A form of azure dragon energy emerged from the Water Mist Labyrinth, followed closely by two figures stepping out of the mist.
"Your Highness, we have passed the formation," Zhang Juzheng announced.
The beautiful scenery of Mount Yunmeng reappeared, leaving the sea of mist behind. Crown Prince Wanli and Zhang Juzheng were the first to clear the initial challenge.
Master Yichuan observed them, thinking, ‘The Great Ming truly lives up to its reputation as the world's strongest nation. Though they sent few people, they were the first to pass. If I have the opportunity, I should seek a position in the Great Ming.’
"Hey! Quickly lead this Crown Prince to the next formation," Wanli barked at Yichuan.
Master Yichuan felt a pang of resentment. He was a renowned scholar, yet Wanli treated him with such disrespect?
‘Could it be that Unity Realm experts are commonplace in the Great Ming, worth nothing?’ The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and his attitude towards Wanli soured.
"What's the rush? The other group is about to emerge. Wait." He possessed a talisman bestowed by Guiguzi, allowing him to sense when someone was about to exit the formation.
"Oh?" Wanli narrowed his eyes. "They passed too?"
As he spoke, footsteps echoed from within the mist. Lu Fubao, Yan Yuan, Zhuge Liang, Guo Jia, Zhou Yu, and Sage Ruler Jin De emerged one after another. However, Fan Li was nowhere to be seen.
Wanli noticed this as well and sneered inwardly. ‘Those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish!’
"What? Duke Jin truly hasn't emerged?" Yan Yuan scanned his surroundings and his expression darkened as he failed to spot Fan Li.
Zhuge Liang and the others reacted similarly. If something were to happen to Fan Li and cause upheaval in the Chu Kingdom, it wouldn't be in the best interests of Wei, Han, or Wu.
Some rejoiced, others worried.
Master Yichuan, not seeing Fan Li, felt a surge of schadenfreude.
"Everyone, please follow me to the second formation," he urged, but only Wanli, Zhang Juzheng, and Jin De moved forward. The others remained rooted in place.
"Could we wait a little longer?" Lu Fubao asked. "Fan Li is separated from us. Perhaps he will emerge soon."
"Wait for him? Why?" A sarcastic voice rang out.
It wasn't Master Yichuan, nor was it Wanli. It was Jin De.
Sage Ruler Jin De sneered, "With his meager cultivation, he was nothing but dead weight. It's better if he's trapped in the formation. At least he won't cause us any more trouble in the next few formations."
Everyone's expressions shifted.
Zhang Juzheng whispered to Wanli, "Your Highness, despite the grand alliance between the four kingdoms and the Pure Land, they are merely a pile of loose sand, each with their own agenda. Sooner or later, our Great Ming army will crush them one by one."
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Wanli nodded in agreement while gazing on Jin De with amusement. The woman lacked any sense of propriety, openly displaying disunity among her supposed allies.
‘Father is troubled by the alliance between the four kingdoms and the Pure Land. Now it seems, the Brahma Sound Pure Land is the weak link?’ Wanli chuckled at the thought.
"Please wait!" A figure stepped forward, blocking Yichuan's path. It was Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang smiled. "The Great Han stands with Duke Jin of the Great Chu. Although he is trapped in the formation, I still wish to wait for him. May I ask for a little more time?"
"This..." Yichuan was speechless. Guiguzi had instructed him not to neglect anyone entering the mountain. He was even told to fulfill any requests they might have.
‘Teacher's words are truly strange. He sets up formations to test them, yet he wants me to cooperate. What is Teacher's intention?’
As he pondered, Zhou Yu added, "The Great Wu shares a close bond with the Great Chu. With Duke Jin trapped, I too wish to wait. Brother, please give Duke Jin more time to navigate the formation."
Yichuan's jaw dropped in surprise. He realized that according to the rules of the Guigu lineage, Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Guo Jia had all completed their training before him.
Those who achieved more were considered seniors. Did that make them his senior brothers?
Guo Jia also smiled. "On behalf of the Great Wei, I also request your leniency, brother. What harm is there in waiting a little longer?"
The representatives of the three kingdoms refused to proceed to the second formation. Even without Guiguzi's prior instructions, Yichuan wouldn't dare urge them forward now.
"Alright then, let's wait a little longer..."
Sage Ruler Jin De's expression turned sour. She had realized that her criticism of Fan Li made her appear petty and disrespectful, earning her silent scorn.
‘It's all Fan Li's fault! If he hadn't gotten lost, how could I have ended up in such an awkward situation?’ Jin De conveniently forgot that it was her own attack, not the paper butterflies, that had separated Fan Li from the group.
After waiting for about half an incense stick's worth of time, Jin De lost her patience again.
"How long are we going to wait? Don't forget, Fan Li only has Foundation Building cultivation. How could he possibly overcome Guiguzi's Water Mist Labyrinth? Are we supposed to wait for him forever if he's trapped in the formation for life?"
As soon as Jin De finished speaking, a lazy voice drifted from the mist. "How could I, Fan Li, be worthy of the Sage Ruler's eternal wait?" Fan Li emerged from the mist, a smug smile playing on his lips.
"You!?" Jin De exclaimed in shock. "How could you possibly see through the mist?"
"Simple, just enter 'black sheep wall'," Fan Li replied with a nonsensical answer.
Jin De was baffled, completely clueless.
Fan Li ignored her and walked straight towards Lu Fubao and Yan Yuan.
"Hey, how did you determine your direction?" Lu Fubao, filled with curiosity, whispered.
Fan Li didn't answer directly. He suddenly grabbed Lu Fubao's right hand, startling her. As she contemplated whether to cry out or slap him, she felt a small, cool object being placed in her palm.
She looked down and saw a thin iron wire. What did it mean?
"Rub it with silk cloth in one direction, and it will generate electromagnetic force, with the same effect as a compass cart." Fan Li explained. Whether Lu Fubao could comprehend the concept of electromagnetic force was not his concern.
"Now that everyone is here... let's proceed to the second formation." Yichuan looked at Fan Li with a conflicted expression. This guy was abnormal!
For a Foundation Building cultivator to overcome Guiguzi's formation, wouldn't that make his teacher seem incompetent?
But then he recalled Fan Li's performance at Luming Academy, which was anything but normal.
"This is the second formation, the Golden Illusion Formation."
A courtyard unexpectedly appeared within Mount Yunmeng, blocking the mountain path. To continue forward, they had to pass through it.
The courtyard was magnificent, adorned with gold and jade, perfectly matching its name. Yet, the group felt no sense of danger. Could it be that the Golden Illusion Formation was weaker than the Water Mist Labyrinth?
"The Golden Illusion Formation reveals one's deepest desires. Once you enter, you will face trials of desire. If you are seduced by these desires, you will be forever trapped in the illusion, unable to awaken."
Yichuan knew the power of the Golden Illusion Formation but deliberately kept silent. According to Guiguzi's wishes, he should have warned them beforehand.
Yichuan stole a glance at Fan Li. ‘He wields immense power in the Great Chu, so his desires must be overwhelming. The Golden Illusion Formation is his death trap.’