The second Great Jin Immunity Talisman crumbled to dust in Fan Li's hand.
He was heartbroken, but there was nothing he could do. He glanced one last time at Zhou Yu, frozen in ice, then the holographic projection shifted.
The final talisman. The Seven Stars Prayer Formation.
A scene beyond Fan Li's wildest imaginings appeared.
Within the formation, a miniature world had been created. It resembled an ancient battlefield. Towering mountains, a vast river. It was a landscape of awe-inspiring grandeur.
Banners fluttered in the wind. Armor and weapons gleamed with a cold light.
Tens of thousands of elite soldiers stood in formation, their banners emblazoned with the word "Han."
Fan Li saw that their spirits were high, their battle intent strong. They were anything but a defeated army.
To train an army to such a level of discipline and morale, their general had to be truly exceptional!
A four-wheeled carriage emerged from the center of the formation.
Its occupant, holding a feather fan, his posture relaxed, his gaze deep and insightful, radiated an aura of wisdom and mystery.
Zhuge Liang, like an immortal descended from the heavens, his handsome features were the least remarkable thing about him.
Fan Li sighed with relief.
The Han army was still intact!
And Zhuge Liang was still alive!
The third talisman… it seemed he wouldn't need it.
The Han army stood upon a hilltop with their formation overlooking the battlefield.
Below them flowed a river.
On the opposite bank stood another army, equal in size, but their formation was disarrayed. Their banners were askew. Several generals shouted at their men, desperately trying to restore order.
Fan Li recognized them. They were the Great Ming's forces.
Crown Prince Wanli, wearing in golden armor, stood at the front with his general's banner waving behind him.
There were also three thousand elite guards of the prince, whose level was far superior to that of the Ming army. They were staring at the Han army on the hillside across the river with hawk-like eyes.
"Zhuge Liang, I advise you to surrender immediately!"
"What about Guo Jia's Beacon Fire Yellow Sand Formation? What about Zhou Yu's Iron Chain River Crossing Formation? I defeated them both with ease!
Your Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation was no match for me. How long can you possibly hold out with this hastily constructed Seven Stars Prayer Formation?"
The Ming soldiers laughed, mocking Zhuge Liang's desperate struggle.
Fan Li watched silently. He noticed something strange. The mountains and rivers within the formation… they reminded him of a specific location described in ancient texts.
He struggled to remember, then it hit him. A chill ran down his spine.
"Mountains to the south, a river to the north, deep ravines to the east and west. A strategically advantageous location. Could this be… Wuzhang Plains?!"
Within the formation, Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan, his smile humble and gentle.
"I've heard rumors… that Crown Prince Wanli is the reincarnation of King Jie, the seventeenth ruler of the Xia Dynasty?
The secret techniques of an ancient dynasty are truly wondrous.
The Beacon Fire Yellow Sand Formation, the Iron Chain River Crossing Formation, and the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation, all originated from the Guiguzi lineage.
Fengxiao, Gongjin, and I, we have relied on these formations to achieve countless victories.
Today, you have defeated all three. I am truly impressed.
But…"
He waved his fan twice, once to the left, once to the right.
The sky above Wuzhang Plains suddenly darkened.
Day turned to night. Stars twinkled, forming a silver river across the heavens. The starlight bathed the land in a silver glow.
"I have studied formations for many years. This is my creation. I call it the Seven Stars Prayer Formation.
It is not arrogance that makes me claim this, but I believe my formation surpasses those of Guiguzi.
Do not underestimate it, Crown Prince. Tread carefully."
Wanli, a man of supreme confidence, having already defeated three formations, couldn't possibly accept Zhuge Liang's warning.
"Humph! This Seven Stars Prayer Formation… I will break it with ease!"
He hadn't finished speaking when another change occurred.
Seven bronze oil lamps appeared, hovering above Wuzhang Plains. They were ancient and unadorned, their design simple yet elegant, their aura sacred and imposing.
The lamps' flames were small, but their light was boundless, illuminating the entire battlefield.
Their glow reached the Wei River, revealing the expressions on the faces of the Ming soldiers.
Confusion.
Uncertainty.
Fear.
They couldn't understand the wondrous scene before them, just as summer insects couldn't comprehend the depths of winter.
Another formation within a formation.
But this time, it wasn't Wanli's creation.
Zhuge Liang held the advantage!
"Crown Prince, please, try my formation."
His voice echoed through the mountains and rivers, calm and composed.
Wanli's face darkened. His eyes, filled with malice, stared at the seven bronze lamps.
Even with his Great Vehicle Realm cultivation, he could sense the power contained within those lamps.
But their true effect… he would only know if he attacked.
Wanli's expression calmed, his gaze cold and emotionless.
"Vanguard, attack!"
A simple command, devoid of any emotion.
To attack was to die.
The vanguard, ten thousand strong, would likely be annihilated.
But an order was an order. Who would dare disobey?
"Brothers! It is time to offer our lives for the Great Ming!"
The vanguard general's voice was filled with grief and determination.
He held a high rank, an esteemed official. But now, only one path remained.
Death.
The ten thousand soldiers roared, their faces mirroring their general's, charging towards their doom.
They crossed the Wei River, their weapons clashing against the enemy's.
The true battle had begun.
Spiritual energy surged. Limbs flew through the air.
Wuzhang Plains had become a meat grinder.
Suddenly, one of the bronze lamps glowed with a brilliant light. The light enveloped the Han soldiers, forming a thin, protective layer over their armor.
The Ming soldiers' weapons struck the Han soldiers, but their blades couldn't penetrate! Their attacks were useless!
An enemy who couldn't be killed was the most terrifying enemy!
The Ming vanguard was in chaos.
Chaos was defeat.
"Impenetrable?" Fan Li was shocked.
A single formation could render tens of thousands of soldiers invincible?
What kind of formation was this? It seemed unstoppable!
But Fan Li quickly calmed down.
Such overwhelming power was illogical.
Zhuge Liang was a Unity Realm cultivator. Even with his talent and his knowledge of the Guiguzi lineage, he couldn't possibly create such a powerful formation without consequences.
To render tens of thousands of soldiers invincible… there had to be a price.
"Zhuge, you cunning scoundrel…"
Wanli gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury.
The Ming vanguard was being slaughtered.
The Han army, however, had only suffered minor losses.
"Each of the Seven Stars Lamps possesses a unique ability. This is the 'Iron Pagoda.' What do you think, Crown Prince?" Zhuge Liang asked with a smile.
"Impossible! You're a mere Unity Realm cultivator! Even geniuses have limits! To empower tens of thousands of soldiers… You couldn't possibly achieve this without consequences!"
Wanli's voice was filled with disbelief and anger. He had lost all composure.
Then, he seemed to realize something. His expression shifted.
Surprise.
And then, a cold smile.
"Zhuge Liang… Hehehe… You almost fooled me. An invincible formation?
What price have you paid to achieve such power? What terrible sacrifice?"
Zhuge Liang's smile remained.
But the Ming soldiers were confused.
"Soldiers!" Wanli shouted.
"The Han army's strength is an illusion! Zhuge Liang cannot maintain this formation for long! Continue your attack!"
His orders were absolute.
The Ming soldiers, despite their fear, obeyed.
The vanguard was annihilated. The left flank began to cross the river. Then, as if to prove Wanli's words, a change occurred.
Zhuge Liang, previously handsome and youthful and ethereal aura suddenly aged. His hair turned white. His face became wrinkled. He resembled a frail old man.
No wonder he had been sitting in a four-wheeled carriage.
He seemed unable to even stand. He slumped in his chair, his only remaining strength seemingly contained within his enigmatic smile.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Wanli laughed triumphantly.
"Your lifespan! You've used your own lifespan to fuel the Seven Stars Lamps, to empower your soldiers!
You fool!
You're a Unity Realm cultivator! How many lamps can you possibly fuel?
Once your lifespan is depleted, I will annihilate your entire army!"
Wanli had witnessed this tactic before.
At Mount Yunmeng, Zhang Juzheng had burned his lifespan to gain enough power to protect Wanli from Lu Fubao's Eight Hells of Heat formation.
Fan Li was worried.
He held the Great Jin Immunity Talisman tightly, but he couldn't use it.
The Han army was still fighting. Zhuge Liang wouldn't abandon them to save himself.
But Zhuge Liang was aging rapidly, his life force fading like the setting sun.
The Seven Stars Lamps…
A single lamp had already drained him.
His cultivation, his remaining lifespan… they couldn't possibly be enough to fuel the remaining six lamps.
How long could he maintain this advantage?
As he was agonizing over this, a beam of starlight descended from the night sky.
Both Wanli and Fan Li looked up.
A single star had transferred its energy to Zhuge Liang. It dimmed.
But Zhuge Liang's body was filled with renewed life!
The change was visible.
"Whew…"
He exhaled slowly. His white hair turned black. His wrinkled face became smooth. He was young once more.
Zhuge Liang smiled. "Crown Prince, shall we continue?"
Wanli's face twisted in anger and humiliation. He had thought he had seen through Zhuge Liang's scheme. But it was he who had been deceived.
The Seven Stars Prayer Formation didn't just empower the Han soldiers. It also granted Zhuge Liang eternal youth within the formation!
Fan Li was also shocked.
To pray to the stars…
So that was it!
He looked up at the endless night sky through the holographic projection.
If the stars were limitless, did that mean Zhuge Liang's lifespan was also limitless?
Could he truly fuel all seven lamps?
This was the power of the Seven Stars Prayer Formation, a formation that surpassed even those of Guiguzi?
What a brilliant strategist!