At this point, Jia Xu himself felt that this whole situation was a bit far-fetched. If Chen Xi and Liu Bei could truly gain the recognition of Cao Cao's subordinates, then what was the point of continuing this war? Just one declaration would be enough to end it. Moreover, Chen Xi mentioned that the smaller jade disc's radiance was increasing quickly. Could it be that Cao Cao's camp recognizes Liu Bei and Chen Xi more than the people of Taishan?
"Perhaps they have another method," Jia Xu said, frowning slightly.
"That's the only explanation. But it still feels strange. If they copied my mental talent, it wouldn't be very useful. It seems stable, wrapped in that radiance, but without my core essence, it can't regulate the weather autonomously," Chen Xi said, puzzled.
"Maybe it was a failure," Jia Xu said uncertainly. "Later, we'll see if we can retrieve that mental talent of yours. Are you sure the smaller piece is trying to merge with you?"
"Yes, it's very obvious. I can clearly feel it trying to stick to me. And last night, although I couldn't pull it over, I did manage to draw its radiance towards me. It scared me half to death. Without that radiance, the smaller jade disc would definitely be done for," Chen Xi said, recalling his actions the previous night with some lingering fear.
Compared to that little bit of mental energy—well, at least it was little in Chen Xi's eyes—it would still be a significant amount for someone like Zhuge Liang. But Chen Xi wasn't too interested in the mental energy itself; he was more focused on the smaller jade disc. Mental energy wasn't something he lacked, but if he could merge that talent with his own, it would be immensely valuable.
"You'd better not mess around with it. I think you should accumulate more mental energy. Once your radiance merges with the smaller disc, you should be able to absorb it," Jia Xu advised. Chen Xi's mental talent was crucial for the rapid development and prosperity of the Han Dynasty in the coming decades.
"Alright, I'll be careful. If I dream about it again, I'll focus on getting closer without drawing out its mental energy," Chen Xi said thoughtfully. He didn't want to waste such a valuable opportunity.
"Are you sure it won't dissipate?" Jia Xu asked after a moment. He worried that Chen Xi might end up nurturing it to death, and if that were possible, then they should act quickly.
"It should be fine. Ever since the smaller jade disc started emitting radiance, it's been much more stable," Chen Xi said confidently. After all, the smaller disc was essentially a part of him, so his instincts about it were usually correct.
"That's good. Just make sure that radiance doesn't disappear. And if you have excess mental energy, share some with the smaller disc. Since the radiance acts as a protective layer, it might help you pull the whole thing over," Jia Xu suggested. Strengthening Chen Xi's mental talent was worth the small expenditure, especially considering the vast reserves of mental energy Chen Xi had accumulated.
"Good idea. If I dream about it tonight, I'll give it a try. I have plenty of mental energy to spare," Chen Xi nodded in agreement.
"Report!" Just as Jia Xu was about to convince Chen Xi to return to his work, another messenger burst in.
"Give me the report, and you can go," Jia Xu said calmly. The messenger didn't respond, simply handing over the bamboo slip before retreating.
"What's it say?" Chen Xi asked curiously.
"Cao Cao has entered Guanzhong, leaving Xun Yu to guard Chenliu," Jia Xu replied, his expression calm as he handed the bamboo slip to Chen Xi. However, upon hearing Jia Xu's words, Chen Xi lost interest and didn't bother taking the report, failing to notice the flicker of something in Jia Xu's eyes.
Inside, Jia Xu was cursing silently. He was beginning to suspect that the smaller jade disc was something Cao Cao had intentionally orchestrated to distract them. After all, Chen Xi's mental talent relied heavily on the protective layer of mental energy provided by the people's free-floating spiritual power.
While Jia Xu understood the basics of Chen Xi's mental talent, he didn't know all the intricate details. To him, it was entirely possible that someone could alter the people's recognition of Chen Xi and Liu Bei, redirecting it to Cao Cao instead.
This thought made Jia Xu hesitant. He didn't want to act rashly and play into Cao Cao's hands. However, he also didn't want to miss the opportunity to give Cao Cao a hard blow, as doing so might undermine the growth potential of Chen Xi's mental talent if they lost the people's support.
Jia Xu tried to reassure himself that this was all for the greater good. As he considered the situation of the various warlords, he couldn't help but admire Cao Cao's impeccable timing. This only strengthened his belief that the smaller jade disc was a card Xi Zhicai had left behind for Cao Cao as his final move.
Soon after, the various warlords received Cao Cao's proclamation admitting his past mistakes. Even Yuan Shao, who had refrained from attacking Cao Cao at his darkest hour, sent out a letter absolving him of his misdeeds. After all, what else could he do now?
As for Yuan Shu, he didn't even react to Cao Cao's proclamation. His only concern was finding a cure for his son. Cao Cao? Who was that?
Meanwhile, Zhou Yu saw this as an opportunity, but because of the rumors spread by Chen Xi, he had been confined to Shouchun. Even though he could still mobilize troops if necessary, doing so would cause considerable trouble for Sun Ce. Reluctantly, Zhou Yu had to let this chance slip by.
In Jingzhou, Liu Biao had lost the prosperous regions of Xiangyang, Wancheng, and Jiangxia in the north. With only the sparsely populated southern four counties left, he could barely collect enough taxes to maintain his army.
Even though Liu Biao still had the will to fight, and competent ministers like Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang, along with formidable generals like Huang Zhong, the possibility of reclaiming Jingzhou seemed more distant than ever.