Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8362: Resistance (1)

Zhao Hai gestured for silence, cutting off those who were preparing to speak. "You are the shields held in our hands. As we launch this counterattack, the enemy will inevitably seek alternatives if they cannot halt our advance. They will likely target the islands in the rear—the very islands you oversee. During that time, the integrity of each Island’s magic formation will rest solely on your shoulders. I cannot spare many disciples for you; I can only leave a thousand per Island. Furthermore, they will not be top-tier experts, as I must take the masters with me, and they will not have puppets available. You must defend your territory with only yourselves and those thousand disciples. Thus, your burden is the heaviest. If your positions remain secure, our frontal assault can successfully expel the invaders. If not, we will be trapped in a see-saw struggle, which is an outcome I refuse to accept. Is that clear?"

The gravity of their assignment dawned on everyone. Even the smallest Island was difficult to protect with a mere thousand disciples. Reliance on the array was their only hope, with the disciples serving merely as operators for the formation. Essentially, they were the sole guardians of their respective posts. This realization left them stunned.

Fixing them with a steady gaze, Zhao Hai spoke in a low, firm tone. "Regardless of your personal doubts, you must fulfill this duty. Rest assured, the defensive array I constructed is flawless. Even if the enemy deploys an expert at the Island Lord level, breaching your defenses will be impossible. Your victory lies simply in holding your ground. Do you understand?"

The group nodded in unison, their expressions turning grim. They understood that if a single island fell, the progress made by Zhao Hai’s main force would be rendered meaningless. Losing an island immediately after reclaiming another would be a devastating blow to morale.

Zhao Hai continued his instructions. "I will not waste more words. Return to your islands and select your disciples. Once chosen, ensure they surrender their puppets. Afterward, the rest of you must mobilize toward Blood Stone Island. It is currently under heavy assault, and we will depart for it the moment we are prepared."

They acknowledged his orders with a bow and departed. The teleportation formation flickered repeatedly as the stewards hurried back to their posts. Zhao Hai then summoned a cultivator of the Dharma-refining realm who served as the steward of Blood Bone Island. While Zhao Hai entrusted him with the island's Dharma artifacts, he kept the large compass for himself.

In truth, Zhao Hai had withheld a secret: this compass served as the master controller for every island array. If used, it would override any local manual controls. It was the ultimate key to the entire defensive network.

Zhao Hai kept this hidden because he knew the Sect would grow suspicious if they realized the extent of his control. To ensure his strategy succeeded, he had to keep this power to himself until the conflict concluded. He would hand it over to the Sect only after the war was won.

After finalizing the arrangements for Blood Bone Island, Zhao Hai monitored the situation. While the disciples were busy with final preparations, he didn't wait. He used the teleportation formation to jump straight to Blood Stone Island. His earlier warning hadn't been an exaggeration; the island was indeed in the midst of a fierce battle.

Shortly after Zhao Hai had returned to Blood Bone Island, the 13 Family Alliance had launched their strike. They had deployed over a hundred large-scale magic weapons and ten thousand disciples to seize Blood Stone Island. However, they were met with unexpected and stubborn resistance.

Having previously identified a flaw in the island's defensive array, the invaders focused their fire on that specific point. Usually, such a concentrated attack would shatter the formation, causing the Blood Massacre Sect disciples to flee. This tactic had allowed them to capture hundreds of islands over the past few days. Consequently, they viewed this assault as a routine exercise. Many believed the rumors that the Blood Massacre Sect was intentionally abandoning the Western Defense line, making this feel like a mere formality.

This arrogance led to a lack of caution. They assumed ten thousand men would be more than enough to overwhelm the small island.

To their shock, the perceived weakness in the formation no longer existed. Following Zhao Hai’s strict orders, Dong Wanqing focused entirely on defense rather than counter-attacking. He was amazed by the formation’s capabilities; it could defend and strike simultaneously. Though its offensive reach was limited to twenty miles, that distance was more than enough to devastate approaching enemies. It was a formidable display of power.

The magic formation unleashed massive, razor-sharp sword Qi. These blasts were so lethal that even Dharma-refining realm experts could be cut down instantly, and even large-scale celestial devices could only endure a few direct hits before being destroyed.

Because of this formation, Dong Wanqing successfully halted the enemy's progress, throwing them into a state of confusion. Though he felt the urge to charge out several times, he restrained himself. His faith in Zhao Hai’s leadership was now absolute; the sheer power of the formation proved that the commander’s plan for a counterattack was viable.

The 13 Family Alliance was stunned. They hadn't expected a minor island to possess such a ferocious defensive array. The sudden resistance from a Sect they thought was retreating caused a wave of panic to ripple through their ranks.

Their previous victories had made them overconfident, fueling the belief that the Blood Massacre Sect was theirs for the taking. Encountering such a roadblock turned their initial shock into a boiling rage. It was the anger of a bully who is suddenly struck back by a victim they thought was broken.

As reports of the stalemate reached their superiors, the Alliance prepared a much larger force. They soon arrived with over 300 large-scale celestial devices and nearly 100,000 fresh troops. This massive fleet began a relentless, rotating bombardment of Blood Stone Island.

Dong Wanqing felt a surge of anxiety as he watched the horizon fill with enemies. He doubted whether a small island could survive such a concentrated assault. However, his fears vanished when the array held firm against the barrage. He shifted his focus entirely to maintaining the shield, ceasing all outward attacks.

After hours of sustained combat, Zhao Hai arrived. Since the forces from Blood Bone Island were still mobilizing, he arrived alone. He went straight to the control center where Dong Wanqing was so preoccupied with the battle that he didn't notice the commander's presence at first.

Zhao Hai watched for a moment before Dong Wanqing finally looked up. He nodded quickly, his eyes bright with excitement. "Commander, you've arrived! These fools have been pounding on us for hours and haven't made a dent. Don't you worry." The steward was clearly energized by the fact that he was single-handedly holding off an entire army.

Zhao Hai smiled. "You've done well. I’ve settled the arrangements elsewhere. Reinforcements from the other islands will be here soon for the counterattack. For now, keep them stalled. They cannot see what is happening on the island through the barrier, so stay calm and take your time."

Dong Wanqing acknowledged the order and returned to the controls. The island’s defensive array resembled a massive, glowing hedgehog. Its shield was covered in spinning, lethal spikes of Qi that rotated at high speeds. Any enemy or magical artifact that tried to close the gap would be shredded before they could touch the barrier. Since the Alliance hadn't sent any Island Lord level masters yet, their refinement realm experts found it impossible to breach the island without the support of their largest weapons.