Protective of Their Own?

After listening to Chao Tianxiang describe her Martial Soul and Soul Skills, Ye Renxin had already narrowed the possibilities down to four or five Soul Beasts worth considering.

He pondered for a moment before saying, "If you want my advice, you could choose an Ironbone Snake, an Underworld Python, a Black Mamba, or a Jade-Horned Snake. If you've already absorbed a Soul Ring from any of those types, simply rule it out."

He turned to Lu Xuan. "Xiao Xuan, is there anything you'd like to add?"

Everyone's gaze fell on Lu Xuan.

Meng Shu and his wife could not help feeling curious. They had not expected Ye Renxin to stop midway through his advice and ask a young man's opinion on choosing a Soul Ring.

Meng Yiran's bright eyes were practically glued to Lu Xuan.

She wondered what qualified him to advise her grandmother on a Soul Ring. She was also curious about the handsome young man himself.

But the instant Meng Yiran looked his way, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stepped forward together, blocking her view of him.

As if girls couldn't get jealous!

Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had known each other long before they met Lu Xuan. Both spent time at his side, and neither had ever minded the other's presence.

They had gained both friendship and romance!

But letting someone else come along and claim more of Lu Xuan's attention? Absolutely not.

Lu Xuan noticed the two girls' jealousy, but he only found it amusing and paid it no mind.

He was considering his master's question. After a brief pause, he said, "For a Serpent Cane Martial Soul, the Titan Python and Purple-Gold Dragon Python would actually be better matches. But both are extremely hard to find. Even at ten thousand years of cultivation, their fighting strength rivals that of fifty-thousand-year Soul Beasts. Taking one down would be no easy task."

"Thank you."

Neither Chao Tianxiang nor Meng Shu had studied Martial Souls in great depth, so they took Ye Renxin's and Lu Xuan's advice to heart.

With Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling blocking her view, Meng Yiran felt a little frustrated. Still, she mustered her courage and asked, "What about me? Could you recommend a few Soul Beasts for my First Soul Ring too?"

Meng Yiran knew it was rather forward of her to ask so suddenly. But her future Soul Ring and cultivation were at stake; she could hardly worry about etiquette now.

Before Lu Xuan could answer, Dugu Yan shook her head and cut in. "Lu Xuan hasn't studied Serpent Cane Martial Souls. I doubt he could come up with a suitable Soul Ring plan for you."

Ye Lingling softly chimed in, "Lu Xuan is a support-type Soul Master. How would he know which Soul Skills suit a power-attack-type Tool Soul Master?"

Listening to the two girls take turns heading Meng Yiran off, Ye Qingxian nearly burst out laughing.

They were so young, yet they already knew how to keep others from getting close to Lu Xuan and nip a budding romantic rival in the bud. With his exceptional talent and handsome looks, such scenes would probably only grow more common as he got older.

Lu Xuan had guessed exactly what Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan were up. He saw through them but said nothing to contradict their claims.

Since taking the Immortal Herbs, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had undergone a complete transformation.

It was not just the foundations of their Martial Souls that had changed. Their looks and bearing had been refined as well; each had bright, expressive eyes and a charm of her own.

By comparison, Meng Yiran looked rather ordinary.

Maybe Lu Xuan was that sort of person, but sorry, Miss Meng, you just didn't have what it took!

Lu Xuan knew he would never use the Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to nurture Meng Yiran, who had no ties to him. But since they were here to look into a potential match for Uncle Dugu, he might as well give her some sound advice on choosing a Soul Ring.

He gently signaled for the two girls in front of him to step aside, then said to Meng Yiran, "Show me your Martial Soul, and tell me whether you intend to follow the power-attack path or the control path."

"My Martial Soul is a Serpent Cane, just like Grandma's." Meng Yiran channeled her Soul Power and summoned her Serpent Cane Martial Soul. "If possible, I'd like to take the control path."

"Control?" Lu Xuan was taken aback.

It was not that the control path was a poor choice. Quite the opposite: control-type Soul Masters were the minds at the heart of a team, and their value was immense.

But if he remembered correctly, Meng Yiran had followed the power-attack path in the original story, and her offensive strength had been nothing remarkable.

He had not expected her to choose a different direction now.

Perhaps she had originally taken the power-attack path because her First Soul Ring had been a poor fit. One wrong step had led to another, until she was stuck on a path she could not turn back from.

Now that she wanted to become a control-type Soul Master, she was headed in the right direction.

Lu Xuan thought it over. If that was her goal, he could offer a few suggestions suited to the Serpent Cane Martial Soul.

"For the control path, you could consider an Ice-Armored Python, a Jade Phosphorous Serpent, a Blackwater Mystic Snake, a Mandala Snake, or a Netherworld Snake Vine for your First Soul Ring." After listing them, Lu Xuan added, "Of course, if you're exceptionally lucky and find a special Soul Beast like a Rouge Dragon or a Rainbow Dragon, you can disregard all those options."

"As for your second Soul Ring, besides the ones I just mentioned, you could also consider a Black Electric Eel or a Komodo Monitor Lizard." Having finished his list, Lu Xuan said, "That's all I can suggest for now. Whether they're suitable and whether you take my advice is up to you."

Lu Xuan stepped back to Dugu Xin's side. As a junior, he had already offered more than enough suggestions.

Something else was on Lu Xuan's mind now. When he had the chance, he meant to ask Dugu Xin whether he had any interest in Chao Tianxiang's daughter or her niece.

Meanwhile, Meng Shu was surprised that the young man had given so many useful suggestions at once.

He cupped his hands and said earnestly, "Thank you for your guidance, young friend."

"You're welcome." Lu Xuan shook his head. "They're only suggestions. I can't say for certain what Soul Skills the rings will ultimately produce."

"Brother Meng, Madam." Dugu Bo stepped forward at an opportune moment, interrupting them. "Xiao Xuan has given you his advice. If you find a Soul Ring later and the Soul Skill it grants isn't to your liking, you may come to me. I'm willing to take some responsibility for it."

Then, with a hint of something left unsaid, he added, "If his advice proves useful, perhaps we can talk about other matters when we meet again."

With that, the two groups said their farewells and went their separate ways, each heading deeper into the Star Dou Forest.