Chapter 146: The Misty Labyrinth of Water

Upon seeing Fan Li clearly, Mr. Yichuan's aged face instantly flushed red.

"Ahem... The purpose of your visit is already known to my master, Guiguzi."

"According to the rules of Mount Yunmeng, no one who is not a Confucian cultivator may enter."

"Those who meet the qualifications, please follow me. All other attendants, please wait outside the mountain."

With that, Yichuan turned and headed into the mountain.

Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Guo Jia were about to follow when they saw a slender woman wearing a white veil step out from the carriage behind Fan Li.

"What manner of major event is this today? You actually brought a female dependent along with you. Are you planning to drag us down?"

The Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue was furious, only to meet Fan Li's bizarre, examining gaze.

"What? Is this seat wrong?!"

"The Holy Sovereign is also a woman, isn't she?" Fan Li said in a peculiar tone. "Hearing the Holy Sovereign's remarks, could it be that you look down upon yourself?"

"You?!"

The Golden Virtue was furious and about to flare up, but she saw Yan Yuan standing vigilantly in front of Fan Li.

Immediately following, Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Guo Jia also stepped over, forming a human wall.

The implication could not have been clearer!

The relations among the four states were simply much closer than with the Pure Land.

Though her teeth itched with anger, the Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue was helpless.

She glared fiercely at Fan Li, then frowned as she looked toward the veiled woman, before turning and ascending the mountain.

"Is she the Holy Sovereign of Classical Golden Virtue? The legendary number one female Confucian cultivator in the world?" The veiled Lü Fubao asked Fan Li in a low voice.

"Yes, your imperial concubine must be on guard," Fan Li replied softly.

Lü Fubao, however, smiled. "We are not in the imperial palace now; you may address me as Miss Lü, lest our identities be exposed."

Fan Li nodded. "Very well."

...

............

As the group entered the mountain, Yichuan explained along the way.

"Mount Yunmeng is divided into three sections."

"The first section at the foot of the mountain is merely a normal mountain path with no formations or restrictions whatsoever. It is completely safe."

"Upon reaching the waist of the mountain, you will encounter the special formations of Mount Yunmeng, divided into the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each of you must rely on your own abilities. Only by successfully crossing the Five Elements Formation can you continue upward."

"The peak of Mount Yunmeng is where my master, Guiguzi, retreats to cultivate."

"However, before reaching the very summit, there is still a secret formation, rumored to have been set up by the founding Guiguzi, which has existed for a thousand years."

"Without breaking the formation, one cannot ascend to the peak, let alone catch a glimpse of the teacher's true visage."

Hearing Yichuan speak thus, the Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue felt displeased within.

How strong could this generation's Guiguzi possibly be?

At best, he was merely a Great Vehicle Realm Confucian cultivator, much like herself, right?

To put on such a grand facade was truly infuriating!

"You are a disciple of Guiguzi; do you know the method to break the formation?" the Golden Virtue asked Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang shook his head. "When I first entered the fold to cultivate, the teacher would always temporarily halt the Five Elements Formation, allowing us to climb halfway up the mountain so we could listen to the teacher transmit his teachings from the peak. As for the summit of Mount Yunmeng, I have never once ascended it."

The Golden Virtue frowned.

She also questioned Zhou Yu and Guo Jia, and both gave the same answer.

"This group of men is utterly useless! Recruiting Guiguzi truly requires relying upon myself alone," the Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue muttered inwardly.

She alone did not ask Fan Li, treating him entirely as air.

Who could blame her when Fan Li possessed merely Foundation Establishment cultivation? The Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue simply could not look upon him with favor.

Yichuan, who was leading the way ahead, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Everyone, the first formation has arrived."

Ten paces ahead, the mountain path—and indeed the entire Mount Yunmeng—was shrouded in massive, rolling fog.

As far as the eye could see, there was only a boundless expanse of white mist, where even a single leaf could not be clearly discerned.

"This is the [Water Mist Maze Formation]."

"Once you enter the formation, you will lose your direction, unable to distinguish east, west, south, or north."

"Please rely on your own abilities to find the path up the mountain."

"If you cannot, you will be forever trapped within the fog formation until you die."

Hearing Mr. Yichuan finish speaking, the Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue sneered.

"Are Guiguzi's methods truly nothing more than this?"

"With vision obstructed, mortals are inevitably greatly affected, but how could this possibly trouble cultivators?"

Crown Prince Wanli also sneered.

The water mist formation was merely a mediocre, ordinary formation.

Even if it enveloped the entirety of Mount Yunmeng, it at most covered a vast area, proving only that Guiguzi's cultivation was indeed impressive, but failing to demonstrate any profound brilliance.

"You all do not understand."

"Once you enter the [Water Mist Maze Formation], every ten paces you advance will cause the world to spin and your senses to become chaotic. Even cultivators, after experiencing it a few times, will completely lose their bearings."

Hearing Yichuan's explanation, the Holy Sovereign of the Golden Virtue finally furrowed her brows.

Having to re-determine one's bearings every ten paces was indeed troublesome.

Given her cultivation, she was entirely capable of forcefully destroying the formation.

Yet the Pure Land had sincerely invited Guiguzi to come out of seclusion; if she failed to follow the rules and break the formation, how could she win his recognition?

Yichuan also cast a gloating, sidelong glance at Fan Li.

Among this entire retinue, his cultivation was the weakest by far, and he would surely be the first to lose his bearings.

So what if he was the Duke of Jin of Great Chu?

To get lost in Mount Yunmeng and ultimately starve to death—would that not be the greatest joke in the world?

Recalling his own defeat at the academy, Yichuan finally felt the sweet thrill of sweet revenge!

"Everyone, please enter the formation."

He urged them on, fearing lest Fan Li lose his nerve and retreat.

"Duke of Jin, let us travel together as companions. We must on no account become separated," Zhuge Liang suddenly said.

"Thank you," Fan Li nodded, knowing that Zhuge Liang intended to protect him.

Everyone stepped into the [Water Mist Maze Formation], feeling as though they had plunged into an ocean of white vapor.

Their vision was severely impaired, allowing them to see clearly only a foot ahead.

"Please halt, everyone."

With those words, Zhuge Liang retrieved an object from his sleeve.

He casually tossed it out, and upon hitting the ground, it transformed into a mechanical carriage about the size of a millstone.

"This is a South-Pointing Carriage, which can discern directions."

Zhou Yu praised, "I had long heard that you are proficient in mechanism arts, and that the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses you created yourself are formidable. I never expected you to possess this South-Pointing Carriage as well."

"Gongjin understands me," Zhuge Liang smiled modestly. "Merely trivial mechanical arts, not worth mentioning."

Guo Jia, however, remarked, "Kongming, excessive modesty is hypocrisy. I have heard that you command a mechanical army, and the combat power of every single mechanical beast is at the Nascent Soul realm?"

Zhuge Liang smiled without answering.

He gently waved his feather fan, and the South-Pointing Carriage began to move forward on its own.

"It actually moves without being pulled or towed?" Fan Li thought in secret astonishment.

Mechanism arts?

He had not expected Zhuge Liang to be a master of mechanism arts.

"Mechanism arts are an adaptation of formations; one simply needs to engrave various formations into the mechanism to produce marvelous effects," Lü Fubao suddenly whispered softly in Fan Li's ear.

"Could it be that you know this as well?!" Fan Li was moved.

He had almost forgotten that Lü Fubao was a grandmaster of formations.

Therefore, she was also proficient in mechanism arts?

"Hmph," Lü Fubao lifted her chin. Though her face was concealed by a white veil, she undoubtedly wore a triumphant expression.

The group moved forward steadily.

True to Yichuan's words, every ten paces advanced brought a bout of dizzying vertigo that made the head spin.

Yet the South-Pointing Carriage remained entirely unaffected, its needle pointing unwaveringly in a certain direction.

"Your Highness, I am ready."

On the other side, Crown Prince Wanli and Zhang Juzheng had also entered the formation.

Zhang Juzheng held a paper figurine in the palm of one hand, no larger than a palm.

The paper figurine held a paper sword and was currently pointing in a certain direction—remarkably consistent with the path of Fan Li and his companions.

"Shall we set off?" Zhang Juzheng asked.

"No rush."

Crown Prince Wanli sneered and shook his head, gripping several butterflies in his hand that were likewise folded from paper.

He tossed the paper butterflies into the air!

The paper butterflies came to life!

Flapping their wings, they urgently flew away in the direction of Fan Li and his group...