On this day, Wu Tian was wandering around again. As he put it, "age brings idleness, and idle bones need movement." To avoid arousing suspicion, he specifically walked to the Azure Dragon Hall, circled around the Baihu Hall, and ultimately returned to the North Mysterious Hall. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like a casual stroll. Yet upon closer inspection, things didn't quite add up—he sped through Azure Dragon Hall, moved briskly through Baihu Hall, but lingered at the North Mysterious Hall, looking here and there, examining everything as if searching for something. This behavior was undoubtedly peculiar.

"Sect Leader, guests from Yanhuang Soul have arrived," a disciple from the inner sect suddenly reported, rushing in breathlessly.

"Oh? Someone from Yanhuang Soul."

"Yes, the Yanhuang Soul sect also brought some gifts, saying they wish to meet the child of Lord Protector."

"Who has come?"

"It's Piaoxue, Yanhuang Soul's Vice Sect Leader."

"I see..." Wu Tian nodded silently upon hearing this, then let out a cold hum and said, "Let Mingfei attend to them."

"But as for Piaoxue's request..."

"Hm, the matter of seeing the child can wait. The kid is only a few days old—how can we let outsiders see them so casually? You may go; just say the child is still too young and their soul is not yet fixed, making it inappropriate for them to meet strangers."

"Understood, Sect Leader."

Wu Tian waved his hand dismissively with a flourish of his sleeve and walked away. Regarding this issue, leaving the matter to his personal maid, Iman, was sufficient. As for others? Wu Tian had no intention of letting outsiders see the baby. He'd wait until the child grew a little older—perhaps a few months later would be a better time.

As for guests, they could be dealt with using strategies appropriate to the situation: soldiers block invading troops, water stops flooding streams. If they could be sent away, he'd send them away. If not, he'd grudgingly let them have their way. Cases like John's, for instance—if John insisted on seeing the child, Wu Tian would have little choice but to comply. Firstly, Wu Tian didn't want to offend the Blazing Flame Legion; secondly, John's idea of "seeing" was merely taking a glance for confirmation, making it reasonable and understandable to permit the request.

Others were more complex. Allegedly, Blade Warrior was already on their way here and should be arriving in a few days. Blade Warrior had done the Jade Clear Sect a great favor and had an unusually intimate connection with Mengdie. If she wanted to see the child, it would be only natural. Beyond her, even someone like Francis, despite his formidable status and position, would be politely declined. Showing the child wasn't a good idea. While Francis was closely tied to Feng Yi, Wu Tian didn't care much about that connection. His primary concern was ensuring the baby avoided contact with strangers as much as possible.

After all, hidden sects adhered firmly to philosophies of harmony between heaven and man. For such a young child, whose soul was still unstable, a stranger's overly strong or forceful aura might unintentionally affect the child.

As for the child's future growth, naturally, they had to attend school. A hidden sect wasn't the place to raise a child long-term.

Little did he expect, at this moment, another inner sect disciple arrived, their expression severe and tense. "Report."

"What is it?"

"Sect Leader, the Atlan Federation's Eden Division has sent congratulations. The Federation expressed that they wish to obtain all information about the child."

"Ah?" Wu Tian was rendered speechless. A hidden sect was one matter, while relations between sects were another. Even affiliation with the Blazing Flame Legion wouldn't be considered significant. But why had the Federation picked this critical moment to approach the Jade Clear Sect?

Wu Tian's face darkened instantly. He asked, "What exactly did they say?"

"The Federation stated that the children are descendants of ethnic heroes and that the Federation has certain obligations to shoulder responsibilities related to their upbringing."

"W-Wait, how do they know there are two children?"

"I don't know. It's reported that the Federation possesses an artificial intelligence system called Noah, which can infiltrate any organization's network to obtain their desired information. I suspect…" The inner sect disciple trailed off, his implication clear: walls have ears. For the Federation, secrets of any kind weren't really secrets. Moreover, who was Feng Yi?

Wu Tian froze, his body stiffening abruptly. Indeed, Feng Yi's identity and position within the Federation were extraordinarily unique. Such was the extent of his elevation as an ethnic hero that he had, in certain ways, surpassed all governing figures. Compared to statesmen like Adams or Greedy Wolf, whose status was more job-related and tied to military ranks, Feng Yi was distinctly different. He had become a living symbol of belief deeply embedded in the hearts of the people. What did it signify for the descendants of someone like Feng Yi?

How could the Atlan Federation government not intervene? Inquiring or obtaining information about the children wouldn't normally be concerning, but Wu Tian feared the Federation might employ political or public reasoning to demand custody over the children. This issue, if escalated, could reach a full-blown political dimension.

But the children's mother was still alive. It wasn't a matter of handing them over, especially since their father truly was an ethnic hero of the Federation, but their mother held Zana nationality and was a member of a hidden sect.

Thus, Wu Tian demanded to know the Federation's intentions—whether they only wanted information or had other motives.

The inner sect disciple reported that the Federation simply inquired about the children's data, seeking to understand certain conditions. No further objectives were explicitly disclosed.

Wu Tian lowered his head and pondered…

For now, this was manageable. As for the future, that was unclear. Certainly, at the moment, the Federation wouldn't barge into the Jade Clear Sect demanding custody or initiate negotiations with Zana. However, they might not rule out other possibilities—such as claiming the children once they grew a little older, or advocating for conditions like raising them until the age of sixteen.

If negotiations escalated to such levels, Zana would indeed lack strong grounds to refute them. After all, Feng Yi was a Federation ethnic hero, granting them the right to intervene, whereas Mengdie wasn't a recognized national hero for the Zana Republic. The only reasonable claim lay in the child's mother. This consideration left the Federation with potential leverage. Even if it only amounted to temporary custody, eleven days, or a few months—once within their sphere of influence, the Federation would dictate the terms.

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