My Cultivation Starting from Archery
Chapter 849 - 254 Duel

"The bow feels a bit unbalanced."

Chen Sansi looked at the body plummeting straight down in front of him, weighed the golden bow a few times, and felt it a bit lacking in heft before turning to head towards Yongjia Prefecture.

The suddenly appearing loyalist army was as unexpected to the defenders of Yongjia Prefecture as if it had emerged from the earth.

With the seated cultivator dead, they immediately crumbled, lacking even overall command, scattering like birds and beasts.

During the process, Liangshan's troops and Sima Yao's forces pursued them, nearly annihilating the eight thousand defenders, with only a sparse few managing to cross the tributary of the Fei River alive.

With thunderous momentum, they occupied Yongjia Prefecture with almost no casualties, facing the million-strong enemy across the river.

"Commander."

Sima Yao ascended the city wall and bowed respectfully, "The entire army is ready; when shall we cross the river? What should we do next?"

"Send people to cut wood and prepare to build a pontoon bridge on the bank."

Chen Sansi said calmly, "Tonight at midnight, the entire army will cross the river and directly charge the enemy formation."

"Directly?"

Sima Yao had just voiced his question when he quickly shut his mouth, "Subordinate understands."

"Is there anything else?"

Chen Sansi, seeing him hesitating to leave, softly asked.

"Commander Chen!"

Suddenly, Sima Yao knelt on one knee, clasping his fists with a resounding voice, "I am willing to follow the commander through fire and flood without hesitation!"

This is the battlefield, where life and death are shared.

Saying this here, however, carries much deeper implications.

It's a pledge of allegiance.

"You."

Chen Sansi examined him, "What do you mean by this?"

"Commander Chen."

Sima Yao frankly said, "The loyalist court is filled with mediocre mortals, unworthy of collaborating with. From this point forward, the Sima family is willing to follow your lead!"

"Sima Yao."

Under the shadow of the trees, the expression on the white-robed figure was indistinct, "Set aside your thoughts and focus on the task at hand."

"..."

Sima Yao hastily replied in reverence, "I understand!"

The white-robed figure said no more, turning to leave.

"..."

Sima Yao knelt on the ground and only slowly rose after the figure was completely out of sight.

"Father?"

Sima Chi and Sima Lan, standing not far away, looked puzzled.

"What?"

The white-haired Sima Yao stood up somewhat stiffly, softly brushing the dust off his clothes, "Do you think it's disgraceful for your father to kneel to a young man in his twenties, or do you think we pledged allegiance to the wrong person, or perhaps both?"

The two sons remained silent, clearly feeling it was both.

"Fools!"

Sima Yao angrily rebuked, "You've spent many years in the Sky Water Continent, and yet you judge a person by their age? How many in the Sky Water Continent can progress from the early to the middle stage of True Power in two years?

"And.

"What do you think we are to Guiyuan Sect? What resources can we expect in the future?

"Don't add flowers to brocade; send charcoal in snowy weather!"

True Power early-stage martial artists.

To Guiyuan Sect, they are nothing, but to Beiliang, they are extremely scarce, much less an entire family.

"But..."

Sima Lan asked in confusion, "But with life and death at Fei River currently unknown, isn't that a bit rushed?"

"I know."

Sima Chi took over, "Precisely because life and death are unknown, it is our opportunity to pledge allegiance. If we miss it, there won't be another chance."

"And if we lose?"

Sima Lan asked anxiously, "Even if Chen Sansi succeeds in breaking through, the other side still has Longqing and Ling Kui, plus the Six Ding and Six Jia Great Formation formed by a million-strong army. In my opinion, the chances of winning are perhaps less than fifty percent."

"Lan'er."

Sima Yao squinted slightly, "After the war begins, stay in the rear to control the situation. Do not rush forward. If you find the situation unfavorable... immediately take the most qualified young talents in the clan and flee the Eastern Continent."

"I..."

Sima Lan, although troubled, eventually clasped his fists, "Understood!"

"..."

With instructions given.

Sima Yao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the opposite bank, where tens of miles away, the dark army and the great formation of spiritual power could be seen.

In his mind, he recalled the white-robed figure's deployment.

Tomorrow at midnight...

Should they just rush through?

Actually, in his view, such an act was akin to walking into the lion's den, virtually courting death.

Yet this was the only chance for the Sima family to establish themselves on the Eastern Continent.

Sima Yao too...

Could only stake his life on the gamble!

...

Across the river.

Imperial Army.

Central Army Tent.

"Major trouble!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Major trouble!"

"..."

Several surviving defenders of the city stumbled into the tent, kneeling in panic and shouting:

"Chen, Chen Sansi has led his army to Yongjia Prefecture, and Immortal Master Zhong Fan was killed on the spot!

"Out of eight thousand brothers, only a few of us made it back alive!"

Before the screen.

Emperor Longqing slightly closed his eyes, "Slow down, shouting like that will startle me; I have a timid heart."

"My mistake!"

The assistant general understood that the emperor was mocking his panic, and he quickly kowtowed, "My mistake!"

"Enough with the nonsense!"

Prince Qin urged, "How many men did Chen Sansi bring?"

"T-twenty thousand!"

The assistant general swallowed, "At least twenty thousand, and the number of Immortal Masters is also numerous, impossible to ascertain quickly!"

Twenty thousand?!

Upon hearing this, the tent fell into momentary silence.

If there were indeed twenty thousand troops, plus the over ten thousand troops in Kunyang City, they would total thirty thousand.

Thirty thousand against one hundred thousand, the disparity would no longer be as vast.

In the hands of the white-robed figure, it could potentially unleash astounding combat effectiveness.

"..."

Emperor Longqing didn't immediately speak but instead rose, walking onto an immortal crane to look across the river.