My Cultivation Starting from Archery

After a cup of tea.

Sima Yao was escorted by Wei Xuan, Zhao Kang and others back to the Central Army Ship.

"What's this?"

Wang Zhi, the supervisor King Yan, who normally didn't concern himself with military affairs, came out wrapped in a cloak after hearing the commotion. Seeing Sima Yao tied up, he yawned and said, "Oh, isn't this General Sima? What's going on here?"

"Your Highness Prince Yan!"

Zhao Kang cupped his fists and said, "Sima Yao privately mobilized troops without the commander's orders and was discovered by scouts along the way. We rushed over in time to intercept him."

"Is this still about the Ziwu Valley incident?"

Cao Zhi shook his head and said, "General Sima, what's the hurry?"

"The commander is here!"

"Greetings to the commander!"

"..."

Before long.

Chen Sansi appeared on the deck, clad in a white robe.

"Sima Yao, kneel down!"

Zhao Kang shouted angrily.

"Kneel?!"

Sima Yao roared in anger, "Don't push your luck! If it weren't for the fact that we've been through life and death together, and not wanting to harm you, do you really think these pitiful chains could hold me? And now you want me to kneel?!"

"Kneel, General Sima."

Cao Zhi urged, "Does it have to come to others taking action?"

"General Sima."

Song Guizhi wielded a Jade Long Stick, "In the army, there are military rules that must be followed, forgive me."

"Bang—"

Immediately.

A surge of True Power swept over, and the stick forcibly brought Sima Yao to his knees.

"Commander!"

Zhao Kang recounted what had happened in detail, then cupped his fists to request, "Commander, how should this person be dealt with?"

"Disobeying military orders, how else should he be dealt with?"

Chen Sansi replied casually, "Execute him."

Execute!

Upon hearing these words.

Many people in the court were stunned.

Sima Yao shouted loudly, "I am a cultivator from Sky Water Continent, what right do you have to execute me?!"

"Sima Yao!"

Wei Xuan corrected sternly, "That was in the past! Since you chose to come to Eastern Continent to serve the court and participate in this battle, you should have the right mindset! You are not just a cultivator, but the left-wing general of the court's southern expedition army!

"Even for me, if you disobey military orders, you should be dealt with according to the law!"

He, unlike many pure cultivators, had defended a lone city before, and knew the importance of obeying military orders.

"Chen Dashuai!"

"Commander!"

Sima Yao's two sons, Sima Chi and Sima Lan, rushed over upon hearing the news, both "thump" kneeling on the ground.

"Commander!"

"Father is new here, he doesn't understand military rules!"

"Chen Dashuai, please be lenient!"

"..."

No matter what they said, Chen Sansi was unmoved, obviously determined to proceed with execution.

Beside them, Wei Xuan and his wife were ready to act.

Seeing the seriousness of the motive.

Seeking Immortal Tower Master Cui Zhichen couldn't hold back, "Brother Chen, is it necessary?"

"Indeed."

Qian Qiren of Guiyuan Sect also echoed, "Brother Sima was indeed wrong, but fortunately he was stopped, and it didn't cause severe consequences. A reasonable punishment, isn't execution a bit too harsh?"

"Harsh?"

On the nighttime deck, under the flickering torchlight, Chen Sansi's expression was unseen, only his calm voice sounded, "In the army, is there anything more serious than disobeying orders? Execute!"

"He deserves to die, indeed!"

Wang Zhi said, "He deserves more than death! But big brother, killing Sima Yao now will leave us short-handed."

Now both armies were facing off, the number of senior generals on each side was at a fragile balance; should either side incur losses, it could lead to immense pressure, potentially causing a complete breakdown.

Under Wang Zhi's signaling.

Cui Zhichen, Qian Qiren, and other military officers from sect families took this as a reason to plead for Sima Yao.

"Commander, the battle is imminent, executing our general first might harm morale!"

"Yes, yes."

"Sima Yao must not be killed."

"..."

"Big brother."

Wang Zhi said, "Since this man can still be of use, why not record his crimes first, make him redeem himself through merit, and decide his fate after the war?"

"..."

Chen Sansi seemed a bit troubled. After pondering for a moment, he coldly said, "Sima Yao! Considering so many are pleading for you, and indeed the battle is near, I shall grant you a chance for redemption.

"However, spared of death, but not of punishment!

"Take him, use the Mystic Iron Chains to pierce his scapula, hang him on the Central Army Ship to be displayed for three days as a lesson to others!"

With these words, he left with a wave.

Wang Zhi and others approached with the Mystic Iron Chains.

"How dare you!"

Sima Yao still wanted to resist.

Cao Zhi reminded, "General Sima, if you're really tired of living, just go on resisting."

Upon hearing this, Sima Yao refrained from fighting back, allowing them to pierce the Mystic Iron Chains and iron nails through his body, and finally hang him high on the wooden stake on the deck of the Central Army Ship.

"Chen Sansi, you are envious and jealous!"

"Today you do not follow my plans, one day you will fail!"

"..."

For three consecutive days, Sima Yao was displayed on the stake, making it known throughout the army; none dared disobey military orders again.

Meanwhile.

The standoff between the two armies reached its final stage.

The Imperial Navy held the advantage and was fully prepared to advance.

Given the numbers of soldiers and the equipment of ships, the rebel army faced only two choices.

First, to retreat.

Completely abandoning control of the Luoxiao River, retreating north.

But this retreat would mean abandoning all of the Central Plains and the Eastern region, forcing even the legitimate Emperor in Yulu State's Youlan Capital to retreat, all the way to the Northwest.