Great Xia: At the start, summon the Net of Heaven to suppress the martial arts world.

The next morning.

The news instantly alarmed the powerful families and clans within the Great Xia Dynasty.

One branch of the ancient Cai family has publicly announced its withdrawal from the Cai clan, and even issued a manifesto detailing several of the Cai family's outrageous acts.

The Cai family branch, believing they could not associate with such traitors, announced their complete withdrawal from the Cai family and vowed never to have any contact with them again until their deaths.

Within a few hours, this proclamation spread throughout the entire territory of the Great Xia Dynasty.

This move was tantamount to delivering a heavy blow to the hearts of powerful clans.

The powerful families and clans were not fools; they naturally understood the deeper meaning behind Cai's actions.

Now, the Wang clan has publicly announced its surrender to the Great Xia Dynasty, opposing the powerful clans.

Later, the Cai family, another ancient clan with a history of over a thousand years, declared defeat before the battle even began, leaving a way out for their family members. This move dealt a huge blow to the other aristocratic families.

For a moment, all the powerful families and clans that had opposed the Great Xia Dynasty felt a pang of regret.

Since the Tianji Pavilion was exposed yesterday, the imperial court's strength has more than doubled.

Now that the pillars of their own camp have secured a way out, all the powerful families and clans are beginning to doubt the victory in this battle.

The huge gap between the rise and fall has caused many families to feel despair.

Inside the Imperial Study in the Great Xia Imperial City.

After Xia Taige got up, Cao Zhengchun went up to report the matter to her.

Upon hearing this, Xia Taige also praised Cai's decision.

It is likely that the Tianji Pavilion incident led Cai to devise this plan for the future.

After this incident, the Cai family's reputation and public image will likely suffer a huge blow, regardless of the outcome of the competition.

It will probably be difficult to return to this state in the future.

It must be said that Cai made this decision with a heavy heart.

However, this is also a good thing for the imperial court. At least the mainstay of the resistance admits that they cannot win this battle, so what confidence do the others have?

"Your Majesty, what do you think should be done with these members of the branch families?" Cao Zhengchun asked after reporting to the emperor.

Now, Cai has traveled day and night and has arrived in the capital, effectively entrusting the power of life and death entirely to Xia Taige.

"How much information do you know about Cai Qi within the Zhenwu Division?" Upon hearing this, Xia Taige did not rush to answer, but instead asked Cao Zhengchun.

"Your Majesty, Cai Qi is not yet twenty years old and has the cultivation level of the Innate Realm."

"It is said that this person was exceptionally intelligent and humble, and was praised as someone who could elevate the Cai family to a higher level."

"The intelligence report from the Zhenwu Division's spies even stated that this person should not be let go once the Cai family is destroyed!" Cao Zhengchun reported the intelligence about Cai Qi in detail.

Upon hearing this, Xia Taige was not surprised at all. He figured that the Cai family must not have chosen to break away from a branch at such a great cost to ensure the survival of the Cai branch.

Otherwise, if it were someone who was afraid of death, even if the Cai family branch survived, it would probably gradually decline and disappear into the long river of history.

Therefore, it is not worth the Cai family spending such a great price.

"Since the Cai family is prepared for its demise, let Cai Qi lead the team to see them off!"

"Since we have chosen to surrender to the imperial court, we should naturally show our loyalty."

"Order Xiaoyaozi to lead a group of experts under Cai Qi's command, with Zhao Gao secretly following behind. They are to be responsible for annihilating the Cai clan at noon today."

"If we win this battle, the Cai clan will be wiped out, but the branch can survive."

"If we lose, let them be reunited on their journey to the underworld!"

If Cai Qi is truly a smart person and chooses to sever ties with the Cai family, Xia Taige wouldn't mind nurturing him.

For Xia Taige, he wasn't afraid of ambitious and ruthless talented people, but rather of incompetent and useless individuals.

In the future, once the Chinese mainland is unsealed, there will inevitably be places where it will be needed.

Even if they are used as cannon fodder in the future, it is still much better than using one of our own people.

"Yes! This old servant will go and deliver the decree immediately!" Cao Zhengchun replied and turned to leave.

A moment later, at the Cai family mansion in the capital.

All the members of the Cai family's branches knelt in the courtyard, respectfully listening to the imperial edict.

"His Majesty has decreed that the Yongli Cai clan has been wantonly interfering with the affairs of the court, disregarding the laws of the country, monopolizing salt fields, and driving up prices. Their crimes are unforgivable!"

"I have also heard that Cai Qi, the son of the Qilin of a branch of the Cai clan, is a man of exceptional talent and intelligence. I greatly admire him and hereby order him to lead a team to Yongli to wipe out the Cai clan, leaving no one alive!"

"Appreciate this!"

Upon hearing Cao Zhengchun's words, the Cai family members below immediately widened their pupils and stared at Cao Zhengchun in disbelief.

Just now, when he delivered the decree, he detailed the crimes of the Cai clan, which is clearly the same detailed account of the crimes of the Cai clan that was issued by a branch of the Cai clan today.

When he conveyed the imperial edict to Cao Zhengchun, he said not a word more or less.

This scene filled many members of the Cai family present with despair.

This move by the imperial court is tantamount to sending the branch families to fight the Cai family with swords drawn.

The reasons and methods by which they broke away from the Cai family are well known to the members of the branch.

The scene of the Cai family pushing all the opportunities to the branch yesterday is still vivid in my mind, but now they are about to stab us in the back.

Although they agreed last night that they could be enemies if necessary, how could anyone bring themselves to do it when the time came?

"My lord, what virtue or ability do I, Cai Qi of this branch, possess to shoulder such a great responsibility? I beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree!" The elder of the branch pleaded with Cao Zhengchun, his voice trembling.

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun frowned slightly, his face showing impatience. Just as he was about to reprimand him, he saw Cai Qi kneel down in a grand gesture of respect.

"Cai Qi accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!" Before Cao Zhengchun could reprimand him, Cai Qi immediately bowed and accepted the decree, interrupting him.

Upon hearing this, the members of the Cai family branch looked at Cai Qi in disbelief.

At this moment, the way they looked at Cai Qi was as if he were a stranger.

"I've long heard that a branch of the Cai family has a son of exceptional talent, and now that I see him, it's truly well-deserved!" Cao Zhengchun said, praising Cai Qi in front of him.

"You flatter me, sir," Cai Qi replied calmly.

When Cao Zhengchun came to deliver the imperial edict, Cai Qi already had some guesses in his mind.

Given Cai's current status, the Great Xia court is unlikely to take action against them first, otherwise it would surely alert them.

The backlash from powerful clans and aristocratic families was immediate, and the country was bound to descend into chaos—a situation the court clearly did not want to see.

But the fact that such an imperial edict has been issued now clearly indicates that it was agreed upon long ago, and it just so happens that the Cai family branch happened to be there.

Cai Qi asked himself, given the strength that the imperial court has currently revealed, it would not be difficult to wipe out all the powerful families and clans within the Great Xia territory.

Now that the agreement has already been reached, any further refusal from the branch would likely result in their deaths.

Therefore, it's better to cut the Gordian knot and leave a way out for the branch.