dragged us back without saying a word, and now you're sweating all over. Did you lose your strength after a fight?"

Xiao Hongchen teased, speaking in his usual unserious tone.

Meng Hongchen shot him a fierce glare, her beautiful eyes filled with concern as she looked at Su Yu.

"Su Yu, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Su Yu waved it off, though his expression remained solemn.

So this is the kind of pressure that a true powerhouse exerts?

It was simply overwhelming.

All his life, Su Yu had been admired by everyone around him. Though he had a mature mindset, he had unknowingly grown a little careless and prideful.

Especially after achieving unprecedented success recently. Though he appeared calm on the surface, there was a hint of arrogance in his heart.

At his age, he possessed such strength—who else in the world could compare?

Yet, the scene he had just witnessed was a harsh wake-up call.

His current level of strength was utterly insignificant in the eyes of a true powerhouse.

Growing up pampered by fierce beasts, Su Yu hadn't developed the kind of reverence for strength that he thought he had.

He had even dared to steal a kiss from the god-like Gu Yuena—a bold move if ever there was one.

He had always felt that these powerful figures weren't as terrifying as they seemed.

But today's lesson made him realize:

No matter how high your talent or how great your background is, for now, you're nothing more than an ant that can be crushed at will by a true powerhouse.

"An Ultimate Douluo... yes, it must be an Ultimate Douluo," Su Yu thought to himself.

A sense of urgency suddenly welled up within him.

The Grand Protector Mu Wu's strength was still not enough.

Mu Wu might be able to suppress Xuan Zi, or even defeat someone like Du Busi.

But if he met that person from earlier, he would lose.

What Su Yu lacked now was a truly supreme powerhouse.

"Su Yu, what's wrong? Daydreaming again?"

Wang Dong looked at Su Yu with concern. Ever since they had encountered those two evil soul masters, Su Yu had been distracted.

"Are you worried about those evil soul masters?"

Wang Dong asked.

"Evil soul masters?"

"Just a few evil soul masters. I'll have my grandfather send people to wipe them out another day. If that's what you're worried about, there's no need."

Xiao Hongchen thumped his chest confidently.

Su Yu glanced at him, confirming that this guy probably still didn't know what was going on.

Was he worried about the evil soul masters?

No, he was worried about that Ultimate Douluo!

Or rather, that Ultimate Douluo might very well be part of the evil soul master faction.

In the Douluo Continent, there were only a handful of truly powerful figures, so it wasn't hard to narrow it down.

Su Yu wasn't sure if there were any hidden Ultimate powerhouses.

Maybe there were, maybe there weren't.

After all, the continent was vast, and there might be more than just a few strong individuals.

But that black-clad old man from earlier bore too much resemblance to a certain figure.

Su Yu had his suspicions.

"Let's report to the Hall Master first. Killing people in broad daylight, even if they are evil soul masters, still needs an explanation."

"Let's see what the Hall Master has to say."

Su Yu looked at the three others and spoke up.

"Su Yu is right. We should tell Grandfather about this."

Meng Hongchen immediately agreed, her tone soft and gentle.

"Yes, evil soul masters are extremely vicious. The fact that they've appeared in Radiant City means we need to inform the Hall Master as soon as possible, so he can take measures to prevent them from causing greater harm," Wang Dong agreed, his expression stern.

He had a strong aversion to evil soul masters. It wasn't just due to his martial soul; Wang Dong was also inherently kind and despised such dark and evil individuals.

As the two girls spoke, Su Yu's gaze shifted to Xiao Hongchen. Naturally, Xiao Hongchen didn't object. He shrugged and agreed as well.

The four of them headed straight for the sixth-year teaching building, where they found Jing Hongchen.

"You're saying you encountered evil soul masters?"

Jing Hongchen's face remained calm, his expression barely changing at the mention of evil soul masters.

"Yes, Grandfather. Not just any evil soul masters, but two Evil Soul Kings. If it hadn't been for Su Yu's intervention, they would have escaped," Meng Hongchen said quickly, glancing at Su Yu as she spoke.

Su Yu's actions today had been swift and decisive. In an instant, he had frozen both enemies. Without him, they wouldn't have been able to kill the two Evil Soul Kings.

"Although I don't want to admit it, those two evil soul masters were indeed tricky—far too strange," Xiao Hongchen added, speaking seriously, without his usual arrogance.

Though he was typically brash, even Xiao Hongchen recognized their power. As one of the top students at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, he had learned from his recent setbacks and could acknowledge a dangerous foe.

Jing Hongchen listened without comment, his gaze shifting to Su Yu and Wang Dong, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

"What do you two think?"

"I believe we must eradicate these evil soul masters. Otherwise, they will eventually endanger the people," Wang Dong said with conviction.

Jing Hongchen's brow furrowed slightly before he turned to Su Yu.

"And your opinion?"

Su Yu smiled.

"What exactly does the Hall Master want to ask?"

Jing Hongchen raised an eyebrow.

"What's your view on evil soul masters?"

"Do they even need to be viewed? All soul masters should aim to eliminate evil soul masters, shouldn't they?"

Su Yu said, spreading his hands.

"Or does the Hall Master disagree?"

Jing Hongchen paused, staring at Su Yu. Su Yu met his gaze without flinching.

After a few moments, Jing Hongchen nodded.

"Alright, I understand. I'll send people to handle it."

"You may all go back now," he said, dismissing them.

As they left, Jing Hongchen remained alone in his office, tapping his fingers on the desk, deep in thought.

"Holy Spirit Cult, Ice God Palace, Clear Sky Sect…"

"In terms of strength, Ice God Palace and Clear Sky Sect combined could surpass the Holy Spirit Cult. But drawing them in won't be easy."

"Ice God Palace may be easier, but Clear Sky Sect will be more difficult. And while the Holy Spirit Cult has a terrible reputation, their cooperation with the Empire has been smooth so far, which complicates things."

Jing Hongchen was well aware of the Empire's collaboration with the Holy Spirit Cult. The Empire lacked enough top-tier powerhouses, making the Holy Spirit Cult a useful ally—at least for the moment.

Despised though they were, the Holy Spirit Cult served a purpose. Once the Sun Moon Empire unified the continent, they could be discarded. But for now, they were essential.

Jing Hongchen's musings shifted back to Su Yu.

"This kid has depth. Wang Dong, on the other hand, is as innocent as a little rabbit," he mused, chuckling. Despite his youth, Su Yu was a sharp and calculating mind.

"Su Yu has limitless potential. He might even be one of us someday. While our alliance with the Holy Spirit Cult is stable for now, those people are ruthless. They could betray us at any moment."

"The Holy Spirit Cult is like a double-edged sword. It can harm our enemies, but it can also turn on us. Still, as a leader, I want it all."

"We need the Ice God Palace on our side, but we should continue using the Holy Spirit Cult."

Jing Hongchen clenched his fist. "Su Yu thought he could push me into making a choice? How naive. No matter how clever he is, I have Meng'er. Our plans won't fail."

With renewed confidence, he thought, "I'll deal with these evil soul masters. They dared to harm my grandchildren, so eliminating a few of them shouldn't cause much friction with the Holy Spirit Cult."

...

After leaving Jing Hongchen's office, Su Yu and the others went their separate ways. Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen returned to the Illustrious Virtue Hall, while Su Yu and Wang Dong headed back to their dormitory.

Su Yu walked in silence, his expression serious, clearly lost in thought.

"Su Yu, are you still thinking about the evil soul masters?"

Wang Dong asked, unable to keep her curiosity in check.

"There's no need to worry. The Hall Master knows, and he'll handle it."

Su Yu glanced at Wang Dong, who looked innocent and concerned. He sighed inwardly. The Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult were in deep collaboration. Any action Jing Hongchen took would be purely for show, with no real consequences.

But to ease Wang Dong's concern, Su Yu smiled and said, "I'm not worried."

"Then what are you thinking about?"

Su Yu smirked.

"I was just thinking how good Sister Meng looked today when she activated her martial soul."

Of course, that was partly true—Meng Hongchen had been strikingly beautiful with her white hair, red eyes, and snow-like skin.

Wang Dong's face immediately darkened, clearly upset.

"You like Senior Meng?"

Su Yu waved off the suggestion.

"Not really, I was just making an observation. I'm too young to be thinking about romance."

Wang Dong's mood lightened, and she nodded.

"That's the right mindset. At our age, studies should be our priority, not romance."

"And if you do decide to date, there are better choices," she added, her voice trembling slightly but with a hint of determination.

"I have an older sister, and she's even prettier than Senior Meng."