Douluo: The Throne of Ice

Chapter 50: The Choice, The Challenge (Please continue reading)

Seemingly seeing that the three had not responded for a long time, Shu Yan and Xue Di exchanged a glance, and then continued to speak, only in a slightly gentler tone.

"What I've shown you is enough for you now, and it may still not move you, but that's not a big problem, and it's actually quite easy to solve."

After saying that, Shu Yan coughed lightly, completely pulling the three of them out of their shock and contemplation. He glanced at the composed Xue Di beside him, shrugged, and then said:

"Perhaps I should give you a more formal introduction of this senior colleague; that way, your opinion might change more quickly."

"As I said before, this senior is known as the Ice God. He is the chief elder of the Imperial Hall of Worship, a level 99 Extreme Douluo of the Power Attack type, and also my teacher. As for whether it is true or not, you can ask Elder Qian yourselves. His answer will only be the same as mine."

The three of them followed Shu Yan's voice and their gazes fell on Xue Di, who was exuding a cold aura. Almost subconsciously, their throats bobbed. In their eyes, Xue Di, who usually had a calm and reserved aura, suddenly seemed to have changed. Just a normal glance from her eyes was enough to make them break out in a cold sweat.

In response, Xue Di merely glanced at Shu Yan with indifferent eyes, without any other reaction.

Before she arrived, she had already guessed that Shu Yan would use her to speed up the subjugation of these descendants of the Spirit Hall. Now that she thinks about it, she does understand Shu Yan.

Shu Yan noticed Xue Di's indifferent gaze, but for some reason, he managed to detect a hint of... seeking praise in it?

Seemingly realizing that his thoughts were too dangerous, Shu Yan quickly pulled back from the brink, abandoning his strange ideas, and turned to look at the three of them again, saying:

"It's time to make a choice. Will you follow me to fight for our past glory and honor, or will you wait for Shrek to grow stronger and eventually wipe you out like rats in a sewer? Give me your answer now."

Chen Ming and Wang Lin exchanged a glance, their emotions somewhat complicated. Subconsciously, they looked at Luo Qinghan, who was still sitting silently on the sofa, but still received no useful response.

Their thoughts raced rapidly, the humiliation of ten thousand years ago vividly flashing before their eyes. Considering the current state of their families' power, Chen Ming, dressed in red with short, flamboyant crimson hair, stepped forward first and said:

"To be honest, I am very clear about our family's situation. We either have to abandon the hatred and shame of the past ten thousand years and enter the world to seek a way to survive, or we have to destroy Shrek Academy and rebuild the reputation that our ancestors made on the continent."

"I don't know what choices others will make, but at least I know just how despairing everything our ancestors acknowledged truly was. Entering the world is tantamount to surrendering to our ancestors' former enemies. Who cares if they want to do it or not? I certainly can't. If it's really as you say, then I, Chen Ming, will follow you from now on!"

Shu Yan looked at Chen Ming's opinion with some surprise, then chuckled and said:

"That's inevitable..."

Beside Chen Ming, Wang Lin, dressed in black, was also deep in thought, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Shu Yan and Xue Di beside him. Soon, he made his own choice.

"If it's really based on the premise you mentioned, I'm willing to join."

As he spoke, he forced a smile onto his cold, stiff face, but it looked rather awkward no matter how you looked at it.

Shu Yan smiled slightly and then nodded.

Shu Yan's gaze fell on Luo Qinghan, who had not yet made a choice. He wasn't in a hurry. Based on their recent interaction, he could tell that Luo Qinghan was a smart person. Of course, he wasn't disappointed with the final result.

"I'm willing to join, but I have one last request."

Luo Qinghan's cold voice rang out, her beautiful smoky blue eyes reflecting Shu Yan's figure, as if she were waiting for the result.

"Although, as long as it's not excessive, everything is negotiable."

Shu Yan chuckled, his tone much more friendly and gentle than his initial indifference.

"I want to fight you, or rather, all of us want to fight you. We know what kind of existence the Ice and Snow Maiden is, and we know how rare and powerful extreme attributes are, but just like our belief, only those who defeat us on the battlefield are qualified to become our leader."

Shu Yan raised an eyebrow, then said:

"Okay, I agree. According to the information I have, there should be more than just the three of you leading this group. Tell them your choices. Tomorrow, at the Star Luo Arena, you can choose to fight one-on-one or all of you together. Remember the time, noon tomorrow."

With that, Shu Yan stood up, leading Xu Jiujiu and Xue Di, who had remained silent until now. He glanced at the three of them, smiled, and then led the two women away from the magnificent hall...

……

As Shu Yan passed through the lobby downstairs, under the curious or fearful gazes of the group, he gently tapped the guy who was still a block of ice. With a crisp sound, the seemingly indestructible ice shattered, and the burly man inside was suddenly released. He gasped for breath, trembling, and knelt on the spot, his hair, eyelashes, and other body hair still covered with ice crystals, looking pitiful as if he had been severely bullied.

Shu Yan patted his shoulder and said with a light laugh:

"That's not how you test someone. Remember to be more careful next time, or you'll suffer less."

After speaking, Shu Yan ignored the fear in the big man's eyes and led the two women straight out of the hotel's main entrance. Soon after, the sound of a carriage starting up could be heard. Those who were still in shock slowly came to their senses. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do next.

……

Only after the carriage had re-entered the bustling street, and the surrounding noise gradually drowned out everything that had just happened, did he finally speak softly and ask:

"Ayan, although I have great confidence in your abilities, I can't help but worry if the other side chooses to fight as a group. After all, they're not some genius from a small sect, but an ancient family that has been passed down in the shadows for nearly ten thousand years..."

"Furthermore, such a short contact cannot prove many things, nor is it enough for us to gain a deeper understanding of them. What if they only agree on the surface, but do something else behind the scenes..."

At this point, Xu Jiujiu's meaning is quite clear.

But upon hearing this, Shu Yan simply reached out and gently brushed the smooth, straight bridge of his nose, which he had been scratching for a long time, before softly saying:

"Don't worry about these things. People who become leaders are not fools. They don't think about problems from their own perspective, but make choices based on the situation of the forces behind them. This is the fate and responsibility they have to bear. Rest assured, if they have brains, they will make the right choice sooner or later after verifying some things."

"It's not difficult to subdue them in a short time, but it's inevitable that we'll have to throw out some bait to show them the real prize."

"The talent and confidence I displayed gave them hope of standing at the top of the continent again. When they discovered that following me could bring them benefits and advantages they never dared to dream of before, they would slowly and automatically learn how to write the word 'loyalty'..."

At this point, Shu Yan's tone changed slightly, and then he continued:

"Of course, if they really are hopeless cases, then it just means I misjudged them, and the loss to us wouldn't be significant..."

……

(End of this chapter)