Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain - Book 1: Chapter 128: Zhuge Liangs translucent figure

Zhuge Liang, one of the most iconic figures in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, was renowned for his legendary feat of borrowing the Eastern Wind during the Battle of Chibi—a tale that had etched its place in history.

This was also a formidable trump card that Chu Ze had acquired through the system: the spiritual talisman known as ‘Zhuge Liang Borrows the Eastern Wind’. It was a Sky-grade spiritual talisman, the most potent asset currently at his disposal.

The translucent form of Zhuge Liang, nestled within Chu Ze’s palm, continued to sway his arms. In the real world, the dark clouds swiftly dissipated, unveiling a starry night sky.

The winds gradually intensified from the north, where Chu Ze stood, toward the Demonic Beast Forest in the south. The clouds dispersed entirely, revealing the serene moon and stars overhead, accompanied by a pleasantly cool atmosphere.

Within the forest, trees swayed, their verdant leaves rippling like waves on a sea. It was a testament to the strength of the winds Zhuge Liang had harnessed.

The powerful winds didn’t spare even the empty tents within the camps, sending some of them tumbling away along the ground. Flags flapped wildly in the gale, adding to the chaotic scene.

Li Wen You tilted his head upward to savour the fierce winds, a faint glimmer of joy in his expression as he regarded Chu Ze with deep admiration.

Chu Ze’s complexion grew pale as he channelled his full spiritual power into the projection in his hands.

At last, the northern winds stabilized, resembling a gust of breath expelled from a human’s mouth, pushing everything toward the south.

Across the mountains, mountain pig and the other watching demonic beasts stood stupefied.

Having inhabited the Demonic Beast Forest for an extended period, they were well-acquainted with the forest’s seasonal patterns. However, the winds, which should have blown from the south, had now inexplicably reversed to northern winds—powerful ones at that!

Nobody had the luxury to ponder the cause behind this sudden change. Instead, they keenly grasped that if they missed this opportunity to strike, it might be lost forever.

Mountain pig roared, “The wind’s direction has shifted! Everyone, charge now! Don’t allow them to set the forest ablaze!”

The other demonic beasts turned ashen, collapsing to the ground, their voices filled with solemnity. One of the beasts voiced their concern, “Fire? The scouts in the air have observed their preparations all along! We should flee while we still can!”

Mountain pig kicked the demonic beast and roared, “Are you a fool? Flee? To where? With the wind’s direction altered, retreat would only lead us to certain death.

Our sole option is to charge, to head into areas where there’s no fuel, and against the wind, we may have a chance to survive!”

Another demonic beast inquired, “But what about the Demonic Beast Forest?”

The eyes of the entire demonic beast group reddened as they fixated on the silhouette of the emperor, the individual who had summoned the winds.

“Most of the Demonic Beast Forest will likely be devastated. But fortunately, there’s a small river to the south that may temporarily halt the fire.”

“That’s right! The little river can be a barrier against the fire, but we won’t have enough time to reach it. Our only recourse is to attack!”

“Kill them! They’ve taken so many of our kin, and now they’ve set our homeland ablaze. We cannot forgive them!”

“Exactly!”

Each demonic beast voiced their stance before they swiftly organized themselves. A contingent of demonic beasts headed toward the small river to intercept the mountain fire, while the rest opted to charge through the flames and attack Chu’s army.

The winds continued to rage, and in the dark of night, the Demonic Beast Forest was set ablaze.

The ignition began as small sparks, flickering in the northern reaches of the Demonic Beast Forest. Gradually, these sparks grew into voracious wildfires, consuming everything in their path.

With Chu Ze’s northern winds fueling the blaze, the fires surged southward like tidal waves. Swaths of the forest were instantly engulfed in flames.

Thick plumes of smoke billowed upward, shrouding the previously clear night sky once again. The moon’s silhouette vanished, and even the myriad stars lost their gleam. Beneath the all-encompassing shroud of dense smoke, the night sky resembled an abyss of savagery.

The ground fires swiftly climbed the trees, becoming towering firestorms with the assistance of the fierce winds. The flames voraciously devoured the forest, expanding ceaselessly.

Subsequently, the various fires merged together, forming a sea of flames that consumed those responsible for igniting the inferno—the suicide soldiers, who met their end without uttering a single agonized cry.

Simultaneously, hordes of demonic beasts charged against the wind, relentlessly advancing toward Chu Ze’s army. Their eyes were crimson, a reflection of the profound resentment they harboured toward Chu’s soldiers.

Their anger was not without justification. They had endured relentless hunting by Chu’s army and now, they were witnessing their homeland being ravaged by their hands.

Their inferior intelligence made it impossible for the demonic beasts to opt for retreat even when faced with such dire circumstances. The relentless fire only stoked their savage resolve, driving them to seek reckless vengeance against Chu’s soldiers.

Led by mountain pig, the demonic beasts pressed forward with unyielding determination. It didn’t take long before hordes of them reached the army, which had not yet completed its retreat.

Chu Ze stood amidst his troops, an indifferent chuckle escaping his lips as he observed the frenzied demonic beasts attacking his soldiers. The projection in his hands gradually faded and vanished.

However, the fierce winds remained unabated, forcefully pushing even the billowing smoke southward. The flames continued to ravage the forest, producing crackling sounds, which were accompanied by the pitiful cries of countless beasts still within the inferno’s grasp. These were the weaker creatures that had been killed in their sleep.

Chu Ze glanced at his now-normal hands before turning to Li Wen You, “Let’s go! I believe this fire will burn for at least another five days.”

The flames had already spread across most of the Demonic Beast Forest, despite the efforts of water-attributed demonic beasts who desperately employed their powers in a futile attempt to halt the inferno.

Li Wen You nodded, his eyes, illuminated by the towering flames before him, hinting at a touch of madness.

As Chu Ze and Li Wen You prepared to depart, an unexpected noise from the troops behind them drew their attention.

Behind them, the retreating army of hundreds of thousands struggled to maintain order even with the guidance of the Sky Reaching realm expert, Guan Yun Chang.

Chu Ze’s expression turned solemn as he received a notification from the system.

“The host is currently facing the greatest crisis yet. Please work diligently to overcome it!”

What? Greatest crisis?

Chu Ze’s complexion darkened, he was well aware that the system’s notifications had always held significance. This meant that a situation had emerged at the rear of the army.

He shot forward, with Li Wen You following closely.

Li Wen You nonchalantly performed another divination gesture, and the earlier prophecy of a safe retreat had transformed into a prediction of a 90% risk of death.

His expression soured as he called out from behind Chu Ze, “Your Majesty, be cautious! The prophecy has changed! There’s a high risk of death!”

Chu Ze teetered on the verge of anger. His decision to launch an all-out assault on the Demonic Beast Forest had been driven by the pursuit of rewards. Now, not only was his nation’s fortune dwindling, but problems were cropping up frequently within his own army.

As Chu Ze reached the centre of the army, he bore witness to the calamity unfolding at its rear.

It was the sky-covering locusts.

Each locust bore a blood-red body, giving them the appearance of demons rising from the depths of hell. They swarmed like malevolent clouds descending upon the retreating army.

The attacks of the crimson locusts instantly pierced the heads of weaker soldiers, causing their brains and blood to spill onto the ground. The corpses on the battlefield were soon covered by the relentless horde of red locusts, which swiftly devoured the lifeless bodies.

The clouds of these demonic creatures resembled a corrosive sea, eating away at the army, and with the flames behind them casting their eerie light, it looked like a nightmarish sea of bodies and blood.

Amidst the blood-coloured clouds in the sky floated a human figure.

Translator’s note:

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