After Liu Changxu agreed to Jin Haonan's request for troops, he began preparing for the expedition. Since they would only be assisting in the fighting, he had not intended to mobilize too many people. Thus, when recruiting cultivators from his clan, he specifically stated that participation was entirely voluntary and no one would be forced to join.
To his surprise, however, once the news spread, the clansmen's enthusiasm for battle soared. Upon hearing that they were going to campaign against the Pine Needle Crab Race, many volunteered eagerly, and long lines formed at the registration point within the first few days.
In just ten days, more than ten thousand clansmen at the Golden Core stage or above signed up for the expedition to Pine Needle Island.
Not only were his clansmen eager to fight, but Liu Changxu's wives and children all declared that they wanted to follow him into battle, refusing to remain behind on Golden Ring Island.
Left with no other choice, Liu Changxu resorted to the old-fashioned method of drawing lots to decide who would stay behind on Golden Ring Island.
The drawing ultimately determined that Wu Xuege, Zhao Qi'er, Murong Yuyao, Yang Yuxuan, Chen Yufei, Xiao Ningxue, Dongxue, Zhao Qingxia, Su Jinxiu, and Huang Xuefei would remain to guard Golden Ring Island, while the others would accompany him on the expedition.
On the morning of March 17, in the year 988 of Great Han, more than ten thousand cultivators who had enlisted in the Expeditionary Army stood in orderly ranks on a broad plaza at the foot of Peach Blossom Mountain on Golden Ring Island.
At Liu Changxu's command, these ten thousand-plus Liu Household Cultivators entered the inner space of the Ruyi Sky-Patrolling Battleship in an orderly fashion, led by Duan Yuwei and the others.
Once all