Liu Chuang, Liu Shan, Liu Gao, and Liu Jing all frowned upon hearing this.
It wasn't because they were dissatisfied with Liu Xie, but because the numerous princes and ordinary Liu clan descendants were the foundation of the Liu clan royal family and its future.
The death of any one of them would be a blow to the Liu clan royal family.
Under normal circumstances, wars that would inevitably result in countless casualties would not involve any princes being sent to the front lines.
What's more, this time all the princes were to fight on the front lines, which meant that if all the princes were to die, the Immortal Emperor's inheritance might even be affected.
It was precisely for this reason that Liu Chuang, Liu Shan, Liu Gao, and Liu Jing looked at Liu Xie with some confusion.
"After these past few years of events, I have understood one principle: flowers in a greenhouse cannot bear great responsibilities."
"Only by letting them go out and experience storms can they have the ability to shoulder the important task of the Liu clan's inheritance."
"If they cannot even protect their own lives, then when we are all old and dead, how can they ensure that my Liu clan will flourish forever!"
...
Liu Xie's voice was like a thunderclap, striking Liu Chuang, Liu Shan, Liu Gao, and Liu Jing's hearts with mixed emotions.
...
"We obey the Immortal Emperor's command!"
Liu Chuang, Liu Shan, Liu Gao, and Liu Jing said in unison, cupping their hands.
Although a trace of worry flashed across their faces,
Since their lord, their father, was not worried, why should they, outsiders, be concerned?
Moreover, for the future of the Liu clan royal family, they were willing to abandon everything.
"Don't worry, I, as their father, am not worried, so why are you all so worried!"
"Eaglets must fight to become rulers of the sky. The weak are not worthy of the title of prince."
Liu Xie looked at the four with worried expressions and comforted them gently.
At this moment, a hint of sadness was mixed into his voice.
After all, these princes were his children.
What father would willingly send his children into battle?
However, fate was beyond human control. There were some things that even he, the high and mighty Immortal Emperor, could do nothing about and had to make a choice.
To obtain excellent successors, sacrifices had to be made.
...
North of the Yunbai Mountain Range.
North of the Zi Province Continent!
In a blessed land called Mount Wutai, there resided an extremely powerful rogue cultivator named Nie Rong!
His title was Heavenly Blade, and he shook the eight directions!
He was a renowned powerhouse in the entire Zi Province cultivation world, commanding great prestige and awe, and many cultivators owed allegiance to him.
As a top-tier late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, he dominated a region, standing aloof from all factions, a top expert that every faction wished to recruit.
And Nie Rong was also proud of this.
Although the Zi Province cultivation world was dominated by aristocratic families, so what? With his single blade, he had still carved out a vast territory.
What about the Liu clan royal family? What about the four great families? They still had to show him some respect.
Nie Rong's talent was actually exceptionally good. He had already reached the great perfection stage of late-stage Nascent Soul, and was only one step away from advancing to the Purple Mansion stage.
However, he, who had ascended with his single blade, was now blinded by wealth and women, having lost his former ferocity and ambition.
In other words, he had forgotten his original intention for striving so hard.
It was precisely because of this that he had been delayed in breaking through to the Purple Mansion stage!
Even though the outside world was in bloody conflict, Nie Rong remained in Mount Wutai, enjoying an emperor-like life.
With a beauty in his arms and fine wine in his hand, he lived a life of leisure and indulgence.
"My dear Nie, the outside world is in chaos, why are you still so calm..."
On Nie Rong's body sat a curvaceous, boneless, peach-blossom-faced beauty with long, slender legs and a partially exposed chest.
...
At this moment, Nie Rong's large hands roamed over the curvaceous body of the beautiful woman in the red dress, causing her to gasp for breath and her face to flush.
Nie Rong heard her and replied with confidence: "I am a top cultivator just one step away from the Purple Mansion stage, the Liu clan royal family and the four great families all have to give me some face!"
"Besides, I haven't provoked anyone, so why would they come looking for trouble with me?"
At this moment, Nie Rong's heroic spirit was fully displayed. The arrogant prodigy who had carved out a world with his single blade hundreds of years ago seemed to have returned to him.
Unfortunately, this arrogant spirit quickly vanished from him.
Before him, a group of extremely beautiful maidens were dancing gracefully.
Their thin gauze pink dresses fluttered, revealing tantalizing glimpses of their thighs, bosoms, and slender waists with every dance, stirring up endless fantasies.
Just as Nie Rong was looking smug, a sound that shook the earth and mountains reverberated through Mount Wutai.
If not for the powerful array operating on Mount Wutai, the ten thousand-zhang high Mount Wutai might have been destroyed by this attack.
Nie Rong's expression changed, his face turning extremely grim.
He had just been boasting about how powerful he was, and in such a short time, he had been slapped in the face. He had lost face completely.
At this moment, the alluring beauty in his arms stirred her apricot eyes and said softly, "It seems some insignificant individuals have come to cause trouble. My dear Nie, you go and deal with them first. I'll personally cook some small dishes for your return..."
This peerless woman was named Jing Li'er, Nie Rong's dual-cultivation partner, and she also possessed early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation.
"Alright, Li'er, I'll be back soon. Make sure you're quick, or I won't let you off if I come back and you haven't finished!"
Nie Rong was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily, patting the beauty in his arms in a joking tone.
Immediately after, he released the beauty in his arms and walked out, carrying his natal magical treasure, the Celestial Wolf Moon-Shattering Blade.
As Nie Rong's figure disappeared, the woman who had just been nestled in his arms instantly turned cold.
She waved her hand, signaling the dancing maidens to leave.
Then, she sat on a chair and began to ponder.
After all, she wasn't a fool.
She was fully aware of what was happening outside.
The news of the Liu clan royal family and the four great families settling accounts with various factions was spreading like wildfire. Every cultivator knew about it, let alone her.
...
Since someone dared to come to Mount Wutai to cause trouble, they must have been fully prepared. No normal person would willingly come to seek death.
Even this Heavenly Blade, who was once renowned and arrogant, who bowed to no one, wasn't he now obediently staying in his own small territory and acting the tyrant after his defeat?
After a moment of contemplation, Jing Li'er's face suddenly turned ashen as if she had thought of something.
"Those who do not obey, die." The voice seemed to circle in her mind like a curse.
"Have the people from the four great families come knocking? If Nie Rong dies, will I be able to live?"
"After all, she is Nie Rong's Dao companion. If the four great families want to deal with Nie Rong, they will definitely not let me go."
"I knew this would happen. I should have found an excuse to leave here long ago..."
"Damn it, why did they come so quickly? They didn't even give me a chance to react..."
Jing Li'er, with a pale and distraught face, muttered to herself in a daze.
She had long expected that the four great families would deal with Nie Rong, this extremely annoying stumbling block.
However, according to her plan, the four great families should not have acted so quickly.
She had prepared herself. With a little more time, she could have plundered all the treasures in Mount Wutai and left this place with immense resources.
Thinking of this, she felt extremely regretful.
She was too greedy. If she had known, she should have fled as soon as she caught wind of it.
What should she do now?
The pressure of death loomed over her heart, and she couldn't help but grit her teeth.
After a while, as if she had thought of something, a flicker of joy appeared in her eyes.
Immediately after, her figure disappeared from the great hall.
When she reappeared, she was already in a secret tunnel.
This secret tunnel was dug out by the miners who were originally mining for spirit stones, and it led to the outside.
Jing Li'er, who managed all matters of Mount Wutai, naturally knew about this, but under the threat of death, she had not thought of it for a moment.
Opening the secret tunnel, Jing Li'er did not hesitate at all, instantly transforming into a beam of escape light and vanishing from the spot.
Although Jing Li'er was Nie Rong's Dao companion, and in the face of disaster, she chose to escape alone, which was extremely disloyal.
However, there was a saying:
"Husband and wife are like two birds of the same feather, but when disaster strikes, they fly in separate directions."
Jing Li'er never loved Nie Rong. The reason she was with Nie Rong was entirely because of Nie Rong's famous title of Heavenly Blade, which could serve as her backing.
In other words, Jing Li'er was with Nie Rong for the sake of profit.
It was precisely for this reason that, when disaster struck, Jing Li'er had no hesitation in abandoning him.
On Mount Wutai, Nie Rong looked at the powerful ghost soldiers, who were neither human nor ghost, before him, his face extremely grim, his eyes constantly flickering.
He cupped his fists and said cautiously, "What important matters bring you to my Mount Wutai?"
Although Nie Rong was indignant that these people dared to attack his residence, seeing the dense ghost soldiers all around, and the Qin character flags floating above...
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