The Eternal Runner-Up

The night was like ink, spilled across the streets and alleys of Lingdou City, the capital of the Douling Empire.

The solemnity of the imperial city faded away with the daylight, and the snack street in the south of the city was at its most bustling.

Rows of warm yellow lanterns lit up one after another, bathing the flat streets in a cozy glow.

The charred aroma of grilled meat, the sweet scent of sugar-roasted chestnuts, and the rich fragrance of braised dishes drifted far on the evening breeze, causing passersby to stop frequently.

Xue Yuheng held Xiao Xiao's hand, walking slowly through the flow of people.

Having returned from Tiantou City only three days ago, he had fulfilled his promise to first accompany Xiao Xiao home, only to be ushered out by her parents after the meal.

They had told them to go out and have fun, to cultivate their relationship.

The meals at the Soul Suppressing Family involved too much etiquette; they focused on refinement, but the portions were tiny.

Neither of them had eaten much, so they went on a date like ordinary teenagers, squeezing into the bustling night market to experience the warmth of the mortal world.

"Look, Little Xue! That sugar painting is so pretty!" Xiao Xiao's eyes sparkled as she shook Xue Yuheng's arm, pointing toward a nearby sugar painting stall.

Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao sat at a shared table, having ordered some barbecue, which the busy owner was currently preparing.

Xue Yuheng smiled and ruffled her hair, while the voices of two young men in soul master attire at the neighboring table drifted over clearly.

One of them slapped his thigh, his tone full of sighs: "This year's All-Continent Tournament was so entertaining. I was at the main arena in Tiantou City a week ago, and that team leader from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy, Xu Hao, really threw away the Sun Moon Empire's face!"

The other quickly chimed in, full of excitement: "You're telling me! In the finals, that extreme-attribute soul emperor from Shrek just crushed them. The trump-card soul guidance device he pulled out was like paper; it was torn to shreds by one soul skill from that great beauty!"

The common folk didn't understand much, but they only cared about flashy soul skills; those six dazzling pillars of light were still a popular topic of conversation among the spectators.

"Losing is one thing, but he actually reported Shrek for using illegal drugs on the spot, claiming their surge in strength was due to forbidden substances. The tournament committee checked on the spot and found nothing, but instead, they exposed the bet he made with our Crown Prince before the match!"

"The bet was for that level 7 soul guidance device! He made the wager in front of tens of thousands of spectators, so he couldn't back out even if he wanted to. In the end, he had to hand it over, and his face turned the color of pig liver!"

"Our Douling really saved face this time! With the Crown Prince presiding in Tiantou City, not only did he watch Shrek take the championship, but he also gained a level 7 soul guidance device for free. The Sun Moon Empire really took a huge fall this time; I heard even the Sun Moon Royal Family sent people to hold them accountable!"

"That's not even the end of it!" The first youth lowered his voice, leaning in with a gossipy expression. "I have a friend who works security at the arena, and he saw it with his own eyes! After the match, Xu Hao was stubborn and refused to accept it, cursing in the backstage area about Shrek playing dirty, only to run right into Shrek's team leader."

"I heard it was a veteran Title Douluo?"

"That's her! That Title Douluo powerhouse got angry on the spot and blocked him at the back door, beating him until he was black and blue, before he could even pull out a soul guidance device. If the people from Mingde Hall hadn't rushed over to plead for mercy, his legs probably would have been broken!"

"My god, that miserable?"

"What's miserable about it? He brought it on himself! You don't know this, but Xu Hao has held a grudge against Shrek for decades. Back then, he was also a genius; he and a senior from Shrek both fell for the same girl, but she chose the Shrek senior, and he's been bitter ever since. This time, he wanted to use the tournament to wash away his shame, but he ended up losing his soul guidance device and getting beaten up instead. He's a classic eternal second-place, destined to be suppressed by Shrek his whole life!"

The two went back and forth, recounting their observations from the arena and the gossip circulating in the streets so vividly that diners from nearby tables crowded around to chime in. For a time, Xu Hao's embarrassing exploits became the hottest joke in the entire night market.

Xiao Xiao covered her mouth and giggled, her shoulders shaking, as she picked up a freshly grilled lamb skewer and held it to Xue Yuheng's lips: "So Xu Hao has so many stories behind him; he's just too unlucky."

Xue Yuheng took a bite of the grilled kidney and said calmly: "He insisted on provoking us; he has no one to blame but himself."

Sitting opposite the two was another young girl.

She wore a plain white dress with delicate ice-blue snowflake patterns embroidered on the hem.

Her long, silvery-white hair draped loosely over her shoulders, her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, and her pair of ice-blue eyes were clear to the bottom.

After several months of growth, her figure was beginning to take shape.

She was the Snow Empress in human form, Xue Qingwu.

With Xue Yuheng's help, she had not only successfully survived her 700,000-year life tribulation and fully transformed into a human, but her martial soul had also evolved into the god-level Goddess of Ice and Snow.

Xue Qingwu's fingertips moved slightly, and a pale blue, invisible barrier of soul power quietly unfolded, isolating the corner where the three of them sat from the outside world.

The noisy human voices vanished instantly.

"Qingwu, where have you been playing these past few months?" Xue Yuheng asked with a smile.

"I went to see some old friends. By the way, have you heard of the Ten Thousand Beast Ridge within the Star Luo Empire in the south of the continent?" Xue Qingwu's voice was cold yet gentle.

"Ten Thousand Beast Ridge, I've heard of it. What's wrong?" Xue Yuheng asked.

"I have some friends there, but because the Star Luo Empire has been conducting massive search-and-seize operations, they are on the verge of extinction. I want to..." Even though she had fully transformed into a human, Xue Qingwu still cared deeply for soul beasts in her heart.

"Bring them to the Star Forest within my Douling Empire; I will send people from the Offering Hall to receive them."

The Offering Hall—nine months ago, the Douling Offering Hall hadn't even taken Xue Yuheng, the future Crown Prince, seriously.

It wasn't until this return that Xue Yuheng brought out the ancient method of "martial soul evolution."

Led by the Heavenly Sun Douluo, the Offering Hall, the Elite Hall, the Soul Guidance Hall...

All of them had bowed down at Xue Yuheng's feet, a feat that could not have been achieved without the help of the old Emperor.

The power of the Douling Royal Family, or rather, the power of Xue Yuheng, could be called the peak of the last four thousand years.

To some, a Limit Douluo was even more tempting than an ethereal godhood.

"Thank you, Little Xue," Xue Qingwu said gratefully. She had originally thought that Xue Yuheng wouldn't be very willing.

On the Douluo Continent, the relationship between soul beasts and humans has always been one of life-and-death opposition, with almost no possibility of peaceful coexistence.

Xiao Xiao was gnawing on a roasted chicken wing when she suddenly looked up at Xue Yuheng, her face full of confusion.

She had been holding back this question for several days.

"Little Xue, why are we going to Tianzheng Academy? Wouldn't it be better to go straight to Shrek? With our strength, we could definitely get in directly."

Xue Yuheng picked up a napkin, gently wiped the grease from the corner of Xiao Xiao's mouth, and spoke slowly.

"First, the geographical location. Tianzheng Academy and Shrek are located on the Lima Plain, one to the northwest of the Star Dou Forest and the other to the northeast. Tianzheng Academy is the closest academy to the Star Dou Forest besides Shrek."

Xue Yuheng did not continue to explain; he needed to probe the Star Dou Forest.

This concerned his plan to unify the continent.

If they went to Shrek, it wouldn't be so easy to maneuver.

"Second, the competitiveness of Tianzheng Academy is very strong. Their academy has a unique ranking competition system, which I think is worth learning from."

"Third, Tianzheng Academy recruits from all classes on the continent.

The class conflict between nobles and commoners on the Douluo Continent is already deep-seated. Although Shrek only accepts geniuses, many of its students have noble backgrounds.

If we go there rashly, Qingwu's identity will easily arouse suspicion.

But Tianzheng Academy does not distinguish by background and promotes talent based on merit alone. We can take advantage of this to hide our identities and safely transition Qingwu's status."

Xiao Xiao nodded in sudden realization.

Just then, the sound of crisp footsteps approached.

A young girl dressed in a golden martial outfit walked slowly to their table.

The girl had dazzling long golden hair tied into a high ponytail, her temperament heroic and noble, with a faint sacred aura lingering around her.

Xue Yuheng stood up and introduced her to the two girls with a smile:

"This is our future senior, Yu Mengdi.

She is also a member of my Douling Elite Hall."