Chapter 2046: Chapter 1822: The Self-Formed Cloud Qi Army Formation
At this moment, it’s unknown how many sages present shared the same thoughts as Fa Zheng, but most didn’t ponder their own issues. They merely looked at Sima Yi with apprehension.
"Shiyuan, can you still use your Spiritual Talent?" Zhuge Liang suddenly turned his head to look at Pang Tong, who was diligently reading on the side, amidst everyone’s cautious gazes at Sima Yi.
Lately, Pang Tong had been revisiting the two books provided by Chen Xi repeatedly, finding them increasingly profound. Gradually, he began to see through the minor oversights in military strategies and ingenious tactics.
Thus, ever since obtaining these books, Pang Tong’s interest in Zhuge Liang diminished significantly, as did his interest in idle chatter. Instead, he was engaged in research and observation, albeit speculating why Chen Xi did this, though he hadn’t made it explicit in his mind.
"I can’t use it, but the intelligence boost from others still exists, although I can no longer obtain it afresh." Pang Tong sensed it and spoke without lifting his head.
Because intelligence greatly aids learning, and Pang Tong’s Spiritual Talent had minimal depletion, he would daily enhance his intelligence early, pushing it to a stress-free threshold of one hundred ten, and then commence studying.
In short, while others engaged in idle talk, Pang Tong, with intelligence augmented, was absorbed in learning and wanted no part in other matters.
"From a certain perspective, you could be seen as his nemesis. His talent can negate your Spiritual Talent, but it can’t cancel the intelligence you’ve already accumulated. In this way, his activation of Spiritual Talent actually provides you with a great advantage." Zhuge Liang smiled and said, just as he anticipated.
Zhuge Liang had experienced Sima Yi’s Spiritual Talent, so he was quite intrigued by him. Occasionally, he would activate his own Spiritual Talent to counter Sima Yi’s, erasing all Spiritual Talents from his mind.
However, every time he erased it, Zhuge Liang felt that Xun Youi’s Spiritual Talent sometimes remained unaffected, but after a few tries, it could be eradicated. Pang Tong was most peculiar in that his Spiritual Talent could be erased, but the intelligence accumulated from its use could not.
Pang Tong chuckled softly, feeling unthreatened by Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi’s tricks under his over-hundred intelligence. He didn’t believe Sima Yi would be blind to the situation and come after him.
Among those who heard Zhuge Liang’s words was Sima Yi, who naturally listened. Having understood from Fa Zheng about Pang Tong, he realized this as a formidable adversary. Yet, compared to Zhuge Liang, whom he aimed to confront, Pang Tong wasn’t particularly noteworthy.
[Capable of erasing Spiritual Talent, yet unable to negate the effects once reinforced?] Sima Yi pondered quietly after hearing Zhuge Liang’s words.
[Let me gauge Zhuge Kongming’s capability first before considering others. Pang Shiyuan is my formidable foe, Zhuge Kongming. You should recognize that Pang Shiyuan poses more of a threat to you than I do in the current circumstances.] Sima Yi maintained a subtle smile as he slowly turned to look towards Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang.
"I—" Just as Sima Yi turned with a subtle smile, Xu Shu exclaimed as if he’d seen a ghost, "This fellow’s mind can turn so much!"
"Fool, this is called the look of a wolf." It’s unclear who muttered this in a corner, leaving the room silent. Soon after, Chen Xi burst into laughter, "The look of a wolf, perhaps Zhongda twisted his neck when he was young."
The entire place was dumbfounded, then everyone cast their gaze toward Sima Yi. Lyu Meng suddenly spoke, "No wonder he looks melancholic. Constantly stared at like this, I’d also be melancholic. Shiyuan, perhaps you could teach him how not to be melancholic."
After Lyu Meng spoke, he turned to Pang Tong. The two were the same age, and both were under Zhou Yu’s supervision, providing them many opportunities for interaction.
Lyu Meng, with a good talent but unwillingness to think, often sought Pang Tong’s aid. Meanwhile, Pang Tong, fearing his unsightly appearance might frighten others, frequently needed Lyu Meng’s help to manage certain matters, fostering a good relationship between them.
Pang Tong slowly put away his book, looked toward Sima Yi, observed his somber and brooding expression paired with his handsome face, then turned to Lyu Meng, saying, "If someone like this feels melancholic from excessive neck-twisting sessions, it’s simply idle time. Let him work overtime till the Hour of the Ox and start at the Mao Period each day. In a year, he’ll no longer be melancholic."
The whole place burst into laughter. Sima Yi felt like fighting, immediately spurred his horse toward Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang, meanwhile, turned his horse and fled, fully aware that his previous attempt to avoid others misunderstanding Sima Yi as the look of a wolf, thus forming a melancholic youth image, had become a reality, but Sima Yi seemed unappreciative.
As Zhuge Liang rode to escape and Sima Yi pursued with his sword, a clearly visible Cloud Qi Formation suddenly appeared above tens of thousands of troops, and the Han Army, lacking a formal military formation, naturally aligned along the Cloud Qi Army Formation’s patterns.
"What’s happening?" Chen Xi and others all raised their heads to look at the Cloud Qi Army Formation in the high sky, where the distinct military formation patterns spontaneously appeared.
One must understand that under normal circumstances, when an army marches, unless it’s overwhelmingly large and indeed unaware of restraint, the sky won’t reveal a Cloud Qi blockade.
Similarly, the Cloud Qi in the sky, without the cooperation of large troops or military formation, cannot form corresponding military formations. This is almost common sense. Even many Civil Officials’ concerted efforts to stabilize Cloud Qi can’t achieve this—it’s practically a law. Yet this law was broken today.
Sima Yi, who had been chasing Zhuge Liang with a sword, couldn’t help but raise his eyes to the sky to observe the change in Cloud Qi.
Guo Jia and Jia Xu, upon noticing the change in the sky, were initially astonished. Then, as if out of reflex, both glanced toward Mao Jie, their expressions immediately darkening.
"How long would it take you to research this?" Guo Jia, somewhat bitter, transmitted his voice to Jia Xu.
Upon witnessing the change, Guo Jia instantly grasped this move’s strategic value. If Chen Xi’s military formation unifies everything, then the alteration in Cloud Qi truly completes Chen Xi’s formation, making it a miracle that allows an army to possess dual formations concurrently.
"The essence of Cloud Qi Army Formation is emptiness. I had thought about this aspect before but didn’t delve into it. When I left spiritual traces on paper, I should have realized Cloud Qi Army Formation can be actively triggered." Jia Xu mumbled to Guo Jia through voice transmission.
