The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 184 - 180: Kongming Borrows Arrows with a Cunning Plan

Chapter 184: Chapter 180: Kongming Borrows Arrows with a Cunning Plan

But say the brothers had waited at Flower-Fruit Mountain for many months and still saw no sign of the other three Sea Dragon Kings coming to seek vengeance, and they couldn’t help but be astonished.

The Jiao Demon King thus specially instructed the Dragon Whale to return to the North Sea to investigate, and it turned out that the North Sea had already been divided between the West Sea Dragon King and the Eastern Sea Dragon King, with a portion given to the South Sea Dragon King. It came to be that Guangze Dragon King Ao Shun’s territory was completely divided among the three brothers, and they did not even consider seeking revenge, which was truly a source of both tears and laughter.

However, this allowed the Jiao Demon King to breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed that these Dragon Kings were not planning to give him any trouble. Ao Shun’s death didn’t seem to pose a problem.

Naturally, he did not know that behind this was Great Emperor Zhenwu smoothing things over for his named disciple, and since these three Dragon Kings coveted the territories of the North Sea, they naturally increased their mana and cultivation after dividing it.

As the immortals lived their days, they paid no heed to the years, and without realizing it, Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch had been teaching the Dao for many years now.

Since Enlightenment Dao obtained the fifth Swallowing Dragon Stele, he had been contemplating it day and night, while concurrently cultivating the Divine Skills of the Indestructible Realm. The Jiao Demon King’s mana was high among the brothers, and recently he succeeded in purifying his Primordial Spirit in the Sea of Thunder, although not as profoundly as Enlightenment Dao who ventured into the deeper part of the Sea of Thunder for violent thunder purification, just at the periphery. Even so, staying at the periphery still proved to be an extremely difficult ordeal for him.

But say Liu Bei truly lived in extreme frustration, first joining Gong Sun Zan, then Tao Qian, followed by Lu Bu, and then Cao Cao. Afterward, he joined Yuan Shao, and only by clinging to Liu Biao was he able to scrape by, and then later he pulled together some troops and crossed the river to seek refuge with Eastern Wu. Meanwhile, Yuan Shao, a man of great luck, was defeated by Cao Cao, with Yuan Shao’s luck also converging on Cao Cao, making Cao’s luck peerless for a time.

Luckily, Liu Bei had invited the disciples of Ghost Valley, Mozi, and Zou Zi, who were Human Sages: Zhuge Liang came down from the hills. Zhuge Liang himself had ambitions to become a marquis and a senior official, and although he appeared indifferent to fame and fortune like a hermit, he was already famous. Xu Shu was coerced by Cao Cao and thus turned to the North, where he recommended Zhuge Liang before leaving. Liu Bei visited the cottage three times, and was finally able to invite the sleeping dragon to help the world.

Zhuge Liang had overflowing talent; he seemed indifferent to fame and wealth but was constantly building his reputation. Now, with a distinguished patron coming to his door, Zhuge Liang, in order to raise his value, waited until the third invitation to leave with Liu Bei, to aid him.

After crossing the river, he debated with numerous scholars and managed to persuade Eastern Wu to ally with Liu Bei to resist Cao Cao.

During this period, some minor events also occurred, such as Zhuang Zhou disguising himself as Zuo Ci, frolicking in the human world, making a fool out of Cao Cao, and leaving him covered in dirt. He also took a person named Ge Xuan as a disciple and passed down Laojun’s "Taiqing Alchemy Scripture" and other texts before drifting away. Since the Buddhist sect saw him not interfering in national destiny, they let it be. Moreover, Yuan Shi and Tathagata were preaching and teaching, so naturally, they caused no trouble for each other. Earlier, the destiny of Sun Ce of Eastern Wu had been sealed, with a star reincarnating as Yu Ji, causing Sun Ce’s destiny to run out, leading to an untimely death. Before this, Heart Moon Fox had incarnated as Diao Chan, severing the luck of Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu, and had already reincarnated. No need to mention further.

Eastern Wu’s Zhou Yu was a disciple of Sun Wu but unfortunately, he was not fated to live long. It was the will of the Heavenly Dao, and Zhuge Liang’s life path happened to suppress his, so although the two appeared amicable on the surface, they were actually in serious conflict behind the scenes. Recently, Zhou Yu, having listened to Lu Su, felt that this man should not be kept around as he would become a big problem in the future and sought an excuse to take Zhuge Liang’s life.

Zhou Yu asked, "Now that we are at war with Cao’s Army, and naval forces clash, what weapon should we prioritize?"

Zhuge Liang replied, "Naturally, we should use arrows. Upon the great river, arrows should take precedence."

Zhuge Liang was no longer the delicate youth he once was; he was close to thirty now, with handsome features, carrying a feathered fan, dressed in a white Taoist robe—he looked like a dragon and phoenix among men. Zhou Yu also had rosy lips and white teeth, with a face like sculpted jade, brimming with youthful vigor—equally striking in appearance. The two, standing together, indeed made it hard to distinguish between their respective statuses.

"Our army lacks arrows now, and I ask the sage to oversee the production of one hundred thousand feathered arrows for military use. This is a matter of great importance, so I hope the sage will not decline!" Zhou Yu bowed.

Zhuge Liang’s hand concealed in his sleeve instinctively began to move, performing the calculations of the "Taiyi Divine Calculation," and, after a silent assessment, he mused, "In three days, a thick fog will roll over the river. Cao Cao, being suspicious by nature, may be deceived by a clever strategy. Zhou Yu wants my life, but I can’t possibly decline this!"

Zhuge Liang said, "As the Commander entrusts this to me, I shall certainly serve. However, I wonder when the one hundred thousand arrows will be needed?"

Zhou Yu pondered for a moment, initially wanting to say seven days, but fearing that was too short, he said, "Can it be done within ten days?"

Zhuge Liang couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Cao’s Army will arrive today, and if it’s ten days, there might be many changes."

Zhou Yu was secretly shocked, thinking, "Does Zhuge Liang think even ten days is too long? Does he seek a swift death to avoid suffering?" Yet aloud he said, "Then, Master, how many days do you think it will take to complete the task?"

Zhuge Liang raised his hand and bent two of his fingers, speaking calmly, "Just three days, and I will surely deliver one hundred thousand arrows."

Zhou Yu frowned at these words, thinking, "Could it be that Zhuge Liang knows he’s bound to die and wants to end it sooner to avoid the torment?" He spoke loudly, "The military has no room for jest. Master, please consider this carefully!"

Zhuge Liang, quite composed, smiled and replied, "I would not dare to jest with the Commander. In three days’ time, I will bring the one hundred thousand arrows to the Commander. If the Commander doesn’t believe me, I’m willing to sign a military order!"

Zhou Yu was overjoyed, thinking, "Zhuge Liang is truly a fool. One hundred thousand arrows would take at least a month to make; even mobilizing the entire army, he couldn’t make them in three days! He’s courting death, with a military order signed, clear in black and white. When the time comes, he will have no choice but to surrender his life, and I will not leave any blemish on my reputation." Zhou Yu then sent his men to bring fine wine and dishes, saying, "Once you complete the task, we will have a feast to thank you generously!"

Zhuge Liang said, "It’s too late to start today; we’ll begin making them tomorrow. On the third day, the Commander may send five hundred troops to the riverbank to transport the arrows."

After a few drinks, he excused himself from Zhou Yu and returned to his own camp.

Zhuge Liang entered the tent and, taking copper coins and counting rods, arranged them before consulting the "Taiyi Divine Calculation". He couldn’t help but frown secretly and said, "The divination speaks of a great fog in three days, but there are variables hidden within it. Whether these variables are ominous or auspicious, I can’t deduce. Can they only be resolved when the time comes? Could it be that my life is really going to be lost to Zhou Yu, that short-lived wraith? Impossible, impossible, let me calculate once more!"

Then Zhuge Liang cast the copper coins and counting rods again. With a snap, both the copper coins and counting rods broke in half, which shocked him.

"Heaven’s will is difficult to measure; it seems that my life is now tied to heaven’s will! There will surely be a change of events then, it’s just that I don’t know if it will be good or bad. Well, never mind, I will just proceed according to my plan. First, I’ll borrow twenty boats from Lu Su," Zhuge Liang thought to himself. Although unsure, he was not panicking. The bridge will straighten when the boat reaches it, as Ghost Valley had predicted a destiny for him to become an honored marquis and high official; Zhuge Liang still had great confidence in himself.

Soon after, Lu Su came to the tent, and Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "I said Zhou Gongjin is out to take my life, yet Zijing, you didn’t believe me! To think that Brother Zijing would not be discreet for me, causing such a predicament today, what should we do?"

Lu Su’s face burned with embarrassment, thinking, "Zhuge Liang must know I told the commander about this." But he said, "It’s Kongming who courted this misfortune, how can you blame me?"

Zhuge Liang grabbed Lu Su’s wrist and said, "I ask Brother Zijing to help me save my life."

Lu Su asked, "How can I save your life? Even if I send all my family, servants, and soldiers, I am afraid we cannot make a hundred thousand arrows in three days!"

Zhuge Liang then said, "I implore Brother Zijing to lend me twenty boats, each manned by twenty to thirty soldiers. Cover the boats with green cloth and tie up more than a thousand straw figures along the sides of the boats. I have great use for them! After three days, you can be assured I will bring a hundred thousand arrows."

Lu Su, being kind-hearted, agreed to the request after Kongming revealed the matter, feeling embarrassed but knowing that it was of little importance.

However, Lu Su didn’t know that Zhuge Liang was audaciously planning to go into Cao’s naval camp and borrow a hundred thousand arrows with straw boats, a feat that would be passed down in future generations as the "straw boat borrowing arrows" strategy, with Lu Zijing relegated to being an awkward supporting character in this tale.

After Lu Su left, he didn’t mention the matter of borrowing boats to Zhou Yu anymore. After all, he had some camaraderie with Zhuge Liang and, being generous by nature, he felt very sad to think he might have endangered Zhuge Liang’s life.

After Lu Su left, Zhuge Liang consulted the "Taiyi Divine Calculation" once more, marveling at the results. The more he calculated, the more variables appeared, making him wonder what the scene would be like when the great fog engulfs the river in three days?

Putting aside Zhuge Liang’s preparations to "borrow arrows with straw boats", let’s turn our attention to Flower-Fruit Mountain.

The Enlightened Daoist came out from the pass that day, full of spirit and clear-headed. Seeing his brothers, he said, "Although Yuan Shi Immortal Monarch and Tathagata are preaching and unwilling for someone to interfere with the human world’s national destiny, I still have some concerns. I’m planning to take a trip to the Southern Toad Continent. Everybody, take care of Flower-Fruit Mountain. If something major happens, just send a Jade Talisman to me."

The Ox Demon King, having consummated his relationship with the Jade-faced Fox, was glowing with happiness and said with a smile, "Younger brother, just go. If there’s any issue, send a Jade Talisman, and we will be there in a flash."

The Enlightened Daoist thought to himself with a smirk, "This bullish fellow is enjoying his moment of triumph. If Princess Iron Fan learns of this, I really don’t know how he’d deal with it!"

The Jiao Demon King said, "Do you want me to come with you? Recently, I have purified my Primordial Spirit and reached the Indestructible Realm. The integration with the Candle Dragon’s Luck has also become even more perfect. I’m sure I can help you a lot."

The Enlightened Daoist replied, "Forget it, your presence would be too conspicuous; everyone knows your background. Although I’ve shown my face on Mount Meru, you’ve all said that I am a reclusive Loose Cultivator from Yingzhou. If the Buddhist Sect wants to cause trouble, they can’t find Flower-Fruit Mountain. But if you go, that would definitely lead them right here!"

When the brothers heard this, they felt it made sense. The affair on Mount Meru had already spread, and afterwards, they declared that the Enlightened Daoist was a hermit who they had met on Yingzhou Island during the fight against Jiuying, an Overseas Cultivator, and the Buddhist Sect, having inquired with Kong Xuan, probably also believed it to be so. After all, Flower-Fruit Mountain was known for its demons, while the Enlightened Daoist was a Taoist.

And the Enlightened Daoist possessing the Seven Stars Sword? That was even easier to explain. Laojun was a revered elder of the Daoist sect, and his weapons and Magical Treasures were highly esteemed by Daoist Cultivators. Many of the treasures crafted were modeled after his.

Whips shaped like Magical Treasures were mainly modeled after the Great Year Whip and God-Beating Whip; swords made were often modeled after the Four Swords of Celestial Slaying, Qingping Sword, Seven Stars Sword, and so on. Possessing the Seven Stars Sword was therefore not strange, and even if they knew it was made by Laojun himself, it didn’t matter as Laojun had refined countless treasures in his life, many of which had been lost to the world, and this was not unusual.

Laughing, the Enlightened Daoist said, "I’m off then; take care of Flower-Fruit Mountain, my brothers!"

With those words, he transformed into a breeze and disappeared without a trace.

The brothers couldn’t help but praise, marveling at his increasingly profound Mana and Divine Skills that made his Escape Technique as invisible as a ghost.

As for his journey and whether it will bode well or ill, please listen to the story in the next Chapter.

PS: Being sick is unpleasant, so I’ve written a bit slower. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Starting Point (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)