Douluo Dalu 2: Reincarnated as the Auspicious Beast

After leaving Shrek Academy's main entrance plaza, the group split up.

An Wen followed Long Xiaoyao back to Star Dou, while Lu Mingyou led Jiang Nannan, Huo Yuqing, and Wang Rui toward Shrek City.

Shrek Academy's main entrance wasn't directly connected to Shrek City; after leaving the plaza, they still had to take a detour.

The road leading to Shrek City was lined with luxurious carriages.

Before soul power storage technology—also known as milk bottle technology—was fully simplified and widely adopted, the newly developed soul-powered vehicles struggled to completely replace traditional carriages.

Although New City and the Sun Moon Empire both possessed the most cutting-edge soul power storage technology of this era, there were three major issues: first, the cost was too high, and the technology was not yet streamlined; second, there were too many areas that required this technology; and third, it still needed to remain classified and was not ready for public use.

If a soul-powered vehicle could only operate by constantly drawing soul power from a soul master, then it lost its advantages.

Flying-type soul devices also required soul masters to channel their soul power for control, but compared to soul-powered vehicles, they had greater speed and maneuverability while consuming less energy.

For lower-level soul masters, their soul power simply couldn't sustain a soul-powered vehicle for long periods. After using a soul device for a while, they would need significant time to recover their energy, making efficiency difficult to improve.

And expecting high-level soul masters to personally drive vehicles? That was absurd.

If flying soul devices weren't an option, then using animal-drawn carriages was naturally a more practical and convenient choice than soul-powered vehicles.

On the Douluo Continent, the animals selected for pulling carriages were often specially bred over countless generations, possessing unique bloodlines. Their running speed was comparable to typical soul-powered vehicles, and their endurance was remarkable—they could travel for an entire day without issue. Of course, only the wealthy could afford such creatures.

Horses adorned with scales and horns stood proudly in their harnesses, their tails swishing as they held their heads high, decorated with lavish ornaments.

However, these creatures, distinct from ordinary horses, were not actual soul beasts. Rather, they carried a trace of soul beast blood, having been selectively bred over generations until their bloodlines stabilized.

While physically superior to common horses, they would never develop like soul beasts, never gain intelligence, and never cultivate soul power.

Soul masters had certainly attempted to domesticate soul beasts, but in the end, they failed—not because soul beasts were too wild to be tamed, but because it simply wasn't worth it.

When soul beasts lived alongside humans, their intelligence developed rapidly. And once the livestock in your hands became smart, obedience decreased while the danger factor skyrocketed.

The gap between ordinary animals and soul beasts was even greater than the gap between an average human and a soul master.

Wang Rui met the calm, dark eyes of a horned horse.

It looked much like its ancestors in Star Dou Forest, yet it would only live fifty years at most, forever trapped within the decorated carriage shafts, confined by its inherent limitations. It would never awaken intelligence, never cultivate.

Forever ignorant. Forever foolish.

That was why creatures like this—ones that would never develop intelligence—were classified as food.

But the most ridiculous thing about this world? The uncanny resemblance between sentient beings and their food. Worse still, there was no reproductive isolation between them.

Wolves and monkeys could produce viable offspring. Watching some of the bizarre hybrid soul beasts in Star Dou, Wang Rui, who had studied genetics, felt as if his academic knowledge had been brutally violated.

But looking at it from another perspective—if this world had no ordinary animals, only soul beasts that would eventually develop intelligence, then…

Wouldn't that mean their food sources would all be potential sentient beings, capable of complex thoughts? That sounded even more nightmarish.

Soul beasts were distinct from other animals because they ultimately gained intelligence, and that was the foundation for forming their loose alliance.

The reason Wang Rui could bring different species of soul beasts together was that, if managed properly, they didn't have to prey on one another.

If soul beasts, as a whole, could reach a high enough level of intelligence, then the food chain could shift—from strong soul beasts devouring weaker ones to both strong and weak soul beasts feeding on ordinary plants and animals instead.

It was difficult—so incredibly difficult—to think about how an entire race should move toward a better future.

Wang Rui didn't know whether the choices he made would lead soul beasts into a promising future or a disastrous one.

But at least… it couldn't be worse than before.

Probably.

He tried to shake off these philosophical musings, but in their place came an almost instinctive sense of urgency.

If he didn't push forward, Star Dou Forest would shrink to the size of a dried-up lakebed.

That couldn't happen.

Wang Rui held Huo Yuqing's hand as their fused soul power flowed naturally between them. The red-haired boy, lost in thought, failed to notice the changes in Huo Yuqing's expression.

Wherever there was intelligent life, social hierarchies would inevitably form.

This road was no exception.

Most students at Shrek Academy came from powerful or wealthy backgrounds, each carrying their own influence. Calling the road in front of Shrek's main entrance a miniature marketplace of power and prestige wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Nobles from different nations and factions engaged in conversation, secretly exchanging deals that couldn't be made public.

Even the order in which the carriages were parked had significance—the closer they were to the academy, the stronger the backing of those they belonged to.

Lu Mingyou led the group past this street on foot.

Huo Yuqing could feel the gazes of those nearby, their emotions carefully concealed but still visible.

She had seen such looks countless times in the Duke's mansion.

A year ago, they might have made her uncomfortable.

But now…

She thought about the medicinal pills stocked in the Cuidan Trading Company.

And suddenly, their gazes seemed laughable.

At that moment, she didn't realize how much her mindset had changed—until she saw a carriage she recognized instantly.

A luxurious carriage adorned with the White Tiger family crest.

As a child, she had followed her mother, watching from afar as carriages of the same design came and went.

Her mother had hoped that man would return in one of them and rescue them from misery.

And she—what had she thought back then?

Probably just simple admiration.

The golden, opulent carriage had seemed like an unattainable dream, a symbol of the highest authority in the Duke's household.

Inside the carriage, Dai Huabin sat expressionless.

Beside him was Zhu Lu.

Dai Yueheng wasn't present—perhaps his studies in Shrek's inner court kept him busy, or perhaps he simply didn't want to return home with a younger brother who was also his competitor.

Dai Huabin seemed to sense something and turned to look outside.

For a brief moment, his evil eyes—those twin pupils inherited over ten thousand years—met Huo Yuqing's Spirit Eyes.

Just a moment.

Then they looked away.

No one knew what Dai Huabin was thinking.

But Huo Yuqing suddenly realized…

The hatred that had once gnawed at her, once tormented her, no longer felt so painful.

It was still there, but no longer an open wound—just an old scar.

She had already defeated the Nether White Tiger with Wang Rui's help.

And soon, she would defeat Dai Huabin completely on her own.

Her real target… was that man.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out.

"Rui Rui! Hao Hao!"

In an instant, Wang Rui and Huo Yuqing were flooded with the terrifying memories—of being surrounded by a thousand quacking ducks.

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