"My Lord, the thousand soldiers at the execution ground have mutinied!"
"It is the Far East Army. Twenty thousand soldiers have mutinied.
Two generals at the Divinity Transformation realm have seized control of the War Artifacts and aimed them at the execution ground."
"General Yue's veteran subordinates within every unit are breaking ranks and heading toward the execution ground.
The Quartermaster has already been captured.
General Tianmen, who guards the city gates, is leading three thousand Soldiers and is ready to fling the gates open at any moment.
They have activated the defensive formations on their own initiative, turning them inward to defend against the city itself.
At the same time, they are sending transmissions to Duskwild Prefecture—they are on the verge of defecting!"
"Most of the mutinous Soldiers are converging on the execution ground.
There are approximately two hundred thousand of them, and the number is still rising!
General Yue's suitors are not participating in the rebellion, but the many Soldiers they brought with them are refusing to intervene in this matter."
"The two Marshals who arrived from the Imperial Capital are leading troops to secure the city walls.
Marshal Zishu ordered this subordinate to convey a message to you: The Li family's duty as the Guardians of the Southern Capital is a matter of the utmost gravity.
You must retain General Yue at all costs!"
As he headed toward the execution grounds, Soldiers brought report after report, making Dongfang Liancheng feel as though he were the one marching to his own execution.
"How did it come to this? How did it come to this?!!"
Dongfang Liancheng, the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Border, seemed to age significantly in an instant.
Over the past few years, Li Tianyue had gradually divested herself of military authority.
Coupled with the fact that she had voluntarily moved to a remote residence, he had allowed Tang Miao of Cloudreach Mountain to act with reckless abandon.
Never did he imagine that it would lead to such a catastrophe today!
The situation on a battlefield changes in the blink of an eye, and this holds true even within a legion itself.
The entire Eastern Expedition Army had gradually forgotten Li Tianyue's prestige and her prowess in military command.
However, the soldiers she had once led, and the Soldiers and generals who had faced life and death alongside her on the battlefield, had never forgotten.
She only needed to raise her arm and call out, and two hundred thousand Soldiers of the Eastern Expedition Army mutinied in an instant!
"With today's turmoil, the army's morale is already shattered, no matter the outcome."
Countless thoughts raced through Dongfang Liancheng's mind. His expression turned cold.
"Pass the order: Summon troops from all major camps to surround the execution grounds!"
"Yes, sir!"
...
"General Yue, spare me!"
"Let me go! You are rebelling! This is rebellion, do you understand?!!"
"I was wrong, General Yue! These subordinates of yours didn't rebel!
It was Brother Tang who ordered me to frame and slander them!
It has nothing to do with me, General Yue!"
The execution ground, which had been packed to overflowing just moments ago, was now cleared of idle bystanders, who had scattered like birds and beasts.
The conspirators who had followed Tang Miao in coercing Li Tianyue were all swiftly suppressed.
It was no longer Li Tianyue's veteran subordinates who were bound hand and foot, but them.
Numerous generals in the vicinity summoned their own Soldiers, yet they watched with horror as Li Tianyue's veteran subordinates arrived one after another from every direction surrounding the execution grounds.
Li Tianyue's three hundred years on the Eastern Expedition were no trifling matter; even though she had relinquished her military authority and accepted an idle post, a single call to arms from her was enough to throw the entire military camp into chaos.
A group of generals gathered together, gazing at the execution grounds from a distance and whispering among themselves.
"Such ability to command troops... I fear no one in the Eastern Expedition Army can match it.
Even after several years have passed, her soldiers still come running the moment they hear her call."
"Hmph, this is rebellion. She has truly played a terrible move.
It is a pity for such a beauty, and a shame for the Soldiers she is leading to their deaths."
"How did it come to this? How did it come to this?
I, too, am a veteran general who has fought in this Eastern Expedition Army for three hundred years.
Over these three centuries, the veterans either died on the battlefield or passed away from old age within the city.
These subordinates of General Yue are all veterans. Without them, the Eastern Border would have been breached long ago. Sigh."
Inside the execution grounds.
Li Tianyue's subordinate commanders arrived one after another.
They spontaneously formed a perimeter around the execution grounds.
Their gazes were steadfast, and red silk ribbons tied around their arms fluttered in the wind—a sign that they were prepared to fight their way out of the Eastern Expedition Army.
Li Tianyue surveyed her subordinates.
It was the same battle formation as before, comprised of the same iron-blooded men.
It was likely a mistake for her to have relinquished her military authority all those years ago.
She had believed that these experienced veterans, serving under different commanders in the ever-shifting landscape of the Eastern Expedition Army, would at least be able to secure a bright future, allowing her to depart this place with peace of mind.
Instead, most of them had endured the same unjust treatment that she had.
Suddenly, Tang Miao's voice resounded from the clouds above, seemingly echoing from every direction.
"General Yue, you are betraying the Eastern Expedition Army.
This is an act of gross insubordination.
I originally thought the defectors were limited to your subordinates; I never expected that even you would act this way.
As a colleague of many years, let me offer you some advice: turn back while you still can, General Yue.
Based on your past merits, if I plead for leniency before Old General Dongfang on your behalf, you could very likely receive a lighter punishment."
As a cultivator at the Void Refining realm, Tang Miao was hiding within the Void Space.
Li Tianyue's sudden eruption of violence just moments ago had thrown him into a panic for quite some time.
With the Soldiers deploying their battle formations and gathering in ever-increasing numbers, even he had no choice but to retreat to avoid the brunt of their force.
However, as he considered the situation more carefully now, a look of joy actually appeared on his face.
He thought to himself, From beginning to end, I never actually offended the Azure Cloud Li Clan.
I merely carried out the executions; I never uttered a single word of offense.
In the end, this Li Tianyue is simply too young and lacks experience.
To rebel for the sake of a thousand Soldiers is no different from spinning a cocoon to trap herself.
The only pity is that getting my hands on this beauty will now be difficult.