While Chen Xi's manipulation of his spiritual power caused confusion among the soldiers due to the many distracting thoughts, Zhou Yu's unified belief served as the perfect shield against such distractions.
"Kill them!" Taishi Ci knew things had taken a turn for the worse when that fiery red glow swept across Sun Ce's army. As expected, after the glow passed, Sun Ce's soldiers seemed to be invigorated, their morale surging.
"A legion talent!" Taishi Ci grimaced. He had encountered these powerful, almost cheat-like abilities on the battlefield before, but this was the first time he'd seen one that covered such a vast area and so many soldiers.
"Is Xingba still waiting for the right moment?" Chen Xi frowned. The ships of both sides were now intermixed; while the larger ships hadn't been boarded yet, the smaller vessels were already engaged in close combat.
"Military Advisor Chen, I'll stay by your side to ensure your safety. Although I don't know much about naval warfare, it seems unlikely we'll be able to break through the enemy in a short time," Guan Hai said as he exited the cabin and stood behind Chen Xi.
"Thank you. Ziyi, do you have any legion abilities?" Chen Xi asked with a frown.
"I do, but their effect is minimal. I've already used mine, but the navy isn't very in tune with my will. These sailors haven't been with me long enough, and I don't have absolute authority over them," Taishi Ci replied with a bitter smile.
Chen Xi didn't respond immediately, lost in thought about how to turn the situation around. The current situation was not ideal. While defeat wasn't imminent, continuing to sustain losses like this wasn't good either.
"Ganying, you take command and protect the military advisor. I'll break through the enemy lines!" Taishi Ci couldn't help but act when he saw Sun Ce leading a charge onto one of the larger ships. The age-old tactic of 'capturing the leader to win the battle' was still as valid as ever.
"Understood!" Ganying saluted and took Taishi Ci's command token. When Gan Ning left home, his father had ensured he was well-prepared with capable people to safeguard him in dangerous situations. After all, the Gan family had invested all their resources into him and wouldn't allow anything to happen to their heir easily.
With that, Taishi Ci grabbed his Fangtian halberd and leaped towards the large ship where Sun Ce and his men had landed. Despite the cloud energy suppressing half of his power, he only needed a few jumps to land on the ship.
"Clang!" Taishi Ci swung his halberd in a wide arc, locking Sun Ce's spear with the smaller end of the weapon and using a deft maneuver to fling Sun Ce back. "You all deal with the others. I'll handle him!"
"You must be the one who shot those arrows earlier. I didn't expect there to be another skilled general in this navy besides Gan Xingba," Sun Ce said with a slight smile as he gripped his spear tightly, his excitement evident.
"Sun Bofu?" Taishi Ci confirmed the identity of his opponent.
"Are you considering surrendering to me?" Sun Ce asked with a grin. "I never turn away talented warriors. How about it? If you surrender, your chances of breaking through will greatly improve with me here!"
"Remember the name of the man who kills you—Taishi Ci of Donglai!" Taishi Ci showed no emotion as he swung his halberd and charged at Sun Ce.
"Hmph!" Sun Ce laughed and charged at Taishi Ci, his spear vibrating with a powerful force as he thrust it toward Taishi Ci's chest and abdomen.
"Clang!" Taishi Ci's halberd met the spearhead with a resounding clash, the immense force causing his left hand to momentarily go numb. He then swung the halberd in a wide arc toward Sun Ce's throat.
"Thud!" Sun Ce responded by striking the halberd's shaft with his spear, sending Taishi Ci flying backward, creating some distance between them.
As Taishi Ci flew back, he gripped his halberd with both hands, flipped in midair, and kicked the air so hard that it seemed to liquefy, propelling himself toward Sun Ce like a golden blur. Sun Ce, in turn, stomped on the deck and unleashed a flurry of spear thrusts, each one radiating golden energy that surrounded Taishi Ci.
Taishi Ci deflected Sun Ce's spear attacks with a powerful swing of his halberd, then aimed a strike at Sun Ce's waist.
"Boom!" With a loud crash, Sun Ce was sent flying hundreds of meters away like a golf ball, and Taishi Ci turned into a golden streak as he leaped into the air, both men speeding away as the cloud energy around them thinned. They eventually landed in the river.
Sun Ce was the first to land on the water, followed shortly by Taishi Ci. Both men stood on the surface of the river, gripping their weapons and staring each other down, neither showing any signs of fatigue.
"Here, we can fight without holding back," Sun Ce said with a smile. "I love battling skilled opponents."
"So do I!" Taishi Ci laughed as golden energy flared from his body, and Sun Ce responded in kind, unleashing his own golden aura. The river's surface roiled with turbulent waves.
"Hmph, I hate it when someone has the same energy as me!" Sun Ce said, annoyed, as he tightened his grip on his spear. He had always considered himself unique, so seeing someone else with similar power irritated him.
"Once I take your head, I'll be the only one!" Taishi Ci sneered as he stomped on the water, creating a massive whirlpool beneath his feet. He charged at Sun Ce like a golden streak, his halberd poised to strike.
"I feel the same way!" Sun Ce roared, compressing all his energy into a single shout that sent shockwaves across the river, clearing the mist.
"Boom!" Taishi Ci's energy slash tore through the sound wave, descending on Sun Ce with the force of a mountain. The strike hit Sun Ce's spear with overwhelming power, sending him crashing into the river, creating a massive wave that rose dozens of meters high. Taishi Ci used the recoil to flip in midair and land gracefully on the water's surface.
"Rumble!" As soon as Taishi Ci landed, a barrage of golden spears shot out from beneath the water, targeting his position.
Taishi Ci swung his halberd horizontally, cutting through several golden spears, and used the momentum to propel himself out of Sun Ce's attack range. He hovered in the air, let out a fierce shout, and slashed down at the water, parting it with his strike. Through the gap in the water, Taishi Ci spotted Sun Ce preparing to leap out.
"Die!" Taishi Ci drew his bow and aimed at Sun Ce's location. Golden threads materialized on the bowstring, and as he released the arrow, it split into countless tiny threads that rained down on the river like a storm, leaving Sun Ce no room to escape.
"I refuse to die here!" Sun Ce's eyes turned blood-red as he found himself cornered. With no other options, he unleashed all his inner energy, gripping his spear tightly and charging toward the densest cluster of golden threads. "Break through!"