In the summer of Sea Circle Calendar 1514, in Longwei City on Longquan Island, Guo Jia took his leave of Chen Yu and boarded an Express Ship. With a speedboat sent by Zhao Yun meeting him along the way, he raced over the waves toward the Fog Island where Chinjao had been found. At the bow, Guo Jia shed his usual languor and gazed into the distance over the railing. A faint gleam of [Uxie's Power] shifted in his eyes, as though he were already sensing the sorrow and chaos permeating that distant island.
Several days later, the ship reached its destination and joined Zhao Yun's Search Fleet. Thick fog shrouded the island, and its magnetic field was disrupted. It was indeed a place where one could easily lose one's way.
"Master Fengxiao, you've arrived." Zhao Yun approached, his expression grave. "Pillar Chinjao's condition remains unchanged. His emotions are extremely unstable. Sometimes he runs wildly around the island, shouting and wailing; other times he kneels and weeps bitterly. When his aura turns violent, it makes the heart tremble. We dare not approach and have only kept watch around the island's perimeter."
Guo Jia nodded. "Thank you for your efforts, General Zhao Yun. I have already sensed something of the situation. This cannot be resolved by force; we must address his heart directly. Please continue sealing off the surrounding waters, General, and strictly forbid anyone from disturbing him. I must go ashore alone and try."
Knowing Guo Jia's abilities well, Zhao Yun cupped his fists. "Take care, sir! I will remain here to support you. If anything happens, send a signal, and I will be there in an instant!"
Guo Jia smiled faintly and straightened his robes. Carrying no weapon, he stepped alone across the damp reefs and into the thick fog.
First exploration of the Heart Lake, shattered memories
The closer he came to the island's center, the stronger that interwoven aura of grief, rage, resentment, and despair became. Guo Jia slowed his steps, reined in his own aura, and quietly activated [Uxie's Power]. He did not peer directly into Chinjao's thoughts. Instead, like the most perceptive physician, he "sensed" the "weather" of the other man's mind.
What he "saw" was a violent, shattered "Heart Lake." Waves churned across its surface, reflecting countless broken fragments of memory: the boldness of roaming the seas with an indestructible Drill Head; that earth-shaking instant of crushing defeat against Garp, when his Drill Head was caved in—the collapse of his convictions; the desolation of watching the Happo Navy decline day by day; and Iceburg's Treasury, which he could no longer open, along with the muddled days of drowning his sorrows in drink.
These fragments were like sharp glass, constantly slicing at Chinjao's soul and leaving him in unbearable agony.
Guo Jia stopped behind a rock and saw Chinjao not far away. The mighty warrior who had once shaken the West Blue now lay curled on the ground, his graying hair disheveled. Both hands clutched his caved-in head as he whimpered like a wounded beast. "My head, my Drill Head... Garp! Give me back my Drill Head! It's over, it's all over!!!"
Uxie's Power: Heartfelt Whisper
Guo Jia did not approach immediately. He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and condensed [Uxie's Power] into an exceedingly fine mental ripple filled with calm and understanding. Like a trickling stream, it flowed slowly toward Chinjao's raging Heart Lake. This was not a forced intrusion, but an attempt to establish an extremely faint "resonance" and "guidance."
"Pillar Chinjao." Guo Jia's voice sounded directly within Chinjao's chaotic heart, gentle and carrying a strange soothing power. "The pain of your Drill Head and the shame of defeat are not yours alone to bear. Eras change, and heroes rise in succession. Victory and defeat are commonplace in war. How can a strong man remain mired in the past?"
Chinjao shuddered and jerked his head up, his clouded eyes scanning his surroundings warily. "Who?! Who's speaking? Come out!"
Unmoved, Guo Jia continued conveying his message through mental ripples. "True strength lies in whether you can rise after falling. The men of the Happo Navy are still waiting for their Pillar. Sai and Abu, your own flesh and blood, are worrying about you."
"Sai, Abu..." A trace of clarity flashed through Chinjao's eyes, only to be swallowed by deeper anguish. "No! How can I face them like this? I'm useless! A useless man who couldn't even protect his most precious Drill Head!" He hammered his fists into the ground, sending broken stones flying and cracking the earth, yet his Haki grew weaker and weaker.
Sensing the violent fluctuations in Chinjao's emotions, Guo Jia knew he could not force the matter. He changed tactics, drawing on the subtle power within [Uxie's Power] that concerned "forgetting." Rather than erasing memories, he tried to temporarily soften the piercing pain of that defeat, like applying a layer of soothing ointment to a wound.
At the same time, he strengthened his guidance toward the "future" and "hope." "Pillar, have you heard of a rising star in the West Blue called Peach Blossom Spring? Its lord, Chen Yu, harbors great ambitions, gathering heroes from across the world to resist tyranny and bring peace to the people. Defeating Garp is not the only path in this world, nor is a Drill Head the only form of strength. A true legacy is will, conviction, and the heart to protect."
Chinjao's breathing gradually steadied somewhat. He gazed blankly into empty space, seemingly thinking. Guo Jia's words were like a faint ray of light cast into a dark cage.
Speaking from experience, moving him with sincerity
Only after seeing Chinjao's emotions settle slightly did Guo Jia slowly emerge from behind the rock. Keeping a safe distance, he bowed. "I am Guo Jia, courtesy name Guo Fengxiao, the Peach Blossom Spring Strategist. My respects, Senior Chinjao."
Chinjao stared fixedly at Guo Jia, wariness and confusion mingling in his eyes. "It was you. Just now... were you the one playing tricks?"
"I was not playing tricks, merely trying to communicate with you, Senior," Guo Jia said frankly. "My lord, Chen Yu, has long heard of the might of your 'Drill Dragon Drill Nail' in years past, and he also knows the suffering in your heart. He sent me here not to recruit you, but only to tell you one thing: upon these seas, there are still people who respect you and are willing to fight by your side. Peach Blossom Spring's Gate will always stand open to you. Even if you wish to spend the rest of your days here, my lord is willing to provide what you need and ensure your peace and safety."
These words avoided the sensitive matter of "recruitment" and emphasized "respect" and "choice," greatly reducing Chinjao's resistance. Guo Jia went further, using himself as an example. "I, too, was once frail and sickly, looked down upon by others. Only after meeting a worthy lord and finding the chance to use my talents did I learn that life held other possibilities. Senior, you have roamed the seas all your life. How can you deny it all because of a single defeat?"
Chinjao remained silent for a long time. The violence in his gaze gradually faded, replaced by profound weariness and bewilderment. He looked at Guo Jia, then at his own caved-in head, and let out a long sigh. "Peach Blossom Spring... Chen Yu... I need some time alone."
An interim success, the seed was sown
Guo Jia knew that the knot in his heart could not be untied in a single day. Stabilizing Chinjao's emotions today and planting a seed of doubt and reflection was already a tremendous success. He said no more and cupped his hands. "In that case, I shall not disturb you further. Our ships are keeping watch around the island. Should you need anything, Senior, you may call out at any time. Food and drinking water will be delivered to the shore regularly. I take my leave."
With that, Guo Jia slowly backed away until he vanished into the thick fog.
When he returned to the fleet, Zhao Yun asked urgently, "Master Fengxiao, how did it go?"
Guo Jia's face was somewhat pale. Clearly, that mental communication had taken a considerable toll, but his eyes shone. "Cracks have appeared in the lock upon his heart, and the seed has been sown. Yet ice three feet thick does not form in a single cold day. We must wait patiently and have Sai and Abu come here to continue reaching him through familial affection. For now, we must inform the Happo Navy as quickly as possible that Senior Chinjao is here."
Zhao Yun nodded and immediately arranged for a swift boat to rush to the Happo Navy with the news.
Daily life on Longquan, roots taking hold
While Guo Jia dealt with the Chinjao affair, Longquan Island presented a scene of vigorous development.
The internal affairs overseen by Liu Bei were well ordered. A harvest was in sight in the newly reclaimed fields, and clear voices reciting lessons rang out from the school.
At the training ground, Guan Yu instructed a group of mid-ranking officers in cultivation techniques, his expression stern and his demands exacting.
Zhang Fei's Siege Battalion was practicing a new combined-attack formation, their roars shaking the sky.
Meanwhile, Huang Zhong's Sharpshooter Battalion underwent an extreme-range precision shooting assessment at the coastal range, the sound of arrows piercing the air ringing out without pause.
Chen Yu sometimes inspected various places, using [Arceus's Power] to make slight improvements to crop growth and reinforce the city's defenses. At other times, he discussed the next strategy toward the Flower Country's court with Liu Bei, Guan Yu, who had returned victorious from Blackwater Town, and the others.
All of Peach Blossom Spring steadily grew stronger like an efficiently running machine, balancing war preparations with development. Once Guo Jia brought back the final outcome of the Chinjao affair, they could proceed with the next stage of strategic planning.
Guo Jia's successful "psychological intervention" had not only opened a path toward untangling the knot in Chinjao's heart, but had also tested the tremendous strategic potential of [Uxie's Power] in practice for the first time, adding another layer of assurance for dealing with more complicated situations in the future.
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