Changing the Tiger and Cat's Path

"Is there something wrong with what I said?" Dai Mubai asked, somewhat confused.

"Actually, the reason I came up with the hypothesis that willpower can influence soul skills was inspired by your Star Luo Dai Family." Chen Feng patted Dai Mubai's arm.

"Inspired by my family? What do you mean?" Dai Mubai still did not quite understand, though Chen Yun beside him had already grasped the general idea.

"He should mean that the first few soul skills of the White Tiger Spirit are all fixed."

"That's right. Big Brother Dai, may I ask: did all the previous holders of the White Tiger Spirit hunt the same Soul Beasts?" Chen Feng asked, looking at Dai Mubai.

"Probably not? I never paid much attention to that. My hunting target this time was designated by Father Emperor. Uncle Chen, do you know?" Dai Mubai instinctively looked toward Chen Yun.

"No." Chen Yun answered succinctly.

Chen Feng was speechless. You were a prince, Dai Mubai. Did you really need to ask someone else about something like this? You truly did not care one bit about your ancestors.

What Chen Feng did not know was that because the tradition of heir duels had been passed down, Dai Mubai was extremely resentful of the Dai Family's ancestors.

It was already good enough that he did not point at their ancestral tablets and curse them out. And Chen Feng expected him to study what Soul Beasts those ancestors had hunted? What a joke!

Chen Feng did not know about Dai Mubai's spectacularly unfilial train of thought, and continued his topic:

"Beast Spirit Masters who hunt different Soul Beasts gain the same soul skills, while Tool Spirit Masters who hunt the same Soul Beasts gain different soul skills. By controlling for those variables, I eventually came up with the hypothesis that the effects of soul skills are very likely influenced by willpower.

"Because a soul master wants a soul skill with a certain effect, and the soul ring condensed by the Soul Beast also contains a soul skill with that effect, the absorbed soul skill will most likely have that effect. This is my hypothesis regarding the principles of soul ring absorption.

"This hypothesis has only been deduced through logical reasoning so far and has not been verified with actual samples, so it can only remain a hypothesis for now. But perhaps we can use it to obtain the soul skills we want."

Grandmaster stroked his chin in thought and said:

"Based on what I have seen in the past, this hypothesis is very likely true."

Unlike Dai Mubai, he was intimately familiar with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's records, so he could make such a judgment.

"Then does that mean I can choose not to hunt the Soul Beast Father Emperor designated?" Dai Mubai suddenly asked.

"Why not give it a try?" Chen Feng urged.

"Forget it." In the end, Dai Mubai did not dare.

The group chatted as they walked, soon entering Sand Gold Valley.

The valley covered a vast area and produced all kinds of ore. As a result, it had become an artificial gathering place for Earth Attribute and Gold Attribute Soul Beasts.

The people of Sand Gold City also often hired soul masters to protect them while they entered the valley to mine for a living.

Those who lived by the mountain relied on the mountain; those who lived by the water relied on the water. That was roughly how it worked.

Once inside the valley, Chen Feng noticed that the vegetation was rather sparse. Sunlight and moonlight could shine down without obstruction, so it was no wonder Moon-Calling Foxes appeared here.

Umbrella Crown Sunflowers were not difficult to find, but finding one of a suitable age was somewhat harder.

Fortunately, the group had Grandmaster, an expert at judging the age of Soul Beasts, as well as Chen Yun, a Spirit King, to protect them. After suffering two Soul Beast attacks, they finally found an Umbrella Crown Sunflower over four hundred years old.

"Go on, Xiao San." Chen Feng patted Tang San on the shoulder.

"Mm." Tang San nodded, drew the dagger at his waist, and stepped forward.

The Umbrella Crown Sunflower's flower head was huge, forming an umbrella that protected its stalk beneath it. Tang San tried slashing the flower head a few times, only to see the wounds rapidly heal.

"Umbrella Crown Sunflowers have extremely strong vitality. That dagger won't kill it. Use this." Grandmaster reached to his waist and took out a Woodcutter's Axe.

"Thank you, Grandmaster." Tang San took the Woodcutter's Axe, activated his Mysterious Jade Hand, and brought the axe down viciously upon the flower head. Before the wound could heal, he kept chopping, strike after strike.

In the end, under the relentless blows of the axe, the Umbrella Crown Sunflower transformed into a yellow soul ring.

Tang San sat down cross-legged beside the soul ring and began absorbing his First Spirit Ring.

The others stood guard nearby, protecting him.

Watching Tang San absorb the soul ring, Chen Feng suddenly said to Dai Mubai:

"Big Brother Dai, is your first soul skill White Tiger Body Protection Barrier?"

"That's right."

"Are you planning to obtain White Tiger Blazing Light Wave as your second soul skill?"

"Mm. Why?" Dai Mubai asked in confusion.

Chen Feng pondered for several seconds before saying:

"Big Brother Dai, I have no right to comment on your choices, but if I said I could solve your troubles, would you be willing to hear my suggestion?"

"What do you mean?" Dai Mubai did not understand.

Everyone else looked over as well, including Zhu Zhuqing, who had been lost in thought the whole time.

Chen Feng looked at Dai Mubai, then at Zhu Zhuqing, and said:

"Big Brother Dai, if I'm not mistaken, the two of you should have the potential to form a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, right?"

Dai Mubai said nothing, tacitly admitting it.

"Then you must be forced to participate in the Star Luo Empire's royal heir duel?" Chen Feng continued.

"What are you trying to say?" Dai Mubai was already somewhat annoyed. Why did Chen Feng have to bring up the one thing he least wanted to discuss?

"I'm saying that if I had a way to let the two of you avoid participating in that duel, would you be willing?" Chen Feng asked astonishingly.

"What way?" For the first time, a clear change of expression appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face.

Dai Mubai's eyes widened as well. "You really have a way?"

Chen Yun raised an eyebrow beside them, looking at Chen Feng, then at Grandmaster.

Grandmaster did not show much expression, but from the surprised look he gave Chen Feng, it was clear that he knew nothing about this matter.

In other words, this was the child's own decision? Chen Yun's gaze returned to Chen Feng.

At that moment, Chen Feng was speaking eloquently:

"We already discussed how a soul master's willpower can influence the acquisition of soul skills. If I'm right, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill between your Dai and Zhu families was not innate either. Rather, it was this connection that your ancestors gradually formed through generations of selective cultivation.

"The Hell Spirit Cat is a darkness-attribute spirit, so your ancestors gave the White Tiger a certain degree of light attribute while weakening the Hell Spirit Cat's darkness attribute, allowing the two to become compatible. Thus, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill was formed, and the Zhu Family became the Dai Family's steadfast ally.

"So, Big Brother Dai, if you want to escape this life-and-death duel, it is actually very simple. You only need to sever that subtle martial soul connection between yourself and Zhu Zhuqing, then pursue your own path."