"Gan Xingba, if you're too scared, just admit it. No one will mock you for it," Zhou Tai's booming voice echoed across the river from the opposite side.
"Gan Xingba, let me charge in. You stay here and command. After all, you're the navy commander," Taishi Ci said as he shook his head, but Gan Ning handed him the command token and leaped towards the ships on the left flank.
"Ziyi, you take command. There are some things that Xingba dares to do that you might hesitate over," Chen Xi said as he dispersed the fog and began adjusting the cloud formations with his spiritual energy. Soon, the fog that had shrouded the Yangtze River lifted, and daylight illuminated the waters.
"Alright, leave it to me!" Taishi Ci, always decisive, knew this was no time for hesitation.
"You think I'll just let you do as you please? The river's water vapor is plentiful; let's see how you disperse it!" Pang Tong sneered. Instead of competing with Chen Xi in a direct battle of spiritual energy, he drew on the river's moisture to reform the fog. The moment Chen Xi cleared the fog, Pang Tong brought it back, once again concealing their ships.
"Shiyuan, you handle the other one; I'll take on Chen Zichuan," Zhou Yu said as he took over from Pang Tong, manipulating the water vapor to conceal their forces. "But where's Bofu?"
"He's already sailed ahead in a small boat," Pang Tong said indifferently. "Generals Huang, Han, and Cheng are with him. They have only about a dozen small boats and one warship for cover."
"At least they know to provide cover. Send word to Ling Cao to lead the vanguard to reinforce them," Zhou Yu sighed in relief. "You've already mapped out the currents, right? Don't manipulate them right away—wait until the tide turns in our favor."
"No need to remind me; I know. I'll focus on our defenses first," Pang Tong quickly fortified their ships with cloud energy, reinforcing their strength.
Chen Xi, seeing the fog dissipate and then reappear, smirked slightly before focusing on fortifying his own ships' defenses. Gan Xingba could use the thick fog to launch a surprise attack on the enemy's central forces—this was enough for now.
"I can't see anything!" Taishi Ci called out as he ordered the fleet to close ranks around the flagship and prepared the crossbows for an attack. But after completing the preparations, he realized there was no way to target anything.
"Fire a test shot in that direction!" Chen Xi said, frowning. After extending his spiritual energy, he sensed something unusual on the right side.
"Archers, ready!" Despite the heavy fog, Taishi Ci unleashed a glowing strike with his spear, hitting something in the river with a loud crash and hearing chaotic shouts in response.
"Everyone, fire to the right!" Taishi Ci ordered. He couldn't afford to be cautious now. Even if it was just bait, he was ready to take the risk. "Small boats, prepare to board!"
Arrows rained down, and before Sun Ce and his men could react, they were showered with projectiles. Realizing their ambush had failed, Sun Ce roared, "Generals, follow me and charge the enemy!"
With a mighty shout, Sun Ce leaped from his ship, bounding several times in midair to reach the enemy vessel. But Taishi Ci had anticipated this move. As soon as Sun Ce appeared, Taishi Ci nocked an arrow and fired at his chest. The glowing projectile shot toward Sun Bofu.
Caught in mid-leap, Sun Ce barely managed to deflect the arrow with his spear, but the immense force sent him spiraling into the river.
"So Sun Bofu is here," Taishi Ci muttered as he watched his ships surround Sun Ce's small fleet.
With a thunderous crash, Sun Ce emerged from the river, swinging his spear to create a massive wave that overturned two of the nearby boats.
"This is a nuisance. Compared to land battles, where individual strength matters less, naval battles amplify the impact of elite warriors, especially with fewer ships," Chen Xi said as he waved his hand, trying to calm the waters that Sun Ce had disturbed.
"There's nothing we can do. On land, armies form a cohesive whole, but at sea, each ship is its own entity. Naval combat amplifies ship strength rather than individual prowess. After all, on the river, cloud energy allows ships to channel attacks into the water, even using it as a weapon," Taishi Ci explained, keeping his focus on Sun Ce's position despite the fog. Though visibility was low, he could still sense Sun Ce's presence.
"So top-tier warriors are weaker in naval battles, but they can still overturn small boats, even if cloud energy weakens them?" Chen Xi asked, clearly less familiar with naval warfare.
"Yes, they can, but only against small boats, and only if the boats are unprepared. If the ships are linked with cloud energy, it's impossible to overturn them without breaking the connection—just like on land, where I could kill thousands by surprise, but once they form a battle formation, it's much harder."
"Is it possible to break their cloud energy?" Zhuge Liang asked curiously.
"Haven't you seen me doing that already? Kongming, clear some of the fog in front. I need to dismantle their energy quickly; capturing Sun Bofu alive is valuable!" Taishi Ci had already silenced all the enemy drummers, making it difficult for Sun Ce to maneuver his few ships.
With one swift stroke, Cheng Pu and Huang Gai killed a Gan Ning soldier and regrouped. As the fog began to lift, Taishi Ci's control over the battlefield grew, and soon he had split Sun Ce's fleet into scattered fragments. The enemy's cloud energy started to crumble.
"Bofu, retreat!" Han Dang shouted. They had hoped to ambush Gan Ning under the cover of fog, but now they were the ones trapped.
"No need! Gongjin must have a plan!" Sun Ce shouted, kicking a soldier into the river. Had it not been for the cloud energy, that kick would have obliterated the unfortunate man.
Huang Gai and Cheng Pu exchanged glances. Cheng Pu charged forward while Huang Gai called for the ships to close in around Sun Ce.
A loud bang echoed as Huang Gai leaped back several feet. He looked down to see a large hole where he had just stood. Before he could recover, five arrows landed around him, each one narrowly missing. Even in the thick fog, Taishi Ci's skill at locating his target by sound alone was undeniable.
With a flick of his spear, Sun Ce deflected the arrows aimed at Huang Gai, then pulled him back, dodging more incoming shots.