Chapter 760: Battle Once Again

A deafening explosion of spear shadows enveloped Sun Ce, and the blinding golden light flashed like the sun itself. Taishi Ci’s immense strength was only partially revealed, yet it was already overwhelming.

"Perfect timing!" Sun Ce’s battle spirit surged as he charged head-on into Taishi Ci’s spear shadow, his body glowing with a brilliant golden radiance like molten gold.

Boom! Taishi Ci staggered back three steps, but Sun Ce didn’t escape unscathed either. He was flung backward, though the excitement on his face never faded. He had just broken through, and now he had found the perfect opponent.

"Since we last parted on the Yangtze River, I’ve grown much stronger," Sun Ce said, steadying himself as he smiled at Taishi Ci. He had been yearning for a worthy adversary.

"Last time you slipped away. This time, I won’t go easy on you!" Taishi Ci spun his Fangtian Halberd with one hand, his expression brimming with confidence.

"Go easy? Hahaha! Let’s see what you’ve got. Come on, fight me!" Sun Ce laughed, his powerful inner energy surging as he rushed toward Taishi Ci.

While Taishi Ci was glad to face Sun Ce again, he wasn’t as reckless. Sun Ce had clearly become much stronger, and as Sun Ce unleashed his full strength, Taishi Ci’s expression grew more serious.

A golden glow burst from Taishi Ci’s body as well, though it wasn’t as blinding as Sun Ce’s. Nonetheless, the pressure emanating from Taishi Ci was no weaker than Sun Ce’s.

"Let’s fight!" Sun Ce, laughing wildly, thrust his spear at Taishi Ci, unleashing his battle-hungry spirit. He finally had a chance to fight with everything he had.

Unlike his previous encounters—whether it was his initial meeting with Lü Bu before mastering his inner energy, his duel with Huang Zhong in Jiangling, or his clash with Zhao Yun on the Yangtze—this was different. Sun Ce had now pieced together enough strength to rival the greatest of warriors. What he craved was a fierce, exhilarating battle.

"Die!" Taishi Ci coldly targeted the flaws in Sun Ce’s technique. Unlike Sun Ce, who had only recently reached this level of power, Taishi Ci had long surpassed the stage of arrogance. He could now control every ounce of his inner energy with precision, unleashing devastating attacks.

As Taishi Ci swung his Fangtian Halberd, it seemed to lengthen by several feet. Sun Ce, who had intended to counterattack after dodging the initial strike, suddenly sensed danger. He pulled back just in time, but not before his armor was sliced off.

"Impressive!" Sun Ce laughed, showing no fear. Instead, he used the opportunity to charge forward, his spear aimed at Taishi Ci’s waist. The move wasn’t flashy or quick, but it was powerful and imposing.

"Break!" Taishi Ci rotated his halberd, slamming it against the tip of Sun Ce’s spear. In an attempt to disarm him, he tried to lock the spear with his halberd, but Sun Ce used the momentum to swing the spear in a wide arc, aiming it back at Taishi Ci.

The two clashed fiercely, their golden auras colliding violently. After being flung off their horses, they leaped into the air, continuing their battle mid-flight. Both were encased in golden armor, their weapons gleaming with the same radiant light.

"Fall!" Taishi Ci roared, unleashing a massive golden slash with his halberd, sending it hurtling toward the airborne Sun Ce.

"The same move again? Break!" Sun Ce’s spear glowed with a brilliant golden hue as he shattered Taishi Ci’s energy slash. He then shot toward Taishi Ci like a lightning bolt.

"Perish!" Taishi Ci drew an invisible bowstring in the air, summoning countless golden beams of light. These thousands of razor-sharp energy strands shot toward Sun Ce like a rain of needles.

"I knew you’d use that move!" Sun Ce laughed wildly, switching the spear to his other hand. Leaving a golden afterimage in his right hand, he hurled the spear with all his might. The spear tore through Taishi Ci’s energy strands as if they were nothing. "I’ve been waiting for this moment—take my spear!"

Boom! Just as Taishi Ci released his arrow, Sun Ce’s spear hurtled toward his chest. Forced to react, Taishi Ci summoned all his strength to deflect the spear with his halberd. However, upon contact, the spear exploded into a brilliant burst of golden flames, engulfing Taishi Ci in a fiery cloud.

The explosion roared, shaking the battlefield and deafening the soldiers below. Sun Ce’s men erupted in cheers, while Taishi Ci’s personal guards watched anxiously as the golden light filled the sky.

"Why hasn’t he been blasted out of the sky?" Sun Ce squinted at the golden light in the sky. The brightness was so intense that even he found it hard to look at directly.

The light dissipated quickly, but Sun Ce saw no sign of Taishi Ci plummeting from the sky. The idea that Taishi Ci had been vaporized was laughable. Sun Ce knew Taishi Ci well enough to understand that any attack incapable of killing himself wouldn’t kill Taishi Ci either.

As the smoke cleared, Taishi Ci appeared, standing calmly in midair, shielding his eyes with his right hand. Although his body was covered in deep gashes, some of which were severe, Sun Ce noticed that Taishi Ci wasn’t bleeding.

Lowering his hand, Taishi Ci gazed down at Sun Ce, his eyes cold. That last attack had nearly claimed his life, but fortunately, he had a secret technique to fall back on. Ever since being severely injured by Yan Liang in Jizhou, Taishi Ci had developed a method to sustain himself in prolonged battles.

"Sun Ce, in such a short time, you’ve already grown so strong," Taishi Ci said, his secret technique rapidly healing his wounds. His energy continued to rise, surpassing even his previous peak.

"How... how is this possible?" Sun Ce muttered in disbelief.

"Impossible?" Taishi Ci scoffed. At this level, what was or wasn’t possible no longer mattered. Suppressing his injuries, Taishi Ci regained his strength, now stronger than ever.

"Possible or not, the injuries you’ve inflicted today—I will repay them all!" Taishi Ci roared, surging forward with lightning speed. His Fangtian Halberd descended with overwhelming force, striking Sun Ce and sending him crashing to the ground.

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