: Smooth Sailing

Liu Er was overjoyed and immediately commanded a change in formation. The three generals returned to their positions in the triangular arrowhead formation, continuing their charge up the mountain.

They advanced triumphantly all the way to the summit, where everyone saw a temple made of white bones.

The temple gate was wide open, a ritual having just concluded.

Ancient talismans drawn in blood filled the entire temple hall.

The remaining Golden Core barbarian cultivators twisted their heads backward, silently staring at Liu, Guan, and Zhang's group.

Their eyes were gone, their sockets now two bloody holes continuously streaming blood.

Though they made no sound, all the soldiers could feel their resentment, fury, and hatred!

To these barbarians, the army of Liangzhu Kingdom were invaders destroying their homeland—a vendetta of the deepest kind.

"Ah!" Liu Er, as the commander of the Three Generals Camp, suddenly let out a pained cry, quickly shutting his eyes tight.

Under his eyelids, mysterious light shimmered, a clear sign he was channeling his magic power with all his might.

Liu Er retreated repeatedly, while Generals Zhang and Guan flanked him left and right like two imposing door gods, shielding him from behind.

Gasping for breath, Liu Er felt a surge of fear.

He had nearly lost his eyeballs just moments before; fortunately, he reacted in time, sensing danger and immediately mobilizing his magic to protect his eyes.

But for a short while, he couldn't see.

Quietly, he activated his innate talent.

Spiritual Sound Pulse Detection!

The next moment, he listened with his four ears, aided by his spiritual sense, granting him a broader perception than his previous vision.

As if overlooking the battlefield, he "saw" that the Three Generals Camp had already surrounded the Bone Temple. Ning Zhuo, commanding the mechanical army, was following behind, advancing upward.

"Not good! Very bad!!"

Spiritual Sound Pulse Detection clarified the situation, and Liu Er soon realized the barbarian Golden Core cultivators had sacrificed many elite barbarians, even offering themselves in a blood ritual. Their sole purpose was to summon a deity.

Deity Summoning Art.

This was a category of spells with many variations.

Summoning a benevolent deity often came at a low cost. Summoning a malevolent one, however, demanded a bloody, steep price.

Clearly, the deity the barbarian cultivators sought was no benign being.

The blood ritual array gradually dissipated without any unusual occurrences.

"Perhaps their blood ritual failed, and the deity didn't respond," Guan Hong guessed, stroking his beard.

Liu Er had a bad feeling, his eyes tightly shut, two trails of blood tracing down his cheeks from the corners of his eyes.

Cautiously, he ordered, "Let's retreat from here and have the Strategist's mechanical puppets dismantle this temple."

Just as the soldiers turned to leave, a voice suddenly echoed in everyone's ears.

"So, it was you who harmed my followers?"

The soldiers quickly looked toward the sound and saw a skeleton standing quietly to the side.

Guan Hong's pupils constricted sharply: "When did that appear?"

Not just him, Zhang Hei felt the same. Their spiritual senses had been extended all along; if the skeleton hadn't spoken, they wouldn't have noticed it.

"Who are you?" Liu Er urgently asked.

The skeleton let out a cold laugh: "Liangzhu Kingdom invades the Thousand Peaks Forest; by common sense, you should have ample intelligence. Since you've fought your way here, don't you know the name of me, the Dice Bone Demigod?"

"Dice Bone Demon!" Zhang Hei snorted coldly.

This Dice Bone Demon was the object of worship for the barbarians in this region.

Originally a skeleton that became a demon, it spread faith through fear, making the local barbarian tribes universally revere it and offer incense.

Thus, it possessed not only demonic arts but also divine techniques, multiplying its combat power several times over.

The Dice Bone Demigod stood ten feet tall, extremely gaunt, like a walking pale skeleton.

Its skull was narrow and elongated, with a high forehead and deep eye sockets. Its eyes were two dice, the visible sides showing the number "one."

It had no lips, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth when it spoke, utterly chilling.

The ends of its ribs were sharp as swords, its spine protruding, each vertebra carved with ancient talismans.

Its arms and legs were extremely long and slender, joints slightly thicker, as if made of connected thin bamboo poles.

The aura it emitted had reached the Golden Core level.

"A mere Golden Core level demon god! Take this spear!" Zhang Hei shouted coldly, striking first.

His Black Serpent Spear thrust out, infused with the dark energy of the Black Wave Surging Art, like a giant serpent striking with immense force.

The Dice Bone Demigod moved lightly, leaping a great distance with a single bound.

Zhang Hei shouted again, "Demon god, where do you think you're escaping?"

He pursued further.

Liu Er's sense of foreboding grew, and he quickly called out, "Third Brother, don't chase too far!"

But it was too late.

The next moment, two more figures suddenly appeared, blocking Zhang Hei's retreat.

The soldiers looked closely and saw two more Dice Bone Demigods!

These two had dice for eyes, showing the numbers "two" and "three" on the outside.

Ning Zhuo had arrived with his troops by then and, seeing this, felt his heart sink, immediately realizing, "So, there are three more Dice Bone Demigods?"

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the mechanical ring on his finger tightened sharply.

Without a second thought, he leaped into the air.

Almost simultaneously, two Dice Bone Demigods appeared, their slender bone fingers grabbing at empty air, the residual force so strong it plowed the ground, sending earth and stones flying.

These two Dice Bone Demons showed the numbers four and five.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, already casting spells mid-air toward the two Dice Bone Demigods.

Fire spells bombarded down, destroying the surrounding mechanical puppets instantly, but the two Dice Bone Demigods stood firm amidst the flames, shrouded in divine light, tightly protected.

The battlefield changed in an instant; the barbarians' blood sacrifice had succeeded in summoning the demon gods, and the Three Generals Camp was under attack, forced into a passive position.

Guan Hong and Liu Er faced a choice: assist Zhang Hei or Ning Zhuo.

Zhang Hei was besieged by three Dice Bone Demigods, while Ning Zhuo fought two alone.

Both sides needed support.

Guan Hong immediately looked to Liu Er, awaiting his command.

Liu Er harbored resentment toward Ning Zhuo, and at this critical moment, that negative emotion surged.

He blurted out, "The Strategist only faces two enemies, but Third Brother fights three alone. Assist Third Brother first!"

Guan Hong was slightly taken aback, surprised by Liu Er's order.

After all, Zhang Hei was a Golden Core cultivator himself, tough and resilient; even if outmatched, he wouldn't be in mortal danger anytime soon.

In contrast, Ning Zhuo's cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment level; he relied on battle formations and army strength to reach Golden Core combat power. Moreover, he lacked physical cultivation foundations, making fighting two Dice Bone Demigods more challenging than Zhang Hei's situation.

"Perhaps Big Brother wants to rescue Third Brother first, then combine our strength to eliminate one or two Dice Bone Demigods and secure victory," Guan Hong reasoned.

With that understanding, he decisively followed the order, raising his blade to assist Zhang Hei.

Seeing Guan Hong arrive, Zhang Hei was also surprised, blocking attacks while shouting, "Don't come to me, the Strategist is in greater danger!"

Liu Er gritted his teeth; seeing Zhang Hei's reaction only deepened his resentment toward Ning Zhuo.

Gripping his Xuanhuang Sword, he transmitted his thoughts to Guan and Zhang: "I'll save the Strategist; you two focus on your fight!"

Liu Er maneuvered the Iron Barrel Formation, slowly shifting toward Ning Zhuo's position.

Though the Iron Barrel Formation excelled in defense, it had many drawbacks, especially its slow movement speed.

The two Dice Bone Demigods, with their superior defense, charged left and right through the mechanical army.

With a casual wave, their slender fingers sliced through mechanical puppets like blades, cutting them into segments. A breath of cold wind brought swirling snow, freezing mechanical components and drastically reducing the puppets' speed and combat power.

In just a dozen breaths, over thirty mechanical puppets were destroyed by the Dice Bone Demigods.

Ning Zhuo's aura intensified again, but he wasn't skilled in close combat, sticking to long-range attacks.

Bone Claw!

One of the Dice Bone Demigods suddenly used a martial technique, bone claw prints flying everywhere, breaking through the encirclement and charging at Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo, positioned on the periphery of the包围圈, remained calm and even pleased.

He cast wood-element spells, summoning vines to entangle the powerful enemy and delay its advance.

The Dice Bone Demigod sensed danger and immediately turned back, trying to reunite with the other.

But it was too late!

At that moment, a burly figure, using the cover of the mechanical puppets' overlapping shadows, successfully infiltrated behind the Dice Bone Demigod remaining in the formation.

Shadow Blade · Night Tiger!

This Golden Core-level mechanical puppet had been kept in reserve by Ning Zhuo during previous battles.

Only now did it make its official appearance.

Clang! Clang!

With two crisp metallic sounds, three sharp claws extended from the back of each of its hands.

Shadow Slaughter Claws!

The Shadow Slaughter Claws were incredibly sharp yet dull and non-reflective.

Night Assassination Backstab Technique.

Meng Yehu, using his newly learned technique, appeared behind the Dice Bone Demigod. The six claws first sparked against the white bones, then deeply pierced the demon god's body.

The Dice Bone Demigod roared in pain, turning to counterattack.

Ning Zhuo was prepared, immediately controlling nearby mechanical puppets to block for Meng Yehu.

The demon god's slender arms swept out a white wind, causing all mechanical puppets in its path to collapse.

In an instant, over a dozen mechanical puppets were destroyed, but they bought Meng Yehu a crucial moment.

Meng Yehu seized the chance to dive back into the shadows, disappearing.

Only the severely wounded Dice Bone Demigod remained, wreaking havoc on ordinary mechanical puppets in a fit of rage.

"What is that mechanical puppet?" Liu Er, witnessing this, couldn't help but widen his eyes.

His heart shook: "A tiger-headed, human-bodied mechanical puppet—another Golden Core combatant!"

"Ning Zhuo... truly lives up to being from a great clan."

Liu Er couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy, bitterness filling his mouth.

"Getting distracted on the battlefield isn't a good habit," a voice suddenly said behind Liu Er.

Liu Er had already raised his defenses, his wrist twitching slightly, ready to release the military strategy within the Xuanhuang Sword.

Thud.

A slender bone arm pierced through Liu Er's chest. If he hadn't dodged, his heart would have been shattered!

Liu Er roared, turning his sword and swinging it back fiercely.

The Dice Bone Demigod was forced back, but as it retracted its arm, its slender fingers, like five curved blades, severely injured Liu Er's internal organs.

Overwhelmed by intense pain, Liu Er half-knelt, vomiting blood.

The last appearing Dice Bone Demigod had dice showing the number six in its eye sockets, clearly the strongest.

"Big Brother!"

"Big Brother!"

Guan Hong and Zhang Hei shouted simultaneously.

Zhang Hei's muscles bulged and tensed all over, like giant serpents coiling around him. His power surged violently, the Black Serpent Spear whistling as he swept it, stirring fierce winds.

The three Dice Bone Demigods felt contempt, easily dodging.

Such attacks, though powerful, were too straightforward; with the Dice Bone Demigods' agility, evasion wasn't difficult.

But the next moment, another change occurred.

Superior Innate Talent — Purple Beard Startling Swan!

Guan Hong had been fervently channeling the Crimson Face Blood Calamity Scripture, not only turning his face and skin crimson but also making his long beard glow red.

Now, the red beard turned purple.

The noble, dazzling purple light enveloped the three Dice Bone Demigods, freezing them in place momentarily!

Previously, even the Nascent Soul-level Ma Feitui had fallen to this move, severely wounded and captured by the three generals.

Now, these three Dice Bone Demigods were only at the Golden Core level, unable to resist.

They instantly became sitting ducks!

Zhang Hei's Black Serpent Spear swept through fiercely; with three dull thuds, all three Dice Bone Demigods were shattered!

Zhang Hei roared excitedly at the sky, feeling immense satisfaction.

"Hurry, regroup with Big Brother," Guan Hong urged.

Zhang Hei snapped back to reality, turning and running with Guan Hong back to Liu Er's side.

Liu Er, eyes shut tight, a large hole in his left chest, half-knelt on the ground, supporting himself with one hand, unable to move, focusing entirely on healing.

The soldiers around him formed a tight protective circle.

The Dice Bone Demigod had killed or injured dozens but failed to break the formation. With Guan and Zhang returning, it had no choice but to retreat.

Guan Hong and Zhang Hei tended to Liu Er while fighting the Dice Bone Demigod.

The Dice Bone Demigod was soon at a disadvantage.

It had struck first, gained the initiative, yet failed to take down any of Liu, Guan, Zhang, or Ning, and even lost three avatars.

Prolonged combat left it increasingly passive.

Meng Yehu struck, sacrificing one Shadow Slaughter Claw to cut a Dice Bone Demigod in half.

Out of six demon god bodies, four were now lost.

The remaining number five and six, seeing the situation turn, continuously retreated, standing shoulder to shoulder.

The number six Dice Bone Demigod reached out, placing a hand on the other's shoulder, instantly absorbing number five.

It then looked up at the sky, releasing a powerful suction force around itself.

An invisible wave drew in the bone dust from the shattered avatars and the countless fragments, all merging into number six.

Thus, the avatars merged, restoring the Dice Bone Demigod's true form.

Its true form differed little from the avatars, except its bones were covered with a transparent, cicada-wing-thin membrane.

Simultaneously, a necklace of small bone dice appeared around its neck. As the necklace swayed, the dice rattled and collided, sounding like shaking dice in a cup.

"Heaven, earth, man; essence, energy, spirit—the six harmonies unite into infinity."

"Your biggest mistake was fighting in my domain!"

The Dice Bone Demigod's voice was chaotic at first, as if six people spoke at once, but by the end, it merged into one.

The next moment, the world transformed abruptly!

The soldiers found themselves in a black-and-white world, the terrain completely flat.

Above each person's head floated a white bone die, its six faces marked with black dots from one to six.

Some tried to attack the dice but to no avail.

"Don't bother! The Dice Bone Demigod has manifested its domain; these dice are the external expression of its dao."

"We must defeat the demon god to escape."

Liu Er struggled to breathe, having received emergency treatment. Supporting his severely injured body, he informed everyone of what he'd discerned.

"Then let's smash this Dice Bone Demigod!" Zhang Hei roared, charging first.

The Dice Bone Demigod leaped backward.

As Zhang Hei attacked, the die above his head spun and stopped, showing a four.

The dice in the Dice Bone Demigod's eye sockets also spun, landing on one and five.

One plus five equals six, six greater than four.

Instantly, Zhang Hei's speed inexplicably dropped, while the Dice Bone Demigod's speed increased significantly. This strange shift allowed it to easily evade Zhang Hei.

It even had enough leeway to circle around and attack Liu Er again.

Guan Hong intercepted midway.

The two clashed fiercely.

At the moment of impact, the die above Guan Hong's head spun and showed a five. The dice in the demon god's eye sockets landed on three and five.

Three plus five equals eight, eight greater than five.

Thus, Guan Hong's offensive power plummeted, while the Dice Bone Demigod's surged, easily suppressing and repelling him.

Zhang Hei hurried back to assist but was clearly too late.

In desperation, he shouted to Ning Zhuo, "Strategist, support my brother quickly!"

Ning Zhuo called out, "General Liu, hold on!" while deploying the Heavy Blood Ape · Great Victory, charging toward Liu Er.

Liu Er raised his sword with both hands, protecting his face.

Military Strategy — Defend the Land, Secure the Foundation!

The weapon worked well, activating the strategy swiftly. Combined with the Iron Barrel Formation's power, Liu Er's defense soared to its limit.

But then, the die above Liu Er's head spun and landed on one.

The Dice Bone Demigod laughed heartily, the dice in its eye sockets showing two and three.

Total five, greater than one.

Liu Er's defense, after surging, plummeted abruptly, while the Dice Bone Demigod's defense soared.

Martial Technique — Bone Claw.

Thud!

Liu Er screamed in pain as he was cut in half at the waist.

"Ahhhh!" He erupted with an intense will to survive.

He abandoned his sword, using both hands to push off the ground, dragging his upper body backward frantically.

His lower half remained in place, intestines spilling from his abdomen, trailing on the ground—a wretched sight!

"Big Brother!" Zhang Hei and Guan Hong watched, eyes wide with fury, charging at the Dice Bone Demigod.

The Dice Bone Demigod remained at the Golden Core level, but even combined, Guan and Zhang struggled against it, leaving the demon god firmly in control.

This was largely due to the dice's effect! Each spin left Guan and Zhang losing more than winning, their combat power reduced, and their coordination severely disrupted.

Ning Zhuo finally arrived.

A spell blasted toward the Dice Bone Demigod.

The die above Ning Zhuo's head spun and stopped abruptly—six!

The dice in the demon god's eye sockets spun wildly, landing on two and three.

Two plus three equals five, five less than six.

Ning Zhuo's spell power increased significantly, forcing the Dice Bone Demigod to retreat.

Ning Zhuo attacked again, his die landing—six.

The demon god's two dice added up—four.

The Dice Bone Demigod was forced back again by Ning Zhuo!

Ning Zhuo continued attacking, the die showing—six!

"How is it still six?!" the Dice Bone Demigod exclaimed in shock and anger.

It rolled a one and a three, totaling four.

Ning Zhuo pressed his attack, and the Dice Bone Demig