Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

The power of the explosions compounded, the shockwaves rippled back and forth, and the aura of destruction permeated the area, instantly turning it into a hellish inferno and a chaotic flow of energy!

"Bastard!"

Amidst the sea of ​​fire and thick smoke, came Tong Fei's roar of shock and rage, and Zuo Ci's muffled groan. Clearly, even they were not having an easy time facing such a completely unreasonable, purely numerically-driven, devastating attack!
Their protective evil energy was severely depleted, and the impact of the explosion and the targeted evil-repelling aura caused their blood and qi to churn, leaving them in a sorry state.

"Keep going! Don't stop! All crossbows, fire them all!"

Zhuge Liang's voice was hoarse with determination. His knuckles turned white from gripping the command flag so tightly that a trace of blood even spilled from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, forcibly activating such a large-scale and intricate rune detonation technique had placed a tremendous burden on him.

"Boom boom boom—!!!"

The second round, the third round... crossbow bolts poured out of the camp like they were free! The explosions were almost continuous, one wave after another, completely engulfing the area in endless roars and flames!

The entire battlefield was stunned by this sudden and extremely violent art of explosion. Even the Cao army, which was retreating in an orderly manner in the distance, couldn't help but stop and look back, their faces filled with horror.

"Zuo Ci! Let's go!"

Finally, after enduring countless rounds of explosions, Tong Fei's voice, tinged with exasperation and weakness, rang out from the center of the inferno. Clearly, continuing to endure it would inevitably result in severe injury, even if he survived, and he might even lose most of his cultivation to the endless explosions and the aura of exorcism—a losing proposition.

As the smoke and flames dissipated slightly, two somewhat disheveled figures could be vaguely seen soaring into the sky at incredible speed, avoiding the range of subsequent crossbow bolts, and shooting off into the distance, quickly disappearing into the horizon.

Before leaving, Zuo Ci suddenly turned around high in the sky. His calm and still eyes, like the coldest ice picks, pierced through space and stared intently at Zhuge Liang, who was swaying precariously in the command vehicle and whose face was as pale as a ghost.

His eyes were filled with a chilling killing intent and a kind of... anger as if he had been provoked by an ant.

Zhuge Liang swayed slightly, almost losing his balance, and was supported by his personal guards.

He met the receding, threatening gaze, a helpless, bitter smile playing on his lips as he muttered to himself.

"In the end... there was no escaping it. This time, the cause and effect have been settled, and Penglai... will probably not stand idly by any longer."

But he had no time for regret. Forcing himself to stay calm, he immediately gave the order.

"Quickly! Rescue our lord and all the generals! The entire army must immediately break camp and retreat towards Dunhuang! Hurry!"

Under Zhuge Liang's command and the organization of the remaining generals, Gu Rubing's army, already exhausted and suffering heavy casualties, began a difficult retreat.

Carrying the unconscious Gu Rubing and five seriously wounded generals, they abandoned most of their supplies and left the blood-soaked battlefield as quickly as possible, retreating towards Dunhuang County in the northwest.

When Gu Rubing struggled to open his eyes a crack from a long, seemingly endless coma filled with darkness and excruciating pain, he was greeted by unfamiliar dome-shaped decorations with a Western Region flair. Beneath him lay a soft, dry bed, and the air was filled with the rich scent of herbs.

He tried to turn his head, but the pain in his left shoulder, which felt like it was tearing his soul apart, caused him to groan and his forehead to be covered in cold sweat.

"My lord! You're awake?!"

A surprised yet equally weak voice rang out from the side.

Gu Rubing glanced sideways with difficulty and saw two people standing by the bed.

One was an elderly man with white hair and beard, a kind face yet tinged with solemnity—none other than the legendary physician Hua Tuo. The other person, however, made Gu Rubing's heart tighten suddenly.

It was Zhuge Liang. But the Zhuge Liang at this moment was completely different from the image of the composed and calm man with a feather fan and turban that Gu Rubing remembered! His face was a deathly pale color that was almost transparent.

His face was completely bloodless, his lips were cracked, his eyes were sunken, and his once bright eyes were now filled with bloodshot veins and undisguised fatigue. Even his breath was weak and faint, as if a gust of wind could blow him away.

It seemed to take a tremendous amount of effort for him to stand there.

"Kongming! What...what's wrong with you?"

Gu Rubing was terrified. He even forgot the excruciating pain in his shoulder for the moment. He struggled to sit up, but Hua Tuo gently pressed him down.

"My lord, please do not move! Your shoulder blade has been pierced by an evil weapon, and evil energy has invaded your body. Although I have tried my best to treat you and remove most of the evil poison, the wound is extremely deep and has damaged your tendons, bones, and meridians. You need to rest for a long time and must not be moved!"

Hua Tuo spoke in a serious tone.

Zhuge Liang also stepped forward quickly, forcing a smile, and said in a hoarse voice.

"My lord, rest assured, Liang is fine. He has only exhausted himself and will recover in a few days. But you, my lord, are seriously injured and need to rest and recuperate."

Gu Rubing was not so easily fooled. Looking at Zhuge Liang's pale face and swaying figure, his ominous premonition grew stronger.

"Kongming, don't try to hide it from me! You look like you've suffered a severe blow to your health and your very essence has been damaged! What happened? Where are we...where are we now? Where are Yide, Yunchang, and Zilong?"

He asked several questions in one breath, his emotions running high, which aggravated the pain in his wound and caused him to cough violently.

Hua Tuo quickly comforted Gu Rubing and signaled Zhuge Liang to tell him the truth.

Seeing Gu Rubing's anxious and worried eyes, Zhuge Liang knew he couldn't hide it any longer. He sighed and slowly sat down on the stool by the bed, as if even this simple action was difficult for him.

"My lord, please do not worry. This is the Dunhuang Prefectural Governor's residence. General Guan, General Zhang, General Zhao, General Ma, General Huang, and the others are all recuperating in the side courtyard of the residence. Physician Hua has done his best to treat them, and their lives are not in danger. However, their injuries are extremely serious, and they may not be able to return to the battlefield in the short term."

Zhuge Liang first delivered the good news, but his tone was heavy.

Gu Rubing felt relieved to hear that his brothers were safe, but he was also worried when he heard that "it may be difficult to return to the battlefield in the short term".

He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and stared at Zhuge Liang.

"And then? What happened after I fell into a coma? Why did you become like this? What happened to Tong Fei and Zuo Ci...?"

Zhuge Liang remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts or gathering his strength. Then, in his hoarse and weak voice, he slowly began to speak.

"My lord, this matter... needs to be traced back to half a month ago."

"Half a month ago, when Liang was handling the transfer of grain and fodder in Yizhou at the rear, he suddenly felt a strange unease in his heart and could not sit still. It was as if a great calamity was about to befall our army. Liang knew that this was not a good omen, so he disregarded the losses, bathed and burned incense, calmed his mind and concentrated, and used the method of the Book of Changes to cast a divination for the army at the front.

At this point, Zhuge Liang paused, a look of lingering fear on his face.

"The divination indicates... extreme misfortune! The main star is dim, the general star is falling, and evil energy is coming from the northeast, rushing straight towards the central palace, presenting a situation of certain death!"

Although Zhuge Liang's voice was weak, his words made Gu Rubing's heart sink, and even the sharp pain in his shoulder seemed to be temporarily replaced by a chill.

He knew Zhuge Liang's abilities all too well. His divination skills using the I Ching were incredibly advanced and rarely made mistakes, let alone deriving such an extreme ominous sign as "ten deaths without a chance of survival"!
"Ten deaths without a chance of survival?!"

Gu Rubing was breathing rapidly.

"Isn't that..."

Zhuge Liang nodded bitterly. "According to the divination, unless a major unforeseen event occurs, the army led by our lord may face... annihilation. However..."

He paused, a look of confusion and uncertainty appearing on his pale face.

"However, the trajectories of the lord's own destiny, as well as those of generals such as Yun Chang, Yi De, Zi Long, Meng Qi, and Han Sheng, are extremely vague and obscure in the hexagram."

As if shrouded in a thick layer of bloody light and another... even deeper and more unfathomable shadow, Liang was unable to deduce any specific fortune or misfortune, only seeing a chaotic void.

Unable to deduce? This was almost unimaginable for Zhuge Liang, who was known for his flawless strategies.

This means that the level of power involved is too high, or the interfering factors are too strong, and it has exceeded the scope of conventional divination.

Liang was extremely uneasy.

Zhuge Liang continued, his voice heavy with the weight of memories.

"Although the frontline reports say that our lord has won one victory after another, conquered Guzang, and devised a plan to defeat the enemy, I know in my heart that Cao Cao is no easy opponent, and Penglai has always been lurking in the shadows. This 'one in ten chances of survival' situation and the chaotic fate of the generals make me restless and unable to eat or sleep."

He looked up at Gu Rubing, a hint of determination and pain flashing in his eyes.

"In order to be certain, and in order to find that sliver of hope... Liang... had no choice but to resort to forbidden methods."

"Forbidden methods?"

Gu Rubing's heart tightened.

"Using the essence of one's heart and blood as a guide, one forcibly glimpses a corner of the secrets of heaven... This is the Blood Divination."

Zhuge Liang's voice grew increasingly low.

"Although this method can penetrate some of the fog and see the more essential trajectory, the price... is that the caster's vital energy is greatly depleted, and their lifespan is shortened."

Gu Rubing suddenly looked at Zhuge Liang's deathly pale face and weak body, and instantly understood! No wonder he had become like this! He had sacrificed himself to seek a glimmer of hope for himself and his brothers!
"Kongming! You..."

Gu Rubing was both anxious and in pain. He wanted to say something, but Zhuge Liang gently shook his head to stop him.

"The result of the blood divination..."

Zhuge Liang took a deep breath, as if recalling the outcome made his heart pound.

"This shows that our lord is facing a 'nine deaths and one life' situation. The 'nine deaths' are real, and the 'one life' is also real."

That glimmer of hope, fleeting and uncertain, seemed to lie in the northwest, yet was inextricably linked to a sudden, unpredictable event imbued with the 'golden spear and fiery aura.' Liang immediately knew that to seize this opportunity, he had to act instantly, and that the 'golden spear and fiery aura' might be the key to breaking the deadlock!"

He paused, then continued.

"So, despite his weak health, Liang immediately mobilized all available workshops in the rear to work day and night to produce a large number of specially made crossbow bolts containing gunpowder and anti-evil materials."

He forcefully suppressed the backlash and, at top speed, led the crossbow bolts and some elite guards, traveling day and night to the Liangzhou front... Fortunately, he made it in time.

After listening to Zhuge Liang's account, Gu Rubing was filled with mixed emotions. He felt grateful to his brother for risking his life to save him, but also deeply ashamed and shocked by Zhuge Liang's willingness to sacrifice his own resources and travel thousands of miles to rescue him.

He looked at Hua Tuo, who had been listening silently to him, with a questioning look in his eyes.

Hua Tuo stroked his long beard, his expression solemn but his tone firm.

"Rest assured, my lord. Although Strategist Kongming has suffered a great loss of energy and vitality, his foundation has not been destroyed. His statement that 'rest is sufficient for recovery' is not an empty promise. However, this 'rest' will take a long time, and during this period, one must avoid further mental exertion and must not use divination techniques, otherwise, it may damage the foundation and be difficult to repair."

As for the fatigue from the long journey, that's a minor matter. A few doses of calming and invigorating herbal medicine, along with a period of rest, will alleviate the symptoms.

Upon hearing Hua Tuo's authoritative diagnosis, confirming that Zhuge Liang was not in mortal danger but only needed a long period of rest, Gu Rubing's anxiety eased somewhat.

He held Zhuge Liang's cold hand tightly, his voice hoarse but full of sincerity.

"Kongming, I will remember this kindness! You must listen to Physician Hua's advice, rest well, and put aside all military and political affairs for now!"

Zhuge Liang felt the strength and care from Gu Rubing's hand, and a relieved smile appeared on his tired face as he nodded gently.

Just then, a series of slightly hurried but deliberately light footsteps came from outside the door.

Immediately afterwards, the figures of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong appeared one after another at the doorway.

The five men were all much paler than usual, their bodies were wrapped in bandages to varying degrees, their breathing was not as strong as before, and their steps were even somewhat unsteady.

Guan Yu's left arm was splinted and slinged across his chest; Zhang Fei's chest was wrapped in thick bandages; Zhao Yun's face was somewhat translucent; Ma Chao walked with a slight limp in his right leg; and Huang Zhong coughed lightly from time to time. Clearly, the injuries inflicted by Tong Fei's attack on them would not heal in a short time.

But in any case, the fact that they are still alive and able to walk on their own is already a great blessing!
Seeing Gu Rubing sitting on the bed, weak but with clear eyes, the five people's eyes instantly burst with indescribable surprise and excitement!
"Big brother!"

"Lord!"

The five people called out in unison and quickly stepped forward.

Zhang Fei, being the most impatient, was the first to rush to the bedside. When he saw the thick bandage wrapped around Gu Rubing's shoulder and his pale face, his eyes instantly reddened, and he knelt down on one knee with a thud, his voice choked with sobs.

"Brother! It's all my fault, Old Zhang! I was useless! I failed to protect you! You got so badly injured! I...I..."

Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong followed suit, all kneeling on one knee and bowing their heads to beg for forgiveness.

"I have failed in my duty to you, elder brother, and have not been able to protect you. Please punish me!"

Guan Yu's voice was low and deep, filled with self-reproach.

"The Yun guards failed in their duty, causing our lord to suffer such a severe injury. They deserve to die a thousand deaths for this!"

Zhao Yun's tone was resolute.

"Meng Qi is incompetent!"

"Hansheng has failed the lord's trust!"

Looking at the five brothers kneeling before him, Gu Rubing felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but at the same time, he was also somewhat amused and exasperated.

He endured the pain in his shoulder and slightly raised his hand to support it.

"Get up, all of you! What kind of behavior is this! How can this be your fault? Tong Fei's strength is unpredictable and far beyond ordinary, even I didn't expect it. You all risked your lives to protect me, and you are all seriously injured. I am already extremely grateful! What crime have you committed? Get up quickly!" (End of this chapter)