CHAPTER 1365: CHAPTER 1317: BOARDING BATTLE AT SEA

While Zhao Yun was worried about the absence of Li Tiao, and Ma Yunlu had steadily advanced to the finals, Gan Ning and Taishi Ci faced the greatest trouble ever since they ventured out into the South Blue.

"Bed crossbows ready, bed crossbows ready!" Gan Ning shouted, finding voice transmission much more convenient than semaphore signals.

"Three crossbow bolts on the upper string, using standard crossbow bolts for ballast, attack, attack!" Taishi Ci shouted, marking the first time they’d encountered aggression in their numerous trips to the South Blue.

"This won’t do, release fast boats, rush over and launch a boarding attack!" Gan Ning’s nearly twelve-zhang long battleship had always been his pride, but now he couldn’t care less about pride; the opposing fleet might be the biggest threat he had ever faced!

"Release fast boats!" After Gan Ning shouted, the fleet collectively began releasing the boats, and the sailors who had already prepared quickly jumped onto the fast boats.

"Activate the tail’s dark wheel, all shipmen down to three layers deep, prepare for impact, everyone else prepare to board!" Gan Ning roared out a second command to the fleet, and soon only the crossbowmen remained running on the deck.

"Fire!" With the dark wheel activated, the helmsmen frantically maneuvered the large ship, finally managing to turn the warship sideways before the enemy could adopt an aggressive posture.

"Bang bang bang!" The explosive sound of the bed crossbow strings erupted, sending nearly a hundred crossbow bolts each as thick as a calf leg over two or three miles toward the enemy ships, two of which were directly pierced through their side armor.

"Ziyi, you lead the fast boats forward, I’ll take the warship to raid them!" Gan Ning shouted, although he didn’t understand the sudden attack from the opposing side, since they dared to attack, they were enemies—sink them!

"Okay!" Taishi Ci lifted the Sky Piercer, picked up the Precious Bow, and leapt off the boat from over ten meters high, lightly tapping on the water a few times to reach the leading fast boat at the front. He was leading this charge.

Gan Ning’s side frantically fired their bed crossbows toward the enemy, and the opponent was not just passively taking hits; a stone the size of a human head flew toward Gan Ning’s side with explosive sounds.

Gan Ning swung his great sword, splitting the stone flying dangerously toward him into two halves. Yet, the originally arrogant Gan Ning now showed a rare trace of seriousness.

That one slice that split the stone revealed a reality; these stones had additional forces, either nurtured or artificially enhanced with Inner Qi.

But regardless of what it was, it posed a significant problem for Gan Ning, as it indicated the opponent was not simple.

"Adjust the firing angle of the crossbowmen, helmsmen adjust the ship’s direction, charge at full speed toward the enemy warship, engage in close-quarters combat!" Gan Ning shouted, and began channeling Cloud Qi to strengthen the ship, preparing for a close combat fight, while the helmsmen below deck shouted out calls, releasing their full power.

Under this command, Gan Ning’s fleet quickly coordinated into a battle line and charged rapidly toward the enemy warship, the fleet’s prow looking especially formidable.

"Charge, prepare to board!" Taishi Ci swung his halberd, deflecting all incoming arrows, then shouted loudly, a faint golden sheen spreading from his body, empowering the soldiers around him.

Unlike others where Legion Talent results appear instantly, Taishi Ci’s Legion Talent did not enhance anyone present but enveloped them in a layer of golden radiance, as if the talent sliding past was merely an illusion.

"Follow me to kill!" Taishi Ci led the fast boats, charging under the enemy warship, while many of the navy fell to arrows, though victory was close at hand.

Taishi Ci shouted fiercely, jumped up, slamming his halberd onto the railing, flipping, swinging the halberd forcefully, then kicked the railing to jump directly onto the enemy’s warship.

Leaping onto the enemy ship, Taishi Ci wielded his halberd, instantly clearing a huge vacuum, though soon many surrounded him, arrows raining down.

"Ha!" Swirling the halberd explosively around, Taishi Ci, suppressed in Inner Qi, seemed to transform with a second pair of hands, knocking away vast quantities of arrows, then in the second strike, cleared the remaining arrows.

The next moment, Gan Ning’s navy already scaled the ship’s side, launching a frenzied counterattack under Taishi Ci’s leadership.

This enemy warship quickly fell into chaos; evidently, they had not encountered such tactics involving fast boats encircling large ships.

As Taishi Ci rampaged, a group of armored guards wrapped in commoner attire charged at him under a generals’ command, and many soldiers began surrounding him.

"Ding!" At the sight of each other, both understood catching this opponent held the key to knowledge they sought.

They were initially cautious, not wanting to harm each other unnecessarily, as Taishi Ci’s strike clashed with the opponent’s longsword, feeling immense power, only to be countered by the supplementary force on him.

Taishi Ci’s soldiers also collided with the enemy guards, now fully understanding the effect of Taishi Ci’s Legion Talent upon them.

Though it couldn’t strengthen themselves, every strike appended another hit of equal force and direction powered by Heaven and Earth Essence, akin to suddenly gaining a teammate in solo combat, though oft missing, and if used cleverly, significantly boosting combat power.

Unfamiliar with this fighting style initially, the group began with simple direct slashes, minimizing self-harm, as attempting counterstrikes posed a much greater risk of friendly fire.

Taishi Ci expected the opponent to collapse quickly under Qi Refining to Gang, yet was shocked as the foe fearlessly sparred over ten moves without faltering, despite Cloud Qi suppression, this result was unexpected!

"Pchh!" One of Taishi Ci’s soldiers, with a direct thrust, pierced through an opposing soldier, swiftly followed by another strike that speared him, and then a horizontal slash with a second follow-up attack directly killed him.