Bringing The Farm To Live In Another World Chapter 2265: Black-clothed Cultivator

Swish! A group of figures suddenly appeared in the clearing. Clad in grey robes, they each carried armaments upon their backs. Among them were those wielding blades and swords, while one individual held a long pole.

Surveying the open ground, a man with a broadsword spoke up: “An incident occurred here. The scale of the battle was quite significant. There were likely six participants. If my deductions are correct, five of them were the Spring Breeze Bears.”

A companion asked with a puzzled expression, “Big Brother, aren't those Spring Breeze Bears the notorious cultivators from Springwind City? They are infamous for their villainy and expertise in robbery. I’ve heard they rarely leave anyone alive to tell the tale.”

The leader of the troupe nodded in affirmation. “Indeed, it is that quintet.”

The previous speaker looked at him again and remarked, “Big Brother, are you certain? Aren't they purely body cultivators? There is a lingering, potent aura of thunder and lightning in the air. Is it possible they employed a high-level thunder talisman?”

Shaking his head, the leader replied, “They did not. If I recall correctly, the Spring Breeze Bears possess a combat formation known as the Five Thunder Formation. By utilizing this, the five can manifest tribulation lightning for their strikes. Even those at the Teleportation Stage would find such an attack difficult to endure.”

After inspecting the surroundings, another member chimed in, “While the scent of thunder and lightning is heavy, I don't sense any fluctuations suggesting a successful hit. Based on the residual energy, the skirmish was brief. Judging by the smell of blood, the Spring Breeze Bears likely suffered a devastating blow. Even with their Five Thunder Formation, they were overwhelmed. Could their opponent have been a Teleportation Stage expert?”

The leader dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. “Unlikely. Even though the five bears have a formation capable of threatening a Teleportation Stage expert, they wouldn't be reckless enough to provoke one. Such experts would sense the formation's activation in advance and avoid the trap. Furthermore, as you can see, the tribulation lightning struck nothing; it appears to have been absorbed. Most tellingly, a sharp killing aura still lingers here. This aura suggests a blade user who only required a single strike. What a terrifying technique—to defeat the five bears with just one blade.”

Following this statement, the group leader shut his eyes. He was sensing the shifts in the local spiritual Qi, reconstructing the flow of the engagement from the remaining traces.

The others were left in a state of shock by his words. A man with a deep voice eventually asked, “Big Brother, who possesses the caliber to crush the Spring Breeze Bears with a single blade? Could it be a figure from the Rogue Cultivator List?”

The Rogue Cultivator List he referred to was a registry of prominent independent cultivators within the territory of the Forbidden Path Sect. These individuals shared a common trait: all were at the Earth Monarch Stage and possessed exceptional combat prowess.

The leader shook his head once more. “No. Our Shadow Hall is dedicated to the gathering and sale of intelligence. That Rogue Cultivator List was compiled by us. I am familiar with everyone on that list, and none possess this specific aura. I am certain I have never encountered this individual before.”

The cultivator from earlier remarked, “Big Brother, rumors say the Forbidden Path Sect has requested Shadow Hall’s assistance in identifying powerful rogue cultivators. Apparently, they wish to recruit them into the sect. Is there any truth to this?”

The leader confirmed, “The top ten on the list have already been notified by the Forbidden Path Sect. They are permitted to join the sect without the standard examinations.”

“Then it’s true,” the cultivator said. “Big Brother, shouldn't we take this chance to enter the Forbidden Path Sect ourselves?”

The leader looked at him and sighed, shaking his head. “It is not that simple. Do you believe your troubles end once you join the Forbidden Path Sect? Let me tell you, entry is merely the start. The Forbidden Path Sect operates differently from others. The External Hall maintains a ranking of disciples. If you remain in the bottom one hundred for three consecutive years, you are exiled to the Miscellaneous Hall. Life there is more miserable than that of a rogue cultivator. They are treated poorly and buried under endless chores, leaving no time for Cultivation. This makes it nearly impossible to improve their strength or status. Moving from the External Hall to the Inner Hall in the Forbidden Path Sect is as grueling as ascending from the Earth Monarch Stage to the Teleportation Stage.”

The listeners were stunned. Though they had lived in the Forbidden Path Sect’s domain since they were young, their knowledge of the sect was shallow. To them, the Forbidden Path Sect was an enigmatic and terrifying entity. Subordinate gangs and local forces dared not pry into its affairs, as doing so was a death sentence. If the sect discovered someone investigating them, that person's entire lineage would be wiped out.

Between their overwhelming might and their ruthless tendency to purge disobedient underlings, it was ensured that no one dared to look too closely at the Forbidden Path Sect.

The group leader addressed his men, “Enough of this talk. We must be careful not to draw the sect's attention. Our purpose in Gale Canyon is to evaluate the strength of the rogue cultivators here. Finding this mysterious expert won't be easy; we must push deeper.” With that, the group moved on.

A short while after their departure, Zhao Hai manifested once again. Watching them leave, he narrowed his eyes and muttered, “Shadow Hall? Intriguing. I didn't know such an organization existed here, or that the Forbidden Path Sect would rely on them. Events are moving quickly. I hadn't expected the sect to start recruiting powerful rogue cultivators so soon.”

With a faint smile, Zhao Hai watched the group disappear before he too vanished. He had already tagged them with liquid silver dust. Now, every move they made was under his observation; they could not hide from him even if they tried.

Zhao Hai didn't intend to watch them constantly, but having the ability to do so was beneficial. He had marked them specifically to locate the formidable rogue cultivators residing within the Forbidden Path Sect's lands.

After traveling more than ten kilometers, Zhao Hai entered a heavily wooded region. Wild beasts appeared occasionally, but they were weak and held little value, so Zhao Hai didn't bother with them. He merely collected a few specimens for his Space and continued his trek.

As he walked, he consulted his mental map of Gale Canyon. He was currently in the Spirit Ape Forest. Legend told of Spirit Apes here that rivaled Soul Fusion Cultivators in strength and were exceptionally skilled in battle.

Regrettably, the inner cores of these Spirit Apes were highly effective for cultivating spiritual force. Because of this, the species had been hunted to the point of extinction.

Consequently, the Spirit Ape Forest had regressed into a mundane woodland at the mouth of Gale Canyon. Stripped of medicinal herbs and valuable ores, it was now little more than a wasteland of common trees and grass.

Ignoring the scenery, Zhao Hai enjoyed the walk, though he was forced to fend off five robbery attempts on his first day. Each of those attackers was subsequently turned into Undead for the Space.

While these failed ambushes were minor, they highlighted the sheer lawlessness of Gale Canyon. It was even more chaotic than the rumors suggested.

Nightfall brought a relative peace to the canyon, as most cultivators stopped to meditate. Since most dangerous beasts had been cleared out, the nights were quiet. Zhao Hai lit a fire and meditated until daybreak without being disturbed.

The following morning, Zhao Hai had a quick meal before setting out toward his true destination: the forbidden zone of Gale Canyon, Strong Ape Mountain.

Strong Ape Mountain was considered the primary danger zone of the canyon. It was home to a tribe of apes possessing nearly limitless physical strength and near-impenetrable hides. Crucially, they lived in social groups, and several members had reached the Teleportation Stage. Upon reaching that stage, these apes developed spiritual wisdom equal to humans. They were naturally gifted fighters, often capable of besting human Teleportation Stage experts. Highly territorial, they viewed any intruder as a mortal enemy. After countless bloody encounters with cultivators, the mountain earned its reputation as a forbidden land.

The only saving grace was that the Strong Apes never left their mountain. Had they been migratory, the human cultivators would have been forced into a full-scale war against them.

Zhao Hai’s goal was simple: the Space lacked Strong Apes, and he intended to capture a few for his collection.

As he neared the mountain, the greenery became increasingly dense. It was obvious that very few people dared to venture this far. Zhao Hai even spotted several medicinal herbs, a sight that was non-existent in the outer reaches of Gale Canyon.

He didn't bother gathering them, however. The Space was already well-stocked. Since arriving in the True Spirit Realm, Zhao Hai had been Diligent in his collecting. He could easily commission others to find herbs for him, and many would jump at the chance.

Thus, common spiritual plants held no allure. He simply passed them by without a second thought.

Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed from Strong Ape Mountain, followed by a thunderous roar. A human grunt followed the sound, making it clear that a battle was underway between a man and a beast.

Zhao Hai paused, his expression turning grave. He could sense the ape's power; it was at least at the Teleportation Stage.

The human opponent was also at the Teleportation Stage. Although the human was physically weaker than the Strong Ape, he managed to hold his ground through the use of sophisticated techniques and magical artifacts, whereas the ape relied on raw instinct.

However, what truly gave Zhao Hai pause was the familiar aura of the human combatant. According to the Space's analysis, the fighter was the same black-clothed cultivator he had seen at the auction.

The identity of that mysterious man from the Windrange Auction remained a total enigma. Even Ling Dong had informed Zhao Hai that the Forbidden Path Sect’s intelligence network had failed to uncover his background.

To remain anonymous in this territory suggested the black-clothed man was no ordinary individual. His appearance here in Gale Canyon was a surprise. Zhao Hai wondered about his motives but continued forward nonetheless. He would soon determine if this meeting was a coincidence or something more intentional.

As Zhao Hai approached the site of the conflict, a final roar and a muffled groan rang out. The sounds of battle ceased abruptly. Zhao Hai then spotted a figure soaring away from Strong Ape Mountain, retreating into the distance.

A second, even louder roar erupted from the mountain, a display of dominance and a warning to any other trespassers. The ape did not pursue the retreating man.

The figure in the sky also caught sight of Zhao Hai. It was indeed the black-clothed cultivator from the auction, though his robes now bore the distinct mark of a massive fist print.