Guo Jia lay in a pool of blood, but he didn't feel any severe discomfort. Although he had vomited blood, there was no sense of life slipping away, just a bit of dizziness, indicating that his core wasn't damaged.
Guo Jia, feeling dizzy, realized that his attempt to capture a fleeting opportunity by activating his spiritual talent had backfired, hurting him before it could harm anyone else.
"Just prescribe me some blood-replenishing medicine," Guo Jia said as he steadied himself and sat up, addressing Li Dangzhi.
"Guo Chief Clerk, please allow me to take your pulse before anything else. Although you appear to be suffering from blood loss without any physical injury, I've never seen such a case before. Let me verify your condition first," Li Dangzhi insisted, not at all upset by being hauled in by Wei Yan.
Guo Jia extended his left arm, casually placing it on the bloodstained table. His white silk robe quickly soaked up the blood.
"Strange, very strange…" Li Dangzhi muttered, puzzled as he examined Guo Jia.
"I already told you, just give me something to replenish my blood," Guo Jia grumbled, displeased.
"Some nourishing food should suffice. Porridge or soup will do; the maids at the Chief Clerk's residence can prepare it," Li Dangzhi said with a frustrated sigh before leaving.
Afterward, Guo Jia and Guan Yu switched to a different table and continued eating and drinking. Before long, one of Guan Yu's maids brought over a bowl of three-ingredient blood-replenishing porridge. Guo Jia eyed the odd color of the dish but drank it anyway under Guan Yu's stern gaze.
"Now, tell me, what happened earlier?" Guan Yu demanded with a commanding presence after seeing Guo Jia finish the porridge.
"The negative effects of my spiritual talent. If it's unconsciously triggered, it usually has no consequences. But this time, even with the weakening effect of the lord's talent, I still got hurt. Still, it was worth it," Guo Jia said with a smile as he casually placed the bowl aside.
"Don't take such risks again. Others may not know your abilities, but I, Guan Yu, do. As long as you're here, Yuan Shao in the north won't pose a threat to Qingzhou unless he sends his full army," Guan Yu said, nodding in acknowledgment.
"If there's a next time, I'll do it again. It's worth it. Even if it costs me my life, if it can bring about a unified world ten years sooner, I'll gladly do it. And this time, it was just a mouthful of blood," Guo Jia said with a broad smile. "Zichuan, I've already paved the way. Now, it's up to you."
Guan Yu remained silent. Although he didn't fully grasp Guo Jia's words, he sensed the resolve behind them. Such a person couldn't be swayed by words, whether from a comrade or an enemy.
Guo Jia continued to calculate silently. As for his sealed spiritual talent, he didn't feel too concerned—it wasn't his primary reliance anyway.
What Guo Jia didn't know was that if it hadn't been for Liu Bei's talent counteracting the effects this time, Guo Jia might not have survived. Even if he did, his lifespan would have been significantly shortened, much like Xi Zhicai's.
After all, using a talent that can determine the outcome of nations requires immense energy. Deciding the fate of a beggar and determining the future of an empire are worlds apart in terms of the toll it takes. Though Guo Jia carefully used Cui Lie as a stepping stone to influence the Cui family and then the Hebei aristocracy, eventually using them to undermine Yuan Shao, it didn't change the fact that he had forcibly altered the course of history.
Guo Jia instinctively gazed northward. Regardless of their opposition, he couldn't help but acknowledge Yuan Shao as a formidable ruler. But since they were enemies, no matter how great Yuan Shao was, he would still have to fall before his lord, Liu Bei.
Meanwhile, Chen Xi had no idea what had transpired in the past quarter of an hour. He only knew that Zhou Yu had arrived, and both their forces and commanders were on par with, if not stronger than, his own. Zhuge Liang's words had already made it clear that the enemy had at least two top strategists and three Inner Qi masters.
"A friend from Lumen Academy? Who are you talking about?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled. "Who from Lumen Academy has graduated at this time?"
Chen Xi's question made Zhuge Liang a bit embarrassed. Although Lumen Academy was one of the two most prestigious academies in the world, it hadn't produced any notable disciples lately, unlike Yingchuan Academy, whose alumni formed the backbone of all major powers.
"Pang Shiyuan, a talent no less than myself," Zhuge Liang replied, clearly displeased. At his young age, he wasn't yet capable of self-effacing humility.
"Pang Shiyuan?" Chen Xi raised an eyebrow. "He's your responsibility. I'll handle Zhou Yu. Just make sure you can keep Pang Shiyuan in check—can you do that?"
Zhuge Liang frowned slightly but eventually nodded. "Alright, I'll keep Pang Shiyuan occupied. I can do that."
"What's wrong, Shiyuan?" Zhou Yu also noticed the slight discomfort on Pang Tong's face and asked with some concern.
"Opposite us is not only Chen Zichuan but also Zhuge Kongming. Leave him to me!" Pang Tong sneered as he spoke, immediately activating his spiritual talent to drain Zhuge Liang's intelligence.
"Zhuge Kongming?" Zhou Yu asked, puzzled.
"He's someone who irritates me. I think you'll find him equally vexing once you meet him. This time, I'll make him regret it," Pang Tong sneered. "I'll start by completely dispersing the fog. The river charts you gave me are accurate, right?"
"They are," Zhou Yu confirmed with a nod.
"Good. The river is swift and filled with hidden currents. Who knows if they might hit a reef?" Pang Tong grinned wickedly. "This battlefield is perfect. Watch me sink their ships."
"Gan Xingba, do you dare to face me in battle on the river?" A booming voice echoed across the fog-covered river.
"Zhou Youping, is your injury healed?" Gan Ning responded with a loud laugh.
"A mere scratch! Today, we'll settle this once and for all!" Zhou Tai's thunderous voice rang out again along the river.
"As a commander, fighting a mere defeated general and bodyguard really diminishes my stature!" Gan Ning's taunting voice echoed through the fleet, followed by waves of laughter.
"Ziyi, things don't seem right. Zhou Youping is also a skilled naval commander. He'll likely lead his forces straight at us. When the battle starts, reposition the central forces to block their charge. I'll lead the left flank and strike at their center. Although Sun Bofu is young, his strength hasn't peaked yet. With the strategist and Kongming holding off their advisors, I'll quickly capture Sun Bofu," Gan Ning said with a serious expression.
Although Gan Ning hadn't confirmed the exact number of enemy ships, Zhou Tai's momentum alone told him it wouldn't be a small number. In this situation, the best course of action was to capture the leader—capture the king to capture the thieves!