Star Luo Imperial Family

Having made his decision, Jin Yang pressed a soul-tool communicator beside the desk.

"General."

An adjutant in a crisp officer's uniform swiftly pushed open the door, entered, and bowed.

Jin Yang handed him the document in his hand, his tone steady and beyond question:

"Two matters. First, classify all intelligence concerning the child named Yin Chen as the highest internal secret of the legion. Seal it off completely. Until I issue further orders, no specific information regarding his spirit or Innate Soul Power may be leaked to the outside in the slightest."

"Yes!"

The adjutant answered without hesitation.

"Second."

Jin Yang continued.

"Send a copy of this intelligence through the royal family's exclusive encrypted channel to Star Luo City at the fastest possible speed, and present it directly for His Majesty's review."

"Understood!"

The adjutant accepted the document with both hands, his expression solemn.

He understood what this meant. The child called Yin Chen had already been regarded by the legion commander as someone important enough to be reported directly to the emperor.

After the adjutant departed with his orders, Jin Yang rose and walked to the window, gazing at the distant, rolling Mingdou Mountain Range.

He had no intention of personally meeting that child, at least not for now.

He was merely a genius. The Star Luo Empire was vast and had never lacked geniuses.

Only those who truly grew up could become pillars of the realm.

"An innate spirit awakening, a time attribute, Innate Full Soul Power... He truly has the makings of a Title Douluo."

He murmured to himself, a trace of appreciation in his voice, though even more of it was the calmness born of realism.

"But to grow into a towering tree, he will need far too many resources and far too much time."

In his view, it was only proper for the legion to provide suitable compensation and care for an orphan like this. The royal family might also grant him additional attention and investment because of his talent.

But that had little to do with Jin Yang personally, or with the core affairs of the Eighth Spirit Master Legion.

So long as he ensured that the child's information reached the right people and remained under control, he would have fulfilled his responsibility.

As for how far Yin Chen would ultimately go, that would depend on his own fortunes and... the wishes of His Majesty in Star Luo City.

As Golden Spear Douluo, he only needed to do this small favor.

Deep within the imperial palace of Star Luo City, there was an elegant and tranquil side hall.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through enormous glass windows, casting mottled patterns of light across the carpet.

Xu Jiawei, the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, was not wearing elaborate dragon robes. He wore only simple casual clothing as he reclined comfortably on a soft sofa by the window.

Across from him sat a purple-haired, purple-eyed girl who looked no more than eleven or twelve. Her skin was fair as snow, and her features were as exquisite as heaven's most perfect creation. Though still young, her elegant and noble bearing had already begun to take shape, and every smile and frown carried an innate grace.

She was Xu Jiawei's most beloved and trusted younger sister, the princess of the Star Luo Empire—Xu Jiujiu.

By their generation, the lineage of the Star Crown Spirit had become rather sparse. Of those who had successfully awakened the Star Crown Spirit, only the two siblings remained.

Therefore, Xu Jiawei had begun keeping Xu Jiujiu by his side from an early age, carefully teaching her how to handle imperial affairs and cultivating her ability to stand on her own.

In his heart, Xu Jiujiu was not only his younger sister, but also an indispensable pillar of the empire's future.

At that moment, Xu Jiawei held the top-secret intelligence report on Yin Chen that had been urgently delivered by the Eighth Spirit Master Legion.

He did not hide it from his sister. Instead, he handed her the document and calmly summarized its key information.

"Oh? Both parents were martyrs of the Eighth Legion, his background is clean, and under the stimulus of grief, he awakened his spirit innately. It even has the rare time attribute, along with Innate Full Soul Power..."

Xu Jiujiu lightly tapped her delicate fingers against her chin, intelligence and sharpness gleaming in her amethyst-like eyes.

"Brother, this is quite an extraordinary prospect. General Jin Yang sent him directly to you, which saves us quite a bit of trouble and also shows how highly he values him."

Xu Jiawei nodded slightly. Seeing his sister's interested expression, he smiled. "What is it, Jiujiu? Are you interested in this child?"

"Of course."

Xu Jiujiu sat up straight, a steadiness and confidence slightly at odds with her age appearing on her face.

"With such talent and such a clean background, he is precisely the sort of future pillar the empire urgently needs to cultivate. If we let him drift freely or allow other factions to take advantage of the situation, would that not be our loss? Brother, you handle countless matters every day. Why not leave this small matter to Jiujiu? I will represent the royal family and properly handle our relationship with this little genius, ensuring that his heart remains with the empire."

A trace of gratification and consideration flashed through Xu Jiawei's eyes as he watched his sister volunteer.

He truly was busy with state affairs and could not devote too much attention to a genius who had only just begun to reveal his potential and whose future remained uncertain.

Letting Xu Jiujiu gain experience through this was indeed the most suitable choice for now.

"Very well. I will leave this matter entirely in your hands."

Xu Jiawei agreed without much hesitation, encouragement and trust in his voice.

"If you need any resources or encounter any difficulties, come to me at any time."

There was naturally a deeper meaning behind how readily he agreed.

First, he believed that with Xu Jiujiu's intelligence and methods, handling her relationship with a six-year-old child would be more than easy. This would be an excellent practical exercise for her.

Second, even if Jiujiu ultimately failed to achieve the desired result or even mishandled certain aspects, it would not be an unacceptable loss to him or the empire. He had his own contingencies to salvage the situation. He could simply treat it as experience for his sister.

Deep in his heart, he even held a more subtle thought.

If... if Jiujiu truly stumbled over a six-year-old child, that would be even more interesting.

That would not only mean that Jiujiu could learn a valuable lesson about the complexity of human hearts, but would also mean that the child named Yin Chen possessed a temperament, wisdom, and methods that were likely even more astonishing than his spirit talent.

A child only six years old who could make the dignified Princess of Star Luo suffer a loss would have potential and value that needed to be reassessed. He would be even more worthy of the empire's efforts to win over and cultivate at any cost.

No matter what, Xu Jiawei saw this investment as a guaranteed profit.

If it succeeded, the empire would gain a future top-tier powerhouse. Even if there were setbacks along the way, it could temper his sister or uncover an even deeper treasure.

"Killing two birds with one stone. Excellent."

Xu Jiawei lifted the tea at his side and took a light sip. Through the curling steam, his gaze seemed deep and distant.

Of course, that was contingent on Yin Chen truly being outstanding enough to suppress the carefully cultivated Xu Jiujiu.

After all, it was merely his speculation. No matter how gifted a six-year-old child might be, he was still only a child. How could he possibly be as monstrous as Xu Jiawei imagined?