The Emperor's Decision: Report to Emperor Xue Ye!

The Little Griffin flapped its wings, landing back on Xue Yao's shoulder and rubbing its fuzzy head against his cheek.

Xue Lang rubbed his hands together, pacing back and forth on the spot.

"Innate Full Soul Power."

"Our Yao'er has truly made us proud."

He grinned from ear to ear, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes bunching together.

Gao Nianzhen pulled her son into her arms, her eyes filled with unconcealable pride.

Yet, as he laughed, Xue Lang's pace slowed.

He stopped in his tracks, his brows knitting together bit by bit.

The joy that had filled his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a deep sense of worry.

Gao Nianzhen knew her husband too well.

Seeing that something was wrong, the smile on her face faded as well.

"What is it?" she asked softly, walking over to him.

Xue Lang turned his head and glanced around.

There was no one else in the great hall, but he still instinctively lowered his voice.

"Nianzhen, don't you think... Yao'er's talent is too eye-catching?"

Gao Nianzhen was stunned for a moment.

"Is having good talent a bad thing? Do you expect our son to be mediocre?"

"That's not what I meant."

Xue Lang sighed heavily.

"A tree that stands above the forest will be destroyed by the wind. That principle holds true everywhere."

He walked over to the throne and sat down, his fingers tapping the armrest unconsciously.

"Our Farack Kingdom sounds grand, but to put it bluntly, we are just a vassal state under the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Our national strength is limited. The strongest among us is you, a level 72 Soul Saint."

Xue Lang paused, his tone becoming exceptionally serious.

"Yao'er has Innate Full Soul Power, and his Martial Soul is a creature like a Griffin."

"With talent of this caliber, even in the Martial Soul Hall, he would be considered the absolute cream of the crop."

At the mention of "Martial Soul Hall," Gao Nianzhen's face turned deathly pale.

Others might not be aware of how overbearing the Martial Soul Hall had become in recent years, but as monarchs, they knew it like the back of their hands.

They scoured the entire continent for geniuses.

If they found a promising sprout, they would try to recruit them, showering them with resources and status.

And if they couldn't be recruited?

They would resort to assassination and destroy the evidence.

Their methods were ruthless.

They would never leave a genius for the two great empires.

"If the Cardinals of the Martial Soul Hall find out about Yao'er's talent..."

Xue Lang took a deep breath, not daring to finish the sentence.

Gao Nianzhen gritted her teeth, a layer of cold sweat already seeping out on her back.

If the Martial Soul Hall really came to snatch him away, the Farack Kingdom's meager military strength wouldn't even be enough to whet the appetite of one Titled Douluo.

"Then what should we do?"

Gao Nianzhen grew anxious.

"Should we keep the information strictly under wraps? Tell the outside world that Yao'er awakened a common Swan Martial Soul with only level three soul power?"

Xue Lang shook his head with a bitter smile.

"We can't hide it."

"The commotion during the awakening today was too great. The guards patrolling outside definitely saw that blue light from earlier."

"The palace is full of eyes and ears. Who knows which maid or eunuch is an informant for the Martial Soul Hall?"

"One can guard against a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot be on guard against a thief for a thousand days."

Xue Lang stood up abruptly, his eyes turning resolute.

"We must find a backer."

"A behemoth that even the Martial Soul Hall wouldn't dare to provoke easily."

Gao Nianzhen realized what he meant in an instant.

"Are you talking about... the Heaven Dou Royal family? Emperor Xue Ye?"

Xue Lang nodded heavily.

"Yes."

"We are originally a branch of the Heaven Dou Royal family. Although the bloodline is several generations removed, we all carry the surname Xue."

"The Heaven Dou Empire has been struggling with a lack of successors these past few years. There are hardly any talents among the younger generation worth mentioning."

"Emperor Xue Ye dreams of finding a peerless genius to hold up the facade."

"If Yao'er is sent there, he will absolutely be treated like a precious treasure. The allocation of resources will certainly be immense."

"With the full protection of the entire Heaven Dou Empire, even Martial Soul Hall would have to think twice before making a move."

Nearby.

Xue Yao had been listening quietly to his parents' conversation.

He did not interrupt, but inwardly, he gave them a thumbs-up.

His father was remarkably clear-headed, with a perfect grasp of the big picture.

He was not blinded by the immediate ecstasy of the situation.

An innocent man may be innocent, but he is guilty of harboring a treasure.

He was currently just a six-year-old child.

He possessed the foundation of a top-tier martial soul, but lacked the strength to protect himself.

Any random Soul Elder or Soul Ancestor could crush him to death.

Going to Tiandou City was indeed the most perfect move at the moment.

There, he would find the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the best simulated cultivation environments. More importantly, his safety would be guaranteed.

Once he had fully developed and evolved his Royal Griffin.

Then, it would not be too late to test his strength against Martial Soul Hall.

Of course, he would still need to be cautious in the early stages; as long as he didn't run into Qian Renxue, it shouldn't be a big problem.

Late that night.

Farack Royal Palace, Imperial Study.

There wasn't even a palace maid left to serve tea in the room.

The doors and windows were tightly shut.

Xue Lang sat before the desk. A piece of specially made parchment was spread out on the table.

He held a pen in his hand, writing rapidly.

After finishing, he picked up the King's Imperial Seal from the table and pressed it heavily onto the bottom of the letter.

Then, he rolled the parchment tightly and stuffed it into a top-secret copper tube sealed with wax.

"Black Eagle."

Xue Lang called out to the empty study.

The next second.

The shadows in the corner suddenly flickered.

A man dressed in black appeared out of thin air.

He knelt on one knee, his head bowed low.

"Your Majesty."

This was Xue Lang's Shadow Guard. He was a death soldier raised by the royal family since childhood, possessing absolute loyalty.

He was quite powerful, a level 56 Agility Attack System Soul King.

Xue Lang walked up to him and handed over the copper tube.

"You will make this trip personally. Deliver this to Tiandou City."

"It must be handed directly to Emperor Xue Ye."

Black Eagle took the copper tube with both hands. He tucked it away carefully against his body.

"Remember."

Xue Lang's voice was low, laced with a fierce edge.

"This letter concerns the survival of the Farack royal family. It concerns the life of the Second Prince."

"No matter what happens on the road, you are not to stop."

"Do not make contact with anyone. Travel at full speed, as if it were an urgent military dispatch."

"Even if you die on the road, this letter must make its way into the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace!"

Black Eagle snapped his head up, his eyes filled with absolute resolve.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty."

"Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure this letter reaches the Great Emperor."

"Go. Travel through the night. Take the backroads where no one will see you." Xue Lang waved his hand.

Black Eagle stood up.

With a flicker of his body, he vaulted straight out of the second-story window.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the night, not making a single sound.

Xue Lang stood before the window, gazing out at the pitch-black night sky.

As the night breeze blew in, he realized for the first time that his clothes were already soaked through with cold sweat.

"Yao'er..."

He murmured to himself.

"This is all your father can do for you."

"The path ahead is one you must forge for yourself."