NOVPUBSima Yi had his talent cut by Zhuge Liang and immediately activated his own gift. Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting were merely ornaments. What truly mattered was the capacity to govern a nation and secure peace, and that which represented a top Strategist was Spiritual Talent. Those titled as Chess Sage or Painting Sage were nothing impressive. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to the abilities of those Confucian scholars; we should compare real knowledge and skills.
Under a fit of rage, Sima Yi unlocked the full potential of his talent. Residing in Fenggao, within hundreds of miles, almost everyone else’s talent was almost completely suppressed.
Zhuge Liang was the first to be hit. His Strategic-Level but incomplete talent named "Integration" was directly sealed by Sima Yi. Then, as Zhuge Liang was too young to bear the languor from his own talent, once the suppression of his Spiritual Talent was lifted, his formidable spiritual power overflowed wildly. Everything around him was sent flying by a great force, and even Sima Yi, who had just released his Spiritual Talent, was pushed aside by Zhuge Liang’s immense spiritual power.
It must be said that if it wasn’t for Sima Yi’s own vast Spiritual Capacity, that unguarded moment of impact would have been enough to reduce him to an idiot.
After being pushed aside, Sima Yi watched Zhuge Liang with a cold sweat. He had come to understand that this youth in front of him was truly a monster. If a regular adult Top Strategist had a unit of Spiritual Capacity, then Zhuge Liang’s demonstrated Spiritual Capacity had already surpassed that level. And it was worth noting that Zhuge Liang was only halfway through the time it would take for his Spiritual Capacity to stop increasing!
"I never expected Brother Sima to have a Spiritual Talent, let alone the ability to erase mine," Zhuge Liang said, eyes shining as he looked at Sima Yi.
"You actually have Spiritual Talent too!" Sima Yi said in shock as he stared at Zhuge Liang. He had always thought he was a rare genius, but here he had encountered someone even younger and more terrifying. However, a fierce competitive spirit soon ignited in Sima Yi’s heart, clearing away the previous emptiness and loneliness; there must be an opponent in the world.
"Brother, you’re not bad at all, managing to seal my Spiritual Talent. But it’s just as well; my Spiritual Talent is too vast. Even without activating it, my own Spiritual Capacity can’t bear it. I must spend a lot of time in slumber. Now it’s good this way," Zhuge Liang said calmly, "But without it, I won’t have that kind of rapid growth in spiritual power anymore."
The eruption of Zhuge Liang’s spiritual power was also because he had been sustaining the consumption of his own Spiritual Talent. Now, without the Spiritual Talent, the energy that had been supporting the talent spilled out. Luckily, Zhuge Liang quickly reined in his own spiritual power, sitting there with a serene and inward radiance.
Sima Yi made himself presentable and knelt before Zhuge Liang, "Sima Yi of Henei pays respects to Zhuge Kongming." This time, Sima Yi had no trace of arrogance, "Would you dare to play another round with me!"
"That would be good!" said Zhuge Liang calmly. The previous two victories had been somewhat opportunistic, and this time, with both sides unleashing their full capabilities, they would really know where they stood.
An hour later, Zhuge Liang, wearing a smile, gave Sima Yi a bow and then slowly walked away.
"Click!" Zhuge Liang smiled as he bowed to Sima Lang and Zhuge Jin standing at the doorway, then followed Zhuge Jin and left.
"Zhongda! How could you have activated your talent again, and for such a long duration, and on such a large scale?" After Zhuge Jin and Zhuge Liang left, Sima Lang entered and asked somewhat angrily, only to see Sima Yi, who had swept away his previous melancholy, and his former arrogance was gone, his entire body burning with fighting spirit.
"Brother, this world indeed needs an opponent to avoid loneliness. Zhuge Kongming, I’ll remember you," Sima Yi said as he placed the last piece on the chessboard, clearing the previously undetermined game.
"What’s the matter, Zhongda?" asked Sima Lang, curious.
Sima Yi calmly narrated the events that had unfolded to Sima Lang, "That’s how it is. I have a feeling that I will eventually encounter that guy on the battlefield. Only then can life no longer be lonely!"
Zhuge Liang, following behind Zhuge Jin, didn’t say much. Yet, after only a few steps, he suddenly felt an exhaustion wash over him, internally cursing Sima Yi, that bastard, for being a sore loser, shutting down his talent without winning.
Meanwhile, as Sima Yi suffered a defeat at the hands of Zhuge Liang, his spiritual talent suddenly erupted and swept through an area, causing the people who were working at Mount Tai to be taken aback by the sudden disappearance of their spiritual talents.
The moment Sima Yi activated his talent, Sima Lang, who happened to encounter Zhuge Jin on the road, saw his ’Spring Breeze’ talent disappear, and the credible Sima Lang immediately reverted to normal. Similarly, Zhuge Jin abruptly lost that ability to speak eloquently, which had sparked intelligence in Sima Lang.
After exchanging glances, they instantly understood that the other had been using their spiritual talent, but the difference was that Sima Lang knew what was going on!
Jia Xu, who was earnestly studying and deducing the situation in Xiliang, suddenly looked up in surprise, while Liu Ye, who couldn’t help imitating the mindset patterns of the generals of Xiliang, was also staring blankly at Jia Xu.
"Can you still use your spiritual talent?" Liu Ye asked with some panic.
Jia Xu furrowed his brows but did not show much alarm. "It seems that someone’s talent is restraining ours," he stated.
"How can there be such a heaven-defying talent? And who knows how long it can last?" Liu Ye frowned and said, "Now it’s going to be much harder to handle things without our spiritual talents."
"It’s no big deal," Jia Xu said indifferently, picking up the intelligence in his hands and continuing his analysis. Although his spiritual talent was gone, he was still the impeccable strategist Jia Wenhe, only slower now.
Lub Su suddenly stood up from his seat in the Political Office.
"Zijing, what’s the matter with you? You’re flustering about!" Chen Xi asked in confusion.
Lub Su stood up, gesturing rapidly with his hands, and clouds gathered overhead, followed by an autumn rain pouring down on the Political Office.
"Hey hey hey, what’s with the sudden rain?" Chen Xi exclaimed, puzzled.
"I was trying to make it snow! My spiritual talent has vanished! A surge of spiritual power just now eradicated my spiritual talent," Lub Su said with a touch of panic, "Zichuan, didn’t you feel it?"
Chen Xi scratched his head. "I didn’t feel much, my spiritual talent is still the same. It’s just that I felt a tickling sensation a moment ago."
...
Lub Su looked at Chen Xi speechlessly, then calmly sat down and resumed his document review. Since Chen Xi was unaffected, it indicated that the power that erased others’ spiritual talents must have its limits. Regardless of when their talents might return, it appeared that someone like Lub Su, who had never relied on talent alone, was not significantly affected!
"Hey hey hey, Zijing, how can you keep reviewing documents when such a terrifying thing as the disappearance of spiritual talent has happened? We should hurry and find the cause!" Chen Xi was like an eunuch more anxious than the emperor himself.
On the other hand, Fa Zheng was almost frantic; his talent had just awakened and before he could enjoy it, it was gone. He paced anxiously around Li Youu. "What’s going on? My spiritual talent suddenly disappeared!"
"Mine too," Li Youu glanced casually at Fa Zheng and remarked. Despite his outward calmness, Li Youu also stopped the governmental duties he was handling because the impact of Sima Yi’s talent on him could be described as horrific — enough to plummet a peak all-round strategist to a rather versatile but quasi-first class talent. The difference was huge! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
