Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”What to do now?”

The Yanliu Imperial Child could no longer maintain his composure nor the dignity of an imperial heir, and asked in panic.

Demon Mountain bowed his head, unable to respond.

Throughout his life, he had learned how to serve his masters, how to manage the many Small Worlds, and how to remain loyal at all times, but when it came to military strategy in the wars of the Star Domains, he was indeed unskilled.

Millions of troops were pushing forward mightily.

Who could stop such a magnificent force?

”Imperial Child, we should retreat.”

Chenshan King stepped forward and said solemnly, ”We can’t win in a head-on battle, that’s not our strength, yet, we might still have advantages.”

”And that is stronger personal prowess!”

”Simply buy some time, achieve some results, seek to gain some ground for maneuvering, coupled with your identity as the imperial heir of the Flame Stone Family, it won’t be difficult to regain the loyalty of many kings and cultivators within the family.”

”Retreating now does not mean failure or shame. Many Great Emperors in the distant past rose from hardships and setbacks; it wasn’t always about victory. There were also times when true dragons lay hidden, waiting for the opportune moment.”

Jiang Ding silently approved in his heart.

That the Horned Demon Imperial Clan had dominated the Domain for so many years without decaying, and that the kingly rulers within still possessed ample military wisdom and intellect and were no weaker than Divinity Transformation Cultivators from the Immortal Sects, was indeed commendable.

This was an opponent not to be underestimated.

”This...”

The Yanliu Imperial Child was still hesitating.

After all, he was far too young and had never experienced the disgrace of a rout; he cared a great deal about face and honor, hence his indecisiveness, unwilling to give up hope until faced with utter desperation.

This was the flaw of those born to be strong.

To be born strong means to lack tempering, and in granting them strength, the heavens had denied them the trials of hardship, the chance for genuine experience.

Only through true blood and fire can one become truly powerful.

This was the intention behind the ancient precedent set by the ancestors of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan designing the battle for imperial heirs, an ancient tribe with few weaknesses, many severe rules concealing profound meanings.

This is also why many Great Emperors and Ancient Emperors, despite having chances to tear apart the constraints of the battle for imperial heirs, still acknowledged these rules, even if it meant the death of their own children.

They knew well that, in this cruel Domain, some hardships had to be faced, there was no way around them.

Otherwise, they would be true wastes, unable to stand in the Starry Sky.

”Should we resist for a moment before retreating? Such a hasty retreat may cause many kings and cultivators of our clan to look down on us, which wouldn’t be conducive to garnering support later on...”

The Yanliu Imperial Child was still unsure, yet his words carried some truth.

”Imperial Child... sigh!”

Chenshan King, frustrated with the folly of youth: ”Those fair-weather followers, swayed only by profit, what does their disdain matter?”

He knew the young Imperial Child would eventually leave, still hesitating, a sign of the inherent weakness of youth, lacking decisiveness.

Yet the risk of the unknown had increased!

Chenshan King surveyed the surroundings.

Empress Yan Hua was bewildered. A long time ago, after showing no talent in the struggle for power, the Great Emperor had ceased her intensive training.

Demon Mountain was even more deferential only to the Imperial Child’s orders.

”Blood River King!”

Chenshan King called out sharply.

Among all present, it was this slave clan leader who did not fear the Yanliu Imperial Child and remained clear-headed.

A slave clan leader who had fought his way up from the bottom was unlikely to have any significant weaknesses; without the protection of the clan, those with significant weaknesses would have already died, unknown, in some corner.

”Imperial Child,”

”Warfare is not my forte, I shall take my leave now. Please take care of yourself.”

The bizarrely handsome and white-haired Blood-robed Taoist bowed: ”If you survive, it should be possible for me within ten to several decades to bring you the head of the Imperial Son’s Guard Monarch of the Cangkong.”

”May the Ancient God protect you.”

”May you eventually receive your imperial crown.”

The Blood-robed Taoist was not making a request; having said his piece, a blood-colored Escape Light fluttered and he flew towards the distant horizon, soon disappearing from sight.

”You!”

”Blood River King!”

Emperor Yanliu’s Imperial Child was infuriated to the extreme, roaring aloud.

”This damned servant!”

”This damned lowlife!”

”Once I ascend to emperorhood, I will surely...”

His words halted, swallowing the rest, his face a crimson red, obviously seething with extreme rage.

”Imperial Child.”

”This man may be unruly, but what he’s done is right.”

Chenshan King solemnly said, ”Struggle, slaughter, when it’s time to cut, you must not hesitate at all. With the current situation, if we fight head-on, we are bound to lose.”

”It’s merely a temporary concession.”

”As long as we win in the end, Imperial Child, I assure you, you won’t lose any glory, any face. Your profound wisdom and astonishing strategies will be praised throughout the Domain, even becoming a legendary tale relished among the cultivators of the Imperial Clan, leaving your name in the annals of the Imperial history.”

”The victor is always right, and glorious.”

”As for this servant, if he can rise to become the Emperor of the Slave Clan, after you ascend to being a Great Emperor, you might not bear to kill him if he is of use. Some flaws, some rebelliousness, are naturally to be expected.”

Chenshan King was smoothing things over.

The birds have not yet been netted, the cunning hare has not died—speaking of these now shows a serious lack of experience.

”Blood River King...”

Boom!

The Yanliu Imperial Child fiercely slammed the Huoyan Da Ji into the ground, creating an abyssal pit which turned into molten lava glass, cursing with hatred.

...

Far away from the Flower Cloud Minor Realm, in an unknown location within the Magical Stone Minor Realm, within the Divine Soul of an unnamed creature, Jiang Ding withdrew his gaze.

”The naturally powerful are quite naive in many aspects...”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

This was a point he could exploit, firmly etched in his mind.

At the same time, a thread of his Divine Sense penetrated into the Soul Void Realm.

Instantly, nine icy stares directed their attention this way.

”What are you looking at me for?”

Jiang Ding glanced at them, unconcerned, ”Up next, the Flame Stone Star Domain will fall into chaos. You all can start preparing the Formation Method. Just don’t make any mistakes.”

”Number Ten!”

”This... This deviates completely from our original plan of lying low and developing,” said the Heavenly Calculator Daoist with anger in his voice.

The acts of the Blood River King were too ostentatious, greatly increasing their risk in an instant, completely disregarding the big picture!

If the Flame Stone Great Emperor chooses to give up on the Yanliu Imperial Child and kills the Blood River King with a single blow, he might uncover some clues, sparking some doubts.

”There’s no other way.”

”Is it not because of your incompetence, your own failure?”

”I had no choice.”

Jiang Ding said coldly, ”In the face of such a crushing defeat, one must take a slanted path. Only by doing so can we halt the significant disadvantages faced by the Yanliu Imperial Child, and moreover, judging by the outcome, I have succeeded.”

”With your ability, are there truly no other more covert methods?”

The Heavenly Calculator Daoist asked coldly.

”No.”

”Truly none.”

Jiang Ding said decisively.

Perhaps there were, but they would certainly not be methods that maximize the interests of Xianmen Sect.

The interests of Xianmen Sect and the Nine Spirits Realm must be highly aligned; this is the path he walks.

Both must coexist.

For this reason, a slight increase in risk is worthwhile.