60: Cattle Burial Valley

The next day, before dawn, the combined forces of Star Sea Territory and the Sea God Clan, like streams flowing in the dark night, began their operation silently.

Under the precise command of Clay, Ocean Jack, and others, the Star Sea Territory's First, Second, and Third Battalions, along with the main force of the Guard Army, totaling over a thousand elites, split into several groups and stealthily advanced along pre-determined hidden paths towards the narrow canyon temporarily named "Burial Ox Valley." They needed to arrive early and set up deadly ambushes in the dense forests and behind the rock walls at the canyon's entrance and exit. Elise, leading the Divine Arrow Army, all equipped with new enchanted bows and arrows, along with Sebastian's five hundred Sea God Clan Mage Corps, used the last darkness before dawn to climb the steep cliffs on both sides of the canyon, searching for optimal shooting and spellcasting positions, like patient spiders beginning to weave a web of destruction.

At the same time, another team quietly set out. Led personally by Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song, two hundred of the most outstanding Sea God Clan mages, mostly skilled in speed and defensive Spells, formed a decoy unit. They left the village and advanced towards the northern hilly area where the Minotaurs were entrenched. Their mission was the most dangerous and the most crucial—to enrage the Minotaurs and draw them out.

After two or three days of cautious marching, the team led by Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song arrived at the edge of the Minotaur territory. Unlike the coastal forests inhabited by the Sea God Clan in the south, the terrain here gradually rose, covered with grayish-brown rocks and low shrubs. The air was filled with a rough smell, a mix of 腥臊 (rancid/gamey smell) and sulfur. In the distance, on the mountain walls, dark cave entrances were vaguely visible, like the eyes of giant beasts—these were the Minotaurs' dwelling caves.

The team stopped at a high ground with a relatively open view. Without needing many words, High Priestess Sea Song and Aivi exchanged glances; their understanding was already complete.

High Priestess Sea Song stepped forward, her staff, inlaid with aquamarine, raised high. She chanted ancient and obscure incantations, and the surging magic power around her stirred the ice elements between heaven and earth. The temperature on the high ground plummeted, and fine ice crystals condensed in the air.

"Breath of Winter, heed my command—Ice Crystal Storm!"

As she waved her staff, a huge white storm, composed of countless sharp ice crystals, formed out of thin air, emitting a piercing howl as it swept towards the nearest Minotaur settlement cave entrance! Wherever the storm passed, the ground was instantly covered with a layer of white frost, and shrubs were frozen and torn apart.

"Crack! Boom!"

Some simple wooden fences and sun-dried animal hides at the cave entrance were instantly destroyed. Several Minotaurs who were lazily patrolling or sunbathing near the entrance were caught off guard and swept into the Ice Crystal Storm, letting out shrill screams. Their thick fur was instantly covered in ice shards, their movements became sluggish, and they were then cut and bled profusely by the subsequent ice crystals!

Almost at the same time, Aivi also made her move. She clasped her hands, and aquamarine light gathered in her palms, transforming into dozens of ice spears emitting extreme cold. They were hurled as if by an invisible hand, with sharp whistling sounds, accurately shooting towards several other visible cave entrances and guard posts!

"Enemy attack! It's the Sea God Clan!"

The Minotaur territory instantly erupted! Rough roars and warning horn blasts sounded in unison.

Soon, the ground began to tremble slightly. From caves large and small, a massive number of Minotaurs surged out like a bursting flood!

These fellows were all over two meters tall and extremely robust. They had upright human bodies but bore massive bull heads! Their rough skin was dark brown or black, covered with short, stiff, messy fur. Bell-like bull eyes burned with flames of tyranny and anger, and thick nostrils exhaled hot air smelling of sulfur. In their hands, they wielded huge, spiked maces, crude stone axes, or heavy bone clubs. They wore simple leather armor or simply bared their muscular chests, letting out deafening roars.

The leading Minotaur was exceptionally tall, nearly three meters, like a small giant. One of his horns was broken, making him appear even more ferocious. He wore shoulder armor made from the skull of an unknown giant beast, and in his hand, he held a massive blade shimmering with dark red runes. A wild and powerful aura emanated from him; he was clearly a High Gold Rank warrior! He was the leader of the Minotaurs—Malok, "Broken Horn"!

Behind Malok, followed three or four other Minotaur chieftains, slightly smaller in stature but equally fierce in aura, all possessing Gold Rank strength. They moved like several walking mountains of flesh, blocking the path of Aivi's team.

Malok's crimson bull eyes swept over Aivi and the two hundred Sea God Clan mages behind her, then looked at the cave entrance ravaged by ice Spells, letting out a thunderous laugh:

"Moo ha ha ha! Who do we have here? It's you, little girl! Is the Sea God Clan out of people? You dare to cause trouble on my Malok's territory with just a few shrimp soldiers and crab generals?!" His voice was like muffled thunder, making one's eardrums numb.

When he carefully sensed the undisguised High Gold Rank aura on Aivi, a hint of surprise flashed in his bull eyes, but it was immediately replaced by even deeper disdain:

"Oh? No wonder you dared to come and die; you've had a Breakthrough! Do you think becoming a High Gold Rank means you can challenge me, Malok? How naive! Perfect, I let you escape last time, but this time you've delivered yourself. Capturing you as a female slave, I imagine it will be quite enjoyable! Haha!"

The Minotaur chieftains and minions behind him also burst into lewd laughter, their gazes greedily sweeping over Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song.

Aivi suppressed the disgust and anger in her heart. According to the plan, she stepped forward, her aquamarine eyes as cold as knives, her voice clearly echoing across the field: "Malok! Immediately release my clansmen you've abducted! Otherwise, today I will flatten your filthy nest and erase your Minotaur clan from Shattered Star Island forever!"

Her tone was resolute and unyielding, carrying an unquestionable determination, as if she truly possessed the power to annihilate them.

Upon hearing this, Malok roared with laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, swaying back and forth. His huge bull hooves stomped the ground: "Hahaha! Release your clansmen? Those tender-skinned fellows have already been largely enjoyed by my brothers! The rest are just food waiting to be cooked! Want them back? Dream on! With just this many people, you want to destroy my clan? I think you've come to entertain me!"

He completely ignored Aivi's threat, waving his huge battle axe forward and roaring: "Lads! Charge and kill! Capture that little bitch and the High Priestess, and you'll be heavily rewarded! Tonight, we'll have a bonfire party, eat fish meat, and drink blood wine! Moo—!"

"Roar! Kill!"

Incited by Malok, three to four thousand combat-ready Minotaurs, like a stampeding herd of wild bulls, let out earth-shattering roars, brandishing their weapons. Like a torrent of filth, they launched a furious charge towards Aivi and her mere two hundred-strong team! The ground trembled violently under their hooves, creating an utterly terrifying momentum.

Facing such a terrifying charge, Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song appropriately revealed expressions of "shocked anger" and "panic."

"Form ranks! Defend!" High Priestess Sea Song commanded loudly. The two hundred Sea God Clan mages quickly gathered, jointly raising a huge blue magic shield flowing with ripple patterns.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The Minotaur vanguard slammed into the shield, producing dull thuds. The shield shook violently, its light flickering. The mages desperately poured in magic power to maintain the shield, but it was clearly extremely difficult to sustain.

Aivi, with a delicate shout, took the lead, condensing an ice crystal longsword in her hand and engaging a Gold Novice Minotaur chieftain who was charging at the forefront. Sword light clashed with the mace, producing sounds of clanging metal. She deliberately made the battle appear very "strenuous."

After a few hard clashes, she feigned a weakness, allowing the opponent's mace to graze her arm, drawing a streak of blood. At the same time, she grunted, her face "instantly" turning a few shades paler.

"Hahaha! A mage actually dares to fight me in close combat!" The Gold Initial Rank Minotaur laughed loudly.

"She's injured! Push harder, capture her alive!" Malok saw clearly from the rear and became even more excited, personally wielding his giant blade and charging forward, striking the shield with an axe blow that nearly shattered it!

"Retreat! Quick retreat!" High Priestess Sea Song timely let out a "panicked" cry, ordering the team to retreat towards the forest behind.

The Sea God Clan mages maintained the crumbling shield, fighting and retreating, their speed "appearing" quite disheveled. Aivi also "endured her injuries," tangling with the Gold Rank chieftain, fighting and falling back, occasionally finding herself in " 險象環生 (extremely perilous situations)."

Seeing this, the Minotaurs' morale soared to its peak. They believed this was the Sea God Clan's desperate counterattack and that they were already on the verge of collapse. Malok was even more smug, roaring: "Chase! Don't let them escape! Moo! Today, I'm going to taste what a High Gold Rank Sea God Clan Clan Chief tastes like! All troops pursue, and wipe out their nest in one fell swoop!"

Driven by their leader's frenzied shouts, almost the entire Minotaur tribe poured out, like a school of sharks smelling blood, clinging tightly to the "defeated" Sea God Clan decoy unit, plunging headlong into the dense forest.

This chase and escape lasted for an entire day. Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song precisely controlled the rhythm, sometimes "strenuously" shaking them off, and other times "forced" to engage in battle, always keeping the Minotaurs' appetites whetted, making them feel that victory was within reach and unwilling to give up. Along the way, they deliberately abandoned some supplies they "couldn't manage" to take, further enhancing the authenticity of their rout.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with a blood-red hue, Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song finally led the decoy unit, along with the vast Minotaur army—which had completely lost formation and was only focused on a frantic pursuit—to the entrance of Burial Ox Valley, a beast with its maw wide open.

Looking at the narrow valley entrance before them, and the tide-like Minotaurs, panting but with red eyes, surging from behind, Aivi and High Priestess Sea Song exchanged glances, a sharp glint of successful planning flashing in their eyes. Without hesitation, they led their subordinates headfirst into the deep canyon.

"Moo! They've entered a dead end! Lads, charge in, kill them all! Capture Aivi alive!" Malok had no doubts, pointing his huge battle blade into the valley and letting out a roar for a general assault.

Thousands of Minotaurs let out earth-shattering cheers, scrambling to pour into Burial Ox Valley, completely unaware that they had stepped into the meticulously prepared... tomb for themselves. On the cliffs on both sides of the canyon, countless cold eyes were quietly watching this group of prey walking into a death trap.