Dai Mubai thought carefully about Su Ming's three suggestions. "The dark attribute won't work. I'm a member of the Star Luo Imperial Family. How could my Martial Soul evolve into something that looks so evil?
"That leaves light or both light and dark. Then I'll choose both. The Hell White Tiger, our Martial Soul Fusion Skill, has both light and dark attributes, and our ancestors often married into families with the Nether Civet Martial Soul, so that bloodline is pretty strong, too."
Once Dai Mubai had made up his mind, he looked up at Su Ming with eager anticipation.
"Then I'll go with the Light-Dark White Tiger. Didn't you say my ancestors married into families with the Nether Civet Martial Soul? In theory, with my bloodline and a Martial Soul Evolution, I should be better suited to that."
Looking at Dai Mubai's expectant expression, Su Ming replied with some embarrassment.
"Um, Boss Dai, about that..."
Dai Mubai stared at Su Ming, who was stumbling over his words.
"What is it? Is there a problem?"
"Um, Boss Dai, maybe you should choose the Bright White Tiger instead."
Dai Mubai looked at Su Ming in confusion.
"What's wrong with the Light-Dark White Tiger?"
"Nothing's wrong with it. It's just that Soul Beasts with both light and dark attributes are extremely rare. I only know of one: the Light-Dark Cyclops.
"The first direction I suggested was the Light Attribute. I thought you'd choose a light-based one.
"If you really want to evolve into a Light-Dark White Tiger, you'll have to use the Star Luo Imperial Family's power to search for a suitable Soul Beast yourself.
"I can't help with that. I only learned about Soul Beasts with both light and dark attributes through Yu Xiao Gang."
Dai Mubai thought it over. Su Ming was right: Soul Beasts with both light and dark attributes were extremely rare, and the Light Attribute wasn't a bad choice either.
"Fine, then I'll choose the light-based one. You can find those, right?"
Seeing Dai Mubai change his mind and choose the Light Attribute, Su Ming's face brightened. He beamed as he replied,
"There are plenty of light-based ones: the Bright White Tiger, the Holy Light White Tiger, and the Sun-Gilded Golden-Eyed Tiger.
"But you've already wasted your First Soul Ring. If you really want to evolve into a Bright White Tiger, you'd best choose one for your Second Soul Ring."
"Fine, let's go find the Dean."
"All right. Oscar, wait here. We'll be right back."
Su Ming summoned his Martial Soul and used his First Soul Skill on Dai Mubai. Then the two of them flew toward the Dean's office.
Before long, they arrived outside the office. Dai Mubai stepped forward, knocked on the door, and called out,
"Is the Dean in?"
After calling out and knocking twice, they heard someone say, "Come in." The two opened the door and entered.
Flender had received Yu Xiao Gang's reply first thing that morning. He'd just returned from Suotuo City and was about to open the letter when he heard Su Ming and Dai Mubai call out and knock.
Flender set the letter down and watched Su Ming and Dai Mubai walk in.
"Well, what brings you two here?"
He instinctively sensed them with his Soul Power.
"Oh, Mubai, you've reached level 20. Not bad."
"Are you here to ask your teacher to help you hunt a Soul Ring?"
The two who had entered heard Flender's question.
"Exactly. As expected of the Dean—you could tell my Soul Power had changed at a glance." Dai Mubai answered quickly, slipping in a little flattery.
"Sure. Are you still planning to follow the Star Luo Imperial Family tradition and get exclusive Soul Beasts for your first three Soul Rings? I can have Old Zhao take you to the Star Luo Imperial Family's Tamed Beast Forest later. You can hunt one there."
Dai Mubai quickly explained.
"Well, Dean, I won't be following the Star Luo Imperial Family tradition."
"You won't? What are you planning to do?"
"Dean, you know the rules of the Star Luo Empire's royal family. I only came here because I had no choice.
"So I don't plan to follow the Star Luo royal family's usual method. That way, my fiancée and I won't have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and there won't be any need to compete for the throne.
"So I took Su Ming's advice. I'm planning to hunt a Soul Beast with the Light Attribute for my Soul Ring."
Flender glanced at Su Ming.
"You suggested this?"
Su Ming put on a righteous expression.
"Yes, Dean. I saw that Boss Dai had the Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul, so I asked him a few questions.
"Who knew he was a prince? Then I asked how many years older his big brother was. As soon as I heard six, I understood.
"He came all the way here, and he didn't look like he wanted to fight for the throne. So I just gave him a suggestion."
Flender stared at Su Ming for a long time.
His gaze made Su Ming's scalp prickle.
"Have you actually seen this work? You're the one who suggested it, but what if he fails?"
"Your Dean here is only a lowly Soul Sage. If Mubai follows your advice and fails to absorb the Soul Ring, I won't be able to protect you."
Su Ming realized that Flender was only worried about him.
"Dean, I've tested it. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare make the suggestion."
"It was a student at Nuoding City's Primary Academy, a Work-Study Student like me. His name was Wang Sheng, and he was five years older than me. His Martial Soul was the War Tiger. I'd just hunted my First Soul Ring at the time.
"I was showing off, so I let them try out my First Soul Skill. After the flight, Wang Sheng suddenly dropped to his knees in front of everyone.
"I hurriedly asked what was wrong. He said he wanted a Hundred-Year Soul Ring and asked if I could help him get one. He said he'd work like an ox or a horse to repay me."
At that, Flender thought back to his own days at Primary Academy, just after awakening his Martial Soul.
If I hadn't had level eight innate Soul Power, and someone hadn't seen my potential and been willing to invest in me, my first Soul Ring might have been a ten-year white one.
Wang Sheng's pretty sharp. He swallowed his pride and got something worthwhile out of it.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
"I'd originally planned to come straight to Shrek Academy the next year to enroll. I'd just thought of this Martial Soul Evolution path, so he became my test subject.
"On the way here, I happened to help him hunt a 300-year Crimson Flame Tiger for his Soul Ring. And his Martial Soul really did evolve.
"After that, he gave his Martial Soul a new name: Flame Tiger. Then we went our separate ways.
"So when I heard about Dai Mubai, I suggested he hunt a Soul Beast with the Light Attribute and destroy their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. That way, his big brother wouldn't see him as a threat, since the skill would be gone.
"Oh, and that's why Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Martial Soul failed to evolve, too. So I suggested he hunt a Soul Beast with a Phoenix bloodline. That's all, Dean."
Flender was deeply shaken. Martial Souls could actually evolve by hunting Soul Rings?
But when he thought about it carefully, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had to hunt Soul Rings with Sub-Dragon attributes to give their Martial Souls the ability to undergo Dragon Transformation. Wasn't that evolution?
Seeing the Dean lost in thought, Dai Mubai spoke up at once.
"Dean, Su Ming only gave me a suggestion. I'm the one who'll make the final decision. I've made up my mind. I'll be the test subject."
"All right. Since you've decided, I won't stop you. As it happens, Old Zhao and I can take the two of you to hunt Soul Beasts first thing tomorrow morning.
"You two should head back for now. We'll go tomorrow morning."
"All right, Dean."
Before you continue