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--- Chapter 528 ---
"The stars... The stars are coming to me?!"
The blue-haired little girl cried, her Martial Soul, the Starwheel Ice Staff, already manifested in her delicate hands, and released a faint, pulsing starlight.
Hearing their little daughter's sudden outburst, her parents, Xu Tianyi and his wife, Shen Yuru, approached with bewildered expressions. They had been trying to guide their daughter through basic cultivation techniques for weeks now.
Yet, it was bitterly clear that they had spoiled her a bit too much. This girl isn't lazy, and her talent is the highest ever recorded in the family, but her attraction isn't the same as most young spirit masters.
Yes, you heard that right. The girl showed next to no interest in standard cultivation routines. Instead, she spent most of her days in astronomical records, star charts, and any star-related web journal she could find on the Sun Moon Net.
Today was no exception!
While Xu Tianyi and Shen Yuru tried to steer Xu Xiaoyan toward mastering her newly awakened spirit, she paid half-hearted attention to the lesson before daydreaming, staring up at the dimming afternoon sky with far greater interest.
That was until her sudden shout broke the quiet garden.
"What happened, Xiaoyan?" Xu Tianyi asked with concern, quickening his pace.
"Yes, what's wrong, dear?" Shen Yuru added, reaching down to gently stroke her daughter's hair.
"The stars... They are coming right here!" Xu Xiaoyan's bright, passionate gaze shifted directly toward the garden entrance.
She saw her older brother, Xu Xiaoyu, walking in, but her eyes didn't linger on him for even a fraction of a second. Nor did she focus on the elegant middle-aged woman walking beside him.
Frankly, the auntie was good. She was like a nebula star in the sky, but that wasn't what she was looking for.
As if the rest of the world had suddenly lost its color and luster, the only thing remaining in Xu Xiaoyan's vision was the silver-haired boy entering her home.
His mere presence radiated an aura like the brightest, dazzling star in the infinite night sky. At least in Xu Xiaoyan's eyes, that is.
More strikingly, Xu Xiaoyan felt a sudden, irresistible pulse deep within her soul—a deep spiritual resonance originating directly from her Starwheel Ice Staff.
According to the ancient records preserved by the Xu Family, this unique variant of the Ice Staff manifested only once every few generations, with every historical possessor rising to become a powerful Control System Spirit Master through the blessing of the stars.
However, that very same proud, irregularly appearing Starwheel Ice Staff was now trembling in panic—not in defiance, but in complete, reverent willingness to submit before this silver-haired boy.
This overwhelming feedback deeply impacted young Xu Xiaoyan's soul. In that singular moment, an instinctive realization washed over her. Yes, her starlight belonged beside this boy's cosmos.
She strode up to the boy in nervous anticipation, extending her small hand. "Hi, my name is Xu Xiaoyan! Can we be friends?"
Meanwhile, Han Yuan, who had just stepped into the garden, stared at the eager twin-tailed girl before him.
'There's no mistake... The Gate of Stars is directly connected to her.'
'The future Number One Controller under the Stars, Xu Xiaoyan!'
'Unlike Sister Mu Xi, who required a soul contract to establish a bond with me, this girl achieved a natural resonance purely on her own.'
'Interesting... This world really is full of hidden talents.'
With that thought in mind, Han Yuan offered a warm, polite smile and took her small hand. "Hello, Xu Xiaoyan. My name is Han Yuan, nice to meet you."
"Pardon our sudden intrusion, Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu," Xing Lan greeted Xu Tianyi and Shen Yuru smoothly. "My name is Xing Lan, the former Dean of Tianxing Academy in Heaven Dou City."
"This boy and I came here after receiving word that your daughter has an extraordinarily rare talent."
"We would like to offer her an official invitation to join the Youth Genius Training Camp hosted by the Spirit Pagoda."
"This..." Xu Tianyi was thoroughly stunned. He certainly hadn't expected a big shot to visit their estate.
Shen Yuru shared her husband's shock. Although she knew her daughter was gifted, she hadn't anticipated an invitation to the rumored Youth Genius Training Camp.
As members of a prominent family in Eastsea City, both parents were well aware of the camp's elite reputation.
Xu Tianyi suddenly realized something else. "Wait... Tianxing Academy? Isn't that the institution that specializes in star-attribute research?"
"And former dean... Could you perhaps be Her Excellency, the Nebula Douluo? The Heavenly Nebula Lady?"
"That would be me," Xing Lan acknowledged with a calm nod. "But that was the past."
"Hiss... It truly is Your Excellency!" Xu Tianyi and Shen Yuru exchanged a stunned glance before hurriedly inviting Xing Lan to the nearby garden pavilion. The children were naturally pulled along into the sudden tea party.
Sitting around the stone picnic table, Han Yuan and Xu Xiaoyan naturally sat side by side. The blue-haired girl cheerfully piled snacks and drinks in front of him one after another, watching him eat with obvious delight.
"Brother Yuan, you have to try this pastry, too! Xiaoyan guarantees you'll love it!" Xu Xiaoyan placed a warm pie on Han Yuan's plate the second he finished the previous bite.
"This one, too! Ah, don't forget these macarons!"
Xu Xiaoyu could only watch the scene in utter disbelief, shouting inside in terror. 'Sister, please, for the love of the gods! Stop force-feeding the goddamn grim reaper!'
Oddly enough, Han Yuan didn't refuse her enthusiastic offerings, quietly enjoying the snacks. He had a few theories regarding their innate natural connection, but one thing was undeniable about this girl—cuteness was truly absolute justice!
Even Xu Tianyi and Shen Yuru had never seen their young daughter this enthusiastic before. Well, except for the one time she gave a two-hour presentation on star constellations at age five.
"Your Excellency," Xu Tianyi spoke up politely, steering the conversation back. "You mentioned our daughter is invited to the Youth Genius Training Camp, but what specific excellence does she possess to qualify for such a prestigious gathering?"
"As talented as my daughter is... I am afraid her current cultivation pales in comparison to the true prodigies nurtured by the Spirit Pagoda."
'Youth Genius Training Camp? Spirit Pagoda?' Xu Xiaoyu listened in envy, sighing inside. He had always dreamed of testing his limits in a venue for the continent's top young geniuses, but he knew his talent wasn't quite high enough to earn a spot.
"Because she fits the requirement perfectly," A voice answered. It wasn't Xing Lan who spoke, but Han Yuan. "Uncle Xu, may I call you that?"
Xu Tianyi narrowed his eyes slightly at the handsome silver-haired boy before nodding and gesturing for him to continue. "Mhm. Go ahead."
"First, allow me to introduce myself properly," Han Yuan said with a calm, confident smile. "My name is Han Yuan, seven years old. My grandfather is the Spirit Pagoda Elder responsible for overseeing Spiritual Power cultivation in the Youth Genius Training Camp."
"My grandfather is Han Tianyi—also known as the Illusory Brain Douluo, a Level 98 Super Douluo!"
'Hiss...!'
Whether it was Xu Tianyi, Shen Yuru, or Xu Xiaoyu, all three of them drew in a sharp breath of cold air. None of them had expected this young boy to possess such an astounding background!
Although the Xu Family did have a Title Douluo elder, an elusive Level 98 Super Douluo standing at the pinnacle of the Spirit Pagoda was a figure they didn't dare to dream of meeting in their lives.
Han Yuan paid no mind to their shock and continued, "A few days ago, my grandfather mentioned that the Xu Family possesses a rare and powerful variant—the Starwheel Ice Staff."
"While relatively weak during the daytime, it becomes a devastating tool at night under the starlight, granting its wielder an absolute, irresistible control skill that can trap even a Title Douluo at seven rings."
"But what if I told you that the Starwheel Ice Staff is merely a transitional phase?" Han Yuan smiled faintly. "With the right guidance, this Martial Soul can evolve into something infinitely stronger!"
Xu Xiaoyan's eyes sparkled with excitement as she immediately hugged Han Yuan's left arm. "Brother Yuan, Xiaoyan agrees! I want to join the Youth Genius Training Camp!"
'This girl! You're literally throwing yourself already!' Xu Tianyi, Shen Yuru, and Xu Xiaoyu stood completely speechless at how easily she had been won over.