The Prince: Dai Mubai's Identity Revealed

"Dean Flender, I know that a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring contains a soul shock.

"Even knowing that, I still chose to attach a black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as my third ring. I do have grounds for confidence and something to rely on."

"When my White Tiger Martial Soul mutated into the Evil Eye White Tiger, it didn't just improve in quality, grow a pair of wings, and gain the ability to fly."

"The Evil Eye White Tiger bears the name Evil Eye because it possesses extraordinary spiritual talent. It isn't merely a power attack system Beast Martial Soul with a powerful body and outstanding close-combat abilities-"

"The Evil Eye White Tiger is also a spiritual-type Martial Soul. The moment my White Tiger Martial Soul mutated into it, my spiritual power also increased enormously. It's no weaker than that of a five-ring Soul Master."

"And Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts have only just gained intelligence, so the soul shock contained in their Soul Rings isn't especially powerful. With my current spiritual power, I'm confident I can withstand it."

Dai Mubai explained.

"The Evil Eye White Tiger Martial Soul is a spiritual-type Martial Soul... The Martial Soul Mutation also strengthened your spiritual power... Mubai, you knew a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring contained a soul shock..."

"This..." After hearing Dai Mubai's words, Flender, like Zhao Wuji, was left somewhat speechless, unable to find a rebuttal.

Still, although Flender thought Dai Mubai might truly be able to withstand the soul shock of a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and create another miracle,

Dai Mubai was exceptionally talented, and now he was Shrek Academy's prized treasure.

In all fairness, Flender truly didn't want Dai Mubai to take the risk.

Seeing that Flender and Zhao Wuji were speechless but still somewhat hesitant, Dai Mubai decided to add more fuel to the fire.

"Dean Flender, from my Martial Soul and surname, you should have guessed my identity, shouldn't you?" Dai Mubai said.

"Indeed." Flender didn't deny it.

"The White Tiger Martial Soul, whose quality is no inferior to that of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, the world's number one Beast Martial Soul, has always been the inherited Martial Soul of the Star Luo Imperial Family, one of the Douluo Continent's two great empires."

"And Dai is the Star Luo Imperial Family's surname. So, if I'm not mistaken, Mubai, you must be a member of the Star Luo Imperial Family. Am I wrong?"

Having spent many years adventuring in the Soul Master World in his youth, Flender was quite confident in his judgment and knowledge.

"Dean Flender, you guessed correctly. I am indeed from the Star Luo Imperial Family."

"But what you don't know is that I'm not an ordinary member of the imperial family. I'm the third son of the Star Luo Emperor, the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire."

"What? A prince!"

"The Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire?!"

"Mubai, you... you're the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire!!!"

Dai Mubai's words gave both Zhao Wuji and Flender, who had guessed that Dai Mubai belonged to the Star Luo Imperial Family, a tremendous shock.

They had never imagined that the "unlicensed, unofficial, privately run, slapdash, third-rate school" they had founded,

would actually enroll an imperial prince as a student.

How could Flender and Zhao Wuji not be shocked?

"That's right. I am the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire."

"But unlike the Heaven Dou Empire and the other duchies and kingdoms, the Star Luo Empire was founded on martial strength, and the strong are revered."

"To prevent hidden dangers such as division, infighting, and usurpation within the imperial family, and at the same time draw out the princes' potential to the fullest and select the most outstanding and powerful heir to the throne..."

"The Star Luo Empire's princes begin competing against one another from the moment they're born. The competition grows even more brutal after their Martial Soul Awakening at six, and when they come of age at eighteen, they must fight one another in duels to the death."

"The final victor is named crown prince, while the losers are placed under confinement until the new emperor is crowned and ascends the throne."

"After the new emperor is crowned and ascends the throne, and a prince is born to succeed him, the confined princes are either killed outright,"

"Or have their Martial Souls and cultivation crippled and are confined for life, serving as tools to propagate the imperial bloodline. You could call it extremely cruel."

"And although I'm the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire, above me, besides my second brother, the Second Prince, who died young, there's also my eldest brother, the First Prince, who's six years older than me."

"My eldest brother is more talented than I am, and because he's older, his cultivation and strength are greater too."

"Before my Martial Soul mutated, I didn't have the slightest hope of winning the competition among the princes for the Star Luo Imperial Family's throne."

"That's also why I fled from the Star Luo Empire to the Heaven Dou Empire, and why I've been so depressed, listless, and self-indulgent during the year since I joined Shrek Academy."

"Because I'm already thirteen, and I have less than five years until I come of age at eighteen-"

"I don't have many years left to live."

As Dai Mubai spoke of his identity, the Star Luo Imperial Family's cruel system for selecting an heir to the throne, and the reasons for his past despondency and self-indulgence,

Flender and Zhao Wuji came out of their shock and delight at learning he was a prince.

They listened quietly.

"I originally thought my fate was already sealed. When I came of age at eighteen, what awaited me was lifelong confinement or outright death."

"I never expected heaven to treat me so kindly as to let my Martial Soul mutate, improving its quality and my cultivation talent..."

"That finally gave me a sliver of hope that I could change my predetermined fate."

"But hope is only hope. Just as you said earlier, Dean Flender, no matter how great your talent is, if you can't turn it into strength,"

"Then there really isn't much difference between a genius and a good-for-nothing fool."

"Dean Flender, you said earlier that I was exceptionally talented and had a bright future ahead of me, and told me not to take risks or gamble."

"I know you and Teacher Zhao mean well, Dean Flender, and that you're concerned for me."

"Actually, I don't want to take risks or gamble either, but I'm the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire. That identity means I have to fight, strive to improve, take risks, and gamble-"

"Dean Flender, Teacher Zhao, I don't have much time left, and my strength lags far behind my eldest brother's. Now that there's hope, I have no choice but to take a risk and fight for it."

"I'm not gambling for the name of a genius, nor am I gambling for a bright, open future. I'm fighting for my life."

"So, Dean Flender, Teacher Zhao Wuji, whether it's a gamble or not, whether there's danger or not, I have to hunt down this Ten-Thousand-Year Diamond Tiger and absorb its Soul Ring."

"Please, teachers, help me." With that request, Dai Mubai solemnly bowed deeply to his two teachers.

After hearing Dai Mubai speak of his identity, the Star Luo Imperial Family's cruel rules for selecting an heir to the throne, and the reasons for his past despondency and self-indulgence,

as well as why he had now cast aside his former despondency and was working and fighting so hard,

Flender and Zhao Wuji, who had been delighted and excited by Dai Mubai's princely identity, fell silent and said nothing for a long time.

They had never imagined Dai Mubai was carrying so much on his shoulders.

Dai Mubai's beneficial Martial Soul Mutation, the sudden change in his behavior, and his earlier success in attaching thousand-year Soul Rings as his first and second rings...

Flender and Zhao Wuji had long regarded Dai Mubai as Shrek Academy's prized treasure, the student who gave them the greatest satisfaction and pride.

They had both staked their own future and Shrek Academy's on Dai Mubai, and now they had learned that he had a reason he had to grow stronger.

How could Flender and Zhao Wuji possibly stand by and do nothing?