Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8356: Arrival (1)

"Hahaha, we are finally reaching the heart of the matter. Elder Han, do you truly believe I would receive such courteous treatment if I were to surrender? Let’s dispense with these hollow words. Let’s settle this. Isn’t this the very reason you came here today? You intend to slay me and pin all the blame on my shoulders, but you should act swiftly. I have already dispatched a message to the Sect. If you fail to finish me quickly, you will lose your chance once the Sect Elders arrive." Zhao Hai laughed as he looked at the group.

The expressions of everyone present shifted upon hearing Zhao Hai’s claim. Han Lei let out a cold sneer and replied, "Who do you imagine you are? Do you think the Sect will deploy reinforcements the moment you send a letter? Zhao Hai, I am telling you, today is your end. Simply for the crime of murdering a Sect Elder, your death is certain."

Unfazed, Zhao Hai maintained a smile. "Fine, I have no desire to waste more breath on you. Strike then—what are you waiting for? Or could it be that you are feeling afraid?" Zhao Hai stared at Han Lei with a calm gaze. He was finished with idle talk; after all, the conflict was inevitable.

Had Zhao Hai tapped into the defensive formation of Blood Gale Island, he could have wiped these people out easily. However, he refrained from doing so. He could not permit them to set foot on the island or even get too close. If there were spies from rival powers among them who discovered the secrets of Blood Gale Island, the consequences would be dire. The fact that he was creating puppets had to remain a secret known only to the Sect Elders. Otherwise, other Sects would surely do everything in their power to eliminate him.

Han Lei glared at Zhao Hai and hissed, "Since you are so eager for death, I shall grant it. Attack! Seize this traitor!" With a wave of Han Lei's hand, several cultivators behind him charged forward. These were all Refinement Realm experts, wielding Long Knives. They unleashed their most potent blade techniques, clearly intending to leave Zhao Hai no chance of survival.

Nearly every cultivator within the Blood Slaughter Sect utilized the saber, resulting in a vast array of techniques. While the Eight Forms of Bloody Battle was the Sect's hallmark style, it was a technique that was easy to learn but exceptionally difficult to truly master. Those with high aptitude could draw out immense power, while others found it mediocre. Consequently, though many practiced it, few relied on it during life-and-death struggles against powerful foes. Most preferred other specialized saber techniques.

The cultivators engaging Zhao Hai were using these alternative styles rather than the Eight Forms of Bloody Battle. It was evident they possessed significant talent, as their blade work appeared nearly flawless.

Zhao Hai watched the approaching cultivators with composure. He gestured and commanded, "Go!" At his word, the armored puppets standing behind him, clutching massive sabers, lunged forward. They swung their blades at a cultivator with incredible speed; the sheer size of the weapons indicated the devastating force behind the strikes.

The faces of the attackers paled. Though the identity of these iron-clad figures was unknown to them, the power of the blade strikes made it clear they were formidable. They were forced to swing their own weapons to parry the puppets. Because the puppets were fully encased in iron armor, their faces and internal structures were hidden. No one realized that these figures were actually metal constructs.

The reason no one suspected their true nature was that the puppets moved with the fluid grace of living beings. To the observers, it seemed impossible for a puppet to possess such flexibility.

Seeing his men halted, Han Lei sneered once more. He signaled again, sending another cultivator toward Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai gave a slight nod and a smile as the Undead souls behind him joined the fray. These spirits were draped in black robes to hide their forms. They also brandished long blades, though the thick aura of death surrounding them betrayed their nature as ghosts to any experienced eye.

Han Lei sneered at Zhao Hai, "Do you still claim you haven't conspired with outsiders? Zhao Hai, tell me, if you aren't a traitor, where did these ghosts come from? I will take you down today and purge this evil from the Sect!" Several more cultivators rushed forward. Finally, the Battle Corpse that had been standing by Zhao Hai’s side moved to intercept them. This left only Zhao Hai and Yan Bei standing atop the massive giant sword.

Looking at Zhao Hai on the sword, Han Lei sneered, "Zhao Hai, it would be wise for you to give up now." He felt entirely confident. He was backed by nearly 10,000 cultivators, while Zhao Hai and Yan Bei stood alone. He refused to believe they could withstand such numbers.

Zhao Hai smiled back at Han Lei. "Why don't you come and try? I want to see exactly how many of you I can take down!" Zhao Hai then performed a hand seal, casting a spell on the giant sword beneath him. The massive weapon shuddered before flying out from under his feet. The combatants were stunned and retreated in a panic. The sword was so colossal that a single touch meant certain death, filling them with dread.

The Undead and puppets returned to Zhao Hai’s side. In mid-air, the sword began to twist and reshape itself, transforming into a towering bronze giant nearly a hundred meters tall. The bronze figure wore armor and a cape but held no weapon.

The bronze statue loomed over them, its red eyes fixed on Han Lei’s group. Zhao Hai remarked, "Elder Han, what do you think? Come, attack me. Hahaha, I have no fear of your efforts." This was the first time Zhao Hai had deployed the bronze statue form of his giant sword. He knew its power well; it would be nearly impossible for Han Lei and his followers to even land a hit on it.

Han Lei’s expression darkened as he stared at the bronze colossus. He hadn't expected the sword to possess such a transformation. While it was a sword, its size made it somewhat predictable, allowing them to dodge. However, as a bronze statue, it would likely possess far greater speed and agility.

Han Lei spoke in a low, heavy voice, "Zhao Hai, do not be so arrogant. I doubt you have the nerve to slaughter all of us. Mark my words, if you kill this many people, your life is forfeit as well!" Han Lei was banking on the fact that killing so many fellow disciples, regardless of the justification, would make Zhao Hai an enemy of countless factions within the Blood Slaughter Sect.

Just then, a voice rang out, "Oh, is that so? I can promise he won't die. Do you believe me?" Several figures emerged from Blood Gale Island. Leading them was the Blood Blade Demon, Dao Qianzhan, the Sect Master of the Blood Slaughter Sect. He gazed at Han Lei with a face devoid of emotion.

Han Lei’s face drained of color at the sight of Dao Qianzhan. He had been a nominal disciple of the Sect Master for years and had even received personal instruction due to his talent. He knew Dao Qianzhan well; the more stoic the Sect Master appeared, the deeper his fury ran. It was the look of a man prepared to kill.

Zhao Hai and Yan Bei immediately bowed in greeting to Dao Qianzhan. Han Lei and his followers followed suit. The cultivators with Han Lei were those he had recruited after becoming a commander. He had brought them here with the malicious intent of forcing a confrontation with Zhao Hai. He wanted blood spilled so that a permanent grudge would be formed, tying these people to him. If he faced trouble later, they would be implicated too, providing him a layer of safety.

He had not anticipated Dao Qianzhan arriving so soon, before any real casualties had occurred. Moreover, it was obvious the Sect Master favored Zhao Hai. Han Lei’s heart sank. He couldn't understand how Dao Qianzhan had arrived so quickly or why someone like Zhao Hai warranted such personal attention.

Dao Qianzhan gestured for Zhao Hai to stand down, then turned a frigid gaze toward Han Lei. "Han Lei, who gave you the audacity to strike at Zhao Hai? While the 13 Family Alliance is launching an assault on our Blood Slaughter Sect, you aren't focused on repelling those scoundrels. Instead, you are here, screaming for Zhao Hai’s head. Tell me, who gave you the permission for this?"

Han Lei bowed deeply, sweat pouring from his forehead. His companions looked equally terrified. Han Lei stammered, "Master, we received reports that Zhao Hai is conspiring with the 13 Family Alliance. That is why we came to apprehend him. I beg you to investigate this, Master."

Dao Qianzhan let out a cold sneer. "Solid proof? Very well, produce your evidence. I would like to see exactly what you have gathered." He looked at Han Lei with eyes so cold they seemed to freeze the man’s soul.

Han Lei quickly answered, "Yes, Master. Please observe. This is the communication Jade Slip between Zhao Hai and the 13 Family Alliance. We have also captured several members of the Alliance. Under questioning, they confessed that Zhao Hai provided them with the Blood Slaughter Sect's deployments on the Western defense line. The Elders who conducted the interrogation have already been slain by Zhao Hai!"